Chapter 17: The Autumn Cannonade

September 5, 0400 hours, the West Bank of the Dibo River, Position of Prosen's Sixteenth Infantry Division.

Sergeant Andreas observed the Antean position across the river through a pair of captured binoculars.

"Sergeant!" a youthful voice came from behind, "I've just oiled the machine gun!"

Andreas turned around and saw the new recruit's youthful face.

Private Malamon was still a child, a real child.

More than a year ago, when Andreas first joined the unit, he wasn't as young. He had already served more than half a year of national labor, building the West Wall in Carolingian. After finishing labor service, he underwent six months of new recruit training. By the time he arrived at the unit, he was already 21, an adult.

But Private Malamon was only eighteen this year, his face still bearing the marks of youth.

Andreas even suspected he had lied about his age, that he was actually just a seventeen-year-old brat.

"Sergeant?" Malamon whispered.