At 3:48 PM, the transport fleet arrived at the exercise area.

Looking around, the sea was full of boats!

However, there were not many warships, mainly fishing boats transporting personnel and cargo ships carrying materials, and the cargo ships were not very large. There was no sound of artillery, no smoke, only occasionally a few fighter jets and helicopters flying overhead.

Xiao Yu was stunned.

Ma Jintao was also dumbfounded.

Chen Jian held onto the railing and asked in confusion, "Director Ma, didn't they say there was going to be a beach landing? Where's the beach?"

Superior ordered the Binjiang Branch to drift and standby.

Ma Jintao only knew there was an island nearby, too far to see where it was, scratching his neck, saying, "It should be to the east, or maybe to the west."

Might as well have said nothing!

Chen Jian muttered to himself, then turned around and asked, "Xiao Yu, did Director Qian say when the superior wants us to land the brothers from the fishing boats?"

"No."

"Logically, before landing, they should first send Air Force and Navy Aviation planes to bomb, then organize warships to bombard the beachhead, bombarding it again before the beach landing."

"Maybe they're waiting for the Air Force to bomb first."

"Where's the Air Force? Since drifting to now, I've only seen three planes."

"Yeah, I haven't seen many warships either," Gao Jichun found it strange.

...

Meanwhile, Han Yu was also looking at the fishing boats.

No need for binoculars, you could see hundreds, and on the radar screen, even more densely packed; it's estimated there are a thousand fishing boats on the sea within five nautical miles!

Every fishing boat was full of red flags, visible through binoculars that those fishing boats came from several provinces and cities, with the nearest dozens of boats from the Putuo District Civilian Transport Team.

Secretly marveling that Zhehai had more fishing boats and fishermen than Jiangnan Province, one district could form a Civilian Transport Team, Li Mingsheng walked over and said, "Secretary Han, Commander Ding is preparing for landing, but... but given their current state, the beach landing performance is unlikely to satisfy the superior."

The Field Battle Group officers and soldiers had been on a boat for two days and nights, seasick reactions were very strong, many warriors hadn't eaten in two days, were dizzy and light-headed, couldn't even stand, how to participate in the exercise?

Han Yu sighed quietly, instinctively looking at the transport fleet behind: "How many can be put into battle?"

"I've secretly had each squad count, those with combat capability add up to less than three hundred."

"Does this count as non-combat attrition?"

"I've never been a soldier, how would I know these things."

Political Office Director Qin Weiquan was really worried for Commander Ding, whispered, "Fishing boats have high freeboards, the warriors are so seasick that climbing down the rope nets could easily fall into the sea. Shall we lower the lifeboats later and let our people ensure the safety of personnel transfer at sea?"

You don't know until you're there, but you realize the exercise hasn't started.

Next, listen to the Exercise Command Center's dispatch, wait for the landing ships and fishing boats ahead to transfer the participating officers and equipment to the beachhead, then organize the fleet to sail to the sea transshipment point, deliver the Field Battle Group officers ashore, then according to the Command Center's requirements, sail south to leave the transshipment area and anchor about four nautical miles southeast.

In short, the Exercise Command Center is now equivalent to "port scheduling," all warships and transport ships are queued outside the "port."

Han Yu didn't want the officers he's responsible for transporting to have an accident, agreed: "Okay, let's do it."

While waiting, two landing ships approached, judging by the hull numbers, they knew it was the South Sea Fleet's.

They were regular troops, given priority passage, priority "port entry."

Everyone was estimating the tonnage of those two landing ships, secretly calculating how many officers and equipment were on the landing ships when the two landing ships suddenly slowed down, then dropped anchor at sea.

The distance from the beach was far, the weather was not good, couldn't see the island with the naked eye, what were they doing stopped here?

Han Yu was baffled.

Qin Weiquan and Li Mingsheng were also puzzled.

At this moment, the door at the bow of the landing ship opened.

Only to see an amphibious tank drive into the sea, the tank was planted with a red flag, it was clear officers were standing on the tank.

Li Mingsheng saw amphibious tanks for the first time, exclaimed: "They're entering the water from here, so far from the beach, the tank is so heavy, what if it sinks!"

Han Yu calmed down, explained: "This is a Type 63 amphibious tank, designed in the 1950s, equipped in the 1960s, the technology is mature, it's said to have once crossed the Qiongzhou Strait. Entering the water from here is child's play for them, but in actual combat, the role of this tank is limited."

Lieutenant Chen was feeling seasick, standing at the side, not speaking.

He didn't expect Han Yu to evaluate the main combat equipment of beach landing like this and couldn't help but ask: "Han Yu, why do you think the Type 63 amphibious tank is lacking?"

"Too slow on water, during forced crossing it's just afloat as easy targets."

He was an observer, who knows how he'll report to the superior.

Han Yu didn't want the superior to be unhappy because of this, thought and added: "As far as I know, there hasn't been significant development in the technology of amphibious tanks and vehicles over the years. Not just us in China, it's the same abroad."

