Chapter 84: Chapter 84
The unit heading to Salinas Dam was determined to be 35 soldiers, excluding Gyeo-ul. This included 27 members from Charlie Company's 1st Platoon, one medic, three engineers, and four tank crew. The vehicle composition consisted of nine Humvees and one tank. The reason for the abundance of vehicles compared to the personnel was consideration by the fortress command for Gyeo-ul. If the manpower was lacking, at least their firepower should be strong. The addition of a tank was for the same reason.
As for the tank, Gyeo-ul had persistently declined it, but it was attached almost by force. The regimental combat group commander said this:
"I want to minimize the possibility of losing you."
From the boy's perspective, it was closer to a calculation driven by necessity rather than a personal liking. In this world, if Gyeo-ul were to die, at least a hundred million people would be distressed. There were probably few Americans left who didn't know Gyeo-ul by now.
Gyeo-ul was sitting in the gunner's seat of the leading Humvee. This was for security. The conditions were too harsh to leave this responsibility to someone else. Record-breaking torrential rain and fog drastically reduced visibility. It was hard to see even a hundred meters ahead with the naked eye. Using 「Firearms Proficiency」 to adjust vision, and 「Combat Sense」 and 「Survival Sense」 for intuition, Gyeo-ul's situation was a bit better than the others.
The road heading south was frequently interrupted. Scars from bombings had turned into pits, and many places had collapsed due to softened ground. In some spots, muddy torrents flowed.
Gyeo-ul spotted a torrent ahead and raised his hand—a signal to stop. The gunners of the following vehicles relayed the signal backward. The convoy stopped in order. Although the distance between vehicles was short, there was no risk of collision since they couldn't go fast anyway.
One person from each vehicle stepped out and approached the front, maintaining radio silence. Gyeo-ul jumped down from the roof and pointed toward the torrent.
"Doesn't that look a bit dangerous?"
About twenty meters of the road had collapsed, and water flowed through the gap. Several streams were merging. The surface was rough and bulging from the intersecting currents. The sound of the water was so distinct that it could be heard clearly even amidst the howling wind and rain.
Platoon leader Jeffrey nodded in agreement.
"It does. The depth isn't a problem, but I'm worried the vehicles might be swept away."
As Jeffrey said, the depth wasn't the issue. You could roughly estimate it by looking at the roadside trees still holding on against the current—about a meter deep. Each vehicle was equipped with a chimney-like snorkel, so even if water reached the roof they could cross. The tank lacked a snorkel, but could manage up to 1.2 meters in depth without special equipment.
However, the current was a different matter. Gyeo-ul stepped forward and dipped his outstretched hand into the water, aiming to gauge the force.
Including passengers, equipment, ammo, and other cargo, a Humvee weighed just under three tons. The risk of being swept away by the current was high. It would be better to have the tank lead. An M1A2 U. S. Army tank weighs over sixty tons and would stand firm.
"Should we let the tank lead and connect all the vehicles with winches to cross?"
"I was just about to suggest the same thing."
Jeffrey grinned. He couldn't converse as casually as before—now the boy officer outranked him. Still, his attitude was little changed compared to his formality, which was a relief for Gyeo-ul. It was much better than those soldiers who froze up as if meeting a general every time they saw him.
Watching the tank move forward with the turbine's roar, Gyeo-ul thought:
'It was worth bringing it after all.'
There was a hook on the rear of the tank designed for situations . The same went for the Humvee. Gyeo-ul extended the Humvee's winch and hooked it to the back of the tank. He climbed back into the gunner's seat and waited. Soon, a signal reporting that all vehicles were connected reached him through several people. Finally, Gyeo-ul signaled the tank commander—move out. The tank commander uttered a few words through the tank's internal comm.
The convoy began to move slowly. With eleven vehicles connected, mismatched speeds would be a problem.
The hefty tank entered the water at an angle, offering its diagonal to resist the current rather than its side. Next, Gyeo-ul's vehicle entered the water. Harsh, perilous vibrations wracked the vehicle. It drifted sideways slightly before catching—a sign that they were being pulled taut from both sides.
