WeTried Translations

Translator: Coughing Baby

Editor: Coughing Baby

Discord: https://dsc.gg/wetried

Chapter 289: Sacramento (4)

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“But, sir.”

Gyeoul understood the Major General’s intent. He could guess that the man’s career had been hard and jagged at the edges. But to Gyeoul, frozen in childhood, it was something he could not accept. So Gyeoul said,

“Even if saving everyone is impossible, I don’t think we should ever treat that as natural. If we stop looking at each person as an individual, eventually we stop seeing anyone at all. People become numbers.”

“I suppose so.”

“...”

“I hope your limit will become my ideal.”

What the general spoke of was a wish worn pale by time.

“Giving your heart to everyone, or giving your heart to no one. Neither is fit for a human being. The latter can at least be imitated somehow, but not the former... That must be why people seek God. A transcendent being who can care for every person in the world.”

Gyeoul remembered a conversation from some time ago. Back when he had still been staying at FOB Olema, Rogers had said this to his staff: they could not become gods, could they?

“But judging from the state of the world, the Lord does not seem to find us very lovable.”

The conversation ended with the Major General’s dry sigh.

A day later, after hearing the story, Captain Singh gave this assessment.

“In the end, the responsibility the Major General spoke of means abandoning compassion. One name for the god within us.”

Major General Rogers sought a god who was not human, while the Captain sought the god inside humans. That difference left a deep impression on Gyeoul. He had felt something beyond a simple doctrinal difference.

A trumpet call rang out.

In front of the California State Capitol, an old Stars and Stripes slowly came down from a flagpole that had been abandoned for a long time. Personnel dispatched from the public affairs office were filming the scene. The State Capitol building was so white that the years of neglect seemed unreal. Its classical colonnade and elegant dome were beautiful.

The intelligence officer watching grumbled.

“The real fighting starts now, and they’re taking commemorative photos first. Feels unlucky. Like Iwo Jima.”

It was true that it felt a little premature, so Gyeoul did not add anything.

Raising the new flag was the soldiers’ job. The public affairs officer had wanted Gyeoul at the center of the shot, but honestly, the staging was too cheap. No matter what, what would people think if someone who was a Major stood there raising a flag? He would look exactly like an attention seeker.

Thankfully, the public affairs officer accepted the argument easily.

Only the request to delay filming was rejected. The reason was that they needed footage while the Capitol building was still intact. If combat broke out later, there was no telling how badly damaged it would become.

“We can film it now and release it later.”

Gyeoul told them to do that. Everyone found them bothersome, but their role could not be ignored.

‘At least there’s no general here pestering us to bring him the flag.’

This was from the old Battle of Iwo Jima that the intelligence officer had mentioned earlier. The Marines had planted a flag on the island, and the Secretary of the Navy had told them to bring it to him so he could keep it as a souvenir.

At last, a new Stars and Stripes was raised over the Capitol roof. The flag spread in the hot wind. Windows that had been kept shut for filming opened, and soldiers waiting inside mounted various crew-served weapons, including machine guns and high-speed grenade launchers, on the window frames. If they projected firepower from the high dome in particular, they could cover every direction. Heavy weapons and the best shots had been concentrated there.

“By the way, isn’t it too quiet?”

Operations officer Lieutenant Foster glared at the bleak city streets.

“We crossed the river and came all the way here, but we haven’t seen an attack, let alone a single rat.”

Captain Singh stomped a foot at that.

“They must have been listening underground. And they probably ate all the rats.”

The part about eating them was not just a joke. There were no traces of even common cats, dogs, or coyotes. Every trace shown by 「Tracking」 was old. If Gyeoul could not find them, then they really were not there. The fact that there were no more animals to eat was an unfavorable condition for the mutants.

There was not even a crazed cockroach to be seen.

‘If their goal is simply to keep our forces tied down here, this alone would be enough...’

But that was probably too optimistic. From the mutants’ point of view, one all-out surge before their strength ran out would be best. Bluntly put, if they were going to die anyway, dying while fighting was better. It was hard to guess what form that fight would take, though.

Foster frowned.

“The pest control people who come in later will love this.”

Judging from Foster’s expression, the Lieutenant seemed to be imagining mutants tearing into rats.

Gyeoul gave Foster an order.

“Lieutenant. Draft a CBRN response training plan whenever you have time.”

“I’ll report it to you before the day is over.”

