The Difference Is Like Between a Dog and a Cow

78 – Imperial Night (2)

“Now, one last check before being put in. The company commander and staff members gather.”

With about two hours left until the departure, the officers of the 8th Assault Magical Infantry Battalion, including myself, all gathered in Sonny Zeppelin’s office. It was the final briefing.

“The objective of the operation is the Limansk arsenal in the northwestern part of the Soviet Empire, in the Prophet region. I’m going to retrieve the pearl of omen stored there.”

Sonny Zeppelin said, pointing at the map with a baton. I’ve heard it many times, but it reminds me of purpose once again.

If you had attacked the fortress by mixing mages among thieves from the other side, this time, the operation to completely destroy the facility by injecting a proper combat unit.

In modern times, it would have been at such a level that it would garner a lot of backlash no matter how much ‘stolen items’ were retrieved.

This is a possible operation at a time when the concept of espionage warfare or local warfare was not properly established.

Infiltrates the airship and escapes with the airship.

Even in the mainland of the Reinhardt Empire, the weapon called an airship is not well known, and it would be difficult to guess easily even in the Soviet Empire.

Moreover, this operation was one that Sonny Zeppelin had put his heart and soul into over several months.

For unforeseen circumstances, all personnel, including me, were provided with the camouflage status of ‘Red October’, the rebel force of the Soviet Empire.

There are evidence, but even the Empire’s counterintelligence agency will not be able to easily grasp the truth. It is to repay the same for what was done to you at Belgordo Fortress last time.

How sure?

That’s how I’ve been stabbed in the back every time I’ve played as Sobie Empire.

October is always red whenever you hear the news that a facility has been blown up or attacked.

At first, I thought it was simply an operation by ‘reactionary’ forces and passed it off.

If you look at the information about the raid later on as you move up the ranks, it’s actually more likely that it was sabotage from the outside rather than an inside operation.

Likewise, it’s clear that right now you wouldn’t even imagine that Ukrnian special forces raided their facilities.

Perhaps you will find out that the arsenal was attacked after a few days.

“It was decided that the 3rd Battalion under the Special Response Brigade would be in charge of deceiving us into thinking that we had escaped by land.”

“Are they still operating in Imperial territory?”

“Because we are in collusion with Red October.”

She was definitely a scary woman.

From noble mtl dot com

Is it not just a simple DA (Direct Action) operation, but also a UW (Unconventional Warfare)?

His personality is somewhat strange, and he may have missed a screw, but it is definitely the last hope of the Ukrnians.

‘Then the more so, the more I wonder why Ukraine has always been a ruined country in the main story…… Did a coup happen?’

I was thinking about something else for a while, but Sonny Zeppelin, who realized it like a ghost, thumped! And snapped his fingers in front of my eyes.

“The 1st company commander isn’t paying attention.”

“Sorry.”

“Then, would you like to tell us about the role the 1st Company played in this operation, Enoch, the company commander?”

By the way, you can see he’s trying to grab a pod and turn it around.

But who am I? He is an officer who survived all sorts of mischief in the K-Army. I had already familiarized myself with the outline of the operation and the missions to be put into my head since the first operation plan was distributed.

“The mission assigned to our 1st Company is to enter through the Northern Gate of the Arsenal and neutralize the forces stationed in the area. The main objective is for two platoons to enter the headquarters of the guard company and subdue the troops, and for the other two platoons to occupy the arsenal west of the gateway.”

As I poured it out without stopping, Sonny Zeppelin scratched his cheek as if he hadn’t expected it to be like this.

“Hmm. Yeah, I thought of something else.”

“Sorry. I will focus.”

“Anyway, other company commanders, like Lieutenant Enoch, make sure to memorize the objectives of the operation. Everyone did a good job clearing out the thieves last time, but this time we won’t be able to achieve it easily as the regular army is our opponent.”

“Yes, I understand!”

The rest of the officers responded in booming voices. Standing next to me, the 2nd company commander, Lieutenant Nikolai, laughed as he poked his side.

Since the 2nd Company was in charge of clearing up the remnants following our advance company, Nikolai and I talked for quite some time to prepare for the Imperial Night operation.

In the process, Nikolai would joke around like this, as if he thought he had become close with him.

After the final briefing ended like that.

I smoked a cigarette with the 2nd company commander outside the barracks.

“Fire?”

“No, it’s okay.”

Apart from being close friends, the first cigarette friend I made after entering this world. When I came to my senses, I was halfway through. I’ve heard that other platoon commanders are friendly, but that’s for sure.

Chick—————————————————

When you light a cigarette by scratching a match, the usual meek smoke irritates your lungs.

“So? How is the morale of the soldiers?”

“What is our company…… Everyone accepts it calmly.”

