Chapter 97 – Black Hawk
Kiiiii-
The heavy blade begins to rotate with a small noise.
Yiiiiing-!
The gently rising motor sound suddenly turned into a roar, and it was drowned out by the louder wind noise.
As the rotor rotates, it creates an unstable air mass, and when the rotor blades hit it, a distinctive ‘tap-tap’ sound is heard.
To me, it is a noise that is both nostalgic and reassuring. If this sound was heard during an operation during active duty, it most likely meant that friendly forces were nearby.
[What are you doing there?]
Artemis said.
I was on the body side, not the passenger seat. This is the area that is often shown in movies as where U.S. Marines sit halfway down.
“It’s just that doing this reminds me of the good times.”
Crash.
Move to the seat just behind the passenger seat and grab the handle of the 12.7 mm heavy machine gun installed on the side. It’s been a while since I felt this sense of nostalgia.
[Enjoy that later and move on. You can’t see the scenery properly there.]
Heaviness. Robust. Honesty. Agile. Versatile. Reliability.
A masterpiece of human war history that implicitly captures all of this. Black Hawk soars.
The stability was verified through careful scanning after manufacturing and several flights with robots.
As we move further away from the ground, everything on the ground becomes smaller.
Charrrr.
A thick 12.7 mm ammunition belt is connected to the heavy machine gun. It’s just a drive, but she’s a perfectionist, as she fills it with ammunition.
[Launching. Do you know how many simulations I ran to plan today’s driving route? Are you planning on skipping the appetizer while eating a course meal?]
Artemis urges again.
“I think it would be okay to see it from here, but why? Since ancient times, true military barbarians should be here with machine guns in their hands… Ugh!”
At that moment, the helicopter tilted sharply forward and then returned to its original position.
“What’s wrong with driving? Artemi…”
[Shut up!]
She shouted.
A life-sized hologram appeared in the cockpit. This is Artemis, wearing a helmet without a visor and large sunglasses.
The white-silver hair that falls between the helmet gently flutters as if bathed in moonlight.
[I’m regretting it now. I mean, you didn’t bring a security robot on board so that the two of you could have some alone flight time. If you had hands and arms to do my bidding, you would have been tied up in the cockpit by now.]
Her beautiful lips moved poignantly.
[Or should I consider this as an expression of intention to participate in my new scientific experiment? How about research on what effects prolonged falls have on the human body? As it happens, we have a test subject.]
The descent indicator light on the helicopter’s ceiling came on. It is a lamp that indicates the timing of jumping during airlift operations.
[Why don’t you jump? Don’t worry. I’ve already simulated your fall tens of thousands of times. This is much more fun than the driving course I was planning.]
I immediately sat down in the passenger seat.
“I’m sorry, it’s been so long that I’m reminded of old memories.”
[Look ahead.]
We started driving.
It was definitely a course that she had worked hard to devise, so each one had beautiful scenery that left you amazed.
She can run tens of thousands of simulations in an instant. How many times has she run this carefully designed course?
If it were me, I think I would be upset. It was such an elaborate plan, but they ended up doing something else.
Is it because I showed genuine admiration? Glancing to the side, it seemed like her upset mood had eased a bit.
“Artemis.”
[Why?]
The helmet and sunglasses were unbalanced but went well with her intelligent appearance. When I saw that, a strong desire came to me.
“Please say this line just once.”
She was dumbfounded by the line I sang, but she eventually said it.
[In the pipe, five-by-five.]
“Perfect!”
That’s how we crossed the sky.
* * *
Grumbling.
Some distance away, seagulls fly alongside us.
Farther away, migratory birds flock in a V-shape crossing the sea, and far above, a hawk is watching them all.
Artemis has been humming her song since the beginning of her flight.
The beautiful tone was like a stream, flowing naturally and not repeating the same note for a moment.
The first time I heard Artemis’ humming song was shortly after she settled in the shelter.
It was the day when the people who sold her here said, ‘Oh, I don’t think this is right,’ and she quickly got on her plane and said, ‘Let’s make it work!’
“Mr. Seo, I would like to take you with me. US citizenship will also be offered. Lieutenant Colonel Kurtz praised me very much.”
Said the old, pot-bellied agent. We are talking in English.
