Chapter 230
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 230
Chapter Title: Suspended Execution (2)
-----------------------------------------------------------------
A drone passed over the squad members' heads. Its wobbly, unsteady flight wasn't due to electronic jamming but the collision avoidance sensors. The unmanned aerial vehicle, equipped with thermal imaging and grenade launchers, received commands from a higher-altitude mothership. If the signal cut out, it was programmed to switch to autonomous flight and gain altitude. It felt like rear support was ramping up in earnest.
"No heat signatures estimated to be variants within a 300-meter radius," Harper relayed from the backpack radio, passing on the message from above.
"Don't let your guard down until I come back down. There might be ones that lowered their body temperature with metabolic suppressants."
With that warning, Winter beckoned to Schultz. Schultz nodded and fired the grappling hook. He aimed higher than the branch he would climb. Pfft—! With a burst of gas, the hook shot out, sailing past the thick joint between the main trunk and primary branch in a parabola before dropping down. The plan was to secure it on both sides of the stem used as a support.
"Anyone got an axe? Lend me one."
At Winter's gesture, the squad members exchanged glances and offered their combat tomahawks. Same name as the cruise missiles launched last night, but these were the originals. Of course, unlike the ones thrown by Native Americans, the blunt side opposite the blade had been modified for use as a pickaxe or hammer.
Winter selected two that doubled as pickaxes. They were a bit heavy, designed to split infected variant skulls, but with his enhanced strength, they were more than sufficient as ice axes.
He strapped the pair of axes to his waist, stripped off his body armor and gear to lighten the load, and carried only his pistol as a weapon. The branch holding the acid babies was that precarious. It was possible only because their swollen bellies were still on relatively small bodies. How they had gotten up there remained a mystery.
'I considered ricocheting sponge rounds and catching them in canvas, but...'
No one handled explosives like that. And who knew how many acid babies were left.
Was it the death cry of the final Trickster? Traces of variants that had fallen to their own deaths were visible here and there. In machine terms, it would be a malfunction.
Winter hooked the descent ring to the rope and began climbing by kicking off the base. A slanted run. Sunlight filtering through the leaves rushed toward him at high speed. It felt like the sky was descending.
Startled by the human defying gravity, a pair of small gray flycatchers took flight. The male and female were desperate to protect their nest. They fluttered around Winter in threat displays. Early May, the season when all life was fresh and vibrant—the nest, lined with feathers like a blanket, held four speckled eggs.
Fortunately, the target was higher up. As Winter passed by, the flycatcher couple returned to their nest and chirped pipit-pipit in triumphant roars at the world's strongest human.
Finally reaching the desired height, Winter straightened up. Now he could hear the sharp, ragged hisses of ssaeak-ssak. The babies were dangling limply in the posture of peering below.
He could see they had been carefully positioned to sweep a wide area at once.
Winter carefully pushed off with his feet, distributing his weight across various points. It was for his own safety, but also out of concern that the shaking might dislodge the babies. The sense of open space beneath his feet, the swaying landscape—those spectating from below screamed. He could tell from the speed of the accumulating logs.
At last, the bio-bombs were within reach. He tied ropes around their stubby limbs and lowered them one by one.
[Secured the first specimen. How many left?]
"Three more."
Replying to Morales, Winter looked below. It had been opaque from the ground, but things looked different from up here. Only a Trickster could come up with such an idea.
In twenty-six apocalypses, the plague's intelligence had been manageable by just watching out for enhanced ghoul-level variants.
Even so, this worldline was lucky. Despite the massive setback, they were overcoming uncertainties so far. As variants grew stronger, humanity advanced too. Sending these specimens would yield countermeasures soon. Hope remained in this world.
After lowering the rest of the babies, Winter returned to the sturdy base of the branch and rappelled down quickly. Dr. Campbell was securing the specimens. He injected additional anesthetics, attached heart rate monitors, and carefully placed each in acid-resistant bags. The bags were printed with biohazard markings.
Finishing up, the doctor praised Winter.
"Truly impressive. When you climbed, I thought it was a video on fast-forward."
The squad members, accustomed to "it's Winter, so of course," showed a clear difference in reaction.
