The Company Commander Always Has a Plan
The Company Commander Always Has a Plan
Once orders are given, a soldier has to fight.
Since I also fell within that category of "soldier," I couldn't refuse the order.
In the end, I had no choice but to lead my company, which had arrived late, and march toward the enemy lines as a follow-up unit to the brigade.
We advanced through the dark tunnel relying on our flashlights, then discovered a ceiling through which light was seeping out. Emerging from the tunnel there, we found the enemy supply base stretching before us.
It was a massive warehouse filled with stacks of supplies, but the kingdom soldiers who had been guarding the warehouse were all sprawled out as cold corpses with bullets embedded in their bodies.
It looked like the handiwork of the brigade soldiers who had charged in first.
As I frowned at the stench of blood, the company's officers and soldiers climbed up one by one.
"Goodness. You've been putting on quite the festival here."
The first among them to speak was Lieutenant Mekkel.
I gave a rough nod, then walked outside through the wide-open warehouse door.
Instead of the dim light of the warehouse, the expansive sunlight brightened everything around us.
Glancing around, the scene outside was not much different from inside the warehouse.
Because all the allied soldiers who had been guarding the base were now corpses.
In the midst of that, I saw almost no Imperial soldiers' bodies.
Even for a surprise attack, the skill gap was this severe.
I was beginning to pity the Kingdom army.
As I openly clicked my tongue, the sound of artillery fire came from somewhere not far away — Kwang!
Turning my head, I saw a cascade of shelling falling on the city center.
Fortunately, it was not indiscriminate shelling.
They were concentrating their strikes only on enemy military bases so as not to inflict civilian casualties.
That was proof that the current Empire was observing the international wartime laws.
However, whether the Imperial soldiers themselves were observing the international wartime laws was an open question.
Through the open gate of the supply base, I could see Imperial soldiers slaughtering kingdom soldiers.
Windows shattered in several buildings as kingdom soldiers fell from them.
Even though this was urban warfare, they were suppressing the enemy almost to the point of perfection.
'So this is the Magitek Armored Army, the so-called elite of the Empire....'
While I was inwardly impressed, a woman with light brown hair stopped beside me.
It was Frien.
"It's a horrific sight."
I turned to look, wondering if she was actually saying something right for once, and saw her assuming a reverent posture as if offering a prayer to God.
"There must have been a time when they too were human. How could they not know that joining hands with beasts makes one a beast in turn? They deserve divine punishment, but their errors are still nothing but sad."
Right. There's no way you'd say something right.
As I looked at Frien with disapproval, Lieutenant Mekkel spoke up this time.
"I thought it would be an easy victory after hearing the operation outline, but I didn't realize it would be this overwhelming. It almost gives me a sense of guilt. It feels like we're perpetrating violence against children."
At Lieutenant Mekkel's joke, Sergeant Glendi burst out laughing.
"That's a perfect analogy! More than that, to think of infiltrating by exploiting the enemy's supply route in reverse — Company Commander, you truly seem to see the battlefield several moves ahead!"
"......I was just lucky."
"Hahaha! You even possess humility, so I can't help but respect you. Anyway, are we joining up with the brigade soldiers now?"
Was he insane? Go in and fight right in the heart of the enemy lines swarming with that barrage right now?
I turned around, wondering if he meant it seriously, and found his expression brimming with anticipation.
It wasn't just Sergeant Glendi — the other officers and soldiers also looked like they were itching to fight at any moment.
Lucy, who maintained a blank expression from start to finish, looked normal by comparison.
'What a bunch of war maniacs....'
It was enough to give me goosebumps.
It seemed everyone wanted a battle, but unfortunately, I did not have the slightest intention of granting their request.
"We're heading to the coast."
The coast? As if she couldn't understand, Frien opened her mouth.
"Captain Daniel? Aren't the enemies all concentrated at the front lines or in the city center because of our allied forces' diversionary attack? The coastal side will have a stream of evacuating civilians right now."
"......Are you suggesting we attack civilians?"
What kind of person did they take me for to ask a question like that?
Suggesting we head to the coast was simply because I judged that the number of enemies there would be the lowest.
Anyway, if combat was unavoidable, choosing the place with the least fighting would raise our probability of survival.
Of course, if I explained that, who knew what kind of criticism I'd get from these irrational war maniacs, so I decided to gloss over it.
"I have a plan, so follow me without backtalk."
In truth, there was no plan.
