Chapter 77
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 77
Chapter Title: After the Rain, Bradley (7)
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Winter watched how the uncontrolled Chinese moved.
They swarmed in with a "woo—" then scattered with a "waa—."
It was like watching a gang brawl.
The tension of real combat whitened the mind. Those without experience inevitably forgot their training in the heat of battle. A few weeks of training couldn't produce seasoned warriors. It could only engrave the manual into their bodies, laying the foundation to react reflexively to orders.
That's why leaders were needed. Li Ailing was still very clumsy, but she was at least fulfilling that role. Sergeant Rivera evaluated her like this.
"A fresh West Point chick, straight out of the academy."
An unfair assessment—not of Ailing, but of second lieutenants from the academy.
West Point was the site of the United States Military Academy. American cadet training was intensely practical. The military education of the nation that fought the most wars in the world couldn't be sloppy. The problem was that no amount of rigorous training could substitute for actual combat experience.
Even thinking that, Winter said nothing. It was just a joke laced with personal bias anyway. U.S. non-commissioned officers rose from the enlisted ranks. It was natural for them, rich in combat experience, to feel uneasy about the greenness of new lieutenants.
'It's not unwarranted sentiment. Their lives are on the line.'
The Chinese would grow a layer from this experience too. The U.S. military's training system was specialized in that regard. Combat cameras attached to helmets recorded every operation. Later, anyone could objectively review their actions—from their own viewpoint and a third party's.
*I shouldn't have done that there. Next time, I can do better.* That feeling was key.
Winter only advised them when necessary.
Even so, the operation proceeded smoothly because Bradley really was a nothing-special village. According to the briefing, pre-infection population was around 90. Aerial recon hadn't spotted any notable threats.
Li Ailing seemed to sense something off about it. When her squad got a break, she approached Winter and asked.
"Why does the U.S. military need this village?"
Her voice was a bit tired. Without taking his eyes off the ongoing building searches, Winter asked back.
"What do you mean by that?"
"I'm just wondering what the point of this operation is. No important facilities, and the terrain doesn't look advantageous for defense. Is it maybe to give us real combat experience...?"
A loud commotion cut her off. The Chinese were yelling. Not praiseworthy in combat, but much improved from the start when they could barely move.
Someone kicked in a door and tossed in a grenade. Boom! Sparks and shrapnel burst out, then two Chinese auxiliaries by the door fired inside. They emptied their magazines in a crude burst. Winter radioed.
"Those firing now, if you're going to shoot, vary your elevation."
The two hesitated and looked back. Winter pointed out again.
"Don't point your muzzle at your comrades. Treat every gun as loaded. And this isn't training. Keep eyes forward. Wouldn't want to die pointlessly, right? Ah, reload, reload. Recall your training. Calmly now."
The two receiving instructions fumbled like they'd made a huge mistake. That was why Winter didn't yell at them.
Li Ailing took off her sunglasses and covered her face with one hand. Embarrassment showed. She must have seen herself in them. Winter knew her actions from the corner of his eye without turning. The boy was about to tell the woman she was better than them, but stopped. She'd likely see it as empty comfort. Instead, he called out to the idlers.
"Squad leader. No further orders?"
[Yes! Sorry, sir! You lazy Nanmanzi bastards! Get in! Get in!]
"Use nicer words."
[Ah, understood!]
Nanmanzi meant southern barbarians. With the Triads originating in Hong Kong next to Guangdong, it might be a customary insult among them.
Cursing was common in the military, but to make them act like soldiers, you had to beat out the gangster vibe. That was the context for "nicer words."
The team members, covering each other decently enough, breached inside and dragged out two corpses. Ordinary variants with eroded skin. After pulling them out, they wiped hands on pants and made a fuss.
Dragging out bodies one by one was an order to visually confirm achievements. Part of the effort to build their confidence.
Winter allowed the finished squad a vigilant rest.
Ailing said coldly.
"I think I know how the Atascadero brothers died."
It was self-reproach too, but Winter shook his head.
"Don't say that. Anyway, what was your question earlier?"
Another explosion sounded in the interim. Under U.S. soldiers and Sergeant Rivera's control, Chinese auxiliaries searched several buildings at once. End of the operation. Such a small village—nothing left to occupy.
Waiting for the blast echo to fade, Ailing voiced her delayed doubt.
"Maybe this operation was planned for us? By you, teacher?"
"You know I don't have that authority, right?"
Winter explained the operation's purpose as far as he knew.
"I heard from Lieutenant Colonel Capston too, but the U.S. wants to secure the road. Further downstream is the San Ardo oil field. Plan to occupy it and run it with refugee laborers. Pretty big scale, I heard. This Bradley's about midway on the supply route."
The San Ardo oil field produced about 40,000 barrels annually in the early 21st century. At the "Day after Apocalypse" world's start, wells were nearing end-of-life, but reserves were overflowing for Camp Roberts alone.
"Restart a few rigs, and it should cover Camp Roberts' fuel needs. Long-term, might supply other bases. Sure, maintaining the refinery's a burden, but isn't this reason enough?"
