Chapter 176
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 176
Chapter Title: Vertical and Horizontal Alliances, San Francisco (11)
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After the public execution, the various stages that dragged on for half a day were, in themselves, another test. How far could one's stamina hold out? How long could one's concentration be maintained?
The process wasn't always entirely rational. From the start, it was a venue that doubled as entertainment to some degree.
'Or perhaps it's a reflection of the subordinates' conditions as seen by the Vice Admiral.'
The homeland was destroyed, humanity teetered on the brink, and life as refugees in a potential nation was uncertain. In a life where one had to desperately seek even a scrap of pleasure, those in higher ranks, relatively more comfortable, would perceive the apocalypse differently from those below them—for better or worse. How sane were they still? Endless, monotonous days amid anxiety and fear.
Winter knew it well. The lethargy that set in when everything felt like a predetermined fate. How easily it could crumble a person's mind.
What moved people was emotion. How many could remain rational when their hearts were impoverished?
Thus, even if it was base entertainment for a moment, if it stirred the heart even a little, that was enough. Wasn't that one thread of the Navy Vice Admiral's true intentions?
Of course, the main purpose was still verifying Kurt Lee.
He had said he believed his son's testimony, but the Vice Admiral himself would want to see it with his own eyes.
The final stage was the fight Winter had hoped for, allowed to continue indefinitely. A showcase of close-quarters combat ability. He could face multiple opponents at once. They literally wanted him to show his limits.
"Are there that many death row inmates?"
Winter's question before the fight. The adjutant, softened somewhat since morning, still revealed disgust in his voice at odds with Kurt Lee's rugged appearance.
"Of course not. The fleet's discipline hasn't deteriorated to that extent. Same for civilians. Times being what they are, public morals are a mess, but we're better off than other fleets."
"Then?"
"Most are those who committed minor crimes and seek to get off lightly, followed by those challenging for better treatment, and idiots who want to stand out. Of course, there are the ones who truly deserve death mixed in."
At his signal, armed soldiers dragged the prisoners out in a line. Their bound hands and feet clanked with every step. What was strange was their robustness. The test had only been set recently—bodies this built couldn't have come from a few days of good feeding. Even if they'd cherry-picked from the prisoners, it didn't add up.
"Remember these faces well."
The adjutant officer said.
"These are the worst of the worst. Starting from the left: serial killer, human flesh vendor, pedophile..."
Faces introduced not by name but by crime— their eyes alone weren't normal. Something indefinable by the five senses emanated from them. In a world teeming with walking plagues and monster-like humans.
"No telling how long you'll last, but at least hold out until all these are done."
The standing order that followed: Inflict pain befitting their crimes.
The intent was clear. Faces were glimpsed briefly. During the long fight, mix them in randomly one by one—how many would an exhausted Kurt Lee recognize?
"One more question."
"What?"
"Why are they all so healthy? They look like they've been well-fed for a long time."
Disgust deepened on the adjutant's face. Not directed at Kurt Lee.
"I've heard bodies turn up occasionally in the detention facilities. You can guess what that means."
"You just let that happen?"
"The dead were goners anyway. Herding them together is punishment enough."
And it saves ammo, he added, the end of his words suspicious. Winter suspected there was more. Even today: Kill Winter for pardon, wound him for reduced sentence.
'This test wasn't created in a vacuum.'
Similar matches must have happened routinely. Individuals or groups—they'd act as they always did.
The Navy Vice Admiral's words echoed: No room for unnecessary people in my fleet. That ruthlessness wouldn't be reserved for just Second Lieutenant Zhou Wei. In an environment churning out endless prisoners, where even carrying the able-bodied was burdensome, what use would a general find for them?
Public punishment had a demonstrative effect. Scare people: Commit a crime, and that's your fate. Turning it into entertainment had its merits. Through twenty-six apocalypses, Winter had witnessed similar cases.
Whether it actually worked was questionable. Enough ambiguity to doubt yes or no. Winter leaned toward no. For mentally ravaged people, expecting pure positivity from brutal spectacles was unrealistic.
Preparations finished while he pondered.
No firearms issued, so a master sergeant entered the arena to oversee control.
Winter called out ten from the start. He didn't plan to drag it out. They said he could stop anytime, but better to exhaust the opponents.
The officers' seats stirred. Some admired Kurt Lee's boldness, others frowned. Reckless. Possible? Impressive so far, but this? With the bulletproof glass removed, his enhanced senses easily caught their murmurs.
Not difficult. Winter, who could overpower beta ghouls with raw strength—even not at full capacity, plenty left for humans. He thought:
'To face ten, you don't need exactly ten people's worth of strength.'
The master sergeant controlling the prisoners raised his hand. Held at the peak, then dropped sharply.
Avoid encirclement.
At the start, Winter broke through the left. Broke through literally. Superhuman leg power, unnatural short-range acceleration, full body mass slamming into one. Defense was pointless. Thud! A heavy echo, the target's face contorting—likely breathless.
Convert collision rebound into spin. Pivot on one foot, whip out the right—crack! Bone-snapping sensation beyond the impact.
Unlike variants, humans had fear.
Fear turned the group into scattered individuals.
No group training, and even accounting for that, little camaraderie.
As expected. Weren't these prisoners ones who devoured each other in cells? No reason it'd be better outside. A floating city where humans and humanity rotted together.
「Insight」 affirmed Winter's judgment. Indiscriminately mixed like that, group action would be clumsy. Each was just opportunity for the others. Ultimately,
"Go die!"
One charged, and they all rushed haphazardly. But hating to be first, each slowed at whim. That gap was plenty to exploit. Gaps widened with each new fear injected.