Bubbles churned up furiously. Countless droplets leapt toward Gyeo-ul. Mud fragments remained on the spots he wiped clean, but didn't last long—washed away by the torrential downpour.
'Can the driver see at all?'
Gyeo-ul wondered about the driver's visibility. Peeking below the turret, he saw muddy streams covering half the windshield. The soldier at the wheel had barely any room to sit. Half-standing, he was craning his neck to see ahead however he could. Gyeo-ul shouted instructions.
"You don't have to drive by sight! Just keep the direction and speed steady! If you veer off, I'll tell you!"
"Ah, yes. Understood."
Even while seated, the driver's nerves were ragged. He'd trained to cross rivers in a vehicle many times, but reality was always different from training.
Still, the crossing was quick. The vehicles in the rear emerged from the muddy waters one by one. But the further back, the less secure it was—there was less or no force pulling them from behind. From about halfway across, they started being swept off-course. Vehicles already ashore hauled them up.
At last, the final vehicle crawled onto land. They had struggled, winching with all their might, but managed to cross without any accidents. The gunners of each vehicle waved in celebration. Gyeo-ul didn't say anything despite the noise—it was still far to their destination. Even if something came chasing the sound, all they'd find would be tank tracks.
The vehicles disconnected and started moving again. Muddy patches abounded, but their speed barely dropped. This was thanks to the engineers. Before departure, one proposed fitting snow gear to the Humvees. Though intended for snow, it worked well for mud too. Gyeo-ul accepted the idea. The Humvees removed their tires and fitted triangular continuous tracks (Mattracks) instead. With greater ground contact, the weight was distributed, reducing the likelihood of sinking into the mud.
Encounters with mutants were rare. If any appeared, they could just ignore them and move on.
'Is our average speed about 20 kilometers per hour...?'
Under the darkening sky, Gyeo-ul unfolded a map with no lighting. As the route twisted and turned, the responsibility of navigation fell to the commander, Gyeo-ul. Investing in 「Cartography」 was unavoidable. For Gyeo-ul, it was a double-edged skill—definitely helpful if you had it, but not critically missed if you didn't.
'Well, it's much better than taking the wrong road.'
He had accumulated plenty of experience points, so spending this much wasn't an issue. It was difficult to spot landmarks in the distance and the road twisted endlessly—no other skill was more necessary right now.
It wasn't long before the vehicle column entered a familiar road—the route to the Black Mountain sawmill. An abandoned village lay ahead. Its name: Creston. A small settlement barely three blocks wide and long. Gyeo-ul decided on a forced breakthrough. When he gave the hand signal, the following vehicles seemed a bit flustered. They must have assumed he would detour.
But the radios remained silent. The order for radio silence was being well observed.
Instead, an officer in the front passenger seat asked,
"Are we really going to pass straight through the village? What if there's an ambush?"
"There might be mutants, but not an ambush. How could they know we were coming?"
A few might jump out, Gyeo-ul thought.
The rumbling of the Humvees and tank was drowned out by the storm and buried under thunder. Mutants' visibility was as limited as theirs. So Gyeo-ul's prediction proved right. The first mutant spotted the convoy only after the lead vehicle entered the village. It burst from the first house at the village entrance, mouth wide open. Check latest chapters at novel⦿fire.net
A cry to summon others, meant to carry far—was cut short by a single dull gunshot. The bullet smashed through its teeth. Before the staggering creature even fell, the lead vehicle carrying the boy officer had already swept past.
Ordering the driver, Gyeo-ul signaled to speed up. Noise increased. The number of mutants bursting out across the village remained insignificant. Gyeo-ul shot down a few, ignoring the rest. The gunners of the following vehicles handled the stragglers as best they could—not as neatly as the boy. Some fired short bursts, switching to full auto if that wasn't enough, emptying their magazines.
