I Have Returned, but I Cannot Lay down My Gun-Chapter 791: Manhattan (3)

"I heard that the New York air defense system was heavily attacked. Is that true?"

"Yeah, apparently. They say a lot of short-range missile vehicles were seized."

"So these days, they often prefer to self-destruct them rather than let them fall into enemy hands. Ugh! Watch your head!"

"Damn it, they're coming again."

In early April 2031, New York was in turmoil.

Lapland, which had only recently been in a state of fear, was now showing marked improvement, as though the previous tension had been a lie. But unfortunately, the flare of war that had engulfed the northeastern United States could not be easily resolved.

In fact, because of that, Lapland, the 107th Military Police Company, and Captain Farkworth were forced to continue their work, traveling around New York and New Jersey for several days.

On foot.

Strictly speaking, it wasn't completely on foot. However, whether they were riding something or not didn't make much of a difference. There was hardly any area between avenues in Manhattan where vehicles had been cleared, even partially.

Thus, Humvees were out of the question. The majority of streets were blocked by abandoned cars, and such large vehicles would immediately become prime targets as soon as they started moving.

Silent bikes, like the ones often used by the team, were also an option for infiltration, but even those would be spotted soon enough.

So, the chosen mode of transport was a bicycle.

But if that was the case, then there was no need to call it "on foot."

"If only there weren’t those damn surface-to-air missiles, we could’ve been flying around in a helicopter... With bikes and bicycles out of the question, what the hell are we supposed to do, damn it!"

"Calm down. We'll have a way soon."

As they said.

The Allied forces, seeing Lapland’s team on bikes or on foot, had the option to attack. Meanwhile, Lapland could request the elimination of any enemy units in the area.

In such a situation, the most important thing was which side could send their requests first, but even though they were being invaded, it was clear who would reach their request first—Lapland’s group or the self-sufficient Allied forces.

Lapland’s wishes were sometimes delivered by TV-guided missiles, other times by cruise ~Nоvеl𝕚ght~ missiles piled high on Governors Island.

The Chief Operations Officer at TOC, Cain Whitebrim, who had confidently claimed, "I'll bring in whatever support you need," made sure Lapland's requests were met.

Despite frequent losses from surface-to-air missile strikes, TOC desperately launched reconnaissance drones to provide Lapland with intelligence, allowing them to select targets to destroy.

After nearly two days of traveling from the Central Park HQ, Lapland earned the nickname "The Grim Reaper" for leaving nothing but destroyed debris behind.

Of course, the real grim reapers were the Dagger team, currently resting in Washington D.C.

Anyway.

Lapland and the Military Police Company entered a building, mouths open and ears covered as they dropped to the floor.

At that moment, a terrible vibration and explosion hit the area.

───KWA-BOOM!

"Ah, at least fifteen enemies were killed, and over three vehicles were destroyed. The remaining enemy is fleeing. Any casualties from friendly fire?"

"...None, confirmed."

"Good. Sorry for the sudden request, but when you return to HQ, we'll make sure all the arrangements are taken care of. If it's too much, feel free to return. You've already managed to restore about half of New York's network, considering everything you've done so far."

"I'll try... my best..."

"Always grateful."

It wasn’t easy, but Lapland had already sensed it when she obtained the gear.

If she didn’t want to accept it, she didn’t have to take it in the first place. But Lapland had long made her choice ever since she started picking up spent shells, and this was something she had to endure.

Of course, the reason she could hold on was because none of the Military Police Company members had died so far.

However, at this point, there was no need to go back.

"The Staten Island Medical College area... If we can get through here, we should be fine. It's nearly in the rear, except for the crazy suicide squads attacking Governors Island."

"I hope we can use a car from here on out..."

"Yeah, that should be possible."

Naturally, they didn’t want to keep walking.

Especially since Lapland’s team had been heading south for two days without proper rest, occasionally engaging in combat. The situation was particularly difficult, as aside from Lapland, many of the team members were susceptible to fatigue.

The good news was that if they moved just a little further, the likelihood of encountering enemies would drop significantly.