The fight continued that way. Stark contrast to fighting variants.
When a death row inmate he'd noted came up, Winter dropped restraint.
Crunch!
Near-wasteful blow. Pedophile's jaw shattered. He smashed it into the throat. Prisoner flapping, airway blocked by his own flesh and bone. The officers cheered heartily.
Newcomers grew less motivated. They'd watched from the start; Winter showed no fatigue. Some who'd volunteered even forfeited.
The "unlimited" warning rang hollow; the fight ended lamely at the forty-first.
Would Vice Admiral Sielu be satisfied?
The answer came next day from Tan Guosheng.
"Your mother was quite pleased. Said you exceeded expectations."
Who knows. If the verified Kurt Lee fell short, they'd have thought him killable.
Even if the Vice Admiral's stake was high, excluding promised goods and zones to Orca Black, only the watch and Second Lieutenant Zhou Wei remained. The former recoverable post-death, the latter a hot potato by his own admission.
If gains came later, trust upfront was fine. A general's cunning.
"She was glad you grasped her intent and acted without being told outright. Said it felt like meeting a true son."
No falsehood in his hearty laugh. He shared his own feelings: Others could now evaluate Kurt Lee themselves, which pleased him. Winter nodded.
"Good. At least no one will doubt Major Tan's testimony now."
"...Yeah. No point hiding from you."
Tan Guosheng, un-denying, seemed even better than before. Also meant greater trust in Kurt Lee. Good. High chance he'd inherit Vice Admiral Sielu's authority.
'In peacetime, unthinkable, but it's practically a privatized military force.'
From soldiers' view, perhaps little resistance. Winter recalled a Chinese Army general mobilizing troops for private revenge, ending in written reprimand. Avoid overgeneralizing, but useful reference.
Where'd he hear it? Rummaging memory, no clear source. An era flooded with info from all paths even pre-apocalypse.
Tan Guosheng said,
"People look at me differently now. That coward who fled to save himself, colluding with a rootless mercenary to lie—that's how the idiots slandered me. Not knowing what I went through, how proud and brave the dead were... Anyway, I owe you again."
Odd stain when calling the dead brave.
No one avoids self-justification. Just degrees.
"Don't put it as incurring debts one by one. We're comrades, right?"
His response as Kurt Lee worked; the young Navy Major laughed again.
"Thanks for saying that."
Winter changed topics.
"Where to now? You said escort, but no details."
With talks nearing, he'd expected rest time post-test. But summoned at daybreak: Escort Major Tan Guosheng. No specifics. Not even destination. No special arms required.
"Ah, no need to tense up. It's on base. Escort's just routine."
"On base?"
"Yeah. First time for you. Destination's Ship 854."
"What kind of ship?"
"Ocean electronic reconnaissance vessel, named Tianlangxing. Fine ship. Tracks ballistic missiles with its radar, plus ample other gear. One reason US can't casually launch fighters near the bay."
Tianlangxing. The intel collector infected by the Trojan Horse.
Winter eyed Tan Guosheng anew with fresh tension. Any missed hostility? Had Vice Admiral Sielu noticed something? Even if so, no way to peg Kurt Lee as culprit. Amid swirling thoughts, Tan Guosheng revealed the bland reason.
"Planned to tell on arrival, but knowing ahead won't spoil it. We've devised a new way to destroy the Alameda's bridges."
"Is that so?"
"Been prepping awhile, but lacked key parts. Then, pre-talks, Brigadier General Lei Yanli's side showed cooperative attitude. Filled the gap."
Winter narrowed his eyes. The CIA asset?
Plausible. Knowing Vice Admiral Sielu's leanings, preemptive relationship-building with potential allies.
"Your mother saw it as fortuitous. Said it strengthens her position pre-talks."
"Makes sense. Adds that much potential to the Vice Admiral's outlook. Easier to sway other generals."
"Yeah. Must succeed."
Muttering, Tan Guosheng shifted tone.
"Anyway, win or lose, felt you deserved to see it. Your mother agreed. You've earned that."
Winter tilted his head slightly. No need for tension? Got missing parts, so the new means' nature was guessable. Matched CIA intel Winter had received via docs and briefings.
============================ Author's Notes ============================
#Qin Wei Jiang
The anecdote about the general who used the military for private revenge, mentioned in the main story, stars Vice Commander Qin Wei Jiang of Nanjing Military Region. He was 27th Army Group Commander at the time. Readers have likely heard it—the tale of calling in his unit to trash a hotel after bad treatment, circulating online.
#Q&A
Q. Gliese581: @ How many hours does it take to write one chapter on average? + If full-time, curious how many hours daily you write.
A. Hard to average. Sometimes fast as five hours per chapter, slow over twenty.
Lately, neck disc issues disrupt sleep and work, so even more.
Rough guess... at least over 8 hours.
Q. Cicero-nim: @ Not sure if good or bad habit, but your description of the Vice Admiral and Winter's gaze reminds me of the Joker standoff in The Dark Knight—grinning involuntarily. Happy ending overall, but more bad ends for the overly excessive would be nice. Smirk.
A. Hope for good endings for all. Haha.
Q. Awoongdongdari-nim: @ Wow, so addictive—no match on Novel these days.
A. Thanks. You'll be blessed.
Q. Lewd Demon F-nim: @ The woman who ate a child—was she ex-officer? If not, better describe many among them as officers rather than lumping as high officers.
A. Ex-officer. Abuse of power case.
Q. Yonggarichicken-nim: @ Binge-reading, but do you know the roguelike Cataclysm? Similar vibe and traits, asking ㅎㅎ
A. Hmm... Steam game? Only know Cataclysm as Homeworld expansion.