Chapter 178
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 178
Chapter Title: Union and Hegemony, San Francisco (12)
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The day of the summit. Winter arrived at the meeting place ahead of the major general. His purpose was a pre-check. For this, a group of soldiers and technicians trusted by the major general had come along. Checking for bombs, for wiretaps. It was Winter's job to position soldiers at each key point. The cruise-ferry Balhae Pearl, serving as the summit venue, had virtually no defenses of its own and was exposed to threats from multiple warships.
Winter leaned against the railing, gazing at the gray sea rippling with people and boats.
‘This place was chosen precisely because it’s so vulnerable.’
If one person slipped up, everyone would die. They were all clinging to that precarious sense of balance.
Which was proof that none of the attendees had any peace of mind.
[Static—crackle—beep—]
An electronic tone circled in his right ear, devoid of any sense of distance.
[Clown, Clown. This is Pequod. If you read me, give the affirmative signal.]
Clown. The callsign used on the Santa Maria now referred to Winter again. The person communicating from afar was Oliver Talbot, assigned to support Winter during the summit.
Winter scratched his cheek with his left hand. That was the ‘affirmative signal.’ High-altitude drones and even higher spy satellites monitored his every move. Footage from them was being relayed not just to Team Leader Chadwick’s Pequod but also to Langley at the Intelligence Agency headquarters and the Department of Defense.
[Signal confirmed, Clown.]
Communication via radio was one-way. Winter could only express himself limitedly through prearranged hand signals.
[Transmitting confirmed threats from now on. Two o’clock, distance 350, small wooden fishing boat with blue hull, concealed anti-tank missile launcher, two operators. Four o’clock, distance 520, Charlie-Whiskey point, two-man sniper team on the radar mast under maintenance. Same direction, distance 270, one enemy platoon in ambush…….]
A receiver was attached inside Winter’s ear canal, leading to his eardrum. It matched his skin tone and was incredibly thin. It wouldn’t trigger metal detectors. They’d told him production couldn’t keep up for a while, so handle it with care.
His sensory corrections updated ceaselessly. The difference between knowing and not knowing where a threat lurked was stark. Even genius-level 「Combat Sense」 and 「Survival Instinct」 wouldn’t warn of snipers until the moment of attack—or just after. Dodge time amounted to the bullet’s flight duration.
‘If I could transmit back, that’d be ideal…….’
A futile wish. This place was under intense surveillance. Even sending from Pequod was a feat, mimicking Trickster’s jamming with directional waves. They were using codenames just in case.
The soldiers being positioned had no idea, merely awed by Curt Lee’s senses.
A faint rumble echoed from afar. The U.S. West Coast saw frequent quakes. San Francisco Bay alone got two or three a day. Mostly under magnitude 3. Even Winter struggled to notice without sensory correction.
The rumble passed quickly.
Winter picked up the radio used by the Chinese military.
“Checks complete. You can come now, General.”
It didn’t take long for Major General Sierra to arrive. Upon seeing his face, she sighed.
“So today’s the day.”
Dark circles under her eyes suggested sleepless nights. She’d had no leisure to mull over scenarios and speeches for persuading fellow generals.
One by one, attendees filed in, filling seats. Mostly strangers. Even familiar faces rarely exchanged words. Whatever past ties, they now eyed each other as potential foes.
‘Even if it goes according to Major General Sierra’s vision, who holds the reins will be another fight.’
Greed knows no bounds. Why should that woman lead? Plenty wouldn’t accept it.
“Everyone, thank you for coming.”
An elderly Communist Party member—lacking skill but neutral—announced the start. He’d become the mediator for that reason.
“In this extraordinary time as the world people’s doomsday approaches, you who demonstrate outstanding leadership with fervent patriotism and steadfast sense of duty…….”
“Cut the time-wasting nonsense.”
A cold remark from an Army division commander cut the opening speech short. The speaker eyed him wearily, but it didn’t faze the man.
“Wasting even a minute on prattle from some city party secretary is too much. Skip the formalities. We all know why we’re here, right?”
The commander slammed the table.
“Straight to the point. Changzheng 9 and Beidou Star. Who has them?”
Murmurs spread. The only nuclear sub evading the U.S. blockade, and the satellite system vital for nuclear missile guidance. Either was a key bargaining chip. Admitting possession invited danger.
Yet total secrecy would stall talks. Rough words already flew. Voices rose. Amid it, Major General Sierra raised her hand. She declared in a raspy, booming voice.
“Beidou Star is with me.”
The clamor died.
The questioning division commander twitched his brow.
“I wondered which bold thief it was. Never thought it’d be you.”
No respect for a superior. Major General Sierra showed no real emotion at being called a thief. She merely replied.
“Division Commander Pan Riyuan. I only wanted to prevent its misuse.”
“Some excuse.”
“Beidou Star is the people’s and nation’s asset. I couldn’t tolerate it sold for personal gain. You know how many scoundrels shirked duty.”
She spoke truth. Though San Francisco’s exiled generals were unaware, Hawaiian surrenderees had demanded only elite privileges.
