WeTried Translations

Translator: Coughing Baby

Editor: Coughing Baby

Discord: https://dsc.gg/wetried

Chapter 219: The End of April (6)

──────

After the call with the president, Gyeoul thought they would simply wait until the independent company arrived. But things were not that relaxed. The next day, Colonel Rogers handed down a new mission.

“Major Han Gyeoul. For the time being, I want you to hunt the enemy’s heads.”

A map was spread out in the situation room, now under new command. Just looking at it changed the faces of some officers. The area of operations was far wider than they had imagined. It showed how much the higher-ups expected from him. Or perhaps it meant the situation was bad enough that they had no choice but to expect that much.

“The objective is to strip the mutant horde in this region of their ability to act in an organized way. Those tricky things are avoiding air strikes intelligently, but they won’t be able to neutralize observation from the ground as well.”

Tricky thing naturally meant Trickster. Their communication was short and explosive. They could even pack information about their own death into a death scream. Their jamming, which doubled as aircraft detection, worked the same way. Quite a few had been blown apart by Homing Missiles, but by now they knew how to respond.

If those things disappeared, rescuing survivors would become much easier.

‘Compared to the previous world, there are fewer Grumbles and more Tricksters. It would be too careless to decide it was set that way simply because they’re new special mutants. Should I assume the number of special mutants is adjusted as needed within a fixed quota?’

A world setting could change, improve, and expand at any time, but there was usually some underlying principle running through its phenomena. He could not know whether that principle had been intended in the planning stage, or whether it had been created when the control personality that received the plan actually built the world setting.

The colonel continued.

“This operation requires stealth. Therefore, there will be no vehicle support. The deployed force will be limited to the mobile unit the Major already commanded. Both range and duration are at the Major’s discretion, but you should advance as far as possible. Prioritize search and destroy over rescue. In the end, that will allow us to save far more lives... What is it, Captain? I don’t believe this is the time for questions yet.”

The person who had raised a hand was Captain Langford. With a stiff expression, he objected.

“Even including Major Han Gyeoul, the mobile unit only has five people. This is too dangerous.”

“I made this decision after reviewing the combat records so far. Even before I arrived, there were many battles the Major fought alone or with only the mobile unit. Is there a reason to raise the issue now?”

“This case is different. Until now, they only fought within a range where retreat was possible. They’ve never advanced so far that support from the main force would be impossible in an emergency.”

Hmm. The colonel stared at the Captain for a moment, then answered in a flat voice.

“Safety can’t be guaranteed in every military operation.”

“I’m saying this is reckless.”

“Yes. As a commander, I can’t issue reckless orders without regard for anything else. But the situation is what it is. I hear there’s even an estimate that one person is dying every second. If that’s true, every remaining survivor will be wiped out within the next two weeks. And the enemy will increase by the same number. Isn’t this the point where a somewhat bold measure is needed? How many people do you think died while I was saying that?”

Then the colonel’s gaze returned to Gyeoul.

“In exchange for deploying fewer troops, you will receive sufficient air support. At least one gunship (AC-130) will remain in the air over your assigned area day and night, and Apache or attack aircraft formations will be launched as needed. You may also request helicopter transport, provided the landing zone is confirmed safe.”

Gyeoul remembered the president saying the Air Force had nothing to do. For a mobile unit that amounted to one rifle team in manpower, this support could be called excessive firepower.

‘The key will be keeping a safe distance from the mutants...’

The safe distance for requesting air or artillery support was set at a minimum of 600 meters. Anything below that was Danger Close, meaning there was a risk of being hit by friendly fire.

Could they really maintain that gap while conducting survivor rescues at the same time?

An attack helicopter could provide more precise support, so if it became unavoidable, he would likely have to rely on that.

To begin with, unless they encountered an unusually massive group, there was little chance Gyeoul, with his abundant ammunition, would be in danger.

“Many task forces drawn from Rangers, SEALs, Raiders, 24STS, A Teams, and others have already been deployed on similar missions. This place also plans to organize and send out additional search teams after securing an appropriate level of combat power. Does Major Han think it’s reckless as well?”

“No, sir.”

“Good.”

Colonel Rogers gave a small nod. Gyeoul felt sorry for Langford, who had worried about him, but with satellite communication equipment, the mission was fully possible. If they fought mainly through long-range sniping and fire support guidance, it should not be dangerous. It would also be difficult for a mutant horde to evade Gyeoul’s senses and approach. As he had already reviewed once, resupply would be easy too. Horse feed was everywhere. They only had to receive food for the people and ammunition by air on time.

