Chapter 573: Formation

"Fall in!"

Amid the shrill, urgent whistle, Zhou Chen dashed to his position, instantly straightened his back and stood at attention, staring straight ahead without a sideways glance. Lu Xiaoma, bare-chested, ambled over unhurriedly and arrived just as the formation was taking shape.

Heavy panting surrounded him. The man in the row in front of Zhou Chen had his hair loose and disheveled, one leg through his trousers while his hand held up the other side, barely managing to look dressed. Plenty of others nearby were still in disarray.

Zhou Chen clutched a wooden staff in his left hand and gripped his belt in his right, not yet having had time to tie it. Out of the corner of his eye he saw the Banner Commander striding over, and his heart tightened with nerves again.

This was supposed to be the rest period after lunch, and many had stripped off their clothes. By past experience, they would have at least a quarter-hour before assembly. Who knew that today, the moment they reached the barracks, they would be hit with a surprise drill.

Since joining this Infantry Firearms Battalion, they had hardly drilled with swords, spears, or staves. What they practiced most was formation. Sudden orders like this were commonplace. Whether sleeping, walking, or eating — anyone not in formation before the whistle stopped would be ruthlessly beaten with a bamboo rod.

Now, the moment he heard the words "Fall in," Zhou Chen could leap up even from a dead sleep.

Wherever you went inside the camp, any group of three had to form a column or a rank. Pacification Commissioners were everywhere inside the Martial Academy. Anyone not in formation would first get a severe beating from the Pacification Commissioner, who would only then recite the Military Law.

Those red-browed, green-eyed Western Barbarians had been involved all along; the Anqing Battalion was learning from them. The Western Barbarians also placed great emphasis on formation, but Zhou Chen felt it still fell short of the Infantry Firearms Battalion's strictness.

This was a far cry from the heavy infantry camp life Zhou Chen had imagined. Nor could he understand what use standing in formation like this served. And to this day he still had no weapon — just a wooden staff, roughly the length of a fire lance.

The Martial Academy's Infantry Firearms Battalion currently had over a thousand men, but only a little more than two hundred fire lances in total. Word was that the workshop's output was insufficient, and the old existing units were also slated to receive more fire lances. All Camps were fighting over the limited production. The few real guns the Infantry Firearms Battalion had were personally snatched by Wu Dacai.

From up ahead came the whooshing wind of bamboo rods flailing, punctuated by a steady stream of miserable cries. Zhou Chen was in the third row and couldn't see what was happening in front, but he didn't need to — he knew it was the punishment of those who hadn't made it into formation in time.

A heavy, tense atmosphere hung over the formation. Almost everyone had been lashed by the bamboo rod before. It wouldn't inflict serious injury, but the pain on skin and flesh was bone-deep and unforgettable. Just the whistling sound of it cutting through the air was enough to trigger a severe stress response in them.

Fortunately, the beating didn't last long today. The punishment ended quickly. Zhou Chen breathed a sigh of relief, and the atmosphere around him eased a little. He tilted his head slightly to glance to the right.

Zhou Chen's position was toward the right side of the formation. Through the gaps between ranks, he could see another large formation off to the right. Judging by their sleeve insignia, they were all officers, roughly forty or fifty of them.

These past few days, rumors had been circulating in the Infantry Firearms Battalion that a Second Battalion was to be newly established. Once the new barracks over there were finished, they would begin recruiting a second batch of soldiers and form a new battalion, designated the Second Battalion. These officers were all being prepared for the Second Battalion. For now, they were attached to the First Battalion to familiarize themselves with the Infantry Firearms Battalion's drills, so that when the time came they could quickly take over the new battalion's training and shorten the time needed to form it up. The Anqing Battalion seemed desperately in need of Infantry Firearms Battalions — expanding into new units before they even had guns.

Beside him, Lu Xiaoma muttered, "Wu Dacai's here."

Zhou Chen lifted his head and looked forward, just in time to see Wu Dacai riding over on horseback, flickering in and out of view between the gaps of the front-row soldiers' heads.

Both men cursed under their breath at the same time. Zhou Chen cursed this Infantry Firearms Battalion for delaying his transfer to the Heavy Infantry; Lu Xiaoma simply had no desire to be a soldier at all. Both could conveniently lay the blame at Wu Dacai's feet. This Academy Director Wu was now in overall charge of the Military Discipline Reform and came to the Drill Ground several times a day. Since his legs were inconvenient, he mostly rode a horse.

Compared to before, Academy Director Wu now looked far more high-spirited and proud. His chin was perpetually raised, looking down on everyone, and his official authority had naturally swelled.