Just because the mutants were not attacking right away did not mean the soldiers could be left to rest forever. He felt bad for the personnel not assigned to guard duty, but he planned to spring surprise training scenarios on them.

「There is a possibility that mutants adapted to harmful gases in underground environments exist.」

This was the opinion issued by the Department of Defense’s Quarantine Strategy Institute. Toxic gases such as hydrogen sulfide and methane tended to collect in dirty, rotting sewers. If mutant individuals adapted to that kind of environment appeared, they would become a threat comparable to the mustard gas producing mutant Joanna had once mentioned.

Gyeoul did not think the possibility was high, though.

Basically, what was harmful to humans was harmful to mutants as well. In other words, avoiding it was normal. Unless biochemical weapons were used aggressively and adaptation became unavoidable, the chances of something like that appearing in a short time had to be low. There were also utility tunnels, which were a safer route.

Still, being careful could not hurt.

“The Heavy Infantry platoon?”

Captain Singh answered Gyeoul’s question.

“They should be checking their equipment in the basement of the Capitol. Would you like to see them yourself?”

“I’ll take a lap around the garrison area first. I need to see the surrounding terrain. Captain, take charge here for a moment. I’ll be back soon.”

“Understood.”

Even with 「Map Navigation」 and 「Memorization」 having reached the realm of genius, they still could not quite match seeing the place once in person. Gyeoul climbed into a Humvee and gave the driver directions. The soldier drove with visible tension, keeping a wary distance from the buildings sliding past the windows. It was because of the special mutant Hunter, which they had yet to face directly.

The green area around the Capitol also served as the city park. It was not just a walking path, but a historic space filled with memorials. This was also why the public affairs officer had hurried with filming. Gyeoul had ordered every tree that could interfere with shooting to be blown up. Even the small grove created to commemorate the Civil War was no exception.

‘This role might have been a little burdensome for someone else...’

If cheap media later started nitpicking, asking if they had really needed to go that far when they were winning, Gyeoul’s reputation would serve as a shield then.

Gaaaang.

He heard the high running whine unique to a gas turbine engine. It was thin from far away, then swelled sharply as it came closer. When he looked, the fourth vehicle of the tank platoon placed under Gyeoul’s command was trampling the rose garden. Two Humvees watched the downtown area opposite the garden. This, too, was an order Gyeoul had given. For safety, even bushes one meter high could not be tolerated.

“Stop the car for a moment.”

“Yes, sir.”

The Humvee slowed. Gyeoul stepped down into the crushed flower bed. He gestured to the soldiers on watch not to mind him, then looked closely at the petals scattered across the ground.

The garden was out of season anyway.

Even so, one flower that had remained in bloom until it was trampled caught his eye. Somehow it had avoided the treads, so its shape was almost intact. When he quietly picked it up, the tip was black and dead, and only the inner petals were red.

To Gyeoul, who remembered his sister like a flower, it felt symbolic.

After he got back in, the driver cautiously asked the Company Commander.

“Uh, you must like flowers?”

“I’m not sure if I should say I like them, or that I miss them.”

The answer came as he pressed down on a thorn and broke it off. Whatever that looked like to the driver, the soldier closed their mouth with a stern expression. Even then, the soldier’s eyes kept flicking sideways. It seemed their emotions were leaking.

After making a loop, they returned to the road that faced the Capitol from the front. Gyeoul found a Noise Maker for the first time in a while. It was a device that had disrupted mutants with powerful noise in the early days of the quarantine war. It had a solar charging function, but it did not seem to be operating now. It was useless by this point anyway.

Now it lay shoved beside the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, rusting away in wind and rain. It almost looked like another memorial. A structure symbolizing the changed phase of the quarantine war.

‘In a sense, maybe it really is a memorial...’

He had made it this far by luck. If the current trend continued for just a few more months, he might be able to pay off the secured loan completely in the near future.

After returning to the Capitol, Gyeoul took his staff straight down into the basement.

“You’re here.”

The one greeting him with a salute was Jin-seok, wearing improved armored clothing.

“I guess we should call it a power suit now, not armored clothing. How does it feel to wear?”

When Gyeoul asked, Jin-seok’s expression softened slightly.

“It’s excellent. Completely different from before. The short operating time is a drawback, but it shouldn’t be a major problem in a defensive battle.”

Power and artificial muscles had been added to the new armored suit. It detected the wearer’s nerve signals tens of thousands of times per second and synchronized with their movements without delay. In the era Gyeoul had been born into, it was already an old paradigm, but in the world of 「Days after Apocalypse」, it was advanced technology the U.S. military had been researching as a next-generation weapon.

