The cabin was dark. Only a few rays of white light seeped through the gaps in the planks of the ship, allowing them to barely make out their surroundings.
Nearly three hundred people were squeezed into this cabin, making the spacious cabin feel especially cramped. Fortunately, they had opened a few ventilation holes on the cabin wall before they set off. Otherwise, the turbid air would have been even more uncomfortable and suffocating …
Drivick was standing next to the ventilation window at the front of the cabin. The fresh air outside the window still carried with it the smell of the sea.
As far as the eye could see, it was still the same dull reddish-brown seawater and dark red sky that formed an endless black line in the distance.
The waves were a little strong that day and the ship swayed quite a bit.
However, that wasn't a big deal to Drivick. He had been through much worse.
Back when the five-year war in the eastern part of Freia had ended, he couldn't continue serving in the royal army because he was born in a colony. He was forcibly discharged and returned to Anfiston.
For the next three years, he worked for his father, Mister Weyblon's mining company. He learned how to manage a few mining bases in preparation for taking over the family business and becoming the owner of a small mine.
Back then, he had often escorted transport ships loaded with ingots to the Cobicus port in the Tyrrsim colony, and had encountered even greater storms than he had in the past.
That was when the colonial war broke out between Shiks and Aueras.
Back then, Derwick wanted to join the local garrison forces to fight against the Shiksan invasion, but his father, Weyblon, stopped him from doing so.
Weyblon said that everyone knew what kind of mess the garrison forces were in. Fighting against the enemy wasn't something that could be done with courage alone. Enlisting in such a force would only lead to death.
Thanks to his family's persuasion, Drivick gave up on the idea of enlisting and packed his belongings to escape with the mining association.
Halfway through their journey, they encountered the vanguard of Ranger. Back then, Claude was only a lieutenant colonel of a battalion.
To Drivick's surprise, his father, Weyblon, had decided to return to Anfiston after meeting the young commander.
Derwick admired his father for his foresight. Ranger quickly won the first and second colonial wars.
So, Drivick became even more determined to enlist in the army. This time, his father didn't object to it. Instead, he asked the newly promoted major-general Claude to let Drivick join Thundercrash.
As a first lieutenant officer who had re-enlisted after five or six years of retirement, Drivick was not used to his new military career at first.
However, he still persisted, officially becoming a basic officer of Thunderclap Corps.
From the third colonial war to the chaotic battle at the Shiksan camp in the northern mountains, Drivick was fortunate not to die in battle.
At the same time, he was promoted to the rank of lieutenant colonel due to his bravery and ability to command. He was currently the battalion commander of the 123rd Main Force Field Battalion of the 1303rd Regiment of the 1st Thunderbolt Division.
As a high-ranking officer of 1st Folk, Drivick was privy to the entire plan for the assault on Cape Loducus.
He couldn't help but worry about Claude's audacious plan. They would have to suffer in the cabin for seven days and seven nights at sea.
If the Shiksan warships noticed anything amiss, 1st Folk would be buried at sea.
In such cold weather, they wouldn't be able to run even if they wanted to. They would only end up buried at the bottom of the sea.
Derrick really wanted to take out some tobacco, stuff it into his pipe, and take a few puffs to relieve his worries. This was something he had learned from a few veterans. It could effectively relax one's nerves after a battle, and it was also more refreshing.
However, as soon as he put his hand into the tobacco pouch, he remembered the notice that smoking was strictly prohibited in the cabin. He could only sullenly pull out a few sticks of tobacco and put them in his mouth to chew, letting the spicy and bitter taste fill his entire mouth …
After an unknown amount of time, just as he was about to fall asleep, he heard the sound of bamboo being knocked on the deck.
The guard next to him nudged Drivick to wake him up.
He pointed to the top of the hold.
Derrick rubbed his face with both hands to make himself more clear-headed. "Is it night already?
