Chapter 95: |
00095 <-- #Night by the Lakeside -->
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#Night by the Lakeside (14), Santa Margarita Lake
The mission objective was achieved. There were no more enemies to lure. The squad crossed the river once again. It was the third time after sunset. Everyone picked up the pace in familiar formations.
On the black dawn riverside, bodies were scattered. Sparse. The numbers were few. Gyeoul gave the squad a brief break. It was time to recover the remains of the U.S. soldiers. But recovery didn't mean transport.
"Cut the dog tags and secure the helmet camera memory. If they have a notebook or something, check the contents. There might be crucial evidence left. Be careful not to get it wet in the rain."
Even as he gave the orders, Gyeoul didn't hold out much hope. The battery life of the military-spec helmet camera is usually around 4 hours. In Gyeoul's case, he carried more spare batteries than others. It was due to the Defense Ministry Public Relations' greed. They wanted to know everything the young officer sees and hears on the battlefield.
There was no reason for Harris's subordinates to have spares, like Gyeoul. The batteries would have been worn out long ago. It's also a device that can be turned on and off at will, and they had no reason to leave evidence. The notebook was even more so. If Captain Harris had been in his right mind, he would have disciplined his subordinates strictly on this matter.
'But there's still a chance. Someone might have felt a twinge of conscience...'
This wasn't Gyeoul's hope alone. It was what the squad leader Joel Hernandez said.
"Whatever happens, we need to find something plausible."
"It would indeed be nice, but it's okay if we don't. Wouldn't the evidence and witnesses be enough?"
Tock, tock. Gyeoul tapped his camera to reassure them. He was trying to be reassuring, but he didn't mean it in a hollow way. Even with the recorded footage so far, it was sufficient evidence. The communication with the captain was fully recorded. There would also be testimony from civilians. Persuasion? Coercion? Ridiculous. It's more realistic that it would be buried through media control. Patriotic reporting. The probability is high.
"It's a good thing you're our lieutenant, it's a blessing in disguise for us. If it was anyone else in command, we'd be very worried about coming back to work."
The treatment the parties would receive during the cover-up process was obvious. Unexplained job changes and transfers. Dangerous missions would follow. It was an administrative action that was very possible and was necessary during martial law. In the face of the impending human extinction, civilian distrust of the military could lead to disaster.
Conscience became distant. Gyeoul shook his head slightly and returned to reality. He spoke to the sergeant, "Think more positively. There's a chance that such an incident will be publicly disclosed as it is. Wouldn't the news lose credibility if it was too positive?"
"I mean, the chances of that happening increased because of you, sir."
Gyeoul made a comfortable smile.
"I know it's funny to say this after you told me to think positive, but I'm just curious, so don't think it's weird."
"What do you mean?"
"Are you worried that I'll bury you along with them?"
The sergeant chuckled.
"That's absolutely absurd."
"Why?"
"Do you really not know, or are you incredibly humble?"
"Never mind. I get it even without hearing it."
Gyeoul quickly raised his gun. Bang! A three-round burst. All three rounds hit. The variant that was about to jump at the soldier staggered and fell. The soldier who survived the crisis shouted a moment later. Ahhh! Screaming, he stumbled backward like a convulsion. Bang! Bang! Bang bang bang! A continuous burst firing into the already dead bodies. Brass casings scattered. Other soldiers were also startled.
"What the hell! What's going on!"
"Damn it! This guy was pretending to be dead! Fuck! Fuck! Fuck!"
Gyeoul approached and calmed him down.
"Quiet. Why were you so careless? We've seen these things using their heads firsthand."
"Sorry. Are you the first to shoot, sir?"
"Yes. It was me."
"Thank you so much. I was too complacent thinking it was all over."
The private trembled. He seemed quite shocked.
Gulemi said a word, "What's over? Nothing's over until you return to the barracks and receive a stand-down order. Forget this, and you'll likely return as a corpse. I'm glad you met the commander."
"That's enough."
Gyeoul patted him on the back until the soldier calmed down.
Evidence collection was soon over. Whether they picked up anything worthwhile would be known once they returned. Gyeoul ordered the soldiers to throw the weapons of the dead into the river.
Hernandez asked, "What do we do now? Will we join the squad leader as planned?"
"Join? Well...."
Gyeoul pondered in the shadows of the forest. He was concerned about the unknown special variant he witnessed during the engagement. While the rewards for discovering it first were great, he wanted more positive changes in the world than the reward itself.
But at this hour, was it a wise choice to proceed with the search with this force?
Seeing the hesitant young officer, the squad leader asked again, "Is there anything on your mind?"
"I saw something earlier, and I want to confirm it. It was a bit bigger...."
After assessing the risk a little more, he instructed.
"Report how much ammo each of you has left."
The soldiers had the same amount, more or less. Some had extra, but more were running low. Redistributing the remaining ammunition, they ensured that no one was urgently in need. About two spare magazines per person. It was enough in case of emergency, where they could retreat after one engagement.
