WeTried Translations
Translator: Coughing Baby
Editor: Coughing Baby
Discord: https://dsc.gg/wetried
Chapter 320: Return (3)
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Since the welcome ceremony began with an evening banquet, there had been plenty of time to send word around. Jang Yeon-cheol, who had gone to the civilian zone to find the teacher, brought many other people back with him as well. His reason was simple.
“If only the people from our alliance were attending, that would be one thing. But if we invited Ms. Flemons and left out the other people connected to the Little Captain, I thought they’d be very disappointed.”
Gyeoul gave an awkward smile.
“You’re right. I hadn’t thought that far. Thank you.”
“Ah, no need to thank me.”
Jang Yeon-cheol waved his hands, embarrassed. In ways like this, he had not changed.
Around sunset, the Company members who had finished organizing the garrison waited for the banquet in Army Dress Blue. They gathered in twos and threes, pretending to chat at ease, while frequently adjusting their uniforms under the eyes of others. They were proud of themselves.
The tables had been set outside. The nominal guests of honor alone made up an entire Company, so there was no building large enough to hold everyone. Multicolored lights strung along the street created a festive mood, and the shopping district offered to provide all food for free that day. Their businesses could not have been open for more than half a year at most, and none of them could have been especially well-off.
The public school teacher arrived with the principal.
“Thank you for inviting us. And my sincere congratulations on your safe return, Mr. Han.”
“It’s been a while, Mr. Hamill. I’m glad you look well.”
Gyeoul shook hands with the principal, whose broad figure remained unchanged. Principal Stuart Hamill said he had also begun running a school in the civilian zone. He was a stubborn educator in the best sense, and the pained look on his face as he clasped Gyeoul’s hand was just as Gyeoul remembered it.
“Oh, Lieutenant Colonel.”
An emotional Flemons lightly hugged Gyeoul as she spoke.
“You truly are an amazing person. You were from the moment we first met.”
“You’re giving me too much credit.”
“I’m always grateful for your dedication.”
After the hug ended, Gyeoul asked her, “Do you know I have something particular to ask of you?”
“Of course. I heard from Mr. Jang and already met them. We’re going to talk again over there. I only came over for a moment to greet you.”
At the table in the direction the teacher pointed, four Company members who had been adoptees were gathered together. Though they had been born in different countries, they were in the same position, so even in ordinary times they tended to lean heavily on one another.
The teacher drew back her hand and spoke in a slightly tearful voice.
“They said they grew up in America, but only now had they been recognized as Americans, and only now had they finally found a place where they were allowed to be. I really was right to ask you to look after them.”
“I see...”
Because those were the feelings of people who had been accepted nowhere, the phrase a place where they were allowed to be carried a shadow. It was not something they had actively chosen for themselves.
They also had something in common with the children born out there, in that they had been brought in solely for the purpose of receiving child-rearing subsidies. From Gyeoul’s position, dreaming of beauty amid ruins, the latter felt even more depressing.
“Sir.”
This time, the one calling him was a sheriff assigned to the refugee zone. Hamill and Flemons noticed that people were waiting now, so they said their goodbyes and stepped aside.
“Kathleen.”
The sheriff’s face brightened when he called her name. She looked pleased that Gyeoul had not forgotten her. The officers who came with her seemed to be hoping, just in case. Gyeoul had only seen them in passing, but he remembered their names and ranks. Even the idle conversations they had shared to pass the time.
“Dawson, Adair. It’s good to see all of you. Congratulations on your promotions.”
Adair, the higher-ranking of the two, accepted the greeting.
“Congratulations to you too, Lieutenant Colonel Han. It has been a long time.”
“It really has. How’s the refugee zone these days? Has any doughnut shop worth recommending opened?”
The officer burst into laughter.
“Well, now... more or less. This side in particular has shops that are getting better by the day.”
“By this side, do you mean the Korean enclave?”
“Yes. At first, it was just the sort of place you ate at because there wasn’t anything better, but these days, they’ve apparently been getting help from something called the Texas Donut Association or whatever... After that, things improved fast, and everyone’s satisfied. Enough that it’s almost a shame we’ll be leaving soon.”
“The Texas Donut Association?”
“Apparently, such a thing exists.”
The name was unusual, but so was the fact that it was not sponsorship from a specific company.
“More importantly, you’re leaving soon?”
At Gyeoul’s question, Adair answered yes.
“When I say soon, there’s still probably a month or two left, but anyway, now that the mainland recapture is finished... once the contaminated zone reconstruction project begins, we’ll have to return to our original jurisdictions. I’m sick and tired of dealing with Chinese bastards who won’t listen.”
Dawson agreed with visible disgust.
“I wish they’d quarantine those things on some island and tell them to live among themselves.”
“...”
“You’ll be the one stuck with the trouble from now on, Lieutenant Colonel Han. Since you’ll be responsible for the base now.”
At that, the sheriff looked slightly troubled. It was the face of someone who knew in their head that this was wrong, while their heart said otherwise. Perhaps it was unavoidable for someone working in public safety, but more than that, it must have been the seeds of hatred sown by Shangjiang Yang Yongbin.
‘Come to think of it, they said the police stopped the Chinese refugees at the line earlier today too, claiming there was an assassination threat.’
Gyeoul guessed that the public safety administration so far had been quite biased. Even before the epidemic, excessive crackdowns against Black people or people of color had often become an issue, so how much worse would it have been in the refugee zone after nuclear terrorism? Even Brigadier General Laughlin, the base commander, did not hide his dislike.
