WeTried Translations
Translator: Coughing Baby
Editor: Coughing Baby
Discord: https://dsc.gg/wetried
Chapter 257: Valley of Death (3)
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On May 21, Major General Rogers’s entire joint task force was issued new combat uniforms made from synthetic spider silk and other composite materials. It was the first production run, flown straight in from a factory in Michigan. In front of the company members wearing them stood a military dog team dispatched by Blockade Command. They were there to demonstrate the new combat uniform’s protective capabilities.
After receiving Gyeoul’s permission, the military dog team leader stood at parade rest before the company.
“Good to meet you, members of the David Task Force. I am Sergeant Ian Mendoza. And this is my subordinate and partner, Corporal Luca. As you can see, Luca is a German shepherd.”
At the sergeant’s signal, the dog, which had been sitting with its tongue out, lifted one front paw and mimicked a salute. Soft laughter spread through the company members, who were sitting or standing in a loose circle for a better view. Among them, a dachshund with a noble name whined with its tail tucked. The dog clearly did not welcome the presence of another dog.
Since company officers were among the demonstration subjects, Sergeant Mendoza was extremely polite.
“As you already know, I came here to let you see the protective capabilities of the new combat uniform for yourselves. The combat uniform you are wearing now is the result of our efforts to protect front-line combat personnel from infection threats. Specifically, even at its most vulnerable points, it offers Level 2A ballistic protection and a certain degree of stab resistance. Naturally, vital areas are more heavily protected. In other words, it provides minimal full-body protection even without a separate bulletproof vest.”
Ooh. Some soldiers checked the fit of their uniforms again. Some moved around in them too. Compared to older combat uniforms, these were thicker and less comfortable, but considering the protection they offered, they were actually on the lighter, more flexible side. The way they stretched with movement was almost surprising.
‘Fabric body armor is usually weak against stabbing.’
Gyeoul pressed firmly on his sleeve. Beneath the fabric, he could feel something like thin, hard blocks.
“Watch.”
The sergeant drew a bayonet and demonstrated by jabbing and slashing at several parts of the uniform.
“Because the arms are judged to be vulnerable during close combat with mutants, the sleeves from the wrists to the elbows have stab resistance comparable to the vital areas. They can withstand the bite force of a typical mutant without much trouble.”
At this point, Firearms NCO Corporal D’Angelo raised her hand.
“Ask your question, Corporal.”
“When you say a typical mutant, does that mean it would be dangerous against a ghoul?”
“That is correct. In that case, you will have to wish yourself luck.”
A ripple of disappointment passed through the audience.
But the mood changed quickly.
“Bite!”
When Sergeant Mendoza slapped the side of the uniform and shouted, the military dog that had been sitting quietly turned into a beast. Grrrr, grrr! The dog clamped down below the ribs and shook its body. The sergeant lowered his center of gravity and held out for a moment, but finally fell over and shouted, “Stop! Sit!” The shepherd planted its rear on the ground as if it had never been fierce and waited for orders. The company members watched with intense focus as the sergeant roughly dusted off and stood.
The command “Bite!” was repeated several times, with different target areas. At last, the sergeant, now covered in dirt, showed the bitten spots to the company members from close range. There were tooth marks, but they had not gone through.
Applause poured over the sergeant after the demonstration ended. Gyeoul shook hands with the sergeant.
“Good work, Sergeant. You really put your body into it. Sorry to make you work hard on a holiday.”
“It is only my duty.”
The words were calm, but pain showed in the slight grimace that followed. The uniform had not been pierced, but the flesh underneath must have been badly chewed up. A broad bite might be fine, but that would not always be the case. The sergeant seemed to have decided that putting any padding underneath would make the demonstration less convincing to the soldiers.
Since today was Sunday, the company members had no special duties after the demonstration. Even the officers, who rarely had anything to do with rest, had looser schedules than on weekdays. The higher-ups clearly intended to guarantee them some time off. Gyeoul was the exception. As he had a vehicle put on standby, Captain Singh asked him a question.
“Is this a summons from division headquarters?”
“No. The priest asked to see me for a moment.”
“For what reason...?”
“Because of the soldiers who are mentally unstable. He said it would help if I was there. I should do it while I can. Once the operation starts, I will not have the chance.”
It was not that Gyeoul was particularly special. It was fairly common for well-known veterans to volunteer for PTSD care. Some had died doing it too. Chris Kyle. It had been part of the crash course, and it had also come up once in his conversation with Captain Langford.
“I understand, but do you not need rest as well, Company Commander?”
“I am fine.”
At that casual answer, Captain Singh put on a stern expression.
“No matter who asks, you always say you are fine.”
“Do I look like I am not fine?”
“No. I am simply impressed. Until now, I have never seen anyone as close to the name of God as you, Company Commander.”
“Close to the name of God? What does that mean?”
“It is complicated to explain in detail, but to put it simply, it means you are practicing God’s will.”
Gyeoul made an awkward smile.
“I appreciate you thinking well of me, but I have no intention of finding faith.”
