WeTried Translations

Translator: Coughing Baby

Editor: Coughing Baby

Discord: https://dsc.gg/wetried

Chapter 235: Suspended Sentence (7)

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The reporter’s voice came in over the footage from the drone.

「A spokesperson for the Russian government stated that this incident was the result of several overlapping causes. The direct cause was a shortage of ammunition, but poor judgment by the commander, who was worried about that shortage, also played a part.」

The news anchor asked.

「Wait a moment. Reporter Douglas, what do you mean by poor judgment?」

「To control ammunition consumption, they issued far too little to the soldiers. In fact, when the defensive line collapsed, front-line units were retreating because they had no ammunition, while roughly 600,000 rifle rounds were still sitting in the rear. That would have been enough for a division to hold out for half a day. They tried to move it forward too late, but the roads were paralyzed by panicked civilians, so the supplies never arrived in time. Reports now say scattered troops are finding abandoned supply vehicles on their own and making last stands wherever they can. Forces in the city east of the river have apparently decided to focus on defense. There does not seem to be any rescue operation.」

「My God. That is absurd. To end up like that because they could not even use the bullets they had... What on earth was the commander thinking?」

「Major General Viktor Kudryavtsev, who was responsible for Ulyanovsk’s defense, is said to have often appeared depressed after losing his family. That side of him is clearly visible in the command reports released by the Russian Ministry of Defense. Once ammunition stocks began to run low as well, he apparently even began showing obsessive symptoms. They say he did not trust even his front-line commanders and ordered all ammunition to be managed directly by headquarters. However, the government spokesperson added that the supply requests from front-line commanders attached to those same reports were excessively high. In one case, a single Company requested 100,000 rounds in a day. That is an enormous amount, enough for each person to fire close to a thousand rounds. Records also show that he clashed with his staff over this issue.」

「No, why did that happen?」

「Once supplies started running short, the mindset seems to have been to secure whatever they could first. Local experts analyzed it as an expression of collective selfishness. In other words, different units were competing for supplies. Was it not a matter of each side trying to save itself first? It is all the more frightening and tragic because it is understandable. I hope this kind of thing does not happen in America... No, I hope it has not happened.」

The reporter was speaking with the failure of Operation Manifest Liberation in mind. Broken supply lines had been the issue there too. The largest ammunition depot on the U.S. mainland, the Hawthorne base, had been contaminated by radiation.

In the small rectangle at the lower right of the screen, the anchor gave a faint smile. Given the news being delivered, it was not a bright one, but it was enough to shift the mood.

「I think we will be all right for the time being. This may be a slightly different topic, but Lieutenant Han Gyeoul... I apologize. With news of Major Han Gyeoul’s survival and the success of the rescue operation spreading, a civilian ammunition donation movement is rapidly gaining momentum.」

The eyes of the team members watching the news together turned to Gyeoul all at once. When Gyeoul put on an awkward smile, the team members gave small boos, faint laughs, or thumbs-up.

The anchor continued.

「In just five days, 700 million rounds of various types of ammunition have been collected, reportedly leaving the Department of Defense officials who received them greatly surprised. Citizens who had tried to protect themselves and their families by their own strength are beginning to trust the government and military again. A Department of Defense official thanked the citizens and said that the greatest achievement of this movement was not the ammunition itself, but the fact that the manpower and resources that would have gone into producing ammunition can now be used elsewhere. As supply problems on the quarantine front are quickly returning to normal, service members are also expected to regain trust and hope in one another. We can do this.」

「I agree, Tommy. I truly hope so.」

「That is enough of the aside. Let us return to the main point. I understand the general circumstances, but there are still parts that do not fit together.」

「What would those be?」

「The Russian government announced only three days ago that its own military supply production capacity was sufficient. So I find it hard to understand how they are short on ammunition.」

「Ah, on that point, local experts agree. Regardless of production capacity, their supply capacity is getting worse and worse. Severomorsk and Murmansk, which currently handle most material production, are ports on the Barents Sea near the Arctic. It is fortunate that even after losing the Baltic Sea and Black Sea coasts, they still have ice-free ports facing Europe, but they are roughly 2,000 kilometers in a straight line from Ulyanovsk, where today’s tragedy occurred. Just yesterday, an ammunition transport aircraft crashed due to poor maintenance. That fact had been under a reporting blackout and was made public today. If that aircraft had arrived on time, there is a high chance the tragedy in Ulyanovsk would not have happened.」

