African Entrepreneurship Record-Chapter 729 - 33 Surprise Inspection

In the eastern part of the Matebel Province, East Africa is actively constructing a new eastern defensive line to protect the strategic security of the entire Matebel Province.

As the most important industrial province in East Africa, Matebel Province ranks only after the Central Province in East Africa, and its status is higher than that of the Eastern Province, which is dominated by a single city (Mombasa).

The eastern defensive line is based on the border between Matebel Province and Heixinggen Province, arranged to guard against Mozambique.

The entire line stretches over 1,300 kilometers, extending from the city of Tete in former Mozambique to the Kingdom of Eswatini. 𝒇𝙧𝙚𝓮𝔀𝓮𝒃𝙣𝓸𝒗𝒆𝒍.𝙘𝒐𝒎

Given such a long border, East Africa naturally cannot defend every part, but numerous fortifications have been constructed on important military passageways and significant transportation nodes.

Taking full advantage of East Africa's topographical benefits, troops have been strategically deployed in valleys, mountain passes, plateau, and flat terrain convergence zones.

At this time, Gleid, a special envoy for the East African military, is leading a team to inspect the construction of the entire eastern defensive line, ensuring no one is cutting corners.

Gleid has already arrived at Qipinga Fortress, which was once a critical commercial route for Portuguese merchants from old Mozambique to complete transactions with indigenous people in the African hinterland. Originally, there was a commercial outpost here, but later East Africa expelled the local Portuguese merchants and took over, gradually transforming it into a military fortress.

Today, it remains an important commercial port. Although East Africa previously offended merchants, it now offers them greater benefits, especially as the productivity of Africa's interior has been further improved under East Africa's development, reducing the costs of their commercial colonization.

By leveraging cheap East African goods, East Africa can buy off the upper echelon of Mozambique's indigenous people, further exploiting the lower stratum to achieve economic benefits. This forms a model for plantation development in Mozambique.

Additionally, some products that East Africa produces in abundance, especially tobacco, alcohol, and leather from Matebel Province, can be exported worldwide through Portuguese merchants.

Currently, the transaction site between Portuguese merchants and East Africa is less than three kilometers east of Qipinga Fortress, forming a sizable trade market.

The commercial boom has also developed a new business route between Mozambique and Matebel Province.

During peacetime, this business route poses no danger. However, if relations between East Africa and Portugal deteriorate, this route could become a strategic corridor for both sides, making Qipinga Fortress a crucial military outpost controlling it.

East Africa is capable of constructing a fortress to control the first half of the trade route, but the Portuguese neither have the capability nor the intention to build a counter-military point to compete with East Africa.

After all, Mozambique shares numerous borders with East Africa, and its population is far less than East Africa's. Thus, apart from critical areas, Mozambique does not focus on defense line construction.

Gleid, with typical Austrian features, has a prominent nose, deeply set eyes, and eyes full of battle-hardened ferocity, exuding an aura of authority. The surrounding air seems to drop several degrees, inducing a shiver even in East Africa's warm climate.

"Begin the test!"

The commanding voice instills unease among the soldiers stationed at Qipinga Fortress, who turn their gazes toward Company Commander Eugene.

"Why are you all looking at me? Hurry up and escort the officers around!" Eugene, slightly guilty, shouted loudly.

Eugene did not expect the "inspection team" to arrive at Qipinga Fortress today and was unprepared for this surprise check.

The inspection process was very detailed, with several military police using specialized instruments to measure parameters, checking the deployment of facilities, and identifying loopholes and non-compliant areas.

Time ticked by, and Gleid glanced at his watch. Unnoticed, more than ten minutes had passed, and Eugene, standing beside him, was already drenched in cold sweat due to pressure.

"Commander Eugene, are you anxious?" Gleid's devilish voice whispered in Eugene's ear.

This made Eugene shiver before forcing himself to calm down and respond, "Reporting, sir, I'm fine, I'm fine!"

However, his tone had already betrayed him, and Eugene could already imagine himself being severely reprimanded.

Gleid continued, "Rest assured, if you've adhered to the divisional orders and performed your duties properly, I'll report the truth, and your achievements won't go unnoticed."

Heh! Eugene scoffed internally; if he had indeed followed regulations, would he be so nervous!

Only the family knows its own affairs; since Qipinga Fortress rarely receives inspections, aside from regular logistical supply deliveries, Eugene's company has grown complacent, never expecting a sudden upper-echelon check.

This inspection seems doomed as Eugene anticipated, and soon the inspection results were announced.

"Colonel Gleid, we've found seven violation sites, including trench blockages, issues with the fortress drainage system, firearm maintenance, ammunition storage, and more, all with significant flaws."

Colonel Gleid coldly asked, "Commander Eugene, do you have an explanation for this?"

Eugene bowed his head, offering no defense.

Gleid reprimanded him with disappointment, "Look at the state you're in now. Do you think silence lets you dodge accountability? Then why do we have military law and discipline! We are soldiers, supported by the nation and its people, and you should reflect on how lax practices and shoddy projects like these let our army defend the homeland."

Eugene could only admit, "It's all my fault for not strictly enforcing the unit's requirements."

Gleid emphasized, "This isn't about the unit's requirements, but the nation and people's demands. The military is a sacred place, and our East African Defense Army is the people's shield, so no detail can be ignored, and any army that neglects details is doomed to fail."

"With only a few months until the rainy season, we must rectify the backlog immediately, and I'll truthfully report your company's issues."

"Also, a new instructor should be assigned soon. I recall your company has had a vacancy due to various reasons. Now it seems that lack of supervision by an instructor is indeed a major issue, something not seen in other companies."

Eugene, ashamed, said, "I'll actively correct my mistakes going forward."

Gleid replied, "Assurances to me are useless, as the outcome of your punishment is still unknown. Demotion is possible, but clean up your mess before the new instructor arrives, and don't neglect border duties. This is the frontier and may become a front line at any moment, given our significant conflicts with Portuguese merchants, so front-line troops like yours must always be prepared."

After inspecting Qipinga Fortress, Gleid continued his patrol south, inspecting combat units and facilities within the 411th Division's jurisdiction.

Meanwhile, Qipinga Fortress was restructured under the new instructor, correcting the corrupt practices in the company and establishing the "correct" national political ideology of East Africa, one significant feature after East African military professionalization.

As for Eugene, he received a warning from the camp headquarters, recorded a demerit, but was not demoted, and was required to review the incident.