Even if the Allied forces or Black Eagle advanced deep into Staten Island, they couldn’t completely control the area. Without Icarus Operators, urban warfare annihilation was purely theoretical.

Lapland’s group was heading east through Mid-Island, getting closer to the relatively safer Brooklyn.

After checking the map, Lapland glanced at the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge, which connected Staten Island to Brooklyn, and noticed that Fort Hamilton was nearby.

"...I’ve seen this place before. Didn’t you get rescued here?"

"...Yeah, something like that. A lot happened here. The bridge’s end got blown up too. Well, I wasn’t the one who did it, but..."

"I know. It’s harder to find someone who doesn’t know what happened here. Didn't they launch a barrage of cluster missiles?"

"That’s right."

For Lapland, the sight was something she could never forget.

When the missile struck from the sky, it was as though a massive fiery trident had stabbed into the ground, and as a result, Fort Hamilton became a ghost town.

It was here that Lapland had been rescued by the Dagger team.

"Memories... though I wouldn’t call them that, looking back, it was probably a good choice."

"If I hadn’t come, we wouldn’t have met, right?"

"...What, what? Since when did you start flirting!?!"

"You were bold at the regional hospital, and now you’re acting shy?"

The 107th Military Police Company’s non-commissioned officers, who had fallen behind, made sure to give the two some space.

Not that they really had to.

"Congratulations, Captain. Soon, you’ll be contributing to Central Park HQ’s prosperity?"

"Do you think it’s that easy? It takes a lot of time and effort, you idiot."

"I’m listening, you know."

"Don’t like it?"

"No, it’s not that, but..."

Captain Farkworth chuckled.

He couldn’t know what kind of change Lapland was experiencing, but one thing was clear—she was much more pleasant to look at now than when she used to be indecisive.

There was something intriguing about seeing her startled at just a light touch, but now she seemed shy while trying to become closer, which was a pleasant sight.

At this point, the task assigned to Lapland and the Military Police Company was as follows.

The priority was to deliver the communication equipment they’d brought—restore the network and reconnect with TOC.

Even with military-grade equipment, there were countless variables, and after the EMP swept through, the situation was far from ideal.

"Welcome to Staten Island Medical College. We are the 369th Support Brigade, currently supporting the 102nd Cavalry Regiment 1st Squadron and the 113th Infantry Regiment 2nd Battalion C Company of the New Jersey National Guard."

"You found us, right? This guy here is representing the Central Park HQ TOC. Please provide the briefing on the current situation. What’s the priority area for restoration?"

"We’ll guide you there shortly. Right this way."

The unit was warmly welcomed by the Brigade Commander, who had obviously turned the Staten Island Medical College into a military stronghold. It was packed, and the scale was massive, meaning there was no shortage of work to be done.

The soldiers, who appeared as if they had long since given up on sleep, were either fiddling with machinery or napping in odd corners of the hallway, as Lapland’s group made their way to their designated tasks.

‘...I wonder if I can stay here for long.’

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It didn’t take long for Lapland’s face to turn sour, thinking of a more peaceful place.

The virus apocalypse was cruel even to love.

"Guess we’re going to have to camp out."

"It’ll be more comfortable sleeping on the bridge than in that hospital."

"Well, that’s true."

At 11 PM, Lapland and four members of the 107th Military Police Company, along with their commander, walked across the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge.

This landmark connected Staten Island to Brooklyn and was also the gateway into New York, though few remembered its name, and even fewer knew its significance.

But there was a reason the bridge was a landmark. To the north, hidden in darkness, was Lower Manhattan, parts of Wall Street, and the Statue of Liberty. To the south, Coney Island and the vast Atlantic Ocean could be seen.

Sadly, the view was now obscured. The EMP had ravaged the area, and even without that, it was likely that the night sky would have looked just as bleak.

If you are reading this translation anywhere other than Novelight.net or SilkRoadTL, it has been stolen.

Captain Farkworth closed his eyes and listened. There was still the distant sound of gunfire, indicating battles elsewhere, but not near them.

"The nearest is Kennedy International Airport, right? It’s probably too late to get there now."

"We’ve covered about 50 km, combining yesterday and today. That's the distance we've moved purely on foot."