Ailing's reaction felt a bit urgent.
"Still, deploying only Chinese for this, and you commanding—doesn't seem coincidental. You really did nothing?"
"I made suggestions. We agreed on that from the start."
"......"
A condition Winter had set in negotiations with Li Chenjian. Li Chenjian talked big but wielded no influence over the U.S., while Winter kept his promise regardless.
"I heard your subordinates opposed it a lot."
"Not subordinates. I'm just the representative they elected. And yes, there was opposition. Never had auxiliaries this heavy in an external op, and all Triad armed forces. U.S. numbers are low too. Honestly, many still don't trust the Triads."
Unnecessary worry, really. With combat cameras issued to auxiliaries on ops, the U.S. could manage refugees with fewer personnel. Cameras doubled as black boxes. If auxiliaries had ideas, they couldn't touch the U.S.
Li Ailing nodded eagerly.
"Even with opposition, you kept faith with us."
Winter, gazing at her quietly, asked.
"What has you so anxious?"
The Triad's female leader fell silent. Winter wondered why she sought confirmation of his goodwill toward the Triads.
[Lieutenant Han. Sector fully secured. I've split 3rd Platoon near the west entry to watch surroundings on my initiative. Further orders?]
Sergeant Rivera's voice on the radio. Winter responded.
"Good work. Set the rest platoons' guard zones at your discretion. 1st Platoon is reserve. I'll keep them. Call engineers once placements done."
[Understood. Rivera out.]
Having memorized procedures, Winter's orders were crisp. Augmented reality UI assist was nice but not essential.
Keeping 1st Platoon as reserve was because of the unfinished talk with Li Ailing. While he radioed, she pinched her lip—regretting showing her hand too easily, it seemed. Of course, even that could be acting. Winter had no intention of easily trusting the daughter of a criminal, immersed in crime herself.
After the radio, Ailing stayed silent. But with Winter clearly waiting, she couldn't keep quiet.
"Honestly, I'm worried the Chinese will be scapegoats."
"Scapegoats?"
"Yes. When society's unstable, finding a target for discontent is common, right? Talk that Shichang was intentional."
Not long ago in-world time, the U.S. CDC announced Morgellons' transmission routes and traits.
No airborne transmission was already known empirically, so infection only via protrusions in variant mouths wasn't hugely useful. But it gave people certainty—that was the announcement's value.
New info for Winter: Morgellons wasn't from a single pathogen. Likely complications from symbiotic parasites, viruses, and others—though uncertain.
The CDC spokesperson mentioned the plague might be artificial. Multispecies symbiosis existing only in human hosts—hard to be natural.
Winter said.
"I get the worry, but the U.S. won't go that mad. Collective responsibility like that's an Eastern thing anyway, no?"
Hard in multiethnic America. But Ailing saw differently.
"Times aren't like before. Americans too. So I thought we need to prove our value."
"To the zookeepers?"
Ailing flinched. Her old phrase. She'd warned Winter was just prime livestock, discarded ruthlessly for better breeds. Virtual threat. She hesitated, then dropped the serious face with an awkward smile, like conceding.
"Teacher Han's personality—hard to tell if good or bad sometimes."
"Everyone's like that. We have limits."
"Limits?"
Winter didn't explain. Deeming it unimportant, Ailing didn't pry. Just nodded, returning to the broken thread.
"Right. To avoid slaughter as stress relief, prove you're useful livestock. Like you, teacher. So today, I was so disappointed in myself and brothers. Far short of resolve. So, need another way."
"Another way? Something like that exist?"
"No confidence now, so won't say. Maybe never."
Sudden commotion rolled in. Engineers and refugee laborers demolishing unneeded buildings, firing up trenchers to dig deep ditches on outskirts. Not trenches—steel pilings then concrete for barrier foundations.
Noise closing in naturally ended the talk.
============================ Author's Note ============================
Q. Chicken Half-and-Half is Truth: @So, Jakka-nim, no vacation? You'd write even on vacation, right? ㅜㅜㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ
A. No, writing makes it not a vacation anymore.
Q. Clear Lotus: @Huh? Your work's up on Novel to Be, but you say it won't be! Hope many read and fill with innocence!
A. Even this evangelist of innocence hopes so, but world's too harsh—people ignore innocence.
Q. PAM: @Gyaak Guak
A. Yes? Go play Overwatch? Got it! Thanks!
Q. Pumpkin Pumpkin: @It's year 40,2016 now, next chapter in 80,2016? Lifespan 100 years, entering cryo pod. Bye all.
A. Lifespan only 100...? Thus we learn vine veggie pumpkin lives 100 years.
Q. realrosty: Reread and wonder. People used gas masks not knowing transmission exactly? Now clarified? Did I miss...?
A. No, you read right. Only confirmed no air transmission—nothing else revealed.
Q. Moranon: @Really enjoying. Only set Joara alerts for this, Reborn Sword God, Hellkeginia. Beg serial when resume in 40,000 years.
A. Came back cuz didn't wanna serial. ㅠㅠ