The only problem was the morale of the troops, and at the first sign of doing something again, fatigue showed on some faces. The rest who didn't show it were likely feeling similar. The prospect of returning home must have been on their minds.
And for good reason. After all, since departing from the base, it had been a series of hardships. Gyeoul encourage them.
"I know it's tough for everyone. I'd like to give you some rest, but it seems difficult. I hope you understand. If what I saw was an unconfirmed special variant, it's good to gather information now for the future."
Hernandez responded, "Lieutenant, there's no need to say that. Command us like an officer. Kicking these guys' asses is the role of the squad leader."
Gulemi sent a disapproving look, and Gyeoul formed a faint smile.
"Alright. It's an order. Follow me."
Once again, Gyeoul took the lead in the search. There was a suggestion to set up a separate vanguard, but he declined. It was a matter directly related to the overall survival capability, and [Tracks] was necessary.
They encountered badly damaged trees. The footprints in between were large and deep. The soldiers held their breath. Until now, they had suffered significant damage whenever a new special variant appeared. There was no reason to believe this time would be any different. They were right to be nervous.
"With this size, could it be a Grumble?" suggested one soldier. Gyeoul denied it.
"The footprints are different. And if it was a Grumble, why didn't it join the fight earlier? It's a variant that just charges head on, crushing things in its path."
Gyeoul surveyed the surroundings. Broken and stripped trees. The trunks were deeply trampled. However, it didn't seem like these traces were made just by passing through. Gyeoul tilted his head.
'Why? Is there a reason to deliberately destroy the trees?'
It might be related to the characteristics of the variant, but he couldn't guess what those characteristics were.
The [Tracks] continued. The soldiers' tension grew. Occasionally, there were erratic footsteps. It was evidence of psychological fatigue, exhaustion, and depletion of stamina. Even with the effect of the stimulants, there were limits.
A mutant appeared without warning.
They didn't expect its appearance. There was no warning from Gyeoul's [Danger Detection]. The heat source, hitherto obscured by obstacles, seemed to appear out of thin air. The silhouette was unmistakable. It was not a Grumble.
Putting aside his confusion, Gyeoul immediately raised his hand. The squad scattered and completed concealment.
"2 o'clock direction, distance approximately 40. One enemy."
The soldiers' night vision scopes couldn't detect heat. Only after Gyeoul provided the direction and distance did the soldiers spot the target. Hernandez asked in a hushed tone.
"Do we attack?"
"First, throw grenades. Hold off on shooting until further orders. Krause, McKenzie, get ready."
It wasn't the chosen action due to its effectiveness. It was a tactical judgment. They still didn't know the monster's abilities. Shooting would likely reveal their position to the creature. The same applied to grenades. A silent, flashless grenade was suitable for this situation. It might attract a new threat due to the noise, but for now, there was only that one unknown enemy. It was better to focus on the immediate unidentified threat.
Two soldiers take positions behind the bushes, each holding a grenade, and looking at Gyeoul. After nodding, they count to three and simultaneously throw.
Thunk! One slightly off-course grenade hit a fig tree branch. As the monster turned, the properly thrown grenade exploded at close range. Almost simultaneously, the second explosion followed. The forest trembled with the explosion, leaving an afterglow.
Roaaar!
The ground vibrated. It was the heavy monster running, slower than expected. It collided with a fig tree with its entire body. Thud! Despite the considerable mass, the sturdy tree shook as if it might break. And that was it. Impressive force, but seemingly insufficient compared to the monstrous strength of other special variants.
It uprooted the tree and threw it away.
'Maybe it thought we were there because of the sound of the grenades?'
It's just as well. The monster was now an irritated and uneasy beast. It moved very sluggishly.
"Rocket launcher, please."
Gyeoul received the rocket launcher from a soldier. It was bulkier than a standard firearm. Unlike the lightweight LAW usually carried, this one entrusted by Jeffrey weighs in at kilograms for the warhead alone. The amount of gunpowder alone was at least ten times that of a grenade. It might be insufficient to penetrate the Grumble's physical resistance, but it should work against that thing.
"Everyone, wait here."
He didn't shoot immediately, as the powerful blast of the rocket launcher would immediately reveal their position.
In the darkness, caution was essential.
Lowering his stance, Gyeoul ran. He ran 20 meters to the side and slid 3 meters before immediately assuming a firing position.
The monster was still in its place. It turned its head sharply, seemingly scanning all directions simultaneously.
'Excitement? Anger?... It seems like fear is even greater for some reason.'
There were no warnings from [Survival Instincts], and the warnings from [Combat Sense] were weak.
'What could it be?'
Even while pondering, Gyeoul pulled out the safety pin at the tip of the warhead. A clear and small clinking sound, barely audible to Gyeoul. He raised the night vision scope for aiming. Now, with the rocket launcher on his shoulder, he aimed the centerline of the crosshair at the monster, and fired directly.
