The Little Prince in the Ossuary-Chapter 80

#Solidifying Ground, Camp Roberts (3)
The assembled police officers came from various backgrounds. There were city police, the DEA, aTF, sWAT, county sheriffs, and federal marshals, and occasionally even members from the state park rangers or the Department of Fish and Wildlife were present.
Due to this diversity, it was challenging to mobilize immediately. Given that duties and tactics varied, having many personnel could become a weakness.
Therefore, it was crucial to clearly define each role and movement beforehand.
Significant time was spent at this stage, emphasizing the importance of situation management at the command center.
Before deployment, supply officers opened the storage and took out the required equipment.
Despite moving as swiftly as possible, it took another half an hour for equipment reception and distribution.
Gyeo-ul also received a pump-action shotgun loaded with non-lethal rounds and an ammo belt.
There was no need to abandon his existing weapons; they could be used interchangeably.
Additionally, he received tear gas grenades, a telescopic baton, a reinforced plastic shield, and handcuffs.
The riot commander who would be moving with him smiled subtly at the young officer.
"It's an unpleasant day, but it's perfect for this kind of operation. Most disturbances will be swept away by the wind."
Indeed, it was.
The edge of the typhoon was a cauldron of wind and thunder. Even a few steps away, conversations became difficult.
While police could communicate by radio, the same wasn't true for the Chinese.
Considering the expanse of the Chinese settlement, this was advantageous for the search.
The SWAT team took on a reserve role. They filled the cabin of a dark gray armored vehicle (BearCat), ready to deploy at any moment in case of an emergency.
Even though they were on standby, the SWAT members seemed more curious about Gyeo-ul than the potential confrontation. One member asked,
"Lieutenant, they say in Korea they receive military training from a young age. Is that true?"
He didn't understand the meaning. Gyeo-ul asked back,
"That can't be true. Where did you hear that?"
"In places like newspapers or the news. I heard it's a dangerous country with a 10-year military service, women conscription, and occasional terrorism or nuclear tests."
"That's about North Korea. I and other Koreans in the refugee zone are all from South Korea. You can distinguish South and North Korea, right?"
"Oh, are the conscription laws different by state? That could be. But who lives in the north then?"
"......"
Gyeo-ul explained the difference between South and North Korea as separate countries, but the questioning member interpreted it as different regions within one country.
It was a typical misunderstanding for Americans. In the U. S., states are divided into east, west, or north and south, each with its laws.
Gyeo-ul clarified the misunderstanding.
"That's not it. South and North Korea are different countries. They were divided by an ideological war between communism and capitalism. That's what the Korean War was about. Have you heard of the Korean War?"
Though South and North Korea were already divided before the Korean War, there was no need to explain so intricately. The questioning member answered, slightly embarrassed.
"I must have said something stupid. I didn't know and thought it sounded plausible."
"What was?"
"What you said, Lieutenant. Given your incredible achievements, it seemed natural to think you had been trained since childhood. But that's not the case, huh..."
The member seemed somewhat disappointed, and other members laughed out loud. There seemed to be no tension. Did they think they wouldn't be deploying?
Listening to the communications, most areas seemed to be conducting searches and weapons seizures smoothly. Occasionally, there were eavesdropped conversations about drugs being found, startling the police.
[Wow, this amount could intoxicate all of LA and then some!]
One kilogram of heroin was enough for 30,000 doses. Such quantities were being found in bags. It seemed like the Chinese traffickers had risked their lives to bring these supplies when they evacuated.
However, it wasn't quiet until the end. An urgent communication came over the radio.
[Command center, george 14188, code 10! Engagement at 73rd Street! One officer down! Many armed with lethal weapons! We're surrounded! Requesting support, over!]
[Code 10 confirmed. David 20, move to 73rd Street.]
[David 20, copy.]
David was the call sign for SWAT. The engine noise surged rapidly. Even sitting inside, Gyeo-ul could feel the wheels spinning. The vehicle accelerated sluggishly.
Members watched the exterior through the bulletproof glass. However, it was raining so heavily that with water broadcasting down, nothing was visible.
The transport windows didn't even have wipers. Thus, they used the loopholes instead of the windows.
