Ch.30Chapter 5. Having No Secrets Is a Poor and Empty Thing (1)

# Chapter 5. Having No Secrets Is a Poor and Empty Thing

A few days later.

At the parade ground of the 8th National Military Police Special Task Force.

All officers of the Special Task Force were lined up on the parade ground like junior officers. This was because the commander of the 8th Military Police had personally announced an inspection.

The officers at the back whispered as they looked at the back of their commander, Virginia Helford, who stood alone at the front. Though she wore the same design and material as them, it suited her exceptionally well.

“It’s the same uniform as ours, right? Did she get it custom-tailored somewhere? When the commander wears it, it actually looks like a real military uniform. Ours look like potato sacks.”

The reason for these pointless jokes was discontent. Everyone was on edge with frustration building up to their throats. The operations officer from the intelligence department felt the same way.

“Intelligence Officer, just between us, I’m not sure if the commander is actually human. A week of confinement, three months’ pay cut, and facing disciplinary action just days after arriving—how can she remain so calm?”

Leticia didn’t reprimand the officer. She was thinking the same thing.

“…It seems the young lady from the Römer noble family is a different breed from us.”

Lieutenant Redecker, who came from a Römer noble family himself, grumbled, “Nobles are people too, you know,” but no one paid any attention.

Everyone was grumbling, complaining, and quietly cursing. Leticia thought it was all about the money.

They could tolerate being scolded by an old, incompetent superior. Stress from plans not working out could be relieved with alcohol.

But a one-month pay cut for all Special Task Force officers, with additional punishment for the commander due to leadership responsibility? It was completely unacceptable.

What had they done?

They had rescued thirty-five civilians who were about to be sold as slaves, eliminated a horde of zombies in the area, and wiped out gang members who were disrupting order.

The helicopter was slightly damaged, but that wasn’t a major issue. When they returned to base without any casualties or even injuries, Leticia and her unit members felt pride and dignity in their profession as soldiers for the first time.

But what they got in return was forced hospitalization and isolation of all civilians in the military police medical unit and pay cuts for all officers.

The reason given was that the Special Task Force commander had abused her authority and ruined another unit’s operation plan, and the subordinate officers had failed to stop their commander’s arbitrary actions.

Additionally, Virginia Helford, the Special Task Force commander, was scheduled to be directly reprimanded and scolded by the commander of the 8th Military Police. Commander Kamio Minto of the 8th National Military Police was a stubborn, conservative old man like other high-ranking Elza officers.

A black limousine, escorted by two jeeps, entered the parade ground. Virginia saluted with precision. The limousine stopped in front of her.

“Get in, Task Force Commander.”

A gruff voice. Virginia opened the door handle herself.

“Dismissed.”

Virginia gestured to her subordinates.

* * * * *

The limousine and jeeps circled around the Special Task Force area.

Though it was clean thanks to thorough tidying, no amount of careful polishing could make an old, worn-out book shine. Just like Commander Kamio Minto’s worn-out rank insignia.

“Task Force Commander. Didn’t I clearly tell you when you were appointed? This isn’t Römer, I said. I told you not to do things beyond your station.”

“I remember.”

“A person who remembers causes such a commotion? Did you have to go into a human non-protected zone and create such a mess? When we’re already short on human and material resources just to manage the reactionaries within the protected zone? And why did you drag the Army Aviation Corps along? They were supposed to suppress any riots in the city!”

“That number was optimal to purge the threats in the area at once.”

“Virginia. Virginia Helford! Don’t you understand the words ‘leave it alone’? I had high expectations for you as an elite among elites who followed all the right paths, but you can’t even understand such simple words!

The zombie situation would resolve itself naturally if left alone, so why are you so desperate to meddle with what shouldn’t be touched! Won’t it all end when scientists from Elza and Römer develop a vaccine? Follow the guidelines, follow the guidelines! Why won’t you listen!”

The old commander fumed. Virginia just listened silently. The commander lamented.

“It doesn’t matter how the human non-protected zones rot away. Just properly manage the people inside the walls. That’s the job of the Military Police! I’ll let it go this time, but next time I absolutely won’t let it slide!… What’s with that attitude of yours right now?”

“My attitude, sir?”

“Do you find my words amusing? Ah, is it because you’re from the distinguished Römer noble family, you can’t accept orders from a superior born and raised in Elza? No matter how great you are, I am the commander here! Stop meddling everywhere and just listen to me properly! Do you understand!”

The old commander scolded her, spitting as he spoke. White foam even formed at the corners of his mouth from excitement. Virginia, on the other hand, looked out the window with a faint smile.

“Such insolence…!”

“Commander, I recently heard an interesting story. It’s not about the military but the administration, though I think it’s worth noting as it’s related to public security. I was about to submit a report, but would this venue be appropriate?”

“…What are you talking about?”

The old man’s seagull-like eyebrows quivered. Like the flapping of an oil-soaked bird’s wings.

“After the virus outbreak, when human non-protected zones were established, the Elza government issued an oil control decree.

