Chapter 87
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 87
Chapter Title: Lakeside Night (6), Santa Margarita Lake
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“To the unidentified armed personnel! You are currently attacking the United States Army! Drop your weapons and come out! If you surrender, I promise lenient treatment!”
A clear voice cut through the rain. But there was still no response from the forest beyond the hostile distance. Had they been hit by the suppressive fire? No. In the direction they were watching, Winter spotted a red outline. The night vision goggles’ infrared sensor had detected a heat source about human body temperature. Only the arm was slightly exposed. It seemed to be leaning against a tree.
They couldn’t rule out the possibility of Mexican refugees who had crossed the border, or police or military. Or maybe an American who didn’t speak English. Could it be an infected variant that had somehow acquired an automatic weapon? No, that wasn’t likely. In all the rounds Winter had experienced so far, that hadn’t happened. Even if the “Day after Apocalypse” world had been revised, it would be the same. Variants could barely wield bladed weapons right now.
Having thought that far, Winter shouted again.
“¡Ríndete! y serás tratado justamente! no tienes salida!”
To avoid wasting time, it was a warning thrown out relying purely on memory, without skill correction.
Finally, the heat source moved. Leaning only its upper body out from beside the tree, it seemed to cautiously peer this way. The shape spread in crimson hues, but there were still shadows. Even at this distance, he could make out basic features like build, facial structure, and clothing. At least, it wasn’t a soldier.
“Who the hell are you?! State your unit and rank and name!”
The voice was hoarse and rough from exhaustion, but unmistakably feminine. And in English. Distrust, anxiety, and extreme fatigue seeped through. Winter complied with her demand.
“I’m Lieutenant Han Gyeowol, attached to the 160th Regiment of the 79th Infantry Brigade Combat Team at Fort Roberts, under the Blockade Command! Looks like there was a misunderstanding. For now, drop your weapon and come out! I guarantee the safety of both of you!”
“……Damn it, how can I believe that!”
Winter responded deliberately harshly.
“You have to! If you don’t surrender, I’ll blow you away with a rocket!”
It wasn’t a bluff. A soldier with a launcher ready was awaiting orders.
After a brief silence, a new voice emerged. Male this time.
“Alright! Let’s do this! I’ll come out alone first! I want to see your faces!”
An odd condition. Why faces of all things? Winter quickly ran through various possibilities.
‘Line of sight was clear enough. They knew we were soldiers and attacked anyway. That means there are other hostile soldiers they’re already at odds with…… What’s going on?’
As he thought, the man revealed himself. An old man with a beard. He came out with both hands raised, slowly setting down his weapon. Then he turned a full circle. A gesture to show he had no other weapons.
It took some time for him to approach. Reaching a suitable distance, the old man knelt on his own. He placed both hands behind his head. No warning from the survival senses correction. Not a suicide bomber. Winter approached slowly, lowering his guard.
He felt countless gazes stabbing at his back. The platoon members and engineers were all tense.
“You wanted to see faces?”
Several meters away, Winter asked. The old man nodded. Winter lifted his night vision goggles.
The old man let out an exclamation.
“Oh. No way. You’re that guy from TV. I couldn’t believe it even after hearing the name…….”
Then he glanced toward the still-groaning wounded man. And at Jeffrey’s platoon members, who weren’t hiding their hostility, and the three engineers. The medic had no time to pay attention here. Guilt appeared on the old man’s face. He bowed his head as he spoke.
“We made a huge mistake.”
Winter suppressed the soldiers’ hostility with a gentle tone.
“I’ll hear the details slowly. Have the other one come out too.”
“Very well.”
The old man turned and shouted back.
“Kathleen! Come here! These people aren’t Captain Harris’s men!”
From the hiding tree, a woman emerged hesitantly. She dropped her weapon. Anxious, yet she approached. She wore a dark olive uniform with a gold sheriff’s badge. Once close enough, she froze upon seeing Winter. Then she knelt with a grim expression.
