Vol. 4 Chap. 14 Heroics

Vol. 4 Chap. 14 Heroics

One thing the Onis army had over Starbrite? Their bases had signs. Nice, easily read, prominently located signs. Which way to the latrines? Follow the signs. Need to find First Company? Sign. Quartermaster? Second left then first right. Follow the signs, you cant miss it.

Truth noticed a distinct lack of signs for Command Center or Officers Quarters, however. He sighed. He would mock the pointless security efforts, but he was an infiltrator and he was, actually, unable to find what he was looking for. Truth found a discreet place to stash his two wheeler and followed the highest ranked person he could spot.

Said person led him to the latrines. Which, fine, it had been a while since he went, and there was a higher rank person leaving at the same time he was, so he called it a net win. This person went to a little metal hut, picked up some paperwork, and walked to another little metal hut. The person in the second hut had fancier epaulets, so Truth reckoned he was the more senior officer. The guy he was following saluted first, which just about confirmed it.

Fancy-epaulets quickly looked over the paperwork, and frowned. This is confirmed?

Yes, sir. It came through the Cadre altar, using the current code. The junior officer nodded heavily.n0ve(l)bi(n.)co/m

Understood. Dismissed. Send Deputy General Wong to see me.

Yes, Sir. There was a lingering feeling to the words. What was in those orders? Truth decided to hang around and wait.

This guys epaulets looked fancy, but not that fancy. He could call a deputy general over? Was he a political officer and able to boss around line officers? Truth didnt know how Onis army worked, but it sure sounded like it.

Fifteen minutes later, an older man walked in. Fierce mustache, fierce eyes, a rolling strong gait. The spitting image of a vanguard general, Truth thought.

New orders from the Capital?

Yes, Deputy General, there are. Epaulets smiled. Generally, we are being ordered to press the attack with full vigor, not retreating one step from our duty to bring a swift conclusion to this war of Jeon aggression and their many acts of terrorism.

Naturally. The General didnt roll his eyes. Neither did the political officer. Truth narrowed his.

To fulfill that duty, the Brigade will advance and capture the following strategic locations within its zone of operations. The mission is to be carried out immediately. Here is the list.

The general picked up the paper and read, eyes darting quickly across the page.

I cannot execute these orders. They violate existing standing orders, Army regulations and the Uniform Code of Military Justice.

All of which are superseded by commands from the Central Planning Committee, as you are well aware. And these orders come directly from Central.

I must confirm this with General Wu. I cannot execute these orders without confirmation.

You have your confirmation, Deputy General. Me.

The general spun and marched out. The political officer didn't move for a minute, then wiped the sweat off his face. He balled up the handkerchief in his fist and slammed that fist down on the table hard enough to make the pens jump onto the floor.

He hyperventilated for a minute, then pulled himself together.

Going to need a new deputy. Or maybe he died with his brigade. A fierce general leading from the front, a hero of the People. I can salvage this. I can salvage this!

Truth slowly nodded. Apparently the General had been implanted with something, or enchanted with something. Some kind of mind breaking curse. That kind of thing, it might not kill the body, but it might well kill the mind forever. Truth could see how that might have negative career consequences for the aspiring political officer. It also seemed that his guess was right about decapitation attacks. The real General was somewhere off-base. His Deputy ran the show here. How that made a difference to troops who were suddenly without a general, Truth didnt know.

Apparently it wasnt going to be a problem for this battalion. Need to have soldiers for there to be a breakdown in command.

The why behind the what was still a mystery, though. Not that this prick would know the answer. He was just following orders. Orders he didnt question, that would result in several thousand soldiers he was responsible for, dying.

Truth examined the amulet on the desk. It was an interesting thing- it was a palm length device shaped like half of a tiger lying down. It had been split in half the long way, and he could see almost microscopic traces of spells running along the edges and practically coating the split center line. He imagined there was a matching half somewhere else. Perhaps at Central. It would certainly not be usable by any random person that picked it up. That would be too stupid.

Maybe something more symbolic was appropriate. Incisive whispered a warning when he reached for the token. Truth grinned and moved fast. He snatched up the Amulet and spun towards the officer. Incisive yelled Danger, and Truth smashed the Tiger Token straight through the officers forehead and instantly let go. The token burst into a sudden blaze of heat and light, immolating the officers head.

Truth thought he looked like a struck match. The sense of danger hadnt left, though. Truth quickly ran Obliteration over himself in case he picked up a curse, but no, that wasnt it. Something about the fiery ball itself. Was there a distant screaming, getting louder, coming from that fire?

Truth made a swift exit from the tent and ran back towards his two wheeler. A wailing scream started covering the base. The tent was starkly visible even in the daylight. Brilliant light was pouring out of it.

He didnt wait to find out what was being summoned. Nothing nice, he assumed. A bare second after he killed the political officer, an infernal dog burst through the tent walls. Its baying cry promised pursuit without end.

Truth grinned. Good luck with that.

He peeled out of the base in a cloud of dust and was on the road again. Would the Deputy follow the orders he was given? Truth had no idea, and wasnt interested in finding out. Spreading chaos and making political officers and secret policemen feel scared was plenty. He didnt want Jeon to fall. At least, he didnt want it conquered. He still had people he cared about living there. It would be all too easy to become an Unfortunate but regrettably necessary collateral damage.

Had they already defined away the notion of an innocent Jeon civilian? Probably. It was so much more convenient when everyone, denizens, children, Level Zeros, everyone was evil. It made a sort of sense. If they werent supporting the military/government/criminal elements in Jeon with their labor and taxes, with their complicit silence, the crimes against Onis would never have occurred.

Killing indiscriminately meant that your soldiers were put at minimal risk. You had a duty to protect your citizens, and what were your soldiers if not that? Slaughtering without care was thus moral and just. The people you were protecting were definitionaly virtuous, and the people you killed were definitionally wicked. What could be more proper than that? But since people can be soft hearted, it would be best to keep the pictures of tiny hands reaching out of rubble away from the masses.

Not that those masses could do anything about it. It was just more pleasant for everyone this way.

Maybe he should leave the people of Onis a note. I completely understand your anger, and share it. However, since your problem solving methods are extremely expensive and bad, just leave vengeance to me. I am a violence professional, and my rates are extremely reasonable.

He pressed on for the border. Things were only going to get worse from here. He didnt know why Onis was ordering their men to get slaughtered, but he was sure he wouldnt like it when he figured it out.