00053 --- The Little Prince in the Ossuary -------------------------=
#Intentional Actions (有所作爲) (2), Camp Roberts
Li Ai-ling quietly nodded to Gyeo-ul.
She looked quite different now. Before, she seemed deliberately and excessively adorned. Now she was modest, wearing white clothes. Considering the circumstances of the 「Triad」, it was likely mourning attire.
She asked Gyeo-ul, "Does what you said to us before still stand?"
She was waiting. Gyeo-ul nodded.
"Has the Dragon Head changed his mind?"
"Yes. He requests to meet you."
"When would be convenient?"
"Whenever you wish, Mr. Han. Even today is fine."
Her attitude was considerate towards Gyeo-ul. In fact, it was a roundabout way of keeping face. What if he simply accepted it literally and suggested meeting later? Ai-ling would be quite troubled.
'If you do it on purpose, she'll hold a grudge.'
The Chinese don't easily forget humiliation. It's due to their culture that values face. Depending on the individual, for someone like the head of the 「Triad」 or Dragon Head, it was a matter of course.
Still, it wouldn't hurt to make her slightly anxious. There was a perfect excuse.
"If I were to meet him, I'd like to, but it's embarrassing to go empty-handed."
Ai-ling replied immediately, "Don't worry about ordinary formalities. My father lacks nothing and is not the type to blame minor sincerity at a place where grand matters are discussed."
Her words were well-phrased, but too quick. Her urgency was evident. Though she pretended to be calm, her face reddened slightly upon meeting Gyeo-ul's gaze. Gyeo-ul decided not to tease her further.
"If you insist, then I understand. But please allow me to change clothes."
A guest's status is also the host's pride. It wouldn't be bad to honor the pride of the Triad leader. Negotiation isn't just about pressure and disregard.
Ai-ling agreed with this. She followed Gyeo-ul and waited in front of the officers' quarters. It was somewhat surveillance. He might contact another organization competing with the 「Triad」 for dominance over the 「Black Society」.
In his personal room, Gyeo-ul took out his officer uniform. It was an outfit he hadn't worn outside of official events. After changing, he attached his medals. Above the ribbons, he pinned the Combat Infantryman Badge. There was no choice but to be conscious of onlookers. The Chinese would appreciate it.
Though it was an act, enduring embarrassment was another matter. Gyeo-ul sighed briefly. The young officer donned his cap.
When he reemerged, yiling expressed pure admiration.
"You look different up close."
She immediately led the way, escorting him with personnel whose "threat level" wasn't what it used to be. Was it simply a rearrangement, or evidence of a talent drain? Betrayers in Chinese culture aren't treated well, but it was uncertain. Given the times.
Security in the refugee area was shared between the military and police. Daytime patrols within the zone were up to the police. The officers cast interested glances. Even if soldiers and police were lukewarm towards each other, Gyeo-ul was an exception.
The checkpoint at the Chinese District was managed by Able Company. Two female soldiers stood guard. They saluted Gyeo-ul smartly. Due to a connection at Paso Robles, able Company was exceptionally courteous to Gyeo-ul.
After reciprocal salutes, one of them jokingly asked, "Lieutenant, you look nice. Are you on a date?"
"It's not like that, Amy."
Seeing Gyeo-ul's awkwardness, the two female soldiers burst into laughter. However, it wasn't just playful stalling. Their meaningful glances were apparent to Ai-ling, who quietly stepped aside for them. The soldiers spoke.
"Our shitty captain told us so, you know. Said we're supposed to ask about your purpose for visiting, or whatever else. If you've got someone with you, we're to log them without exception."
They called Captain Markert "our shitty captain". Gyeo-ul gave a small nod.
"Do as you're told."
In response, the two soldiers made peculiar faces. The other one, private Sarah, asked, "You don't mean that, right?"
"Why not? Even if you don't, he'll hear of it anyway. What'll you do if he jumps on you for not following orders?"
