Chapter 77: Chapter 77

After the Rain, Bradley (7)

Gyeo-ul observed how the unregulated Chinese moved.

Woo- they gathered, and then Wa- they scattered.

It was reminiscent of watching a gang fight.

The tension of actual combat turned one's mind blank. Those lacking experience tended to forget their training during real combat. A mere few weeks of training could not turn someone into a seasoned warrior. At best, it etched the manual into their body, laying the foundation for reflexive reactions to orders.

Hence, someone needed to demonstrate leadership. Although Li Ai-ling was quite inexperienced, she nonetheless took on that role. Sergeant Rivera assessed:

"They're like fresh cadets straight out of West Point."

The assessment was unfair, but not towards Ai-ling, rather towards cadets who were graduates of military academies.

West Point was known as the location of the United States Military Academy. The military training in the U. S., a country with the most war engagements globally, was undoubtedly rigorous. However, no amount of intense training could replace the experience of real combat, which remained a problem.

Even as Gyeo-ul considered this, he chose not to comment. After all, it was just a joke laced with ulterior motives. U. S. non-commissioned officers had risen from the ranks of enlisted soldiers. So, from their experienced standpoint, it was only natural to find the awkwardness of newly commissioned officers somewhat unsettling.

'It's not an irrational feeling. Their lives are on the line.'

The Chinese would also grow from this experience. The U. S. military's education system was designed for such development. Combat cameras on ballistic helmets recorded the entire operation, allowing individuals to later objectively review their actions. From their perspective and a third-party view.

'I shouldn't have done that there. I think I can do better next time.' This feeling is crucial.

Gyeo-ul offered advice only when necessary.

Despite such circumstances, the operation progressed smoothly, primarily because Bradley was genuinely an insignificant town. According to the briefing, Bradley's population before the infection spread was roughly 90. Aerial reconnaissance also showed no significant threats.

It seemed Li Ai-ling sensed something suspicious about this. As her squad was given a break, she approached Gyeo-ul and asked.

"Why does the U. S. military need this town?"

Her voice carried fatigue. Gyeo-ul, without taking his eyes off the ongoing building searches, replied.

"What do you mean by that?"

"I was curious about the operation's significance. There's no critical facility here, nor does the surrounding terrain seem favorable for defense. Is it perhaps to gain us some real-world experience..."

A loud commotion interrupted her words. The Chinese were yelling. It wasn't praiseworthy behavior in a combat situation, but it was a significant improvement compared to when they couldn't move at all.

Someone kicked open a door and threw in a grenade. Boom! As the fire burst forth with debris, two Chinese volunteer soldiers leaning against the wall unleashed suppressive fire inside. It was a reckless burst that emptied their magazines. Gyeo-ul spoke through the radio.

"Firing now, if possible, vary the heights when you shoot."

The two paused, glancing back. Gyeo-ul pointed out again.

"Don't point your guns at your comrades. Always handle them as if they're loaded. And remember, this isn't a drill. Focus on the front. Dying would be unfortunate, right? Oh, reload, reload. Recall your training. Stay calm."

The two, acting as if they had committed a grave error, fumbled around. This was why Gyeo-ul didn't scold them.

Li Ai-ling removed her sunglasses and covered her face with one hand. He sensed her embarrassment, likely comparing herself to them. Without needing to turn, Gyeo-ul could tell her actions from his peripheral vision. He almost told the woman she was better than them but refrained. It felt like a hollow comfort. Instead, he addressed those who were stagnant.

"Squad leader. Don't you have any further orders?"

[Yes! Sorry, sir! Hey, you lazy Nanziman bastards! Move in! Move in!]

Nanziman (南蛮子) translates to 'southern barbarian'. Since the Triad originated in Hong Kong, which is a part of Guangdong, it might be a customary insult within the Triad circles.

It's not unusual for harsh words to fly around in the military, but to ensure they fulfill their duties as soldiers, that hoodlum behavior needed to be curbed. Commenting on the language was part of that effort.

The operatives, having jointly covered each other, dragged out two corpses. They were ordinary mutants with eroded skin. After dragging them out, they made a fuss while wiping their hands on their pants.

