00068 --- The Little Prince in the Ossuary----=
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#Seventh California, Camp Roberts (5)
Dawn woke the boy.
From the opening of the tent, the dim blue sky seeped in subtly. It wasn't time to open his eyes yet. Gyeo-ul moved his heavy arm to grab his gun. After checking the magazine attachment, he slowly raised himself.
He needed some time before his bodily functions were fully awake. The physical exertion from the past two days was excessively intense, and since he hadn't slept, a considerable amount of "fatigue" had accumulated.
The time spent asleep was set on automatic progression mode. If he was woken up, there must be a reason. Gyeo-ul felt a sense of mental exhaustion. In this worldview, when Gyeo-ul dreams, the Gyeo-ul within takes a break too. He enjoys the tranquil darkness alone, without minding the audience from another world.
On the battlefield, excess means nothing. Gyeo-ul first woke the soldiers in the same tent. Of course, those gripped by sleep found it hard to get up.
"Ugh... what on earth is going on?"
"Arm yourselves."
As his condition returned to near normal, Gyeo-ul finally detected the dull warning from his 「Survival Sense」.
The intermittent tingling at his nerve endings. Although not fully activated, there was undoubtedly some threat.
'Doesn't seem life-threatening.'
It wasn't much help at Camp Roberts, but with a 「Survival Sense」 reaching the realm of genius, the chance of dying in one's sleep was slim. However, as his response was delayed due to fatigue, he needed to hurry a little.
The soldiers' wide eyes realized Gyeo-ul's unusual demeanor, and they desperately woke themselves. Their trust in the young officer had reached the verge of superstition.
Bang!
... Still, wasn't hitting himself in the head with a ballistic helmet a bit much? After knocking out both his sleep and himself in one go, the soldier lay face-down for a moment, pretending to be an inanimate object. Gyeo-ul approached and placed a hand on his shoulder.
"Are you okay?"
"I'm fine...."
Even if he didn't seem okay, he eventually got prepared too.
The sergeant they were sharing the tent with and the senior-ranking soldiers took quick actions. Without specific instructions, they relayed the situation to the entire company. Wake up! Wake up! The repeated shouting resonated through the damp wind. Soldiers from other company encampments, curious about the commotion, emerged to see what was happening. Their faces were filled with unease. It was just a day past an enemy assault.
In the end, Gyeo-ul unintentionally woke the regiment-level troops. Amid the drizzle over a thin fog, soldiers donned raincoats and surveyed the surroundings in disarray. Their expressions were even more anxious as they didn't know the reason for their wakefulness.
Meanwhile, Gyeo-ul called for the signalman to communicate with the sentinels, intending to confirm if the perimeter of the encampment was secure.
The company commander, who came seeking the origin of the premature wake-up, questioned Gyeo-ul.
"What on earth is going on?"
When he received the question, he found himself at a loss for words.
"I'm not sure how to explain... But I just had a bad feeling."
Captain Etcher looked bewildered.
"Was it just a restless dream?"
There was no need to answer. The gunshots from beyond the fog spoke for themselves. Gyeo-ul frowned. A sudden influx of wireless communication erupted through the receiver in his ear as requests flooded in from regiment, battalion, and company channels to verify what was happening.
Gunfire rang out again. Fragmented single-shot, followed by continuous bursts. The 「Combat Sense」 gripped the direction and approximate range of the gunfire. However, the range was somewhat inaccurate due to the fog. High humidity significantly expands the range of sound dissemination.
Captain Etcher issued orders instantly. He swiftly divided the forces into those to reinforce the perimeter, defend the encampment, and deploy to the scene.
Gyeo-ul was on the deployment side. The movement was vehicle-based.
Upon arriving at the site, Gyeo-ul confirmed an already-concluded engagement. Scattered mutant corpses lay sporadically near the encampment's perimeter. There weren't many, and soldiers were confirming kills one by one. Amidst this, the noise support from the noisemaker was loud and continuous, sounding like it was ringing out from at least three directions simultaneously.
'Doesn't seem like a systematic attack, does it?'
Gyeo-ul examined the remnants of battle. Although it could have been dangerous if the response had been delayed, it was nothing compared to the previous enemy assault.
However, there were missing individuals. Two sentry team members stationed in the area where mutants infiltrated had disappeared. The company commander responsible for this area had a dark, sullen expression. Like everyone else from Camp Obispo, his demeanor was crushed under excessive stress.
"I thought it was over... why this again...."