Amy laughed harshly. "Ha! Aren't you just the nice guy. But don't worry about it, Sir. He's in no position to hassle anyone right now. He's too busy worrying about getting fragged every time he goes out on an op. Fucking bastard."
Gyeo-ul pondered briefly, forming an awkward smile. Openly mentioning assassination in front of an officer wasn't normal. It indicated their trust in Gyeo-ul and that Captain Markert had lost the soldiers' respect as well.
The two soldiers began heaping insults based on what they'd already said.
"There's a limit to being anachronistic. What's with racism? A soldier's skin should be camo, right? That dirtbag, eating up captain rations without knowing that."
"A rank's only as good as the person. Even in Iraq, there were rumors he got promoted through false reports."
The former was Amy, and the latter was Sarah. Sarah's derogatory remark wasn't much off the mark. Inflating achievements for promotion points was a well-known secret among some unethical officers.
"Some say he acts this way on purpose. There's no leaving this hell through normal means, so he aims for a dishonorable discharge. Being a civilian means he doesn't have to face those rotten people out there. Filling his greed simultaneously."
Amy's theory was plausible. The more you considered it, the more persuasive it became.
'Then that's all the more dangerous.'
If he had no regrets about staying in position, acting more outrageously wouldn't be surprising. That's what the two soldiers thought as well. If he's going to cause trouble, he should make it big to ensure it works. Gyeo-ul was a good target. There wasn't an incident that'd draw more attention than a war hero's scandal.
"Be careful. If you get bitten by a mad dog, our company might just go nuts."
Rough words but warm intentions. Gyeo-ul shook hands with Amy.
"Thanks for the warning. I'll be more cautious in the future."
Ai-ling had waited for some time. Though curious, she did not pry. Since it wasn't a major secret, Gyeo-ul spoke up first.
"They have already warned me about Captain Markert."
"Oh."
No explanation was needed. Ai-ling was aware enough about the matter.
The moment they entered the 「Black Society」 turf, 「Survival Sense」 and 「Fighting Spirit」 warned of danger. Augmented reality beam path prediction. Someone was aiming a projectile weapon. Gyeo-ul and Ai-ling were targets. A gently curved beam path followed them as they moved.
'Bow? Sling bow? A slingshot?'
Either way, they were weapons makeshift materials could produce.
The warning was faint. It meant the likelihood of an actual attack was low despite being targeted. Gyeo-ul read the defense and evasion possibilities provided by 「Perception」.
With strong technical assistance, it was possible for Gyeo-ul to catch an arrow with his hand if it traveled slowly enough.
As expected, nothing happened. The two reached the 「Triad」 headquarters safely.
Inside the tent, a lavish red hue was presented. Despite many shortcomings, the sense of Chinese culture was vivid. The writings and drawings seemed made here. A dragon head ornament placed prominently in the center was impressive. It appeared to symbolize the Triad leader.
Somewhere, there was a wooden table with simple chairs arranged around it. A lone elder occupied the main seat.
'It's quite different from what I expected.'
The elder wore a suit and dark sunglasses. Ai-ling introduced the elder.
"Please pay your respect. He is Mr. Li Qinjian, the leader of Triad and my father."
Gyeo-ul bowed deeply.
"It's a pleasure to meet you for the first time. I'm Han Gyeo-ul, representing the 「Gyeo-ul Alliance」. Please forgive me for visiting so late."
The elder rose from his seat.
"I am Li Qinjian. It's a pleasure to welcome a renowned hero like you. Please, have a seat."
His return courtesy was a gesture of forming fist and palm salutation. An act typical of old people, or perhaps a way of offering formality to Gyeo-ul.
'It must be both.'
Gyeo-ul did not decline the offered hospitality. Surprisingly, there was no seat reserved for Ai-ling.
The leader asked, "Have you eaten?"
Gyeo-ul shook his head. "No, not yet."
The elder nodded. "A feast should accompany such a fine occasion."
Food appeared as though on cue. Though no better than a D-FAC meal, its comparable level alone was impressive. Although it might be an effort to mask deterioration, the fact that such efforts were possible proved the Triad's remaining capacity.