The battery shortage problem had not been solved, though. That was why thick power cables were connected to the backs of Jin-seok and the other soldiers selected for the Heavy Infantry platoon.

One more unusual thing was that a detector to determine infection status had been installed. If the wearer turned into a monster, every joint would lock.

‘It would be a problem if a monster in a power suit rampaged, even for a short time.’

That would be a threat greater than a ghoul and below Grumble.

The soldiers tested movements no different from what they could do bare-handed, kicking or doing push-ups while holding heavy weapons. Watching them, Gyeoul asked again.

“When the cable is cut, can you move as much as the catalog says?”

“That’s...”

Jin-seok looked a little troubled.

“To fill the full hour, they have to turn off the cooling equipment. The guys will die from the heat.”

“Indoors?”

“If it’s here, somehow...”

“Then that’s enough.”

Gyeoul nodded. For now, it passed. The Capitol building fortified by the Rangers had separate air conditioning. That was thanks to the solar power generation system spread all over the roof. Aside from that, emergency generators burning gasoline had also been connected.

They would not need to go far while provoking the mutants.

“Um, Company Commander.”

Jin-seok hesitated strangely. Gyeoul tilted his gaze.

“If you have something to say, say it.”

“It’s not anything important, but... have you perhaps heard any news about Ensign Lee Yura...?”

“Are you worried?”

He asked it half as a joke, but what came back was a dead-serious face.

“Absolutely not.”

“...”

“I hope you don’t misunderstand. I acknowledge her ability as a platoon leader, but personally, I absolutely do not want to become close with her. I was only concerned about the atmosphere in 1st Platoon.”

That reaction was too intense for that.

Gyeoul told Jin-seok what he knew.

“I heard she received good treatment on a top-grade hospital ship, and now she’s recuperating aboard the Carl Vinson. No major problems. They said she should be able to return soon.”

“Is that so... But the Carl Vinson? Isn’t that an aircraft carrier?”

“That’s right.”

It was Admiral Kitchener’s flagship, and also the command center of the Pacific coast blockade.

Jin-seok seemed confused by the casual confirmation.

“...Why did someone with a head injury go there?”

“You must not have known, but aircraft carriers are also Grade 3 hospital ships. Apparently the hospital ship where she first received treatment didn’t have enough room, so she was transferred there.”

Lee Yura herself seemed to feel more like she was sightseeing than recuperating. She often missed calls, so she sent texts instead, mostly saying she was sorry for being the only one having fun. She was doing well because everyone was kind. Her fame as the tiger warrior, along with her pure friendliness, must have been a great help.

Since the topic had come up, Gyeoul operated his Net Warrior terminal and opened the photo folder. There were many photos Yura had taken with the crew while touring various parts of the aircraft carrier. In typical Yura fashion, she had sent them to brag a little and tell him not to worry because she was doing this well.

He showed one of them to Jin-seok. In the photo, Yura stood on the deck where fighter-bombers were launching, her untied hair flying loose as she smiled with real brightness.

Jin-seok nodded.

“She looks unpleasantly fine. She doesn’t seem worried about her subordinates at all. I have no idea what she’s doing instead of returning.”

“...”

Jin-seok really did not want to be misunderstood.

========== Author’s Note ==========

#Chapter 101

The part where Gyeoul told Go Ah-young not to come see him anymore was mentioned in Chapter 101. I remember not being able to answer properly when I was asked about it before. Please refer to that.

#Physical Book Volume 3

The release of Volume 3 seems likely to be delayed a little because of some editorial issues. It will probably be around November or December. I apologize to those who were waiting while expecting it in October.

#Q&A

Q. UnlimitedOne: @Oh my god, is it a concrete jungle now... / Politics really is exhausting. If even the things he can do are blocked by political matters, his heart will wear down a little faster. Of course, this Gyeoul is a kind Gyeoul, but...

A. Don’t worry. This novel ends with a happy ending. Things like politics are... ahem.

Q. PersonOfBlackLight: @You said before that WhiteBean turned dark and became BlackBean, but when they darkened, they turned into a visual novel! Amazing! By the way, offering up a new work by author Lee Yeongdo... that is the ultimate offering.

A. That’s right. WhiteBean, who went dark, became BlackBean, with black bean soy milk flowing through their veins. And the maritime horror thriller The Wind and Star Cluster is one of Afterlife Insurance’s popular titles. This is official setting. Official setting. I said it twice because it’s important.

