Munitions Empire

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Militaries around the world were still doing the same thing: Once they got trucks, they equipped them to the frontline troops, attempting to increase their battlefield mobility. But these units, now equipped with a large number of trucks, were hampered by a limping logistical support system in actual combat, suffering from lack of fuel or maintenance that couldn't keep up.

As a result, it often happened that the frontline troops had plenty of trucks, yet they were severely damaged or rendered inoperable, their mobility no different than that of ordinary infantry.

In recent years, nations had been ceaselessly researching how to improve these issues and began to emphasize enhancing the capabilities of logistical units.

But what was infuriating was the emergence of the Tang Nation Air Force, which exacerbated the serious issue that transportation support units couldn't survive under the overwhelming power of a strong air force.

This, in turn, meant that all the money invested into logistics by these countries was wasted: railways would be bombed, supply points attacked, and ground targets like trucks destroyed. The losses in logistics would directly reflect on the performance of the frontline combat troops, still dragging down the overall efficiency of the units, despite some improvements in supply chains.

Therefore, how to protect the fragile supply system became a new subject to tackle, and even General Feng Kezhi started to pity those adversaries of the Tang Nation—they had to invest even more money and technical effort into their air forces.

What General Feng Kezhi found most terrifying was that, when he reached the last third of this book, he saw the Tang Nation's own summary of their tactical shortcomings.

That is to say, even if someone could really copy the Tang Nation's military might by piling up money and imitating them in a crazy fashion, they would still be defeated by the Tang Army. Even more, the Tang Army wouldn't have to pay a heavy price to defeat such imitators!

In the final part of the book, it simply introduced the current individual communication system of the Tang Army. Although not in detail, it still left General Feng Kezhi stunned.

The Tang Nation had begun mass production of communication devices that could be carried by individual soldiers, signifying that commanders could micro-manage smaller units.

With the advent of such miniaturized communication systems, the Tang Army would no longer have to bothersomely mix units together, and could instead dispatch and command troops in a timely manner under single combat unit types.

The battlefield of the future would become very different, and the generals of the Tang Nation were already learning about this change in advance. This was their true terrifying aspect! While other countries were still struggling to catch up with the Tang Nation, they leisurely took another step forward.

Moreover, they didn't even shy away from the spread of such technology, freely leaving this kind of book for someone like him... a general who had met defeat, to pass the time.

Thinking of this, General Feng Kezhi closed his eyes and sighed bitterly. Only at this moment did he realize that the Great Tang Kingdom didn't even need to win him over, a general from a rival empire, for to this emerging kingdom, generals like him were nothing but exquisite artifacts covered in cobwebs and dust.

Antiques might be valuable, but they are, after all, relics of the past. Their only purpose is to showcase former glory, displayed in museums for people to contemplate.

Amidst his sighs, the door to his room was pushed open from the outside, and a figure wearing a wide-brimmed hat and Tang Nation's military uniform entered. Upon entering, he exclaimed, "Great General!"

General Feng Kezhi recognized the visitor and awkwardly squeezed out a smile, "Jin Hang... you, how did you get here?"

"I heard about what happened to you, so I applied to come see you... Your Majesty... Did Zhao Kai really act out of jealousy and strike against you?" Qian Jinhang took off his military cap, tucked it under his arm, and walked to General Feng Kezhi's bedside, his words carrying a hint of emotion.

"A general who has lost a battle no longer warrants being called capable. I'm already dead, now just an idler," General Feng Kezhi remarked as he moved the book he had read once from his body and placed it on the opposite side from where Qian Jinhang stood.

He was now overly protective of the book; every time a nurse came in, he instinctively watched it, always fearing it might be taken by someone.

"Ah..." Qian Jinhang sighed standing beside the bed, then lifted his head and spoke, "I have written a letter of recommendation, Your Majesty..."

He paused briefly when he mentioned that term, as if he was afraid General Feng Kezhi wouldn't discern the distinction, "Your Majesty is wise and will surely reuse your talents, Great General..."

"Why bother, I... forget it, I'm just a captive now, whatever happens to me doesn't matter anymore." General Feng Kezhi laughed self-deprecatingly, "I was previously afraid to imagine seeing you, but now that you're here, I also have some things to say, consider them as... the last words of the Feng Ke you knew."

Bird calls could already be heard outside the window, the rubble and debris by the collapsed wall had been cleared away, and Tang Nation vehicles could be seen on the streets. Most of them were troop-transport trucks, and there were also some engineering vehicles that General Feng Kezhi had never seen before.

On the ruins across the street, some civilians were moving stones and broken wood pieces. There were quite a few differences between the buildings of the Tang Nation and those of the Dahua Empire. Among the biggest differences was that the Tang Nation tended to use cement to construct taller, utilitarian, tube-shaped buildings without much aesthetic appeal.

To be honest, this represented a regression in aesthetics; those cold reinforced concrete structures, prison-like with only palm-sized windows, appeared gloomy and frightening.

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