The loopholes, designed for shooting while onboard, had circular covers that could open and close anytime.
Someone remarked, unsure if it was a sigh or exclamation.
"Huh. Arrows are truly flying. I've experienced shootouts often, but this is a first."
Thunk, thunk! The sound of stones and arrows hitting the vehicle. They seemed to be aiming at the loopholes, but it was futile.
First, the shooter's skills were poor, and secondly, the wind was blowing too hard. Projectiles like arrows were heavily affected by the wind.
Everyone donned gas masks almost upon arrival. Even with the harsh wind and rain, tear gas could still be used inside tents.
At the scene, Gyeo-ul volunteered to disembark first.
Thunk!
Barely touching the ground, a stone flew, causing Gyeo-ul to deflect it with his shield.
Stones rained down on the disembarking forces. Blocking them consecutively, Gyeo-ul cleared a path for the members descending next.
A riot member warned.
"Plastic shields might get pierced by arrows. Be cautious."
"Yes, I understand."
Gyeo-ul advanced a few steps, staying vigilant. The reinforced plastic shield was entirely transparent, offering a clear view.
However, its durability was slightly lower, making it susceptible to penetration by powerful bows.
No doubt, the bows or crossbows made by the Chinese had poor quality, but low quality doesn't necessarily mean low power.
A slashing trajectory was anticipated.
Thunk!
Gyeo-ul stepped back and looked at the quivering arrow at his feet. Half of the long arrow was dug into the ground.
Concentrated fire was directed at that direction. The Chinese taking cover didn't show themselves again from that direction.
[Secured the wounded. No threat to life.]
The injured officer was carried on a stretcher and moved to the vehicle.
The SWAT members acted systematically. With someone holding the shield advancing while keeping vigil, the other two behind watched the left and right.
It was a strategy to eliminate blind spots.
Their shields differed from Gyeo-ul's. Except for a small transparent plastic rectangle for viewing, the rest was all black bulletproof plates.
Thunk! A riot officer with a shield staggered briefly. An arrow was lodged at the shield's edge. The shield-bearer uttered a low curse. The mud-soaked ground caused the incident due to its slipperiness.
Gyeo-ul estimated the frequency of powerful arrows.
'One or two threatening shooters.'
The rest were insignificant, just a matter of overwhelming numbers.
[Abandon your weapons and surrender! We won't kill if you surrender!]
The warning broadcast was made alongside firing. But the accuracy wasn't as high as expected, due to the mist formed by the raindrops.
Moreover, the thugs used the terrain and cover effectively. They moved between the row of tents or laid flat on scaffolding at the construction site.
The police advanced, wielding shields, vehicles, and overwhelming firepower.
Gyeo-ul also held his rifle. He inclined his shield, embedding it into the ground while supporting it with his body, slightly leaning sideways to aim.
Then, he tilted his head. Something peculiar appeared.
The actions of the Chinese were absurd. They were dragging out wooden shield panels.
Unwieldy due to its size and weight, but they solved it by attaching wheels. It was reminiscent of ancient siege engines.
'They're doing all sorts of things.'
Gyeo-ul focused on the small gap beneath it while kneeling. Bang! The sharp, ear-piercing gunshot in the wet air. A singular scream tore through the rain.
Gyeo-ul targeted the shoes of the Chinese continuously. Bang, Bang, Bang! The massive shield panel stopped moving in an instant.
Another shield panel emerged from a different direction, which the police shattered. They charged it with an armored vehicle.
Although they slowed just before the impact, for the Chinese gang, it was an unfathomable, barbaric act.
Following that, Gyeo-ul kept suppressing any threatening shooters. If lined up correctly, he destroyed their bows. If not, he put holes in shoulders.
It wasn't a fight from the start. The gap in basic firepower and defense was vast, with the armored vehicle as a decisive factor.
Ultimately, the key was whether they could subdue them without additional casualties.
Gyeo-ul slung his rifle behind and pulled the shield from the ground. The softened earth clung to it. He didn't bother to brush off the dirt.
The weight felt assuring. He sprinted with it, tracing back the dangerous arrow's trajectory. Stones flew from all directions.
