I Have Returned, but I Cannot Lay down My Gun-Chapter 775: Christmas (3)

"I just had a thought, but if Lapland tries to confess to Captain Parkwoon on Christmas Eve, would that be considered a brave act?"

"What are you talking about all of a sudden... Wait a minute. That’s actually... a topic worth thinking about. I’ll bite on that one."

"Why are you so curious about someone else's love life all of a sudden?"

"What, Loren? Are you not interested? You’re usually the first to jump into these pointless discussions, but now you’re pulling back—what’s going on?"

"...Why are we talking about this, and you’re sober too?"

White Christmas Eve, 8 PM.

One day before the Second Coming of Jesus Christ, the thick clouds blocked even the moonlight, and the snowflakes grew larger, eventually turning into a full-on nightfall at Central Park HQ.

Now accustomed to blackouts and the eerie wind sounds, the atmosphere didn’t exactly scream Christmas Eve, but for the Native Americans who hold this time sacred, it didn’t matter.

Outside appeared pitch black, but the building inside was cozy with the heating on, and temporary Christmas trees were set up in the halls. Even the Alpha-class mutants' dorms had a tree in the lobby.

...I wasn’t particularly interested, but even I could feel that the holiday spirit was in the air. However, it seemed like these guys were intentionally trying to ruin that Christmas vibe.

"Ugh, Christmas used to be chaos back in the day, but now that's not even possible..."

"You had a lot of fun back then, didn’t you, polar bear? It’s not impossible now, but the problem is that the position has changed... eek!"

"Are you gonna keep spouting nonsense, you punk?"

"You started with nonsense, didn’t you? Ugh...!"

...What should I say? Watching these two bicker always makes me feel dumber.

Of course, I acted oblivious. I put on a face that said, "I don’t know anything," but as I was doing that, Loren got out of her seat and elbowed Logan in the stomach, falling dramatically onto the bed, out of breath.

How much time passed? While the shark turned to stare at the ceiling, Logan continued.

"Anyway, whether he succeeds or fails, or whatever choice he makes, anyone who can read the mood will just pretend nothing happened, right?"

"Yeah, that’s what I was worried about. I guess that means we don’t have to worry. I’ll join in too."

"...When you jump in, clearly distinguishing between business and personal matters, you really are crazy."

"Heh, I’ll make sure there’s no room for controversy, Ollie."

While these guys were saying ridiculous things, I took a bite of the sandwich on the table.

It felt like I could eat infinitely today. Maybe it was because I was having raw meat for the first time in a while. Lately, I’ve just been eating a simple, easy combination of potatoes and cheese to meet my calorie needs.

I could say that during a war, who cares about food, but at least for Americans, even during a virus apocalypse or national disaster, it’s rare to go hungry.

The Midwest—places like Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, and Iowa—managed to avoid the worst of the virus apocalypse and war.

Those areas are literally America’s food warehouse. It’s where they grow enough crops to feed the entire country, far larger than in Korea.

That’s why people in Central Park never have to worry about starving or lacking supplies, but meat, like this raw one, is a different story.

Perishable crops, meat, and dairy products were nearly wiped out.

Anyway, back to the point. The reason I was suddenly talking about American food production is simple.

Everyone was talking about weird stuff, and I needed something to distract myself.

"I still don’t think Lapland will take a bold step. He doesn’t seem like the type, even though he might appear that way, he’s actually more timid."

"Who knows what his old personality was like, but maybe he’s changed. Recent studies have shown that mutants are more impulsive than regular people, right?"

"How many samples do they have to go off of? The conclusion was based on data from beta-class mutants in the U.S."

"Hmm. Should we turn off the hormonal control feature of the gear... Come to think of it, what were Lapland’s settings usually like?"

"Not sure. For those who aren’t involved in combat, I don’t think their emotional control is much different from regular people..."

There was a brief silence.

Unfortunately, I had long stopped being involved in the fascinating conversation, but how could I resist? The most interesting thing in the world is always someone else’s love life.

As I quietly moved closer to listen, once Olivia’s theory seemed plausible, everyone started adding their thoughts.

So did I.

