Chapter 20. Patriot (25)
* * * * *
The people of Beitra City called the Eastern District Disaster Shelter No. 32 ‘Hospital’.
If you take a sick person, they will give you medicine and bandages, and if you show symptoms of acute zombification, they will even personally execute you.
What was even better was that this hospital was operated ‘free of charge.’ Because it was run as a ‘charity project’ by the branch of the Goddess of Hunger.
The branch even operated an outpatient bus that transported patients to the eastern, southern, and outskirts of the city.
Although the bus was a vehicle for transporting prison prisoners, the driver’s seat and passenger compartment were strictly separated, so there was a minor problem that the vehicle could overturn if either of them developed an acute zombie mutation, but most of them were co-drivers. Or, it ended with a patrolman present in the patient’s compartment carrying out a ‘quick disposition’.
The people of the city do not know where the ‘Patrols’ appeared. However, we can only vaguely guess that they were originally soldiers based on their behavior and speech, as well as their grown but short hair.
First of all, that hospital. The hospital’s supplies were clearly marked with military marks. The ‘doctors’ and ‘nurses’ at the hospital used to erase things with markers or something like that at first, but after a while, they didn’t even try to hide them.
The phrase ‘a deal heard by deserters hiding in the city’ is now accepted as a fait accompli, beyond an open secret.
But no one cares about that. Those deserters are protecting the people of the city, providing medicine, sometimes seeing eye to eye, sharing love, and starting new families.
The only problem with this wonderful system was that the relationship between the ‘principal’ who represented the existing religious denomination and the ‘vice-religious leader’ who represented the ‘suspicious armed forces’ was very poor.
Although the religious leader had a strong support base and many followers, he was afraid of the assistant religious leader’s power. If the vice-religious leader made a decision of great national importance, he would become a martyr overnight, so he deserved it.
On the other hand, the vice principal was anxious. He is because of the apostates. One-third of the proud comrades of the 284th National Military Police defected to gangs.
“Why do we have to bend down to go in? “It doesn’t make sense!”
“The Goddess will not forgive you!”
“If the goddess had existed a long time ago, she wouldn’t have allowed us to sin. “Is she afraid of the goddess who eats dirt because she’s hungry?”
When the situation reached the level of blasphemy, it was Deputy Ellen Burrows who intervened.
From Noble mtl dot com
In the presence of all unit commanders, Ellen pulled out his M1911 pistol and said, ‘Those who are going to leave, leave now. ‘Those who leave late, those who regret that they should have gone then, and those who insult the goddess or touch civilians, I will blow off their heads.’
These guys, who longed for a world of lawlessness, have taken control of gangs that were at the level of neighborhood thugs and are ruling the West and North. On the other hand, the rest who are deeply influenced by the goddess’s faith occupy the eastern and southern regions.
Ironically, this is what maintains the balance between the two powers. They know each other as a well-trained military unit. If we fight, we have to be prepared for a lot of blood loss on both sides, and neither side wants that.
Now, they are divided into two, each doing their best to rule and rule in their respective positions. That was a win-win strategy for both sides.
Of course, we cannot ignore the influence of Ellen Burrows, who is the de facto leader of the 284th National Military Police Headquarters and who provides certain information to both forces.
Although Ellen returned to the National Military Police, she occasionally provided useful information to both parties, such as the transportation of important supplies, medical information, or zombie bird swarm warnings.
However, Ellen did not tell us anything like, ‘At around 3 PM on the 31st, a convoy of medical vehicles will pass along National Highway 8829.’ Instead, ’31st. 3 P.M. 8829 National Highway. It’s like, ‘I’ll take care of the disposition.’
Sometimes there was a contingent of the National Military Police there, and sometimes they fought with the remnants of the Extreme Liberation Corps. Only Eren would know what benefit he was aiming for with them.
As a result, the gangs and religious groups understood Ellen but also hated her very much. What I understood was that I took into account that both forces would have abandoned Ellen if the information had not been manipulated in that way. What I mean by hate is that there is no one who would enjoy being a marionette.
“How should I understand this?”
Therefore, the short instruction sent through Morse code, ‘Check the Silvertown Public Health Center and remove risk factors,’ was extremely ambiguous.
“I went through so much trouble trying to escape from there, but he’s telling me to go back? “You didn’t even leave anything there!”
“There was. “Medical Company Commander Ron.”
