A War Hero With No Regrets – Chapter 35

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Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: FusionX
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For the past few days, Lieutenant Colonel Drake Brown had been in a bad mood.

After his promotion from the Graveyard, he had become the commander of the 808th Security Battalion, which guarded key buildings in the capital Hoenbaren, including the President’s residence.

The 808th Security Battalion.

It was essentially no different from the President’s personal guard unit.

Although Drake held the command authority of the unit, the decision-making power lay solely with President Mikhail, as it was a unit directly under the President.

Naturally, such a unit was not very appealing to Drake, who was a field soldier by nature.

But what could he do when the President personally nominated him?

Once it came to that, there were only two choices.

Either resign or accept.

In the end, Drake accepted the proposal, judging that since the Titans had also disappeared, it would be the same situation wherever he went.

However, as the atmosphere had been growing ominous with the recent stories of ‘subversive forces’ coming from the provinces.

Naturally, as the head of the organization, Drake couldn’t help but be on edge.

It was the final shield protecting the Empire’s core and President Mikhail Bismarck.

If there were forces plotting to overturn the Empire, this would be the first place they would target.

In the first place, since there was a direct order from the President to strengthen security, Drake Brown had even declared a ‘special protection period’ to the battalion’s troops.

Amidst that, there had been a strange radio transmission that had been precisely targeting the security battalion for some time.

“Commander… It came in the same way today as well. It seems the same content is being transmitted at the same time every time.”

“Is there any word from the Information Command?”

“No, sir.”

“It’s already been 2 weeks since this broadcast has been coming in, and they’re still so relaxed? Aren’t they the real traitors?!”

“Commander! Calm down! They’re already in a mess over there, aren’t they? They’re struggling with the information network intrusion and the leak of information related to Akasha.”

“…Damn it. The so-called information units are the ones getting their information stolen. No wonder the President inserted a strange organization like the National Security Strategy Agency into the military.”

The war was over.

But why was the military still in this state?

Drake Brown sincerely regretted not submitting his resignation that day.

It had been like that since he was in the Graveyard.

Even in the midst of a war where the Empire’s existence was at stake, the bastards holed up in the rear didn’t listen to a word.

The only thing he liked about Luthers Edan was the way he thoroughly shook down the slackers lounging in the rear.

Of course, now that Arwen Orka had exposed all the details of his corruption, Luthers Edan was just one of them.

The reason he had been floundering was because he was the same kind as them.

Or maybe he had some weakness.

Whatever it was, it wasn’t an honorable thing.

He should have realized it when Luthers tried to get involved with those utterly evil criminal bastards.

During his time at the Graveyard, it was the part where Luthers clashed the most with people, including Arwen and Drake.

For them, who were soldiers with high pride, receiving help from the rabble called the cornerstones of the tombstone was truly humiliating.

Just thinking about that time made Drake’s blood boil.

“So what did the problematic radio transmission say?”

“I have the recording here.”

Beep- Beep beep- Beep-.

A sound that seemed to distort the radio waves, subtly mixed with mechanical electronic tones.

It was a sound that made you feel strangely uncomfortable if you listened quietly.

-.-. .-. — .– -. / .–. .-. .. -. -.-. . / .- .-. .-. .. …- . / .- – / -… — … – .- -. .. .-
–. .-. .. — / .-.. .. … – . -. / .-.. .. … – . -. / –. .-. .. —
..-. .. .-. . … / -… ..- .-. -. .. -. –. / …. .. –. ….

“Can it be deciphered?”

“The Information Command is also at a loss, so how could I possibly do it?”

After the emergence of the Titans, humanity’s communication and information systems had developed exponentially.

If asked to pick the two biggest reasons why victory could be achieved in the war against the Titans, any soldier would answer military satellites and the quantum computer Akasha.

The military satellites launched in advance served as humanity’s eyes and ears until the end of their lifespan.

Of course, due to the Titans’ persistent disruption strategies, it was no longer possible to launch additional satellites.

But there was no significant problem in using the existing satellites.

However, there was also a reaction to that.

Since they had to fight with limited resources, the existing communication systems had become completely obsolete.

How many people would remember the declining communication languages in such a situation?

“For now, keep this file, and look for related documents. Even old communication records. If you search, you may find the answer.”

“Understood. I will leave it to the Information and Communications Departments.”

But Drake’s uneasiness was amplifying day by day.

Not only the strange radio transmissions that he had become accustomed to, but there were even strange letters wedged in his home mailbox.

[Don’t, trust, the President. Don’t, tell, Ar, wen.]

After checking the contents of the letter after work, Drake immediately returned to the unit and tried to find the culprit by searching all the CCTVs in the capital, but failed.

What was this?

Were they trying to play mind games?

Moreover, why was the name of Arwen Orka, who was working perfectly fine as a brigadier general, being mentioned?

The intention of sending such a letter to none other than the commander of a unit that was essentially the President’s personal guard was obvious.

They were warning him.

It was a clear threat, saying they knew his home and background, so he should behave himself.

Especially since the personal information of the unit members was designated as a level 2 military secret and protected.

The fact that they specifically targeted him, the commander of the 808th, must have enraged him to the point where his liver swelled up and burst.

Rather than feeling uneasy, he was angry.

