Vol. 7: Chapter 06: Attack on MMS

Translated by Tianic

Note 1: A full list of characters and glossary is provided. Please click on the character name for their illustrations, if any.

Note 2: An editable text of this chapter is provided in case of eye cancer.

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After lunch, the logistics regiment leader came to see us with a thickish ledger when a huge pile of senior officers waited for him to declare the Legion’s property list.

“Sir!” The logistics leader said, “Here it is, still warm.”

“Read it out aloud!” I nodded, “I wanna see how miserable we are!”

“Sir, yes, sir!” The regiment leader replied, “Currently the Legion is short on 49, 000 suits of uniform, no gloves, socks and shoes in storage, no beddings supplied, no living goods, no toiletries, no inner-wears, no towels. The soldiers’ hygiene is out of the question.”

“Does the military headquarter know about this?” I cut in, “What’s their words?”

“The former logistics officer have reported this situation to the HQ, and the HQ had replied.” The logistics leader fetched a letter, “Their note reads, and I’m quoting ‘According to the complexity of the Ninth Legion and the diversity in soldiers’ body figures, there is no suitable supplies for you. The Chief Quartermaster is currently studying on this matter.”

“When did this note come?”

“A month ago, sir.”

“A month ago.” I nodded, “The Chief Quartermaster, Luhrmann, he took a month on this matter?”

“I’m afraid so, sir.” The logistics leader sighed, “Now in the Legion, I’m the one who has the least job to do. I’ve got no goods to care.”

“Cut the crap…” I glanced him, “Gimme the list!”

A rather long list was handed onto my palms, and the densely written words on it made me thrill.

“Jack,” I said, “Gather the first and second IGT regiments, and bring all of our van.”

“Sir, yes, sir!”

“You, I’m talking to you.” I tapped the logistics leader’s face, “Get your men and build me a dozen large warehouses! You will get busy soon enough!”

“Really, sir?” He laughed at once, “Leave the warehouses to me, no problem!”

“Carlos!”

“Sir!”

“I need to go to the HQ, and you’re in charge of the camp while I’m gone.” I said, “And when I’m away, no one will go over your head.”

“Understood, sir!” Carlos roared, “No one will go over my head!”

I, as well as two IGT regiments and hundreds of vans,  set off vigorously. Our destination was the warehouses of United Force Ministry of Military Supply.

“Listen up!” Before going, I told more than 5, 000 soldiers from the two IGT regiments, “When we’re at the warehouses, you do whatever I tell you to do. If you do, I promise your lives, and if you don’t, I’ll slaughter your faces!”

The soldiers affirmed then we set off.

“Boss,” On our way, Jack approached me and asked, “What are we going to do?”

“Receive our supplies,” I said, “what else do you think we’ll be doing?”

“Don’t joke me,” Jack puckered his mouth, “you need two regiments to come along to receive our supply?”

“Remember, Jack,” I lowered my voice, “I don’t care what will happen. But if anything happens, remember, we are to receive our supplies. Attention, it’s to ‘receive’, you got me?”

“Hehhe, receive.” Jack grinned, “I know it.”

“You know, we’re in a bad situation now. And there will be two benefits if we pull this off.” I said, “A, the lack of supply will be solved; B, soldiers’ morale will be boosted.”

“Sure, the supply problem will be solved,” Jack said, “but how come the soldiers’ morale is boosted?”

I looked around and dragged Jack to the side of the road.

“What is an army? An army is no more than a group of ordered and disciplined gangsters.” I whispered to Jack, “Even criminals know to follow a wise alpha dog, let alone the soldiers. Imagine thousands of men in the camp; they’re without clothes, food, and entertainment. It’s only a matter of time before someone rebels.”

“But…”

“No ‘but’,” I said, “I want to let my soldiers know that there’s perspective in following my lead. They will live better lives under my command. Only such soldiers will obey the orders and fight harder.

