Chapter 28: Step by Step

The arrival of Li Fuguo brought Yang Xi a measure of concern, yet after being put firmly in his place during their first meeting, the eunuch supervisor seemed to grasp the situation. In the days that followed, Li Fuguo behaved with remarkable docility; he refrained from interfering in military affairs, offered no unsolicited advice to Yang Xi, and conducted himself with cautious reserve, always treading carefully and deferring to Yang Xi’s authority.

With no active conflict at Tong Pass, the troops were occupied entirely with drills. Li Fuguo, possessing no knowledge of military training, had no suggestions to offer even if he had been inclined to do so. Furthermore, having received secret instructions from Li Heng prior to his departure, he was well aware of how he ought to conduct himself upon arrival.

For the time being, Li Fuguo was effectively marginalized, as if he were invisible within the walls of Tong Pass, which eased Yang Xi’s anxieties somewhat.

Upon receiving Yang Xi’s correspondence, Yang Guozhong replied promptly, stating that the Emperor did not approve of replacing a supervisor so soon. He urged Yang Xi to exercise patience and suggested that he seek out any potential misconduct by Li Fuguo, which could then serve as a pretext to have him recalled and replaced. Yang Xi agreed with this strategy and kept a close watch on the eunuch, hoping to catch him in a compromising position.

However, Li Fuguo was meticulous in his actions. Since arriving at Tong Pass, he had committed no indiscretions, leaving Yang Xi with nothing to leverage. Yang Xi had no choice but to remain patient. In any case, without active warfare, the role of a supervisor was largely ceremonial; even if Li Fuguo were left to his own devices, he could stir up no significant trouble. Thus, Yang Xi turned his focus back to the training of his soldiers.

The training had been ongoing for over two months, and as the weather turned colder, the soldiers in the Special Training Battalion found no relief. Though the intensity of the drills was progressive, the sheer rigor left many of them groaning in exhaustion.

"Future training will see a reduction in raw intensity, but an increase in technical complexity," Yang Xi announced one morning. "There will be a greater emphasis on tactical drills, and we will soon begin field survival training and live-action exercises under various conditions."

The grueling physical conditioning of the initial phase had merely ensured that the soldiers met the basic requirements of fitness; it did not mean they had become qualified special operators. Successful special operations required a seamless synergy between members—mutual support and coordination were paramount. Without such cohesion, failure was likely, and the cost to one’s own side could be catastrophic. After all, special operations were conducted in extreme environments, often against enemies numbering several times, or even hundreds of times, their own strength.

In the coming sessions, Yang Xi would teach them various combat techniques: methods for movement, infiltration, striking, deception, and extraction under diverse circumstances. These were the essential skills they would need to survive and complete their missions on the battlefield.

Three rounds of assessments had already passed, marking the near completion of physical conditioning. Over four hundred soldiers—more than half the original group—had been eliminated for various reasons. Those who remained possessed the finest physical endurance and willpower. Yet, many more would be weeded out in the training to come, until only those who stood out as the absolute best from the original ten thousand would remain.

Hand-to-hand combat training had also commenced. Yang Xi instructed his men that close-quarters fighting relied on the fusion of speed, power, and technique. One had to be agile and swift, focusing all force into a single point of impact, aiming for the enemy's vital organs to incapacitate or kill with a single strike. When using weapons, every move had to be lethal, leaving the opponent no chance to retaliate.

A special operations unit had to ensure the enemy was given no opportunity, for any mistake would mean their own death.

Yang Xi personally drew an anatomical chart, explaining the human body in detail to his men. He taught them which areas were most vulnerable, how to strike these points while maintaining a defensive posture, and how to secure victory in a single blow while ensuring their own safety.

Beyond combat, other specialized tactical skills were integrated into their daily routine, with every exercise grounded in reality.

One clear, sunny afternoon, at lunchtime, the exhausted soldiers of the special training unit were ravenous after a morning of drills. As they marched in an orderly fashion toward the dining hall, they were suddenly doused by several large basins of water, leaving most of them soaked to the bone. Amidst the confusion of the bewildered soldiers, Yang Xi stepped out.

"You have been training for so long, yet upon reaching a destination, you fail to scout the situation and neglect to maintain vigilance or cross-cover," Yang Xi declared. "If you were engaged with the enemy, you would already be dead. Remember: no matter where you go, you must scout the situation before taking your next step." He then issued a command that brought genuine pain to his men: "Extra training! Lunch is canceled!"

Such incidents would occur throughout their subsequent training, serving as a method for hunger-resistance conditioning. Yang Xi repeatedly warned his men to observe their surroundings for any anomalies or signs of disturbance.

"When executing a mission or entering a battlefield, keep these rules in mind: First, ensure your own survival; only by staying alive can you complete the mission. Second, allow for no mistakes—even the smallest error will cost you your life, or implicate your comrades. Never do anything foolish. Third, never assume your opponent is stupid; to do so only makes you the fool. You must treat every opponent as the most formidable enemy you have ever faced."

Yang Xi also made it clear to his men that as special operators, they would not be expected to engage in direct frontal assaults like ordinary soldiers. Instead, they were to be the ones who moved in shadows, delivering lethal, unexpected strikes from behind.

And in warfare, the strike from behind is often the most fatal.

In the age of cold steel, the commander of an army was pivotal; their fall could decide the fate of an entire war. To incapacitate the enemy commander was, in essence, to win the war.

Provisions were equally vital. If the enemy’s supplies could be destroyed, the scales of war would tilt instantly.

Compared to later eras, ancient special operations were at a relative disadvantage due to the lack of modern transport and weaponry, which limited the destructive capacity of special forces. However, since the enemy also lacked these tools and possessed weak countermeasures, a successful special operation could have a staggering impact. Assassinating an enemy commander, burning their grain supplies, or destroying bridges before the enemy could cross—these actions alone were enough to turn the tide of an entire war.