I Have Returned, but I Cannot Lay down My Gun

Chapter 722

"…Seventy people. It's more than I expected, but also fewer than expected."

"It seems not everyone took yesterday's words seriously. Looks like it's total chaos. Maybe we should be grateful that most of the injuries are just superficial, like those treated with nanomachines."

"There’s not a single person without damage to their teeth or digestive system. Bring me more oral rehydration solution and Betadine! Help me with the disinfection!"

"Yeah, I’ll be right there."

Syracuse, North of New York, Day 4 of the operation, 9 AM.

A large number of people had gathered at a disused ski resort about 1km south of the Dagger team’s hideout.

The appearance of the civilians was pitiful. Their clothes were filthy and unkempt, their hair greasy with oil, and their teeth in poor condition. It was safe to say there were no obese people in sight.

However, if that had been the only issue, it might have been a blessing. Infections were rampant, and it was common to see people missing fingers or parts of their arms, while others, suffering from sepsis, had turned to the Dagger team in a last-ditch effort for help.

The wounds on the civilians, both large and small, were breeding grounds for infections, and the interior of the ski resort quickly filled with an unpleasant stench.

While the Eagle team and Eugene were scouring northern Syracuse, this was the situation that the strike team had to face.

"If I had known, I would’ve brought twice as much disinfectant and bandages. Bite down on this! It’s going to hurt a lot!"

"Ughh...!"

"Medical nanomachines are being deployed. Spray more disinfectant on the infected areas."

"Thank you, thank you so much..."

The Dagger team worked miracles, and those who received treatment could feel death slipping away from them, just out of reach.

Those who had suffered from diarrhea and vomiting due to the poor food they consumed were rehydrated with oral solutions to replenish lost electrolytes, and even more severe injuries began healing rapidly.

The medical nanomachine injector, which looked like something out of a near-future sci-fi film, inserted into the infected wounds, and the disinfectant poured onto them. In an instant, the bleeding and pus stopped, and the pain faded.

Civilians, who had been suffering in every possible way, were not only stunned but awed by the near-instantaneous recovery of their bodies thanks to futuristic medical technology.

Those who had struggled to carry their feverish children to the Dagger team's ski resort saw their children walking freely around the makeshift hospital and tasted emergency rations that were so sweet they almost numbed their tongues.

Despite the possibility that the Dagger team's words could have been lies, the people, in desperation, placed all their hope in this one slender chance and immediately became fervent believers, maintaining order without being asked.

Of course, gratitude wasn’t the only thing driving their responses.

— Bzzt!

Turrets mounted on the walls, ready to turn the surrounding area into a beehive at any moment.

The heavily armored appearance of the Dagger team, more fitting for a special forces unit in a movie than real life – bulletproof vests, magazines, body wiring, unfamiliar devices, and holograms, all part of their gear.

On their shoulders, the American flag patches and other unit insignia. There was no mistaking it: these were the best-trained soldiers, equipped with firearms and daggers to prevent anyone from harboring hostile thoughts.

After about two hours of medical treatment and combat, the Dagger team was ready to proceed with the real reason they had set up shop at the ski resort.

"Thank you... thank you so much, doctor..."

"Gunshot wounds like this aren't common. Where did you get this?"

"From the north, near Walmart... I was trying to trade goods with a neighboring community until things started to feel off, so I ran... that's when I got nicked by a bullet..."

"Chester, keep watching. Morrison, mark it on the map. Any other significant details?"

"I… I think I know what you're asking."

As soon as anyone added a bit of context, useful intelligence began to take shape.

The general reports from the civilians matched the Dagger team's expectations. Artemis was up to its old tricks in the Bronx again, and the fallout was being felt by the civilians.

Morrison continued to map things out based on the people's words, and within ten minutes, they had a solid lead.

As expected.

"Of course. They’ve been using Hancock Field as their backyard. From there, they’ve been picking off anyone moving around the area. Same trick they used in the Bronx."

"Did the people you saw have any strange devices attached to their heads?"

"No, I didn’t get a good look. Before we exchanged goods, we had to confirm the other party’s intentions by checking behind walls, and then we got shot at..."

"I see."

Despite the differences in what they said, the result was the same.

However, the location of the Dagger team was quite far from the area mentioned by the civilians, and the location they described was much closer to the Eagle team.

They needed to do a little more legwork to get an accurate reading, but they had already gathered most of the critical data in this area. In other words, there was no need to double back.

After gathering enough intelligence, the Dagger team braced themselves for a barrage of questions.

"So, soldiers. What does it mean that the government is still around? Didn’t the country collapse?"

"To be precise, we’re on the brink of collapse. Russia and China tried to attack the mainland without declaring war, but their attempts failed. Over 20,000 escapees and gang members tried to bring chaos to New York but were stopped."

"…What? What did you say?"

"As I mentioned earlier, Artemis Technologies has been selling military secrets and disabling the U.S. military’s air defense systems. All employees linked to the company are now subject to a life-long manhunt for treason."

These were not words easily understood by anyone.

The Dagger team delivered these grim facts emotionlessly, and the civilians, hearing the truth, lost all sense of reality. Yet, there was nothing they could do.