"...It’s a little different now, but in Korea, characters who are instinctively sexy are often called wolves."

"It’s kind of the same here, but I don’t see how he’s a wolf."

"You never know. He’s scared and indecisive, but that kind of instinct could give him the courage he normally doesn’t have, right?"

"I don’t think it’ll be enough to cross the line... honestly, if I were in his shoes, I wouldn’t even have the courage."

"True."

Everyone nodded, and I agreed too.

The issue is... the conflict between mental and physical gender. It’s something only mutants face, and it’s something they have to resolve on their own.

Honestly, I’m the same way. Even though I’ve turned into a woman, liking men is still... a bit strange for me. I think everyone else probably feels the same way.

"So maybe that’s it... but that guy’s pretty amazing. He’s doing something no one else would do, right?"

"If he ends up with a satisfying conclusion... it would be quite a joyous occasion. The problem is, we can’t celebrate openly..."

"Let’s face it, the moment we talk about it, it’s not a celebration, it’s just awkward. It’s better to keep quiet."

"..."

Yeah, I guess that’s right.

Anyway, it’s a bit late to mention this, but right now, Lapland is the busiest person. He’s the operations officer and the youngest of the 107th Military Police, so technically he’s my subordinate.

In other words, on Christmas, he’s the one with the most places to go. He has to attend the officers' party, meet with the 107th Military Police, and finally return to the mutant dorms.

Of course, I already gave my gifts to Captain Parkwoon, the squad leader, and Sergeant Mitchell. You have to take care of those things early.

Lapland could have done the same, but if he had, we wouldn’t be sitting here talking like this.

So, the conclusion was simple.

"It ended kind of anticlimactically, but what can you do? I can’t even ask what the result will be..."

"You’ll be able to ask someday. Just not now. Maybe in a year?"

"A year? A year... that’s pretty far away. Let’s hope it’s sooner. Anyway, by then, Lapland will probably be heading to the front lines."

"When he’s out there with a gun, I’ll be taking care of a task force with Carmen. I’ll let you know later. If I forget, oh well."

"Oh?"

"Then I’ll need to get a definitive answer now."

"No, wait. What?"

I stood up next to Olivia, and the polar bear and shark, with their predatory eyes glowing, started staring at her.

I made a flimsy excuse to go refill the bread and slipped out of the room, just in time to hear a loud crashing sound from inside. I just hope nothing broke.

The image of the makeshift building I had built before was long gone. Now, it was a sturdy structure with two more people.

The source of this c𝐨ntent is freeweɓnovēl.coɱ.

Maybe it will keep growing, but that’s not something I need to think about right now.

There was still a loud crashing sound coming from above, which I really didn’t want to know about.

I went downstairs, turned on the gas stove, and melted butter in the pan, then started roasting the bread that had been cut in half. Aside from the sounds from the dorm, the HQ was very quiet.

I wondered if I would get a message from Lapland, but nothing came. I didn’t know when he’d return, but I figured he’d come back eventually. He was still at the 107th Military Police barracks.

When I brought the bread back upstairs, the conversation had shifted to whether Lapland would return tonight or not.

After I silenced them with sandwiches I had made, the mood quieted down. Then, someone spoke up.

"The year 2030 is almost over. I heard they did the ball drop event in Manhattan?"

"They did it in Times Square. I don’t know when it will happen again."

"End of the year or not, we’ll probably be heading to the {N•o•v•e•l•i•g•h•t} capital around that time. I’m curious what kind of hellish adversity awaits us."

"...Speaking of which, we left behind some Alpha team members in Washington D.C. Joining them in the capital could be really helpful."

"Alright. Let’s hope nothing happens. With you saying that, I’m thinking of recommending you as an Icarus Operator."

"We’ll see when we get there."

...Maybe it would have been better to just talk about Lapland?

Anyway, with all these tasks still ahead, there wasn’t much I could do. I sat down on the bed.

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

It was still a long way from going back to Korea, but with good people around, this Christmas Eve didn’t feel too lonely.

"Did you eat anything?"

"You didn’t come here without eating just to have dinner with me, did you?"

"..."

"...Idiot."

