Chapter 110
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 110
Chapter Title: #Premonition, San Ardo Oil Field (1)
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The day after Operation "Clear Liberation" was announced. The battalion-sized task force commanded by Lt. Colonel Capston advanced north along the Salinas River. Their objective: seize the San Ardo Oil Field. Thanks to Winter holding the Salinas Dam, the oil field remained intact, unflooded.
The riverside oil field looked like an artificially created desert. The ground had been stripped flat in layers, its barren hues stark against the surroundings. To the east, where the terrain rose, winding roads snaked dizzyingly toward vanishing ridgelines. No pattern to them. And the variants charging from there had no pattern either.
A true wasteland. Even inside the moving truck, Winter caught a faint whiff of crude oil. Not his imagination. Some facility might have malfunctioned. Aerial recon showed no anomalies, so probably nothing major.
Noise makers boomed like thunder from afar. They would scatter the variants drawn by the operation's clamor.
[2 o'clock, large variant group, distance about 250. Meerkats firing.]
The tank platoon's callsign was still Meerkat. Two tanks racing along the right flank swiveled their turrets. Two shots rang out. Boom! Bang! New shells loaded with shotgun rounds in aluminum casings. Nearly a hundred variants collapsed like waves.
"Whoa, what is that? Awesome. So cool."
Exclamation from Hanbyeol, Lee Yura's squad designated marksman. Riding the same truck as Winter, she was glued to the scene beyond the bulletproof glass. Muttering to herself. Die! Die! Stay down! She said it watching the few variants staggering up from where 2,200 shotgun pellets had shredded.
"They won't even make it here."
Another squad member, Moon Suchan. Peering through his rifle's scope, he judged no threat. Winter agreed.
'Human critical hits are deep wounds even for variants.'
Over half the variants survived. But their ragged clothes soaked with fresh blood. Even if they looked like walking corpses, variants were living creatures. Holes in guts and chests wouldn't last long.
Winter scanned the impact zone through binoculars. Hungry things dragging their feet. The childlike one at the front stood out. Lungs full of blood, probably. Red coughs multiple times. It staggered, finally collapsing. As it struggled to rise again.
Bang! Boom!
The tanks' second volley. A tungsten hail battered the variants. You could hear it with your eyes. Flesh bursting, hard earth shattering.
Meanwhile, the task force entered the oil field's south side. Variants appeared sporadically. Having seen the earlier massacre, even beastly intellect made them cautious. Orders from Lt. Colonel Capston.
[Disembark and fight on foot from here. 1st Company, secure the line from south entry road to east refining and storage facilities. 2nd Company, advance north of Sergeant Creek. Remaining forces and support, seize central refining facilities then secure northeast perimeter line. Move as planned, but report situations thoroughly.]
Winter leaped from the troop compartment to the ground. Thud. Heavy impact up his legs.
A silhouette lurked beyond the brush. A cat-crouched variant peering stealthily. Winter aimed his machine gun. Understanding human weapons, the variant lunged spasmodically.
Rat-tat-tat!
The variant's convulsions looked like mechanical failure. It trembled standing, then dropped to its knees. Blood poured from body holes. Sometimes entrails too. Thicker machine gun rounds had gouged inside. Thud, thud. Winter's footsteps approached clearly. The variant looked up from its knees, teeth chattering.
Winter kicked the variant. Then stomped down hard on its fallen form.
Crunch!
Much heavier blow than usual. Ribcage caved with a crackle. The boy rubbed his foot on it. Each time, grind, grind—shattered ribs shifting. Only when sharp bone shards pierced the heart did the variant exhale its last.
'Weight's about this much.'
Winter was testing his changed loadout. Thanks to the new "Centurion" protective suit. 25kg on its own, designed to prevent bite damage from variants.
Plus 16kg from the 500-round machine gun ammo bag.
With weapon and gear, Winter carried over 50kg.
Shooting continued. Not many bushes for variants to hide in. Tricky only around drill rigs and oil tanks. Winter picked off five with aimed shots. Then advanced with suppression fire. About thirty rounds. No reload needed thanks to the bag.
"Everyone okay?"
Turning after shooting, twenty in identical suits lumbered uncomfortably. All of Park Jinseok's and Lee Yura's squads. Plus one squad per platoon struggling.
"Whew, felt it disembarking, but this thing's no joke."
Just a short sprint, and Yura's face was flushed red.
"If they're issuing new gear, shouldn't there be at least some adaptation period?"
After positioning, Jinseok asked sharply. Always cynical, but hard to call him picky this time. Winter thought the same.
'Too rushed...'
The regiment received Centurions yesterday afternoon. Yet today, Blockade Command ordered field testing.
Still, complaints needed quelling. Winter soothed Jinseok.
"Given the environment. To minimize pipeline or facility damage, we conserve firepower, but that risks soldiers."
True enough. Pipelines everywhere. Repairs wouldn't be easy. All materials reliant on airlift anyway.
Thus, tank platoon without fire control went to outer perimeter. One each direction. New shells enabled shotgun fire, overwhelming against variants.
Jinseok still grumbled.
"Feels like treating refugees as lab rats."
"Park Squad Leader. Not just us suffering. Operation ongoing, so later for complaints. Everyone, lower visors. Don't forget to lock. Comms via radio after."
Suits had face-protecting visors. Lower and seal, common variants couldn't bite through. Completely safe from direct infection. But comms only by radio.