We can go up for a breather now. "
During the seven days and seven nights journey, the soldiers could only stay in the hold during the day. They could only go up for a breather at night when the ship docked for the night.
In less than two days, the term 'breather' became a popular phrase on the ships. The only difference was that the prisoners were in the cells while they were in the hold.
Drivick clapped his hands and said to the soldiers in the hold, "Same old rules. Move your limbs first. Otherwise, you'll get numb from sitting for too long and fall into the sea.
No one will save you in this weather because they'll freeze if they jump. We won't sacrifice the lives of other warriors just to save your life.
Get moving, hurry up, be more self-aware, stretch your limbs … "
There were nearly three hundred people in the hold, so there was no space for them to move their limbs.
However, Drivick did not need a lot of space to move their limbs. The soldiers continued to sit where they were with their hands behind their heads and their feet in the air like a rabbit kicking its legs, pretending to be riding a virtual bicycle.
This was the last resort. On the first night, when the coastal transport ship was docked, three soldiers went up to the deck to pee despite their numb legs. In the end, they lost their balance and fell into the sea.
Even if they tried to rescue them immediately, they could only save two who were half-dead from the cold. The third unlucky fellow went missing.
From that day onwards, when the ship was docked at night, the soldiers had to move their limbs before going up to the deck to avoid repeating the same mistake.
There were a total of 165 inshore transport ships. This was the largest fleet of shallow water transport ships in the colonies.
At night, they anchored at a submerged reef area with a water depth of only five or six meters.
The coastal transport ships had a draught of no more than three meters. Some bamboo poles that were seven or eight meters long could be inserted directly into the reef to hold the ship in place. The rest of the ships were connected with wooden planks and iron fasteners, and then anchored to the side.
The inshore transport ships used by the various units of the First Division were distributed according to their organization. The inshore transport ships of Regiment 1301 to Regiment 1304 were arranged in a row around the ship, while the units directly under the First Division were arranged in a row in the middle and connected to each other with planks, just like a chain of ships.
The main reason for this was that the coastal transport ships had flat bottoms and did not have a deep draught. Most of the cargo was on the deck, so it was a little top-heavy.
During the day, they had sails to cover the bottom. Even if the wind and waves were strong, the ship would only sway.
However, if they were to spend the night in a storm, the ship could easily capsize. So by connecting the ships together, they were not afraid of the wind and waves, and at the same time, they were very stable.
The only thing they had to pay attention to was fire prevention and the pirates' sneak attacks.
After exiting the cabin, the cold sea breeze blew against their faces, causing them to involuntarily shiver.
The sailors on the deck were anxiously fastening the iron fasteners on the side of the ship to the transport ship next to it. Then, they laid down the planks so that the two ships on the side were connected to their own ship. At the same time, it gave them more space to move around.
A bearded Major Marillance came out of the cabin of the transport ship next to them. When he saw Lieutenant Colonel Deliwick, he waved the big pipe in his hand. The two of them walked to the rear deck of the coastal transport ship in tacit understanding. This was the default smoking area. Many heavy smokers and sailors would run to this area to smoke a few times during the ship's journey.
It was not just Lieutenant Colonel Delevik and Major Marillans who were smoking in this area. The rear deck area of most of the inshore transport ships lit up with a little bit of pipe light. Then, in the vast night sky, it was like the light of a group of fireflies, flickering brightly and dimly …
Dinner was very simple. Black bread with a steak, a cup of hot ale, a bowl of mashed potatoes with beef soup, and a carrot.
Compared to the two meals in the morning and afternoon, dinner was at least a little hot. For breakfast and lunch, all the soldiers could only eat dry rations in the cabin. They were not allowed to go out.
Sometimes, the sailors on the deck would send down two buckets of hot water for everyone to drink and warm up. The cabin was very cold. Even if there was a lot of hay, half leaning against the wall of the ship would still feel cold and shiver.