Even though they were the same rank, the doctor's extreme politeness wasn't just because he was almost a civilian. Winter thought positively of it. Proof that people like Campbell were favorable toward him. It was generalizable, to an extent.
The specimen bags looked like body bags holding rotten infants. Schultz was spared the gruesome load thanks to carrying Campbell. The other squad members' faces soured.
"Need any more specimens?"
Campbell answered Winter's question.
"Naturally, the more the better. Vaccine experiments go through dozens of monkeys a day. I'd like to take as many as we can carry."
As expected, a Public Health Unit doctor let meaningful words slip unconsciously.
"Vaccine... Any progress?"
The current government was mum on vaccine development. Winter understood it as a measure to avoid false hope and disappointment. But a functioning government like this should produce results with systematic support. Even without clues from the pinnacle survival trait, 「Plague Immunity」.
"I've only heard second- or third-hand, so I don't have precise details."
As Campbell subtly backpedaled, Winter pressed again.
"Anything at all. Don't overthink it. I'm just curious."
"Well..."
Campbell fell silent with a troubled expression. But his lips twitched itchingly. He seemed to enjoy talking with Winter as much as his favor toward him. Finally, he spoke.
"It might not be true, but... they've got nothing so far. The prevailing view is it'll stay difficult without securing the original virus and parasite forms making up Morgellons. There's talk of seeking Russian cooperation on that front."
"As expected."
"Rumor has it they're focusing more on biochemical weapons safe for variants—no side effects. Ones adapted to pathogens or toxins even weaponize their chemistry and spread resistance. Overcoming that's the key."
"Like anthrax-resistant variants."
"Ah, that's the worst. Everywhere they pass gets totally contaminated..."
The doctor shook his head. Anthrax-spread areas need intensive decontamination and abandonment for over a century to be safe. Exposed humans must take antibiotics for 60 days from contact. Contaminated land stays hazardous for centuries. Small areas can be decontaminated, but something like the Chinese mainland was out of the question.
The U.S. military mandated vaccinations, but they reliably prevented only cutaneous anthrax. Not 100% against internal or bronchial infections.
'First I've heard about Morgellons originals.'
Winter pondered the new info. Could the defensively occupied Russian forces reach ground zero, the infection origin? Beyond monsters spreading anthrax, other threats abounded. Crossing such land required nuclear-war-level protection.
"People like me worry about new strains synthesizing sarin gas or similar. Excluding fluorine, the body has all the components needed."
The listening squad members made uneasy faces.
It took two hours to secure additional samples and return to the bunker. Midway, a heart rate spike alarm went off, requiring extra anesthetics.
As the transport powered up its engines, Campbell seized the rising noise to pull Winter aside.
"If you spot a Humpback, could you prioritize capturing it?"
Winter tilted his head.
"I heard Rangers already got one."
Indeed. Amid constantly updating news, there was word of their status. After long pursuit, success at last. Whether Lt. Frey survived to the end was questionable. Survival rate under fifty percent.
"Not live capture. But securing fluids then was a big win."
"What the hell is that monster, anyway?"
Even asking, Winter had suspicions. The circumstances so far were evidence. Looking back, the surrounding forest damage at first encounter was extreme. He'd thought collision damage, but no sane monster would ram uselessly everywhere.
"Silly to say now, but I can't disclose. Level 1 secret. Strictly enforced from above... Sorry."
His words said sorry, but faint amusement leaked from his serious face. A person whose personality didn't follow his knowledge. Common type.
Leaking various info sloppily earlier but clamming up now meant the Humpback's nature would tank soldier morale that much.
"Variant groups encountered this op had unusually high young ratios. Even if they're sending combat-useless ones to the rear, it was weirdly high. Most naked too."
At Winter's probing words, Campbell gave an awkward smile. The brief agitation hidden there was answer enough for Winter.
"Anyway, no need to apologize. More importantly, is your request authorized by HQ?"
"Not yet. Priority's neutralizing variant command capabilities. But it's only a matter of time."
He left with a wind-tousled salute.
"Thanks for the big help today. Hope to see you again sometime."
Yelling, Campbell boarded as the ramp door slowly closed. Engine power rose. Winter shielded his eyes from flying dirt and stepped back. The transport, ascending a bit higher, tilted engines from vertical to horizontal. The accelerating fuselage headed east.
