I, who was eager to retire, became an Imperial General.

Chapter 4: Warrant Officer John is a genius
"Colonel Jeter, how's the interrogation going regarding the Allied soldiers captured last night?"

Early morning, Walden Front, inside the front command post.

Upon hearing the footsteps, Imperial General Dormammu Fellowes slowly shifted his gaze from the sand table on the table, his sharp, hawk-like eyes calmly fixed on his subordinates entering the tent ahead.

"Sir, just as you judged, the secret mission carried out by this Allied squad was indeed to block our supply lines."

The man named Jet Slevin, commander of the 3rd Mobile Magic Squadron under the 7th Air Force of the Empire and known as the 'Black Wing of the Empire,' had an unusually gloomy face at this moment.

Thinking of the intelligence the interrogation department had just presented after their all-night interrogation of the prisoner, his face, usually as hard as granite, began to contort with rage, and his fists clenched tightly.

“There has been a traitor within the Empire, and our supply routes have been completely exposed to the Allied forces. If I may be so bold, General, this attack is probably just the beginning.”

"Yes, it's only natural that the roots of lush trees will attract some shady crawling insects."

Dormammu's expression remained calm as he listened to the colonel's reply, as if he had expected this outcome.

He reached out, lit the pipe in his hand, and took a puff.

He then slowly exhaled a puff of blue mist, his eyes looking down at the sand table in front of him, observing the intense battle situation, and he couldn't help but fall into deep thought.

In fact, as the commander of the Imperial Seventh Air Force, he was also the supreme commander of the Walden front.

Dormammu was more aware than anyone of the current tense situation in the Walden region.

Their rapid advance left them without the protection of friendly forces on both flanks, leaving them to face the three Allied legions alone.

The inhabitants of the various kingdoms in the territories previously conquered had a natural aversion to these imperial soldiers and would never voluntarily escort the imperial transport convoys.

Although the Empire's air force is unparalleled in the world, it can easily withstand the pressure of fighting three legions at the same time.

However, in the absence of supplies, especially when the consumption of magic stones exceeds the military budget, it is ultimately a case of "a skilled cook cannot make a meal without rice."

In addition, the Northern Theater Command recently encountered the Iron Legion led by that female sword saint, which led to a critical situation on the Northern Theater Command's border.

To prevent the Imperial front from being torn apart by the female sword saint's terrifying bravery, His Majesty the Emperor ordered the Imperial Third Navy, currently stationed in the Western Theater, to provide support last night.

This also shattered his original plan to take over the Walden region in one fell swoop by using the bombardment of the Imperial Magic Cannons from the sea and overwhelming firepower.

Now, the Seventh Army not only faces a three-pronged attack from the Allied forces, but also the risk of its supply lines being cut off.

Under these circumstances, let alone capturing Walden's Magic Lake and training more magic soldiers for the Empire, even leading the Seventh Legion to a safe retreat may now be a pipe dream.

If no unexpected developments occur on the battlefield, the Seventh Army will likely face only defeat under the strain of this protracted war.

Dormammu had a premonition that this would probably be the last battle he could command as the commander of the Seventh Legion.

After all, those incompetent nobles in the empire had long disliked him, this thorn in their side.

In fact, it's possible that these people were behind the exposure of the Imperial supply routes to the Allies.

Is this retribution for his early massacre of nobles?

How utterly absurd!
Dormammu shook his head, clearing his mind of the troubling thoughts.

He sighed, then looked at Colonel Jett, whose face was equally grim, and casually asked:
"Speaking of which, it seems that the reason our army was able to capture this Allied squad this time is related to our newly arrived warrant officer?"

"Yes, sir. Warrant Officer John Maslow was the top graduate of the 59th class of the Imperial First Military Academy and was awarded the Iron Wreath by the current principal. He is an outstanding junior of mine."

Upon hearing the general mention this matter, Colonel Jeter's expression softened considerably, and he then took the initiative to recount the events to his superior:
"Our army was able to capture this squad thanks to Warrant Officer John's impromptu performance. He voluntarily changed the patrol time to night and took advantage of the fact that magic soldiers are not easily detected at night, so he made advance arrangements to search for this secret Allied force." "It was precisely because of this that we were able to successfully prevent these rats from penetrating our front lines, inadvertently solving a major problem for our army. He can be considered a lucky general."

"A lucky accident? I don't think so."

Dormammu shook his head, met Colonel Jett's questioning gaze, released his pipe, and then explained with a smile:
"As a rookie commander entering the battlefield for the first time, especially a general from a prestigious family from the Empire's First Military Academy, Colonel Jet, if you were in his shoes and didn't have a certain degree of confidence, would you have done the same thing?"

"Of course not, after all, obeying orders is a soldier's duty. Wait, General, what do you mean..."

"No need to be nervous, Colonel Jeter. Our warrant officer's identity is clean, without any suspicion. Moreover, he has the approval of the principal, so there is no doubt about his identity. The reason I say this is simply because I think this young man is quite good."

Dormammu waved his hand, dispelling Jet's doubts. He looked at the sand table on the square table, recalling the report he had received not long ago, and a hint of appreciation flashed in his eyes:
"I must say, our warrant officer has a truly unique strategic vision. Despite being a newcomer to the battlefield, he was able to accurately analyze the situation."

"Moreover, without any direct confrontation, they were able to predict the enemy commander's likely next move by analyzing environmental factors."

"More importantly, unlike ordinary generals who are used to following orders, after determining that the enemy might try to infiltrate our rear by taking advantage of the rain and the cover of night, this warrant officer did not choose to turn a blind eye for fear of being punished by his superiors. Instead, he risked being punished and sent soldiers to carry out the operation."

"Although it was risky, our Warrant Officer John proved his judgment with facts."

"A keen eye, exceptional wisdom, and the courage to act are all invaluable qualities on the battlefield, but the latter is what I find most gratifying."

"Because not everyone has the courage to take responsibility."

"It seems that our empire's first military academy has indeed given me a pleasant surprise."

"Without a doubt, our Warrant Officer John Maslow is a true genius!"

"This is the only piece of good news that can make me smile in the current tense Walden War."

"!"

Hearing General Dormammu praise his unseen junior fellow student so highly, Jett felt honored. Then, a sudden inspiration struck him, and he quickly smiled and said:

"General, you're giving him far too much credit. However, since you intend to groom him, perhaps I could..."

"No need. Only after being burned by fire can gold reveal its own dazzling brilliance."

Dormammu's smile faded. He was well aware of his situation. If he could win this battle, all would be well. But if he lost, recruiting this promising young man into his ranks would not only not help him, but would actually harm him.

However, he does have a new plan to carry out, and this warrant officer who showed amazing talent as soon as he entered the battlefield seems to be very suitable.

Although there are certain risks, if the other party can complete the task well, it will prove that they are indeed worth training.

Of course, this is contingent on him meeting the young man before he can make a decision.

After all, this plan determined the course of the entire Battle of Walden, and he could not entrust it to a fool.

However, considering the other party's unique identity and their unique spell that is no less powerful than the three great miracle spells.

Perhaps I could have higher expectations for this incredibly mysterious warrant officer?
Dormammu took a puff from his pipe, his gaze constantly scrutinizing the sand table in front of him, and said nothing more.

After pondering for a long time, as if finally making a decision, Dormammu slowly exhaled a puff of blue smoke and solemnly issued an order to the colonel before him:
"Colonel Jeter, go and invite this young hero over. Tell him I'd like to meet him, and I also have a mission for this pioneering young man."

……

(End of this chapter)