The fleet traveled for another two days and had already reached Cape Morox. They were only a day and a half away from the Cape Loducus Colony.
If they did not stop for the night, it might only take a day.
However, it was very dangerous for a fleet of 165 coastal transport ships to sail at night. If something happened, it would not be enough time to rescue them. It would also bring chaos to the fleet.
A crisp knocking sound came from the cabin. This meant that they had encountered the enemy's patrol fleet. Everyone had to maintain their vigilance and not make a sound. Level 1 combat readiness.
All the ventilation windows were closed, and the wooden windows were pulled up.
"Everyone, bite the towel in your mouth. Even if you sneeze or cough, hold it in."
Lieutenant Colonel Derrick quickly gave the order, "Close the cabin windows and lock all the wooden windows. Close the air vent windows too …"
Very soon, the cabin was completely dark. Even the air was starting to feel a little stuffy. Only the four ventilation cracks on the front and back walls were still emitting the cold smell of seawater.
After about half an hour, Lieutenant Colonel Driveick felt that the transport ship he was on had slowed down. It seemed that the sails had been lowered.
He knew that the inshore transport ship he was on was at the periphery of the fleet. Fortunately, there was a small hole in the closed wooden window. Through the small hole and through the blurry glass of the cabin window, he could vaguely see two light cruising warships and a level-two cruising sailing battleship of the coalition fleet parked on the sea more than a hundred meters away.
He did not need to think to know that all the cannons on the three patrol ships of the Alliance Fleet should be aimed at this transport ship.
If they were exposed, then the entire Thundercrash Army's 1st Division would be buried in the winds and waves of the sea …
On the surface of the sea where Drivick couldn't see, seven lifeboats carrying Shiksan marines rowed towards the convoy.
About ten minutes later, the lifeboat approached the convoy. A bearded Shiksan major climbed up the rope ladder thrown down from the ship.
"Haha, it's you, my brother!" Old Zeek, the supervisor of the transport ship, went up and gave him a warm hug.
The Shiksan major was pleasantly surprised. "Haha, Old Zeek, is this your fleet?"
Old Zeek shook his head. "Not mine. It's Wild Bull's fleet.
If it was my fleet, I'd be enjoying the warmth of the fireplace at home, roasting some delicious food and tasting some delicious fruit wine.
Who would be willing to go out to sea in such cold weather? Do they have a death wish? "
The major laughed. "Then why are you here?"
Old Zeek said with a bitter expression, "The Goddess of Riches isn't willing to protect her most devout believer. I lost three months' worth of salary in a single night in the tavern. How could I dare to go home?
You should've heard about that fierce wife of mine. If she finds out I lost three months' worth of salary, she'll tear this old bag of bones apart.
Fortunately, I got another job at the trade, so I volunteered to be the supervisor. That way, I don't get beaten up when I go home. "
The Shiksan marines on the ship were all amused. Wasn't this old man a little too afraid of his wife?
The major was grinning from ear to ear as he slapped his thigh.
It took a while for him to stop laughing. "Alright, Old Zeek, stop joking around. Where is your fleet heading to? What are they transporting?"
"Where else? Where you are, of course," Zeek muttered.
Old Zeke muttered and shouted, "Hey, Booker, bring me the account book from my captain's cabin."
Little Booker was Claude. He was pretending to be a treasurer of Wild Bull Firm and hurriedly brought a large account book to Zeek.
The major was pleasantly surprised to see him. "They're here to pick up the goods?
What are we waiting for? Hurry up and do the inventory. The sooner we're done, the sooner we can go home. "
Old Zeek snatched the account book away. "Dream on. Come with us obediently and we'll settle the accounts before you can go home.
Don't worry, the baby in your wife's belly won't come out immediately. Didn't the herbalist say there were still three months before she gave birth? "
Old Zeek handed the account book to the major. "This is the accountant of our trade. His wife is pregnant and is about to give birth.
