In a short moment, Corporal Zhai and squad leader Schwartz arrived. They confirmed the Elu's death and nodded. The research center's main danger was eliminated.
Weeeng.
Squad Victor started the electric generator. The dark corridors were brightly lit. They officially looked through the place for survivors.
They found a few soldiers tied up on a chair and locked up in a storage room. They were alive, but not.
Their eyes were gouged out, while their nose and mouth were cut away. It had also hung some humans and left them to slowly die a painful death.
"Han, stay outside."
Corporal Zhai said.
Corporal Zhai held each soldier's hand and prayed upon their last breaths. Soldiers were consumable products. Just as weapons and supplies increase, as time pass they would decrease.
However, when a soldier dies in war, it's not just the number that decreases. That person's future is also ended. This would affect everyone that had relations to the deceased soldier.
Zzzing.
Schwartz collected Herald's body. He was placed into a giant bag.
"They shouldn't have died." Han said.
If China had come clean with the honest truth when they asked for help, nothing like today would have happened. Ark would have selected only veteran psyker soldiers to be deployed.
"If the higher-ups would have been a little bit more sensible in handling this crisis, then you're right. However, they don't care that a few soldiers die. They do not understand the weight of a person's life. They're able to move thousands of people with a click of a button. If they become obsessed over every single person's life, they cannot do the job that they do. Eventually, their senses dull. The numbers and data written on paper start to feel like a game. It's easy to get used to it.." Schwartz said in a low voice.
He stuck a cigarette in his mouth and inhaled the smoke. They were taking a short break. The Chinese soldiers would be waiting for them in the upper levels.
"Get used to it?" Han asked, and Schwartz laughed.
"It's sad, but humans adapt very fast. You should feel it too. As you face different situations during battle, the shock factor gradually decreases with time. If not, your mental health would probably be unable to handle the stress. In the future, if your heart becomes dull and numb, you must at least remember this with your mind. Everyone has only one life, and that is why it's important."
Schwartz scratched his head. Is a human's life the only important thing? Cows and pigs have a life, and their enemy dragons and Elu's also have a life.
However, this type of discussion is for the philosophers. Humans were already struggling enough to protect themselves, they didn't have the luxury to look after others as well. To humans, only humans have dignity. Humans had to choose the lesser of the two evils.
"I've never forgotten someone who died while under my care, and I will continue to do so in the future."
Han realized what the dread he was feeling was when the True Group invaded.
He dreaded how accustomed he was becoming to killing other humans, and so he repeatedly mumbled to himself to not get used to it.
"Initially, Project Ark didn't include any moral and ethics lessons while training psychic fighters. They selected only a minority of the children and cared only to raise their psychic skills. They were brought in at a much younger age- six and seven. The initial stages of Project Ark failed miserably. They grew up to be wild monsters. The commander was replaced, and the structure of the institution was revamped. The commanders' vision was that a human weapon must be a human before a weapon."
Ark recruits many backup candidates compared to how many candidates are actually promoted to become official soldiers of Ark. Ark had become very particular with the requirements of the basic soldier.
Any child, as long as they have a trace amount of psychic power in them, is invited to Ark. Just as Han had been fully promoted from a D-rank, children have a limitless possibility to their future.
"It's over." Corporal Zhai said as he exited the room. Han and Schwartz paused their conversation and stood up. They all carried Herald's body bag as they stepped into the elevator.
Weeeng.
It only took a brief moment for the elevator to reach the ground floor. Squad Victor stepped out.
"As expected." Schwartz mumbled and used an iron plate he brought from the research room as a shield. The Chinese soldiers stood with their guns aimed toward them. The researchers behind them were shouting something.
"I doubt they'll be able to use explosives against us since we collected all the data." Corporal Zhai narrowed his eyes. He observed the Chinese soldiers. The standstill continued for a long minute. Squad Victor attempted to communicate to Ark's headquarters, but the other side jammed all transmitters in the immediate area.
"We'll have to force our way through like we predicted." Schwartz banged the steel plate he held. Han shook his head.
"If we attempted to escape, they will use heavy artillery against us while risking the loss of data. If they're lucky they would be able to retrieve everything."
"Hmmn, that's probably the case." Schwartz scratched his chin and said. Squad Victor had the power to force their way through the encirclement. However, they would need to sacrifice somebody.
"I will go to negotiate with them." Corporal Zhai who was observing the other front line soldiers spoke.
