"Of course, it's because it relates to you, Lieutenant Colonel Morin."
Hearing Morin's question, Major Nicolai didn't continue to keep him in suspense.
He threw his cigarette butt on the ground and crushed it fiercely with the sole of his shoe. Then he pulled another document from that black briefcase and pushed it in front of Morin.
"Because not only do we want to stop the Britannians, but we also want to turn what they originally coveted into our spoils of war."
"Based on what Major Cavendish spit out, plus intelligence our Department III obtained through... other channels, the Army General Staff has developed a great interest in this so-called 'Project Prometheus'."
"Of course, they are even more interested in the Gauls' 'Sentinel' technology. Lieutenant Colonel, you should still remember encountering this elite unit during the Battle of Creil."
Morin certainly remembered.
Those spellcasters whose basic attributes like strength, agility, and reflexes were greatly enhanced after undergoing some kind of physical modification left an extremely deep impression on Morin at the time.
He picked up the document and flipped through it. It not only contained some blurry sketches of "Sentinels" but also some information about the "Sentinel Project" collected by Department III.
It's just that this information wasn't even as detailed as the content of the relevant entries in Morin's system's [Intelligence] tab...
On the other side, Major Nicolai also continued: "Our experts have analyzed that if we can master this technology, even if it's just an incomplete version, it would be a huge boost to the Army and the Empire's magitech capabilities."
Speaking of this, Major Nicolai paused, his eyes becoming somewhat meaningful.
"Moreover, since the Britannians are going to such great lengths to get it, even at the cost of mobilizing a long-dormant spy network, it shows that the value of this thing far exceeds our imagination."
"Since it's a good thing, there is no reason to yield it to the enemy, right?"
Morin closed the document, leaned back slightly, resting against the back of his chair: "So, you plan to intercept it? Before the Britannians complete 'Project Prometheus,' take the fire along with the brazier?"
"Lieutenant Colonel Morin's mind truly works fast." Major Nicolai smiled and nodded, "Talking to smart people saves effort."
"Based on the various pieces of intelligence our Department III has currently integrated, the Gauls have a top-secret laboratory underground in the Paris area."
"Paris?" Morin frowned. That place wasn't a good place to go right now.
"That's right. The specific location still requires secondary reconnaissance confirmation on the ground, but what is certain is that the laboratory there is the source where the 'Sentinels' were born."
"We don't know the Britannians' operation schedule. It might be tomorrow, it might be next week... So we must beat the clock and act before they do!"
Speaking of this, Major Nicolai paused, staring at Morin with burning eyes.
"Considering the complex urban environment of Paris, as well as that underground laboratory... we need the elite of the elite."
"This unit must be adept at all-range combat, possess extremely strong individual soldier quality, be well-equipped, and..."
Major Nicolai pointed at Morin and said with a smile:
"It must also have the combat experience and ability to deal with enemy mages..."
"Looking across the entire Imperial Army, the only ones who can satisfy all these conditions simultaneously are your instruction unit, Lieutenant Colonel, and you yourself—Mage Killer, Friedrich Morin~"
"You are currently the only spellcaster in the Imperial Army participating in combat on the front lines, and also the commander with experience fighting against the 'Sentinels'... Besides you, the General Staff couldn't think of a second candidate."
After hearing this flattery, Morin didn't show any flattered expression on his face, but instead spread his hands with a look of helplessness.
"Major, for such an important operation, are you just counting on these soldiers under my command? Let alone anything else, 99% of the soldiers are completely clueless about those magitechs."
"If we really find the laboratory then, we can't exactly smash all the equipment there, can we?"
"You don't have to worry about this." Major Nicolai was obviously prepared, "The main task of the instruction unit and you is to be responsible for escorting, assaulting, and clearing the area."
"As for other aspects, there will be professionals responsible. You just need to escort the intelligence personnel of Department III and the experts from the Royal Academy of Magitech Research."
Morin rubbed the stubble on his chin, seemingly weighing the pros and cons—but actually, there was nothing to weigh...
"I believe Major Nicolai didn't come today to discuss this with me, but to directly issue a notification, right?"
"If you understand it that way, you're not wrong."
Major Nicolai smiled mischievously and again pulled out an order bearing a bright red seal from his briefcase, which also had the personal signature of Chief of the Army General Staff Moltke the Younger.
"The Army General Staff has already signed and approved this special operation, and the order regarding the personnel transfer of the instruction unit has also taken effect... We already informed General Mackensen at the First Army Group before coming here."
"This is indeed an order, Lieutenant Colonel."
Since it had become an established fact, Morin naturally had nothing else to say.
