So Majia Lauer was always isolated in the military academy; the trainees from soldier backgrounds didn't accept him, and the former commissioned officers didn't consider him as one of their own.
And it was precisely for this reason that Houdel hesitated a bit when faced with Majia Lauer's request.
He tilted his head and looked at Claude inquisitively.
Little Majia's eyes turned a bit sour because this was the first time he felt welcomed since entering the Second Army Academy.
Clumsily balancing the tools under his left arm, he grasped Claude's hand, "I'm Majia Lauer."
"No need for introductions, you're quite famous," Monkey squeezed in beside Claude to shake Little Majia's hand as well, "Also, here's the deal — a trusted aide is just an errand boy!"
Little Majia nodded in a daze.
"I have a good buddy named Doug, but he's in another class," Houdel said with a grand air, patting Little Majia on the shoulder as if assuming the role of a leader, "I'll introduce him to you later."
However, due to differences in nutrition levels, though Majia Lauer was younger than Houdel, he was a full head taller. So Houdel had to secretly rise on his tiptoes to pat Little Majia's shoulder successfully.
Little Majia nodded eagerly like a chick pecking at rice, almost faint with happiness.
"Let's go," Houdel turned and beckoned Little Majia to get to work.
As far as the eye could see, other classes were also enthusiastically digging away.
"Well, let's get started then," Houdel thought to himself.
-----------------
Meanwhile, on the arrow tower of New Town's city wall, Jansen Cornelius was observing the scene from another perspective.
And due to the more expansive view from his position, what he could see was also more comprehensive than what Houdel could see:
On the iron-gray fields surrounding Kingsfort's New Town, a series of small fortifications were rising steadily;
The distances between each small fortification were roughly equal, and the distance from the city wall was also about the same, indicating that the sites were chosen through precise calculations, not randomly picked;
The small fortifications stretched from the riverbank to the shore, like a pearl necklace, wrapping the West Bank's city area in a somewhat tight embrace.
"The cannon is ready," a junior officer climbed up the arrow tower to report.
Cornelius estimated the distance and shook his head, "Two kilometers, too far, don't waste ammunition."
"Then should we send a team out of the city to catch them by surprise?" the junior officer suggested.
Cornelius shook his head again, "Leaving the city would be walking right into their trap. Our forces are precious; we can't waste them in field battles."
"The 'rebels'," the junior officer couldn't conceal his confusion, "what exactly are they up to? Do they intend to besiege us long-term, abandoning the troops at Bishop's Castle?"
Cornelius put down the binoculars and said thoughtfully, "I guess they're 'putting on a show'."