"What's the status of the situation there?" I put down the report paper from the North as I look at every single faces there. These people look tense, I'm pretty sure they have heard of the ambush on Unit 109.
"General, the searching team hasn't come back yet, so we have no idea of the situation there." Unit 209 commander is speaking up. I can't believe he would dare to open his mouth after sending his troops to the battlefield later than the actual command.
"Is that supposed to be an excuse of your incompetent behavior?" I can't feel myself becoming mad at this point. They even sent the searching team after they heard the news of everyone being wiped out on the battlefield.
They avoid my gaze, shutting up completely.
"Everyone is just going to keep quiet?" I question them. Are they afraid now that they've done such things? I sit down on the chair with a sigh. My eyebrows furrowed as I keep on tapping the table with my fingers, waiting for the news to come. The higher ups must've been behind this. I'm sure of it.
I already expect that the whole unit have been wiped out, but the worst case scenario is that if there's a survivor. Living through that hell and survive will give them Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and it'll be difficult to continue moving forward in the military. It'll slow down the military process. Not to mention that it would be harder if the survivor is one of those who came from areas other than North.
I keep on thinking to myself on what I should do if the survivor is originated somewhere else. Securing the area is the second priority. I need to clean up the mess first.
"General!" a soldier from another unit rushes into the tent. Looks like he brings some news. Every superiors turn their attention to him, including me.
"We have a survivor..," he said with a hopeful tone, not knowing the superiors' actual intention.
Everyone is surprise, and their jaw dropped. I can see the color draining from their faces, they look even more scared than before.
I'm trying hard not to sneer at their expression. "Lead me the way. I'm going to see the survivor myself," I said to the fellow soldier, leaving behind other superiors in panic. I follow the soldier to the med tent. When I enter, I immediately recognize that guy.
No wonder I felt a rush of adrenaline earlier... "General, he suffered with light injuries and we already gave him simple treatment. But he doesn't stop crying, we have ran out of effort."
The doctor wants to introduce the survivor to me but I stop him immediately. I already know who he is. Dark brown hair, flaming amber eyes. It's none other than Theo Smith, the new private appointed from the South.
"Doctor, please leave. I would like to have a talk with him, and I'll try to calm him down in the process."
Upon hearing that, the doctor nods. He doesn't complain much, he trusts me, I believe. He bows down and leaves at the exact moment.
I take a chair and sit next to the bed. I observe Theo Smith quietly. He's trembling in tears, looks like he didn't even notice that he is now somewhere else. Far away from the battlefield. This is not his first duty at war, I do wonder why I'm seeing this reaction from him now.
Perhaps he has never witness any massacre before. What an unfortunate soul. I can't talk to him like this. I stand up and observe him once more before I cover his eyes with a cloth. This will at least put him to sleep.
He might receive a nightmare but I can't do anything about it. I glance at him before I walk out with the oil lamp to make sure the room is dark enough for him to sleep. I call out the doctor and tell him to call me once Theo Smith become stable.
Now.. I only have one thing to do. It's time to call them out, those bloodsucking creatures.