"Hmm."

Strictly speaking, they hadn’t walked that much.

Comparing it to regular marching drills, they hadn’t been pushing themselves too hard, but considering only the act of walking, and factoring in the occasional skirmishes, their journey had been much more exhausting.

Moreover, there was Sergeant Mitchell in the group, and that physical limitation couldn’t be ignored.

"Lapland, can you check the vehicles for bodies?"

Though it was called camping out, it didn’t mean they would sleep on the ground.

Lapland, with her pulse scanning equipment, had no issue checking the interior of the vehicles. Soon, she found two or three vehicles. One was a regular pickup truck, and the other was a large truck.

No one wanted to open the trailer at the back of the truck – not knowing what could be inside – so the six of them split into pairs and chose their vehicles. The sound of glass shattering came shortly after.

Naturally, Lapland ended up using the same vehicle as Captain Farkworth. It was clear that this was a considerate choice.

While the truck wasn’t exactly spacious, it was certainly suitable for passing the night. It was far more comfortable than the Staten Island Medical College building, which was packed with people and lacked enough space for everyone.

"Ugh, this is tough... it might smell a little, is that okay?"

"I should be the one asking that."

"Well... it should be fine, I guess."

Lapland and Captain Farkworth, once inside the vehicle, started to make space to rest.

Weapons and explosives were stored inside the truck, while their boots and other gear were placed in the back cargo area. Whenever they stopped at HQs, they would get fresh water for cleaning and brushing their teeth.

Just that was enough to give them a refreshing feeling compared to before.

Despite the damage caused by the sea breeze, the interior of the vehicle wasn’t in bad condition, and because the windows were slightly open, the smell wasn’t overwhelming.

For consideration’s sake, the other squad members had chosen vehicles a bit farther from Lapland and Captain Farkworth, and for reasons unknown, the area around them grew eerily quiet.

The only sound was the faint crashing of waves, reminding them that the sea was nearby.

"We’ll start moving again at 5 AM. According to the pulse scan data I received earlier, there are bikes inside the truck trailer. If we use them, we should be able to cover all of Brooklyn by tomorrow."

"You saw that again?"

"Got to check it frequently."

Lapland and Captain Farkworth both felt the exhaustion they'd been ignoring hit them once they rested on the seats.

The pain in their feet, which they had forced themselves to ignore, was now sharp and unbearable. Lapland could endure it due to her mutated characteristics, but Captain Farkworth kept rubbing his feet with his hands.

Lapland reached into her pocket to get the medical kit, but Captain Farkworth shook his head.

A brief silence fell.

Lapland, cautiously watching Farkworth, gently took his hand, and he smiled softly, interlocking their fingers.

It felt like perfect timing, as though it had been fated. Everyone in the vehicle knew what was happening, and no one could turn away from it.

"Guess I can ask now?"

"...I think I can answer now."

Perhaps it was an answer she had prepared in advance, or maybe it was something that came out naturally.

But either way, it didn’t matter. Lapland had started to feel this way since yesterday, and after the grueling two-day journey, she was ready to give this answer.

Still, the answer required a lot of courage, and after taking a deep breath, she replied.

"...It’s nothing too dramatic. I just realized I don’t like men."

"So then?"

"Just..."

She exhaled and, as if seeking permission, hesitated before adding.

"...Would it sound strange if I said I like you, Captain?"

"Not at all."

Captain Farkworth thought about what to say while watching the shy Lapland, but soon realized it was impossible to give a cool response.

All that was left was an honest answer.

"I'm not as wise as you think. Honestly, I’m just wondering how I should say things so that I don’t hurt you."

"..."

"I don’t know what the right words are, but... if I’m allowed to speak my mind..."

A brief silence.

At that moment, Captain Farkworth made his decision.

"I’m just glad I can be someone important to you."

"...Captain."

"And from now on, call me Edward, not Captain. That’s my name."

There was no response, but both knew that silence itself was the answer.

The clouds that had gathered just then covered the moon, and the dim light of the moon vanished into complete darkness. No one knew what happened on the Verrazano Bridge.

Only the two of them realized that a kiss was more complicated than they had imagined.