Kurtz was a U.S. Military commander who shared life and death and ups and downs for about a year when he was deployed. We were friends, and when he was bored, he would jokingly suggest naturalization.
At the time, he was a major like me, but it seems he was promoted right after he returned.
The agent’s primary mission, the return of Artemis, failed. This is because the old people have drawn a line that says no. Then he tried to take the next best option.
“If I had wanted citizenship, I would have enlisted in the U.S. Army.”
He was silent at my words. Then the young assistant next to me came forward.
“Mr. Seo, this is an opportunity that will never be repeated…”
[Doctor.]
Artemis, who had been quietly listening, spoke.
“Yes?”
The assistant stupidly questioned the sound that suddenly came from the air. He couldn’t find who had spoken, so he looked around.
[It’s not Mr., It’s Doctor. If you’re thinking of inviting someone to America, you should first show basic courtesy, right? The man in front of you is a better engineer than anyone I’ve ever seen. He is not just a kill machine.]
The older agent looked at me with a puzzled expression.
“Your personality has changed a bit compared to when you were in America, right? Haha.”
I said, deliberately flapping the white researcher coat I was wearing.
“Your voice is so beautiful. Miss… Uh, Artemis?”
The assistant said.
As a newbie, he seems to have experienced Artemis for the first time.
The greatest intelligence in mankind and a voice as beautiful as a dream. Perhaps he was fascinated by it, but there was awe on his face.
[I am not interested in the aesthetic pleasure that the vibration of my voice gives you. Because I didn’t prepare it for you. Do you think I would be happy with such a worthless compliment? You stupid pigs.]
The agent stopped the assistant and focused on persuading me.
But all the while, he had to endure Artemis’ tremendous harsh words. She was like a black mamba.
The agent persevered and carried out her duties, but when she tried to reveal her shameful privacy, he left in a hurry.
[Are you… Going to quit here?]
Artemis’ voice was sharp.
At that time, we weren’t friends yet, but we had just exchanged some kind of promise.
“Nope! “I have to keep doing what I was doing.”
I picked up the maintenance machines I had placed on the floor. It was a situation where I was serving her customer while trying to trim her body.
[Hmph!]
If I remember correctly, it seems that this was when Artemis began to arbitrarily ignore even the smallest of rules.
For some reason, the doors on the path to her room were all open at once.
Originally, the basic rule was that it would only open when a passerby came close to it.
As I entered a new area, I ended reminiscing about the past.
“This place is still the same.”
[Because it hasn’t been long.]
We’re passing by Terracorp. A large army of infected organisms are still encamped on the plain in front of the factory.
[Look over there.]
Artemis pointed in one direction and simultaneously transmitted a video to the PDA.
Skeletons were washed up on the bank of the canal behind the factory.
“Those are the walkers from back then.”
These are the remains of those who were dragged into the water and drowned.
A flock of ducks is still floating in the center of the canal. Somehow, it seems like the number of cubs has increased.
Artemis flew inland along the canal.
The river gradually widens, and mountains full of greenery and low cliffs spread on both sides.
[Heung~Heung♬!]
Artemis’ humming continued.
Her most recent hum was after the Shelter was recaptured and full control of the facility was in her hands, and it was all she had seen in a dream not long ago.
The Artemis in her dreams was so disorganized that it was impossible to think of it as her. Because I couldn’t even imagine her smiling.
“You seem more excited than me?”
[Of course I’m excited.]
The helicopter increased altitude. The ridges and the telegraph poles connecting them are visible at a glance.
A considerable number are burned or cut off. You can even often see telephone poles themselves falling down.
[Because since I have been conscious, I have never been closer to the moon in the sky than I am now.]
Although it is daytime, the moon is clear.
Meanwhile, when I looked down, I started to feel scared. At this rate, it will soon reach its limit.
[Is this where we are now? Because I can’t go to the moon on this anyway.]
The aircraft lowers its altitude. The moon that was getting closer is moving away again.
Her voice was calm. Is it because we still have a long way to go, but we are definitely getting closer, step by step?
“Are you planning on building a spaceship?”
[Of course.]
It was a light-hearted remark, but she answered seriously.
[I’ve already made your own spacesuit.]
Her hologram looks at me and smiles playfully. Even through the sunglasses, I could see his golden eyes curved like a crescent moon.