'Beta ghoul bite resistance?'
Catalog specs claimed that.
Winter led along road and rail north. Other units flanked. Humvees and armored trucks followed.
Oil field vast as a city. From south end to central refinery complex, troops walked over 1km. Weaker ones sweating already. Day still cool, suits with cooling—no excuse.
Winter spotted variants behind drill rigs.
"11 o'clock hostiles! Hold! Hold! Back 10 meters!"
Pipelines parallel to road restricted shooting. Nearest just 30m. Winter signaled follow-ons too. Back off. At distance, raised fist. Humvee gunner prepped.
Simultaneously to two squads.
"On me! There, too far back! Close up a bit, aim high as possible!"
Winter delayed squad fire. Variants charged tongues lolling, as always. Momentum shrank perceived distance. Squads tensed bodily.
"Now! Fire!"
Variants' upper bodies exploded in unison. High-aim order, pre-aimed.
Br-r-r-r-r!
Excess fire poured on writhing fallen variants. One especially problematic.
[Aaaah! Why won't this fucker die!]
Too close? Mistaking movement for alive. Screechy radio scream. Panic spreads easy. Winter barked.
"Cease! Cease fire! Cease fire!"
Burst dragged on. Jinseok intervened, grabbing barrel, yanking up forcefully. But over a hundred rounds wasted.
Magazine swaps restrain amateurs—25-30 round bursts. Ammo bags didn't.
'No reload convenience hurts here.'
500 rounds gone in 46 seconds full auto.
Flaw and strength. No firepower gap. Unhesitant bursts aid against hordes.
Soon, Winter reached first control facility at refinery with team. Charlie Company 2nd and 3rd Platoons joined after clearing routes. 1st Platoon and Weapons Platoon held dry river bridge across field. CO Lt. Sullivan there too.
Spread forces to four-way watch, three platoon leaders approached Winter.
"Quite the gunfire earlier. Trouble?"
3rd Lt. Hicks. Winter shook head.
"Nothing much. You two okay en route?"
Voice via helmet speaker. Lts. glanced. 2nd Lt. McCoy answered.
"Sporadic pop-ups troublesome, but we had heavies. Two jumped one, fine. One freaked, though."
Heavies meant suited troops.
Hicks added.
"Ours, just hosed clinging one. Thought it'd stop rifle rounds. Centurion seems solid."
Winter nodded, pointed target buildings.
"Time spare, go safe. Four heavy squads here, rotate entries. Buildings small anyway."
McCoy.
"Order?"
"I'll lead with support twice first. Then 2nd, 3rd Platoons. Good?"
"No objections. Covering."
Hicks nodded too.
Winter led Jinseok's squad. Oil pipe end for truck loading. Abandoned tanker, parking lot with ditched sedans. One belted variant thrashed inside. Weak, though. Gaunt.
Approached, silenced with single shot.
Interior full dry feces. Locked in long pre-infection.
'Makes sense. Early infection, no starving like that.'
Starved variants survived year-scale sans nutrition. Oxygen aside.
Now Winter entered building first. Bungalow-sized single story, crammed equipment made maze. Narrow hall ahead.
"Kyaaak!"
Variant from shade leaped. Winter offered left hand.
Crunch.
[Leader!]
Rear scream, Winter raised right hand.
"Fine. No problem. Don't shoot."
Glove bulletproof material.
Variant clamped, chewed furiously. Gums mangled before eyes. Blood streamed, teeth splintered, still insatiable. Crack, crack. Tooth chips flew. Slight pressure to Winter.
Winter gripped variant's jaw like handle. Thrashing. But over 100kg mass here. Shook but not swept. Freed gun hand, pulled back over shoulder. Then full weight smash.
One blow detached lower jaw. Staggering, grabbed neck, struck again. Once, twice, thrice. Thrashing weakened per hit. Shattered eyeball oozed from caved face. Released neck. Collapsed variant leg-trembled. Winter hefted door-breaching crowbar. Swung, sharp edge crushed skull.
Showmanship.
Humans scarier than monsters.
============================ Author's Note ============================
#Naver Enstore Serialization on Hold
Enstore serialization on hold for now.
Reason... violence, apparently.
Sealbreaker revision suggestion rattled me bad, but this worse. Fixed adult scenes, thought fine.
First violence hold, they say... but more violent novels already up...
Anyway, that's it. Episode-pay fans, sorry, wait more.
#Q&A
Q. Onion Mushroom-nim: @Author-nim. Be honest. What's your deal with White Bean author-nim? Babyeol clearly worlds from your innocence...
A. In Columbarium world, liquor tax hikes 400% in 2040. Still Babyeol-ing White Bean-nim can't have daily beer can, rage-blacks to Black Bean-nim. Swaps beer for kin-slaying black bean milk, shifts Babyeol to maritime mystery horror mukbang.
Official canon. :)
Q. Majikal-nim: @Ere this novel infiltrates my life deep. Can't distinguish self from it anymore. Middle school memories revived!
A. Big problem. Indistinguishable from novel = lifelong no-romance curse.
Q. Smile Player-nim: @Great read today~ New monster commander level? Rear-guarded, sudden smart plays around it lol
A. Trickster already commander role.
Q. rumen-nim: @Winter fans thick in PR? PR officer attitude totally changed lol
A. Yup. Bound to be. Even the Major himself... hahaha.