Chapter 51
Chapter 51
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 51
Chapter Title: Stuka Trauma
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In the early days of the war, the Soviets' control of the skies was utterly abysmal.
Of course, they were getting pushed back relentlessly on the ground too, but it wasn't an exaggeration to say the skies were practically German territory.
That was why I couldn't help but develop a severe trauma toward bombers.
Stukas, Junkers, Heinkels—those German bombers flew overhead whenever they got the chance.
Tanks at least had ways to fight back, but in front of aircraft, even war heroes were powerless.
I'd watch buildings collapse and bury my comrades, hear screams as tanks exploded and crew burned alive, see comrades who'd been crouching beside me blow apart—and all I could do was face those scenes in despair.
"Ah, no! Sukka's panicking again!"
Truth be told, even when I was on the Eastern Front, I rarely froze up in panic.
To be precise, I panicked plenty, but my body seldom locked up completely.
No matter how scared I was, I'd charge ahead fearlessly and fight desperately to survive.
That was why I'd been hailed a Hero of the Soviet Union and how I'd survived four years on the Eastern Front.
But things changed when bombers showed up.
The helplessness of being unable to do anything had been etched so deeply into me that even on the Eastern Front, spotting a bomber would send me into a panic.
If I hadn't been ordered to hunker down, I'd have run blindly; if I hadn't squeezed my eyes shut, I'd have sobbed pitifully.
Orders from above forbade retreat or tears, so all I could do was flatten myself on the ground and swallow my sobs.
"Sukka! It's okay! I'm right here!"
The comrade who helped me back then was Irina.
When bombers came, she promised not to flail around—just hunker down, and she'd carry me out and save me somehow. And Irina always kept that promise.
Of course, I knew Irina wasn't here beside me now.
She'd died in Kursk, shielding me from a Stuka and taking a bullet from somewhere.
But the ingrained terror made me drop flat out of habit.
Like a kitten offering its scruff to its mother, I couldn't move a finger as I searched for the already-dead Irina.
It was because of me acting like this that Irina died, yet here I was, still not getting my act together.
Disgust rose at my pathetic behavior, and endless guilt kept the tears flowing.
"Irina..."
I had no idea what confidence had brought me back to the battlefield.
What made me so bold that I thought I could meet Irina again, that I vowed to save her this time.
The rage bottled up in my chest poured out, mingled with tears.
Soon, the truth hidden beneath that rage emerged as a voice.
"Help... me..."
My vision went black as my pitch-dark heart overwhelmed everything.
The crack in my soul split wide open with a jagged tear, and my fragile mind sank into the mire.
It seemed I hadn't set out to save Irina after all.
She didn't need someone like me; I was the one who needed her.
How much more selfish did I have to be before it satisfied me?
How many more had to sacrifice, how many more times did I have to lose before I'd snap out of it?
If I met Irina again like this, the same tragedy would repeat for sure.
I had no face left to live with, no shame remaining after trying to lean on her once more.
- WEEooo────
In the end, I let go of all lingering attachments and gave up on living.
I was sorry to the comrades who'd trusted and followed me, but ending it here seemed better for everyone.
A siren wailed from the shadow blotting the sky.
The trumpet blast of death that had stolen my precious comrades.
* * *
"Uwaaah!! Sukka!!"
Ttalgwi screamed nonstop while clutching Sukka tight.
She didn't know if it was a Stuka or a Supca, but the situation was terrifying right now.
The air-rip ping siren swept past once, and nearby NPCs exploded into chunks.
Good thing it was a game with censorship, or she'd have fainted for sure if it were real.
On top of that, the Stuka's bombs were getting closer.
She'd heard the call to hunker down and done it, but staying put would turn her into ground meat too.
It was so scary that a 'urination warning' popped up at the edge of her vision.
And then it vanished like 'oh, all good now,' which drove her insane.
"What do we do now?! What I say!! Someone give orders!!"
In the end, Ttalgwi could only snap irritably at the two men.
Viewers spammed 'ottoke ottoke' drips, but with possible bedwetting in play, she had no time for chat.
Then Ghost came sprinting over, grabbing a gun from an NPC corpse.
He looked up at the sky and yelled in a rough voice.
"It's not a player-controlled bomber! We'll be safe if we fall back to the front line!"
"It's object bombing?!"
"See? The bombs are targeting the NPCs! We're just caught in it!"
"Then let's get out of here fast!"
Ttalgwi shrieked back and looked down at the girl in her arms.
Sukka, who'd been trembling moments ago, now hung limp without a twitch.
She was definitely panicking, but this felt different from before.
Like someone whose spirit had died, just blankly staring at the sky.
