Chapter 457: Borrow, Cheat, and Rob

"Hahaha, the chief really knows how to joke!"

Zheng Chengfeng hurriedly used laughter to make up for it.

But Gu Mingyuan stared at him expressionlessly.

"Do you think I'm joking?"

Zheng Chengfeng felt a sudden thump in his chest, as if he'd boarded a pirate ship.

"Chief, these are the basics for forming a unit—how can even a skillful woman cook without rice?"

"It's hard, that's why I chose you."

Damn, I'm really on a pirate ship!

Sure enough, this top chief who parachuted in isn't a pushover!

Zheng Chengfeng wore a bitter face: "Then I'll just honestly do my job as deputy brigade commander, okay?"

Gu Mingyuan squinted: "You just promised me; backing out now is disobedience, and you need to think carefully about the consequences."

Zheng Chengfeng felt half his heart go cold: "Chief, it's not that I'm unwilling; there's no funding, no personnel, no venue, no technical support—there's simply no way to accomplish such a difficult mission."

"You also know how much money it takes to build a new unit, especially one modeled after the U. S. Rangers as a rapid response force."

"The manpower, material, and effort invested aren't any less than building a Special Forces unit from scratch."

Gu Mingyuan snorted coldly: "What can I do? The special budget was mostly spent by your previous commander, and now there's only this little left for me. I'm the Navy Commander, not the commander of the Southern Theater!"

"But if you want the horse to run, you at least have to let it eat some grass!"

"Are you saying we won't give you any grass to eat?"

Gu Mingyuan said: "There is definitely military funding, according to the standards of regular units."

Zheng Chengfeng's head swelled; you think you can gamble big with a small stake, pocketing ten thousand and expecting to buy a Porsche?

This is no longer a matter of moderate difficulty; the success probability is less than or equal to one percent!

Gu Mingyuan: "Don't worry, good performance will bring extra rewards. As long as you deliver results, this project will restart, and I can continue applying for special funds."

"Zheng, I believe with your ability, funding won't be a problem; if it really doesn't work, you can borrow, cheat, even rob if you have to."

"How you solve it is your problem; as long as it's not murder, arson, or breaking the law, I can turn a blind eye."

"This is the first time Zheng Chengfeng linked the words 'chief' and 'old rogue' together—doesn't that just amount to plain scamming?"

Forming a rapid response unit is already a failed project; who would be willing to lend you money?

Doesn't this force you to resort to swindling and trafficking?

"Let's set funding aside for now; then, you have to provide at least some equipment, right?"

"Didn't we already give you that?"

"When did that happen? I have no idea."

"You're so young, what kind of memory is that?"

Gu Mingyuan said irritably: "Didn't you previously retrieve a full set of thirty‑five kits from Jiaolong? That's the seed money, enough to equip a battalion-sized unit."

Zheng Chengfeng nearly spat out a mouthful of old blood: "That's not right, Chief; those were sponsored by Jiaolong."

Gu Mingyuan glared: "Jiaolong isn't the Navy, so it's not under my command? Isn't that the same as what I gave?"

Zheng Chengfeng was truly humbled; he thought he was already shameless enough, but didn't expect Commander Gu to be even more rogue.

So after all his effort to obtain the weapons and gear from there, they finally turned out to be supplied by the commander?

And you still don't dare say it's not yours; if someone gets upset and takes everything back, that would be awkward.

"What about the venue?"

"The Army has a reinforced regiment that recently rotated to the Western Regions; the camp isn't far and has been vacant. Later, you can go there and just put up a Marine Corps banner."

Zheng Chengfeng is also fed up.

No funding, no funding.

No equipment, no equipment either.

Even the camp was left behind after the troops rotated, and it was the Army that left it.

Can you build a new unit using this stingy, frugal approach?

Gu Mingyuan means that as long as you deliver results and show me the effect, I can give you funding and weapons.

But Zheng Chengfeng's concern is: if you don't give me funding and weapon support, how can I deliver results and show you any effect?

Gu Mingyuan comforted: "Don't complain; the reason I chose you is that no one in the entire Southern Navy is more suitable for this job than you."

"Even though you're just a Colonel deputy brigade commander, your work ability matches any brigade commander here; you need an opportunity, and I give you that opportunity."

"If you can produce results within six months, I'll immediately promote you to commander of the Third Brigade and elevate you to senior colonel; then, whatever you want, I'll give it to you!"

"But the prerequisite is that you must work hard, let me see some signs, some hope!"

Zheng Chengfeng was actually quite helpless inside; he understood the chief's situation and grasped the purpose behind the chief's insistence.

At present, the Eastern and Southern seas face numerous severe challenges, while Jiaolong can only handle localized frictions and a series of small‑scale issues.

From Lu Yang's previous island‑seizing mission, Jiaolong still has some issues in intelligence reconnaissance and subsequent evacuation support.

"Special Operations mainly involve inserting small squads onto the battlefield; the rear must have large forces to follow up, otherwise if the mission fails and the enemy surrounds you, death is almost inevitable."

"Regular Navy units simply lack this capability, and those amphibious reconnaissance elites are always lacking in rapid support response and firepower assistance."

