"Captain Cao Fei! Welcome aboard Qingluan No. 3 Amphibious Assault Ship." A young sailor, after checking the credentials of Cao Fei, the naval sniper ace with an impressive record, stood at attention and saluted with a smile.
"Thank you." Cao Fei returned the salute, then, with the help of the sailor, lifted his equipment and placed it on the luggage rack above the bed.
His rank was high enough to secure a cabin for four, a privilege not afforded to ordinary Navy Marine Corps soldiers, who had to sleep in crowded 16-person cabins akin to sardine cans.
In fact, the Marines jokingly referred to the cramped cabins on the landing ships as "sardine cans." Luckily, the ventilation in Tang Army's cabins was decent enough; otherwise, the stench from a bunch of men's feet could cause catastrophic casualties.
Due to the covert nature of the operation, all troop boarding times were set at night and divided into batches. Once onboard, movement was not allowed.