“But I am Lord Justice,” Jack said with a bitter smile, “you actually brought me along…”

“You’re utterly necessary. You’re here to guarantee there’s no soldier pocket-picking from the supplies.” I said, “You know the guys with us, I don’t expect all of them to behave!”

“Okay!” Jack said, “You’re the boss.”

I was pleased with his attitude because not all military Lord Justices would do dirty business with his commander.

Hundreds of vans have significantly hindered our speed. By the time we have arrived the Military Supply, it was the morning of the third day.

The sun was yet to rise, and the Military Supply was smothered under thin and damp morning mist.

I did not expect the warehouses were numerous in number. Any places as far as I can tell was taken up by hundreds of large tents, which made a vast camping area.

A team of a hundred riders showed up at the camp gate and approached toward us.

“Halt! This is the MMS stronghold.” From a distance apart, the leading rider shouted on his house back, “Which unit are you? Where’s your commander?”

“You,” I hinted an IGT officer, “bring him to me!”

Not long after, that leader who shouted earlier came riding to me.

“Ser Protoss Knight, good morning.” He said, “May I have your business in the MMS warehouses?”

“Crap! Of course, I’ve business.” I said, “Which unit are you from?”

“Sir,” He said, “I’m Major of the Eighth Garrison Troop from the PUF headquarter! We’re under orders to station the MMS warehouses!”

“Is the Chief Quartermaster here?”

“Sir,” He said, “Lord Quartermaster is not, but his deputy is in his office!”

I paused for a second because I did not expect Luhrmann was not here. It might be as well. His absence saved me a lot of time.

“Get your men away,” I talked to the Major, “you’re in my way.”

“But, sir…” The Major hesitated,

I whipped my lash over, “Are you deaf, get off!”

“Yes, sir!” The Major stood obediently aside, what a poor man.

“Why’re you weeping, is your old man dead?” I whipped him again, “Cheer up, sing a song!”

“Yes, sir, sing!” The Major got two lashes, which had made him brighter, “When buckwheat flowers bloom, when poplars are taller than me, my beloved girls…”

By the lousy singing from a hundred riders, we entered the main warehouse. Now we were at a giant square inside the main house.

“Let the men park our vans!” I told Jack, “And tell all of my IGT officers to come to see me, hurry!”

More than fifty IGT officers gathered around waiting for my orders.

“Listen up, you all, I had copies of the list for all of you.” I kept a straight face, “I don’t care what happened, get what we need, I shit you not!”

“Follow my lead, tell the soldiers to act stiff and brutal!” I said, “Smack anyone who says things! I have only one rule, don’t you kill anyone!”

“Sir, yes, sir!” They said altogether.

I turned around, left hand tightened my cape and strode toward the quartermaster’s pavilion.

“Ser Knight of Protoss, you…” The deputy quartermaster had the news that I came, he has been waiting for a while, “What do you want here?”

“You wanna die, I dare you?” I clenched his collar, “Legion No. 9’s supply has been delayed for more than a month, do you know that?”

“Yeah, I know!” The deputy quartermaster was scared by me. It seemed that the event I killed hundreds of officers was still troubling him, “Sir, please lose your hands…”

“You knew it, and you loitered!” I loudened my voice, “What do you want? You want the great Protoss Knight to lead a group of naked soldiers on the battlefield?”

“No, sir, it’s not like that.” The deputy quartermaster nearly cried, “There’re no suitable armors for you…”

“I know you didn’t have them a month ago,” I yelled, “And you still don’t have it NOW?!”

“I don’t, for real…” He said, “Maybe Lord Luhrmann has other plans.”

“Shit you!” I said, “Take us to the warehouses, we’ll DIY!”

“Lord Luhrmann is not here. I… I’m not obliged to…”

I frowned, “Where’s my Lord Justice?”

“Sir!” Jack roared.

“No, no, no, no Lord Justice…” The deputy quartermaster immediately fetched a string of keys, “I’ll take you, calm down, Ser…”

“You should’ve said that earlier,” I smiled, “atta boy.”

