Chapter 153
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 153
Chapter Title: Far Bridge, Alameda (1)
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April 3rd. The overt liberation operation had commenced.
At this point, Winter was right in the heart of Alameda city.
"Trapped."
The hollow voice belonged to the Chinese Navy Major, Tan Guosheng. Son of Navy Lieutenant General Xie Ru, and the employer of Winter's alias, the mercenary Kurt Lee.
The situation was just as he said. They were being pursued by a mutant pack. For now, they were hiding inside a large discount store. The rest of their unit was unaccounted for. The radio was silent. No attempts at contact could be made. The hunting party included a Trickster.
"Are they all still alive?"
The weary Navy Major's question. Winter shook his head.
"The chances are slim."
"Why's that?"
"No jamming signals."
Winter thought it over. If the other units had survived, the Trickster would be actively disrupting communications. Right now, the radio was quietly clear of static. The Chinese Marines had likely been wiped out. At best, a few survivors hiding somewhere, delaying their inevitable deaths. Even then, it wouldn't last long.
'Not good opponents. Of all times, a new strain shows up.'
He had figured the time would come. But they encountered it right after coming ashore. Bad luck.
Or maybe not entirely bad. This new monster was one Winter had experience with. He knew its traits. Far better than some completely unknown freak popping up.
Special variant, "Stalker." Combat prowess nothing special, but specialized in "tracking." Especially acute sense of smell. When enhanced, hearing and vision mutate next in sequence.
"Damn it, this was way too reckless an operation. Should've at least sent more troops."
Tan Guosheng whimpered softly, stifling sobs. Winter left him be. "Crisis Detection" was calm, so they were safe for the moment. The man, drained by fear and adrenaline, needed rest.
The operation. Navy Lieutenant General Xie Ru, leader of a Chinese remnant faction, had devised a bold plan. Seize part of the San Francisco metropolitan area.
Tan Guosheng called his mother reckless, but Winter saw solid potential. Alameda was an island. Blow the undersea tunnels and bridges connecting to the mainland, and the mutant population in the city proper wouldn't grow. Then slowly secure block by block.
Tan Guosheng's mission: demolish three bridges. Park Street Bridge, Fruitvale Bridge, and High Street Bridge. These linked Alameda to Oakland.
The waterway separating the cities was narrow. Grumbles lurked on both shores. Too far inland for destroyer fire support. Helicopter firepower fell short. Ground troops were the only option.
The unit had slipped into the waterway under cover of night.
'Would've succeeded without the Stalkers.'
Even Winter felt the regret. The mission had been on the verge of success. But while planting bombs on the northernmost bridge's pier, the Park Street Bridge, a nearby Stalker caught their scent.
And now this.
Tan Guosheng, lost in his daze, jolted in terror. A sharp crack echoed. Glass shattered somewhere in the building. Winter heard heavy footsteps too. "Combat Sense" estimated straight-line distance at about 80 meters. Different floors, complex layout in between, but if it followed the smell, it'd be quick.
"We need to move."
Winter hauled the Chinese officer to his feet. But the man lacked strength.
"Move where? Outside's crawling with monsters. Play hide-and-seek in here? Might be better to die now. Painlessly... I don't want to turn into one of them!"
"If we take out the ones with keen smell, we can find a gap to escape."
"Take out? How? Even bullets bounce off Taowu! We'll die instantly if we run into them!"
"......"
The Chinese called Grumbles "Taowu," after the man-eating beast from mythology.
Truth be told, they were tricky for Winter too. Beta Grumbles, accompanied by Trickster and Stalkers. Stalkers weren't much in a fight by special variant standards, but their physical abilities outclassed average beta ghouls.
Solo, he'd have good odds. But with baggage he had to keep alive, caution was key.
What to do. Scanning the area, Winter spotted a vending machine.
Crack. He jammed in the crowbar. Twisted hard to pry the door open. Tan Guosheng looked flustered.
"What are you doing?"
"Luring the smell-trackers in another direction."
"With soda? Ha... You've finally lost it too."
The Chinese officer muttered, trembling. But if the Stalker matched Winter's knowledge, it'd react strongly to carbon dioxide. Like mosquitoes. From research in the old world.
No time to convince him thoroughly. No hard proof either. Not even full certainty it'd work.
"Wait here a moment. I'll be right back."
He tried for a gentle tone, but it came out off. Blame the voice-altering meds.
Their hideout was a staff break room. Poorly treated employees, tucked in a corner—lucky break. Winter dashed silently down the hall. Crash, thud. Discordant noises rose from below. Central stairs overlooking the main lobby. Winter hid by the nearby railing, shook several pilfered cola cans hard. Set them down in order, gripped one. Silencer-fitted pistol in his left hand.
First toss. Emergency lights only. In the gloom, a red can arced down. Winter aligned his aim with its fall. Pop! Muffled gunshot. Then a hiss and burst. Not far from the mutant swarm.
