Chapter 378: Let Him Know What

"So fast??"

Xiong Yao was stunned by his speed.

Zheng Chengfeng smiled, saluted Division Commander Luo, and explained: "I live in the Division HQ guesthouse; I haven't gone anywhere these days, just waiting for you to call me."

Xiong Yao turned his head toward the commander and saw Division Commander Luo's eyelids flickering: "You, really, are quite persistent, huh?"

Zheng Chengfeng laughed heartily: "Division Commander Luo, you flatter me. For building naval power, for finding more outstanding talent for our Navy, a little hardship is deserved."

"Um, may I make a call? The people under my command are still at the family compound gate, lingering at the Division HQ entrance, and the heat brings many mosquitoes."

Xiong Yao let out a guttural sound in his throat and dared not speak.

He could feel the temperature in the office rising with the commander's anger.

Zheng Chengfeng's move was a face‑to‑face big‑mouth attack, mocking him directly, almost daring to ask how the commander managed to 'sneak' into the Division HQ under such tight surveillance.

"Hmm, withdraw it. The person is already in the Division HQ. Why isn't it there? You're asking me?"

"When you get back, each write a self‑inspection; the others two thousand words, you four thousand, and present it publicly!"

"Can't even keep an individual under watch, yet you call yourselves amphibious reconnaissance elite? You all have really turned the tables. Next time you make such a low‑level mistake, I'll send you to a farm to raise pigs!"

He hung up, and Zheng Chengfeng smiled as he looked at the fire‑spitting, face‑turned‑purple Division Commander Luo.

"By the way, Division Commander Luo, which route did you take back to the Division HQ? I was thinking of greeting you at the entrance."

Bang!

Division Commander Luo slapped the rosewood desk, like a raging tiger.

The noise startled Xiong Yao, who nearly fell under the stool.

"Zheng Chengfeng, you kid, don't give me any cheek!"

"This is the Army, not your Navy; it's not a place where you can run wild!"

"Do you believe it? I can have someone pull you out right now and have the Guard Platoon take turns slapping your big mouth."

"Lu Yang, that soldier, your South Sea Fleet can't even think about him! He's from my Southeast Army, the elite backbone of our Division; I advise you to give up this wish, and hurry back to your hometown!"

Xiong Yao didn't even dare to breathe; the words 'negotiation breakdown' flashed in his mind.

Having worked with the commander for so long, he had never seen such a furious outburst.

Zheng Chengfeng is also ruthless; although he's only a Colonel, he dares to slam a face‑to‑face big‑mouth attack at an Army Major General.

Even though they're not in the same unit, there's no need to worry about negative effects on one's career.

But an ordinary person would never dare to offend such a star‑bearing senior officer, yet he did exactly that.

Xiong Yao thought of Lu Yang's face, his heart galloping: "Lu Yang, Lu Yang, look at how much face you have, that senior Army and Navy commanders are fighting over you, turning white‑faced, red‑eyed!"

Facing Division Commander Luo's anger, Zheng Chengfeng sat calmly in his chair, a composed expression as he looked at him.

"Division Commander Luo, the previous few times I approached you to communicate, you brushed me off like a kicked ball."

"Naval construction is urgent, my time is also precious; if you stall with me, I can only stall with you."

"But I must tell you, as the person in charge of the current plan to transfer elite Army troops to the Navy, your delay isn't just my personal time—it stalls the march of building a strong maritime force."

"Don't slap those big labels on me; I won't buy that!"

Division Commander Luo, still fuming, swung his large hand forcefully.

"I'll give you two options now."

"Either scram right now, or stay and take a slap."

Zheng Chengfeng chuckled, took a document from his bag and pushed it over,

Division Commander Luo brushed the document aside, his anger flaring as he said, "I've already said, the South Sea Fleet's orders are just a piece of waste paper to me; we only accept orders from the Eastern Army and the Eastern Theater Command!"

Zheng Chengfeng crossed his arms, raised an eyebrow: "You misunderstand; this is issued by your Eastern Army Headquarters."

"Commander, so it really is from this theater?"

Xiong Yao, surprised, picked up the folder that had fallen onto the table edge.

The heading 'Eastern Army' on it was especially conspicuous.

He carefully handed the folder to the commander.

Division Commander Luo, after seeing the content, almost choked on his breath.

The document didn't mention Lu Yang's name, but its content was simple: it ordered him to actively and unconditionally obey the order to transfer to the Navy.

That is to say, even if they now want to forcibly reassign his Zhencha Daitui, this division commander must grind his teeth, swallow it, and cooperate.

Division Commander Luo set the order aside, gritted his teeth and stared at Zheng Chengfeng: "You really went all out, even bringing an Army Headquarters order? What's this, using the higher‑up's command to pressure me?"

Zheng Chengfeng took the document back: "I never intended to do this; you forced me to pull out the document. Originally I wanted to talk with you properly, to negotiate a solution."

Division Commander Luo's anger was stuck in his throat, unable to rise, so he sat back down.

The situation forced him; he had to lower his head and concede.

Xiong Yao quickly seized the opening and proposed the earlier three‑for‑one condition.

He also praised those three soldiers extravagantly, especially Lan Li, emphasizing his elite background from an elite university and his extraordinary talent.