Since the beginning of the time, ‘polices and gangs are from the same family’ was indeed correct. Though I have repeated countless times that we must receive the supplies according to the list, the warehouses ended up in a mess nevertheless. The reason was simple: all soldiers and the officers’ eyes were enviously fucking red.

Certainly, mine grew a bit as well.

When the door of the first warehouse opened, a fresh scent of linen overwhelmed us. Stacks of packaged cloth were highly piled, which made the soldiers who had never seen a piece of descent uniform in their lives dizzy.

“Sir, these are for the Second Legion,” The deputy quartermaster said, “They’re all cloth, not for you…”

“How many uniforms can you make out of a bolt of fabric?” I asked, “And what’s the wage?”

“A bolt of cloth is good for fifteen extra large army uniforms.” It was the deputy quartermaster’s duty to recite the information, so he replied fluently, “Fifteen uniforms will cost a single silver coin!”

“En…” I pondered, “We’ll make our outfit, and the wage will deduct from the cloth! I’ll call ten uniforms for each bolt!”

“It’s… it’s not right!” The deputy quartermaster yelled, “Each bolt is worth eight silver coins!”

“Start moving!” I grabbed the deputy’s hand and ran, “To the next one!”

The second warehouse was the blanket center. I unfolded a random sheet then called an orc officer to try on.

“Sir,” This tall orc officer replied, “it’s a little short…”

“What do you mean ‘a little’? It’s damn fucking short!” I said, dissatisfied, “Two for one, start moving!”

The entire short morning saw us successfully ‘received’ the much-needed supplies. Among which contained a hundred vans worth of 5, 000 bolts of clothes, a hundred vans worth of blankets, ten vans worth of towels, fifteen vans of gloves and socks, plus stuff like bottles and belts. There was even a van full of rank badges!

Anyhow, we have been moving stuff until the last of our vans was full.

All soldiers from the MMS were all compelled to huddle aside, head lowered and count their toes. They were too frightened to say a word.

When we were near finish, I jumped onto a van top and yelled to my soldiers.

“SOLDIERS!” I yelled with my whole body, “FROM NOW ON, THESE ARE OURS! NO ONE WILL FUCKING TAKE THESE AWAY! I DON’T CARE WHOM, AS LONG AS THERE IS A MAN WHO WANTS TO ROB FROM US, WE KILL HIM!”

“SIR, YES SIR!”

This was the first time my soldiers replied me with such ordered and clear voice!

“Draw your weapons!” I drew my long sword, “We’re going back, no stop!”

More than 5, 000 soldiers set off, swords drawn, spears clenched, eyes reddened, mouth cracked.

Since the day I arrived at the Ninth Legion, I have never seen my soldiers with such passion. They ran back forth to help. I knew one to help to push the cart for one moment, the next moment he appeared at the crossroad watching. If anyone showed even the slightest intention to close the fleet, he will be put down by a group of soldiers then trussed up and hung on the tree.

By the second day, one after another, came messengers of the military headquarter with private letters from each department senior officers.

What were in the letters were more or less the same: Ser Knight of Protoss, please consider the negative outcome of your act. Help us to steady the situation. Please return the goods before it reverses into a bigger problem. We can gloss over for you. Blah blah blah.

“What should we do?” Jack was worried, he asked, “Boss, this matter has become significant!”

“I am a Protoss Knight, what’re they gonna do to me?” I grinned, “Put them away. We’re just getting what’s ours!”

“Sir, yes, sir!”

By the third day, the fleet has finally arrived the Legion camp. The things we have received not only filled full the newly built warehouses but also remained a large sum outdoors because of the limited space. Those piled goods have stunned the soldiers. Bragged by the IGT soldiers, my prestige in the Legion has risen to a whole new level.

