I Have Returned, but I Cannot Lay down My Gun

Chapter 681

"Excellent. If the world were still in one piece, I’d consider awarding you a medal of honor for this… but at this point, there’s no shortage of urgent matters, is there? Surely, you'd prefer more support over more medals on your neck?"

"Sounds like you're planning to deploy us to more dangerous areas in the future, Mr. President."

"Haha, I’m sorry. Should I start practicing shooting myself from now on?"

Not long after the operation had ended.

The command room in Central Park, once filled with anxiety and despair, was now brimming with energy.

It was a truly valuable victory. If it had happened before the Omega Virus outbreak, it would have been a victory talked about for years. At the very least, it would have earned someone a Distinguished Service Cross, and perhaps even a shot at the highest honor.

But unfortunately, America was in ruins. The fact that only a few Congress members could agree on awarding a medal of honor—let alone filling the seats in the House—was a stark reflection of the state the country was in.

Olivia gave a bitter smile. It wasn’t that the president’s joke was unrealistic, but the truth was, in this day and age, even the president himself might have to pick up a gun to protect his own life.

However, there was a glimmer of hope, as the president was still far from a reverse-Weiner, who would shove the mutants straight into a burning hell. He wasn’t too different, but at least he was willing to sing the praises of their efforts.

Thus, a public relations campaign was set in motion to stir optimism. The news that the operation had been a great success was carefully circulated, although everything else was kept under wraps.

Fortunately, this was enough to inject some optimism back into HQ. At the very least, it helped shake off some of the despair that had clung to everyone.

Of course, the most significant gain was the recapture of the UN Headquarters in New York.

"The fact that they’re operating CCTV and other equipment means that the headquarters has at least some level of infrastructure. I believe it can be used as a solid forward base."

"However, to utilize the internal communications network, additional equipment and personnel for modification are needed. Even at best, it will take at least two months."

"The minimum infrastructure construction required for Central Park HQ is progressing smoothly. However, there’s an absolute shortage of personnel to operate and maintain the facilities. We need more field workers or a long-term training system to cultivate them. Even though we’ve aimed to build with automation in mind, it’s still not enough."

"So, we’re talking about the absolute minimum. Understood. Still, there’s a terrifying amount of work to be done..."

Unfortunately, the president had no advantages other than being the highest authority in the United States. There was a severe shortage of people who understood and could operate the infrastructure necessary for basic human survival.

However, the good news was that at least he knew that fact well and was doing his best to support the personnel who could make it work.

By now, the scars left by the Omega Virus across the streets of Manhattan had been mostly cleared. However, bodies that hadn’t fully decayed yet and skeletons with dried, withered skin still littered the ground.

The world was still cold, and the demands on everyone’s abilities were immense, while the resources available to meet those demands were all but nonexistent. The survivors in this dead world were slowly being consumed by despair.

Yet, some of the lucky few found ways to retain some stability in their minds.

There was no need to say who those few were.

"Uh, excuse me. Do we really need to watch combat footage like this?"

"You’re complaining? Do you think there’s a more effective way to debrief than this?"

"Well, something soft is pressing against my back, and it’s making it hard to focus..."

Recently, thanks to Eugene, Olivia was openly enjoying some relaxation time, and even the shark, who had initially tried to maintain a stern demeanor when they first met, now only looked for opportunities to dote on the youngest member.

It was inevitable. Loving cute and pretty things was an instinct that most humans shared, and Eugene fit perfectly into that category.

There was also another reason they couldn’t help but dote on Eugene.

"Well, Lorentina is also a beautiful woman..."

"Would you pet her the way you pet me? She’d bite you."

"...Olivia. What exactly do you think of me?"

"Would you do it?"

"Stop saying nonsense."

It was possible to dote on Eugene, but doing the same with Lorentina was… simply unthinkable.

Lorentina had a military career as long as, or possibly longer than, Olivia’s. Though Olivia was proud of her own military experience, there were always people who far surpassed her.

The idea of petting and hugging someone like Lorentina was just absurd. Even if her appearance had transformed into something beyond supermodel levels, it was still impossible.

Besides—

"You want me to pet someone 6cm taller than me? Our little snake, are you joking?"

"Eh, thinking about it now, everyone is pretty tall. No one’s ever told me I’m short..."

"Are you saying I’m tall, in a roundabout way?"

"Not at all."

As she had said, Olivia was 182 cm, and the shark was a towering 188 cm. Even if they couldn’t join a professional basketball team, their height was such that they could easily be called giants when among average people.