He dry-washed his oil-slicked face and called in the signalman to contact the battalion headquarters. Gyeo-ul wanted to get permission to search for the missing individuals.
"I'll take the lead."
"You?"
It was the first meeting, but there wasn't anyone who didn't know Gyeo-ul. The unfamiliar company commander briefly hesitated before nodding slowly. He didn't exhibit any particular reluctance towards receiving help from an officer of another division. Pride wasn't something that remained. It wasn't something to show to someone anyway.
Battalion headquarters easily allowed Gyeo-ul's participation.
Based on the testimonies of the soldiers who replaced the patrol session last, Gyeo-ul walked slightly away from the path the missing individuals would have taken.
The ground softened by the rain bore many footprints. Hidden by grass, but it wasn't an obstacle to Gyeo-ul who possessed level 4 「Tracking」.
However, there were too many. The overlapping boot prints of soldiers by the hour alone sufficed to make it messy, topped with the tracks of mutants crossing the boundary. It seemed some of the dead dragged their feet. There were numerous crushed and smeared traces.
'Perhaps lacking....'
「Perception」 recommended pursuing with an expert level 「Tracking」.
It's a skill quite like a bone you can't chew through to use experience resources for. Of course, it's beneficial if you have it. Capturing animal traces is a tremendous advantage when having to survive in the wild.
However, opportunities to use the ability are limited. The extent of the apocalypse hasn't proceeded to a state where food must be sourced via hunting, nor does this sort of incident occur frequently.
The number of times he learned it was initially scant. The efficiency was low due to 「Talent Disadvantage」.
Considering the appearance of a new mutant unseen before and the consequent rise in difficulty, Gyeo-ul intended to invest more in skillsets with higher utility.
He had amassed a considerable amount of experience points in the span of two days. He collected more rewards through the influence on others than through combative achievements.
This could push 「Movement」 into the realm of the superhuman.
However, ten lives saved later cannot substitute for one saved now. Although they are virtual personalities in a fictional world, preserving his way of life, even falsely, seemed better.
Gyeo-ul shelved his regret and upgraded 「Tracking」.
The quality of augmented reality-provided information significantly improved as the levels increased.
"This way."
He gestured, and a platoon followed several steps behind in formation. Three platoons, spaced at fixed intervals, cautiously advanced while dispersed.
Civilian protection took precedence, so deploying more forces was unfeasible.
The rain-drenched forest path at dawn carried a somber feel. Raindrops hanging from the trees fell heavily onto the leaves, sounding like percussion instruments stimulating the soldiers' nerves. Even for Gyeo-ul, an environment rife with noise wasn't favorable. If something lurked in the forest, its noise, too, would be dampened.
Even though sounds travel well on rainy days, if the raindrops drown them out or match them, there is no significance.
Furthermore, the noisemaker intermittently blared. It's a defensive measure for the encampment.
The search continued along a faint trail. A lowering mountain slope. As the lakeside neared, the fog thickened. Eventually, visibility reduced to 30 meters. Trees grown densely cast blurry shadows through the fog. Occasionally startled soldiers mistook these shadows for mutants.
In such conditions, thermal night vision was also useless. The fog swallowed the heat. Even Gyeo-ul had trouble advancing quickly due to the caution against possible mutants lying among the fallen leaves.
The wind blew.
Gyeo-ul raised a fist.
The soldiers guarded the surroundings in a kneeling position.
As the dense fog swayed momentarily, albeit briefly, Gyeo-ul glimpsed the outlines of two humans lying on the ground.
The corpses appeared to be bait.
In the water-scented thick air, there were two distinct smells. One was the stench of blood; the other remained,
'The stench of the unwashed.'
It had a sour yet offensive odor.
This stench was slightly different from the usual rotten odor of ordinary mutants. Overcoming immune rejection, it must be a 「ghoul」.
Gyeo-ul whispered quietly into his radio.
"Discovered the bodies of the missing individuals ahead. Both are deceased. And, nearby is suspected to be a group of ghouls. They might be in the trees, so stay alert."
A rustling sound emanated. Some soldiers attempted to distance themselves from the tree trunks. A squad leader and a signalman reported the current situation to headquarters. The fact that all sentries were dead might have dampened their expressions considerably.
Abruptly, the sound of something slicing through the air arose. Gyeo-ul instinctively fired his weapon.
Ting-!
The unidentified projectile shattered, sparking as it broke. Splitting in two, it spun and then burrowed into the leaves. A nearby soldier was alarmed. Gyeo-ul gestured to them, meaning to investigate. The soldier moved, crawling, and groped the leaf pile with a glance around.