“He was in the process of becoming a zombie! He said that it was also his noble intention to leave him behind. You said, ‘I will stay here and record the changes in this city, and you go your way!'”
However, among the members of the 32 Shelter, there was no one who remembered such lines.
Instead, all I could think of was Ron running around drunk and running rampant, and Ellen holding a pistol to Ron’s head and growling, ‘I want to live a good life and turn into a zombie, or I want to turn into a human and get my head crushed.’
Ron’s choice was the former. The condition was that for each report he sent, Ron’s family would be given an extra week’s worth of food vouchers. Of course, only Ellen herself will know whether the exchange voucher was delivered properly.
“Anyway, I have to go to that damn place.”
Although they now go by the name ‘Patrols’, Catherine, once the 1st platoon leader of the Headquarters Medical Company, handed the orders to her men.
“This doesn’t make sense! It means going into the central district. There is no way the religious leader would allow it!”
2 Platoon Commander Martin held his head. Among the medical company members, he was the one who valued the unity of the entire church.
“You gave permission.”
Catherine’s words were nothing short of cold.
“If not for this opportunity, how would you know what is and what is happening in the central district? He asked me to get as much information as possible. That also means, if you have good alcohol, bring it. “The central district was where the city’s wealth was concentrated, so there were many such luxury items.”
Martin still seemed dissatisfied.
“Catherine, do you really have to go? This is completely different from a normal command. We know better than anyone else that there is nothing there! “Ellen, you damn bastard!”
“Don’t swear.”
“We’re not even soldiers anymore, so what does it matter!”
Martin’s point was quite sharp. But Catherine already knew how to deal with Martin.
“We follow a nobler will than that. Did you forget? “We have joined the goddess’s army.”
Catherine wasn’t that religious, but she knew Martin wouldn’t budge her ass if she didn’t do this. And as always, Martin responded.
“… Okay. Scout first….”
“Why?”
Catherine crossed her arms.
“Why again? Let’s go without scouting? No matter how much I know the terrain, is it okay to just go in like that?”
“What will our dear cult leader say after the reconnaissance? Go get me some more drinks, wouldn’t you say that? But if we all go in at once and then quickly leave, we won’t be able to ask ourselves to go in again. Martin. It’s a public health center. It’s the building we all know. What’s difficult? “Just sneak away, take a look, and that’s it.”
He seemed to be caught up in something, but Martin eventually gave in.
* * * * *
The 1st and 2nd platoons were not selected. Shelter No. 32 Was an important base for missionary work, and it was impossible to remove the medics working at that base.
So, the leader kindly gave the order, ‘Only one of the 1st and 2nd platoon leaders will be in charge of providing directions, and the rest will be drawn from the Elian patrol unit that recently recovered from a cold.’
“Cunning bastard.”
Catherine, who won the lot, cursed. Martin was trying hard to control his expression, but he was also indignant at the cult leader’s cunning intentions.
“Okay. It’s not spiritual or trustworthy to send it just between us, right? “The Elian Patrol is famous for being stupid and careless!”
“Big. Catherine. Although Elian shows a blind side to the Goddess, she is not stupid and careless. “I just say a prayer of salvation out loud before every operation, whenever I’m nervous, and when I encounter zombies.”
Martin’s gentle words did not comfort me at all. Cursing her words, Catherine gathered her luggage. Outside of Shelter 32, five Humvees equipped with machine guns were standing side by side.
“Mr. Catherine? Nice to meet you. This is Elian, the leader of the Elian Patrol. May the Goddess’ blessing be with you.”
Elian was a beauty with a dark face. She was, indeed, a good contrast to the pale Catherine.
“Did you bring a Humvee? Unfortunately, the central district is completely closed, so I can’t get there by Humvee.”
Catherine was stating her correct opinion, but Elian and her subordinates were snickering. It was so unpleasant that no one could see it.
“Well, since you’re only in the hospital, you probably don’t know much about the world. Unfortunately, the southern and western border walls came down. The crazy elephant jumped out. Thanks to this, a fairly wide hole was created. “You had no idea?”
“No vehicles.”
Catherine spoke clearly. Elian shook her head.
“I have to take it. The religious leader told me to bring alcohol. “She said she needed an offering to the goddess.”
He seems like a crazy fanatic. Catherine wanted to spit out her curse.
“… “I don’t know about alcohol, let’s just hurry up and come back!”
As Catherine passed by, Elian smiled slightly.
“You should have done that a long time ago.”