Trench Bolts and Magic

Chapter 88 Field March
After returning to the company's base, Morin found Sergeant Klaus.

This astute veteran had already started packing his personal belongings, including his Iron Cross Second Class, before Morin returned.

Klaus's expression turned serious upon learning that he was to be sent back to the front lines.

Although Morin did not specify the exact combat mission, he knew very well that once the entire 8th Division entered Seville, the unit would no longer operate in smaller combat units as before.

Therefore, this is most likely a division-level operation.
Just as Morin finished communicating with Klaus, the heavy wagons of the 1st Company's supply corps also brought back field rations, as well as freshly baked black bread from the division's bread company.

Upon seeing this, Morin immediately sent a messenger to summon the three platoon leaders—he had originally intended to issue the order directly, but to be on the safe side, he summoned the three of them instead.

After quickly explaining the task, a visible excitement appeared on the faces of the trio.

After saluting Morin, he couldn't wait to leave the tent.

"They seem to be looking forward to it," Klaus said, watching the three of them walk away.

Morin: "It's alright, I believe they'll stop expecting it soon."

Not long after the three platoon leaders left the company headquarters, each platoon sounded the assembly whistle.

A sharp whistle shattered the rare afternoon tranquility of the camp. Soldiers who were resting, cleaning their equipment, or writing letters home were jolted awake and rushed out of their tents, gathering in the open space as quickly as possible.

"Attention everyone! Pack up all personal equipment immediately!"

Platoon leader Kahn stood at the front of the line and excitedly gave orders to the entire platoon.

"In half an hour, each squad will go to the company's supply depot to collect three days' worth of rations, and then return here to assemble!"

"Disband!"

There was no unnecessary talk; the orders were crisp and efficient.

Upon hearing this, the soldiers immediately sprang into action, and the entire company's garrison instantly fell into a tense yet orderly flurry of activity.

Bowman and the sergeants of each platoon shouted, directing the new recruits to pack their backpacks, check their canteens and mess kits, and make sure everything was securely tied up.

The three newly appointed platoon leaders, Kahn, Barak, and Ram, also put aside their usual naiveté during training and moved back and forth in their respective platoons with serious expressions, supervising the soldiers' preparations.

Although they had never been on the battlefield, the education they received at the military academy and the training they underwent during this period made them clearly understand how important pre-battle preparations were.

Half an hour later, the 1st Company completed its full assembly.

Standing before the crowd, Morin discovered that he could easily distinguish between the veterans and new recruits in the company.

The veterans wore serious and solemn expressions; having experienced battle, they knew very well what might happen next.

The new recruits were clearly excited and thrilled. The Crown Prince's inspection and personal awarding of medals a few days ago had filled their minds with thoughts of 'power and honor'.

Before 14 p.m. that day, the 1st Battalion of the 32nd Tsvika Infantry Regiment completed its assembly on the open ground outside the battalion headquarters.

The soldiers stood in silent lines, led by their respective company commanders, and marched toward the distant station.

When the 1st Battalion arrived at the station, Morin realized that the stacks of 'soldier badges' on the system map were no joke.
Because as far as the eye could see, there were all the various companies waiting to board the vehicles.

Clearly, the efficiency of military train dispatch outside the Saxon army is much worse than within its territory.

Even so, the 1st Battalion received the order to board the vehicle approximately 40 minutes later.

The train parked on the platform was a typical military train, with boxcars that had no windows and only two sliding doors.

Under the organization of their platoon sergeants, the soldiers boarded the vehicles quickly and orderly, in squads.

The carriage was cramped, and when you took a deep breath, you could smell a mixture of rust, sweat, and leather.

It's extremely intoxicating.
Since it was impossible to set up a field kitchen on the military train, all soldiers carried three days' worth of field rations in addition to their weapons and combat gear.

One of the items is bread, including freshly baked black bread, enough to last for two days.

In addition, there is a 'one-day emergency ration' which contains biscuits that are hard enough to be used as bricks, a small piece of cured meat, a handful of dried vegetables, a small packet of coffee powder, and a pinch of salt.

With a long whistle, the steam locomotive emitted plumes of white smoke, and the military train slowly started moving, carrying a full load of soldiers along the tracks into the distance.

Since the freight cars offered virtually no view of the outside world, most soldiers found a corner shortly after the train started moving, leaned against their backpacks or their comrades, and fell into a deep sleep.

Although the new recruits were excited, the days of training had already taken a toll on their energy.

