industrial lord

Chapter 609: Get some intelligence

"What a high mountain! You can't see the sun at three o'clock."

When it got dark, Zopel took out his pocket watch to check the time and found that it was only a little after three in the afternoon.

Zikel grew up in the mountains, and looking at the steep cliffs on either side of the road he said, “I definitely didn’t have the strength to climb to the top before, but maybe I can try now?”

His words attracted the attention of the squad leader.

"Really?" Krom asked, "The company commander has a mission and needs a squad to serve as an observation post on the top of the mountain."

"That place is very high and steep, and it is difficult to climb up."

"It's still a windy place, the wind is very strong, so we can't use hot air balloons."

"The company commander plans to have people climb up, install ladders along the way, and then have the entire squad go up."

"If you can do this job, I will apply to the company commander for this assignment."

The military merits of scouts in the army are not low. If they discover important intelligence about the enemy and warn of a sneak attack, it is a great achievement.

Chrom thought that there would be no enemy attacks in the short term, so he decided to earn some credit first.

Zikel said: "I think it should be fine, but we have to go to the site to see for sure."

Crome said, "Then I'll go down and talk to the captain."

During his break, he jumped off the box truck and ran towards the command vehicle in front.

The road under the valley was easy to travel on after hundreds of years of maintenance and expansion, and the convoy was moving at a fairly fast pace.

But the road is winding, and part of it is a mountain road with a cliff on one side, which places high demands on the driver.

Metzger was worried that the driver would be too nervous and tired on this road for the first time, so he took a half-hour break every two hours.

Krom quickly arrived at the command vehicle, and in addition to Metzger, the commander of the 32nd Regiment, Erwin, also followed.

Crome reported to his class that Ziker was a herbalist from the mountains and might take over the task of being the observation post on the top of the mountain.

Metzger did not give him the task immediately, but just told him to try it when the time came.

After Crome left, Erwin smiled and said to Metzger, "Your cold response will discourage the boys."

Metzger replied: "Ziker is the best climber in the company. If Crome doesn't come, I will let him try first."

"The young man is very calm and won't have any psychological fluctuations because of this."

Erwin thought for a moment and said, "Ziker, I remember this young man."

"When our group was first formed, he was one of the weakest members. How is he now?"

Metzger responded, "He's gaining muscle very quickly. He's almost as big as the pigs I used to raise."

"There was a young man named Zopel in their class, and he was advised not to eat too much, as it would affect his flexibility and ability to climb."

"Now Zikel may not look big, but he is quite strong, and he was very flexible during the climbing training."

Erwin nodded and continued the topic he had just discussed before Krom came: "The principle of our battle here is to destroy the enemy's manpower. Our division is an offensive force."

"These two points determine that we will not passively defend, but actively attack."

"According to our division's equipment, the 31st Regiment is the spearhead that breaks through the defense line, our 32nd Regiment expands the victory, and their 33rd Regiment cleans up the battlefield."

"As our mobility improves, the scope of the battlefield is also expanding. It is no longer just a place where two armies are facing each other."

"I'll give you a task. Find a way to get the other side's map and terrain map."

"War is about intelligence first. The enemy's intelligence all comes from Archduke Suarez. The timing and focus do not meet our requirements."

"If there is a chance, it would be best to establish an intelligence system on the other side." He handed a box of potato chips to Metzger and said, "Try a new flavor. It was given by my family and is not for sale yet."

The emergence of potato chips has nothing to do with Frederick and Psyche. It was created by a few officers including Erwin when they were tinkering with fast food in their spare time.

The potatoes are peeled and sliced ​​into thin slices like a wood board, fried and mixed with salt and various spice powders.

Then everyone found that this was not good as a staple food, but it was okay as a snack.

So Erwin and his wife opened a potato chip factory, and soon it was included on the military food list.

Metzger picked up two slices and ate them. He was surprised and said, "They are so crispy and they have a red tomato flavor?"

"The new technology is just a little expensive," Erwin said.

It was easy for Metzger to get snacks from his division commander, but it was difficult to get snacks from the group commander, so he would not miss the opportunity.

While eating, he said, "I heard that there is private trade between the two sides. Once I have established myself, I can send someone who has done business with them to contact them."

"I'll apply for a batch of logistical supplies and try to get in touch with the other side."

"According to what I have learned in the past few days, the nobles near the border were all exiled here. When Archduke Suarez attacked, they risked their lives in exchange for time for rescue from the rear."

"Some people only think about how to make money, and then bribe the higher-ups, and when new nobles are sent here, they will exchange their territories and return to a safe place."

“For them, nothing is off-limits.”

Erwin listened carefully, nodded and said, "This method is feasible. I will report it to the commander."

"But it's not easy to find the people to send out. They need to be smart, know how to do business, be brave, and be strong."

Metzger smiled and said, "Now that you put it, I think the principal is the most suitable person."

Erwin looked at the potato chips in his hand and the corner of his mouth twitched.

The Principality of Wessen currently has a small force and scale, and the regiment commander is a high-ranking military officer.

Before the expedition, Jurgen was promoted from cavalry regiment commander to commander of the newly formed 4th Division. Other regiment commanders believed that his good performance in independently leading troops to support the Kingdom of Kush was the main factor.

Alvin is ambitious and plans to make some achievements and get promoted when he has the chance.

He didn't dare to take the initiative to attack without military orders, but there was no problem in collecting intelligence in the early stages.

At five o'clock in the afternoon, everyone felt a physical light shining before their eyes.

The convoy drove out of the valley and came to the west side of the mountains, and the sun was right in front of everyone.

At the foot of the mountain is a group of fortresses, which include military camps, bunkers, and villages and towns that provide logistical services.

A few kilometers away from the mountain pass, there is a river a hundred meters wide flowing out of the mountains and passing through the fortress group.

Metzger and Irwin did not go down the mountain, but studied the terrain on the mountain.

The fortress complex is three kilometers wide and two kilometers deep. The closer to the mountain pass, the more buildings there are. There is a bunker on the top of a hill over a hundred meters high in the front, surrounded by a circle of barracks and a wall about six meters high.

Metzger said, "It looks like the artillery battery will have to be deployed forward."

Erwin nodded and said, "Yes, there are many trenches dug in the area behind to slow down the enemy's marching speed. We have to move forward."

The convoy began to descend the mountain. Soon, officers from the local garrison rode up the mountain to discuss accommodation and rotation with them.

In a troop transport box truck, Zikel carefully observed the cliff with the platoon leader's binoculars.

"No problem," he said confidently, "I can climb up."

(End of this chapter)