Heimat

CHAPTER 27

The next day wasn't much different, mostly preparing for the arrival of the large group of two hundred soldiers. The other cabins were cleaned and additional tents were set up even though they were bringing more tents along with them. 

It had snowed heavily last night, so many of them set to the work of ploughing snow to create paths and the training ground. The snow had almost climbed to the second step of their cabin and Namjoon couldn't help but wonder that this was just the beginning. It was his first time being in the mountains during winter. Most of the time he came for training was either spring to summer, or rains to autumn.

Warm soup was served as breakfast which did it's part in energizing the men. Namjoon being injured, spent most of his time in the main cabin, tryign to be useful by studying the maps and marking made on them. 

There were then rebel camps found till date. Three huge and seven smaller ones. At the time of discovery, six cabins were founded abandoned and four were found with a small number of people living in them. Among the four operational ones, none were huge making him certain that the spy was among them, at the camp.

He carefully studied the locations marked and found out the rebel camps were scattered across the camp's perimeter. The smaller ones being in between fifty to hundred mile radius while the large ones were well ahead of one fifty miles. Except one. There was one which was almost two hundred miles away, and that too, near the path which led to the camp. 

"This one must be used by the raiders". Last night, their men came back after spotting the empty camp, claiming that it was abandoned only sometime ago, so it was safe to assume that they had moved to a new location. Again, the spy would have informed them beforehand, so the rebels were able to escape.

But, Namjoon and his group were ambushed when they were an hour's distance from the camp. Was it so close, or the rebels travelled and wait deliberately to attack them closer to camp? The more he thought about it, the more confused he became. 

After a short break, he got right back to work and stayed in until lunch. He requested Pil do and Suho to have lunch in the cabin along with him.

He made sure no one was close around and them shut all the doors and windows. "You made a breakthrough?" Suho asked. "Well we can't exactly call it a breakthrough, but I do have a theory" Namjoon answered as he returned to the table. Taking a bite out of his chicken, he spread out the map. 

"Look here", he said, pointing at the rebel camp marked on the path to the military one. "When we came, we were attacked only at an hours distance from here, so it means either they travelled ahead and waited for us, or abandoned it and made their towards us". Suho and Pil do nodded, listening intently. 

"We were attacked yesterday in the morning, and your men left camp at noon. And just like always, they missed it".

"I knew it!", Pil do hissed, banging his hand on the table. "We should have done it yesterday". "What stopped you then?" Suho asked. "One of them suggested I go for the smaller one first as it was easier to shift" Pil do answered. "Why did you do that?" Namjoon asked annoyed. "Huh?"

"Even after knowing where the large one is, why did you go after the small camp? Yes, it is easier for them to shift but most of the times these small camps are connected to the large ones. They get supplies and additional help from them. 

So, going for the large camp would have been better as they would have been helpless. Destroying the large camp will also prevent larger attacks. It would have benefitted us to rid of the big one first" Namjoon reasoned. 

"Oh" was the only thing that Pil do could utter. "Have they returned to any abandoned camp yet? Have any of your men noticed something like that?" Namjoon questioned. "Uh, No. Till now, the were no activities at the camps after they were abandoned" came the reply.