Boom! His whole body vibrated. The trajectory of the high-explosive flew like raindrops hitting a water surface. Gyeoul felt the launch and impact almost simultaneously. The shockwave was visible. It shot up before falling densely, like a waterfall.
The explosion passed.
However, there was no reaction from the monster.
What? Gyeoul briefly laid down, staring straight ahead.
No movement was visible. Only thick steam, distinguishable from the mist, hung in the air. It seemed like an unusually large amount, likely emanating from the monster's spilled bodily fluids.
The warnings from his skills were completely gone.
Preparing for the worst internally, Gyeoul slowly stood up.
Joining the squad, he approached cautiously, maintaining a certain distance for observation.
"Could it really be dead? This easily?" Gulemi mumbled, expressing disbelief.
The special variant lay dead, sprawled towards the sky. The peculiar posture was due to the imbalance in its body. The weight of its entire body rests on its enormous bulging back. The protruding spine was impressive.
Countless larvae covered the surface of its back. What was initially thought to be bodily fluids turned out to be a yellowish pus flowing from there. Whether it was truly pus or not remained uncertain. At least in appearance, it was similar. Even in death, there was no sign of cessation of the flowing pus. The wounds swept by the explosion, too, barely bled, and the rest expelled pus. Squelch, squelch. So much of it. The rising steam was nauseating. The wind shifted, and the stench came with it. Gyeoul shouted, "Wear gas masks!"
[Survival Instincts] and [Danger Detection] remained silent, indicating it wasn't a toxic substance. Regardless, the command to wear gas masks was the natural order to give.
Gyeoul fired a few shots at the corpse, contemplating where to shoot for maximum effectiveness. Plop! Plop! With each hit, pus splattered. It was yellow and had a strong viscosity. The continuously flowing pus covered the surrounding ground. Blood mixed with the pus, making it a murky blend.
Hernandez muttered, seemingly disgusted. "What kind of tumor mass is this?"
Soldiers stealthily retreated. Gyeoul didn't stop them; instead, he encouraged them to step back further. There was no need to invite unnecessary suspicion from the higher-ups when the report was submitted.
'If there's concern about infection or poisoning, we'll likely be quarantined for quite a while,' Gyeoul thought. Eventually, it would be revealed, but the time wasted until then was the issue.
"Lieutenant, do you think these creatures possess biochemical weapons? If so, I can understand their dismal combat capabilities," Gulemi asked. Gyeoul shook his head.
"If you're asking for my intuition... No. But as of now, I have no conclusive evidence. It's better to just record the location here and leave. We only need to report. The medical service unit will come later to recover them."
Gyeoul took out a GPS device and a map, marking the location and noting the coordinates.
"Good job, everyone. Let's head back. Jeffrey should be waiting."
With the order given, the steps of the retreating soldiers quickened. Soon, they were practically running.
A wide expanse of filthy mucus spread out. It began flowing down the slope.
---------------------------= Afterword =-------------------------—
(This part is Machine Translated.)
#Quiz
What is that variant?
#3:20 AM
Author: I'm extremely tired, but somehow my head is getting clearer.
Friend: Have you heard of the circadian rhythm?
Author: It's not about that...
Friend:ㅋㅋㅋㅋ
#Q&A
Q. BlueCrystal: @Author, I want to see comments. It used to be a way to enjoy the aftertaste after reading, but it feels empty now.
A. Since you asked, I'll do it again. Since some people don't like it, I need to balance the quantity. :)
Q. Sophetem: So where is the fan signing event? I'll attend if it's not in outer space.
A. Well, it might be difficult? In the author's opinion, if this novel is published as a book, it might not even sell the first edition, and it might end up being stored on a shelf later. In such a situation, a fan signing event seems unrealistic.
Oh. This doesn't mean my novel isn't interesting, it just means paper books don't sell as much these days. Haha. I hope more people can read it even as an e-book.
Q. Anarkh: @I've read it, sacrificing my sleep for a few days... I never intended to stop my subscription, but because of this post, I unsubscribed for a month. Thank you for staying on Novel to consider existing readers. After finishing the story, I'm looking forward to your next work, whether it's premium or published. After throwing the manuscript fee coupon, I'll disappear.
A. I'm glad it was worth sacrificing your sleep for. Thank you. I'll continue to do my best to accommodate readers' irregular sleep habits in the future.
I'm really kind. My character is proportional to the number of legs...
Q. Reinessis: Please don't go to Munpia... I'd rather you go premium here... By the way, are you going to publish web novels on a site that starts with na?..
A. There may be differences in the order and timing of entry, but in the end, I think I'll be on all major platforms. Including Kakao. However, since I entered Naver first, it might be difficult to get ads on Kakao, right? Considering that it's already a Noblesse serial, the perception might not be good either...
On Naver, I'll go to N Store, not as a web novel.