WeTried Translations
Translator: Coughing Baby
Editor: Coughing Baby
Discord: https://dsc.gg/wetried
Chapter 279: Boar Hunt (7)
──────
The dry waiting tone of a secure line came through. The signal went on for quite a while. She had said she was so busy lately she barely had time to breathe, but had she stepped away because it was the weekend? Just as Gyeoul began to wonder if he should hang up, the call connected in a rush.
[Gyeoul?!]
At the urgent call, a bitter smile came to Gyeoul’s lips before he could stop it.
“Yes, this is Han Gyeoul. You sound like you’re about to pass out, Anne. Why did you answer so frantically?”
[Ah...]
A sigh escaped her, choked with relief and joy.
[I’m sorry. For answering late. I was in a meeting and had stepped away for a moment.]
“I wasn’t looking for an apology... Anyway, if the Bureau is holding meetings even on weekends, I guess the FBI still has no time to breathe. You did say you were busy. Am I interrupting?”
[Interrupting me... not at all. More importantly, why did you call?]
“I texted you the secure line number. I had to call once to make sure it was right.”
If he called and got no response, it would eat him alive.
[Mm.]
She made a deliberately displeased sound and scolded him.
[Major, at times like this, you’re supposed to say you called because you wanted to hear my voice, even if it’s just a polite lie.]
“You’re right. Actually, I called partly to hear your voice too. Really.”
[...Hah.]
They traded a bit of silly banter. Afterward, Joanna asked in a serious voice.
[There really isn’t another reason?]
“No particular reason. I just thought I should hear how you’re doing and tell you how I’m doing.”
[News from this side... I’d like to give you good news, but there isn’t much.]
“Of course there is. These days, just knowing we’re both safe is good news, isn’t it?”
[That’s true.]
Joanna, whose mood had dipped a little, laughed softly again.
[I’m safe. Are you safe too, Gyeoul?]
“What do you think?”
[I don’t know. You’re someone who takes risks all the time. Two days ago, you overdid it rescuing the pilot of a crashed attack aircraft, didn’t you? I heard you broke through a dangerous area full of mutants with only noncombat personnel. And after securing the pilot, you fought a defensive battle until friendly forces arrived?]
She was speaking almost teasingly, as if talking about someone else.
“That’s a huge exaggeration. Engineering corps aren’t noncombat personnel. It wasn’t even that hard a fight. But where on earth did you hear that from...? Wait, was it already broadcast?”
As a promoted Director, Joanna had the authority to view many military secrets. Even so, Gyeoul assumed she had heard it through a broadcast because of the nature of the incident and her busy schedule. She was busy enough to be in meetings on the weekend. The Bureau’s workload had naturally exploded lately.
So it was more likely she had heard about it in passing than looked it up on the intranet.
As expected, the Director confirmed it.
[Yes. It was literally good news.]
But something still felt off.
“What I meant was, it’s strange there wasn’t a news blackout on an incident involving Yang Yongbin Shangjiang.”
[There is that. Unlike other cases, it only went public this morning, two days later, so the public affairs office must have had a lot to consider. That was probably why pilot Captain Pelletier’s interview was packed with statements that Captain Pelletier was safe and grateful to Major Han Gyeoul. It would have been hard to hide, too.]
“Mmm...”
[I know what you’re worried about. But the reaction has been positive. Thankfully.]
“Things have been hard for you lately because of that, haven’t they?”
[...Yes.]
That brief answer, delayed by a pause, held more sincerity than any long explanation. After a moment of silence, she added,
[No matter how hard it is for me, though, it wouldn’t compare to what you’re going through.]
“I’m not sure. Lately, the battles have been going too smoothly... Even now, we’re doing unit maintenance, so it’s basically rest.”
[This side has put out the urgent fires too. There are still embers everywhere, and no one knows when they’ll flare up again, but precarious as it is, things are calm for now. The last bloody clash between military and police forces and civilians was ten days ago. If the war situation keeps improving and no new disasters occur, I believe we can maintain the status quo somehow.]
The best hope the Director could offer was maintaining the status quo.
‘This reminds me of a book I read before...’
The book Gyeoul recalled was 「On the Beach」. The first chapter of that novel about the end of the world quoted a poem by T.S. Elliot. Its ending went like this.
