WeTried Translations

Translator: Coughing Baby

Editor: Coughing Baby

Discord: https://dsc.gg/wetried

Chapter 345: Sunlit Shade (12)

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What should he say? Should he tell her she still had a chance? That she might still have a chance to become a star in heaven? When Gyeoul reached that thought, he shook his head inwardly.

Wasn’t that too calculating?

If Esther cooperated with the U.S. government even now, she could save a truly enormous number of lives. They would be able to read the mutants’ movements like the lines on their palms, spread false information among them, jam their signals at critical moments, and choose only battles they were certain to win.

That was exactly why he had to be even more careful. Words meant as comfort might really be his own wish. He did not feel that was true, but in matters like this, he could not trust himself.

Above all, how would it sound to Esther...? She must know full well what people wanted from her. If he left room for misunderstanding now, it would stay with her as hurt and resentment until the very end.

He had little time. After hesitating over what to say, one line slipped out like a mistake.

“Esther. I’ll pray for you.”

The tightening seconds passed. Spilled water could not be poured back.

The monster girl, who had been sitting in dazed silence, slowly formed a clear smile.

“Thank youuu.”

Her expression was clearly different from a moment ago, when there had been nothing in it but pain.

“Now thaaat I’ve become like thisss, somehowww, my head feels cleaaar.”

“Yes...”

“Iii said some bad thingsss earlier, because I was angryyy, but God must still be up thereee... Even if it’s the prayer of someone without faith, like Lieutenant Colonel, He’ll surely listen. Because there are no limits to the Lord’s loveee.”

“...”

“That’s what I’ll tryyy to believe.”

The word believe lingered. Esther had nothing else left.

Amid the busy sound of military boots, the monster girl called Gyeoul one last time.

“Lieutenant Colonel.”

“Yes.”

“I’m sorryyy...”

Then personnel from the Medical Service Corps and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) took control of the scene. Gyeoul had to make way for them. Under the watch of the security troops and armed agents from the Department of Homeland Security, the specially trained medical staff restrained Esther tightly, then treated her most urgent wounds first. She was a specimen who could not be allowed to die, and also a potential collaborator.

“Sir. Could you cooperate with us for a moment?”

The request was businesslike, but tense. When he turned, he saw agents from the CDC and the Department of Homeland Security. They were all dressed in the same protective suits, but the patches on their upper arms marked the difference. Gyeoul asked back.

“Cooperate?”

“Lieutenant Colonel, you are also subject to quarantine. You may have been infected during the engagement. Please hand over your weapon first. We’ll return it once the examination is complete.”

“...I don’t have a weapon.”

Gyeoul slowly opened his empty hands to show them. When his protective suit had been removed, the weapons he had been carrying over it had been removed as well. Since he no longer sensed 「Threat Level」 from Esther, he had not felt any need to pick up a weapon again. He was not in the mood for it either.

“Then please come with us right away. This won’t take very long.”

The tone was polite, but the air was stretched tight. Given the situation, that was only natural. Gyeoul had no choice but to leave himself in their custody.

As he left the scene against his will, the way he had once before, Gyeoul glanced at Esther.

The detailed examination they had said would not take long ended well after sunset. The result was no infection. After that came a private interview with an inspector dispatched to hear his account. His late meal came after that. It made sense. This was a matter the White House was checking on constantly.

Hungry or not, Gyeoul had no appetite, so he left half his meal behind. Even though the food was unusually well prepared. For the moment, he did not care about things like maintaining combat strength.

After the meal was cleared away, Branch Director West came to see Gyeoul.

“Were you close?”

A question with everything before and after cut away.

“No... Still, it’s unfortunate. Truly.”

How long had it been since Gyeoul, worn down in so many ways, had been shaken this much? People cried even over sad stories on a screen. Esther’s story was more than that, and it had touched him as something real.

“What happened to Major Campbell? Is Campbell alive?”

Gyeoul’s question sounded cold enough to feel unfamiliar. West flinched, then gave a vague affirmation.

“Alive. For now...”

“For now?”

“We did find Campbell, but Campbell was infected. It’s a terminal case.”

Of course Esther would not have left Campbell alone. In fact, it was better revenge than killing. The rest of Campbell’s life would be despair and pain equal to its length. Campbell had denied the possibility of developing a vaccine personally. Judging by the certainty shown then, there would not be the slightest hope. At least not while Campbell was alive.

“That person stole the True Patriots’ research data.”

Perhaps thinking Gyeoul would want to know, Branch Director West explained.

“It was research left only in documents after the traitors deleted the data while erasing their tracks. Campbell was an expert dispatched from the early stage, and was in charge of reviewing the materials that were found. It seems Campbell smelled money and vanity there. Thought monopolizing that knowledge would make a hero...”

West let out a short sigh.

“Well, seeing how baffled the other experts are, that twisted genius must have played a part too... In any case, Campbell was selected with ability as the priority. According to the analysis, if it had been anyone else, they would not have been able to go this far even with the same materials in hand.”

There would have been no morality in the false patriots’ research. So it would not be strange if they had uncovered something beyond that. The result of advancing it further must have been Esther’s altered body.

“The surveillance was sloppy.”

“Mm. In this place only, that was true in the beginning. We did not even know Pastor Park existed then.”

An uncomfortable silence passed. Gyeoul changed the subject.

“What about Pastor Park Tae-sun?”

