The transport ship that Qin Lang was on had already arrived at Guangzhou Bay. Pen @ fun @ pavilion wWw. ｂｉｑUｇE。 ｉｎｆｏ

The mercenaries were all summoned, their training and leave were cancelled at the same time, and all were fully armed and at the dock of the base, which had a pier for the mercenaries to board and disembark, because the base was on Donghai Island, and the Zhanjiang City Council did not want armed elements to appear in the city at any time - lined up and ready to welcome their bosses.

There is no doubt that such a large-scale operation would alarm the entire concession, even if it happened far from the urban area. Yachts and fishing boats carrying reporters and watching the excitement of the unknown truth filled the sea near the pier, and the only regret for these people was that in their location, no one could see the owner of Umbrella who made today's explosive news; But no one had the guts to get closer, or run straight to land, and the seemingly unfriendly mercenaries and the weapons they wielded were enough to dispel anyone's madness.

They could only watch from the sidelines, their eyes focused on the mercenaries while waiting patiently.

Qin Lang never appeared. He was still in the cabin, waiting for a crucial report while talking to Mahan, who had come to welcome him.

"I'm jealous of the way you're treated, General." Mahan said it was half a joke, half a true feeling. In fact, many people were jealous of Qin Lang: they surpassed him in wealth, power, and influence, but they had never enjoyed such a grand welcome - in fact, they had the experience of being welcomed by many more people, but in terms of momentum and visual effects, tens of thousands of unarmed civilians were far inferior to 14,000 armed men in a neat formation.

"Fortunately," Mahan continued, "your official appointment will be announced after the declaration of war, so I don't need to prepare a military band for you, General. ”

"General." Qin Lang laughed, and instead of answering Mahan's half-joking complaint, he became interested in the title he used, "It seems that the Congress has decided to grant me the rank of brigadier general?" ”

"Yes," Mahan nodded, "just three days ago, Congress passed a resolution granting you the rank of Brigadier General, and your mercenaries were given an official name, the California Volunteer Infantry Division. ”

"Brigadier General?" Qin Lang was a little surprised. Theoretically, according to his close relationship with the Admiralty, and the precedent created by Yi Shui, his rank should be Brigadier General of the Marine Corps, and not Brigadier General of the Army. Although there was no substantive difference between a brigadier general of the Marine Corps or a brigadier general for his plan, Qin Lang still wanted to make things clear.

As for the even more inexplicable "California Volunteer Infantry Division", since Congress likes the name, then it is the California Volunteer Division. The name of the mercenary is only an inconsequential secondary issue.

"It's the result of a compromise at the top." Mahan explained, "I don't know why, but Algiers strongly demanded that your mercenaries be included in the Army's combat series, and Secretary Long, not wanting to argue with him, offered a quid pro quo that the War Department would support the Admiralty's proposal to promote Dewey and me to the ranks, and that Congress pass it." Mr. Minister and Deputy Secretary Roosevelt did not think that Algiers would accept this request, but ......"

The word "but" means that Algiers has agreed and fulfilled the quid pro quo. So, his rank became Commodore General, which also means that Mahan is now a Commodore Admiral.

"Congratulations, General." Qin Lang said. For Mahan, who retired with the rank of Navy Colonel in known history, even if it was only a temporary promotion, it is good news to celebrate.

"I want to congratulate you too, General." Mahan smiled back, and then said, "The battle in the Philippines will be in charge of you and Major General Dewey." I have already said to him, and now I will say it to you again, and I wish you all the best of luck. ”

"What about you?"

"I had to go back home immediately, and Washington had placed me in a position on the newly formed Army and Navy Commission."

Qin Lang was stunned for a moment, and then realized that this was a natural appointment - in the known history, Mahan was a member of the Army and Navy Council, and the retired commander of the North Atlantic Fleet, Montgomery. Rear Admiral Sicarr and Director of the Navigation Bureau, Arendt. Colonel S. Cloninsier coordinated naval forces together.

That was a suitable position for Mahan, although the Army and Navy Commission was not a proper department. What started out as intelligence was a central strategic committee. Another problem, however, is that, although the role of the Army and Navy Commission has been greatly improved compared to the central command in previous wars, it is still not adequate enough to coordinate and direct the combat operations of the Army and Navy as the Joint Chiefs of Staff later did.

