After showering, Zhang Feng carefully examined Qusay's small frame. Compared to his original body, it was indeed much weaker, preventing him from utilizing many of his combat skills, especially hand-to-hand combat. If he encountered danger in the future, this body might not be enough.
As the son of a high official, it was already quite good that he wasn't overweight or suffering from excessive nutrition.
No matter how many bodyguards he had, there were times when they would fail. He absolutely had to train this body! Qusay made up his mind: tomorrow, he would train alongside the soldiers!
Early the next morning, Qusay put on his training uniform, donned a weighted vest, and shouldered a full set of combat gear: an AK-47 assault rifle, a hundred rounds of ammunition, and four hand grenades. He began a five-kilometer weighted cross-country run, which was one of his daily essential training routines in the past.
"Second Young Master, Second Young Master..." Ghassar called from behind. "I have already prepared breakfast. Please eat first!"
"Save it for when I get back!" Qusay turned his head and continued running forward.
Seeing Qusay exit the main gate, the soldiers responsible for guarding him started running after him.
Wahrih and Marwan also followed closely behind Qusay. This was their duty: protecting His Excellency Qusay.
A small squad thus began running laps around the camp.
Breathing the fresh air, Qusay adjusted his pace, allowing his body to adapt to the intensity of the training. The long-lost familiar feeling reappeared in him.
After the run, he was in high spirits and had a better appetite for breakfast. Although he wouldn't be able to eat Chinese cuisine anymore, he still ate several meat sandwiches and salads in one go.
Perhaps only a special soldier like himself could enjoy such treatment—having a nanny look after him in the military camp. Even for Ibrahim, it was probably a guard soldier performing these tasks for him. Ghassar had been with Qusay for several years and was very familiar with his preferences.
After eating, Qusay returned to the headquarters of the Thirty-Fifth Brigade and met with Brigade Commander Mohammed.
"Your Excellency Qusay, after a night of detailed discussion, we have formulated a battle plan," Mohammed said.
That fast? This brigade is quite efficient. Qusay said, "Then please, Brigade Commander, introduce it to me."
"Our brigade is currently here under orders for rest and reorganization. Last night, we issued an emergency order for all soldiers on leave to return to the unit immediately. We expect to complete combat preparations within two days. Simultaneously, we have dispatched several armored vehicles into the swamp to locate the enemy's main force," Mohammed stated. "If we truly discover Iranian tanks sneaking up on us through the swamp, we will use two tank battalions as the vanguard to launch a proactive attack into the swamp area, with the Mechanized Infantry Battalion following behind. We will annihilate them in the swamp before they can break out of the area. In the swamp zone, our Artillery Battalion's towed guns will be useless. Even if the Iranian Chieftain Tanks can enter the swamp, they certainly won't be as maneuverable as ours. We can completely launch a preemptive strike and bury the Iranians in the swamp."
"Your Excellency Brigade Commander, can we contact the Military Region and request aircraft for aerial reconnaissance?" Qusay asked. The swamp area is so vast that relying on just a few armored vehicles for reconnaissance would be like looking for a needle in a haystack, and this is happening on enemy territory, which he is unfamiliar with.
"We have already contacted the Military Region, but they do not support our operation. They said our main mission is rest and reorganization, and if we want to take action, we must wait for the Military Region's command," Mohammed replied.
Damn it, did his uncle come up with this idea because he knew Qusay wouldn't stay put here? Qusay knew that his uncle wanted to protect him, which was why he sent him here. It might be difficult for him to stir up trouble with the Iranians, but if they didn't find a way to act, everything would be too late once the Iranians attacked through the swamp.
The fact that Mohammed could plan something even without his superior's approval shows that he is not a commander who only knows blind obedience and lacks initiative. Such talents are rare in the Iraqi army.
"Your Excellency Brigade Commander, our main task now is training. I don't want our tanks to be pulled out only to be smoked by the Iranian Chieftains. We can only act after reconnaissance confirms the enemy situation. At that time, I will report to the Military Region," Qusay said.
"Yes, Your Excellency Qusay, rest assured. I have already instructed Allad to begin training the gunners. When the Chieftains meet us, they will only be on the receiving end of a beating!" Mohammed continued. "We have also selected the fifty-man squad you requested from the Mechanized Infantry Division."
"Is that so?" Qusay was overjoyed. "Where are they? Take me to see them."
The Susangerd Swamp area, with its unique terrain, provided the perfect stage for Special Forces Soldiers to show their capabilities.
Arriving at the training ground, fifty men were divided into two rows, practicing target shooting with loud bangs.
"I heard that His Excellency Qusay showed off his skills at the Military Region Headquarters, which greatly impressed the Military Region Commander. These soldiers will be following you, Your Excellency Qusay, so you must guide them more," Mohammed said.
Qusay picked up the binoculars and looked at the targets. The targets were completely riddled with holes, indicating that their shooting skills were quite good.
Moreover, seeing their calm and composed demeanor, which exuded a murderous aura, Qusay knew that these were the kind of soldiers who had been on the battlefield and had taken lives.