A few mutants that managed to survive to the end were swept away by shallow torrents. Vehicles could roll over them by sheer weight, but the mutants were no heavier than humans—with different fates. Even a few centimeters of rushing water could kill a person. The mutants, as if someone had grabbed their ankles, toppled and were swept away, flailing.
Soldiers, starved for laughter, doubled over laughing.
Full darkness fell at the entrance to Black Mountain. Eight kilometers of mountain road to be traversed under a starless, pitch-black sky—this was the most nerve-wracking section in Gyeo-ul's opinion.
California State Route 229, cutting north-south through the mountains, was a narrow, single-lane road. With the wide Humvees, and the even larger tank, they had to proceed with extreme caution, especially without lights. The Humvee drivers relied entirely on the narrow field of view of the night-vision goggles. The tank was equipped with infrared sensors, but those weren't much better.
The environment itself was the enemy, even without any active threat. The pitch-black forest on either side was fine, but once cliffs and steep slopes appeared, everyone was tense. Even Gyeo-ul, likely the most composed, couldn't relax—how much worse must it be for the drivers?
Muddy water flowing from above obscured the road. With dirt filling the surface, uneven places looked deceptively flat as puddles filled in. A moment's mistake could send them into the wrong place.
As a result, their speed dropped below walking pace. The speedometer barely moved past two or three notches. The drivers kept stopping to gauge the way, then moved on. They had to stay alert for the possibility of rockslides as well.
Had he chosen the wrong path? Deciding this was no good, Gyeo-ul brought the convoy to a halt. He signaled that no one needed to get out, then got down from the turret and tapped the driver's shoulder.
"I'll get out and guide you. Just follow my lead."
The driver, given this instruction, was alarmed.
"What? That's too dangerous! Didn't you see those mutants earlier? If you're swept away here, we'll never find your body! You could step in the wrong puddle and get trapped!"
"Don't worry about that. I'll attach the winch to my belt. If there's any danger, just pull."
The Humvee's winch motor could handle 6,000 pounds (2.7 tons). Pulling Gyeo-ul in would be nothing. Nevertheless, the driver and another soldier still shook their heads.
"Damn it, what about falling rocks? I'll try harder, so please stay inside."
"Listen to him, first lieutenant. Even at this speed, the mission won't be compromised. The dam won't collapse just because we're an hour or two late. No—compare losing the dam to losing you—the latter is much worse."
Persuasion seemed hopeless. They still needed to save time. Gyeo-ul shook his head.
"This is a decision I've made as the commander. I won't accept any objections."
Orders were absolute. No further dissent followed.
But the officer in the front seat made a truly expressive face—entirely out of concern for the boy-officer. Appreciating the sentiment, Gyeo-ul wordlessly stepped out of the vehicle. Splash. Shhhh. Shallow water split at his heel. Halfway up his ankles, water soaked his boots. He felt a gentle sideways resistance—but nothing dangerous.
Gyeo-ul extended the winch, pulling it out with ample slack, then hooked the end to his belt. Thunk, thunk. He pulled tight, making sure it was properly secured. This action wasn't for himself.
The two Humvee soldiers watched continuously. Their eyes were covered by night-vision goggles, but they likely didn't blink once.
The boy smiled and waved. The driver dropped his head onto the steering wheel, while the gunner, now in the gunner's seat, stared at the cloud-filled sky, his shoulders sagging.
This wasn't reckless bravado. With 「Survival Sense」 at a genius level and "Danger Detection" at grade 10, the chances of dying here by accident were drastically reduced.
Some risk must be taken. The audience from the other world would probably appreciate this level of tension too. Stepping into the water, Gyeo-ul began to jog slowly forward.
---------------------------= Author's Note =---------------------------
# KakaoTalk with a friend
Friend: I want to eat something really delicious.
Friend: Something energizing, like meat.
Author: Really delicious meat...
Friend: I can't believe this guy's profession is novelist...
Q. NeoGGM: @FirstCo. Congratulations on your birthday! I don't have a present. Just kidding, I'll send a support coupon. Thought about sending it to "Rice Breaker," but I'll just put it here because I'm lazy. (There are a lot of typos in this comment.)