He was confident that he could thoroughly crush whoever the opponent was.

However, from a broader perspective, the occurrence of such incidents in succession was definitely not good.

Especially as the summit was approaching.

In the end, Drake Brown reported the relevant matters to the President and requested that the summit be postponed or reconsidered.

“I’m fine, Commander. Don’t I have you by my side?”

But Mikhail Bismarck simply commended his hard work as if it was nothing.

Drake liked this attitude of the President.

However, he also felt a sense of déjà vu, as if he had heard similar words and shown a similar reaction from someone.

Drake Brown paused for a moment, then casually brushed it off.

“…I will do my utmost to ensure Your Excellency’s safety during the visit to the Republic.”

Yes.
That’s how it should have been.

That’s why he had dispatched the most skilled Special Missions Battalion Commander and Security Battalion Commander to the location.

“What did you two eat to get food poisoning side by side?!”

“I’m, I’m sorry, Commander… We thought we’d just have a light drink at our regular bar…”

“Special Missions Battalion Commander, I told you not to order any side dishes…”

“No, when such a lady came to join us, how could we just drink without any food?”

Things had gotten complicated.

The two idiots, distracted by women, had gotten food poisoning three days before the dispatch.

It seemed that among the side dishes they ordered, there was seafood, which was the cause of the problem.

In the end, the command of the local security had to be forcibly taken over by Commander Drake Brown.

Strange radio transmissions, suspicious letters, and the timely absence of dispatched personnel.

Everything was suspicious.

The intuition of Drake Brown, who had survived as the assault battalion commander in the Graveyard, was speaking with a confident voice.

Surely, something was going to happen soon.

Even now, at this banquet, something could happen.

Wasn’t it when His Excellency the President was in the most defenseless state?

As Drake was pretending to be nonchalant on the outside while looking around, a somewhat familiar face caught his eye.

“…?”

At first, he doubted his own eyes.

Hadn’t the former commander Luthers Edan been completely thrown into the abyss by Arwen, who had been newly appointed as the Inspector General?

But even after looking again, it was Luthers Edan.

Drake Brown checked the list with a dumbfounded expression.

On the document with Luthers Edan’s photo attached, it clearly stated his identity as Lieutenant Colonel Werner Grimm, Director of the National Security Strategy Agency.

Drake Brown could easily grasp the details.

Luthers Edan had not resigned, but had remained in the military under a disguised identity.

It wasn’t a rare occurrence.

Even for himself, all his personal information was treated as confidential.

Moreover, wasn’t the National Security Strategy Agency a direct organization connected to the President, just like themselves?

It was natural for Luthers Edan to use the disguised identity of Werner Grimm, not his real name.

After roughly stuffing the document into his pocket, Drake Brown strode towards the man in the black uniform.

“…Why are you here?”

“It’s been a while, Lieutenant Colonel Drake.”

Strictly speaking, it wasn’t a good relationship.

He had often clashed with his former superior, Luthers Edan.

Drake, who had frequently engaged in verbal disputes with him no less than Arwen.

The chain of command.

Even Drake, who was more thorough than anyone else in upholding the basic spirit of a soldier, couldn’t understand the orders that Luthers often gave.

In fact, even when they were surrounded by an enormous number of Titans and under concentrated attack, the man who was the commander had his mind elsewhere, not on them.

No matter how thick the front lines’ defense line was, it would be over if it was breached.

When Luthers pushed his mental theories, saying to overcome it with fighting spirit or that nothing was impossible, Drake really felt like punching him.

But still, the reason why he felt strangely happy and emotional…

It was probably because they shared the value of being comrades who had fought together against the Titans, even though he looked like that.

Thinking that way, Drake felt his heart softening for no reason.

“I heard from Arwen. Even if it wasn’t a dishonorable discharge, your pension was revoked.”

“Is that so? I don’t know much about it.”

“That person seems to sincerely want you to regret it. I wonder what kind of expression she would make if she saw you walking around perfectly fine like this.”

“…”

At that moment when Werner remained silent.

“Excuse me, Lieutenant Colonel, but we’re having an important conversation right now.”

A first lieutenant who was assisting by his side suddenly intervened.

“Hmm?”

Drake Brown wasn’t a stuck-up senior who changed his attitude according to rank.

He was a commander who respected the soldiers both in the Graveyard and in the 808th Security Battalion, and preferred to be with them.

Naturally, his attitude towards the junior officers under him went without saying.

However, this situation was quite uncomfortable even for him.

“Who are you?”

“I’m First Lieutenant Edward Roman, head of the Armaments Department of the National Security Strategy Agency.”

“I know, I’m not just asking about your affiliation.”

Drake growled.

The imposing aura he exuded was truly that of a beast.

It was no wonder he was the commander of the unit in charge of the President’s closest security.

But Edward didn’t back down either.

Rather, he even smirked, lifting the corners of his mouth.

This bastard.

Drake grabbed Edward’s shoulder tightly to suppress him, as he couldn’t cause a scene in the banquet hall.

At that moment.

“That’s enough. The President is watching.”

Werner Grimm quickly stepped in between the two.

“Then, excuse me. Lieutenant Colonel.”

No matter what.
It seemed that bad relationships were still bad relationships.

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