The directive to extract the corpses was primarily to visibly confirm results. It was an effort to instill confidence somehow.

Gyeo-ul permitted the squad that completed the search to take a break while remaining vigilant.

Ai-ling spoke coldly.

"I understand how the brothers in Atascadero might have died."

While it was also self-reproach, Gyeo-ul shook his head.

"Please don't say that. Anyway, what were you asking earlier?"

In the brief pause, another burst of noise was heard. Chinese volunteer soldiers, under the control of U. S. troops and Staff Sergeant Rivera, were searching several buildings simultaneously. It was near the operation's conclusion. Being a small town, there were no more buildings to occupy.

Waiting for the explosive echoes to die down, Ai-ling resumed her delayed inquiry.

"Is this operation perhaps initiated for our sake?"

"I don't think you need me to tell you I lack that kind of authority."

Gyeo-ul explained the operation's significance as he understood it.

"While I only learned this from Lieutenant Colonel Capston, what the U. S. military desires is to secure the route. Further downstream lies the San Ardo Oil Field. It seems they're planning to occupy it and operate using refugee labor. I've heard it's quite large. Bradley here serves as a mid-point on the supply line."

The San Ardo Oil Field produced about 40,000 barrels annually in the early 21st century. At the onset of the 「After the Apocalypse」 storyline, it was nearing its end of viable life, but it contained enough reserves to more than supply Fort Roberts alone.

"Perhaps restarting just a few drilling rigs could meet Fort Roberts' fuel demand. It might even handle fuel supply to other bases in the long run. Of course, there's the burden of continuously maintaining a refinery, but isn't that reason enough?"

Ai-ling's response seemed a bit urgent.

"Even so, deploying only Chinese forces for this operation and your involvement in command doesn't seem like a mere coincidence. Didn't you really do anything?"

"I made a proposal. It was part of the deal from the very beginning, wasn't it?"

This was a condition Gyeo-ul set during negotiations with Li Qinjian. Unlike Li Qinjian, who boasted grandly while having no actual influence over the U. S. military, Gyeo-ul, regardless of what lay ahead, was keeping his promise.

"I've heard your subordinates opposed your actions vehemently."

"They're not my subordinates. I'm merely a representative they chose. And yes, there was opposition. This operation involved an unprecedented ratio of volunteer soldiers, all equipped with Triad weaponry. Even with U. S. military presence, our numbers are insufficient. Frankly speaking, many are still wary of the Triad."

Such fears were unwarranted. With the distribution of combat cameras to volunteers, the U. S. military could oversee refugee management with fewer personnel, as the cameras also served as black boxes. If Chinese volunteers had any sense, they wouldn't be able to undermine the U. S. military.

Enthusiastically nodding, Li Ai-ling added.

"Regardless, you honored your commitment to us despite that opposition."

Watching her intently, Gyeo-ul asked.

"What makes you feel uneasy?"

The boss lady of the Triad fell silent. Gyeo-ul wondered why she wanted to confirm his goodwill towards the Triad.

[Lieutenant Han. We've completely secured the area. I've temporarily stationed the 3rd platoon near the western approach for surveillance, unless you have any additional directives?]

Staff Sergeant Rivera's voice emerged from the radio. Gyeo-ul responded to the transmission.

"Well done. Decide the remaining platoons' surveillance zones at your own discretion, Sergeant. The 1st platoon will serve as reserve troops, and I'll have them accompanied with me. After troop deployment is complete, call for the engineers immediately."

[Understood. Rivera out.]

Familiarity with procedural protocol allowed Gyeo-ul to issue orders without hesitation. The augmented reality UI was an accessory—a bonus, not a necessity.

Opting the 1st platoon as the reserve was due to the yet unfinished conversation with Li Ai-ling. As Gyeo-ul communicated, she was biting her lip, perhaps regretting revealing her thoughts too readily. He retained the possibility she could easily fake it. Gyeo-ul had no plans of readily trusting a woman, the daughter of a criminal, herself enmeshed in crime.

Even after the communication ended, Ai-ling maintained her silence. However, it was impossible for her to remain silent, with Gyeo-ul clearly expecting her to continue the conversation.