Anyway, after spending nearly a month together, they had become close enough to exchange jokes without hesitation. It had become almost impossible not to.

The fact that they were all serving in the military together, as part of the 24th Special Tactical Battalion, which often conducted joint operations with DEVGRU, the Unit, SAD, and others, helped bond them further.

On the other hand, that was pretty much it, but fortunately, at this moment, Eugene acted as a kind of buffer—a situation similar to dog owners striking up conversations with each other.

Meanwhile, the combat footage continued to play on the screen.

Eugene kept watching. It was still a very unfamiliar sight. What was debriefing really? Would she eventually have to do that herself? The thought was admittedly a bit overwhelming.

The most she had done in the army was 150m, 200m, and 250m shooting. Beyond that, there had been basic drills, combat readiness, and mock combat exercises in the military mountains.

Still…

'...If I have to kill someone… I’ll have to do it.'

If that’s what it takes to survive, and if it will make the world a better place, then that’s what must be done.

Unfortunately, she had already experienced it. It was something she never thought she’d have to do in her life, but she had killed someone. Had the government still been functional, she would likely be attending court to argue self-defense.

Although they didn’t directly demand it of her, neither Lorentina nor Olivia expected Eugene to turn into one of those cold-hearted soldiers in the footage. It was inevitable, but it wasn’t time yet.

There wasn’t much more to say.

"I wish our little one didn’t end up like that… but unfortunately, that’s probably going to happen. So, we’ll help you survive as best we can."

"...You’re teaching me, but isn’t it a bit too late?"

"Actually, it’s not. The most important qualities for an operator are stamina. Second, stamina. Third, stamina. Everything else can be learned. Do you think Lorentina or I were born this way?"

"...Eh, wasn’t it?"

"Hey."

Eugene chuckled, and Olivia pinched his cheek, stretching it.

Lorentina, watching from the side, subtly eyed them before grabbing Eugene’s soft cheek and pulling it. It felt like soft, sticky clay. It wasn’t the most pleasant situation for Eugene, of course.

Olivia laughed at the sight, while Eugene grinned awkwardly, glancing around.

The conversation continued.

"Lorentina. It seems like Eugene is scared of you."

"That’s nonsense. How long have I been living with him? Right, Eugene?"

"Hehehe, right...?"

An awkward laugh. That was the answer.

Lorentina, looking somewhat shocked, then furrowed her brow and shook her head, taking a deep breath to ease the shock.

While Eugene, unsure of what to do, rolled his eyes, the shark hesitantly spoke up.

"...Am I that scary?"

"Well, it’s not that you’re not scary."

"Damn, that’s not what I meant. Is there a way to make it a little less scary?"

"...Maybe try smiling kindly, then? You must’ve learned some nonverbal communication skills to get along with locals. Try applying that."

"...Like this?"

"Eek."

At that moment, Lorentina put on what she thought was a kind expression. A smile, as it were.

Before her transformation, she had been praised as handsome wherever she went, so she had no doubt about her looks.

However, sadly, she couldn’t objectively view her own expression.

And, to her surprise, she didn’t realize that the look on her face made it seem like she could kill someone without batting an eye.

Until Eugene noticed, that is.

"...Don’t smile like that. Just use polite language."

"What’s wrong with that?"

"Just look in the mirror sometime."

Naturally, Lorentina didn’t understand at all.

It had only been two minutes since she started practicing more polite expressions.

"Did you serve in the military before?"

"Ah, yes… that was when I was still a man."

"That’s interesting... you said you're from Korea, right? How different is it from the U.S.?"

"Well... it’s a bit more difficult?"

As Central Park HQ inched toward May, at the Alpha-level mutant quarters.

I met a woman who was genuinely interested in military stories for the first time... though, of course, that was a joke.

Anyway, back when I went, it was a bit... off. I kept that thought to myself, but unfortunately, my English skills had improved quite a bit since then. Specifically, I could now explain my military service without trouble.

And since these people seemed like they wouldn’t let go of their curiosity until I answered, I started unraveling the stories of my military service one by one.

Unlike what everyone here might think, Korea has conscription... because of that, Korea’s military is quite different from the U.S. army, which is volunteer-based.

Anyway, with that setup, everyone nodded and chuckled.

"I get what you mean. I have a friend who served in the U.S. Army in Korea. I think he said it was an unforgettable experience, though... Anyway, I’m curious about your military service, but what I’m really interested in is something else."

"Basic military training... I went through that. I’ve shot guns several times, and I know various concepts. Not sure how well it matches up with U.S. doctrine, though..."

