My Platoon is Fucking Hopeless – Chapter 84

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Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: Wjin
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Meanwhile, Lieutenant Nikolai Hilbert of the 2nd Company, who was in charge of searching the other passage, felt that something was strange. It was too quiet.

Although it was an infiltration, that was only until the ground facilities were subdued. An immense amount of gunfire would have been heard during the process of subduing the troops, so it was highly likely that the men underground, unless they were idiots, would have already established a defensive line.

So, he had been proceeding with utmost caution… but more than ten minutes had passed since he entered the underground facility, and there was no sign of the enemy, not even a trace of their presence.

“Any contact from the 1st or 3rd Company?”

“None, sir.”

“Hmm…”

He hadn’t yet received word that the artifact had been secured. A nagging feeling persisted, but he had no choice but to press on. If he were to withdraw his troops based solely on his intuition, it could create an unforeseen variable for the other companies operating elsewhere.

Nikolai couldn’t bear the thought of the catastrophic consequences that might result.

“Continue the advance.”

“Yes, sir.”

At the captain’s command, the soldiers dashed forward. They were the scout team’s runners. Unlike the 1st Company, which moved as a platoon, Nikolai’s 2nd Company had organized several scout teams and sent them to various sectors, moving the entire company only after receiving their reports.

In these complex and narrow underground alleys, it was pointless for a large number of people to move in a group. Not only was it difficult to secure a line of sight, but it could also lead to massive losses if they were caught in the enemy’s concentrated fire.

Of course, if the enemy were to bring in a large army or unleash a monster, it would be a different story, but this was an armory, after all. The troops defending the ground facilities were at most company-sized, so there wouldn’t be many soldiers stationed underground.

Nikolai Hilbert had made that judgment. As he cautiously advanced with his men, checking every corner of the passage…

Bang—!

A gunshot rang out, jarring his nerves. It was close.

“Isn’t that the scout team’s position?”

There was no way he could have mistaken the direction. Nikolai and his company adjutant’s eyes met, and just as the adjutant was about to figure out what was happening…

Bang, bang-bang!!

The gunshots grew more frequent, mixed with shouts. Before Nikolai could react, three members of the scout team came running out of the passage.

“Captain!!!!”

“What’s going on!!”

“M-Monster—!!”

With a desperate cry, Randel of the 2nd Platoon’s scout team was thrown into the air. Crack! With a horrific sound, the soldier crashed to the ground.

“What, what the!?”

No sooner had he seen his fallen comrade than a hulking giant, covered in blood, stood snorting beyond his line of sight. Lieutenant Nikolai, startled, drew his pistol and fired.

Bang! Bang!!

The soldiers behind him, who had deployed, also panicked at the captain’s fire and began pulling their triggers without any specific orders. The dim underground was illuminated by the flashes from dozens of gun barrels.

But the creature didn’t fall. The giant absorbed the bullets and slowly advanced. At the terrifying sight, the drills they had practiced relentlessly vanished from the soldiers’ minds as if erased.

“M-Monster!! Help!!”

“Aaaah!!”

Finally, one soldier, unable to overcome his fear, screamed and fled, and the formation naturally broke. It was inevitable that a gap would appear in the 2nd Company’s line of fire, which had fallen into a state of chaos. And that was the moment the Mutant had been waiting for.

“Kuaaaak!!!”

The giant let out a deafening roar. Its massive fist rose, about to crush the fallen soldiers of the scout team.

“Get out of the way!”

Crack!!

With a flash of purple lightning, a man shot past Nikolai. In the blink of an eye, he rushed towards the giant and plunged a dagger into each of its eyes.

“─!!”

Crack, crackle!

Purple lightning erupted from the daggers embedded in its eyes, literally roasting the giant’s eyes. The blinded creature let out a pained scream and retreated. Master Sergeant Claude Lane, a 2nd-class Violet mage and war hero.

The 2nd Company commander was momentarily stunned, then snapped out of it and asked,

“What’s the 1st Company doing here!?”

“I came to get that bastard.”

Claude replied nonchalantly. The reinforcements weren’t limited to Master Sergeant Claude. A few more people came running from behind, panting heavily.

“Hah, hah…!! I told you to wait…!!”

“If I had waited, at least four would have died. You’re alive thanks to me.”

“Th-That’s true, but…!! At least tell me where you’re going…!!!”

It was Belle Meyer, also from the 1st Company. She was gasping for breath, but she channeled her mana and pulled the soldiers moaning near the giant back. Intermediate Blue Magic, Floor Slide.