“I’m sorry, I’m sorry…….”
Jeffrey let out a heavy sigh. He ordered two soldiers to collect the old man and sheriff’s weapons. Two military rifles, one pistol. Little ammo left in them. Other soldiers frisked them, but no spare magazines or grenades turned up.
For the sheriff and old man, it had been a desperate act of resistance. The situation painted itself.
After the frisk, soldiers bound the two. Wrists behind their backs, tied tight.
The medic reported the wounded officer’s condition to the boy officer.
“No threat to life. Bleeding’s stopped. Bullet passed through the thigh without hitting an artery. But need to watch body temperature. Recommend fastest possible evacuation.”
Winter was negative. Evacuating the wounded would split forces. Risky.
“Hard to evac right now. Anyway, got it. I’ll consider. Good work.”
Wounded Private First Class Greg Gardner was loaded onto a stretcher.
Winter ordered movement and heightened alert. Needed to move fast. The firefight had been loud. If a large variant horde or unidentified hostile U.S. forces were nearby, it’d be trouble.
They could talk while moving. The boy walked close to the disarmed pair. They looked extremely uneasy. Scanning surroundings like frightened animals. Winter asked them.
“Now, shall we hear your story? Where are you from? Who’s Captain Harris? And why attack us?”
The three questions were actually one context. The sheriff answered hastily.
“Situations urgent, so quickly. We’re survivors from Camp San Luis Obispo. Captain Harris and his men too. Escaped together when camp fell on Christmas dawn.”
Weren’t all Camp Obispo survivors rescued? Blockade Command had declared op end. Winter decided to hear it out. The sheriff’s explanation flowed fast.
“Even after leaving camp, we were chased nonstop. Radio spewed weird static whole escape. Normal comms and screams all mixed…….”
“Tricksters.”
“Yes. Couldn’t call for help. Saw recon planes a few times, but they didn’t spot us. Natural. We hid in mountains. Captain was coward. Said hide in rough terrain no matter what, avoiding unseen variants.”
The sheriff criticized the captain’s judgment, but it wasn’t necessarily wrong. Tricksters don’t move alone. No guarantee just one. If forces small, many civilians to protect, avoiding combat rational. Though it meant no U.S. aid.
Winter continued without showing it.
“How’d you end up opposing soldiers?”
“Started with food. Fled in haste, no time grab any. Day two, ditched cars out of fuel. Captain insisted ration to troops first to maintain combat power. Never know when fight. Civilian survivors rebelled. Should share fair. All starving, mood worsened daily. Then…….”
The sheriff squeezed eyes shut. But inferring what followed from her brief silence wasn’t hard.
“Did soldiers kill civilians?”
“Correct.”
Not the sheriff’s answer. The old man testified to the tragedy.
“Wasn’t accidental at first, I think. Don’t know exact trigger. That dawn, woke realizing something wrong…… Captain’s men massacring civilians. Out of minds. Killed adults, kids alike. If not for some conscientious soldiers, we wouldn’t survive. They’re dead now too…….”
“Crazy.”
The curse came from Sergeant Latchman. Rare for him, with steady emotions. Winter turned; all soldiers listening had pale faces. From first contact to now, their testimony seemed truthful. Soldiers felt it too. Hostility much reduced.
Still, Winter kept a sliver of doubt. Habit dealing with people. Judge after both sides. If meet Captain Harris, at least try talk once.
Jeffrey said.
“Lieutenant. Even if half true, warn Meerkat. Tell beware uniformed serial killers.”
Worried about tank crew left guarding vehicles. Also vehicle theft risk. But Sergeant Latchman opposed.
“Dangerous. Tricksters chasing them might be near. Not only we silent on radio. That Harris bastard likely has radio too. Transmit, might just feed enemies info.”
Already deemed Harris enemy. Jeffrey frowned.
“Hey, sergeant. Battery dead by now if any. Over month since Obispo fell. Wandering since, battery left?”
