Siege Towers on the Horizon
“Ugh.”
“Bro, you okay?”
As I was catching my breath after the first sparring match, Derek approached, his entire body drenched in sweat.
“No, not okay.”
“Still, it’s fun, right? Pushing your body like this clears your mind.”
His brain really is wired differently from mine.
My mind’s not clearing—it’s just turning into mush.
Every time he pushes past his limits, some brain cells must be frying for sure.
“Sigh. Anyway, can’t you cut me some slack? Even if the company commander approved it, training with an outsider makes everyone uncomfortable.”
Me, the supply company commander, training with the Special Forces battalion? Does that even make sense?
It’s like the worst humanities student in school crashing Seoul National University’s mechanical engineering classes.
“The whole company loves you, so don’t worry about it.”
“That’s just it—they’re faking it. Their real thoughts are probably different.”
“Anyone else, maybe. But you’re the guy who invented french fries.”
“What does that have to do with this?”
“French fries are the most popular snack in the company right now. I guarantee no one in the battalion hates you.”
Damn, so this is how the snowball rolls.
This military life has a way of turning into a total shitshow every time I touch it.
“Lieutenant, holding up okay?”
Just as I was desperately wishing for an escape, Colonel Garen—the man who dragged me into this hell—walked over.
“Thanks to your consideration, I’m enjoying the training, sir!”
A mechanical lie straight out of a robot.
I could whine about how tough it is, but this is the army.
And the justification is all ‘for my own good.’ Complaining would just make me look bad. Total embarrassment.
Training with the Special Forces is a golden opportunity most couldn’t even dream of.
In Korean terms, it’s like giving flight school to someone who didn’t even graduate from the air force academy.
“Haha, no need to thank me that much. A talent like yours doesn’t belong rotting in a supply company.”
No, no. That’s not talent—it’s just drugs from my past life.
He’s thoroughly convinced otherwise.
I don’t even know where to start unraveling this misunderstanding.
“Absolutely not, sir.”
“So humble. I hear the mess hall’s stabilized now? Looks like the Oclo Trading Company’s pitching in a lot.”
“Yes… that’s true.”
Incredibly, my brother Tems Oclo has been working his ass off, so it runs fine without me.
“Then let’s transfer you over next month. I’ll put in the personnel request.”
“Pardon…?”
“No place has better people or vibe than us. Can’t let talent go to waste.”
What talent am I wasting when I’m outperforming everyone in supply?
My thick skull couldn’t wrap around it.
“I’d love to, but personnel moves aren’t up to me.”
“I’ll handle that. Just get your body ready.”
His tone and expression were dead serious.
Never thought I’d be grateful for being in Intelligence Command.
Even if he requests the transfer, my higher-ups will surely block it.
“Understood, sir.”
“Knew you’d say yes. Who’s next for sparring?”
“Me! Company commander!”
Derek raised his hand and shouted before I could respond.
“Perfect timing. Our lower guard’s weak—target that.”
“Yes, sir!”
His voice was resolute, like he was heading into war.
Looks like I’m getting thoroughly thrashed today…
“Company commander!!!”
As rest time ended and I braced for more hell, an officer from admin came running, calling for the company commander.
“What’s up?”
“Huff…! Huff…! Battalion commander orders: halt all training and report to the briefing room immediately.”
“Halt training altogether?”
Usually, they just summon you—stopping training is rare.
Bad feeling about this.
Still, a break now is a short-term win.
“I don’t know the details… but from the vibe, it seems like that finally blew up.”
“Tch, got it. Derek.”
The two exchanged words only they understood.
Too fragmented to guess what it meant.
“Yes, sir!”
“Gotta head out now. Spread the word, pack up the gear, and wait in the break room.”
“Yes, sir!”
Garen gave orders to the nearest man, Derek, and left the training ground.
“Training’s over just like that.”
“Yeah. What was that from your conversation earlier?”
“Heh, sorry. Classified—even from you, bro.”
Derek flashed his good-natured smile and turned me down.
“Fine, if it’s classified.”
Super curious, but I won’t pry.
“If it’s really that, you’ll know soon enough.”
