The canvas flapped weakly in the wind outside. A lantern swayed from the pole above, casting a warm yellow glow over the worn-out table in the center. Mud-stained boots were lined against one wall. The air stank of tobacco, oil, and damp wool.
Leon leaned over the map, eyes scanning the mass of tangled ridgelines and inked trees.
"So General… what's the plan?" he asked, voice low, focused.
Bruno Hartmann didn't answer right away. He lit a cigarette, exhaled through his nose, then leaned in close, elbows on the wood. His fingers tapped the map like a drumbeat, eyes narrowing.
"Most of this land is fucked," he said. "No roads. No rails. Terrain's too thick for cavalry. A blitzkrieg's a pipe dream in this mess. So we're doing it slow."
Leon nodded.
"We split off a few thousand men. Forty teams. Each one gets two engineers, two medics. Give 'em shovels, rifles, rations, radios. They'll move out in waves. Establish base camps. Cut paths. Scout. Track the rivers."
He jabbed a spot on the map with a gloved finger. "Here. South Ridge. That's where the first forward base goes. High ground. Good view. If anything moves in the trees, we'll see it."
The tent flap lifted. Corporal Weiss stepped inside, shaking off water from his shoulders, cap slightly crooked. A cigarette hung from his lip.
Leon looked up. "Just in time."
Weiss gave a half-smirk, adjusting his cap.
"Yeah, yeah. What we schemin' now?"
Bruno didn't look up. "Forest campaign. Strategy meeting. You're late."
Weiss raised a brow and grinned. "I prefer dramatic entrances."
Bruno grunted. "Good. You can dramatically dig trenches if this goes sideways."
Leon leaned back slightly, looking toward Bruno.
"I want to lead the forty men," he said firmly. "I've built teams before. I'm not just a good fighter — I trust my gut. Never failed me."
Bruno's eyes locked on his.
"You think I was gonna let some dumbass lead this force?" he said.
Leon blinked. "No?"
Bruno smirked.
"You're damn right you're leadin' it. And you better be fucking sharp. They just rolled out those repeating cameras — yeah, the kind that actually capture motion now. You mess this up? Whole continent's gonna see your ass stumbling through the mud like a lost dog."
Leon chuckled. "Come on—"
Bruno cut him off, deadly serious now. "No. Listen. You fuck this up? We're all going to camps."
Leon's laugh caught in his throat.
"…Wait. What?"
Bruno leaned in with a grin.
"HAH! Look at your damn face!"
Weiss burst out laughing, nearly choking on smoke.
"Oh, don't be a little bitch, Leon. You looked like someone told you your mom works at the Reich Registry."
Even Leon cracked a half-grin, shaking his head.
"Y'all really messed up in the head."
Bruno exhaled smoke and leaned back over the map.
"But seriously… fuck up and destroy the cameras. Every last one. I don't want our failures becoming propaganda. And I'm not joking."
He traced a riverline. "You'll move northeast first. The trees get denser up there — lots of valleys, cliffs, maybe some demon burrows. We're blind going in."
Weiss leaned over Leon's shoulder. "Think we'll hit resistance?"
Bruno nodded. "Not if — when. I guarantee something's waiting in those trees. This ain't some abandoned forest. It's quiet… too damn quiet."
Leon muttered, "That's never a good sign."
Weiss tapped the map. "Any backup plans?"
"Fallback points every ten clicks. Set up smoke markers if contact gets heavy. We're not losing teams in the trees."
Leon cracked his knuckles. "Got it."
Bruno looked him over. "I picked you 'cause you ain't stupid. But you're not invincible either. You get one chance. One."
Leon stared back. "I won't fuck it up."
Weiss added, "And if you do, at least give us a good photo for the newspapers before the camps, yeah?"
Bruno exhaled smoke through his nose. "Make sure your men are tight. No cowards. No loudmouths. Engineers need to know how to shut the fuck up and dig. Medics stay sober. No exceptions."
He turned to Leon one more time.
"You break ranks, I'll break your legs."
Leon gave a cocky smirk. "Good thing I don't plan on running."
Bruno grinned.
"Good. Now get ready. You're leavin' tomorrow."