Zheng Chengfeng let out a snort of laughter: "Willing to offer three extraordinary Soldier Kings to exchange for one Lu Yang; looks like my persistence was right after all—he's worth the wait."

Pfft!

Xiong Yao felt a mouthful of old blood almost spurt from his throat.

How could being clever end up being a mistake?

The commander's murderous gaze swept over him, as if questioning: "What rotten idea did you come up with!"

Xiong Yao's forehead was dotted with sweat, he was panicking; if he mishandled this, his military career would end here.

Xiong Yao hurriedly looked for a remedy, beginning to wildly play the emotional card.

One after another, they argued that they were doing it for Lu Yang's benefit, that keeping him here would lead to a better future.

He also emphasized that the Division has already mapped out a future development path for him, arranged a slot for admission to the military academy, and plans to send him for further training in a few months, among other things.

But Zheng Chengfeng flatly rejected that line: "Everyone knows that the next priority for the troops is to vigorously develop the Navy, especially the South Sea Fleet; a huge amount of funding, resources, and weaponry will be poured into our side."

"In the future, the South Sea Fleet will undergo reorganization and restructuring, offering more opportunities, better benefits, and greater prospects for promotion."

"As for attending the military academy, there's no rush; the academy is not going anywhere. Delaying by a year or two to solidify professional skills and pinpoint one's own positioning is the key."

"Later, our Navy will find a more suitable and promising specialty for him; we won't trouble you with that."

Xiong Yao was also meeting, for the first time, a guy who was more articulate and harder to deal with than himself.

Zheng Chengfeng was also too lazy to argue with them, and directly proposed a solution.

"You've said so much, essentially to prove that keeping him with you offers a better development prospect and better room for advancement, right?"

"Yes, and he has a bond with our Division!"

"If he stays, which unit would you assign him to?"

"The Zhencha Daitui! It's the strongest, best, most elite team in our Division; every soldier in it has been selected through rigorous scrutiny..."

Xiong Yao puffed out his chest with great pride, and Colonel Luo did the same, showing a proud expression.

Zheng Chengfeng: "So you think that staying in the Zhencha Daitui will allow Lu Yang to gain more and learn more?"

Xiong Yao nodded resolutely: "Exactly!"

Zheng Chengfeng lifted the corner of his mouth: "But I heard that he seemed to have some unpleasant disputes with your Zhencha Daitui, and also that the failed exercise of the Special Third Regiment, which led to its reorganization, is related to the Zhencha Daitui, right?"

"With a team like this, even if you manage to keep Lu Yang, can you keep his heart?"

Colonel Luo was choked hard and could only glare fiercely at Xiong Yao.

It was indeed his oversight and omission; he hadn't expected the other side to exploit the loophole.

Xiong Yao's brain CPU was about to overheat: "Damn it, think fast, refute quickly! Come up with a counter to crush him!"

Colonel Luo, unable to argue and feeling indignant, snorted coldly: "Anyway, our team is far stronger than your Navy's amphibious reconnaissance! At the very least, staying here lets you jump right in without having to adapt or go through any lousy selection process!"

Zheng Chengfeng didn't follow up his remark but instead launched an attack: "How about this, we make a bet: if I can prove that your Zhencha Daitui cannot keep Lu Yang, then you let me take him."

"Conversely, if I can't prove it, I'll turn around and leave, and I won't take anyone either."

"Fine, it's settled!"

Colonel Luo seized the opportunity and immediately gave the final decision.

Xiong Yao, suspicious, asked: "But how will you prove it?"

Zheng Chengfeng explained: "On my way here, I happened to hear that Lu Yang, apparently on behalf of the Sixth Company and the Special Third Regiment, went to your Division's Zhencha Daitui to cause a scene and demand an explanation?"

"Shall we move over there and take a look?"

"What?"

Xiong Yao was completely startled and sprang to his feet in an instant.

Colonel Luo's gaze also changed, clearly having not anticipated such a situation.

Zheng Chengfeng rose slowly, walked toward the door, and said: "I bet he alone can break through your Zhencha Daitui; do you believe it?"

Xiong Yao erupted like a fuse, shouting: "Bullshit! No matter how excellent he is, he could never reach that level; do you think the team I brought out is just eating dry rice?"

"I'll bet with you! If he loses, you immediately pack up and leave!"

"Fine, no problem!"

Zheng Chengfeng looked at Colonel Luo: "Colonel Luo, shall we go take a look?"

Colonel Luo's face turned grim; he smelled a conspiracy, yet he still had to take the bait!

The other side took the soft approach, not the hard; holding a directive from the Eastern Army Headquarters in his hand, he had to cooperate even if he didn't want to.

Colonel Luo put on his hat, shoulder‑bumped Zheng Chengfeng at the doorway, and briskly led Xiong Yao outside.

"I do want to see what trick this guy is trying to pull."

"Call Yang Yong and ask about the specifics over there; if it's true, make them beat Lu Yang to death!"

"After achieving a few merits, he became arrogant and even dared to come to the Zhencha Daitui demanding an explanation? We must make this kid understand how to write the four characters 'the sky is high and the earth is thick'!"

"Yes!"