“Got it.”
“Wanna hit the break room with me?”
“Nah. What would I even do there? Just gonna say bye to the platoon leader.”
(Note: Platoon leaders here are captains.)
“Everyone’s really curious about you.”
“Pass.”
I don’t want attention from sweaty soldiers, even if they paid me.
“Tell me one thing, though. Is it bad news?”
Right before grabbing my gear and leaving, I couldn’t hold back the question.
Derek pondered, then nodded.
“Very, very bad news.”
ALL TROOPS: COMBAT READINESS LEVEL 2!
COMBAT READINESS LEVEL 2!
ORDER FROM COMMANDER!
“By the enemy’s current speed, they’ll arrive in about four days.”
Regiment HQ’s large conference room.
Unlike usual, every company commander and above was packed in—no room to stand.
“Enemy troop numbers unconfirmed, but with over a hundred siege towers, this battle won’t be easy.”
Nearly human-wave tactic levels of siege towers.
The room’s mood naturally grew heavy.
“The commander expects solid combat support from our logistics regiment. No room for error.”
Overwhelming presence from the colonel’s rank insignia.
Rumor was he got chewed out by the division commander, but in person, he was a flawless leader.
“Transport battalion, start reports.”
“Yes, sir! Per last month’s updated protocols, full effort on materiel movement…”
“Comms battalion has final-checked each battalion’s comms magic tools. Wartime lines to HQ…”
The meeting raced along.
Logistics was the busiest unit in the fortress right now—no breaks.
“Meals stocked for a month?”
“Yes, twice daily…”
“Supply company commander reports this. Insiders know best.”
The regiment commander suddenly called me from against the wall.
What? Why me all of a sudden?
Super awkward, but too many eyes to freeze up.
“Yes, sir! Supply Company has 20 days’ combat rations split across five warehouses.”
They might ask why so little—it’s what we scraped together recently.
“Including warehouse perishables, stable rationing possible for 35 days post-battle start.”
“35 days—sufficient.”
Isolation means food shortages, but 35 days is plenty for reinforcements.
Over 90% chance it ends before then anyway.
“Also prepped bulk jerky for in-combat eating.”
“Well done. Meals look solid.”
“Thank you, sir.”
He looked very satisfied.
Even I thought we nailed this one.
Overtime like meals—results had to be good.
All this success built on my exhaustion.
“If issues or plan changes, report to me simultaneously, bypassing procedure.”
Officers’ eyes snapped to me at the colonel’s bold statement.
Heavy pressure.
But not the time to nitpick burdens.
“Understood.”
“Support battalion commander, continue.”
“Yes, sir. Supply Company covered by Lt. Palan, so next: modern supply company on 24/7 two-shift ops for essential items…”
Endless reports and feedback.
It dragged past lunchtime before we escaped.
“We’ll win, right?”
On the way back to battalion post-meeting, I asked Ciel the key question.
“We should. Siege towers breaching walls ain’t easy.”
“True.”
You’d need history books for cases where they worked—it’s obsolete tactics.
“We do our job. If rear support wobbles, what do frontline fighters think?”
Spot on, and critical to avoid.
“I’ll stay sharp.”
“Yeah. Honestly, no clue what they’re thinking. Their commander ain’t dumb.”
“Something’s up. Heard from a HQ contact.”
Mount, who’d been quiet, joined naturally.
“What?”
“Their tactics guy is from the famous Seto Duke family. They’ve got plans.”
“For real?”
“Yeah, the young duke. Keep it quiet.”
“Haven’t been here long enough to tell anyone.”
‘Don’t tell’ means those in the know already do.
Seto Duke family—that genius lineage?
First on the Adelph list for Aditz Empire key figures and houses.
“Haha, HQ’s been racking brains all day over it.”
Ciel shook her head sympathetically.
“Tough. Maybe they developed metal siege towers magic bullets can’t break?”
“If so, war’d be over. Word is, wooden like always.”
“Tricky. Smart folks’ll figure it. We just follow orders.”
Everyone nodded at Ciel’s core military truth.
Of course, I thought differently inside.
The higher up, the dumber they get… can I trust ’em?