Now that we had the supplies, it did not mean our businesses were done. I was well aware of the soldiers’ problems. Usually, gangsters or robbers or gamblers did not have much wealth. The reason for that, they will trash them too easily.

One one hand, I have urged the logistics leader to issue the equipment; on the other hand, I issued a decree ordering each soldier to recite a day-to-day regulation to the logistics leader. A soldier will get his stuff whenever he was able to recite the rules.

The Legion No. 9 Daily Regulation:

I should shower at least once per 10 days. Violation penalty by flogging 20.

I will maintain my uniform, no stepping in water, contact dirty walls or painting blankets, belts, shoes, and socks. Violation penalty by flogging 20.

I will wash my face and mouth on time daily, I will keep my room clean and change my inner-wearings daily. Violation penalty by flogging 20.

After a soldier was able to recite the rules, he was allowed to receive his set of equipment, except for the uniform. Because there were not many tailors around the camp. I have summoned all who can sew in the neighborhood, but it will have to take a while.

The logistics regiment also built dozens of shower spots and toilets in the camping area. I wanted my soldiers to ditch their dirty and stinky habits. If I did not do that, once there was an epidemic going on in the camp, my loss might be even greater than war depletion.

Half a month saw the end of the goods and materials issuing as well as the coming of an investigation corps from the headquarter. Considering the Ninth Legion’s violence tendency, what came this time was a full unit of mounted cavalry.

Their leader was again, Winterhard Lennie. She seemed to be specialized in dealing such matters. She has brought Prince Carl Ulysses’ letter for me as well.

About the ‘Dispute between the Ninth Legion and MMS’ case, the Prince himself did not show too much interest as he merely asked me to state this affair in detail.

I had my preparation, so I fetched a big pile of evidence for Winterhard.

“Ser… ser! You’re impressive, I’ll give you that.” Winterhard couldn’t care less about the evidence I provided, “Can’t you do something an ordinary commander does?”

“I beg your pardon? You think it’s abnormal?” I asked, “If you’re the commanding officer of the Ninth Legion and your soldiers run over the battlefield naked, what will you do?”

Winterhard puffed his eyes as if she was going to eat me alive.

“Calm down, I didn’t mean that.” I suddenly realized he was a female, so I pardoned my language, “My bad!”

She turned her eyes away.

“Say, General,” I asked with a smile, “how did the HQ react to this matter?”

“The temple guys?” She humphed, and said coldly, “Very intense.”

“Oh!” I rubbed my head, “So should I quiet them down a bit?”

“It’s too late.” Winterhard replied spitefully, “The cloth has become uniforms, how will you quiet them down?”

“No, no, no! I didn’t make myself clear.” I said, “That’s not my style. I meant to make them silent for good.”

“General, the riders that came along with you,” I asked again, “are they directly under your command?”

“No, they report to the MMS.” Winterhard said, “They’re from Symbia.”

“I see,” I chuckled, “General, can I have a word with you. I have some questions, and I’m sure you have the answer. Care for a walk? The view around the camp is good I heard.”

“Ser, can you promise you’ll talk only about business?”

“Certainly,” I was eagerly attentive, “I am a Protoss Knight!”

“You’ll have your word.”

“Please!”

“Dear me, I forgot to prepare your soldiers’ meal.” I complained as I called over an officer and whispered to him, “Make that investigation corps naked pigs and kick them out of my camp, except for the General’s guards!”

Then I took Winterhard out of the camp for a walk while asking her minor questions.

At the same time, the LAD and the logistics soldiers were ransacking the investigation soldiers from the military headquarter. All of their outfits were taken off and hidden in the warehouses.

When we were back to the camp, Winterhard discovered all except for her guard, a cavalry of 2, 000 men, were down in the dumps waiting for her. All were white skins and thighs at a glance.

Winterhard puffed her cheeks and hit me with her sword and immediately returned the headquarter. All the Lords in the HQ were stunned, and the temple uproars vanished quickly. Because they knew that I was still not satisfied.