Before this, Ren Xiaosu had never been further west of Fortress 178.
The area outside the fortress was not as desolate as they had imagined. As Ren Xiaosu and Zhang Jinglin walked through the wilderness, they could see many people from the Northwest farming and herding livestock in the wilderness.
Zhang Jinglin explained, "The factories are all under the protection of the fortress. You should've seen those factories when you came from Stronghold 144. But if it's farming and herding, the Northwest is more suitable. The purpose of the outposts is not only to inform the fortress in advance to prepare for battle, but also to buy time for the civilians who are engaged in production to evacuate. "
Ren Xiaosu nodded silently. The environment of Fortress 178 was special, and there were relatively few places for farming and herding. As such, they had to make full use of it.
He suddenly asked, "When was the rule set that the person who takes over as commander has to visit all the outposts?"
"A long, long time ago." Zhang Jinglin said calmly, "The outposts are very tough. Some of the soldiers stay there for many years. They have to endure the scorching sun in the summer, and the roads are blocked by ice and snow in the winter. The more important outposts might have five or six people, so it's not too lonely. But some outposts only have two people, so they have to endure the loneliness. "
Zhang Jinglin continued, "Of course the commander is living comfortably in the fortress. But you have to understand that those 178 outposts carry the most dangerous responsibilities in the war and what they're going through right now. It's just like the reason why I let you join the Razor Sharp Company. Only when you've been to the most dangerous places will you understand the implications of every decision you make. Only someone who has gone through thick and thin with everyone is qualified to be the commander. "
It had to be said that what attracted Ren Xiaosu to Fortress 178 was probably this people-oriented spirit.
Zhang Jinglin said with a smile, "Besides, there's also a psychological aspect to it. I don't know if you can understand, but hardworking people will look down on lazy people from the bottom of their hearts. If a commander has been to the Razor Sharp Company and visited all the outposts, he will look down on those cowardly and incompetent bureaucrats. I didn't notice it at first, but later on, I realized that if I noticed any commander trying to cheat, I would subconsciously say, 'Think about those outpost soldiers who are suffering from loneliness, and then think about those brothers who are risking their lives on the frontlines. Don't you feel ashamed?' "
"All in all, this is to let the fortress commander understand what a commander's responsibilities are," Zhang Jinglin said.
Walking out of the outpost and joining the Razor Sharp Company was like a unique induction ceremony.
Actually, Ren Xiaosu did not quite understand it at first. Since he was a candidate for the position of commander, what if he really died after being sent to the Razor Sharp Company? After all, it was very common for a combat unit like the Razor Sharp Company to have less than 10% of them survive a battle.
Walking out of the outpost usually took up to two months, and the new commander-in-chief still needed the old commander-in-chief to accompany him. Wasn't he afraid that something might go wrong during the delay?
But now he realized that Fortress 178's usual practice was to choose a person who was worthy of the responsibility from the most difficult path. That person would then carry the fate of the entire Northwest on his shoulders.
When they were on Daxing Northwest 2.0's refugee road, Big Bluff told Ren Xiaosu about his time at the outpost.
Big Bluff told him that when he was at the outpost, he did not stay at the outpost every day after he woke up. Instead, he had to go out on patrol with his gun on his back.
In the cold of winter, he would have to carry his gun on his back for an entire day and set off before dawn. By the time he returned to the outpost at night, it would already be dark.
His runny nose would freeze on his face, and a thin layer of smoothie would form in his shoes. His cheeks would turn red from the cold.
At night, he did not dare to get too close to the campfire when he warmed himself up at the outpost. That was because his body would swell up if he suddenly warmed himself up.
While he was on patrol, his only chance to communicate with the outside world was when he walked up to a mountain called Tiger Ridge at noon and waved to the sentries on the other mountain.
The patrol routes of both parties did not overlap, and the two mountains were the closest to each other.
Everyone had a tacit understanding to arrive at the top of the mountain at noon every day. After that, they would wave to the sentries and continue on their respective patrol routes.
Regardless of whether it was windy, rainy, or snowy, the two sentries would always arrive at the top of the mountain at noon. Only when they saw each other was there would they feel some comfort in their hearts.
It was not that everyone was too free, but that they were too lonely.
If the current sentry's term of service was over and he was ready to leave, he would definitely remind the new sentry again and again: Every day at 12 o 'clock, you must arrive at Tiger Ridge and wave to your comrades on the other side of the mountain, because he was waiting for you.
Over the past 100 years, Fortress 178 had established 178 outposts ever since it was established. These 178 outposts were like lonely stars and torches in the wilderness.
Ren Xiaosu asked, "Back then, Mr. Zhang probably didn't know how strong I was, right? Weren't you afraid that I would die just like that when you sent me to the Razor Sharp Company?"
Zhang Jinglin said calmly, "I'm only in my early forties. Speaking of which, I'm still considered relatively young for a commander. So even if you really die in the war, I should still have more than enough time to choose someone else. You should know that some commanders only find a suitable candidate in their seventies. I'm considered quite lucky. "
Ren Xiaosu raised an eyebrow. "Is it too late for me to run away now?"
"Of course it's too late." Zhang Jinglin laughed. "Didn't I tell you not to look back?"
Many people thought that Zhang Jinglin was a serious and serious person. But after Ren Xiaosu saw how Zhang Jinglin behaved in town, he actually understood that this fellow could become the commander of Fortress 178 because he was also a hooligan deep down.
…
The first outpost was located 80 kilometers Northwest of Fortress 178. Ren Xiaosu and Zhang Jinglin were expected to set off in the morning and arrive at the outpost in the evening.
Zhang Jinglin realized that Ren Xiaosu was still unscathed even though he was so tired that he was about to collapse.
This plan of going through all the outposts was also meant to hone the minds of the previous commanders. That was why they had to travel on foot.
But the old commander who had set this rule probably did not expect that a supernatural being with the stamina of a beast would appear among the commanders. The so-called "tempering the mind" was not going to work at all.
In Zhang Jinglin's plan, Ren Xiaosu had experienced too many battles in recent years and killed a lot of people. On this trip, he hoped that Ren Xiaosu's temper would calm down and give Ren Xiaosu a chance to settle down.
In the end, Ren Xiaosu was completely unscathed. This trip on foot was more like a training exercise for Zhang Jinglin.
In the afternoon, Zhang Jinglin looked at the lively Ren Xiaosu and could not help but say, "Go carry a rock!"
Ren Xiaosu was taken aback. "There wasn't such a rule in the past, right?"
"There is now," Zhang Jinglin said seriously.
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