WE TRIED TRANSLATIONS

Translator/Editor: Ryuu

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◈ The Little Prince in the Ossuary

00035 <-- The Little Prince of the Ossuary -->

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#The Clown (2), Santa Maria

The next day, 5:50 AM. Central Parade Ground.

Gyeoul arrived on time. Two MH-6 helicopters were warming up their engines. They were small, round, and didn't look like military equipment. Long metal plates were attached to the sides for passengers to sit with their legs hanging out. Only one seat was left for Gyeoul. Those already seated showed interest. Only the public affairs officer remained indifferent.

The rotors started precisely on time. A distinct clicking noise filled the air. It was quieter than expected. The pilot mentioned special noise reduction equipment.

As the rotors reached their critical speed, Gyeoul felt a momentary pressure. The sensation of defying gravity tightened around his chest.

The sky approached, and the ground receded.

The sun had not yet risen. In the cool, blue world, the sky was the boundary between dawn and morning. The landscape swept by beneath his dangling feet. A season that shared Gyeoul's name.

Gyeoul reached out towards the wind. Between his fingers flowed a dry, intangible wave. A sergeant who had been watching curiously warned him.

"Lieutenant, you might fall."

There were already screams piling up from viewers sharing the boy's senses. Spectators from another world who were watching through Gyeoul's perspective. They clamored, hoping he would fall. He hadn't secured his fall prevention hook or grabbed the handle. Nerves must have been on edge.

The helicopter tilted. The flight path curved. Safety of the camp was always a priority. Below, in the distance, hungry creatures ran furiously. There were many in every direction. Even with reduced noise, it was still a helicopter. Both helicopters hovered at a suitable position for a few minutes, enough to lure the creatures before resuming flight.

"Have you ever flown in a helicopter like this before?"

Gyeoul shook his head at the sergeant who had warned him about safety.

"It's my first time."

At least in this life cycle. The sergeant found this amusing.

"You're really fearless. Better than most rookie lieutenants."

"I'll show you better in action, Sergeant Gregg."

"I'll look forward to it."

While waiting for their arrival, Gyeoul checked the equipment he had been issued. Although he already had good gear, he received even better ones for the filming. A new rifle, various accessories, a receiver-type radio, and a much lighter bulletproof helmet (OPS-CORE). Some were not standard issue.

The landing zone was behind a ridge that the highway passed through. They approached via a canyon, so the noise wouldn't reach the city as much. Some Rangers guided the landing.

The temporary Ranger company headquarters was a luxurious mansion. Besides the main house, there were two guest houses, a large swimming pool, a ranch, and beautiful fences. They generated their own power with solar panels.

The location was also good. The mansion was hidden in a low-lying area, invisible to passersby.

「Wolf Leader, this is Wolf Three. Circus team arrival confirmed.」

The radio crackled with the Rangers' communication.

Circus team, huh? The call signs were a mess again. Gyeoul wondered what his assigned call sign would be. Whatever it was, it had to be better than Banana, though not by much.

It was exactly as he thought. Among the information he was told to memorize, Gyeoul's call sign was Clown. There was no need to visit the company headquarters. The Rangers briefly showed interest in Gyeoul. Their expressions were not friendly. They looked at him like a rookie. After brief introductions, they demanded they start immediately. It was so rushed that Gyeoul couldn't remember who was who. It showed what they thought of this mission.

One person, however, greeted Gyeoul properly.

"I saw you on TV. You did something brave."

A man in a different uniform offered a handshake. Gyeoul nodded.

"Second Lieutenant Han Gyeoul. I don't have an assigned unit yet."

"I'm Sergeant Perry from Santa Maria Police SWAT. My job is to guide you through the city. Not that we'll need to go in today."

His role was to advise on the drone's flight path. He was prepared for any impromptu changes.

The Ranger platoon leader looked annoyed.

"We don't have time. Let's move."

They walked. They split into two groups on either side of the road, keeping vigilant in all directions. From the Rangers' perspective, the "Circus team" was just an escort target. Gyeoul and the public affairs officer's filming team were in the middle, with Rangers guarding the front and rear.

Sergeant Perry walked right in front of Gyeoul. He looked back slightly and spoke softly.

"Understand, Lieutenant Han. These people are under a lot of stress. They're mentally exhausted."

"How long have they been here?"

"I've been here about a month. I don't know about the Rangers. They say they've never left the contaminated area since the chaos started."

Indeed, the platoon seemed smaller in size. Gyeoul counted the numbers. About 10% losses. Normally, they'd be rotated to the rear.

But nothing was normal in this era. It was a world gradually heading towards ruin.

He must have spoken quietly, but a nearby Ranger snapped at him, telling him to stop talking nonsense. Perry apologized with a smile. He had a good personality.

Walking 7 kilometers, even at a brisk pace, took over an hour. It was hard to stay silent the whole time. Perry shared various stories to build rapport. He was curious about the situation at Camp Roberts and shared what he knew. Always in a quiet voice.

"Santa Maria had one of the most successful evacuations. The mayor acted quickly. He requested the National Guard from the governor. It was a bit chaotic, but nothing compared to the pandemonium other cities faced. 97% of the citizens evacuated safely."

"What happened to the remaining 3%?"

"Santa Maria's last rescue request was two months ago. It was an amateur telegraph."

Gyeoul couldn't see Perry's expression.

"Is there still a possibility of survivors?"