If you offer author Lee Yeongdo’s new work as a sacrifice, I will post consecutive chapters.

Q. Panhandler: @This is a question I had because of the wondrous mutation ability caused by the causative agent behind the mutants. Is there any chance in the story that the mutant causative agent could understand the advantage latent infection has in combat against humans, then spread infection among survivors through latent infection? Of course, I understand that if you take even that into account, the survival difficulty becomes hell, but I just suddenly got curious.

A. That setting existed early on and was discarded. The setting was that there was no separate incubation period. Instead, a certain hormone was secreted by infected people, and when the concentration of this hormone exceeded a certain level, symptoms would appear all at once. In other words, once it broke out, it would always be a large-scale group outbreak...

But it was too vicious, so I did not include it. Because the core of this novel is dreams and hope.

Q. spadeace: @The mutants seem to be steadily developing on an individual level, but is it possible in the setting for Morgellons itself to strengthen instead? Since it is a complex, change would be harder than in ordinary diseases, but if a mutant specialized for infection really appeared and spread infection through a water source or something, that would be pretty terrifying.

A. As you said, because it is a complication of several pathogens, it is fairly difficult for it to mutate. So whether it mutates or not is... a question about whether a certain material will be used, so it is difficult to answer.

Q. Calpis: @What about an ending where Gyeoul becomes a mutant and survives against humanity? Humanity’s encirclement closing in moment by moment. The bloody struggle of a mutant body to stop it and survive! But mighty humanity defeats every new species and special species, driving the mutants into crisis... What will the mutants’ fate be? Can Gyeoul overcome this threat?! How does that sound? But now that I have written it, this is totally a survival story.

A. With my poor skill, I think it would be hard to write something fun with that material...

Q. qgegegqe: @If it is pure childlike innocence, is it not natural to think of an unfortunate princess and a prince on a white horse?

A. No way. It is natural to think of an unfortunate AI and a Spartan.

Q. Bug: @D, aerosolization... Author, you really like that, huh... Happy endings and such through the power of childlike innocence...

A. Why do you think I would like that... Absolutely not. Please believe me. I do not enjoy the misfortunes of the characters in the story.

Q. AntiChrist: @Author, I offer manuscript fee coupons as sacrifice for your daily bread, so please eat and give us more chapters!!!

A. Please give me author Lee Yeongdo’s new work...

Q. Mordred: @O great old one. How about herbal medicine or ginseng? Please take care of your health.

A. I have been taking different kinds of vitamins, and I think they are working pretty well. Besides that, I also take Ursa. But it turns out fatigue is not always because of the liver. Haha.

Thank you for worrying about me.

Q. Iribless: @The reason we are obsessed with romance is because we are single sob sob.

A. By that logic, I’m single too...

Q. DRS: @I finished reading Seal Breaker. All hail Skarlochen! That was a joke, but I believe this one too will someday escape the long swamp of hiatus.

A. I should be able to serialize it once I no longer have to worry about making a living. Sob sob.

Q. PleasePickUpSoap: @When you described the Major General as a ruin of old emotions, was that the empty feeling felt from the beliefs and values the Major General spoke of?

A. Hmm... As I have answered a few times before, interpretation of these parts belongs to the reader. For the author to explain the psychology of characters in the work is a little... hehe...

Q. John_Doe: @But for Gyeoul, that capable, very pretty, ready-to-obey partner who somehow gives off pheromones was the good one!! (Omitted)

A. It was not a long comment, but I treated the rest as omitted because it contained somewhat inappropriate expressions. You should not use expressions like that. :(

It seems you feel Major Ju Wei is a great waste to let go. But I think you will be satisfied enough when you see the ending.

Of course, that does not mean he ends up with Ju Wei. (...)

Q. GreenTurtle: @An evil scientist researching how to drive humanity extinct... (proud) By the way, so far we have not seen infantry anti-tank weapons like the M136, M3/M3A1 MAAWS, or FGM-148 used against Grumble. Since the battlefield environment is urban combat, will we be able to see them? Will this stage, Sacramento, become Fallujah for the U.S. military, or Grozny...? (Omitted)

A. No, why are you proud of that...? You are a reader who does not suit this novel.

I think this episode will be somewhat far from a typical urban combat pattern.

I decide specific weapon descriptions carefully because it feels like they alienate people who do not know them. I will have to write it to know whether they appear or not.

Footnotes:

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