The nearby officers saluted one after another. Some went over to hold the horse's head; others helped Academy Director Wu dismount, then handed him his crutch.

Wu Dacai's face was stern and unyielding. His eyes swept over the Infantry Firearms Battalion arrayed before him, utterly unsurprised by the bizarre and improper state of their dress within the formation — as if scanning a collection of lifeless objects.

Although Zhou Chen was in the third row, he felt Wu Dacai's gaze pierce through the gaps like a knife and land squarely on him. He hurriedly lowered his head to stare at the ground, hoping to avoid drawing Academy Director Wu's attention.

Fortunately, Academy Director Wu truly hadn't noticed him, because the duty officer came over to begin his report and drew his attention instead.

Today's duty officer for the Infantry Firearms Battalion was a Company Commander. He approached Wu Dacai to report. Because of the distance, and because the Company Commander had his back to them, Zhou Chen couldn't make out what was said. He could only see the Company Commander's expression through the gaps between heads — his face was full of cautious, ingratiating deference.

Only after the duty officer finished his report did Wu Dacai nod slightly. He then began speaking to the surrounding officers. A crowd of officers clustered around Wu Dacai. Zhou Chen spotted his own Centurion, who was normally ferocious and intimidating toward the soldiers, now unable to get anywhere near Wu Dacai, standing at the fringe with a fawning smile.

Leaning on his crutch, Wu Dacai spoke with complete composure, turning now to the left, now to the right. With every few sentences, the officers all nodded profusely, as if deriving immense benefit.

Wu Dacai's face was turned toward the formation. He spoke loudly, and Zhou Chen could make out that he was still talking about formation. In the short time he spoke, the word "formation" came up at least ten times.

The Academy Director spoke at some length. All the soldiers waited. Once Zhou Chen's nervousness passed, he began to feel a bit bored. Suddenly, a slight stir rippled through the formation.

Zhou Chen looked to the left and saw a string of carts driving over. Everyone in the formation turned to look. They all thought their movements were very discreet, but in reality, the commotion was considerable.

Lu Xiaoma's voice said, "They're issuing the fire lances."

The cart convoy stopped in front of the formation. A group of the Martial Academy's Pacification soldiers unloaded bundles of straw from the carts. Zhou Chen knew the fire lances were wrapped inside. The straw bundles on the outside were to prevent damage during transport.

Every Banner Team was distributing guns. The officers' roll calls rose one after another. Three men from his own team went up and returned already holding fire lances.

"Zhou Chen, receive your gun!"

A sudden surge of excitement rushed through Zhou Chen's heart. Before, he had looked down on this Infantry Firearms Battalion, and naturally looked down on the ill-reputed fire lance as well. But after so long without receiving a gun, without even a weapon in hand, and hearing the officers talk every day about the Self-Igniting Arquebus, now that he was suddenly about to hold one, he found himself unexpectedly eager.

He hurried to the front row. The Clerk Officer had him first press his thumbprint onto the register. Then the Centurion, with a solemn expression, received the fire lance from the hands of a nearby Pacification soldier and presented it with both hands.

Zhou Chen hastily accepted it with both hands as well. The fire lance had some weight to it. As he gripped it, his hand happened to close around the gun barrel, and his palm filled with an icy, cold sensation.

The Centurion called the next name. Zhou Chen had no time to examine it closely and quickly retreated back into the formation.

A slight stir ran through the formation, but the officers paid it no mind. Zhou Chen carefully examined the fire lance. It was roughly similar to the fire lances he usually saw. The most conspicuous feature was the bolt-mounted clamp behind the fire gate, shaped like a serpent's head.

Soon, Lu Xiaoma beside him also received his weapon. In total, about two hundred-some guns were issued this time, and their two Companies were basically fully equipped.

The Centurion shouted loudly from the front, "Today the fire lances have been issued. It was Lord Wu who personally went to ask Lord Pang for them. Lord Pang halted supplies to the old units and gave everything to our Infantry Firearms Battalion. This fully shows how highly Lord Pang and Lord Wu value the Infantry Firearms Battalion."

"Then give us five Mace monthly pay, damn it."

Zhou Chen turned his head to glance at Lu Xiaoma, who had spoken beside him. This time, he did not echo the sentiment.

"Now that you have your guns, you are combat soldiers of the Infantry Firearms Battalion. We are not like the troops of other commands. Our Anqing Battalion exists to right the world and save the common people. Be they Roving Bandits or Eastern Invaders, no matter how fierce, they will be utterly exterminated by our Anqing Battalion."