[Oh, it’s still in the prototype stage. Technology continues to advance, and by the time you wear it, what you make now will be outdated.]
It’s about advancing toward the moon… Honestly, I can’t even imagine getting there when we can barely get a helicopter to fly.
[Maybe I won’t need a spacesuit by then.]
You can see the astronomical observatory below. There is an unknown local university nearby.
Abandoned roads and restaurants scattered around them.
“Can you lower the altitude? I want to see the land from a little closer. In previous exploration operations, we were confined to armored vehicles, and seeing it from a drone didn’t feel real.”
[As you wish.]
The altitude of the helicopter has decreased.
Residences are visible. The colorful roofs of single-family houses in blue, red, and gray. The surrounding rice fields and the hills surrounding the entire area harmoniously.
[If there is a place you want to go, just tell me. Because it is the sky we rented.]
Being able to spontaneously decide on a destination as if driving a private car without having to submit a flight plan to a government office may be one of the few advantages of a lost world.
That’s how she and I cross the empty world.
The final event of the flight was an aerial shooting.
“Look over there, it’s an elk.”
Two elk, judging by their size, appear to be a mother and calf.
When I was in the military, they were like those guys who came out whenever I forgot and interfered with my driving, but now I’m just happy to see them.
[Wait a minute, I feel like I’m being chased.]
When Artemis pointed to a little distance away, a group of walkers were seen chasing them.
There was still a sufficient distance, but the speed was slow as the cub seemed to be very tired.
[Jinsu.]
“I have to save it. “Please point it nearby.”
Artemis seemed to want to ignore it, but I unbuckled my seat belt and went over to the machine gun seat in the back.
Once my decision was made, and we entered the battle situation, Artemis said no more.
She created the perfect shooting angle. She aligns their ranks with mechanical sights.
Doo doo doo doo doo!
At the moment of coincidence, the 12.7 mm heavy machine gun burst into flames.
Intense vibrations and thunderous gunshots that reverberate throughout the world. Tremendous firepower attacked dozens of walkers and tore them to pieces.
The green bushes turn red in an instant.
Countless thick shell casings rain down on the empty road.
[Are you satisfied?]
“Yes, thank you.”
As I return to the passenger seat, the helicopter turns around. Now it is time to return home.
The elk family slowly climbs to the ridge. I hope they have good luck in their future.
* * *
After completing the flight, we did VR training.
Although I had criticized VR training in the past, I had no choice but to acknowledge its effectiveness for now.
It’s a normal battle with a human army anyway.
On the other hand, it is impossible to gain experience with mutant infectious agents that carry out all kinds of strange attacks other than by directly fighting them in real combat, and here VR training clearly showed its strengths.
Based on the information acquired by the security robots, Artemis created a VR combat training program.
Bang!
I fired at the calf-sized spiders that were flocking like crazy on the subway platform.
Even though it was a spider, it had six legs, a very hard carapace, and two serrated front legs that developed like mantises.
They rushed at him without regard for their lives, spilling bodily fluids everywhere.
Tingting!
Every time the six hard, sharp legs hit the subway floor, an eerie metallic sound rang out.
Chomping.
They even ate their compatriots who died during the battle.
The next battle stage was the botanical garden, which seemed to have been built with an eco-friendly theme, with tree vines wrapping around the floor and pillars.
But when I realized that there were desiccated corpses hanging from the pillars, I realized that the vines were not just decoration.
And this realization is always too late.
Sigh!
With a strange howling sound, vines as thick as an adult’s wrist rushed in from all directions.
Ta-ta-ta-tang!
Bang bang bang!
The security robots opened fire immediately, but it was impossible to hit all the dozens of stems.
To conclude, the stage was declared annihilated.
I was able to escape using acceleration, but I was isolated, and the robots weren’t killed by the vines or anything, but they were completely wrapped and couldn’t move.
As a result, a situation similar to annihilation was created.
For reference, the exploration team that obtained this battle data lost one robot and returned alive.
The first robot that was ambushed took out a grenade and exploded as if it were self-destructing, and in the meantime, the remaining robots destroyed the main body of the vine monster with a volley of fire.
I constantly went around the VR stage and learned how to deal with newly discovered infectious agents.