Finally, their hand grasped a handle. The soldier lifted it for everyone to see.
It was a half-severed kitchen knife.
The platoon leader, who had stiffened midway through radioing, muttered in bewilderment.
"Mutants using weapons?"
A wave of considerable disturbance spread. Although many primates typically use basic tools, and so would a mutant stealing a human's body possess such ability, seeing it for real was a first.
It seemed picked up from an abandoned city.
What followed was the flight of dozens more knives. Gyeo-ul intercepted some, but the conditions were unfavorable. They emerged abruptly through the fog at close proximity.
Growling, beastly howling, and rapidly running footsteps sounded overwhelmingly.
Nervous soldiers fired indiscriminately or threw grenades.
However, hasty fire had limited efficacy. In environments similar to the Vietnam War, statistics reveal over 20,000 bullets were used per North Vietnamese soldier killed by the US military. Much less facing stronger-than-human mutants and moreover a ghoul, a reinforced mutant.
Grenades followed suit. No matter how significant their effective range, the uneven terrain and forest setting significantly reduced the killing effect.
Indeed, as if mocking them, the deliberate noise-making of the monsters was unending.
'Is it an attempt to exhaust our ammunition? Strangely smart... could it be a Beta Ghoul?'
Their number remained uncertain. Though 「Perception」 was providing based on auditory cues, pack-hunting mammals mostly knew how to distinguish roles.
Thus, it was risky to act rashly, relying solely on his abilities.
Gyeo-ul, watching the slithering fog like creatures from another world, had a bright idea.
"Platoon Leader."
"Yes?"
"Does the grenade launcher operator have illumination rounds?"
In a US infantry platoon, each squad is supplied with a six-shot grenade launcher (M32), in addition to single-shot underslung grenade launchers attached to rifles. The types of grenades launchable are surprisingly varied, including illumination rounds.
However, it's challenging to use seriously due to its small size. The platoon leader pointed this out as well.
"Why illumination rounds? Those are for signaling. Who do you intend to signal?"
It was an inquiry about why not contact the main camp by radio. Gyeo-ul shook his head.
"No, I meant as illumination."
Pointing to the fog, he explained.
"The surroundings are still quite dark. The fog is dense. If a bright light source appears, wouldn't the mutants' outlines or shadows form in the fog? We shoot them all at once when that happens."
"Even so, they burn for only 7 seconds each... wouldn't it be better to call for reinforcements?"
"What if that's precisely what those creatures want?"
"Huh?"
"They may have used the missing ones as bait to lure us, then use us as bait to draw more forces, exploiting the gap created."
The platoon leader was flustered, and Gyeo-ul persuaded him.
"Of course, it's unlikely. But what's important is that it's not zero. There are thousands of civilians in the encampment, right? The battalion commander got caught off guard the other day, so he probably wouldn't take any risky moves. He has thousands of civilians to protect. He might just instruct us to abandon recovery."
Ultimately, the platoon leader concurred with Gyeo-ul's plan. They agreed to fire illumination rounds, advance while securing cover, engage in combat, and retrieve the bodies.
Grenade launcher operators busied their hands, emptying and reloading the tubes. Unlike rifles, they had to load each round manually. White, green, red illumination rounds have their designated use, but currently, there was no discrimination. They would shoot them into the ground to stick them.
Gyeo-ul positioned himself near the grouped-up grenade operators, designating directions and distances.
"When I signal... fire three shots each, sequentially, from this side to that. Set distances at 20, 40, and 60 due to the heavily obstructed environment."
The instruction was for a three-dimensional positioning of the flaring illumination.
"Fire!"
Tuttu-!
While the illumination rounds were airborne, Gyeo-ul had already spotted five targets. As the shadows cast in the fog spun like a sundial, he swiftly aimed with his sights and pulled the trigger five times in one breath.
'Seemed I missed one.'
A prolonged scream ensued. It meant it was hit but not killed. Gyeo-ul was already in motion, shooting indiscriminately at the silhouettes of whatever was leaping between mismatched lighting and tree shadows.
Shooting at the center of two or more overlapping shadows without fail brought shrieks and painful howls. The differing colors of each illumination were more effective. Soldiers, to their surprise, were also hitting targets easily.
His advance spanned over 10 meters per 7 seconds as he emptied one and a half magazines.
"Again!"
Another round of illumination fire commenced. The fog aglow with tricolor, the humans wielding secured range overwhelmed the mutants with overwhelming firepower.
