Chapter 173
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 173
Chapter Title: Vertical and Horizontal Alliances, San Francisco (8)
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Two days after the briefing. Lieutenant General Sieru summoned Winter.
The generals' meeting was just around the corner.
They were prepared. Chadwick, who had probed Winter's resolve with talk of patriotism and readiness to die, apparently couldn't just leave the boy officer alone. He might have set up countermeasures from the start and tested him accordingly.
There might be another collaborator attending the meeting. Winter had no idea who. He believed himself to be America's sole inside man. From the nuance and circumstances, it was likely a general-level figure. Otherwise, they wouldn't have the capability to assist Winter if things went south.
As Winter pondered silently, Lieutenant General Sieru asked,
"Does this displease you by any chance?"
Winter shook his head.
"No, sir. When we met before, you said you'd verify my skills. I've been waiting for that moment. No reason to be displeased."
This was a passenger liner converted into barracks for the time being. Kurt Lee's verification would take place here. The method was unknown, but the general's friendly demeanor was unchanged.
"The men I've seen weren't always like that. They hoped I'd trust them blindly before seeing proof. That was their pride, they said."
The female general twisted her lips into a wry smile.
"Come to think of it, there's a line in the Christian scriptures: 'Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.'"
Winter affirmed.
"I believe it's from the Gospel of John."
It was a familiar verse, even without intelligence buffs. He'd heard it plenty from fanatics twisting its meaning to suit themselves. From their shouts. Faith as an escape from reality.
"Oh, really? That's unexpected... Then again, considering where you grew up, maybe not. Are you a follower of Yesu yourself?"
Fascinated yet cautious, the general watched as Winter immediately denied it.
"No, sir. I went to church briefly as a kid, but only to fill my empty stomach. Whatever faint faith I had died on the battlefield. If there's a God who loves humanity, wars like that shouldn't happen."
It was Kurt Lee's pre-established backstory. After a brief pause, he added one more line.
"Lately, though, I've felt like believing again."
"Praying for salvation from the Almighty?"
"No, sir. I'm not that weak. Besides, hoping for heaven after killing countless people would be ridiculous."
"Then?"
"I'd like someone to blame. The world is too horrific. If there's a culprit behind all this, at least my heart would find some peace."
The general burst out laughing.
"Different, you're truly different. If only my subordinates were half like you."
Then came a deep sigh.
"Whether it's the Oumi Church or the Taiping Rebellion, cults thriving in chaotic times isn't new. But I never imagined it repeating even after the Great Leap Forward. It's infuriating to deal with one by one. The People's Army rank-and-file were surely the finest talents... Makes you wonder how fragile the foundation of human intellect and philosophy really is."
No, pretend you didn't hear that. The expression on the general's face was the deepest emotion Winter had ever seen. He understood it fully. It was a concern he'd long worried about and addressed in the Winter Alliance.
In a nation with strong communist leanings, faith in philosophy must surpass trust in religion.
Even with widespread folk beliefs and superstitions, those remained in the realm of tradition and culture.
"Weakness isn't a sin. But there's a limit to how much others can take responsibility for them."
That limit was ultimately human. A wall to overcome.
A melancholic smile touched the empathetic general's lips.
"That limit separates the great from the petty. If I abandon them just because it's hard, I'd be no better than them—a petty wretch. I'll protect my flock. Mad or diseased, they're my subordinates, my people."
Twisted, yet a strong personality.
"What test awaits me today, sir?"
The general led the way.
"Follow me."
Though pre-instructed, the guards escorted the female general and Winter as equals.
The atmosphere shifted with the floor. Dry air tinged with a faint stench. Fresh bloodstains everywhere. Bars on every cabin door. Distant wails of anguish. Thanks to "Tracking" automatically analyzing these clues, Winter discerned the countless punishments, tortures, and brutal acts that had occurred here.
Soon, an open space appeared. The sky was visible. The original glass ceiling had been shattered in places and completely removed.
The plaza was guarded by armed troops at key points. One of the officers seated in prepared chairs jumped up. It was Lieutenant Colonel Tan Guosheng, son of Navy Lieutenant General Sieru. He saluted his mother crisply, then greeted Winter with casual warmth.
"You! Long time no see! How've you been?"
Winter returned the smile to the beaming face.
"Thanks to your concern, no issues, sir. And you, Lieutenant Colonel? I heard you suffered after returning to duty."
The young lieutenant colonel looked embarrassed.
"Maybe it was more a sickness of the heart than the body. The funerals for my men made it worse."
The watching general interjected.
"Lieutenant Colonel Tan Guosheng. This isn't a social call. Return to your seat."
