Ignoring Hachet's screams behind him, Hayes ran all the way out of the assembly plant. At this time, only the servitors were still at their posts, operating the thermal cutting machine with their atrophied limbs and repetitive movements.
They didn't look up as Hayes walked by because their programming didn't allow it, they were designed to cut material and nothing more.
Soldiers from some regiments could be seen running past in groups. When they saw Hayes, they would whistle and salute. After all, most people thought that this commando team was a suicide squad. Unexpectedly, they actually succeeded. Hayes' identity also unknowingly changed from a recruit to a combat hero.
But Hayes had no intention of enjoying this rare honor. His finger on the trigger twitched, making him tremble slightly.
Where is the enemy?
Where are the people he wants to kill?
Then he heard a sound amid the din of machinery and gunfire, and determined its direction. It was the sound of studded boots on the floor.
Hayes turned a corner and climbed several steps to the top of several huge plasma cutters.
Although far away from the fighting, there was still a lot of noise all around. Alcoves were scattered on both sides of the casting machine, providing plenty of cover for those who wanted to hide. Sparks flew from the machines and smoke hung like fog around the beams.
Suddenly, there was a sound in front of him, a sound that Hayes would not have heard if he had not been on high alert.
Suddenly, a traitor jumped out of the alcove on the left, screaming. He was not wearing armor or body armor, only a set of overalls, and was wielding a heavy sledgehammer, but he was undoubtedly a traitor.
Hayes dodged the hammer, kicked out at the same time, hit the opponent in the chest, and fired three more shots from the laser gun.
More enemies appeared, a woman and another younger-looking man, shouting something in a language Hayes couldn't understand.
Out of nerves and fighting instincts, the woman was shot in the chest before she hit the ground, the sound of her trying to breathe even before Hayes drove his bayonet into the chest of the third man.
When Hayes drew his bayonet, the man was still alive, coughing blood in his face and feebly brandishing a weapon.
"You are the only one who still wants to hurt me?"
Hayes stabbed him back, deliberately not hitting his vitals.
The feeling of a bayonet piercing the human body was completely different from that of a sandbag. He suddenly realized why those people liked to play tricks on prisoners. There seemed to be some unique pleasure in controlling the life and death of others.
Hayes let out a horrifying laugh that he might never have imagined before. Anger and murderous intent were like poisonous wasps, stinging his soul.
There was more blood on his face, and his heartbeat was so loud it was even louder than the sound of a laser gun.
"Hayes?"
In an instant, Hayes heard Xiao An's voice, the voice of the girl who always tapped him on the head with a clothes fork after he returned from scavenging without success.
"Hayes."
The boy blinked and shook his head. That couldn't be Xiao An. She should be somewhere far away.
This is a battlefield, there should be only enemies.
Then he looked down at the corpse at his feet. The blood flowing out of it formed a small lake next to his boots. There were some broken glass inside, reflecting his blood-covered face with a distorted expression. It seemed like another person. A man, or rather a beast.
Hayes took two steps back in fear. Only then did he realize that the clothes of those he killed were uniform work clothes. The only mark on their bodies was the job number on their neck. The "dull knife" in the man's hand was used to pry open the door. Screwdriver for machine casing.
There is also a shiny silver object, a crude pressed product, around the woman's neck.
It was a double-headed eagle pendant.
At a certain moment, Hayes's heart skipped a beat, and the anger and murderous intent were lifted like a veil, revealing a face full of animality.
The gun slipped from his hand, and Hayes looked at his blood-covered hands in shock——
What has become of him?
Who is that beast that just laughed and killed?
Or a murderer?
"Hayes?"
A soft voice sounded, Hashet? Fitz? Jung? He didn't know that all Hayes could do was scream, turn around and run, his eyes widening in fear.
He didn't know how long he ran, and finally hid in a dark warehouse, just like he used to hide from the big kids who were always beating him when he was a child. He found a quiet and dark corner and huddled up in a ball.
At this moment, he had an unprecedented strong impulse, he wanted to go home——
Even though it was full of hunger and poverty, at least he was still him, he still had friends, and Xiao An.
Gradually, a low sob sounded in the darkness.
Suddenly, the warehouse door opened, revealing a ray of light. Hayes raised his head, revealing a tear-stained face, but the door was quickly closed.
With slow footsteps carrying a certain unique rhythm, the man walked to Hayes step by step, and then sat down with a sigh.
"Hashet is as anxious as a father who has lost his child. You know, we have never seen him so nervous."
Hearing Hashet, Hayes buried his head between his knees, and then whispered in a tearful tone:
"Company Commander, I did something wrong."
"Well--"
The man hummed, and then there was the rustle of groping in his pocket in the darkness, followed by a slight click, and the light of the lighter illuminated Oranios' weathered face and the cigarette in his mouth.
As the firelight disappeared, only the dim red dot of the cigarette butt remained in the darkness.
"It doesn't matter whether you admit your mistakes or not, as long as you can change them. Hayes, you are a good boy. I can understand the pain in your heart. Although I can't remember many things, I have seen countless good children whose bodies and souls were devoured by war. Get it all right, war turns people into beasts, so don’t care what other people think or think, whether it’s naive or ridiculous, just hold on to everything you value, including memories, and you’ll be able to maintain yourself of humanity.”
After a moment of silence, Hayes said softly:
"Then what do you value, company commander?"
Ouranios chuckled, causing a cough, and then put a hand on Hayes's shoulder.
"Of course it's you."
"In that case, why do you want us to carry out this mission again? Aren't there many elites in the regiment?"
Ouranios fell silent, and Hayes seemed to be able to hear the other party taking two puffs of cigarette, and then said slowly after more than ten seconds:
"Because I can only trust you. I can't guarantee that you will all go home alive, but I can guarantee that I will be the first to step onto the battlefield and the last to leave the battlefield."
"I just seemed crazy."
Hayes hesitated for a moment, then finally confessed.
"Killing innocent people, company commander, I am the murderer"
(End of chapter)