“It’s obviously something I have to do, so there’s nothing to be bothered about.”
For now, Gyeoul answered gently.
“I hope the two of you enjoy yourselves today. There should be plenty of good food besides doughnuts.”
“We came with high expectations. Oh, right. Please take this. It’s a commemorative gift.”
Adair held out a Sacramento Police insignia. Since they differed by region and department, they had value as collectibles. Gyeoul paused briefly before accepting it.
“Oh. I don’t have anything to give you in return.”
“No need. This moment today is enough. If it really bothers you, please give us a unit mark before we leave. It would be even better if you signed the back.”
“Hmm... Only if you promise not to give it to anyone else.”
“No, it’s a gift from Lieutenant Colonel Han, not some random person. Who would I give it to? I might think about it if someone offered me around a thousand dollars.”
Gyeoul gave a troubled smile.
“That’s exactly the problem. Selling it for money. You said it as a joke, but I’m worried people might say my conduct as an officer was inappropriate.”
“Huh. The hardships of a celebrity, I suppose.”
Kathleen, who had been listening quietly, shook her head.
“I don’t think you need to worry that much. Doesn’t the president also leave signatures here and there as a public figure? They get hung on restaurant walls or put up for online auction too. I think it only becomes a problem if you personally do business with it, Lieutenant Colonel.”
“Well, I’m just being careful in advance. There’s no harm in caution, right? I’m not the president.”
“You really are prudent.”
The sheriff laughed dryly. Deep down, Gyeoul leaned toward that dryness too.
‘The public affairs office is probably more nervous than I am.’
Once the defense donation fund matter became known, few people would pick a fight over signatures being sold. They were simply delaying the timing because if the matter was revealed immediately after the president’s explanation, suspicions would arise that it was blatant public opinion manipulation.
Adair said, “I promise I won’t hand it over to anyone, so make sure you save one for me later, all right?”
“I will.”
The officers who received his agreement shrugged.
“Then we’ll be going. Congratulations once again, Lieutenant Colonel.”
“Yes. See you again. And... Kathleen, could you spare a little time for me later? It doesn’t have to be today, but I’d feel bad taking up your off-duty hours separately.”
It was called a welcome ceremony, but Gyeoul was not in a position to simply enjoy it as it was. He called the sheriff aside because he thought he could hear a somewhat more objective account from her. Kathleen looked puzzled, but accepted.
“Understood. Around what time would be good?”
“Do you have a way I can contact you?”
“Of course.”
She readily gave him her contact information.
The reason he could not talk to her right away was that many people still wanted to see Gyeoul. Among those lingering nearby and waiting their turn was a California state senator. He was someone with enough ability to leave the contaminated zone, but who had stayed by choice. Gyeoul had first met him at the Medal of Honor ceremony.
‘He’ll move on to the U.S. Senate now, won’t he?’
He probably had not insisted on staying at Fort Roberts thoughtlessly, driven only by a desire not to leave California. Would he not promote himself as someone who had braved danger and remained where he rightly belonged? Gyeoul set the guess aside and saluted him.
“Senator Brennan. I’m honored that you came.”
“Hahaha! Lieutenant Colonel Han Gyeoul! Of course I had to come to an event like this!”
The state senator pulled Gyeoul into a tight hug.
“I believed you would accomplish something great! You are a hero of California!”
“It’s thanks to people like you supporting me where no one sees, Senator.”
“I’m grateful, even if those are empty words! Though from now on, they won’t be empty words anymore.”
“By that, you mean...?”
“I mean we have a lot to give and take. First, smile! Let’s take a picture!”
He said that, but the photo had been taken already. A man who might have been a professional reporter or an aide was focusing on Gyeoul and Brennan. The flash burst, and the medals glittered. After that, the senator quietly asked Gyeoul.
“This sort of thing still feels awkward, doesn’t it?”
“A little, yes.”
“I like your honesty. Yes. A man like me makes a living by bothering other people.”
The politician laughed once, then became calm as if he were a different person.
“Still, knowing one troublesome old man like me won’t hurt you, Lieutenant Colonel. Today, I did come purely to congratulate you, but a good proposal can also make a good gift... so I’d like us to have a serious conversation in the near future. What do you think?”
“That was something I wanted to say to you first.”
“Excellent. I’m looking forward to it already.”
Brennan looked pleased. Whatever his proposal was, it was worth hearing for Gyeoul. The content of the proposal was not what mattered. As the senator himself had said, he was someone worth knowing.
‘Even if I want to lobby, I need the connections for it.’
Ju Wei had also mentioned the importance of lobbying. She had said it was a country where you could sell drugs and still be innocent as long as you had money. Even now, American pharmaceutical companies were selling narcotic painkillers without much restriction.
Perhaps Gyeoul’s first lobbying effort was close at hand. For example, the state senator’s influence would be effective in increasing the share of refugee labor in California’s reconstruction project. If he actually ended up lobbying, Gyeoul could not step forward directly, but there were plenty of people he could put out front.
Gyeoul recalled Min Wan-ki’s words.
Show yourself as they believe you to be.
It had been easy to say, but it was not truly easy. Yet for the current Gyeoul, it was not something that was only difficult either. He had the connections, the background, and the people he had naturally gained on the way here.
Footnotes:
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