Chapter 17: Forward Reconnaissance

Upon hearing the battalion messenger’s words, Morin felt a jolt in his heart. An order from battalion headquarters—he could not tell if it would be a blessing or a curse.

He instructed Klaus to take temporary command of the unit, emphasizing the need for vigilance against potential enemy counterattacks, before following the messenger at a brisk pace toward the small chapel that served as the temporary battalion command post.

Soon, as Morin entered the chapel, his eyes fell immediately upon his company commander, Captain Hauser, and Major Thomas, who stood with his hands behind his back before a long table covered in maps.

The atmosphere inside the chapel was oppressive. Major Thomas’s expression remained grim; clearly, the heavy casualty reports from that morning weighed on him like a boulder. Although the village had been successfully captured, the price paid was exorbitant, and the sharp reduction in his effective strength severely limited his subsequent tactical options.

Yet, upon seeing Morin enter, he managed to adjust his mood, forcing a gesture that could hardly be called a smile.

"Second Lieutenant Morin, you’re here." He pointed to an empty chair beside Captain Hauser. "Come over."

"Major, Captain." Morin saluted and took his place beside Captain Hauser.

Major Thomas dispensed with the pleasantries and got straight to the point.

"We have just received word from brigade headquarters. The offensives by the 'Nationalists' on our flanks and the 'International Brigades' have proceeded smoothly..."

"The intent of the brigade and regimental commands is that we cannot remain in this village for long. We must continue our advance toward Seville as soon as possible."

Morin and Captain Hauser exchanged glances, both seeing the gravity of the situation reflected in the other’s reaction. Major Thomas’s words meant that the brief respite was coming to an end, and more brutal fighting lay ahead.

"But before the next offensive begins," Major Thomas said, his gaze settling on Morin, "I need to send a team to conduct a reconnaissance mission in the area ahead of us."

At this, alarm bells rang in Morin’s head; he realized why his battalion commander had summoned him. He was also somewhat puzzled. While the units of this era lacked specialized reconnaissance detachments, such missions were typically assigned to senior officers. Why choose him, a platoon leader who had only just joined the company?

Seeming to notice his confusion, Major Thomas sighed, his voice tinged with helplessness.

"In this morning's fighting, the officer losses in the 1st and 2nd Companies were severe. There are few officers left who can be sent out."

He paused, looking at Morin with a hopeful glint in his eyes before continuing.

"Furthermore, the judgment and on-the-spot reactions you demonstrated in battle prove that you are better suited for this mission than anyone else... I need you to lead men to scout the situation ahead. I do not want to see my soldiers walk headlong into enemy machine-gun nests again."

After hearing the major’s words, Morin fell silent. He had no desire to take on a high-risk task like forward reconnaissance. But the problem was that in order to survive the earlier offensive, he had already shown his hand. This had drawn the attention of his superiors, which meant Major Thomas would be assigning him more tasks. After all, a commander who suddenly discovers a capable officer in his ranks during wartime will naturally think of him first when planning operations.

It was like a row of falling dominoes; once the first had been pushed, there was no stopping until they all collapsed. Faced with a direct order from a superior, Morin could find no excuse to refuse, nor could he disobey.

"Yes, Major! I guarantee I will complete the mission!"

In the end, Morin, having mastered his expression, stood at attention and replied.

"Good! Very good! The Saxon Army needs talents like you!"

Major Thomas’s expression softened. He pointed to the operational map on the table, gesturing for Morin to pay attention.

"Look here. Our battalion's main axis of advance is this way, pushing northwest along this road... Your mission is to reconnoiter this route and the area within five hundred meters on either side!"

"I need to know the enemy's movements, especially whether they have established new defensive positions or set up ambushes."

Morin did not answer immediately. Based on what he had learned before his transmigration, he understood reconnaissance of unknown territory to mean taking his entire platoon out to gather effective intelligence for the higher command. In that process, his platoon would need to be divided into command, reconnaissance, security, rescue, prisoner handling, and surveillance groups.

But the reality was that his unit's level of training did not support such task differentiation. Moreover, the 3rd Platoon was currently shouldering defensive duties and could not be spared. This mission would inevitably be a small-scale, rapid in-and-out operation—much like something out of an action film.

Having realized this, Morin leaned in to study the map carefully. He measured the distance with his fingers, checked the scale in the corner of the map, and quickly estimated the distances in his mind. The reconnaissance route was about ten kilometers round-trip, through complex terrain including farmland, woods, and a few scattered villages. Running it on foot would be inefficient and exhausting. Using horses would increase mobility and reduce fatigue, but the target would be too large and easily spotted by the enemy.

"Major," Morin said, looking up, "I need to borrow a few of the battalion's bicycles."

"Bicycles?"

"Yes, Major. Bicycles are quiet and fast. They will allow us to cross open ground quickly and provide a swift means of extraction if necessary. We can ride to a concealed position and then proceed on foot for the reconnaissance."

Major Thomas pondered for a moment, then nodded.

"Good idea."

He immediately took a pen and paper from the table, quickly wrote out an order, and handed it to Morin.

"Go to the supply detachment to collect them. Just tell them what you need."

Morin took the order, and Captain Hauser, standing beside him, patted his shoulder with a look that held both encouragement and a hint of concern.

"Be careful, Second Lieutenant Morin."

"Rest assured, sir."

...

Leaving the temporary command post, Morin walked quickly back to the 3rd Platoon's position. He called Sergeant Klaus aside and briefly explained the nature of the reconnaissance mission.

"I need to pick a few men to go with me."

Morin lowered his voice. "This mission is not for fighting, but to serve as eyes and ears. The team must be small, but they must be elite."

He intended to take only five men; any more would make the unit cumbersome and increase the risk of being spotted. Sergeant Klaus immediately understood and asked, "Sir, do you have any specific requirements?"

"High stamina, sharp shooting, and most importantly, a quick mind. They must not panic under pressure," Morin stated.

Sergeant Klaus quickly reviewed the personnel in his mind and soon recommended several candidates. These included Corporal Baumann, the young squad leader who had been the first to speak at the combat debriefing, and three other soldiers who had performed exceptionally well during the morning’s offensive, showing bravery and the ability to remain calm in chaos.

Morin was satisfied with Klaus's choices and immediately summoned the selected men. He did not give a long, drawn-out speech; he simply explained the nature and dangers of the mission clearly.

"Our mission is to scout for the main force, not to destroy the enemy! Therefore, concealment is our top priority at all times! Unless you have my order, or you are discovered by the enemy and unable to escape, you are not to fire your weapons!"

Morin scanned every young, determined face.

"Is that understood?"

"Understood, sir!"