A torrent of water erupted from the floor, pushing the soldiers’ bodies outwards and safely out of the giant’s reach. Nikolai was finally able to check the condition of his wounded men.

“Is everyone okay!?”

But no one answered properly. It was clear they were in bad shape. Everyone had at least a broken bone. The most seriously injured was Randel, who had been thrown into the air. A bone was fractured and protruding through his skin.

He must have also suffered serious internal injuries. Seeing his dire condition, Belle Meyer immediately rushed to him and began emergency treatment.

“Kuaaaah!!”

However, the Mutant hadn’t been subdued yet. Nikolai calmly focused and said to Claude, “Is there a chance we can win with magic?”

“Yes, it’s best to roast that bastard with fire or electricity. Look at it, it’s already dancing with joy.”

“Hmm…!!”

Nikolai quickly gathered his mages. Lined up like the line infantry of old, they unleashed a barrage of fire. It would have been different if they were in a close-quarters brawl, but there was no fear of making a mistake against a blinded enemy.

Flames quickly engulfed the Mutant, and the skin, imbued with the factors of trolls and yetis, couldn’t withstand the heat and began to char and curl inwards.

Thud, the rampaging giant collapsed. The remaining flames flickered on its skin.

“That’s taken care of. I’ve also secured a map of this area. If you go straight from here and turn right, you’ll find an exit.”

“Aren’t you coming with us, Platoon Leader Claude?”

“My captain hasn’t retreated yet, so I have to stay with him until the end.”

He looked down the passage. He had already ordered the 3rd Company, led by Lieutenant Luna Aile, to retreat before they met with the 2nd Company, so he was done with his duties.

“Then, I’ll leave the wounded in your care.”

“Don’t worry, just go.”

All that remained was to rejoin his company. Claude said a word to Bell Meyer, who was tending to the wounded, and then disappeared into the darkness with his platoon members.

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“That’s the second one…!”

Platoon Leader Erwin Luce stood over the fallen Mutant and said. While facing the additional mages, they had also taken down another Mutant that had been drawn by the noise of the battle.

This one was much smaller and weaker than the first. Unlike the first one, which required the firepower of the entire company, they were able to handle this one with just the 3rd and 4th Platoons. It was then that Erwin realized that this was truly the product of human experimentation.

Their body types, appearances, and strengths were all different. They weren’t being mass-produced like weapons in a factory, but were somewhat based on the original human’s physique and abilities.

Disgusting bastards. Erwin cursed inwardly and closed the eyes of the dead Mutant. Perhaps it too had been longing for such peace.

“Captain! Do we continue our charge!?”

“Well, Platoon Leader Hilton. We’re retreating now. There’s no need to occupy the entire facility.”

“Ah… so we’re not charging…?”

Hilton Callia’s shoulders, which had been tensed with excitement, slumped. Her slightly raised eyes also drooped.

‘Easy to read.’

Although they were from the same batch, Hilton Callia was a peculiar person. She was usually shy and even stuttered, but in battle, she became a completely different person.

“We’ve already achieved our objective. And we’ve also unintentionally secured a piece of the Soviet Empire’s dirty laundry. All that’s left is to retreat safely.”

“Did you hear that? Get something to put some of this damn corpse in!”

“Yes, sir!”

At Erwin’s shout, the 3rd Platoon members brought a small box they had dragged from the storage. Unlike the first one, which had been completely burned to a crisp, this one’s form was somewhat recognizable.

This alone would be enough evidence to pressure the Soviet Empire. Erwin was about to separate a piece of the Mutant’s flesh with his short bayonet.

“I wouldn’t do that.”

“……?”

With a sudden voice, a condensed ball of air grazed Erwin’s right shoulder. If he hadn’t instinctively ducked upon sensing the killing intent, his arm would have been severed. A clear green mana. Wind magic.

“Who’s there?”

Erwin stood up, clutching his torn wound. Beyond the flickering candlelight in the corridor, a pair of red eyes, as clear as the flames themselves, appeared.

“Oh, did I miss?”

“I asked who you are!”

“My, you’re in a hurry. How about we have a leisurely chat for a bit? Comrades of Ukraine.”

At those words, Company Commander Enoch Levandal moved his troops back and stood up.

“You must be the one in charge of this armory.”

“Indeed. And you must be the leader of these intruders.”

Imperial Inspector Yegor Ivanov and the Duchy’s officer Enoch Levandal. The old grudge that had begun with the attack on Belgorod Fortress was finally coming to a head.

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