Tap-tap-tap. Mutants appeared. No sign of the hunting hound. It directed from safety, never exposing itself.
Winter lobbed more cans. Pop, pop-pop. The hound moved cautiously. From up high, he saw the pack split. Lured toward the decoys.
They're blocking the retreat.
Clever maneuver. Surely the Trickster's intelligence.
Still, bought some time. Winter returned to Tan Guosheng. No point propping him up—he'd slumped back down. Pistol in hand. Trembling gave away his intent.
"No suicide. Think of your wife."
Persuasion invoking his mother. The Chinese officer chuckled bitterly at Winter's words.
"Sticking to the contract even now? Ha, why not just ditch me."
That wouldn't do.
CIA had intercepted Xie Ru's comms. Mentions of Beidou satellites. Winter needed to infiltrate her intel ship's under her command. Tan Guosheng was the stepping stone.
A sudden idea struck. Winter rummaged a filing cabinet. Employee layout map. Spaces unknown to regular customers marked. One spot stood out.
"Major. Look at this."
Winter pointed to the supply closet. Tan Guosheng stared blankly.
"Why? Gonna sweep them with brooms? Have at it. I'll cheer you on."
"I'm serious. Might be detergents. We have gas masks."
Chlorine-based cleaners plus oxygen bleach make toxic gas. Tough in a looted store, but supply closet changed that. Blinking, Tan Guosheng asked.
"Think it'll work? Kill them with poison gas?"
"No. Reaction time means not that far. But if their hunting hound's sensitive to ambient gases, it won't come closer. Might clear a path."
The officer finally snapped to. Mutants were beastified humans. Beasts sensed danger sharper than people. Canary in coal mines, after all.
They dashed down the hall. Pursuit noises closed in. Angrier at the crude lure, louder than before. Boom! Smashing through walls now.
Supply closet at last. Essentials found quick. Winter dumped bleach first. Several big jugs. Hall filled with acrid stench instantly.
Timid Tan Guosheng donned his gas mask first, then sprayed bleach wildly. Desperation clear. Thud, thud. Heavy footsteps neared relentlessly.
"Not enough, way not enough!"
His anxious mutter spot-on. Smoke rising over wide area felt pitifully thin. White and yellowish foam bubbled, vapor faint.
But Winter deemed it sufficient. How would monsters chasing faint scents handle visible chlorine clouds?
Winter shot out all emergency lights. Pop-pop. Red glows shattered. No natural light in the hall—it plunged to black instantly. Now wait. Night vision on, staring down the corridor. Tan Guosheng equipped his Chinese-issue NVGs too. Gulp. Dry swallow. Thud, boom. Footsteps nearly upon them. Around the corner, probably.
"Wouldn't hiding be better?"
Barely audible whisper of fear. Winter replied.
"Aren't we already hidden in the dark? Check for more bleach. I'll cover here."
Nodding, Tan Guosheng turned hurriedly. Splash. Slipped on wet floor. Winter barely suppressed a sigh. Valuable asset.
Prone, rifle ready. Debris camouflaged him. Hoping they'd hesitate at the gas. If a worthwhile target appeared, blow its head off in one go. Hounds would warn the pack: danger ahead.
Lucky the Stalker was early-stage. If hounds saw infrared, it'd be a headache. They'd spot even non-visible lasers.
Boom. Boom. Thud.
At last, the biggest mutant appeared. In green-tinted NVGs, the Grumble was an alien mass.
Wish the scope was thermal. Winter lamented. His old one detected heat. Beta Grumbles leaked more from weak spots. Gaps in carapace. Enhanced ones roared less but cracked thickened hide during charges.
Thermal scopes were high-end. Civilian market didn't sell combat-grade. Too suspicious for a mere merc.
Rifle laser sight danced near the Grumble's maw.
[Keieeeek! Kek! Grrk, keeak!]
Rhythmic howls. Stalker's. Grumble halted. Winter shifted aim. Fleeting silhouettes behind. Prime target: Trickster.
'"Silent One" might be there, but even if, it won't intervene in combat.'
Its priority: preserve and relay intel.
Grumble stepped aside, hounds advanced. Three visible, maybe more. Winter squeezed the trigger. Click-click-click. Hair-trigger tension. Grenades scarce—save them. Only two left.
Keen-sniffers twitched noses. Long-time tell. Scent-tracking mutants. Morgellons optimized hosts functionally. Enhanced senses as needed.
But smell couldn't pierce gas-filled dark.
Then the one unbound by darkness appeared.
Finally, faint static from volume-lowered radio.
Crackle, crackle, hiss.
Not jamming. Trickster detected reflected waves. Radar-like. Darkness no issue, omnidirectional emission no blind spots.
But Winter lay prone, covered, outline blurred.
Cautious Trickster edged forward.
Aim laser locked on its eye.
Then fire. Bang-bang-bang! Three-round burst hammered the same spot dead-center.