『This is the way the world ends. This is the way the world ends. This is the way the world ends.』
『Not with a bang but a whimper.』
Watching public opinion steeped in hatred while waiting for the presidential election felt much the same. Four months remained. It was a lull, but the hatred would not have disappeared. Whether the completion of the mainland reclamation would become the turning point they hoped for was still unknown.
If he looked only at the mood of society, the novel was better. Even as the end approached, the people in the novel learned shorthand, made love, drove the cars they had only dreamed of and raced without caring for their lives, went about their work, and gathered at country clubs to enjoy treasured wines. It was so peaceful one could almost call it romantic.
The other side of the phone was quiet. Sensing that anxiousness, Gyeoul steered the conversation back to the earlier topic.
“You said you were safe, but I’ll ask one more time. Anne, are you definitely safe right now?”
[Of course. We’ve rooted out almost all of the True Patriots. There may still be people who haven’t been caught, but the organization itself has collapsed, so there isn’t much they can do. They’ll keep quiet for their own safety too. Even if something happened to me now, the investigation wouldn’t stop.]
“If that’s true, I’m glad...”
[Thank you for worrying about me. You be careful too, Gyeoul. Your death would be the worst possible bad news.]
“Yes. I’ll be careful.”
[And avoid dangerous actions like the day before yesterday as much as possible. No.]
The Director corrected herself.
[If you were someone who would spare yourself because of that, I would already have died in that sea. That was a foolish thing to say. Still, I can’t help hoping you’ll take care of yourself...]
A weak laugh clung to her voice. Her mood felt softer than before.
[I think I just heard an explosion. Are you all right?]
“The city area under search is right next to us, that’s all. It’s close in terms of distance, but there are three layers of defensive positions between here and there, so even if something happens, we should be fine. Most importantly, I’m armed right now. I’m Han Gyeoul with weapons and ammunition.”
[That is reassuring.]
Another small laugh came through the receiver.
“They say our task force will be deployed soon too, but I don’t know if our turn will come. The city area is small. We’re treating this as a preliminary battle for the Sacramento reclamation.”
Davis, where the occupation zone was currently expanding, was one of the satellite cities in the Sacramento metropolitan area. Sacramento International Airport, built some distance from the city center, had also already been taken by the Rangers, and restoration work was underway so it could be used as an air base.
[Sacramento... the radiation contamination there...]
Gyeoul eased Joanna’s worry.
“They said the chemical corps finished the advance survey. At the briefing, they said it was safe enough to enter without protective gear. I doubt they were lying.”
Though a small tactical nuke had gone off there, the radiation left by a nuclear explosion dropped to about one-tenth for every sevenfold increase in time after the first seven hours. In Sacramento’s case, more than a year had passed, so it should have fallen to one ten-thousandth or less.
The conversation, which had kept drifting back to business, lost direction.
[Somehow, we keep talking only about work and the state of the world.]
“That’s all we’ve ever really had. Except when we were trapped on the Pequod.”
[...]
“And this is a world where it’s only natural to worry about each other.”
[That is true.]
“We’ll be able to meet in D.C. soon.”
Unless a disaster-level abnormality occurred, that prediction was unlikely to be wrong.
The small talk did not last long. The Director had said it was not an interruption, but she had been in a meeting right before this. There was no way she had endless time.
Reading her growing anxiousness and conflict, Gyeoul promised a next time.
“I have a task force meeting this evening, so I should get going. I need to finish some paperwork before then. Damage assessments, approval for supply requests, personnel approvals, counseling record reports, condolence letters... Seriously, an officer’s day off isn’t a day off.”
[Anyone in charge has trouble resting, wherever they are.]
The Director let out a short sigh and said goodbye.
[I was happy to hear your voice after so long. Let’s talk again next time.]
“Yes. Next time.”
But the connection only cut off after three more silent breaths. Gyeoul, who had been waiting, put away the Net Warrior terminal and stood. If he walked as if taking a stroll, he would still make it on time. He did have paperwork, but it was not as urgent as he had told the Director.
Until last year, this park had been a well-maintained woodland path and flower walk, so even now, it was a good place to walk calmly while staying out of the sun. Under the fierce direct sunlight, the shadows cast by the trees made a sharp contrast of light and dark. Whenever the wind blew, the swaying purple catmint carried a strong sense of the season. Even in a world like this, birds sang, and wind moved over the jade-colored pond.