A. Rice Breaker...trembling...
Q. YuryeongSwagYul: Wow, same birthday as me! Amazing. Happy birthday! Eat something nice and cheer up:) You have to eat well on your birthday. Personally, since mine is right before Liberation Day, I think it's a pretty perfect date. Holiday!!
A. I ended up ordering pizza alone. I used to like Vince Jamsil's pizza because it wasn't too salty, but it seems to be getting saltier... Why is outside food getting saltier every year? They say it's to sell more drinks and alcohol, but it seems a bit much.
Q. Bonghwang's Era: Happy birthday. A hundred thousand years ago... How does everyone live so long? Doesn't childhood go bad if it stays too long? Better write and recharge with something new, ha. Red Hood was the first to make sweet potato pizza. Then suddenly Pizza Hut and everywhere started offering it. Guess there's no patent for food. Poor Red Hood...
A. There's no expiration date on childhood wonder. You can even get ancient childhood magic from a fairy tale book like the Necronomicon. / I almost ordered Red Hood's, but I thought "the old ways are best" and ordered Vince's—stepped on a landmine.
Q. 청유련: @Happy birthday! My family forgot my birthday before, so the only thing to congratulate me was a PC-Bang computer. . ㅠㅜ
A. Even so, my computer didn't congratulate me. Maybe because it's a 40,000-year-old relic.
Q. 3ppoo: @If it's Владимир... Putin!!!
A. Владимир isn't just Putin. :)
Q. Dohwawon: @Happy birthday. There's a certain romance about paperbacks. If the book's on Joara, don't you think more people would read it?
A. Well... Even in light novels, getting even a second printing is rare. First run contracts, which used to be 3,000 copies, are now 1,500. Times have changed. If they hadn't, I couldn't have dreamed of being a full-time writer, ha.
Q. ChicRoadCat: @Congrats, love you
A. I'll keep writing novels that are loved. Thank you.
Q. Breaking Thunder: Wouldn't it be cool if there was a giant dragon-thing hiding in the reservoir, like Dead Space 3?
A. That's a bit too surreal. Maybe that's why Resident Evil keeps getting less fun?
Q. Jangbaek Hermit: @!! Happy birthday, but how do Outer Gods celebrate birthdays?^^
A. They read the wishes and star clusters they have gathered over time.
Q. Master Carthallum: @A birthday over 40,000 years! Celebrate with four coupons! I'll add more every ten thousand years.
A. Why not 40,000 coupons? With that, I could buy a Korean beef gift set, fish set, cosmetics, and even enjoy a little wining-and-dining and bribery like in Korea.
Just kidding, thank you. Readers are better than friends.
Q. ToothbrushForRice: @Author, I have a question about your game system. This is the base Info: In the game, nPCs answer based on what the user subconsciously wishes for, right? Assuming this: 1. Let's say Player A is so immersed that he truly views his in-game NPC partner as his beloved, like real life. 2. They are in love and have promised to marry. 3. Suddenly, a's beloved is captured by a psychopath. 4. The psycho wants only to see A despair—no bargaining. 5. A and the psycho confront each other; with a gun to the beloved's head, the psycho, as part of his plan, prepares to kill her. My question: At this moment, as A desperately wishes "Please save her" with all his heart, will the psycho kill her regardless of the game's "plot"? Happy birthday, by the way. Weird question, but it bugged me to ask since washing dishes at my part-time job. This is long—will it fit?
A. You misunderstood. It's not that the NPCs respond to subconscious wishes, but that they interpret subconscious predictions. The expectation that "the other person will do this" versus the hope that "I want the other person to do this" are very different.
Also, the difference between conscious desires and subconscious predictions matters. The unconscious acts separately from conscious desire, and is not under conscious control—a reflex.
When modules 2 and 3 interfere, reactions become even more diverse.
Q. RGZ95: @Since mutants learn from survivor behavior, that kind of thing seems possible... Chilling!
A. Glad you think it's chilling. Looks like I'm writing a creepy novel.