Meanwhile, somewhere in the 107th Military Police barracks.

There was a foolish wolf.

"...Well, first. I was trying to give you a gift, but I couldn’t find it, so I barely managed to find this. Here, hold onto it. It’s a wolf-shaped necklace."

"...Thanks. You must be hungry. Let’s have something to eat. Do you want anything?"

"With my body like this, I can eat anything... Where are you going?"

"I came all this way, I can’t let you go without feeding you. Sit down."

"Ah, no. I can move... Ah."

With a clank, the door shut.

As the cold winter air briefly flowed through the gap in the door, Captain Parkwoon stepped out of the reception room, and Lapland, about to reach out, froze with a nervous look and sat down on the chair.

However, this didn’t mean she kept up the awkward expression. Within seconds, the door opened again, and Captain Parkwoon entered with a plate full of food.

At that moment, the necklace Lapland had just given her hung around her neck.

It was a finely crafted wolf-shaped jewel.

Sadly, Lapland, having skipped dinner, was more driven by instinct than reason. As soon as she saw the plate, her tail started to wag uncontrollably, and her stomach began reacting.

Captain Parkwoon pretended not to notice the scene and offered the plate. Fortunately for her, Lapland, though a big eater, always finished her meals quickly.

The silence didn’t last long, and the plate was emptied in no time.

"...This tastes a bit different from the others. Did the unit members make it?"

"Nice catch. Newcomers usually don’t notice, but I’ll make sure to tell the guys who made it later. They’ll love it."

"Eh, I can say that myself."

"Clean your face, punk. Let me see it."

"No, I can do it myself... Ugh, really."

But it didn’t work out.

Before Lapland could turn her face away, Captain Parkwoon had already handed her tissues to clean her mouth. Then, she threw the tissues in the trash and added:

"The new recruits have gotten too big. When I first saw them, I wondered what to do with them, but thanks to them, not a single member of the unit died in the recent battle... That’s a little surprising."

"Right? I’ve been through a lot too."

"Yeah, yeah. But what I’m more concerned about is the alcohol you brought..."

"...I’ll drink it. My body’s like this, so I detoxify weak stuff quickly, so I brought the stronger ones. You don’t have to drink it, Captain."

"Well, I can’t not make a big drink for you. But I can’t drink it straight like you."

"I told you not to drink it, just."

To forget what had just been said, or to avoid further awkwardness, Lapland’s glass was soon filled with transparent amber liquid.

The large glass, bigger than a thumb, was swirled and Lapland drank it straight. She knew it wasn’t the kind of drink meant to be consumed this way, but since she had grabbed whatever, it didn’t matter.

With the strong taste of apples, her throat burned and the alcohol began circulating through her body. It didn’t take long before she felt lightheaded.

How much time had passed?

Lapland drank so much that, had she been a regular person, she would have been in acute alcohol poisoning by now. The Icarus gear’s warning message about increasing blood alcohol levels confirmed she was drunk.

Maybe that’s why she felt... a fading, prickling sensation inside her heart disappearing.

But still...

It wasn’t quite yet.

"Drinking like that, you’re really letting your worries go sky high. Come here."

"..."

"Should I go?"

"...No. I’ll go."

Feeling the lightness in her body, Lapland slowly moved to sit next to Captain Parkwoon.

She hadn’t done this recently, but maybe because she had drunk, or because it was Christmas Eve... Why was she trembling? That thought lingered in her mind.

However, as she swallowed, Captain Parkwoon pulled her waist from behind and placed her chin on her head. It wasn’t an ominous act but a way to share warmth.

Her breath still smelled like alcohol. Though she hadn’t drunk much compared to Lapland, the alcohol she had brought was potent.

The two of them remained close for a while, feeling each other’s heartbeat.

Then...

"Waited all night, and when you didn’t come, I knew something was up. What happened?"

"We didn’t do anything! Wait, were you betting on this!?"

"Ah."

"These people...!"

12 hours later, when she returned to the dorm,

Lapland was given the honorary title of ‘someone who slept with me but nothing happened’ by the Dagger Team.

It was definitely a chaotic way to begin Christmas.