I'd simply thrown out the word 'plan' because it was a magical word that could quiet the complaints of the unit members.
As expected, Frien and the other officers snapped salutes at me, signaling they understood.
'Good.'
Then, we could leave the war to the brigade soldiers while I just killed time on the coast looking at the sea.
"All troops will immediately follow me and move to the coast."
Hiding my true feelings, I calmly gave the order and started walking.
*
"The front line... The front line has been breached, they say!"
"We've also lost contact with the city's central army!"
The news of defeat reached the ears of Major General Rapunai, the commander of the fleeing Kingdom Ironclad Division.
They had expected it to some degree, but they had not known the city would fall so rapidly.
Gritting his teeth, Rapunai glared at the radio operator and spoke.
"Give the order to hold position as much as possible and withstand the Imperial Army's attack."
"But that will mean heavy troop casualties...."
"That is an order! Don't you understand that by buying us time to flee, we'll have another chance!"
Major General Rapunai's long-standing theory was that soldiers could always be conscripted in any number, but if the military leadership was wiped out, filling those empty positions would be difficult.
However, that theory was also a kind of defense mechanism he had formed to justify withdrawing from the battlefield in times of emergency.
Kwaang—
The ground shook from the shelling, and his legs wobbled.
Rapunai, who nearly fell, just barely regained his center of gravity and resumed his steps.
"Damn it! How much further do we have to go!"
When Rapunai pressed him, a field-grade officer nearby opened his mouth.
"Once we round the alley, we'll be right at the contact point! The evacuation boat has been disguised as a fishing vessel, so we should be safe from the Imperial Army's attack."
At the officer's calm explanation, Rapunai nodded.
The Imperial Army was generally observing the international wartime laws unless special circumstances arose.
That meant they would not attack civilians, so if they joined the civilian evacuation procession while disguised as a fishing vessel, a smooth escape would be possible.
"But Division Commander. Are you really going to evacuate?"
A Kingdom army that lost its leadership was no different from a candle before the wind.
The officer had said that out of concern, but Rapunai only grew angry.
"From the moment we were surrounded, we'd already lost this war! We barely kept our lifeline going because the supply line was still alive, and those bastards exploited that and stormed in! Do you see a chance of victory!?"
"There is no chance of victory, but if we brace ourselves for a desperate resistance...."
"Don't talk nonsense! Refusing to retreat from a losing battle is something only a gathering of fools would do!"
Though Rapunai's retreat did not include the soldiers.
"......Understood."
Thinking that he could not change the division commander's mind, the officer simply shut his mouth.
After glaring at the officer once, Rapunai rounded the alley. Beyond the alley, he could see the coastline stretching out.
Just a little further and they would be able to board the evacuation boat.
Thinking that they had finally survived, Rapunai and his party came to an abrupt halt the moment they stepped out of the alley.
"Huh?"
They had come face to face with an Imperial army unit clad in black uniforms.
The number of Imperial soldiers was about 200.
On the chest of the Imperial officer leading them, the Golden Medal of National Order was shining brilliantly in the sunlight.
Seeing that, Rapunai gulped.
The number of elite soldiers Rapunai had brought for escort purposes was barely more than 50.
That was because he had worried that a larger number would increase their chance of being spotted by the enemy.
Whatever the case, if they went into battle like this, they would only die a dog's death.
'But still....'
Just how had that man set up a position here?
It was only natural that Rapunai, who had not exchanged any communications due to concerns about interception, felt utterly dumbfounded.
The feelings inside Daniel, who was leading the company, were not much different.
'......Why is the Ironclad Division's military leadership here?'
Daniel, who had simply entered the coastline with the aim of avoiding combat, could not understand it.
But the soldiers did not seem to think that way.
Cheolkeok—
The Imperial soldiers raised their rifles in unison and aimed at the Ironclad Division's military leadership.
Sergeant Glendi also aimed his rifle alongside the soldiers and spoke.
"Company Commander. Was this the plan you were targeting? It's gotten to the point of being terrifying beyond admiration now."
Daniel felt the same terror.
At the thought of accumulating more military merit again, a sigh came out on its own, but he could not let it show.
"Bind those men."
Toward the hesitating Ironclad Division military leadership, Daniel narrowed both his eyes sharply.
"I don't care if you shoot anyone who resists."
At Daniel's cold voice, the Kingdom soldiers lost their will to fight and dropped their guns one by one.
It was an act that admitted Nordia had fallen.