In the same vein, Winter knew why U.S. skies brimmed with spy and comms satellites. Grotesque abundance amid poverty. One phrase summed U.S. satellite comms: high-level defectors from various nations handing over their systems for protection.
Plus, government jets from dozens of countries carrying national bank gold and dollars. He heard such from nearby intel folks.
‘Korea too.’
Mugunghwa, Cheonlian, Arirang. Familiar satellites now under U.S. control.
No tales of improved treatment for Korean refugees in exchange.
Virtual reality mirrored the past like a current mirror. Real life had been much the same. Winter grew wearier grasping how his old world formed.
Thus, invisible battles over Beidou control—hacking, code changes, reset auth, access blocks—were inevitable. Major General Sierra the final victor. Though unaware it’d been stolen again.
Despite her declaration, Changzheng 9’s whereabouts stayed hidden.
Voices rose anew in the chamber.
“I knew it!”
The finger-pointing man, scowling at all—likely CIA-recruited—was Division Commander Lei Yanlie.
“Whoever’s hiding Changzheng 9, they’re here! Listen up! You lack a sense of reality! The U.S. advance is faster than expected! Half of contaminated Washington, Oregon, California reclaimed! How much time do we have left, dragging this out?”
Facts pure. In the clear liberation ops, U.S. forces advanced swiftly. Defense actually suspected mutants conserving forces. Anxieties they grasped supply lines.
Silence fell again as Lei Yanlie sneered.
“Truly want war with America?”
Someone spat back.
“Any reason we shouldn’t?”
Rare non-military speaker. Winter didn’t know the name—likely old Chinese government high-up. Burly but fierce-eyed. Madness flickered. Cheeks bulged with rage. More feral dog than man. Face unlikely ever to smile.
“U.S. imperialists always greedy. Constantly infringing China’s rights, nursing invasion lusts. The plague’s their doing too.”
“What……!”
“You all know!”
The U.S.-feared madness materialized.
“That disease’s unnatural! Man-made! How many nations could make it? Fewer still use it. Russia? Tiny Japs? Absurd. America. Only America!”
“Enough baseless talk!”
Major General Sierra intervened. But madness had allies aplenty. Self-preservers and rationals one side; the deranged the other. Shouts clashed.
“Major General Sierra! You’re just a traitor fawning on our arch-enemy! A whore selling out to Yankees!”
“Our sole mission: avenge our fallen homeland!”
“America must pay! We represent 1.3 billion Chinese—and all worldwide dead from U.S. folly—as judges!”
“Retaliate! Unprecedented vengeance! The world’s final war!”
Opponents clung to reason.
“Today’s cause is humanity’s survival! Crime against mankind on mere rumors?”
“The people are the nation! Survivors are today’s China! As soldiers and politicians, we must protect them! Don’t shirk duty!”
“Your family died doesn’t end the world! Die alone if you must!”
Last line struck deep. Were vengeance-mad those needing vengeance? Winter noted many enraged, paling, convulsing at it. Just people resenting to resent. Needing somewhere to dump despair.
‘Unable to accept reality beyond limits…….’
My pain’s so great—who to blame? How far to hate?
Same root as what tormented Winter, still occasionally aching.
“Concede it’s America who spread the plague! But retaliation possible? Gulf mouth blockaded by U.S. Aegis cruisers, subs! Changzheng 9 sunk before all nukes launch; missiles intercepted before targets. Most downed before escape! At best one or two hits! Meaningless!”
Someone shouted; a booming retort.
“Retaliation’s possible!”
A hardliner Navy division commander.
“Fire nuclear torpedoes at gulf mouth!”
Ignoring stir, he outlined the extreme.
“Multiple subs salvo torpedoes—they’ll retreat! Then high-speed ‘Storm’ torpedo with nuke warhead! Escape this damn gulf, final strike from safety!”
“How cross irradiated waters!”
Major General Sierra countered; he sneered openly.
“So what? Just pass through.”
“What…….”
“It’s suicidal vengeance. No need worry aftermath. Flesh melts, bones rot from radiation? Just live till nukes launch!”
“…….”
Stunned air hung.
Winter tapped his rifle’s safety.
Worst case—high chance of nuke strike on U.S.—Chadwick ordered: under Winter’s judgment, kill all here. Of course, decapitating them made remaining Chinese forces unpredictable. Winter’d be at risk too.
‘Yet something’s off.’
Winter eyed one man. Pre-meeting, Major General Sierra flagged as top hardliner threat. Neatly combed gray hair. Army senior sergeant rank. Highest by rank here.
He’d stayed silent. Glanced watch occasionally.
Clearly awaiting something. Person? News? 「Survival Instinct」 gave no warning, so likely not direct threat—but no certainty. Certainty would bind the correction too.
============================ Author's Note ============================
#Ori and the Blind Forest
I played the game Ori and the Blind Forest, and it was truly excellent. The music, backgrounds, storytelling—all beautiful. Especially the childlike difficulty. Strongly recommend to all readers.
Oh, and it’s even better with a controller. Feels way different. :)
#Physical Book
The physical book is slated for next month. Around 400 pages, not hardcover. Probably. As mentioned before, due to pricing, it has more content than the ebook version. So ebook and physical volumes won’t match.