Although the eight-year Iran-Iraq War had devastated Iraq's economy, it had forged a powerful military force for Iraq. Soldiers truly grow only in the crucible of war.
Qusay was very satisfied with these battle-hardened soldiers.
"Besides target practice, they must also be proficient in hand-to-hand combat and capable of operating various light and heavy weapons. Combat skills training is the most basic requirement. Every one of them must be proficient in mastering various weapons used by our own military and foreign militaries, including various firearms, hand grenades, Rifle Grenades, small-caliber artillery, and anti-tank weapons. Their skill in hand-to-hand combat must be superb. Every person must be able to adapt to Urban Warfare and night combat, and be capable of searching, escaping danger, and evading capture," Qusay continued. "They must also be able to drive various vehicles, parachute, climb, traverse minefields, read and draw maps, execute long-distance cross-country marches, and utilize various intelligence gathering methods such as observation and infiltration, wiretapping, capturing prisoners, interrogating prisoners, and photography. When necessary, they must also use coded communication."
By the time Qusay finished his long list, Mohammed's eyes were wide. If they could master all of that, could they still be called mere soldiers? They would be powerful fighting machines!
"Don't worry, I will make sure they achieve it," Qusay said. "Their tasks for today are a five-kilometer weighted cross-country run, thirty barbed wire crawls, and one hundred grenade throws. In the afternoon, they will conduct an armed reconnaissance mission accompanying the armored vehicles."
As a former member of the Special Forces, Qusay naturally knew how to train. For these veterans, the important thing was using equipment that suited them. The AK47s in their hands obviously couldn't meet their needs. However, Ibrahim had promised him everything from small items like multi-purpose military knives and sniper rifles to large items like man-portable missiles, and this batch of equipment would soon arrive.
Last night, he had severely fleeced his uncle, securing enough weaponry to make the newly established small special forces unit the envy of everyone.
Starting today, this small special forces unit was officially established. He would train with them and lead them to achieve extraordinary feats on the battlefield!
"Aren't you supposed to be the excellent soldiers selected from various companies? How can you be exhausted already?" Qusay encouraged them from behind while running. "If you're going to act like cowards, you might as well go home and hug your wives!"
Hearing this and looking at their young new superior, they ran with their tongues hanging out like exhausted dogs, but they kept running forward.
Although they were all excellent soldiers, the training intensity imposed by their new superior was simply too much for them to handle.
They finally reached the end, all panting heavily. At this point, their new superior assigned a new task: inspect their firearms and prepare for aimed shooting.
Everyone knew that shooting required holding the gun steadily, aiming, and holding one's breath. Shooting under these circumstances, achieving even fifty percent accuracy would be considered good.
But they had no complaints and picked up their rifles anyway.
After just two days of simple training, Qusay had gained an accurate understanding of every member of his unit. The new weapons had arrived, and he immediately distributed them without hesitation, giving them a massive upgrade in firepower.
Their AK-47 assault rifles were replaced with the Iraqi-made "Tabuk" 7.62mm assault rifles, which were copies of the AKM 7.62mm assault rifle. Under Qusay's subtle hints, this batch of rifles was ensured to be pre-calibrated before delivery. Both Qusay and Ibrahim were likely fully aware of the shady dealings involved with these rifles.
A few soldiers with extremely accurate shooting skills were assigned Soviet-imported SVD sniper rifles. This type of sniper rifle, with a range of over a thousand meters, would effectively enhance their long-range precision killing capability.
Besides these, the more powerful weapons were the AT-3 portable anti-tank missiles and the SAM-7 portable anti-aircraft missiles. With these items, even when facing the Iranian Chieftain Tanks, they would not have to flee in panic. They could also put up a fight against Iranian armed helicopters.
Upon seeing these weapons, the soldiers finally felt that coming here was worthwhile. Being able to possess so many advanced weapons while following their new superior made it all pay off.
"Besides having advanced weapons, we also need people who know how to operate them. You are the elites selected from various companies, and you must demand first place from yourselves in everything. On the battlefield, second place means death!" Qusay said sternly. "You are the pride of the Iraqi people, and you must strictly demand of yourselves to be the fist of the Thirty-Fifth Brigade's Mechanized Infantry Battalion!"
Logically, if Qusay did this during peacetime, he would probably have been executed for treason. Forming a military unit without orders from a superior—who knew if he was preparing for war or had ulterior motives? However, Mohammed did not raise any objections. Ibrahim at the Southern Military Region also said nothing, even sending him a truckload of weapons and ammunition. When the news reached President Saddam Hussein, the President merely smiled it off.
Firstly, Qusay was Saddam Hussein's son, and it was impossible for him to build influence within the military to overthrow his father—at least not now. Secondly, they were currently at war, and actively training the military and using new methods to train the military was entirely justifiable. Thirdly, following the previous incident where he shot down the Israeli aircraft, Saddam Hussein had developed some admiration for his younger son and wanted to see what kind of special achievements he would pull off.
Thus, Qusay's first unit loyal to him was born within the Thirty-Fifth Brigade in the Susangerd region of the Southern Military Region. Although small, it was growing day by day.