To put it simply, the Army and Navy Commission is only an advisory body that provides advice, has an important position in Washington, but has little influence on the fleet.

"The Army and Navy Commission has a very important role. However, it also means that you can't be directly involved in this war, which is a pity, General. Qin Lang sighed.

"I'm well aware of my own abilities." Mahan shrugged his shoulders and said disappreciatively: "I'm just a tactical theorist, and I'm only suitable to stay in the committee and dictate, not to command battles." And," he added, after a pause, "and the battle with the Spanish Navy would be a boring game, which would neither motivate me, nor would naval combat have any tactical value." Even if I didn't attend, I wouldn't lose anything. ”

For the mighty U.S. Navy - at least much more powerful than the Spanish Navy - it was only a matter of time before the weakened Spanish fleet was wiped out, bringing the war closer to a game of hammer and egg. Mahan did not think that his absence from naval battles would bring him any regrets in his military career.

"Anything that's too easy to get is not good, whether it's money, women, or victory."

Qin Lang laughed. The last sentence made him find very interesting. "In that case, I should also return to San Diego and appoint another commander to fight against the Spanish Army."

"If you will." Mahan laughed for a moment. He knew that Qin Lang would not do that, Yi Shui had said that a general title and a medal were exactly what he needed, and they were of great value, he couldn't lose them, he couldn't hand over mercenaries to another person to command.

Then the Commodore turned his gaze out of the porthole to the mercenaries lined up on the docks, and motioned, "How long are you going to keep them waiting?" I think they're getting impatient. ”

"Patience is a very important quality. And I had to wait for the unloading of the weapons loaded on the ship. Qin Lang replied. But it didn't go into too much detail. Until they take part in combat and use poison gas, the SWAT units and their metal boxes are kept secret, even for a commodore general.

Mahan didn't ask either. Since Qin Lang didn't say it, then obviously, it was Umbrella's military secret, and he shouldn't go into it deeply, and at the right time, he would always know what that secret was. After thinking about it, the commodore turned the topic to the transport ship rented by Qin Lang. "Where did you find this boat?"

A passenger ship with a maximum speed of twenty-seven knots, faster than any cruiser of the United States Navy, paid the price of a large ocean-going steamer with a displacement of six thousand tons and could only carry two hundred and fifty passengers and five hundred and fifty tons of cargo—the power system and coal took up most of the tonnage—and in any case she would lose money, and Mahan could not understand why anyone had built such a strange ship.

No businessman in his right mind would invest in her.

But Qin Lang knew the reason. "In 1893 I bought a small boat of three hundred tons with a speed of twenty-four knots for fifteen thousand."

"So?"

"This ship was built with the investment of the designer of that ship."

"Oh, I see." Mahan nodded. If a madman likes to build high-speed steamships, he might indeed invest in an ocean-going liner that will keep him losing money, and of course, "he'll sell her soon." ”

"There is no doubt about it." In fact, the moment he knew that there was such a ship, Qin Lang was thinking about buying her. The mercenary needs a high-speed transport ship, which is a bit expensive to use, and even if it is modified, she can still only carry two squadrons, but it is still worth it.

After all, companies will always be given tasks that are of the essence of time and do not require a large number of mercenaries. There is also the SWAT unit, which can only be stationed in San Diego and must be delivered to the target area in the shortest possible time as soon as it is necessary to participate in the battle. Telling the transport ship has obvious implications.

First, though, he would let the ship's owner continue to lose money until he decided to sell her for a low price......

A Secret Service agent walks into the cabin. Qin Lang turned to him and waited for him to report that the SWAT team members had done their work and unloaded all the poison gas. But the news brought by the agents was different. "Mr. Messerschmitt wants to see you, boss. He was in the cabin next door. ”

Messerschmitt! Qin Lang was a little surprised, and a little annoyed—he didn't even know that this spy was in Guangzhou Bay. And he should train the next batch of spy cadets in District 51.

More importantly, what is he doing here?

"I'm sorry, General, I had to deal with some urgent issues." Qin Lang nodded to Ma Han and walked out of the cabin with his doubts. But no sooner had he stepped out and closed the hatch than a Messerschmitt-trained spy immediately approached. "I have something very important to report to you, boss." (To be continued, if you want to know what will happen next, please log in to the www.qidian.com, more chapters, support the author, support genuine reading!) (To be continued.) )