"Colonel. Time to rest now, isn't it?"
Morales's weary voice. Despite amphetamines (Provigil) last night, microsleeps through the op had him fatigued already. With rescued troops here, rotations could be generous. Winter permitted rest.
"Those guys we met yesterday were probably the last prey around. Even if orders come, I'll request adjustments. No emergencies likely... Two on watch. Morales, set the rotation and report."
"You first, Colonel."
"I'll handle that."
Winter smiled. Still, he persuaded Morales at length, who insisted on staying awake, to pick between first or last watch.
Poor-condition soldiers prompted a fire even during day. Nearly got doused. HQ, worried about last night's firefight fires, sent a firefighting chopper. It spotted smoke, approached, accepted Winter's comms, and left. Sleep-disturbed soldiers by noise flipped it the bird skyward.
Otherwise, quiet leisure.
Winter thought about the hunchback monster. The plague mutates hosts as needed.
'No guarantee that need is always combat-oriented.'
Ultimate goal was infection spread and population growth. Post-intelligent individuals, perhaps more aggressively attacking due to humanity's plague-eradication potential.
As contemplation dragged, the PDA received new orders.
「Civilian outpost in a ranch on the west bank of the Russian River near Windsor destroyed since large-scale variant assault began. Check before RTB to FOB Olema.」
Blockade HQ seemed to judge local hunting nearly done.
============================ Author's Note ============================
#Q&A
Q. Iron Falcon: @Can the overseer personality create a body for Winter in the apocalypse with physical abilities matching Winter's level? If happy Winter in the afterlife insurance feels strong negative emotions from outside events, might the overseer try making the outside like the apocalypse world?
A. Hard to answer future plot questions. There have been hints so far, though. Haha.
Q. Cat Eyes: @Do you know the novel "寄生이라 합디다" by Still-Green-Apple? Protagonist trapped in a game with only brain and spine left, both dark worldviews—similar there, but that one's an online game, protagonist forcibly inserted as "NPC", and while Little Prince runs on author's innocence, that one feeds on author's lewdness(?). Lol. If first time hearing, give it a skim. Feels like you two authors would click.
A. First time hearing. Didn't know such a novel existed. Will check if time allows.
Q. Carpice: @Acid baby description dropping and bursting reminds me of Crawler from Tool King Legend. Especially the bursting. World truly a wonder via innocence.
A. Oh... Searched, really similar. Only played Dead Space 1, so didn't know. Videos look... splendid...
Q. awkawr: @Morales reminds of famous combat medic lieutenant.
A. I know. Played Storm Across Time. Grateful if Morales on our side.
Q. Illuminar: @Bought vol. 2 today, collector's so unopened, don't know up to which chapter... Which is it..?
A. Looked it up myself. Up to Intermission, Plucking Stars from the Sky, so ch. 77.
Q. nsaen: @Spoilerish maybe, but do zombies have final evolution tech? Like over 6B zombies make Dead Space Markers?
A. Doesn't go that far. Come to think, someone asked if they could grow Attack on Titan giant-sized—no, impossible.
Q. thecrazy: @Morales keeps reminding me of HiOS Medic... Already deep in Storm Across Time...
A. Yes. Terminal case.
Q. Trade Wagon: @Winter's apocalypse level is munchkin itself, but emphasizing not munchkin compared to even bigger ones in this fun novel is my personal slight regret, and seeing Noblesse's other novels makes that logic convincing now—sigh... Maybe 'cause I gave up digging other Noblesse works and haunt city library in free time?
A. Hm... Winter is munchkin... Did I emphasize weaker than other munchkins in-story? In afterword maybe?...
Q. Ssuangmai: @Who wins, Mobileray vs. orca? Seems tough beating sea creature, so crossing continents via ocean hard?
A. Orcas win, Melville dies. Still can reach other continents.
Q. GreenTurtle: @To 2K22, does humanity use WMDs on variants? Chemical weapons worth considering... Also, Melville's max depth? Threat to subs?
A. This chapter answers somewhat. Melville still transitional variant. Can't dive deep. Tens of meters briefly, but not long. Spends most time near surface.
Lots of questions lately. Stopping here today. :)