It was common courtesy in their culture to avoid serious discussions while eating. As each dish arrived, left purposefully unfinished, Gyeo-ul expressed appreciation at every taste. The elder nodded, personally serving food to Gyeo-ul at times.
Finally, a fish dish was served. It wasn't intended for eating. Not that eating it would matter.
Gyeo-ul recalled Ai-ling's words.
'She said not to fuss over ordinary etiquette.'
They were doing everything expected.
However, it wasn't meaningless formalism. Spending such a long time here became the topic of forthcoming rumor. Simultaneously, it was a display to their members. Numerous gazes felt inside the tent confirmed it.
"Mr. Han, I heard you abstain from alcohol."
He was showcasing informational prowess. Gyeo-ul formed a faint smile.
"That's true. But if you offer, I shall have a glass."
Li Qinjian was satisfied.
'Building him up this much should suffice.'
Such thoughts passed through Gyeo-ul's mind as he received a glass. Li Qinjian poured the drink himself.
Li Ai-ling distributed drinks among everyone present. Whoever was here, at minimum held action leader rank.
Li Qinjian rose from his seat.
"Let us toast. For the 「Triad」 and 「Gyeo-ul Alliance」s' shared prosperity."
Gyeo-ul downed the drink in one go. It left a warm impression in his trachea, heated by the liquor's strength. Though all it led to was a mild discomfort, not intoxication.
The empty glass was quickly refilled.
Withdrawing his hand from the glass, Gyeo-ul awaited the main point's arrival.
'It'd be nice if I could confirm how much their power has shrunk.'
It would be unlikely. Chinese discourse typically circles around unfavorable facts.
Nonetheless, the damage was undeniably substantial.
No matter how one wrapped it up, summoning Gyeo-ul thus was akin to seeking a lifeline. For the 「Triad」, this was inevitably a dent in its pride. It would be undermined by other Chinese factions. It'd even make retaining dominion over the 「Black Society」 difficult.
It was a certainty. The 「Triad」's immediate challenge was now its mere survival.
-------------= Author's Notes -------------=
1. It appears that amidst normal readers, some atypical upright readers are attempting escape.
Here lies Dreamland, a world of dreams and innocence.
Though you might've entered at will, leaving is not the same.
2. Previously, I wrote Chinese names with the surname separated, but from now on, I'll be writing them together.
Q. Reader Majika: Question! What are your thoughts on eventually having a paper book collection?
A. It depends on which publisher I contract with. Each publisher offers different propositions. Some propose only e-books, while others propose both paper and e-books.
Whether I publish paper books will alter the revenue-sharing percentages, causing the author considerable deliberation.
Q. Reader hotroad: Will we see transformative aircraft in play? Considering the number of light aircraft parking lots, with hundreds here and there, wouldn't it make more sense to use existing ones? Finding pilots would be the greater challenge.
A. Yes, there are reasons. First, resource supply management is crucial for America too, and second, as you mentioned, finding pilots could be even more challenging. The most common light aircraft, the Cessna 172, has a payload of about 0.4 tons and is incapable of airborne cargo drops. Hence, a 2-ton transport aircraft serves the dual purpose of conserving pilot demand and aluminum. Engines from general aviation could be used here.
You have to presume that all transport aircraft at obsolete aircraft storage have already been mobilized. Previous descriptions of U. S. airborne operations indicated daily transport loads of 5,000 tons. Compare this to the Berlin Airlift, where average daily loads were similarly about 5,000 tons. Currently, the U. S. airborne capabilities are reduced, having lost some air wings deployed globally and airbases around the West Coast. It is manageable only because these are domestic operations, as explanations outlined that Camp Roberts prioritizes essential supply distribution. Ocean refugees pose another issue. Therefore, transport flight demand remains a genuine concern.
-------------= Clacky's Corner -------------=
I'm surprised Gyeo-ul downed the alchohol in one go without doubting if it was poisoned. But I guess it makes sense because the Triad needs him more than he needs them.