Sheriff interjected.
“No, they have portable solar chargers.”
“Damn…….”
Jeffrey sighed.
“Warn them.”
Winter decided.
“Assuming their testimony full true, Harris’ll chase to end, no witnesses. Else we wouldn’t attacked. Sheriff, right?”
“Yes. Chased nonstop.”
“Then can’t leave Meerkat exposed. Our transmission won’t reveal position. Call by code, they won’t know what. Even if Tricksters, better than Harris killing tank crew, taking nine Humvees. Trickier than variant horde.”
Sergeant shook head alone but no more objection. Winter called radio op.
‘Could transmission not exposed?’
Possible. Their radios wrong freq. But slim odds.
If silent Tricksters nearby, less hope. They copy, broadcast all freqs. If catch, Winter’s voice mix interference, loop endless.
Holding mic, hesitating, Winter pressed transmit.
“Meerkat, Meerkat. This is David Actual. From now, don’t respond, just listen.”
Clear net hissed eerie static. Not too strong. Half-expected, Winter continued quietly.
“High chance nearby U.S. straggler group. Accused civilian massacre. If encounter unknown U.S., treat potential enemy. First refuse approach, if ignore, fire for effect ok. Order as commander. I take all responsibility.”
Winter sent same twice more. Last repeat, distant echo, delayed voice overlap. Echo’d near closer.
Finished, Winter called sheriff.
“Need info on Captain Harris. Troop size, weapons equipment, personality…….”
“Wait.”
Sheriff cut anxiously.
“Direction, seems dam-bound. Sorry, let me go first. Others waiting ahead. See military approach, panic flee. Must tell situation. Else think I sold them out.”
“More survivors? Bit late to mention?”
“…….”
Sheriff looked down. Winter drew dagger. Grabbed startled her, cut rear wrist binds.
“Tied, no convincing. Where?”
Sheriff pointed road ahead through trees. Single-story roof visible. Very close. Winter checked watch.
“Go. Give 3 minutes.”
Sometimes return faster. If civilians flee, hard ignore, proceed mission.
============================ Works Afterword ============================
#Love the Author Dreams Of
Putin: No one home today... Want red tea before go?
Author: Guraeng!
#Q&A
Q. RGZ95: @ Meanwhile, platoon leader ordering LAW, truly U.S. Army(...)
A. Heard in Iraq, infantry killed with $300M anti-tank missile. Explains U.S. debt rising.
Q. Ca모: Winter no English name? Love columbarium time. Author fighting!
A. Winter name has intent, avoid others. Thanks fighting! :)
Q. asdfh: Typo. Q&A first A, 일3회 as 주3회 wrong. Correct^^
A. No typo. 주3회 correct.
But novel originally 3~5 weekly... Author says, doesn’t keep, so no feel. Will do occasional 3/week so readers feel! Aja!
Q. 마스터칼솔럼: @All-nighter reserve... Dying. Late enlist, over 40k, still reserve not civil defense.
A. Year 6 now. No training next? Woo king good.
Q. 淸流蓮: @Thanks good writing! Still, health while serial.
A. Need summer vaca date. Yes, Aug 20 to Aug 20, true summer vaca summer to summer... Author’s twisted desire...
Q. cyanpile: @Chat-haters dislike story cut, overcome with daily. I like chat logs.
A. Writing chat tricky. Haha.
Q. 검정공판: @Like chat and story. Wait both. >_o
A. Like recs and comments. Wait both. >_ㅇ
Q. 어진광대: @Anyway, only mangzhonghan Italy. Take coupon.
A. Want Italy too... Only Jeju by plane so far...
Q. 라프하임: @First thought read 100ch batch, read today.... Sigh.... Hell per chap returns;; Debate 4M yr later.
A. Come often. Author dies lonely old thing.
Almost birthday death... No, no.
Q. 유렁솨귤: @Curious continue world? Winter played other games?
A. Planned but not. World use fee separate.