Gyeo-ul either blocked or dodged while creating a path forward by clubbing a blocking individual with the shield.
"Gahack!"
A grinding vibration resonated up to his fingertips. The mud, which acted as a weight, fell off one after another.
About four ribs must have been broken. It would hurt terribly, but he wouldn't die.
The slashing line was traced once again. This time, it hopelessly missed. Gyeo-ul figured it was probably due to recklessly increasing the power.
Spotting the boy advancing alone, the Chinese gangsters emerged from cover. It was a cunning and experienced move.
With Gyeo-ul in their midst, the police couldn't shoot recklessly.
Their contorted faces revealed a mix of confidence and a sense of bleak defiance.
Some rapidly rotated their slings, while others held bats or wooden spears.
All attacking simultaneously, they couldn't recognize Gyeo-ul due to the gas mask.
Gyeo-ul grabbed the shotgun hanging by his waist with one hand. As he laid the shield flat, drawing it towards himself, he placed the gun on it to fire.
When the edge touched the ground, it offered a distinct yet stable shooting posture.
Chinese members, clustering closer, panicked and dispersed when the muzzle rotated half a circle.
They wasn't aware this was loaded with non-lethal rounds. Although, at such proximity, even non-lethal rounds could be deadly.
Two stones launched by slings were absorbed by Gyeo-ul's bulletproof vest. Then he aimed at the closest threat.
Bang!
The solid recoil of the shotgun, distinct from a rifle. A Chinese about 5 meters away, fell with a choked groan, clutching his shoulder, moaning.
A spear thrust in from the side just then. Gyeo-ul deflected it with the shield, closing the distance, swinging the shotgun like a baton.
The weight of the loaded shotgun, coupled with the diagonal upswing, shattered a gangster's jawbone. The shaken Chinese staggered without finding balance.
Gyeo-ul kicked him over, stepping on him, pivoted with a turn, striking another's shin with the shield.
"Ugh!"
The gangster clutching his jaw screamed anew at the fresh wave of pain, his eyes rolling back, frothing at the mouth.
He immediately collided his entire body against another approaching gangster with the shield lowered. The reverberation rattled him from inside out.
Taking advantage of the man's fall, Gyeo-ul latched the shotgun's pump handle onto the shield's edge. He loaded it with his body weight.
Clink.
The man, now merely a meter away, lost all color.
Instead of shooting immediately, Gyeo-ul repositioned himself around the man. It was due to the two weaving trajectories.
They couldn't shoot likely because of their comrade. Once the position was secured, Bang!
The shotgun flared. Targeting the lower leg, sideways, it twisted awry.
A harrowing scream, immediately followed by two incoming arrows. One missed, and another erroneously pierced a Chinese, not Gyeo-ul.
He stepped in, altering its course. The shield, swung like a punch, met the arrow mid-air. Swoosh- the sound of something sharp slicing through plastic.
It left a long white scar and ricocheted away.
Benefiting from the predicament, the gangster remained confused. On meeting Gyeo-ul's gaze, he flustered. Gyeo-ul kicked his groin.
Trembling on the ground, unsure, he kicked once more.
All advancing Chinese were now incapacitated, either knocked out or with broken bones.
When Gyeo-ul glanced up the scaffolding at the construction site, the shooter firing arrows was in disarray. Behind him, police wielding shields and batons closed in.
The hesitant gangster archer ultimately leaped from the scaffolding, three stories high. It was improbable for him to remain unscathed.
He writhed, clutching his ankle.
Suppression was entering its final phase. The armored vehicle crashed into the tent the gang occupied.
Subduing the struggling Chinese gangsters emerging from under the collapsed tent was an easy task.
The riot commander sought Gyeo-ul.
[Lieutenant, we require your presence for a moment. Tent 1 on 74th Street.]
---------------------------= Author's Note ---------------------------=
1. I need to think more about the donation account issue. Is it even right for me to accept this...
2. Please excuse the laxity in police communication depiction. Describing it like "Central, 10-30 10-44 to station" would confuse readers, and it would be difficult for the author to write... Hehe, the latter reason is more significant.
As for the Los Angeles Police, they don't use general ten codes; they have distinct radio codes. I couldn't match that detail. I apologize, it's merely an imitation.
