The temporary residence of the Observation Team is not far from the viewing stand, located halfway up the mountain. It consists of two rows of brick and tile structures without air conditioning or fans, with conditions similar to those in a tent, except for the privilege of having water for showers.

Standing at the entrance of the camp, one can see ahead the busy sea and beach filled with roaring military vehicles and soldiers in training. The hills on both the north and south sides are either lush with Casuarina trees or covered with sprawling lychee orchards.

"To eat three hundred lychees a day, without regret of becoming a Lingnan native."

Unfortunately, it is the wrong season. If the Observation Team had arrived a few months earlier, the branches would have been weighed down with red lychees, providing a feast for the taste buds.

The exercises have been going on for nine days, and the Observation Team held its first full meeting.

The meeting was chaired by Captain Shen from the General Staff. Leaders from the Four Headquarters, two major military regions, two main fleets, and the Second Artillery attended; the canteen doubling as a meeting room was filled with generals and stars, with Major Generals and Colonels standing to the side.

According to the meeting agenda, colleagues who have observed for so many days not only have to report on the situation but also provide practical suggestions and compile them into a report to be submitted to the Central Military Commission!

No exaggeration, the topic under discussion in the meeting concerns the highest level of confidentiality within the military.

Although Han Yu is also an observer, he doesn't dare go in like the others. Knowing too much might result in being unable to leave once inside.

It's not that he doesn't want to contribute to the country, but the pressure of life is too great.

If he learns what he shouldn't, one command from the commander for special enlistment, and he would have no choice but to join the army. Military pay is too low; how would he repay debts? Plus, at his age, with elders and young ones to take care of, being in the army would mean neglecting his family.

For these reasons, Han Yu, with the Observation Team leadership's consent, waits outside.

Perhaps because the meeting inside is too crucial, there are four more patrols at the entrance than yesterday. The road leading here is barricaded, and all vehicles have to take detours.

It has been under martial law since early morning, except for some local residents living nearby, no outsiders can enter.

It's worthy of mention that the island's residents have high political awareness and a strong sense of confidentiality. Many media reporters, after learning about military exercises on the island, flock here to "dig" for news.

This morning, while at the town pharmacy with Adviser Wu to buy medication for mosquito bites, they encountered two journalists asking the island's residents for information. The locals ignored them or even ran up to stop them when they tried to take pictures from a high vantage point.

Such a large-scale operation should, by rights, see National Security and Local Police dispatching officers, but until today, none were seen, only military security officers.

Han Yu sits in a military vehicle with air conditioning, pondering how the Binjiang Police could effectively handle security if the exercise were held in Binjiang, when Adviser Wu comes over and taps on the window.

"Salted Fish, it's your turn."

"Do I have to report inside?"

"All observers have to report."

"I submitted my observation report yesterday!"

"The Captain says the commanders want to hear your report firsthand."

Can't they just read the report? Instead, they insist on a verbal presentation...

Han Yu is anxious about facing so many commanders and worried he might be trapped inside, nervously asks, "Brother Wu, are you done reporting?"

Adviser Wu, having long noticed Han Yu's reluctance to get involved, glances back at the few drivers who want to smoke but dare not, and whispers, "Relax, we're all done reporting. The Captain knows you don't want to be in the army and won't ambush you."

"Really?"

"Why would I lie to you? Hurry up, don't keep so many commanders waiting."

Han Yu calms his mind, jumps out of the vehicle, straightens his uniform, and with trepidation, follows Adviser Wu into the courtyard. He reaches the canteen entrance, calls out "Report," and enters the venue at the Captain's signal.

On the temporary podium, over twenty generals are seated, at least five of whom seem familiar.

Having been too afraid to enter earlier, no seat was arranged.

Now there is no seat, leaving him standing.

The Nanjing Military Region Commander sitting in the front row almost got vomited on by Han Yu last year. Later, hearing about Han Yu's series of embarrassing gaffes in the Capital, he has a distinct impression of Han Yu's "one-shot drunk" antics, and can't help but smile at his awkward demeanor.

The Guangzhou Military Region Commander, who last year commanded flood relief on the Jingjiang Embankment for a full month, has an even deeper impression of Han Yu, the emergency mobile rescue assault team leader who wasn't afraid of embarrassing Vice President L. He turns slightly to smile and comments to the Nanjing region commander: "This kid is clever, acts like an observer but is afraid to join the meeting, scared you'd change his officer rank to active duty."

The Nanjing Military Region Commander suddenly realizes, glances at Han Yu with a playful smile, causing Han Yu's heart to race.

At this moment, Captain Shen clears his throat and says, "Comrade Han Yu, it's now your turn. Today we only discuss shortcomings and problems, not achievements. Please address the observed issues regarding the Civilian Militia Reserve Force in early exercises."

"Yes!"

Han Yu regains his composure, quickly responds: "Report to all commanders, if considered from a combat perspective, the cooperation between Civilian Militia Reserve Forces and active units in maritime operations presents many weaknesses. Firstly, there are too many fishing vessels called up, which hinders command, air defense, and logistical support."

A Navy Chief picks up a pen and looks up, "Be more specific."

"This time we have requisitioned nearly a thousand fishing boats from five provinces and cities. Although they are organized in brigades, in reality, many of the ship captains of the militia transport brigades are not familiar with each other. The active-duty officers and militia personnel are also not familiar. The commanders don't know their troops, and the troops don't know their commanders. Adding communication problems, how can command be smooth if there is a conflict?"

"Continue."

"Secondly, it is not conducive to air defense. These are nearly a thousand fishing boats, a dense mass on the sea, and most fishing boats lack basic air defense equipment. If enemy planes break through our air defense line, the fishing boats on the sea become live targets!"