The impending battle prompted them to seize every opportunity to rest, as reminded by the veterans.

Like other veterans, Klaus quickly fell asleep.

Morin didn't sleep. Since he couldn't do anything else right now, he went straight to the [Spells] tab to continue learning spells and recording them in 'My Spellbook'.

These days, besides training the company, Morin hasn't been idle either; he really puts his energy into learning magic at night.

Furthermore, as he became more familiar with various spell models, his speed of learning spells also increased to some extent.

Today, he plans to complete the final 22% progress of the second-circle spell [Stealth Step]!

The train rattled along the tracks, making a monotonous and rhythmic clanging sound.

Time slipped away little by little during this bumpy journey.

Fourteen hours later, daylight began to filter through the cracks in the carriage doors.

The soldiers in the carriage gradually woke up, rubbing their sleepy eyes and looking tired.

The initial excitement and exhilaration upon boarding the train had long since been worn away by the long and tedious journey.

Trains of this era, especially military trains used in war, offered virtually no comfort.

The carriage was overcrowded and the air was foul; it was difficult to even stretch out one's legs.

The soldiers could only eat dry, hard black bread and drink cold water from their canteens, silently enduring it all.

Two hours later, when the entire sixteen-hour transfer was coming to an end, the military train finally stopped with a screeching sound of brakes, and a suppressed cheer erupted from the carriages.

The train doors were quickly opened by staff on the platform, and blinding sunlight and fresh air rushed in.

"Get off the bus! Quickly! Assemble in company-sized units!"

The officers' shouts echoed across the platform.

The soldiers eagerly jumped off the train, greedily breathing in the outside air and stretching their already stiff bodies.

Morin stood on the platform, looking around at this unfamiliar place.

This was a rudimentary field station, with nothing but a few parallel tracks and a small dispatch room.

"1st Company! Assemble here!"

Sergeant Major Klaus has begun organizing the troops into formation.

The soldiers quickly found their positions and soon formed a neat line on the platform.

The supply train soldiers also got busy unloading wagons and ammunition boxes from the special cargo wagons.

Because the 'separation of weapons and ammunition' order was followed during the transport, after leaving the platform and arriving at a temporary assembly point, each company took a little time to allow the soldiers to quickly collect their ammunition and rest briefly.

Once the other battalions of the 32nd Infantry Regiment had all arrived, the 1st Battalion, under the orders of Major Thomas, began its march.

According to the attack plan assigned to the 32nd Infantry Regiment, the 1st Battalion needed to march nearly 40 kilometers on foot from this small station to reach the designated attack assembly area.

As for why it took so long, the answer is simple—the railway tracks hadn't been laid.

In this era before mechanized infantry, long-distance tactical maneuvers depended entirely on the location of the railway lines.

The technology for temporarily laying narrow tracks is not yet mature.
Therefore, the end of the railway is the starting point for the infantry's legs. Heavy military boots tread on the dusty road, and the forty-kilometer field march officially begins.

For the 1st Battalion, which had just been replenished with a large number of new recruits and officers, this long-distance field march was undoubtedly a severe test of the unit's organization and the soldiers' physical fitness.

The marching column resembled a long, gray python, winding its way through the rugged hills of the Kingdom of Aragon.

The scenery along the road was outrageously monotonous; in February, the Kingdom of Aragon was nothing but withered grass and sparse shrubs.

All anyone could see was the constantly bobbing back of their comrades' heads.
The occasional passing cars carrying officers of regimental rank or above, and the draft horses pulling field artillery, provided a welcome respite during the march.

Molin's 1st Company was at the very front of the entire battalion.

During his rounds with Klaus, he also took the time to look at the three new platoon leaders.

The excitement was no longer visible on their faces.

Right now, they are simply following the requirements of the combat regulations, shuttling back and forth with their respective platoons to control the order of the marching ranks and correct the spacing between the soldiers.

"Keep up! Don't fall behind!"

"Drink water sparingly! The next rest stop is still a long way off!"

The shouts of the sergeants echoed throughout the ranks; they were like a pack of dutiful sheepdogs, striving to maintain the integrity of the entire unit.

This is a true reflection of the situation of junior officers and soldiers in the army during this era.

They boarded crowded military trains to a completely unfamiliar place, and then, led by officers, endured a long and agonizing march to reach a location known as the 'assembly area'.

After a short rest, we will be thrown into a battle where life and death are uncertain.