Ttalgwi couldn't say for sure, but it wasn't a good change.
Judging that, she tapped Sukka's cheek and yelled loudly.
"Sukka! We're getting out of here now! Get ready!"
"......"
"Please wake up! Snap out of it!"
"......"
But no matter how much she shook her, Sukka didn't respond.
With those vacant eyes and pale skin, it felt like hugging a finely made doll.
Right then, the siren wailed from the sky again.
As everyone ducked in terror, only Wardaddy sprang into action.
"What're you doing? Grab her and run!"
Wardaddy snatched Sukka by the scruff and bolted.
It looked just like a mother cat carrying a kitten—or an uncle dashing with a trash bag.
The carrying method seemed questionable, but there was no time to complain.
Ttalgwi grabbed one of the guns Ghost had brought and hurried after Wardaddy.
"Huff... huff... W-we almost died for real... We're safe now that we're here, right?"
"Not safe. Germans'll swarm from up ahead."
After running a good while, they entered central Dunkirk.
Sirens still echoed from the sky, but they were far from the bombing zone now.
With safety secured, Ttalgwi's eyes fell on Wardaddy still holding Sukka.
She voiced her exasperation in a low tone.
"Wardaddy... Did you have to carry her like that? It looks like you're treating Sukka like luggage."
"Time was critical, no choice. Scruff carry's standard US Army method anyway."
"No, but... it was urgent, sure..."
"More importantly, check this out? Hold her like this and her limbs tuck in?"
"Eek! Don't play with Sukka!"
Wardaddy hoisted Sukka high by the scruff, and she curled up round, limbs folding in.
It perfectly mimicked a kitten being carried by its mother.
Adorably ridiculous, but not something to do to someone panicking.
Ttalgwi snatched Sukka from Wardaddy's hand and yelled.
"Sukka's in panic right now! You don't tease suffering people!"
"Not teasing—check the kid's state. She's still moving, so recovery's possible."
"Oh... really?"
"Try talking to her in Russian. Probably only hears her native tongue now. Ghost and I'll watch the perimeter."
Worth a shot for sure.
Moving meant she'd responded to stimulus, so Russian words might get through.
Ttalgwi figured nothing to lose and called on viewers.
Her Russian vocab was just swears, so she needed help.
"Guys! Teach me some decent Russian! Quick!"
『Suuuuka!!!!』
『Blin』
『Can't we just slap her?』
"Argh! No swears—everyday talk!"
『Spasiba』
『Kiss the sleeping Sukka princess awake』
『Da svidaniya!!!!』
"Spasiba? Da svidaniya?"
『Pako pako daisuki』
『Grutch!!』
『Weird stuff mixing in?』
"Pako pako daisuki? Grutch?"
Ttalgwi kept murmuring Russian into Sukka's ear.
But her clumsy pronunciation got zero reaction.
Then, amid the chat turning prankish, a donation popped up.
In her panic, Ttalgwi read it straight off.
【Jäger donated 1,000 coins!】
〔Tovarish Chernakoshka, spasiba nas.〕
"Tovarish Chernakoshka, spasiba nas? What does that mean?"
Might be sexual harassment, but no time to care.
Pronunciation was off anyway, and viewers wouldn't know the meaning.
But this Russian seemed different somehow.
Sukka in her arms twitched her shoulder in response.
"To-tovarish Chernakoshka! Spasiba nas!"
Hooking at last, Ttalgwi repeated it.
No clue on meaning or pronunciation, but each time, Sukka's eyes gained life.
Felt like CPR on cardiac arrest or chanting spells over a dead mummy.
Ttalgwi channeled an Anaksunamun reading a dark grimoire and yelled vigorously.
"Tovarish Chernakoshka! Spasiba nas!"
How long did she chant that spell?
Finally, Sukka came to, sat up, and replied to Ttalgwi in a cold tone.
"Da."
But the revived Sukka's vibe felt off somehow.
Like it wasn't her usual self, but some other personality awakened.
Right then, another donation arrived as if on cue.
It explained the Russian she'd repeated.
【Jäger donated 1,000 coins!】
〔Comrade Chernakoshka, please save us.〕
Meaningless to her, but one thing was clear.
A veteran streamer's instincts sniffed out the scent of this viewer 'Jäger.'
"You... what the hell are you..."
He's not my fan. Not Sukka's either.
He'd slyly manipulated the situation, luring her into a fatal mistake.
【Jäger donated 1,000 coins!】
〔Cat Hunter〕
Stripped of pretense, only blatant malice remained.
This viewer named Jäger was unmistakably Sukka's enemy.
"Ura."
But it was too late to turn back.
Before she knew it, Sukka had picked up a gun with a cold expression.