“I apologize. I made you misunderstand. I was not trying to pass my faith on to you, Company Commander. I simply wanted to say that even by the standards of my faith, you are an admirable person.”
“The standards of your faith? I doubt I am acting in line with Sikh doctrine.”
“Of course not. Company Commander, you do not grow a beard, you cut your hair freely, you do not have the true teacher and the warrior’s sword, and you do not pray morning and night. But more important than carrying out the words is the heart. Company Commander, you are walking the path of the heart.”
“...”
The heart. Maybe he should listen a little longer. Gyeoul gestured for the company driver to wait a moment.
“Captain, what does the path of the heart mean?”
Captain Singh looked a little troubled.
“It seems I spoke carelessly. I truly did not intend to lead you into this sort of conversation. If it felt like religious persuasion, I apologize again.”
“I am asking because I am curious. I have been thinking about some things lately too.”
“Mmm.”
After thinking it over, the captain spoke carefully.
“There are words in the sacred scripture. 「With reason, even if one ponders millions of times, one cannot understand God.」 And, 「The Absolute dwells in the hearts of all.」... Lastly, 「The Absolute is hidden in the hearts of all, and the one who gains freedom is Gurmukh.」”
In other words, the explanation continued.
“It is the teaching that every person carries God’s will, God’s name, within their heart. In every person’s heart, there is truth and love. They have the ability to judge right from wrong. That is the name of God. For example, even when the vilest murderer commits the worst crime, somewhere in that person’s heart, they likely know what is right. They merely turn away from it because they are swept up by desire.”
Gyeoul thought he understood what the captain meant by saying he was close to God’s name.
“Scriptures, prayers, and strict rules are only paths toward casting off desire and reaching the true heart. This path follows in the footsteps of the great teachers, the Gurus, and it is a clean and righteous teaching, but it is never the only path. Practice without the heart is meaningless. I realized that keenly after the end began. I watched brothers and sisters I had believed truly faithful push others away to save themselves first. What meaning could their practice have had?”
“...”
“There is no desire stronger than the will to protect one’s own life. But Company Commander, you do not spare your own life for the sake of others. I cannot sense any trace of fear from you. This is precisely the form of one who has cast off desire, that lump of ego, and gained the true heart. One who has realized God’s name and practices God’s will. The form of Gurmukh.”
“That is more than I deserve.”
“Is it?”
Gyeoul said nothing more. It felt awkward. Death before paying off his policy loan would mean disposal, so in that sense, one could say he did not spare his life. Even so, it felt awkward.
After sending the captain off, he headed to the chapel. Gyeoul would have preferred to move alone, but regulations did not allow it. It was unfortunate for the soldiers who had to go with him, including the driver and the gunner.
“I am sorry for interrupting your rare break.”
At Gyeoul’s words, the driver joked.
“Do not worry about it, sir. You said we could refuse if we did not want to, but we insisted on coming.”
“Was that not basically coercion?”
“We are doing something good too. Nobody here thought of it as coercion.”
It was hard to tell whether the driver meant it sincerely or was saying it out of fondness for Gyeoul.
The building housing the soldiers who were no longer entirely sane had once served as both an inn and a restaurant. Transparent ivory afternoon light slanted through every window into the wide interior, where listless soldiers lay scattered here and there. The first conversation he heard was a rather strange dirty joke.
“I really like gays.”
“What? Wait, are you gay?”
“What the fuck are you talking about? I like women. Sure, I like sticking it in the ass, but that is when it is a woman. You think I am crazy enough to shove my dick into a man’s ass? I would rather cut it off.”
“Then why do you like gays?”
“If a man and a man sleep together, that leaves more women for the rest of us! It means fewer competitors!”
“This guy is an idiot. Hey, all the men are dead anyway, so there is no one to compete with, okay? You died too.”
“You son of a bitch. Even if I did die, did you really have to say that now? Fine, are you happy because you are alive? You cowardly bastard who survived alone.”
“Dumbass. I am fucking thrilled to be alive. And listen, homosexuality is absolutely not allowed. It is not right. How can you defend gays when the priest is here?”
“Idiot. They are going to be punished anyway if you just leave them alone.”
“Punished? What punishment?”
“Think about it. If a gay couple gets married, they become a gay married couple, right? You think a gay married couple will not have marital fights?”
“And?”
“What do you mean, and? That is a marital fight between a man and a man! How terrifying would that be?”
“Oh... That really is terrifying.”
“Right? So I am saying we do not need to oppose them or punish them separately. Let them fuck however they want and live however they were born!”
“You are a genius. Even if you are dead.”
“Hey.”
After exchanging a nod with the chaplain, Gyeoul approached the soldier who was carrying on both sides of a conversation by himself.
“Mitchell. Is the seat beside you empty?”
“Ah, Major. You came again. You can sit here. Major Han, you came! I really wanted to see you again before I left this place!”
The soldier gave a clumsy salute while rambling, then pointed to the seat on the left with confused hand motions. At the same time, the soldier glanced at the seat on the right.
“Actually, this side should be empty too, but to my eyes, Brian is sitting there. Mm, you can sit there if you want, but I think it would confuse me.”