On the third attempt, advancing soldiers finally secured the bodies. While checking for mutations, the remaining forces forcefully repelled the reduced ghoul pack.
The monsters' cries and the pounding steps of hunt-driven beasts receded rapidly.
"We did it!"
The platoon leader raised his hand in triumph. Gyeo-ul approached the soldiers handling the retrieved bodies.
"Are the bodies okay?"
It was an ambiguous question. He inquired whether there were missing parts and about signs of infection. The squad leader nodded.
"They were stabbed to death with knives. They were intended as bait from the start... Frankly, it's chilling. They're no longer the foolish mutants from before."
"There's no other choice. We must adapt."
Gyeo-ul patted his shoulder.
While they returned with the recovered bodies, the sun rose brightly beyond the fog.
The battalion commander only commanded the departure of the entire unit after the fog cleared considerably. The distance to Camp Roberts was roughly 20 km. Considering they dashed in isolated parts yesterday afternoon, they could likely have lunch at the camp if no issues arose.
It's been a long concentration span. Gyeo-ul also needed rest. He hoped the remaining journey would be quiet. The boy leaned against the window frame of the Humvee with his arms folded, resting his chin as he closed his eyes.
---------------------------= Author's Note ---------------------------=
1. The term 'disability' used in the last episode is not a typo. In terms of insurance or pension applications due to physical disabilities, the standard is the 'Disability Rating Classification Table'. According to the extent of disability and defect, the disability rate is calculated and reflected in the payment rate.
2. I had another meeting with the publisher yesterday. They told some interesting stories.
2-1.
Editor-in-chief: It was a female writer who first recommended 'The Little Prince in the Ossuary' to us.
Author: Wow.
Editor-in-chief: But it included 'Little Prince' in the title. Male writers don't typically use such titles.
Author: I see.
Editor-in-chief: So I thought this novel might be a BL.
Author: ...?!
Editor-in-chief: Upon reading, I was surprised it was different from what I expected. Haha.
2-2.
Editor-in-chief: If you publish the book, have you considered any appendices?
Author: Yes. I thought of including the U. S. Army's survival manual, so I've been translating it myself. Since it's public domain, there's no issue with copyright.
Editor-in-chief: Oh? Our publishing company is releasing an official edition soon?
Author: ...?!
Author: (Then all my efforts... Uwaaah...)
2-3.
Editor-in-chief: Our publishing house isn't focused on the money.
Author: I heard your brave publishing house is famous for persisting even if there's no money.
Editor-in-chief: Hahaha. For example, (book title) has sold less than (number of copies) so far.
― Title and sales number are blinded by the editor's request. :) (2016.08.02)
Author: ...?!
Editor-in-chief: But it doesn't matter. Our president is wealthy!
Author: ...?!
3.
Q. SilentRabbit: @Regarding the use of "in one's lifetime", does it imply that Gyeo-ul isn't presently in a living state?
A. Even if only the brain remains, an individual deemed alive may still be socially treated as dead based on societal norms, systems, and culture. That is what I wanted to express.
Raised in such a society, Gyeo-ul essentially perceives himself as nearly dead.
The phase where Gyeo-ul was treated as a commodity aligns with this context.
In other words, human respect as an inherent human duty... that's the message I aim to convey.
After saying it, it naturally seems obvious. May the great past continue striving to make the obvious a societal norm, tekel-li-li Tekel-li-li
Q. UjinGwangDae: @I impulsively bought a 90-day pass as I got annoyed with dallying over coupons during service checks... but it's not because of the ossuary...
A. Although I've been writing through sleepless nights... it's, definitely not because I want to make UjinGwangDae read it.
Being awake till this time leaves me disoriented. I only slept two hours yesterday. Haha.
Q. Yakaruvitah: @Hope you go premium. May the author earn lots and eat plenty of chicken...
A. The editor-in-chief I met yesterday also strongly recommended going premium, but I won't reverse a decision once made.
Chicken... I do want to eat some.
Q. PotatoPeeler: @Jemis님의 Oh free game... but it's still impressive. Everyone, civilization 5 is on sale right now! Eighty percent or ninety percent off! Go civilize yourself! Author님 is ... :)
A. Why do you leave it unfinished for the author... I like Civilization too. It's so dear to me. I've played since Civilization 1.
Sob sob.
Q. DoHwaWon: @Don't cry! Author님, you have crafted the joys of thousands with your time!
A. I just want to be happy alone, sacrificing thousands' joy!
I am one incredibly evil author.
How evil, you ask...?
Hmm...
Ten-legged evil.