According to Saxon infantry regulations, during field marches, there is a ten-minute rest period every fifty minutes.

When the first whistle for the break sounded, many new recruits almost immediately collapsed on the roadside, panting heavily, as if all the strength in their bodies had been drained.

"Get up! Don't sit down!"

The veterans and sergeants immediately stepped forward and pulled them up one by one.

"Warm up your legs, or you won't be able to walk later!"

"Drink water in small sips, don't gulp it down!"

After taking a few sips of water, Morin went to the side of the marching column to observe the condition of the troops.

The situation in Company 1 was not bad. Although the new recruits were all exhausted, no one had any major problems under the control and guidance of veterans like Klaus and Bowman.

He walked to the back of the line and saw several new recruits who were pale-faced and unsteady on their feet.

"How are you feeling? Can you still hold on?" Morin patted one of the young soldiers on the shoulder.

When the soldier saw that it was the company commander, he struggled to stand up straight, but he stumbled and almost fell.

“Sir… I… I can still hold on,” he gasped, answering haltingly.

Morin smelled the sour odor of vomit on him, frowned, and then took a small packet of salt from the man's bag.

"Dissolve it in water and drink it."

Then he turned to the sergeant next to him and said, "Keep an eye on him. If things don't look right, call the medic over."

"Yes, sir!"

The ten-minute break passed in the blink of an eye, and the whistle to start again sounded mercilessly.

The soldiers let out a low groan, but struggled to their feet, slung their packs back over their shoulders, and began their heavy journey.

Time ticked by, and the atmosphere in the group grew increasingly oppressive. Apart from footsteps and panting, no other sounds could be heard.

Exhaustion surged in wave after wave, assaulting everyone's willpower.

Finally, halfway through the journey, Major Thomas issued an order to organize a thirty-minute break.

This time, the soldiers could finally take off their backpacks and truly relax.

They gathered in twos and threes, some eating black bread with water, while the 'big eaters' who had already finished their black bread took out dry biscuits and cured meat to replenish their energy.

Morin also found a place to sit down and start eating.

Although the new orderly had arrived, during this march, he still told him to stay with his platoon and take care of himself first.
"Company commander, your training methods are really effective."

Platoon Leader Kahn walked over and plopped down next to him, his face etched with exhaustion, but his eyes revealed genuine admiration.

"Although I and the new recruits in our platoon are all exhausted like dogs, not a single one has fallen behind so far."

"Yes."

Barak and Ram also came over, saying, "Over there in the 2nd Company next door, several soldiers have already been taken away by the field hospital's transport wagons."

They now truly understood what the purpose of all that high-intensity physical training, including long-distance marches, had been.

The sweat shed in the rear camp has now been transformed into the capital to persevere during the long march.

"This is just the beginning."

Morin looked at them and said calmly:

"When the fighting really starts, you'll find that being able to run is the most important thing for survival."

Upon hearing this, the three platoon leaders fell silent, their expressions becoming serious.

Looking at their company, which, though exhausted, still maintained its organizational structure, they felt an unprecedented sense of awe for their company commander, Morin, who was the same age as them.

This seemingly cynical guy at the military academy appears to have a genuine understanding of war that far surpasses that of ordinary people.

The brief rest ended quickly, and the march continued.

The second half of the journey became even more difficult, and many soldiers developed blisters on their feet, making each step feel like being pricked with needles.

But no one stopped. They just gritted their teeth and silently followed the figure in front of them, moving step by step toward that unseen destination.

Finally, after more than ten hours of marching in the field, the entire battalion arrived at the designated assembly area before sunset.

This is an open valley surrounded by gentle slopes covered with low shrubs and olive trees.

The first group of fortification soldiers who arrived earlier had already set up some infrastructure here and marked out the encampment areas for each unit with lime.

The four company commanders quickly led their troops away.

"Disperse! Set up tents! Rest where you are!"

When Morin gave the order, the soldiers of the 1st Company erupted in a deafening cheer, and then, as if in a 'last gasp,' completed the erection of each squad's tent at an extremely fast pace.

Maureen and Klaus were also exhausted, but they couldn't rest right away.

After briefly examining the lime marks left by the fortification troops, he and Klaus, along with the platoon leaders, organized the soldiers to dig makeshift toilets and drainage ditches.

When Morin returned to his tent, finally ready to rest and check on the field kitchen, a messenger ran over.

"Lieutenant Morin! Please proceed to battalion headquarters immediately for the operations meeting!"

"."

(End of this chapter)