This brat won't go out no matter what and we even tied him up on the ship this time.
It's mainly because you're asking for too many goods this time and the transaction amount is huge. We won't feel confident if we don't bring this brat along. You know I'm not good at math and I get confused when it comes to numbers above three digits. That's why our boss decided to let this brat make the trip and settle the accounts. "
The major glanced at Claude and saw that he was hugging his arms and shivering in the cold. He wore a pair of black-rimmed glasses and looked exactly like an accountant, so he didn't think too much of it.
When he opened the account book, he was shocked. "Zeek, your boss is quite capable. He actually managed to get his hands on so many good things this time. There's even blueberry wine from 1976."
Old Zeek chuckled. "Come to think of it, it's all thanks to your army attacking Lanu City that the war zone is in chaos because of you guys.
HQ no longer cares about our trade. Our boss took advantage of the chaos to get his hands on a few warehouses full of supplies and was prepared to trade them all to you.
Coincidentally, the officers in your logistics department had the same idea, so they organized a huge fleet to transport all the goods over. I'm just afraid that when HQ issues a maritime ban in the future, we won't have the chance to do so anymore. "
"Your boss sure is smart. It's no wonder he managed to make Wild Bull so big. He's even famous in the colonies on the west coast."
The major nodded and flipped through the account book. "Zeek, what do these red, blue and black marks mean?"
"That's for the sake of differentiation. The red ones are the ones Shiksan's logistics department ordered from us. The blue ones are the ones the officials in Cape Loducus ordered from us. The black ones are the ones we plan to sell in our own shops," Zeek replied.
"I see. You guys made quite a lot of profit this time," the major said enviously.
The major said enviously. He nodded to a soldier beside him and said, "No problem. Send a signal to the captain and inform him that this transport fleet is delivering supplies to our logistics base."
The soldier took out a small red flag and a small green flag and waved them at the cruising battleship not far away.
After a while, he reported, "Major, the captain wants us to check every transport ship to see if the goods are the same as what's written on the account book."
The major cursed angrily at the warship in the distance, wondering why he was so unlucky to have such a crazy captain who liked to cause trouble for them.
However, he had no choice but to obey orders given that he was one rank higher than him.
"It's fine," Zeek said. "Our fleet is organized. The number of ships and what they're carrying are all recorded clearly in the account book.
You don't have to check them one by one. Just stand on my ship and I'll have them drive it to the side. You can go up and see if the goods match the account book. "
Drivick heard the sailors' chants from the deck and felt the ship slowly moving. Then, it bumped into another ship.
A voice came down. "Mr. Major, we're carrying ale on this ship, and the cabins below us are also filled with ale. I'll have someone move the barrels on the deck and open the hatch. See if it's the same as what's recorded in the account book …"
The sound of barrels being moved could be heard from the deck and the hatch cover was lifted.
However, the Shiksan soldiers weren't interested in checking. They only glanced at the hatch before reporting, "Major, the cabins are full of ale barrels."
Drivick breathed a sigh of relief when the hatch cover was closed again.
If the Shiksan soldiers came down to check, they would find that the barrels were empty. If they moved the empty barrels away, they would find nearly three hundred nervous Thundercrash soldiers in the cabins.
The further they went, the more careless the major and the Shiksan soldiers became.
After all, there were one hundred and sixty-five coastal transport ships, and it was a dangerous job to jump onto every single one of them to check.
They would be done for if they accidentally fell into the sea.
So, in the end, all they had to do was take a casual look at the ship.
It took two and a half hours for the inspection to be completed. In the end, the major took a case of cabbage wine and the soldiers left on the lifeboat with Old Zeek's gifts.
Less than four hours later, the three patrolling battleships returned.
This time, however, it wasn't an inspection. Instead, they wanted to buy some high-grade ingredients from Zeek. The captain only signed his name and stamped his seal. Zeek had to settle the payment with the officers in charge of logistics in the base.