"I'll be honest. I'm worried the Chinese could become scapegoats."

"Yes. During social unrest, it's common to find scapegoats to direct the public's discontent. There are even suspicions the shichang might have been deliberately formed."

The U. S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) had recently announced the known transmission routes and characteristics of Morgellons.

Given the experiential understanding that Morgellons was not airborne, confirmation that infection only occurred through an infective spur formed within the mutant's oral cavity was not groundbreaking information. However, providing assurance to the masses was significant in itself.

There was new information for Gyeo-ul. Morgellons was not an illness caused by a single pathogen. The CDC's announcement indicated that while it could not be confirmed, morgellons was thought to be caused by parasitic organisms, viruses in a symbiotic relationship, and other pathogens' complications.

Meanwhile, the CDC spokesperson suggested that its engineered nature implied Morgellons was artificially manufactured. A poly-symbiotic relationship sustaining only in a human host is unlikely to have naturally developed.

"I understand your concerns, but I don't think America would fall into such paranoia. That kind of collective accountability primarily resonates in Eastern countries, right?"

It's a challenging occurrence in a multicultural nation like America. However, Ai-ling's perspective differed from Gyeo-ul's.

"It's a time when nothing can remain the same. Americans are no exception. That's why I believe we must prove our value."

Ai-ling froze. It was a term she had used previously. She warned that Gyeo-ul was just a well-bred livestock, disposable once a better breed emerged. It was essentially a threat. After a moment's hesitation, Ai-ling erased her grave expression, replacing it with a tentative smile.

"Sometimes, I find it hard to tell if your personality is good or bad."

"Everyone is like that. They all have limits."

Gyeo-ul didn't elaborate on his words. Considering it insignificant, Ai-ling also didn't probe further, merely nodding and continuing back to the disrupted context.

"Right. To avoid being slaughtered as venting objects, proving usefulness is a must. Much like you, sir. Therefore, today, once again, I was overwhelmingly disappointed with myself, and with my brothers and sisters. We fell short of our resolve. So, I'm considering finding another way."

"Another way? Such a thing exists?"

"I'm too uncertain to speak of it now. I might never share it."

Suddenly, a commotion engulfed them. Engineers and refugee laborers commenced demolition of unnecessary buildings and operated heavy machinery (Trencher) to dig deep moats around the perimeter. They weren't constructing trenches but laying the foundation for a wall by driving steel beams into the earth and pouring concrete over them.

With the commotion drawing closer, their conversation naturally came to an end.

—————————= Author's Note =—————————

Q. [ChickenIsHalfHalfIsTruth]:

@By the way, author-nim, aren't you going on vacation? You're still going to write while on vacation, right? ㅠㅠ LOL

If I'm writing a novel, I don't think that counts as a vacation anymore...

@Huh? Your work is up on NobleTubeRan*, so why say it won't be uploaded? I hope many people read it and become full of childlike wonder!

(*Note: parody of a platform name like Naver/Nobless + Tubae + something else.)

As a missionary of childlike wonder myself, I hope so too... but alas, the world is harsh, and no one seems to care about such things anymore.

Huh? Are you telling me to go play Overwatch? Alright, got it! Thanks!

@It's the year 42,016 now, so the will probably come out in 82,016. My species only lives for 100 years, so I'm going into cryo-sleep. Goodbye, everyone.

Only 100 years lifespan? ... And with that, we've learned that vine vegetables like pumpkins can live for a century.

I re-read and got curious. Didn't people wear gas masks early on because they didn't know how the infection spread? So, has the transmission route been clearly revealed now? Or did I miss something...

Nope, you read it correctly. Apart from the fact that it's almost certainly not airborne, no other details have ever been revealed.

@I'm really enjoying this. The only works I have alerts on at Joara are this, reincarnated Sword God, and Hellkeghinia. When you resume in 40,000 years, please do mass releases.

A. ᴛʜɪs ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀ ɪs ᴜᴘᴅᴀᴛᴇ ʙʏ novel✦fire.net

I came back precisely because I didn't want to do mass releases. ㅠㅠ