“I understand. And either side is fine with me.”
“Thank you. How should I put this? Brian is a pretty big guy, so if you sat there, it would probably look like your face was buried in this bastard’s filthy chest hair. What, asshole? You calling my chest hair filthy? It is better than having none at all. What are you talking about? I only waxed because the woman I dated before said she liked it hairless. Haha! It was not just your chest, was it? Major! This bastard does not even have hair on his balls. You are better off keeping your distance!”
Gyeoul made a troubled smile. The soldiers nearby who were in relatively better shape shook their heads. Some sighed deeply and moved away.
“Oh, right. I have a gift for you, Major.”
“A gift? For me?”
“Yes, sir.”
Private Mitchell took a silver cross from inside his clothes and placed it on Gyeoul’s palm.
“This is...?”
“My mom sent it to me. She said it was made by melting down a cross from an old church. Something about how I would not die if I had this. I did not believe it at first, but seeing how Brian got killed and I survived made me wonder. Ah, this bastard is still at it. Brian, shut up for a second. Anyway, Major, when I really thought I was going to die, I held this and prayed, and leaflets poured down from the sky. They said the cavalry was coming. They told us not to give up.”
“...”
“You are going out on a new mission soon, right? I do not think I need it anymore, so I am giving it to you. So,”
The private suddenly burst into tears.
“Major Han Gyeoul! Please never, never, never, never die! I am begging you! Do not die! Do not die! Do not die!”
Gyeoul looked down at the cross in his palm the whole time the man cried. The silver caught the sunlight and shimmered like water.
========== Author’s Note ==========
#Ominous Day
Today is Tunguska’s birthday. Unfortunate incidents may occur, such as North and South Korea peacefully reunifying, all of you winning the lottery, or Tunguska, depleted of childlike innocence, dying. Please take care of your personal safety until midnight.
#KakaoTalk - Chair
Tunguska: The chair I have used for ten years is about to break, so I ordered a new one. A Xenics chair.
Licensed realtor friend: I do not really like Xenics chairs... They are not ergonomic.
Tunguska: Not sure. Hong Jinho advertised it, so even if it is not first-rate, it should at least be second-rate, right?
Comic artist friend: LOL. Second place is still something!
Licensed realtor friend: Then should you not buy two?
Tunguska: Two at this price is a bit...
#Q&A
Q. LifeSaver: @This reminds me of GTA lololololol. If you use the San Andreas outlaw mod, everyone carries bayonets, and old ladies walk around bravely with Allah’s magic wand over their shoulders, then if someone starts shit, the city turns into a wasteland lol.
A. The last GTA I played was 2... That comment makes me want to try it. Haha.
Q. Eeiko: @Stroller What is that a parody of? Lolololololololol. I was reading seriously and then laughed so hard.
A. It is not a parody. I thought it would be fun. There is a chance that couple may appear again later.
Q. LewdDemonF: @If there are 1.6 million war dead, then after the war, social and institutionalized discrimination or prejudice against Chinese people or people of Chinese descent will probably harden. To the point where even the Nazis’ hatred toward Jews would look mild by comparison.
A. The president is working hard to prevent that, but who knows...?
Q. Baekwoosasin: @Huh, what is this... I did not think of that... Ha... I should have saved up and dragged it out until Skarlochen, but I lost. Dropping 13 chapters and sinking, glug...
A. Thank you. I will add a little more and buy sweet-and-sour pork. 〉_o
Q. Hoch: @ Are infected soldiers also recovered after being killed and placed in coffins??
A. They are doing that where possible. Managing public opinion is such a huge task.
Q. Yuseul: @ Thank you for the good writing, author. I reread Ossuary from the start one more time, and there really do seem to be a lot of meanings and thoughts in the writing. Ah, and of course childlike innocence too lolol. I live for reading Ossuary.
A. A childlike innocence creature depleted of childlike innocence lives for reading comments. Thank you.
Q. qgegegqe: @A shotgun and automatic rifle in a stroller. What a realistic America. The Starlight Child has the image of a teenage girl.
A. I wrote the Control AI without a gendered image, but many people say it feels like a girl. Is this a good phenomenon...?
Q. Thirty-Six Stratagems: @Text files are being passed around.
A. Yes. They were updated to the latest chapter again. I do not even have the energy to file complaints one by one... My childlike innocence is disappearing...
I sometimes see people justifying it by asking how much damage text files could really cause. They do not seem to understand that the problem is how much it hurts beyond the money.
Q. arma: @I always enjoy reading, so I am sending 27 coupons. When I read this story, I look forward to it and imagine the ending. It feels like Gyeoul, a machine-like person who was hurt and closed his heart, will meet a machine AI that is curious about humans and wants to become like a person. The AI will be completed as a person through Gyeoul, learn the emotion called love from Gyeoul, and take Gyeoul into reality. What kind of person is the author, to write a novel that feels alive...? Are you already learned, or do you study this much to write novels...? It is fun.
A. How could a lowly creature like me write novels without studying? Haha. I am constantly anxious about when the limits of my knowledge will be exposed.
Footnotes:
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