Only the flowers that had failed to survive this summer, and the blooming seasons that had not yet come or had already passed, felt regrettable. Coral aloe bloomed at the end of the year, and lavender had dropped its buds a week ago. Mexico tulips had withered even earlier.
Surely there had been scenery like this somewhere in the outside world too. Not only the beauty of people, but the beauty of things that were not people could not all have become part of the past. If the audience of another world had lived alongside scenery like this, would they not have become a little more generous? In that outside world where he had lived, why had the places people made for themselves been so gray...?
Oh.
Realizing where his thoughts had gone, Gyeoul gave a light inward laugh. Always being conscious of someone’s gaze was exhausting in itself. That was why he welcomed the starry void where he could be alone, and even outside the void, he often looked for chances to let his mind loosen. He had thought this was a good chance, but somehow, it was not working.
The embedded press hesitated when they spotted Gyeoul. It was an awkward encounter.
He could not let it look as if he were avoiding them. Besides, they were familiar faces. Pushing aside his regret over the interrupted rest, Gyeoul walked straight toward them. He returned the salutes of the accompanying officer and military police.
“Martino. Kaa. Klein. Fancy seeing you here.”
When he greeted them by name and gave them a nod, the sweat-soaked staff could not hide their delight. They seemed surprised that he remembered them after only one introduction.
“Oh dear. Did we interrupt your rest?”
“I was on my way back to the barracks anyway.”
“Good timing, then. We were planning to visit you after finishing the afternoon schedule, Major.”
“Me? Why?”
“Well, there’s a unit bonding event tonight, isn’t there? We were hoping to ask permission to film it...”
“My permission? Isn’t that under the public affairs office?”
The second question was directed at the public affairs officer accompanying the embedded press. The public affairs officer, a Captain, lifted his chin slightly and answered at attention.
“This time, it is a limited authorization. We were instructed to proceed only with consent, sir.”
“Hmm.”
This time, he asked the reporter again.
“Is filming something like this necessary too?”
“Need is sometimes something you create. The goal is to show that despite the continuing terrorism, the front still has this much room to breathe.”
It was a reasonable answer. After a short moment of thought, Gyeoul nodded.
“Then I’ll limit it too. I’ll follow the unit members’ opinions.”
The reporter looked pleased.
“That settles it.”
“Yes?”
“We already got their understanding. We met them at the stadium where the morale performance is being held. We were a little flustered when they said you were elsewhere, Major, but this solves it.”
Martino winked.
“Thank you, as always, for your hard work. We’ll see you tonight.”
Gyeoul glanced over them and headed for the barracks.
Later, after evening had passed and the task force members had finished their meal, they gathered in the bar. It had originally been the university cafeteria, and even with the entire unit inside, there was plenty of space left over.
One unusual detail was the low stage set up in the open area. The corner near it was occupied by people who looked civilian no matter how one looked at them. About a third wore flashy, distinctive, or sparkling outfits. The rest seemed to be their managers or employees. Military police had blocked off the area around them.
“Wow!”
A man with heavy makeup, purple lipstick, and a striking nose piercing spotted Gyeoul and let out a husky scream.
“Oh my gosh, oh my gosh! What do I do! He’s real! It’s really Major Han Gyeoul!”
He finally burst into tears. The other famous people showed shock and joy in their own ways, and sometimes a dazed rapture. How much of it was sincere, and how much was acting? Either way, a fair amount of it seemed conscious of the embedded press cameras.
“Sir. You can’t do this. Please follow the control measures.”
The military police blocked the path of the man in lipstick. They were probably personnel originally deployed to protect the stars, but in this situation, it made more sense for them to protect Gyeoul.
But the man, who made Gyeoul wonder what people even liked about him, acted almost deranged.
“Let go! I said let go! Why do you think I came here? Why do you think I accepted the extra schedule? Excuse me! Major! My hero! Please give me just a moment! Please!”
Every gesture and tone was androgynous, dramatic, and overflowing with emotion. Was it a kind of occupational disease? Gyeoul asked the military police for permission and stepped inside the control line.
