Chapter 151: Nolan’s Strategic Arrangements

Nolan’s gaze swept across the map, his finger lightly tapping the northern bank of the Somme River. After a moment of thought, he had already reached a conclusion regarding Vivi’s report. The information itself might have been brief, but the implications behind it were immense.

In this era, warfare was decided by information gaps. Because communication was so difficult, judgments regarding enemy strength, tactical deployment, and even the commanding officer’s personal habits could dramatically alter the course of a battle. Certain key details—fortifications, marching routes, supply lines, the timing and locations of logistical movements—could directly determine life or death.

Using a red charcoal pencil, Nolan marked a small cross on the map at the location where Vivi’s squad had encountered the enemy.

“You all did well. Especially you, Vivi. Disrupting the enemy’s thought process was extremely important. You’ve all worked hard.”

Nolan raised his head and looked toward the members of Vivi’s squad.

Beside him, Anna spoke at the perfect moment. “According to Coldsteel City’s wartime regulations, for making first contact with the enemy, successfully obtaining intelligence, and returning safely, every squad member will receive a reward of two gold coins.”

The moment the words fell, Peter, Reed, and the others instantly lit up. Being praised personally by the lord had already made them ecstatic, but there was a reward too?

Two gold coins!

Although it was less than the amount the enemy had offered for surrender, that only proved Lord Nolan was a ruler who rewarded and punished fairly and respected established rules.

The men immediately became even more excited, each one standing straighter and puffing out his chest.

Watching them struggle to maintain solemn expressions despite their obvious excitement, Nolan smiled and waved his hand. “Alright. You’re all tired. Go rest and recover first.”

“Yes, my lord!”

The four squad members saluted so sharply it was almost excessive, stamping their right feet down in perfect unison.

Bang! The sound rang loudly enough to shake the floor of the conference hall.

The sudden display nearly startled Nolan. He stared at the soldiers, whose entire demeanor had transformed completely, then glanced toward Hank standing nearby with his arms crossed and a stern expression.

Had Hank really trained them that brutally?

Seeing Nolan momentarily caught off guard, Vivi could not help covering her mouth and laughing softly.

Only after the scout squad left the lord’s manor did the tension finally leave their bodies.

Unable to hold himself back, Peter nudged Reed with his elbow and lowered his voice excitedly. “Hey, Brother Reed, can you believe Lord Nolan praised us personally? That was incredible! Oh, and did you notice the way Captain Vivi was looking at him just now? She looked completely smitten. Do you think she and Lord Nolan…” He trailed off midway and merely raised two thumbs, tapping them together meaningfully.

The implication could not have been clearer. A little something going on.

No matter the era, people loved gossip involving heroes and beautiful women.

Reed jumped in fright and quickly glanced around guiltily. Only after confirming no one was nearby did he smack Peter on the back of the head. “You brat, are you insane? We’ve barely stepped outside the lord’s manor and you’re already gossiping about our superiors!”

Unexpectedly, Conrad—the taciturn former Fire Fox mercenary—suddenly let out a low chuckle. “Heh. That’s nothing.” A trace of inexplicable superiority appeared on his face. “If you stay around Lord Nolan long enough, it’s obvious Captain Vivi has been in love with him for ages. The only one still clueless is our lord himself. Watching him stumble around obliviously is enough to make me anxious for him!”

“Seriously? Tell us more!” Even Locke, who had remained relatively calm until now, immediately became interested and leaned in eagerly.

And so the four grown men walked back toward camp shoulder to shoulder, gossiping enthusiastically about their leaders’ love lives while happily clutching their gold coins.

From a second-floor window of the conference hall, Anna watched the entire scene unfold. Those four fools who thought they were whispering quietly had been perfectly audible to her.

She turned her head, looked at Nolan—still bent over the sand-table map in deep concentration—then glanced at Vivi, who stood silently nearby watching him.

With a faint shake of her head, Anna sighed inwardly.

There truly was no such thing as a perfect person. If only this blockhead could occasionally stop moving forward long enough to notice the feelings of the girls around him.

Unfortunately, Nolan the blockhead noticed none of it. After what seemed like reaching a decision, he braced one fist against the table and looked up at Vivi. “I know Sir Pascal. He’s an experienced soldier. His style is methodical and rigid, and he never takes unnecessary risks. His scout units generally advance no farther than seventy li ahead. Judging by his preferred strategy of gradual positional advancement, that’s roughly equivalent to four days of marching.”

Nolan’s finger slowly traced the flow of the Somme River northward.

“So with his cautious personality, the earliest he’ll arrive at the Somme River should be the fifth day.”

The fact that Nolan could deduce so much from a simple scouting encounter stunned everyone present, especially Hank.

He and Pascal were old comrades who had once fought side by side during the Mandala War. Every single sentence Nolan spoke struck directly at Pascal’s core habits and character flaws. It almost felt as though Nolan understood the old man even better than Hank himself did.

Ignoring their astonishment, Nolan continued, “So what we need to do now… is turn him blind. Vivi.”

“Yes!”

“How many personnel does the Black Armored Legion Scout Division currently have?”

“One hundred and eighty in total, ready for deployment at any time!” Vivi answered immediately.

“Good.” Nolan nodded. “Then the next few days will be hard on you.”

“Split the Scout Division into ten squads. Launch continuous rotating operations without interruption. I want you to execute ‘Wave Tactics.’ Use relentless harassment and counter-reconnaissance operations to lock their scouting range firmly within twenty li north of the Somme River.”

“Yes, my lord!”

Excitement flashed through Vivi’s eyes.

This battle would determine the survival of Coldsteel City itself. Being entrusted with such an important role at such a critical moment filled her with joy.

Nolan shifted his attention away from Vivi and turned toward Hank. “I estimate Sir Pascal will attempt to cross the Somme River sometime between the sixth and eighth day. As hosts, we should offer our guests a proper welcome. Hank.”

“Here.”

“Select three hundred men from the Black Armored Legion. Starting tonight, after dark every evening, have them begin preparing the Somme River.”

Hank frowned. “You want to move the defensive line forward to the Somme River? But how exactly are you planning to fortify it? Even though the river is in its dry season, the current in the center is still strong. Ordinary wooden chevaux-de-frise won’t survive the flow. They’d probably be swept away overnight.”

Nolan smiled confidently. “Who said anything about using wooden barricades? I’ve been thinking about this for a while and realized this is actually a perfect opportunity. Originally, my plan was to rely on the city walls and fight a defensive siege battle, but that would leave us with no strategic depth at all and force the entire war to be decided in a single engagement. Although I’m confident we can win, I’d rather leave myself room for contingencies.”

He extended his hand and drew a sharp line across the blue curve representing the Somme River on the sand table.

“I’m going to turn the Somme River into a complete meat grinder. And right there, we’ll crush the core of their army.”

“A meat grinder…” Hank repeated, brows furrowing deeper.

“That’s right.” Nolan smiled. “But we’re the grinder. And they’re the meat.”