The observer is not the God of Stove, unable to report good things to heaven or assure safety on earth.

Moreover, not being an active-duty officer, it may seem there are so many commanders in the meeting room, but none of them have authority over me.

Han Yu had nothing to fear, taking a deep breath and continuing, "As for the logistical challenges, all commanders have seen, with nearly a thousand fishing boats, that's over six thousand crew members. No, they should be called civilian soldiers now.

Over six thousand civilian soldiers participating in the war—what concept is that? It's equivalent to a division! The tonnage of fishing boats is limited, and the amount of fuel and fresh water they can carry is limited. One can imagine the daily logistical pressure. It can be said that in terms of personnel transport, instead of helping much, it has increased the burden on the logistics department."

Such words are not easy for the average person to say. It is known that requisitioning so many civilian soldiers in such a short time is no easy task, and the civilian soldier brothers have made great sacrifices or suffered great economic losses to cooperate with the exercises of the active-duty units.

Not allowing success to be reported, yet you cannot negate their efforts, saying they didn't help but caused trouble.

The commanders were stunned, and even those previously uninterested commanders from the reserve forces raised their heads subconsciously.

Captain Shen did not think Han Yu was grandstanding by being the only clear-headed person in a crowd of drunken men. He nodded at him encouragingly.

"Regarding equipment transport, relying on fishing boats is even less feasible, which means the deficiencies in the civilian militia reserve force cannot be resolved by merely enhancing training or providing air defense equipment to the civilian militia reserve."

"Comrade Han Yu, you are a competent reserve officer. What good suggestions do you have regarding the weaknesses of the civilian militia reserve force?"

"Reporting to the commander, I am not saying the sea militia is useless. In fact, the sea militia can play important roles in other areas. After all, as long as it is not the fishing ban period, fishing boats must conduct fishing operations at sea. They can timely discover situations the Navy, Marine, Marine Supervision, Fishery Administration, and Coast Guard cannot detect, and they might even retrieve instruments deployed by foreign military ships in our offshore or territorial waters."

Han Yu organized his thoughts and continued, "However, in coordinating with the main force to execute sea-crossing landing operations, a militia unit mainly composed of fishing boats can hardly be effective. It cannot transport many officers and soldiers at once, let alone heavy weapons and equipment, and instead may increase the logistical burden of the main forces.

Commanders, both of China's largest commercial shipping enterprises, Cosco Container Transport Group Company and Zhonghai Shipping Group Company, have their headquarters in the East Sea, within the defense areas of Nanjing Military Region and East Sea Fleet. Combined, the long-haul transport capacity of these two companies ranks fourth in the world, owning several hundred ships of over ten thousand tons.

They are state-owned enterprises and should bear more responsibility. I propose forming four to six reserve transport regiments based on these large shipping enterprises and modifying their freighters and roll-on-roll-off ships. As long as it can be done, just dispatching a dozen or twenty freighters with three or four hundred crew members can completely meet the needs of transporting landing personnel and equipment!"

"One-shot drunk" has some boldness!

He actually dared to target two major central enterprises and opened his mouth to modify a dozen or twenty freighters and form four to six reserve transport regiments.

Anyway, whether it can be done is up to the superiors; it has nothing to do with him. He is just making suggestions.

The Nanjing Military Region commander seemed contemplative, and Han Yu added, "Anti-aircraft guns can be moved onto tugboats and likewise onto ten-thousand-ton freighters. They can even temporarily mount air defense missiles on freighters. With fewer people, command is smooth. Large tonnage also means large transport capacity. There is enough space to mount anti-aircraft guns and air defense missiles, solving the air defense problem, or at least partially.

As for logistical support, the oil tanks of ten-thousand-ton freighters are large enough - once filled, there will be no need to worry about fuel shortages. Freshwater can be directly generated using the desalination equipment on the freighter. In short, we are nearly entering the 21st century. Although we cannot compare with the US Army, we can't just stay at the level of the Crossing the River Campaign; we need to catch up to the Normandy landings."

These words sound harsh, but they are truthful despite being blunt.

Requisitioning so many fishing boats creates a vast scene. The news report headline could be "Thousands of Boats Set Sail," but in reality, the transport capacity isn't much different from the late Liberation War's Crossing the River Campaign.

Captain Shen nodded slightly and said, "Comrade Han Yu, continue."

"Reporting to the Captain, there is nothing more."

"That's all?"

"That's all."

"What about regarding the active forces?"

"I'm an outsider, only watching the commotion."

"Even watching the commotion, you can discern something. Speak boldly."

Han Yu clearly saw the anticipation in the eyes of Vice Commander Yu and other naval officers, suddenly realizing the report material formed in this meeting is significant for the Navy. He hurriedly said, "Reporting to the commanders, I don't understand other aspects. I only know that most Army officers and soldiers participating in the exercise experienced seasickness, and those with the most severe reactions only recovered a few days ago.

They vomited their guts out, didn't eat for days, felt dizzy and lightheaded, and could hardly stand, let alone fight. Many Army units are stationed far from the coast, making it unrealistic to strengthen training in this regard, so I strongly recommend expanding the Marine Corps."

"Is there anything else?"

"Also, expanding the landing craft units, as there are too few professional landing crafts. The efficiency of personnel transfer at sea is slow, severely affecting combat efficiency and the survival ability of participating forces. If a war breaks out, the landing area will become very dangerous. Every additional minute on the sea increases the risk of being sunk, whether naval or civilian ships cooperating with the Navy."

"Very well said; you seem to understand a lot, continue."

"Reporting to the commander, I really don't understand, there's truly nothing more."

"Alright, you may leave now."

"Yes!"