"Ah..."
The young officer's embarrassment deepened for a different reason. But his mother's demeanor toward her son was icy cold and steely firm. Less about onlookers, more strict separation of public and private.
Winter eyed the plaza's center. It was enclosed by iron bars. Thick bulletproof glass faced the officers' side.
Lieutenant General Sieru said,
"Those are the rat pups prepared for your test."
Winter replied,
"I'm no pleasure killer, sir."
The general's method of testing Kurt Lee needed no explanation. The victims were chained to shackles welded to the deck. Thick chains that bullets couldn't snap restricted their movement. Allowed range: about a meter fore, aft, left, right.
Before them lay fully disassembled firearms of various types.
They dared not touch the weapons nearby due to the snipers aiming at them.
The sole table without guns or people was likely Winter's spot.
"I don't want my aide to be a murderer either."
The general's words continued in a calm tone.
"See the one over there, half brown hair, half black?"
In the direction she pointed sat a haggard ex-officer. Ex, because his insignia was ripped off. The subtle differences from enlisted uniforms hinted at his former rank.
His dyed hair suggested recent affluence. Dye wasn't rare off San Francisco's freighter-filled waters, but not everyone could use it freely. It was more about the organization's atmosphere than scarcity.
"That one raped five women and two men. The men weren't even lust-driven—just for fun. Tortured them till their guts burst. Human scum."
"...I see."
"He committed countless other crimes, all covered up by his faction leader's influence in the Youth League. I tolerated it to protect my people, but with the world like this, why spare a thunderbolt maniac?"
The Youth League was the Communist Youth League's abbreviation. A rising force with strong standing in the faction-riddled Party. Quickly scanning the socio-cultural background from expert-level "Chinese," Winter observed the other criminals.
Noticing his gaze, the general unleashed a barrage of cynical barbs.
"The curly-haired pup next to him brazenly sold heroin. Just a middleman importing from abroad and exporting abroad, but peddling drugs—opium, no less—in this country? I've sworn to skin him alive myself someday."
Obsessed with her flock yet revealing odd patriotism, the general seemed justified to Winter. Heroin's raw material was poppy. Same as opium. Few events in Chinese history shamed like the Opium Wars. Reason for China's drug phobia.
"What were they thinking?'
Beyond thoughtless. Severe lack of reality sense. Wealth and power dehumanize. A misfortune that blinds even to one's own unhappiness. Feeling happy, yet drifting from true happiness.
Her intense contempt seemed genuine.
The horrific testimonies continued.
"That crazy bitch over there boiled and ate fetuses for health. And the balding old coot behind her took bribes and tampered with supplies. Fake rations on a long voyage—what do you think happened? Nearly starved the troops en masse. Yet blame fell solely on producers and suppliers. Hah, ridiculous."
The man she jabbed at was the calmest victim. He glanced their way, then focused on the pistol parts before him. He'd realized the opportunity coming. His mind likely replaying full disassembly and reassembly endlessly.
"I get the unease. Soldiers aren't murderers. War's a tragedy idiots create, but someone must fight. Taking responsibility for the government and people's folly with your life—that's a soldier's honor and pride."
The general added,
"They're doomed anyway. Even without you, they won't leave here alive. Thanks to you, they get a shot at it."
"I understand, sir."
"Forgive me once more. Don't take this test amiss."
"Receiving this special treatment from you is honor enough. However."
"However?"
"One thing I'd like to ask."
Lieutenant General Sieru looked puzzled at Winter's words.
"What is it?"
"Before I ask, please know there's no malice. I just want to know you better, sir."
"I asked your forgiveness first, so you can ask mine. But know me better?"
The female general waited with intrigued curiosity.
Was it a needless question? It didn't quite fit Kurt Lee. Winter chided himself for imprudence.
But halting now felt awkward. Finally, he spoke.
"Are you different from them, General?"
Lieutenant General Sieru furrowed her brow.
"What do you mean?"
Winter showed the watch he still carried—a gift from her. The intricately meshed precious metals sparkled diversely even in dim light. A piece that had stumped CIA inspectors. An artwork hard to disassemble without artisan skill.
"I heard you bought this for 64 million yuan. Not your whole fortune, I assume."
"Of course. My wealth exceeded that."
After a pause, the lieutenant general countered.
"Are you questioning if my fortune's ill-gotten?"
"Yes, sir."
Her expression softened before his direct answer.
"Not a tough question. Good."
Winter supplemented his intent.
"In this world, money can be someone's life. Have you ever taken meals from others, General?"
A faint chuckle escaped Lieutenant General Sieru.