Police phonetic codes differ from the military. Phonetic code refers to how alphabets are read during communication; police use Adam (A), boy (B), charles (C), david (D)... George (G) this way. When used as unit identifiers, each code distinguishes affiliations. So, depicted George 14188 isn't a person's name. METRO ANTI-GANG TASK FORCE is denoted by G. 14188 represents the police badge number.
More informed readers, please give feedback for immediate incorporation.
3.
Q: From Clinen: @It's afternoon and winter here, while dawn there. You must be writing from another galaxy, author.
A: Haha... I posted before dawn, but if you say it's afternoon and winter... I guess you should be on the opposite side of the planet and also on the opposite side of the equator... Clinen, are you in Brazil? Wow, I envy you...
Q: From Harurururu: @So, when will you be doing continuous updates? For the 100th chapter celebration?
A: Unsure. Perhaps for a birthday celebration? ... I can't guarantee it.
Q: From CaMo: I wish Gyeo-ul would start fighting soon.
A: You'll have to wait a bit longer for a fight that tests the author's ability.
Q: From 清流莲: @Thank you for posting even on your intended rest weekends. But please take care of your health. I hope there's no long pause in this delightful work due to health issues. Good working conditions yield better products, so I hope you invest in yourself too.
A: Thank you for the concern. I'll maintain enough condition not to perish. Perhaps indulge in some luxury watches occasionally.
Q: From Ghozt: @Do you high-minded creatures of innocent life also feel the heat?
A: It's because my innocence has been depleted. Initially, the author had more innocence than the solar system's total mass, but readers have drained it, leaving nearly zero now.
Q: From Soul of Steel: @I'd expect a work comparable to the prologue for achieving a dream-ending, like in the Romance of Three Kingdoms ~Yanhui~. Doable, right? Health comes first, though.
A: I'm not familiar with that work, so it's impossible. Haha
Q: From Peach Garden: @Understanding 'Gyaaah Guah' means the innocent being was also a reader...
A: Yes. I painted the readers in innocence.
Q: From Wind Messenger: @I want to see this work lasting long ㅋㅋ Take it easy
A: If I release one chapter every 40,000 years, you'll have over 4 million years to enjoy it. Isn't it a great idea?
Q: From Lucid Dream: @Don't die... even if you do, necromancy can revive you...
A: Since the author has already been revived once, same-skill re-use is not feasible.
Q: From Enoi Enoi: @Gyaah Gyaac Guah Gyaac Gyaaah! (Please take your time and write diligently!)
A: · – · ·　 · ·　 – · –　 ·　 – · –　 ·　 · – · ·　　　 · – · ·　 · · · ·　 – · –　 ·　 – · –　 ·　 · – · ·　( – · – ·　 –　 · · – ·　 – · – ·　 –　 · · – ·　 · – – –　 · · –　　　 – – ·　 · · · ·　 · · –　 – –　 · · ·　 · · – ·　 – – ·　 –　 · · – ·　 – · ·　 · · – ·　　　 – · –　 · · ·　 · · · –　 – – ·　 · · –　 – –　 · – – –　 · · –　　　 · – · ·　 – · ·　 · · · –　 – · –　 – · ·　 · · · –　　　 – –　 · –　 – – ·　　　 – – ·　 – – ·　 –　 – · –　 – ·　)
Q: From Seno: @From 之前 系尔 广泛体 代笔, it lately feels like progress is always smoother than expected. I'm guessing there must be a challenging crisis for the protagonist lined up.
A: Correct. It's because that is innocence after all. The same applies to Sealbreaker. Someone thought to have exited will ultimately exhibit incredible innocence. It's daunting to write that far, though.
Q: From Tantania: @Thinking of writing something within this virtual reality-based world view. Like the exaggerated capitalist dystopian reality fantasy narrative mentioned in the prologue—does an upbeat, humorous, lewd and lively story seem fitting? The harshness of reality being turned into cheerful narratives in a virtual reality could suit the world setting remarkably well.
A: It's possible, but I have no plans. I'm still deliberating writing "The Path to Happiness", potentially set in the same world after completing The Little Prince in the Ossuary.