After all, his current identity was an officer of the Imperial Army. Obviously, he didn't have the power to "refuse to accept a mission."
And to be honest, he was also quite interested in that underground laboratory which was the origin of the "Sentinel" unit...
Since he couldn't resist, he could only enjoy it... oh no, it was to strive for more benefits.
"Alright, since it's an order, then I will execute it."
Morin's tone became serious.
"But I have one condition... Since we are going to that kind of hellhole to execute a mission, I need absolute command authority. On the battlefield, those experts and intelligence personnel must listen to me. I don't want a bunch of amateurs dictating things on the sidelines when the time comes."
"No problem with this point, the General Staff has already authorized it."
Major Nicolai agreed very readily, clearly having anticipated that Morin would raise this issue.
"For this operation, you are the military commander. Specific tactical arrangements and personnel selection are entirely your responsibility."
"Our intelligence personnel and the experts from the Royal Academy of Magitech Research are only responsible for technical support and acting as guides. In combat, they will obey your orders."
"Besides the instruction unit, there are other units responsible for peripheral coordination and logistics. You only need to bring an elite core force of one company... To support this operation, we have also specially coordinated an armored train and an airship."
"An armored train?" Morin raised his eyebrows.
"That's right, it's the 'Odin' that previously displayed great prowess in the Battle of Paris. Except for 'Gungnir' being temporarily dismantled, other aspects have already been completely repaired."
After confirming these details, Major Nicolai didn't stay long.
"Lieutenant Colonel Morin, please reorganize your troops as soon as possible. In two hours, we will rendezvous at the railway hub near the First Army Group Command."
After saying that, he put on those leather gloves and left the command post with vigor and resolution.
When the black door curtain fell again, only Morin was left alone in the command post.
"Paulus!"
"Here!"
Paulus, who had been guarding the door all along, immediately ducked in.
"Go call Kleist and Manstein back. We're having a meeting."
Ten minutes later, the personnel of the instruction unit regimental headquarters gathered together again.
"The situation is like this."
Morin pointed to the order on the table, "I have to lead a team for a trip this time. So for the following period, the command authority of the instruction unit is handed over to you guys."
"Kleist, you are responsible for overall planning and daily management; Manstein, you keep an eye on combat command; Paulus, do a good job assisting the two of them!"
"Although the Britannians have temporarily quieted down, who knows when they will go crazy again. The defense line must be held steady for me."
"Yes! Sir!" The three responded in unison.
They were all strictly trained Saxon officers, knowing very well what to ask and what not to ask.
Since it was a direct order from the General Staff, then just execute it.
"As for which unit to bring..."
Morin's gaze swept over the roster and finally settled on the first page.
"Just bring the 1st Company of the 1st Battalion."
Hearing this decision, Kleist and the others all showed expressions of "as expected."
The 1st Company of the 1st Battalion, that was Morin's old foundation.
After undergoing the trench warfare of the previous period, the 1st Company of the 1st Battalion still had more than 200 combat-ready personnel, basically maintaining normal combat capability.
Although it had undergone some personnel replacements and supplements, the main component of the 1st Company of the 1st Battalion was still the former 1st Company, 1st Battalion of the 32nd Zwickau Infantry Regiment.
This was also a veteran unit that had participated in the Aragonese Kingdom civil war, with extremely rich combat experience. Everyone in the company could be called a "soldier king," and their tactical and technical levels were the highest in the entire regiment.
As the earliest company commanded by Morin, under the influence of "veterans" like Klaus and Kahn, this company's "personality cult" for Morin had also reached an extremely absurd level.
For this group of soldiers, His Majesty the Emperor was too far away, the General Staff was too high up. Only this Commander Morin in front of them was the god who truly led them to survive and win victories.
After confirming the unit participating in the operation, the next step was to reinforce this company.
20 soldiers equipped with experimental semi-automatic rifles, two MG08 heavy machine gun teams, two flamethrower teams, and 4 mortar teams were temporarily drafted into this company as firepower reinforcements.
In addition to this, considering the possibility of encountering situations requiring obstacle breaching, Morin also drafted half a platoon of experts from the regimental engineer company as a temporary engineer detachment reinforcement.
The four sub-units of the Portable Magitech Communication Prototype were also taken back by Morin, preparing to be used as communication equipment for this operation.
After all, this thing currently could still only be used by Morin himself; leaving it with the instruction unit here was completely for show.
As this series of orders was passed down, the entire instruction unit rapidly went into operation.
This was the advantage of the instruction unit.
As an experimental unit with an extremely high degree of synthesis, Morin could freely draft personnel from various specialized branches, assembling a task force suited for a specific mission like building blocks.