“I said to prioritize search, but that doesn’t mean you should ignore rescue missions. Still, you must judge what matters most at every moment. This mission has far too many uncertain elements. Therefore, most decisions will be tolerated. Maintain your composure at all times. Do you understand what I’m saying?”

“Yes, sir.”

It was a somewhat vague way to put it. The colonel was probably referring indirectly to the issue of legal responsibility. It meant Gyeoul was guaranteed not to be punished over most problems.

There was a high chance this was a guideline that had come from far above the colonel, at least from command level. But it was difficult to say that plainly. A public affairs officer was present. Even after editing, they had to assume this would be released to the public.

“The operation name is Preventive Scalping.”

Preventive stripping of scalps. Setting the situation aside, Gyeoul felt like letting out a small laugh. Was that not too blatant? The fact that the colonel only mentioned it now said enough about what Rogers thought of it too.

Whatever the name, the concept itself was rational, since the goal was to paralyze the enemy’s ability to think.

“The sooner you begin, the better. Go now and receive the necessary equipment. Report once preparations are complete. I’ll notify you of emergency rendezvous points and additional instructions before departure.”

The briefing continued, but perhaps to save time, the colonel sent Gyeoul out first.

Rogers’s style was very different from Colonel Laughlin of Fort Roberts. Laughlin had seemed burdened by the possibility of losing Gyeoul, but Gyeoul could not sense that from Rogers. It had been a while since Gyeoul had encountered a coldness that carried no personal fondness.

A Lieutenant temporarily in charge of supply management guided Gyeoul. At the place where the airdropped supplies had been sorted, the Lieutenant opened a box that had already been unsealed once. The first thing handed over was target acquisition observation equipment.

“Have you ever handled equipment of this kind?”

Gyeoul shook his head according to the control personality’s advice. The controls were not complicated, but in this world, it was his first time encountering the item. It would be strange if he said he was familiar with it.

“I thought so. It isn’t especially difficult. This thing that looks like binoculars is called TRIGR. Press the button once, and it marks the coordinates. If you read those out as they are, the Air Force will take care of the rest. I’ll explain the detailed operation again when your team members are present.”

There was also another piece of observation equipment, more serious than TRIGR. The Lieutenant called it LLDR.

“This can be used by connecting it to a satellite terminal. Without needing to call anything out separately, the coordinates are transmitted directly. It’s more complicated to handle than TRIGR, but the function itself is the same. It simply adds the process of switching modes and entering target attributes. With about an hour of training, every team member should be able to use it.”

Aside from that, Gyeoul was given the chance to choose a new weapon. The Lieutenant was surprised by his choice.

“You intend to take that?”

“Yes. I think it can finish off something like a Trickster in one shot from far away.”

“That may be true, but I thought carrying and using it would be too burdensome.”

“I’m only taking it as a backup weapon.”

Gyeoul lifted the anti-materiel rifle (M107CQ), which reached 1.25 meters in length. Even without a magazine, it was more than four times heavier than an average rifle. If his Memory was accurate, this was already a shortened and lightened model. It used very thick rounds, 12.7 millimeters, so its power was more than ten times that of a rifle. It was a weapon that could pierce thin armor plates, or punch through a wall and kill the person behind it.

That also made it difficult to use in practice.

‘Even with a suppressor, it’s as loud as an unsuppressed rifle.’

In other words, it was not something he could use carelessly. Still, if he was well camouflaged, or when hitting and withdrawing, it would be very useful. As long as he killed the individual capable of command, the remaining mutant horde’s pursuit would fall apart. There was also a high chance they would never discover his side at all. If he used this rifle in actual combat, he intended to end it with a single shot from at least several hundred meters away.

The supply officer took out multiple magazines and an ammunition can holding 100 rounds.

“Then I’ll issue armor-piercing high-explosive rounds. With this much firepower, even a rough hit should kill a ghoul or Trickster. They’ll be useless against Grumble, but if you shove one down its throat, that’s a different story. It would pierce the pharynx and explode under the brain.”

The Lieutenant poked at the back of their own neck.

“I’ll tell you after I try it myself.”

Gyeoul said that, but he already knew the result.