「If it was poor maintenance, that means there is a problem with parts supply, correct?」

「Yes, that is right. The Russian government is saying little, but among working-level officials and civilians, voices blaming America are growing louder. They are grateful that food is being sold to them in this situation, but they say too many resources and rare metals are being taken in return. They accuse the U.S. government of demanding excessive amounts to maintain ordinary citizens’ standard of living and benefit its own corporations.」

Gyeoul thought he could understand that position to some degree. In this world’s America, computers, various electronics, and communication devices such as smartphones were easy to obtain. That meant they were not merely supplied to the military, but freely traded even in the general market. Unlike food and daily necessities, whose prices were tightly controlled, their prices had risen sharply, but the fact that people could buy them anytime if they wanted was encouraging.

‘In this situation... they may have pushed themselves pretty hard to preserve the social mood.’

From the perspective of someone who had experienced many apocalypses, however, Gyeoul did not think the U.S. government had done wrong. Securing only the bare minimum of resources was never a smart move.

Harper spoke to Schultz.

“I cannot really feel it myself, but when I talk to my family, there are definitely times when it hits me. If I had to put it one way, it feels like we are living too well for an age like this? Uh, would disaster refugees get angry if they heard that?”

“Well... I heard they used to give it for free in the old days.”

The old days Schultz mentioned were probably World War II. Inaccurate knowledge. In reality, it had been aid that was supposed to be paid for later. Of course, they had never properly collected that payment.

“Still, like they said earlier, I am scared we may be the only ones left in the end. Though seeing Kramer doing well makes me think there are plenty of people different from me.”

Kramer was the name of that Republican Party presidential candidate. Even now, with less than four months left until the election, the candidate was showing a formidable approval rating. Kramer’s slogan was “America for America, America First!” It was why President MacMillan had been struggling to “take away weapons” while accepting policies he disliked.

“Should we not have something like a rationing system too? I think we need to increase aid, even if that is what it takes.”

Gyeoul rejected Alejandro’s opinion.

“No. If they did that, before long even the current level of aid would become impossible.”

He had once had a similar conversation with Colonel Laughlin of Fort Roberts. It had been about the public opinion that American citizens’ sacrifices were being shifted onto refugees. Even then, Gyeoul had not blamed the government’s policy. Even if it was somewhat unfair, he considered that unfairness part of human limits.

“For example, the anchor said ammunition is pouring out only now, right? There is no way everyone gave up everything they had. If only some citizens donated only part of what they had and it still reached that amount... does that not mean civilians had far more than they actually needed?”

“Yes, well.”

“Some degree of reserve is essential for any kind of supplies. The moment people feel that something is lacking or that things are unstable, it will disappear very quickly. There will also be plenty of people who want to make money by hoarding.”

“Kramer will become president.”

“Even if that person does not enter the White House, it will end up the same. Think of it like a bank run. Society has enough to function, but anxious people start screaming, and it collapses in an instant. So you cannot simply call waste waste.”

“That is...”

Alejandro smacked their lips. Since Alejandro was of mixed immigrant background, they likely had a more open side.

“There is a saying in Korea. People learn manners only when food and clothing are sufficient. People need the certainty that tomorrow will not be worse than today. The way I see it, this is the best option for now. Unless we want to see everyone collapse together while trying to save everyone together.”

As Gyeoul finished, Schultz tossed him a comment.

“Major, your expectations of people are surprisingly low.”

“You cannot expect sacrifice from everyone. Why? Is that unexpected?”

“How should I put it... It is funny for me to say this when I have not even been with you for long, Major, but I had the feeling that you would have infinite trust in people. Now that I say it out loud, it sounds really strange, but anyway. I guess I was mistaken. It seems you do not trust people very much.”

“...I do want to.”

Gyeoul’s answer came one beat late because he wondered whether this was truly Schultz’s question. But that was a vain thought. Even if everything he saw and felt was the Star Child, that child could never interfere in this way. It was forbidden. The chain that had bound that child from the moment of birth.

“But you do not?”

“People have limits.”