Lieutenant Chen slightly nodded, said nothing further.

While talking, more amphibious tanks entered the water.

Lined up at sea, sailing towards the beach against the sea breeze.

The same drivers, but steering a ship and driving an amphibious tank are completely different. It's a hunk of iron that, if it malfunctions, could spin in circles at sea or even sink to the bottom.

The drivers and crew of amphibious tanks, much like submarine officers, need to have a strong psychological resilience.

Han Yu gazed at the sea with great admiration.

At this moment, Li Mingsheng, who was observing with binoculars, suddenly exclaimed, "Secretary Han, people are in the water, lots of them. They're planning to swim ashore!"

"Let me see."

"Look, over there."

Han Yu took the binoculars and adjusted the focus. What he saw shocked him.

As Li Mingsheng said, at least two hundred officers and soldiers had entered the sea, and they were equipped, swimming strenuously towards the beach through wave after wave.

Chief of Staff Zhang, unfazed, glanced at Lieutenant Chen, who was peering in that direction, and said with a touch of pride and excitement, "They are Marine Corps officers of the South Sea Fleet, a five-kilometer armed swim is nothing to them."

The beach is about five kilometers from here.

Without enough landing boats, they simply swam over, perhaps taking the opportunity for training. Lieutenant Chen steadied his mind and instinctively turned to look at the fishing boats behind.

Han Yu knew exactly what he was looking at, and could even guess what he was thinking.

Also here for the exercise, the officers of the field battle group on the fishing boat were seasick and weak, while the marine officers were full of vigor. As an army officer, he must have felt uncomfortable about it.

Half an hour ago, Commander Ding, who had just returned to Jiangyu 628 aboard the transport boat, saw it too and immediately ordered all officers to see how they rushed for the beach landing.

The officers crowded along the ship's side, watching in awe.

Ma Jintao and others on the training ship noticed it too but were not too surprised, having undergone intensive water rescue training in recent years, though conducted on the river.

Xiao Yu muttered, "We can do it too, Old Ma, believe it or not, if I get in the water, I can definitely swim faster than them."

Ma Jintao pondered, "It depends on how far you're swimming. If it's more than three kilometers, I definitely can't."

One should know oneself, Chen Jian said with a wry smile, "I can only manage two kilometers at most carrying weight, like them."

"Old Ma, Old Chen, I'm not kidding, I can swim five kilometers like they do!"

"You grew up on a ship, how can we compare?"

"Guo Weitao can too."

"He practices acrobatics, also not comparable."

...

After watching the excitement at sea for more than two hours, orders finally came from the superior.

Han Yu ordered all the vessels of the Binjiang Branch to set sail as per the plan made two hours ago, taking turns heading for the 'transshipment area.'

Jiangyu 628, the 'flagship' of the Binjiang Civilian Transport Team, took the lead, reaching the 'transshipment point' first, anchoring under the command of a small boat from the Navy.

"Make way, don't crowd the starboard side!"

"Commander Ding, don't rush, we'll deploy the rope net first."

The ship captain, like driving ducks, herded the officers to the side, then shouted loudly, "Old Wu, is the rope net secured?"

"It's secured!"

"Check it, secure it tighter for me."

"I've checked it several times."

"Alright, swing the boom over!"

The ship captain frequently gave orders, and the four crew members cooperated seamlessly, deploying the rope net in less than three minutes.

Commander Ding went over and gave the rope net a hard tug, then turned back and said, "All personnel, check your gear, prepare to transfer to the landing boats!"

"Yes!"

At this moment, Ma Jintao, Xiao Yu, Chen Jian, and others arrived with six power boats.

To ensure safety, Ma Jintao's power boat first approached the fishing boat, while the other five circled the nearby sea.

Han Yu rushed over on the training ship's lifeboat and, seeing Xiao Yu and the others idling, immediately raised a portable loudspeaker, "Xiao Yu, Chen Jian, I've told you! This is a landing exercise, efficiency is crucial, the longer personnel and vessels linger here, the greater the danger! Can't approach 628, go to 381, there are several fishing boats there, get moving!"

"Yes!" Xiao Yu reacted and quickly adjusted the course to pick up the officers on Jiangyu 381.

Chen Jian, Gao Jichun, and the others also realized they couldn't waste time and quickly approached the other fishing boats that just anchored.

The wind and waves were strong at sea, the ship was rocking, and the rope net was swaying.

Commander Ding led the way, gritting his teeth as he climbed down the rope net.

Ma Jintao tightly gripped the steering wheel, diligently controlling the power boat's posture, ensuring that officers descending from the fishing boat wouldn't miss a step and fall into the sea, and also ensuring they wouldn't be injured by the power boat when it bumped against the fishing boat.

Han Yu, watching the officers' clumsy movements on the rope net, raised the loudspeaker and shouted, "Comrades, don't be afraid, hold on tight, steady your feet, don't look down!"

"Yes, yes, like that, move a bit faster, don't be scared, nothing to be afraid of!"

"Commander Ding, stand firm, prepare to receive the people from above, yes, like that!"