“...Physically, he’s fine. Surprisingly, he had almost no injuries. Just a few abrasions and bruises. I don’t know whether to call that fortunate or unfortunate.”

In the end, the girl’s revenge seemed to have been only half-fulfilled. Gyeoul asked again.

“What did he say? How much does he know about this incident?”

“He was already mentally unstable because he couldn’t handle the things he himself had done, and absurd as it is, he is also a protected person, so we didn’t exactly tell him anything... But he seems to understand that this is a tragedy he brought about. It would be abnormal if he didn’t know. Esther... that girl kept calling his name.”

“...”

“Right now, he’s like a broken recorder. I didn’t do it on purpose. I didn’t know either. Still, I want to live... He only repeats things like that. Ah, he’s praying hard too.”

“Praying?”

“It’s obvious, isn’t it? He wants absolution from the Almighty.”

Gyeoul felt a familiar disgust. In the world before his death, faith had declined, but in 「Days after Apocalypse」 as a reconstructed past, he often encountered twisted belief. Twenty-six apocalypses were more than enough experience. How many times had he seen people act righteous because they had asked God for forgiveness?

“Think of him as someone who doesn’t exist.”

West spoke calmly.

“Even if it makes you angry, that is the best option. He deserves divine punishment, but it’s not as if we can actually kill him. He is still an irreplaceable resource.”

“What will happen to Esther now?”

“...It’s hard to say right now. But she, too, currently has no substitute. They say she’s being quiet, so if her attitude doesn’t change, she will receive the best treatment possible. If we needlessly provoke resentment from her, wouldn’t that make it difficult to decode the Trickster’s radio waves? Besides, we don’t know when the mutants’ frequencies might change.”

If the Trickster suspected that their communications were being exposed to humans, it would immediately try to change channels. So Esther’s value would not disappear until the moment she died.

Assuming no one else with the same ability appeared.

“Does that mean no one will become a victim like her again?”

It was a question with two meanings. Since they had secured Campbell’s statement and research materials, did the U.S. government now possess the ability to recreate Esther? If so, was there not room for unethical experiments to secretly resume? And what about Esther’s own situation...?

Branch Director West firmly denied it.

“I didn’t plan to tell you this much, but there is something I need to ask for your understanding on... The research team has conducted an initial review of the materials, and half of Miss Esther was the product of chance.”

“Chance?”

“Yes. You have heard before that incomplete infection triggers abnormal mutation, I believe. The beginning of that mutation is not the result of artificial control. Miss Esther is the same. Major Campbell’s madness clearly brought her ability into full expression, but before that, we must assume she already possessed the potential.”

“Then...”

“If the research advances further, the situation may change. Even so, the authorities will not get involved in insane criminal acts. Unless the war situation deteriorates sharply, and humanity’s fate comes down to a matter of days.”

The last part was only West’s personal opinion. But digging any deeper would not resolve the suspicion. Instead, Gyeoul asked something else.

“You said you had something to ask for my understanding on, even though things have turned out this way?”

“That’s how it turned out.”

The branch director nodded.

“It will be difficult to bury this incident completely. There’s no certainty it can be handled just by controlling the mouths of those involved... and this is also a time when burying a major problem like this would itself be a burden. Considering the possible side effects, it may be better to reveal the truth first.”

“Has that already been decided?”

“Not yet, but I think it soon will be. We are considering making it public, but not revealing everything. Since we have real villains called the True Patriots, surely we can make it work somehow.”

“I don’t know what role I have there.”

“We intend to divert the citizens’ attention. As a preventive measure, before public opinion runs wild in some strange direction. In that process, the lieutenant colonel’s name may be used a little.”

“...Isn’t that too forced? It will look too obvious.”

“We’ll need to be careful so that doesn’t happen. Hmm, for example... perhaps quietly bringing up again the issue of whether triple awards of the Medal of Honor should be permitted, which has been a subject of debate from time to time... The experts will come up with a better method. As long as we can add even a slight positive impression to this incident in an indirect and roundabout way, as one of the citizens’ secondary points of interest, that will be enough. I don’t mean that we will openly put the lieutenant colonel at the front.”

Advertisements often appealed to the human unconscious. That was what West meant.

In truth, the branch director had no reason to explain this much. West could have dryly requested only professional cooperation. In other words, this conversation, which did not suit West’s personality, was West’s consideration for Gyeoul as an individual.

“I understand what you mean. Is there anything else I should know? Or anything else I can help with...”

At Gyeoul’s words, West shook their head.

“Not right now. We may bother you a few more times later, but that won’t be today. Go and rest now. I imagine you’re extremely exhausted.”

Then West called the agent waiting outside the door.

Guided by that agent, Gyeoul stepped out and received equipment that had just been unwrapped instead of the gear he had been using before. The person in charge explained why.

“All equipment you were using, Lieutenant Colonel, including your weapon, has been classified as evidence and transferred. We apologize for not receiving your consent in advance.”

“It’s fine. They weren’t items with any special story behind them.”

The gun, still in the same condition as when it had just left the factory, gave off a strong smell of lubricant. When he pulled and released the bolt several times, click-clack, click-clack, it made a crisp but slightly slick sound. It was a weapon, but still a weapon that had never killed anything.

Gyeoul thought of Esther, who had not been able to be cruel even to people who did not need to die. It was never easy for one person to kill another. Just as he had told Jin-seok.

Footnotes:

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