"That’s about what I expected. Lots of civilians are still learning basic things like gun disassembly and assembly."

Bolt-action machine gun K-3 and the K-201 with a grenade launcher attachment were what I used in training. I was a squad leader, so I used the latter.

The U.S. was, after all, the nation that created almost every type of weapon, and the few outstanding weapons that came out of there were well-known worldwide. Now, guns from video games like the M4 were iconic.

What surprised me, however, was that this world was set in the near future, which meant guns like the XM7 were already supplied to the U.S. military. So, I had to practice disassembling and assembling those kinds of weapons.

Nonetheless, there was another reason these people were grateful that I had military experience.

"People never understand why you need to clean your gun. It drives me crazy. Why the hell is there some idiot who thinks you shouldn’t clean a gun with aviation fuel?"

"Well, it’s New York. In places like Texas, you’d probably find people who only ever handle keyboards."

"That’s not wrong... but still, I don’t expect much from those guys. But you, you’re different. You get what I mean, right?"

"...Why does it sound scarier when you use polite language?"

...True.

When her tone became more polite, it felt more like pressure than comfort. Lorentina, you really know how to intimidate.

Anyway, that was accurate. America had entered a state of emergency, which meant many facilities were being built every day. One of them was for training operators.

And, judging by the situation, I was certain I'd soon be sent to that training camp.

'...How should I even handle this?'

Two instructors and one recruit. Scary, scary.

But I thought to myself, there’s no way they’d do something extreme... like psychological conditioning. There's no time for that.

The best I could do was absorb theory in my head and experience with my body. Similarly, that’s probably all these two could help me with.

As I thought this, my mouth opened without thinking.

"How many more months do we have?"

"Months?"

"Until Manhattan blows up."

"Not more than 3 months, probably."

I see.

That means I need to secure the minimum skills required to survive in that time.

The explanation continued.

"Summer is a terrible season, but this year will be even worse. Toxic gases and bacteria from decaying bodies will bring plague. Antibiotics, medicine, and clean water will become the rarest resources..."

"The places with the most of those resources will be Central Park. Can you imagine how many attacks it will face?"

"...That’s a bit scary."

"Crazy people tend to rule in a crazy world. People who want the world to end, or those who want to take advantage of a collapsed world, will flood the outside. But we know that if we put a bullet in their heads, they’ll stop. Our job is to make that happen."

That might be true.

Though it sounded a bit like military rhetoric, hearing it casually like that made it clear—it was just the truth. I thought I’d do what I could.

The topic changed again.

"By the way, soon they’re going to rebuild the military communications system centered on the UN headquarters, right?"

"Yes. For now, it’s only possible to send messages at certain times when the military satellite passes. I don’t know exactly what’s been communicated, but I’ve heard that the DoD is very interested in mutants."

"Hmm. I wonder if someone is coming to Central Park."

"I’m not sure, but it’s not impossible. I’ll let you know as soon as I hear something new..."

"Do you think we’ll meet someone like us again?"

"With you around, I wouldn’t rule anything out."

Would it be another soldier?

I opened my mouth with half curiosity, half expectation.

"Could it be another soldier?"

"With you around, no one can know for sure."

"Maybe it’ll be a man this time. Once I get some more info, I’ll drop a word or two. Don’t worry about it too much."

"Alright."

What can I say? I knew, whatever happened in this world, it wouldn’t be that strange.

But there were many strange things, and what I had to do was far more important. All I had left were trivial curiosities, which I wouldn’t mind forgetting at any moment.

The days were getting warmer.

The anxious days of April, when danger could strike at any moment, passed by slowly.

"Shark, snake, owl... are we planning to start a zoo or something?"

"Seems like you're about to join that crowd too, Logan."

"...If it’s something I must do, I’ll have to go, won’t I, Owens Team Leader?"

"Would you prefer to swap bodies with me?"

"Just kidding, just kidding. I’m ready to board."

"Good, let’s head back. We might end up in Manhattan earlier than expected."

Meanwhile, in Kensington, Philadelphia, McPherson Square.

Among the soldiers scattered across a crime-ridden area filled with drug addicts and gang members, where rivers and mountains of blood and bodies were piled high, one figure stood out as he exhaled and sank to his knees.

The sound of helicopters could be heard overhead. It was the arrival of the newly formed EX Squadron, transported from headquarters by the 1st Special Actions Group, officially known as "The Unit."

The pieces of the puzzle were still coming together.

What it would ultimately create, no one knew.