Chapter 379 (1/2)

Chapter 379: Attack

Translator: Meh/TransN Editor: – –

“Move faster!”

“Keep your hands steady. Insert the bullets into the cartridge one at a time!”

“Your teammates at the front need you to act quickly. Otherwise, you’ll give the enemy the chance to approach and kill you!”

“Don’t look at other places. Stay focused on the job in your hands!”

“As long as your teammates are still shooting, you just keep on reloading!”

In the First Army’s military camp, Lord Brian was loudly urging the new recruits to practice, and Nail was one of them.

He was not newly recruited, but instead a veteran in the First Army. After the Militia defeated the demonic beasts under the leadership of His Highness, he joined the army at Iron Head’s strong recommendation. In Iron Head’s words, it was much more promising to carry a flintlock to fight and protect His Highness and Miss Nana than to spend the rest of his life mining in the pit.

Not long after Nail joined the Militia, they were reorganized into the First Army. Guided by Prince Roland and Lord Iron Axe, the army in which he served defeated not only demonic beasts but also great nobles whom he used to regard as unbeatable. They overthrew Duke Ryan and even prevented the troops of Timothy, the new king, from setting foot in Border Town. After those battles, Nail was promoted to a team leader in the Flintlock Squad.

However, according to the First Army’s tradition, whenever a large number of new recruits came, some veterans would be chosen to join the newly formed platoon. They would live and eat together with the new recruits and accompany them in practices, as their instructors. When knowing he was chosen for this instructor job, Nail was at first not willing to take it. He was just reluctant to leave the front line and his familiar battle companions, but thinking of the veterans who had helped him when he was a new recruit in the Militia, he had no choice but to accept this task.

At that time, the instructor in his squad had been Lord Brian, who now was the commander of the First Battalion in the Flintlock Squad.

Nail hoped that one day, he would be someone like Lord Brian, wearing a medal bestowed by His Highness and giving commands to nearly a thousand soldiers. Iron Head was right. “This job is far more promising than operating a steam engine in front of a mining pit.”

“My lord, how long do we have to continue with this practice?” A young man in his platoon grumbled. “It’s still snowing.”

“Keep practicing until you can finish the reloading in about half a minute with your eyes closed,” Nail stopped in front of him and said. “You’re Haimon, right? Remember to say ‘Report’ before you speak. That’s a rule in the First Army! ”

“Report,” shouted a little man next to Haimon, with his hands filling the loader all the time, “do we have eggs for dinner tonight?”

Hearing this question, many soldiers in the platoon started to lick their lips.

Nail could not help but grin. He understood aside from the two weeks’ strict military training, sufficient food supply was also an important factor to keep these new soldiers from the Northern and the Southern Territory well disciplined even on such a snowy day. They had oatmeal and salty dried meat for every meal, and sometimes a piece of pickled fish or even an egg. Yet eggs were only provided after a battle against demonic beasts or a field training.

“Well, you’d better ask demonic beasts whether or not they’re coming to Border Town today.” Nail shrugged. “What’s your name?”

“Al Bitter, my lord,” answered the little man.

“It takes you almost half a day to insert one bullet. My next-door neighbor, an old lady, is far more nimble than you,” Nail suddenly stopped smiling and said seriously. “If you can’t improve when today’s training is over, I’ll cancel your share of oatmeal and meat, let alone the eggs!”

The new soldiers immediately lowered their heads and focused. No one wanted to be punished like that.

Just at the moment, the bell on the city wall tolled rapidly.