"We've conducted regular aerial reconnaissance. Rangers have also scouted recently. But there hasn't been any evidence of survivors for two months. Possibility…."

His voice trailed off. The conversation wasn't the same after that.

The city drew closer.

They avoided the highly visible highway, taking a southern single-track road instead.

As tension rose, conversations naturally died down. Surprisingly, the public affairs officer broke the silence.

"Damn. What's with all these…."

There were indeed a lot. On the road, in the bushes, everywhere you looked. Large, flapping bugs. The familiar Rangers only frowned. The public affairs officer and his team shuddered. A bug landed on Gyeoul's face, flapping its wings. He brushed it off casually.

They finally reached the embankment. Just across the bridge was Santa Maria. The filming team set up their equipment. Two soldiers from the Rangers' side began working with the drone. They tested fuel levels, signal reception, and various functions.

One function was the noise maker. They lowered the volume to check if it worked.

"Screams?"

A cacophony of death cries, pleas for help, and groans.

When Gyeoul asked, the soldier replied indifferently.

"Regular noise isn't very effective. They respond well to human voices, especially screams. Short pattern repetitions aren't good either."

It was a surprisingly sincere answer. Gyeoul thought it was out of respect for his rank.

The drone took off.

The control device looked like a small backpack. It was a rugged laptop designed for drone control. The public affairs officer stood next to Gyeoul, watching the screen. Alleyways flashed by quickly. The drone's sensors tracked heat sources busily. They couldn't see inside buildings, but there were plenty of mutants in the streets.

"Considering most citizens evacuated, there are quite a few."

The public affairs officer muttered, and the diligent soldier replied, still annoyed.

"They're flocking in from surrounding areas. It's not just here. Somehow, they all crowd into urban areas."

"Why?"

"If we knew, we wouldn't be here."

A curt reply. The public affairs officer frowned. Gyeoul knew the answer but didn't say anything. It was information they couldn't know at this point. The AI would correct it with situational computation or roll back if corrections were impossible.

Repeated rollbacks would incur penalties.

The infected mutants preferred dark places. They clustered in dark alleys, watching the sunny streets. If something living passed by, they'd charge madly.

Finally, a Grumble appeared on the screen. The soldier reported.

"Target one spotted. Target two nearby. Intersection of Donovan Road and N Broadway."

"Damn. Why is it so far today? Usually, they're lurking on the outskirts."

The platoon leader grumbled. He checked the fuel status.

"How much fuel left? Enough to lure them?"

"It's tight, but possible."

The soldier expertly handled the controller.

The drone had to stay out of sight. Visible metal emitting screams was useless. The drone hid in an alley and played the first scream. On the screen, the creatures in the alley stared up blankly. Occasionally, Sergeant Perry offered advice.

The drone lured the group, with the small, fast ones running ahead and the two Grumbles lagging behind. The big ones only ran when they saw something directly.

The ones that stayed in the alley joined the frenzy upon seeing the runners.

The soldier used the speed difference to separate the Grumbles from the ordinary mutants. It wasn't his first time. The sprinting mutants, though stronger than humans, had limits. After luring them about 1 km south, the mutants were exhausted. Many were trampled by their own kind.

Fresh mutants charged energetically, trampling the tired ones.

After separating them, the drone flew north. Lowering the decoy volume, it only lured the two isolated Grumbles. They followed the invisible screams.

"Can you handle two at once?"

"Yes."

Gyeoul calmly answered Captain McGuire's question. The captain muttered something to himself. Even with technical corrections, it was hard to understand.

For a few minutes, the luring went smoothly.

The drone made noise in the alley and then came out to the main road. Everyone watching the screen gasped.

"Platoon leader!"

"I see…!"

People were waving at the screen. They must have come out hearing the noise and then spotted the drone. They were startled. The soldier quickly turned the controller. The screen spun around.

Two Grumbles were on the opposite side.

They had rounded the corner. Their yellow eyes fixated on the people. Healthy potential hosts.

Or food.

[ROAAAR!]

A thunderous duet. Loud enough to be heard from the distant city center. It attracted nearby mutants. Immediately, the sound of buildings being destroyed echoed.

"Damn it! Deck! Your squad stays here to guard the Circus team! Drone team, assess and report the situation to me! We can afford to lose the drone! And you! Report to headquarters! The rest, follow me!"

"I'll go too."

"No!"

The platoon leader immediately rejected Gyeoul's request but hesitated. He scrutinized the boy with narrowed eyes. After a moment, he spoke in a warning tone.

"Stick close behind me."

"Yes."

Sergeant Perry joined in.

"I'll guide you."

"…Are you prepared for this?"

"This is my post, and it's my job."

The platoon leader nodded. Having a guide familiar with the city's layout was beneficial. It was worth the risk.

"Run! Find a suitable vehicle on the way!"

Even a low voice carried authority. The Rangers' response was immediate.

Once again, the sound of a city block being destroyed. The sight of flying debris was vivid even from afar. Soldiers sprinting towards their duty. The urgent sound of boots overlapped.

---------------------------= Author's Note ---------------------------=

1. Correction from the last chapter: The walking distance was previously stated as 2 km, but I misread the scale. It's actually 7 km as mentioned in this chapter. I'll eventually compile and post the actual background information on my blog.

2. Considering the average age of the readers, this novel might rank first on Joara. You all are over 40,000 years old...

I will continue to do my best to protect the innocence of these 40,000-year-old adults.

Footnotes:

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