“Because there are a lot of unique platoon commanders. They said there were a lot of stories about a company full of geeks.”

Do you understand Nandle?

It seemed like some kind of fate that had been passed down since the 3rd generation. Even the new faces didn’t even dream of something strange.

I let out a deep sigh, and Nikolai added, flicking the butt he had smoked before he knew it.

“Still, the identity has been formed, right? The bond between the platoon members is also strong.”

“You will know that only after being put into operation yourself.”

“That’s right… ….”

Nikolai Hilbert squashed the remaining embers and extinguished them.

“This is the real beginning.”

How long can you survive? The 2nd company commander muttered. The gun is still alive, and the eyes are full of will, but I couldn’t shake off the anxiety that lurked beyond it.

“I am going back. You guys are well prepared.”

“Don’t worry. Everyone will be back safely.”

Nikolai waves his hand and disappears into the barracks of my company.

Anxiety, nervousness, anticipation, fear. With the feelings of different people.

At last, the bell rang to awaken the twilight.

“At 19:30, Operation Name Imperial Night is executed. So that all troops can board the airship!”

“Boarding—!!”

At Sonny Zeppelin’s command, a hundred combat troops boarded the airship.

Ukrnian revenge against the Soviet Empire has begun.

***

Northwestern part of the Soviet Empire.

Arsenal of Limansk.

A night of deep darkness. In front of the entrance to the arsenal, there were about ten people waiting for the door to open. Everyone is riding on a horse. As usual, it was not easy to check with the naked eye because he was wearing a robe on a dark night.

In the end, when the sentries turn on the magic lights installed at the entrance, the figures of the party hidden in darkness are revealed.

“Identify yourself!”

“Lieutenant Colonel Yegor Ivanov. An inspector of the Imperial Intelligence Agency.”

Then the man standing at the forefront answered by taking off his robe.

The soldier in charge of guarding the arsenal opened the door in a fright at the voice that pierced the dull darkness, and soon after, a person rushed out from inside the arsenal.

“Comrade Inspector!!”

The person who greeted them was a noncommissioned officer who was on night watch at the guardhouse south of the arsenal.

As he saluted in moderation, the man on his horse also struck back with a clean ceremony.

“Welcome, comrade. I never dreamed that you would arrive at this late hour.”

“Something happened in the middle. Well, didn’t you arrive today as promised?”

He smiled lightly and entered the arsenal.

Imperial Guillotine, Lieutenant Colonel Yegor Ivanov.

It had been reported long ago that he, a high-ranking inspector of the General Intelligence Agency, would visit, but he had never dreamed that he would arrive on such an ambitious night.

‘They managed to break through even though the neighborhood was full of rebels.’

Maxim Stepanov, a sergeant in the Imperial Army serving in the Limansk arsenal, stuck out his tongue.

Befitting a border area bordering Ukraine, the Pripyat region where the Limansk arsenal was located was a sanctuary for anti-imperialists and criminals.

It was very easy to form a guerrilla operation because of the rugged terrain that stretched from the Kalpas Mountains blocking the border.

For this reason, this Limansk arsenal was also a unit that was attacked by all sorts of reactionary forces once every quarter.

So, it was common for even the most skilled combatants not to be around here after the sun went down. The inspector and the others kept their promise to arrive within the day.

‘It’s amazing.’

As expected, they belonged to the General Information Bureau, which boasted stronger power than the de facto direct troops of the emperor and the imperial bodyguards.

“By the way, comrade leader, I would like you to give us a tour of the facility. Is it okay if I leave for a while?”

“Ah…… ! Of course.”

The reason why the personnel of the General Intelligence Directorate visited the Limansk Arsenal was simple.

It must be to observe the ‘experiment’ in progress.

“I woke up the commander of the guard company anyway. I will be coming to pick up Comrade Inspector himself soon.”

“Is that so? Nice to hear from you. I’m just worried that I may have interrupted your rest.”

“I can’t do that. The efforts of Comrade Inspector, who ran through the darkness, cannot be wasted.”

“You certainly look like an elite soldier who manages the forefront of the empire. The great emperor will remember the hard work of his comrades.”

“Thank you, Comrade!!”

Sergeant Maxim Stepanov bowed his head with all his heart. Soviet Imperial Army did not have many opportunities for promotion compared to its bloated size.

Since Maxim has not been able to get out of the sergeant for six years.

If he assists Yegor well during this visit, wouldn’t he be able to appeal to some extent?

Maxim, already lost in the imagination of having another line drawn on his epaulet, clung to the inspector’s side wagging his tail.

“Then this way, Comrade Inspector.”

“Um.”

They moved slowly to the Arsenal’s underground facility.

The two airships from Ukraine had just crossed the border of the Soviet Empire.