"Especially the landing operations after leaving the ship; compared to elite Army units, they're definitely less professional."

Therefore, forming the entire army's first tri‑service rapid response unit is indeed necessary.

"Lao Mi's Delta and the SEALs are so fierce because of a strong link with the Rangers' rapid deployment battlefield support."

"Anywhere in the world, Rangers can be rapidly deployed to the battlefield in as little as eighteen hours to complete initial reconnaissance and survey tasks."

In this way, when Delta reaches the target location, it can complete the mission quickly, precisely, and ruthlessly, then withdraw swiftly.

Zheng Chengfeng accepted the job, but was still curious: "Commander, I don't understand why, with so many units to choose from, you specifically chose troops from the Sea Training Base?"

Gu Mingyuan: "Perhaps they're not the best, but they are the most suitable."

"If you want to stand your ground here and not become a low‑tier unit, you must push yourself hard upward; a boat rowing against the current makes no progress—no advance means retreat."

Zheng Chengfeng understood: "You mean that, compared with other units, these Army transfers are blank slates, easier to shape and less likely to go astray? Moreover, they are eager to establish themselves here, to prove their merits through success, so they are actually more suitable?"

"Exactly."

"What about Lu Yang? I can see you have high expectations for him."

Gu Mingyuan gave a slight smile: "Last year, something big happened at the Eastern Theater Command headquarters. Have you heard? A mother with her child knelt at the main gate."

Zheng Chengfeng was momentarily stunned, seeming to recall: "Is that the widow of the People's Armed Police martyr?"

"Hehe, the incident happened in Jinling; even your Southern Theater Command Navy knows about it?"

"You should ask, who among the three services—sea, land, and air—doesn't know?"

Zheng Chengfeng said with a laugh: "Good news stays at home, bad news spreads a thousand miles; it's rare for the Armed Police to have such a big embarrassment, it's hard not to know. Does that mother know Lu Yang, or is she some relative of his family?"

Gu Mingyuan shook his head: "She doesn't know him, but the idea came from Lu Yang."

Zheng Chengfeng's eyes widened in horror: "This kid, is his courage that big? How could the Armed Police headquarters commander let him off? Wait, he was even allowed to study with the Armed Police before, why was there no incident, and he left unharmed?"

Gu Mingyuan smiled without replying, and Zheng Chengfeng finally caught on.

No wonder Gu Mingyuan insisted on transferring people to the Navy, and even ordered him to send them to Jiaolong training.

The kid is fearless and truly capable; not only adept at stirring up conflicts, but also excels at resolving them, making friends wherever he goes.

At that moment, he recalled the commander's earlier words: "If there's no funding, borrow it, cheat for it, or seize it; as long as it's not murder or arson and doesn't break discipline, we'll turn a blind eye."

Zheng Chengfeng originally thought the commander was just speaking casually, but considering Lu Yang's nature and his reckless character, it's highly likely they're serious.

Zheng Chengfeng was both amused and exasperated: "Commander, are you making me the Navy's public enemy?"

"That was your words, not mine?"

"If it goes like this, I'll be trampled to death by others."

"If you develop and strengthen your team, who would dare step on you?"

Gu Mingyuan patted him and comforted: "Now I'm having you form a rapid response unit, get a rough prototype together, and I'm not making you the whole army's grinding stone, so why are you nervous?"

"I've already assigned Lu Yang to you; for problems you can't solve or matters you can't handle publicly, let him help you sort them out."

"This time your cooperation with the Jiaolong program went well; even Zhao Haishen and Hou Yi stumbled, so pulling some benefits from other units back, is that hard?"

Zheng Chengfeng: "Commander, I want to be a good person!"

Gu Mingyuan: "Being a good person? You must be a good soldier, a good leader! As long as you build this rapid response unit and put it into actual use, you'll be a meritorious officer, worthy of the nation and the people!"

"Where are the original regiment commander of the Special Third Regiment and the Political Commissar now?"

"They're in the ship forces' administrative department."

"Later I'll transfer them under your command, and also your old classmate, Xiong Yao; he has experience forming reconnaissance units, so pair him with you, that's it."

After finishing his instructions, Gu Mingyuan turned and got into a vehicle; Zheng Chengfeng hurriedly caught up to ask: "Commander, what exactly is my current position?"

Gu Mingyuan: "Marine Corps Third Brigade, acting Brigade Commander; work hard, the bread will come, the milk will come too."

"By the way, that Phase‑Four Non‑commissioned Officer in the earlier footage had real backbone; letting him discharge is a loss to the unit."

"Find a chance to promote him to Phase Five; soldiers like that are exactly what we need now."

"Yes, Commander."

He watched the commander's vehicle depart, then Zheng Chengfeng returned to the command vehicle.

Watching Lu Yang on the screen undergoing assessment, delivering a harsh blow to the old unit, he rubbed his brow and thought seriously; soon a bold idea surfaced in his mind.

Zheng Chengfeng took out his phone, drafted a text message, and decisively chose to broadcast it to a group; the message was concise and clear.

"World‑class soldiers wanted quickly; fair price, no deception to young or old; first‑come, first‑served, while supplies last!"