‘Mm?’
Only after getting closer did one person stand out. Though she was a member of the morale performance troupe, she sat quietly at a physical and atmospheric distance from the others. Gyeoul knew her.
‘Major Ju Wei?’
Like a shadow, she had her strange gaze fixed on Gyeoul.
========== Author’s Note ==========
#Today’s Recommended Song - Build Our Machine (Bendy and the Ink Machine OST)
#Baby
I’m writing this because, after seeing the request to name the baby, some people asked, didn’t that baby die? No. They are different babies. There has never been any statement that Song Ye-kyung’s child died.
#Q&A
Q. LewdDemonF: @Oh yes~ Author, happy holiday.
A. Have a happy Chuseok. :)
Q. Kyogre: @What did Naver say they’re doing with serialization during Chuseok? I feel like you’ll be forced into a break for a few days. Your novel is like the North Star helping us find childlike innocence, so I don’t think a day off will feel like a day off, which is why I’m asking.
A. I’ll answer with today’s chapter. Rest easy.
Q. Eloar l Lu l Krantz: @While author has gone to the Eye of Terror for vacation, in the Old World, the evil pointy-ears are stirring along with the twin-tailed comet!! Defeat the elves with the dinosaur-cannon dinosaurs!! Warhammer Total War 2!!
A. I don’t have much interest in the Old World side... haha. Separately, I’m interested in the game itself, but the price feels burdensome, and the specs are a bit high too.
Q. NeoGGM: @Ancient Old One, rest assured! Skarlochen is safe! The Ancient Old One may rest assured, spend a happy Chuseok, and write Skarlochen!
A. How would that be a happy Chuseok? I’m not writing it. I won’t write it. I said I won’t write it, didn’t I?
Q. MotherLani: @This may be an unrelated question, but how many special mutants has Gyeoul seen so far? Not including this episode, but counting everything up to the previous episode, I mean ones where each individual had distinct traits.
A. It’s hard for me to say exactly how many types there are. I haven’t made settings I won’t actually use... and the setting is also that many of them were discontinued because they had low practicality. Try thinking of the one that had eyes on its back and hands and got motion sick.
Q. Bug: @If historical accuracy is something starlight does, then historical accuracy = foreshadowing.
A. I don’t think it goes as far as foreshadowing... haha. It’s more like an understanding of the worldbuilding, I think.
Q. PleasePickUpSoap: @(Omitted) This is a question about Virtual Reality. If you force it under the name of Empathy, doesn’t the fact that the virtual personality value called TOM Reading is high mean that immersion in the virtual world is that much higher? Then in Gyeoul’s case, can we say his mind dies more and more as the number of game sessions increases? Then will he become not the Little Prince in the Ossuary, but the King in the Ossuary, the Denture-Clacking Old Man in the Ossuary?
A. It’s hard for me to understand the question... I’m sorry, but could you organize it a little more clearly? However, if the question is asking the author to explain the psychological state of a character in the work, please understand in advance that I won’t be able to answer even if you ask.
Q. Lizad: @Skarlochen? Why aren’t you considering the possibility that Louise becomes a demigod?
A. The possibility that I kill Crochen is... no, I’m joking.
Q. qgegegqe: @Speaking of refugee camps, I wonder what happened to that cult with the girl who had super strength? It’s been so long that I think a lot of people forgot.
A. Now I need to retrieve each piece of foreshadowing one by one. If I want to finish within 100 chapters, that is.
Q. I’llWriteHard: @A while ago, after reading your writing, I tried writing a short story with a similar theme. But my writing skill was lacking, so it was hard to write as beautifully and elegantly as you do. Well, even if it was similar, it was 70 percent mixed with StarCraft. You gave me inspiration full of childlike innocence. Thank you. Have a good Chuseok and keep writing! P.S. It’s not much, but I’m enclosing 7 manuscript fee coupons too.
A. Wasn’t it fun when you wrote what you wanted to write? Have a good Chuseok. Thank you for the coupons.
Q. Qvex: @By first president, do you mean Seungman hyung? His sincerity is kind of... lol because of 3 15.
A. I do make a lot of idle jokes here and there, but it’s true that I trust my readers. :)
Footnotes:
Join our discord at https://dsc.gg/wetried
