第１３５５堀：先遣隊 (Part1)
Chapter 1355: The Vanguard
Side: Steve
Returning from a break means facing a mountain of paperwork. I’m reminded once again that even in the military, these tasks are inescapable. I’ve thought it a thousand times: without this, the army simply wouldn't function. That said, being told to tackle a pile of documents this size is enough to drain any motivation I had.
Just as I was sitting there at the start of the day, completely devoid of drive...
"Steve. Take 100 men and head from Litea to Suls. Equip them with Type-3 anti-army gear."
"Excuse me?"
And just like that, we were off, moving instantly without room for debate. We selected the unit, loaded the supplies, and arrived at Litea thirty minutes later. Honestly, the efficiency is breathtaking. It’s a testament to our daily training. Even so, I’m currently reviewing the situation while juggling paperwork in the back of the transport.
"...Sigh. A Great Flood has broken out in the Principality of Suls. And it’s dungeon-originated. Looking at the situation, there might be a Dungeon Master involved."
"That sounds bad, doesn't it?"
"It’s terrible."
Surakichi-san and I exchange a hollow look. No matter how heavily armed we are with modern weaponry, once we’re dragged into a dungeon, it’s difficult to leverage our tactical superiority. In a way, dungeons are the ultimate counter to modern warfare. In those cramped, claustrophobic spaces, explosives just mean getting buried alive. Plus, a dungeon is a space the Dungeon Master can manipulate at will. Winning under those conditions is unthinkable. The premise itself is flawed.
"You got a core from the Boss, right?"
"Of course. A hundred men can handle enemies with heavy firepower, but defending Suls requires establishing a base. More importantly, having a core prevents interference from the enemy Dungeon Master. Without it, there’s no contest."
"True. A core is essential. So, any word from the scouts?"
"Nothing yet."
"What about Litea?"
"They’re coordinating with Weed, so they’re still in the process of gathering troops."
"...Wait, so it’s basically just us?"
"Exactly. We’re the first reinforcements sent to the Principality of Suls."
"Are you serious? Won't we just get driven back by a monster horde?"
"Kirika is carrying a personal letter from Litea, so I’d like to believe we’ll be fine. Still, we need to watch our backs."
"Ugh, what a pain."
I couldn't agree with Surakichi-san more. Though, I don't think it’ll be that much of a problem. Because...
"Well, I’ve already accounted for that. Once we confirm the enemy’s position via drones and familiars, we’ll construct our own base regardless of the Suls Principality’s existing fortifications. That’s what the core is for."
"I see. That makes it easier to handle an ambush from behind. But what if they change their invasion route?"
"Based on the DP replenished in the core, we can build four bases. Or, we could change our approach and build a wall like the Great Wall of China."
"Will the budget cover that?"
"If we don't worry about interior facilities, yes. It’s just a wall."
"Does that actually serve a purpose?"
"It’s effective against ground-based enemies. Actually, we could even flip the strategy and wall them in once we find them."
"Oh, a reversal of thinking. Trap them inside a wall."
"Exactly. Once that’s done, we just shoot down the aerial units and finish off the ground forces with artillery."
"But wouldn't a pitfall be enough for that?"
"Hmm, that’s a bit tricky. Pitfalls require the enemy to be clustered together."
"Ah, I see."
Surakichi-san caught on quickly. It’s a hard concept to visualize, after all.
"Since they aren't a regular army, they might scatter. So, building a wall to lure them in is better?"
"Right. We could always set up pitfalls afterward, too."
"But then building the wall becomes a waste. It comes down to which is more cost-effective."
"Pitfalls are definitely cheaper. You’re just digging a hole. But the area we’d need to cover is massive."
"True. In that case, isn't it better to just build a base and lure them there?"
"No, that assumes they’ll actually come to the base."
"Right, you're right. The important thing is knowing what the enemy’s objective is. If we know that, we can set traps accordingly."
"Exactly. We’re about to cross the Litea border; I just hope we get some intel soon."
We’ve been chatting like this while moving by vehicle, and we’re just about to cross the Litea border. It’s nice that vehicle transport during emergencies is already somewhat recognized in the Logari Continent; it makes moving stress-free. The downside is that it leaves us less time for intelligence gathering.
"Kirika will probably contact us from the other side, but shouldn't we check the data from the drones and familiars?"
"Good point. Headquarters, do you read? Any updates from the drones or familiars?"
I pick up the receiver in the vehicle to make the call. It’s for radio communication; we can fit large-scale transmission equipment in these vehicles.
『This is Headquarters. We don't have the full details yet, but are you alright?』
"It’s fine. We’re just about to cross the border, so we’ll take any information we can get."
『Understood. Sending the information we have at this moment.』
The operator replies, and data is immediately transmitted to the console screen. Surakichi-san and I open it at once.
"The enemy’s position is still unknown. Yeah, the intel situation is grim. For now, we’ll head toward the central royal capital via the northern town."