"Will you be okay?"
"There are so many soldiers to witness today's event, they won't dare to kill me when I'm unarmed." Corporal Zhai was idolized by the people of China. He was known for his countless contributions he made for the country and his deeds were widespread throughout the country through propaganda advertisements.
He helped to plant the belief of victory in the hearts of the citizens and helped to persuade youths to volunteer their lives to the military. At the end of the last war of aggression, he enlisted into the Ark institution, and had been threatened to backtrack his decision. Everyone in his family died during the war, and so he left to enlist without fear.
When Corporal Zhai stepped forward, the researchers commanded the soldiers to open fire. The Chinese commission officer questioned his commands and asked for clarification. They couldn't dare to kill the other who approached them completely unarmed for the sake of negotiation.
Most of all, though they have been commanded to be here, the soldiers hearts were not satisfied with the current situation at all. It was a dirty plot no matter which angle you looked at this situation.
Corporal Zhai cautiously observed the situation. There was friction with the researchers and soldiers. The soldiers and commission officer looked upset. The soldier's guns seemed to tremble. Corporal Zhai took a deep breath. He roared out in Chinese.
"Gentlemen, real allegiance is not obedience."
The researchers' unrest grew more violent. They felt they had to go as far as to steal the soldiers' guns to kill Corporal Zhai with their own hands. The commission officer couldn't stand the researchers any longer and pushed them down.
"This is the site of the nation's most important project! Our people's lives depend on this!"
"Shut up! Corporal Zhai is speaking!"
Corporal Zhai took note of everyone's unrest and confusion.
"The soldiers are not a nation's slaves. They do not unconditionally obey as slaves do. Are they slaves or soldiers? They volunteered to hold a gun for the sake of this nation and its citizens! To us Chinese men, loyalty means putting our lives on the line to advise our lord of his wrongdoings. If our country is straying from the right path, shouldn't someone lead the way to the better path? Are there only men who live in the security as slaves here?"
The soldiers noisily murmured. Corporal Zhai gradually approached closer to the soldiers.
"Soldiers are but a nation's type of power. Therefore, one must protest against illogical and wrong commands."
There were many soldiers who volunteered due to Corporal Zhai's influences. They could not bear to shoot Corporal Zhai. Rather, many felt inspired by him. To start with, the command had been unreasonable from the start.
It didn't make sense why they had to shoot the soldiers of Ark that had just come out from the research center.
"If you do not kill them now, then we will eliminate all your family and…"
BA-NG!
The researcher yelling commands was headshot. The researcher was shot, and there was nothing that could be done now.
The soldiers oppressed all the researchers. After the soldiers completely suppressed the researchers, they lined up to salute toward Corporal Zhai and expressed their respect.
"Finally it's working. Respond, headquarters. Squad Victor here."
Schwartz attempted to communicate with the main headquarter. The soldiers turned off their jamming device. Han's nerves relaxed at once, and he fell to the floor. It seemed like they were going to shoot Corporal Zhai during the confrontation. The transport plane arrived shortly, and Han fell asleep very quickly this time.
The Elu discovered in the Chinese research center was categorized as: predator. It had become a case study of an Elu's drastic change after extreme torture from inhumane human scientific researches to its body. Now, there was physical proof that the mental health and thought processes drastically influence psychic powers.
"The Northeastern Asian Alliance was alerted, however Japan helped to mediate the situation and China surrendered themselves. So, everything was quietly concluded. China had lost their voting power in the future committee meetings. Of course they cannot stop their sponsorship either. That's unless they want to be bullied by everyone in the world." Schwartz who was suited in a military uniform said to Han.
Herald's funeral was brisk. A majority of his acquaintances and friends attended. Herald's ashes were enshrined at Ark's mortuary.
There was a gravestone at the entrance of Ark's mortuary with all the names of the deceased soldiers of Ark.
"What happened to that one soldier?" Han worried for the Chinese soldier who protected them. Schwartz laughed.
"We recorded the moment when Zhai confronted all the soldiers. They had not been officially commanded by the government, but through unofficial means by the researchers, so they won't be able to punish the soldier. Though, any chance of promotion is lost for him."
Schwartz was generous with his praise toward Han in his report. His professionalism made it hard to believe that it was Han's first official military operation deployment. If you were to consider his actual age and experience, his expertise was shocking. Schwartz ended his report praising Han.
'I look forward to his growth in the future.'