The Centurion, still speaking, arrived in front of Lu Xiaoma. He fixed his eyes on him and said, "Precisely because our responsibility is so great, we cannot afford delay. Now that the fire lances have arrived, we will drill against enemy cavalry."

There was no particular stir in the ranks, because these were all new recruits. Many had only ever seen horses and had no concept of what cavalry even meant, so they didn't take it seriously.

Zhou Chen glanced out at the Drill Ground. Before, the Drill Ground had always been full of artillerymen. At first, infantry and artillery drilled separately. In recent days, they had begun marching together. The infantry needed to get used to marching alongside packhorses, and when shifting into combat formation, they had to avoid the artillery's routes — far more troublesome than infantry alone.

Today, over a hundred cavalry had appeared on the Drill Ground. Geographically, Shipai was the central hub of the Anqing region and had always been the garrison for the Anqing Cavalry. All cavalry were stationed here to facilitate rapid response in every direction. But before, they had only come to the Martial Academy occasionally, never in such large numbers.

"Listen up, all of you. Both the Roving Bandits and the Eastern Invaders have many horse soldiers. A single infantryman can't beat cavalry, and can't outrun cavalry either. If you want to stay alive, you stay in formation. If you scatter and run, every last one of you will die."

The Centurion paced before the formation, whip in hand. "Do you understand the logic?"

Zhou Chen, along with the entire formation, howled at the top of his lungs, "Understood!"

He had already figured it out: no matter what the superior officer asked, the only thing to do was answer "Understood." Not answering meant a beating.

There was no sound from Lu Xiaoma beside him. Fortunately, the Banner Commander didn't notice and walked right past, bamboo rod in hand.

"You, step out and answer." The Centurion stood on the left side, in front of the soldier who had lost three teeth. "We're going to fight the Tartars in the future. You answer: once on the battlefield, why can't you run?"

The toothless soldier's legs trembled uncontrollably. Stammering, he said, "Run, can't run. Don't know what for."

His speech was lisping and incoherent. Even Zhou Chen, who shared a room with him, sometimes couldn't understand him. Sure enough, the Centurion lashed out with the bamboo rod and cursed, "Because you can't outrun them! If the formation breaks, everyone dies! Tell me, why does everyone die if the formation breaks!"

The toothless soldier's whole body shuddered. Grimacing as if about to cry, there was no way he could answer.

The Centurion struck him again without mercy. "What do you do if you don't want to die!"

The toothless soldier suddenly bellowed, "Fall in!"

This time the Centurion didn't hit him. He turned to the others and shouted, "He got it right. You soldiers, dumber than pigs — even if I explain the logic, you wouldn't understand. Just remember these three words: Fall in. Fall in…"

He waved a hand and ordered the three Banner Commanders to pace along the ranks, striking one man with every shout of "Form ranks!" His voice was especially shrill today — perhaps because Academy Director Wu was present. As the sound of bamboo rods thumping flesh drew closer, Zhou Chen's body went rigid, unable to move. He could only pray that a Banner Commander would overlook and miss him.

At last a Banner Commander passed before him, and a rod lashed down onto Zhou Chen's shoulder blade. A stabbing pain shot through him. Zhou Chen hurriedly bit his lip, afraid of provoking this superior officer.

"All of you, remember this — form ranks."

By the time the shouting stopped, every man had been struck at least once.

Only then did the Centurion step forward again to speak, laying out today's drill against cavalry. He stressed over and over that when facing cavalry you must not run; only by staying in formation was there a path to survival.

Zhou Chen's shoulder blade burned with searing pain. He did not listen to what the Centurion was saying, until the rumble of hoofbeats rose from up ahead.

The trembling of the ground passed through his straw sandals and reached the soles of Zhou Chen's feet.

Zhou Chen looked up, stunned. Through the gaps between the heads in the front rank, he could see row upon row of cavalry, nearly spanning the entire width of the Drill Ground, charging straight toward them.

The silhouettes of horses and riders swelled larger and larger. His field of vision filled with the heaving, surging mass of cavalry. Behind them dust and smoke billowed up in clouds. The muffled hoofbeats pounded like a drum against his heart. The onrushing cavalry formation drew closer and closer.

Zhou Chen had followed the Anqing Battalion into the King's Duty War, but this was the first time he had faced a cavalry charge. His mind suddenly went blank. In a daze, it seemed someone was shouting "Form ranks" over and over.

Suddenly a scream rang out from the front rank. A soldier turned and fled, crashing straight through the second rank, shoving Zhou Chen aside like a madman, cutting through the formation and running to the rear.

The gap-toothed soldier beside him let out a roar right after and also turned to flee. The Squad's formation instantly collapsed.