As a result, oil prices are very high, and black market trading happens quite frequently. Although it’s classified as a serious crime, it’s hardly eradicated.

Such illegal trading is common even in government agencies. Especially in departments that inevitably require long-distance travel, such as the Disease Crisis Management Bureau.”

“W-what?”

Commander Kamio Minto was shocked, but Virginia humbly continued.

“The interesting part begins here. As an audit approached, the oil storage staff and transportation personnel at the Disease Crisis Management Bureau became anxious.

This was a natural consequence. They had been consistently selling off oil, so the amount was much less than what should have been on the books. Moreover, the bureau’s oil was of particularly high quality and not easily obtainable.

So they devised a very bold plan. Since they couldn’t get more oil, they would make up for the shortage by using less. On paper, they recorded using 100, but in reality, they only used 80, saving 20—that kind of embezzlement method.

Just then, a large-scale medical support plan for Hampton was arranged. It was conducted in ‘utmost secrecy’ to avoid attacks from Elza Liberation terrorists. It was so secret that no one would know even if they changed the route from the ‘safe but longer way’ to Hampton to the ‘slightly dangerous but shorter path’.”

“What nonsense are you spouting! W-what is your purpose in making such outrageous statements in front of me! E-even if that were true, it’s an administrative matter! Not a military one!”

“Is it?”

Virginia’s manic eyes stared at the commander. Like a young, hungry predator eyeing an old, soft tyrant whose teeth had all fallen out.

Completely overwhelmed, the commander only belatedly realized that Virginia had dropped formal speech.

“Strange, isn’t it? Medical personnel are valuable. Doctors from the Disease Crisis Management Bureau even more so. Yet the Elza administration did nothing even though they knew these people had fallen into the hands of a gang.

They even tried to deny that they had disappeared. They didn’t authorize a rescue operation. If my subordinates and I hadn’t crawled into that garbage dump to pull them out, they would all have been sold as slaves.

Yet the military and administration didn’t praise us but punished us. Why? The reason is simple. The oil embezzlement wasn’t just the individual misconduct of storage staff.

It was done routinely with the tacit approval of higher-ups. That way they could line their pockets without getting their hands dirty.

Was it just the higher-ups? No. There’s another organization that needs to be fed illicit money. The Military Police, which should establish order in occupied territories and enforce law and justice.

But if the new commander of the Military Police ‘neatly’ organizes all this, everything would be clearly exposed. So they take this opportunity to put the newcomer in her place and continue to line their pockets as usual…”

The commander unconsciously looked at the driver. There was a soundproof panel installed, so their conversation wouldn’t be heard.

“…Y-you have n-no evidence.”

“Are you sure about that?”

Virginia took out a cigarette from her pocket. She lit it with a lighter, tapping it a few times, and inhaled deeply. The car filled with cigarette smoke.

“Among the civilians we rescued was a member of the escort unit. He was disguised as a doctor, but when we pressed him about a tattoo indicating his military background, he confessed everything.

The reason this man confessed was simple. His duty was to protect the nursing staff and medical supplies, and it was obvious he would take all the blame for the security failure.

So he made his own defense. They were outnumbered because they took the dangerous route. If they had taken the safe route, he could have protected them adequately… to create mitigating circumstances.

By the way, their custody is now under the Special Task Force medical company. We took them over from the Military Police medical unit this morning. Testimonies and recordings are already complete. If this blows up, it will be a huge, explosive scandal.”

Acrid cigarette smoke swirled inside the car. The commander was also a smoker, but he didn’t smoke such strong cigarettes. His face twitched.

“…is what I was about to say. Right, Commander?”

Virginia gave a twisted smile.

“How dare you… such an arrogant young woman… learning only the worst things…”

Virginia tapped on the bulletproof panel separating them from the driver’s seat. The driver stopped the car without permission. The jeep in front also stopped.

“W-what, what are you doing? Why did you stop the car on your own? Answer me! D-driver! Driver!”

The driver even opened the car door and got out. He joked around with the personnel from the jeep ahead.

“T-this is insane!”

The door was locked. It wouldn’t open. Virginia exhaled a cloud of cigarette smoke.

“How old are you this year, Commander?”

“Why do you ask?”

“I understand you’re quite advanced in age. You work day and night for the country. Night shifts. Epidemic management. Stress. At your age, unexplained myocardial infarctions are common. Blood vessels in the brain can also become blocked occasionally. Statistically speaking, that is.”

The cigarette had burned down. Virginia extinguished it by grinding it into the leather seat. The cigarette butt flew to the floor, bouncing off the commander’s boot.

“Nice boots. Natural leather? You should stay healthy at least until you need to resole those new boots. You need to walk out of the parade ground on your own two feet, don’t you?”

The commander’s face turned blue. He clutched his chest and gasped for breath.

“…You. You won’t die peacefully. I don’t know how long the names of Römer and Helford will protect you. You insolent, arrogant child.”

“I’ve heard that often since childhood. Even when I was within the Helford walls.”

Virginia opened the window and tapped on the car door. The driver immediately came running and started the car. The jeep in front also started moving again. As the strong cigarette smoke escaped, the old commander could breathe again.