They had realized why the authorities weren’t functioning, and why the supplies necessary to maintain even a basic level of survival weren’t being delivered.

The overwhelming, shocking information was enough to numb their reason.

As the sounds of people muttering died down, the only noise that remained was the rustling of bandages and the distinctive "cheek" sound of medical nanomachines being placed.

The Dagger team had not come to save anyone. They were the harbingers of death.

By the time the civilians were ready to leave the ski resort, their faces wore expressions that were hard to describe, and they gave the Dagger team a strange, almost reverent glance as they departed.

One by one, the civilians turned and walked back the way they came, until all seventy of them were gone.

The Dagger team wiped their blood- and pus-covered hands with precious water—one of the rarest resources in these times—and a thick silence settled over the world.

The next round of medical assistance would take place soon, somewhere, but the Dagger team knew that it would be happening before long.

But—

“…It seems the Eagle team has also made a discovery. We’ll head back to the hideout. The intel collection was successful.”

“Right. It’s pretty impressive that they didn’t flinch when they saw the mutants.”

"What’s more important than that when lives are on the line?"

The truth was still unclear, but for now...

The world remained in chaos.

A chillingly bright sunlight shone over Syracuse.

“Ah, the Eagle team spotted someone in a suit about 3km west of East Syracuse Minoa High School, near a warehouse and factory complex. We’ll keep an eye on them for now.”

“Couldn’t we just EMP that place and pick them up for free?”

“That’s a bold suggestion, kid."

Meanwhile, several kilometers north, the Eagle team had also made an important discovery.

Artemis’ suffering was just beginning.

"Honestly, I feel like I’m about to lose my mind after watching drones and sniping all day."

"Recon teams have it rough. Are you keeping track of those coordinates?"

"Yeah, there’s not a place I haven’t marked by now."

The Eagle team, camped out in the ruins of collapsing buildings, using debris as makeshift bedding, had a rather uneventful day. They heard that the strike team had been involved in some sort of medical aid, which seemed strange, but at least they didn’t have to deal with moving targets.

That’s why it was a relief; at least they weren’t dealing with anything too crazy.

Their UAVs were still hard at work, scanning the ground below, and the team had made the best use of their ability to identify targets.

One of the basic methods they used to spot important personnel was by their clothing—those who stood out in such a dire situation were usually either outdated lunatics or suspicious individuals.

And it just so happened that the UAVs excelled at finding those kinds of people.

"Whoever they are, wearing a suit in this situation... they’re either a lunatic or someone with a serious agenda. We should catch them, though it won’t be easy."

“Capturing them alive doesn’t look simple.”

“Of course not. It’ll probably be one of the harder missions we’ve taken on. We don’t even know what this guy’s interests are yet."

Capturing someone alive required careful preparation.

First, you had to take out the enemy guards, then block any escape routes, and finally, act with enough speed to prevent them from committing suicide or running.

It was hard enough to fulfill one of these conditions, let alone all three.

But there was a lead to follow.

"For sure, there’s a reason that guy in a suit made it this far. The location he’s at is a factory 3.5km east of Hancock Field Air Base. Maybe he’s there for something specific."

"I think we mentioned this before, but if we drop something near the factory, wouldn’t they react to it?"

"…That’s not a bad idea."

Why had this suit-wearing individual come so far? It was a question that needed to be answered.

But, since you could come up with any number of reasons, the key was to shake him up enough to spill more information. That’s the basic approach, anyway.

For now, they focused on planning how to accomplish the necessary tasks.

"Olivia, do we have any hacking tools around here?"

“I think there’s one or two on the UAVs. Why?”

"Well, it seems the enemy is carrying a lot of unmanned drones and electronic weaponry. What if we used those to take out the enemies nearby?"

It wasn’t long before Olivia’s expression changed.

At first, she seemed neutral, then contemplative, followed by a slight smile, and finally—her lips curved into a small grin.

She didn’t take long to offer her approval.

"That’s not bad. We’ve been trying to find ways to save our troops, and I must admit, our rookie's got a clever mind."

“...I can’t breathe."

As Olivia chuckled, the rest of the team laughed as well. They continued with their work, but I... I couldn’t help but feel a sense of pride growing within me.

Though I wasn’t entirely sure how to explain it, it was as if...

‘...I was finally acknowledged.’

A sense of relief flooded me—not because I wasn’t dead weight, but because I had earned a place among the team.

I let myself enjoy that feeling, even if just for a moment.

But before Olivia could speak again.

"Well, since this was your idea, we’ll leave the operation plan to you, rookie."

"...W-What?"

"Let’s start by figuring out which vehicles to target and when. Share the plan with the strike team. And if you need any more supplies, just ask, rookie."

"Eh?"

"Being idle is getting boring. Time to move. What should we do first?"

"…Uh... Uhhh..."

Yujin, still clueless...

Of course, in that moment, I was so flustered that I couldn’t think straight, and all I could do was panic.

Seeing my reaction, Olivia burst out laughing, calling it a joke, but I could already sense that a day like this would eventually come.

Eventually, I would have to be self-sufficient as an operator. But...

"You’re terrible!"

"Eh? What? Rookie? Wait, where are you going, Yujin?!"

"I don’t know!!"

Even if I was sulking, I was sulking.

I hated Olivia now.