The boy himself was in a position where he could not surpass those limits. No one was a person alone. His father, his mother, and even that monster-like Chairman Go Geon-cheol were the same. The people who made his father, the people who made his mother, the people who made Chairman Go Geon-cheol, and the people who made those people, and again the people who made those people. Therefore, one person was the responsibility of all people.

Even while believing that, hatred remained in Gyeoul’s heart.

Harper cut in.

“Why are you asking stuff like that? Do not act like an old-timer.”

“Old-timer? Hey, there is not that much of an age difference between you and me.”

The pointless exchange did not last long. Vivid gunshots came through the speaker. The team members flinched with reflexes beyond instinct, then stared at the TV screen as it shook violently. It was the field of view of a Russian soldier. Inside a building, the soldier was pouring defensive fire into mutants breaking through a barricade. Despite the rough breathing, the aim was accurate. It was likely to save ammunition, but it showed the strength of those who had endured the apocalypse until now.

“Hah, since when did those guys wear cameras too?”

Alejandro muttered. Schultz, eyes fixed on the screen, answered.

“Scale may differ, but apparently they do most of what we do too. It is not like cameras are anything special.”

They were special. Plenty of countries would feel wronged if someone dismissed a system where commanders could see what soldiers saw as mere cameras.

「Damn it! There are so many of them!」

「Get to the stairs!」

They could roughly understand the meaning from what they saw. The Russian soldiers were defending a large hall in some building, but not only was the main entrance being breached by overwhelming numbers, the windows reinforced with iron bars were being torn apart as well. Though they tried to kill one with every shot, more and more of them began sweeping bursts across the enemy. Then came the repeated clacks of empty chambers. At the commander’s order, the soldiers hurriedly abandoned the defensive line and retreated. Other troops who had built a second blocking line on the stair landing opened a path.

“Ugh.”

Alejandro shuddered and pointed at the devices attached near the Russian soldiers’ chests.

“What are those ticking things?”

Schultz spoke without confidence.

“Radios... maybe? No. The numbers do not match for frequencies, and they keep changing on their own.”

Gyeoul gave the correct answer.

“Those are Geiger counters. Radiation measuring devices.”

How could he fail to recognize them when he had depended on them in every turn where radioactive contamination was severe? Their appearances differed by product, but he had enough experience to recognize their common traits.

“No, why would each person carry something like that...”

Gyeoul could not answer that question either. He did not know.

Tick tick tick tick. The counters clicked more and more frequently. Fear and despair stained the faces of the Russian soldiers who sealed the stairway and closed the door. The American soldiers’ identification with them deepened. When someone on the screen began sobbing and screaming, the owner of the view clamped a hand over that person’s mouth.

「Shh. Those monsters are nearby!」

A voice barely loud enough to hear. The hungry roars of the plague horde leaked through the cracks in the door.

“Do the mutants over there spew radiation or something?”

They could only think the same way Alejandro did. The radiation level displayed on the instrument had started in decimals, but kept rising until it approached double digits. The unit was microsieverts.

Thinking that he might someday go to Russia, Gyeoul watched it closely.

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

#Signed Books

The second shipment of signed books has been sent. There were only two people. I was going to wait for more applications to come in, but the people who requested first seemed to have waited too long, so I had no choice.

#Speculation

Many of you say this and that about what is ahead. That is fine, but please do not ask the author to confirm it. I cannot spoil my own story.

So if a question falls under this category, I will not answer it from now on. Please do not take it the wrong way.

It is also a little difficult whenever a prophet appears, even if it is only sometimes. Haha.

#Q&A

Q. crazyD.k: @Even without Continuity, I think it is meaningful enough if the will and goal continue.

A. Yes, it probably is meaningful. But somehow, it feels like many of you want Gyeoul to die.

Q. Ronaf: @I cannot imagine how a Russian metropolis that seemed like it would have insane defenses right before falling could fall. Even if they pushed with human-wave tactics, as long as there was enough ammunition, artillery could sweep them away as soon as they gathered. I hope the detailed process comes up sometime.

A. I hope this chapter was a sufficient answer. Though I cut out a lot.

Q. UnlimitedOne: @As expected, rank is power. As expected, it is often faster to find a way to put out internal dissatisfaction from outside.

A. Uh... that is true, but it was just idle chatter.

Footnotes:

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