Afterward, operational training was conducted for the mobile unit members. The content covered the use of observation equipment and satellite communication terminals. Neither was especially difficult. For the observation equipment, LLDR, they only had to sweep it once left and right, then once up and down, and it locked onto their current position. From there, they only had to mark the target coordinates. The communication terminal was not much different from an ordinary radio.

To reduce weight, they decided not to carry camping equipment, and each person would take only one sleeping bag. If they needed shelter from rain and wind, they could secure a private house. There were plenty of lonely farms.

After receiving the report that preparations were complete, the colonel gave a warning.

“Maintain regular contact, and unless there is an urgent rescue situation, avoid direct engagements as much as possible.”

“Understood.”

“You would do well not to forget that you are a valuable national asset.”

Rogers did not appear to be worried about Gyeoul’s safety. The attitude was strictly businesslike, as if the colonel was saying it because it was necessary. It was the sort of posture a soldier proud of a long career might show. The kind who regarded even the self as a tool. Though people should not become tools.

Before departure, the public affairs officer came all the way over to stop Gyeoul. McGuire’s face held half expectation and half worry.

“You packed enough batteries, right?”

Gyeoul gave McGuire an awkward smile.

“The combat records collected so far must not have been enough for you.”

“Apparently, they’ve been praised as extremely fresh material. They say it reminds people of the frontier era. Since the backdrop happens to be California too, nothing could be more fitting. Still, that’s that, and this is this. You don’t skip lunch just because you ate breakfast.”

Then McGuire sighed.

“That Jester from back then has come this far.”

It was a call sign he had not heard in a long time, not since Santa Maria.

‘Come to think of it, they said Rangers were participating in this operation too... No, the operation areas wouldn’t overlap, so the chance of meeting them is low. The unit may have been replaced because of manpower losses as well.’

The public affairs officer said,

“I’m asking you. Please don’t ruin the most worthwhile work of my life.”

“Yes. It’s not time for me to die yet.”

“Yet?”

After saying goodbye to the suspicious McGuire, Gyeoul checked the tactical information PDA marked with dozens of coordinates. Each coordinate indicated a location where Trickster jamming had recently been transmitted. Even at that moment, electronic warfare aircraft in the sky were collecting new coordinates. Which of these to pursue first was entirely at the discretion of Gyeoul, the commander.

Depending on how one looked at it, it resembled the chase on Christmas Eve.

The Trickster that had tried to deliberately infiltrate Fort Roberts had exposed its own location by intentionally transmitting short bursts of radio waves. Though the circumstances and scale were different, the tracking process itself would likely be similar.

The distance to the nearest coordinate was not even 10 kilometers. In terms of time, it was about 30 minutes old. Older coordinates believed to be traces of the same individual drew a line eastward at regular intervals. In other words, the creature was maintaining a clear direction. Sergeant Morales, who glanced at it, frowned.

“If it spotted a transport plane and followed it, it may come straight into the base soon.”

Gyeoul agreed.

“They say they jammed it, but it must not have been enough. Let’s find this one first.”

“Hooah.”

The team members, issued plenty of ammunition, were full of confidence.

Would the allied people have arrived by the time he returned? Gyeoul spurred Xcel forward.

============================ Author’s Note ============================

#KakaoTalk - The Birth of a Perfect Life-Form

Tunguska: This new Alien work feels a little weird. Even if you call the Alien a perfect life-form, didn’t its ability to spread decrease compared to the original form?

Tunguska: It changed so that it has to parasitize humans, didn’t it?

Comic artist friend: I don’t know. Maybe it was originally an RNA-replicating virus, then chose stable DNA-based self-replication?

Tunguska: ...Is that it?!

#Q&A

Q. Calpis: @Hail GyeoulGaeul! Hail Skarlochen!

A. Skarlochen... I can smell hellfire here too.

Q. CurryRice: @I always feel this, but author’s expressions really are poetic. All I can do is admire them. And... At the award ceremony, saying let’s have a beer sometime... You just planted a death flag for the president, right?

A. Beer, the nectar of truth, can never be anything like a death flag. The real death flag is something like sweet-and-sour pork with the sauce poured over it.

Q. chashercat: @Hail Skarlochen!

A. Who made the sound of Skarlochen?

Q. Hyurian: Was it Humpback? When will you tell us what it is, haha.

A. Soon...? Humpback’s trait is the kind needed to give the world setting plausibility, so it isn’t especially striking or anything. Haha.

Footnotes:

Join our discord at https://dsc.gg/wetried