“…Fine. What exactly do you want?”

“Restore the honor of the Special Task Force and the Army Aviation Battalion. Especially the honor of my subordinates. They actually performed much better than I expected.”

“That’s not all, is it…!”

The words “you viper” couldn’t come out. He didn’t want half his body paralyzed the next day. Virginia was a tough woman who had bitten back at a white viper that had bitten her ankle at a young age.

“There is one more thing. I’m concerned about the health of the rescued civilians, so I’d like to extend their protection period. That’s all.”

“Is that really all?”

“That’s all, Commander.”

“…Very well.”

The car fell into silence. Virginia had no interest in the commander. Thinking about V, who had smoothly escaped the encirclement, still made her hands itch.

‘That man has a high understanding of zombies. He’s essential for my plan. If the level of Elza’s moderate faction intelligence is such that they reported him missing, he could be a significant variable.’

V’s whereabouts were unknown. Therefore, Virginia decided to focus elsewhere.

On the doctor who had been in the same car with him. The busty woman who kept talking about being a senior researcher at the Disease Crisis Management Bureau named Cassandra, hiding her true identity and real name.

She would find clues about V through that woman.

Of course, the investigation would take time. But this too was the pleasure of hunting. Following one clue, one footprint at a time, slowly cutting the tendons of the foot, and finally opening wide to feast.

Virginia’s heart trembled with joy as she recalled the passion of the hunt.

* * * * *

I let out a long yawn. I climb into the driver’s seat and turn on the radio.

– Good morning, citizens. This is the 9 AM news from the Elza Chimera State Broadcasting Corporation. Prime Minister Joseph Grand visited the 1st Army Aviation Corps and the 8th National Military Police Special Task Force yesterday to commend the soldiers for their efforts.

Today’s breakfast is half a can of yellow peaches and a can of mackerel. The mackerel is decent, with the bones removed and the flesh well-cooked.

– …The Elza Army emphasized that through a top-secret military operation near Lambert, they rescued 35 innocent civilians, including doctors and nurses, with no casualties or property damage.

Both are obviously Cybele Company foods. The packaging suggests a variety of flavors, but they all taste the same. It seems to be the basic seasoning—like bitter tomatoes blended in a mixer mixed with anchovy sauce and wasabi.

– Commander Kamio Minto of the 8th National Military Police pledged that protecting the lives and property of Elza citizens is the duty of the National Military Police, and they will continue to devote all efforts to managing the virus situation.

So I scrape this sauce off with the can lid and dump it into an empty can. Instead, I place my mess tin on a temporary hearth made from burning branches. I plan to grill it a bit.

– He also dismissed rumors about the failure of an operation to eliminate the Elza Radical Liberation Terrorists’ central branch as unfounded, and promised to reveal detailed information through the Army Public Affairs Office’s “Here’s the Truth.”

The mess tin with bean oil is starting to heat up. As soon as I place a piece of fish, it sizzles, and the white flesh turns brown. Like roasting sesame seeds, it adds flavor to the raw aroma.

– The army will continue to… I’m sorry. There’s a disturbance… Rats? What are rats… Rats, it’s a swarm of rats! How did a swarm of rats get into the studio…!

I look down at the already opened can of peaches, wondering whether to add it. Of course, I don’t plan to add the peaches. It’s because of the sugary water they’re soaked in.

– They’re zombie rats! Zombie rats! Get out now! If they bite you, you’ll be infected! Run! Ah, hello, hel… Beep. Beep. Beeeep. Beep. Beeeep. Static.

I decide to compromise by adding just enough to lightly seep into the flesh. It’s not particularly nutritious, but the sugar water is too precious to waste. I’ll have to mix it half and half with a 1.5L plastic water bottle later.

I lift the mess tin. When I poke the properly heated mackerel with a fork, the flesh crumbles completely.

I have no choice but to carefully scrape it up and eat it bit by bit. I bite into the yellow peach, which is too much for a dessert but not quite enough for a side dish. I’m reassured by its excellent artificial taste.

There’s no sound from the radio. I change the frequency. Gentle classical music flows out. Such calm music is good for annoying chores like washing dishes.

I pour a little water into the mess tin and scrape off only the burnt parts with a fork. It’s not too burnt. The water boils vigorously.

I cover the fire on the ground with sand to extinguish it, then cover the mess tin lid with work gloves and shake it up and down to complete the sterilization.

I desperately need detergent and a scrubber.

The salty and sweet taste in my mouth won’t go away. I need carbohydrates. A slice of bread, a spoonful of rice with kimchi…

I have three boxes of food taken from Lambert. One box contains canned fruits, another has canned saury and mackerel, and the last has MREs.

I try not to touch the MREs. Not only do I want to save them for extreme situations, but they’re also items whose value skyrockets when supplies run low.

I also need a replacement for the van’s broken windshield. Toilet paper. Wet wipes, a mattress. More water bottles. An extra flashlight.

This won’t do. I need to make a trip to the mart.