"Heh."
William smiled without saying a word, while silently using the system to scan the Spartans before him.
Their average loyalty was at seventy-five—neither high nor low.
Even though he had gained a wave of favorability using toys and gifts, children are the most grudge-holding creatures; they aren't easily coaxed.
However, he wasn't afraid that the post-augmentation Spartans would lack loyalty.
Setting aside the system's assimilation function for a moment...
Even in the original game's lore, the Spartan IIs initially hated Halsey intensely, even attempting to resist and escape multiple times.
With militarized management, the Spartans developed deep bonds of brotherhood, gradually understood the responsibilities they shouldered, and eventually became the Soldiers and heroes who saved all of humanity.
Even George-052 in "halo: Reach," a veteran Spartan-II Soldier, would affectionately call Halsey 'Mother.'
...
"Everyone."
William gestured for the Spartans to quiet down and said, "Major Kent still has some matters to instruct you on. I won't disturb him any further."
"Yes, sir." John was the first to stand and salute William, and the other Spartans followed suit.
"Alright, at ease."
After speaking, William left the conference hall with a group of Alphas. Kent, who had been waiting outside, walked to the podium to continue explaining the precautions the Spartans needed to take.
Following that, William and Halsey left Minos Island on a CH-53, heading for the military Base in Kenya six hundred kilometers away.
To be honest...
He quite liked the dull life on Minos Island, despite the simple facilities and the many inconveniences like the lack of internet.
Watching Halsey teach the young Spartans from a distance always allowed his mind and body to relax.
He didn't have to think about strategic deployments, annexation plans, or any of that headache-inducing work.
However, avoidance doesn't solve problems.
It was time to return to Halifax and let Umbrella continue its expansion.
———————
...
The file contained reports from three Agents embedded within the Royal Canadian Mounted Police.
The reporting format consisted of oral accounts from the surviving Agent and helmet camera footage from their equipment.
Date: February 24, 2007.
Country: Canada.
Province: Saskatchewan.
Town: Deschambault Lake.
Area: A peninsula of approximately 270 square kilometers.
Population: 1,194.
Deschambault Lake is surrounded by the lake on three sides, with only Highway 911 to the south leading to the outside World. The nearest city to the town is fifty kilometers to the southeast.
Since sixty percent of the peninsula consists of mountainous forest terrain, the vast majority of the population is concentrated along the west coast.
The center of the town is the Royal Canadian Mounted Police station; the detachment has three Mounties living in this community.
Between August and November 2006, these three Mounties successively became field Agents for the Umbrella Corporation.
Brief information on the Agents is as follows:
Sergeant: Sean Patrick.
Age: 41.
Gender: Male.
Personality: Steady, cares about family.
Physique: Strong, proficient in combat.
...
Officer: Adam Gale.
Age: 25.
Gender: Male.
Personality: Hot-blooded, strong sense of justice.
Physique: Standard, stronger than average.
...
Officer: Andy Clermont.
Age: 27.
Gender: Male.
Personality: Humorous, values friendship.
Physique: Standard, stronger than average.
...
The file narrative begins.
...
Inside the Deschambault Lake RCMP Station;
"Whoosh—!" The howling sound of a blizzard.
"Clang—Clang—!" The glass windows shook violently due to the difference between indoor and outdoor air pressure.
Sitting behind his personal desk, Adam listened to the violent noises and looked out the window.
The blizzard was intensifying.
The already sparsely populated streets became even emptier, leaving only vehicles parked by the roadside, nearly half-buried in snow.
Adam couldn't help but worry, "Sigh, this snow... it'll fall for at least another four days."
"What, feeling bored?" Andy, sitting behind Adam, teased.
"Ah... a little." Adam turned around to look at Andy and said in a slightly excited tone:
"Hey, did you know? It seems the company has reached an agreement with the United Nations."
"Seems like it."
Andy leaned back in his chair with his hands behind his head, surveyed the small Police station, and lamented, "The boss is only twenty years old and is already being received by World leaders.
I'm almost thirty and I'm still stuck in this small town."
"True." Adam nodded in agreement and said:
"I really hope our town has some anomalies too. I heard that if you discover them three times and successfully contain them, you have a chance to be assigned to the UBCS."
"Eh!" Hearing this, Andy pulled his hands back and waved them in front of him:
"The Agent in Athabasca didn't even leave a whole corpse. I don't want to run into that; I'm still waiting to pick up some girls."
"You guy, you have the nerve to call yourself B-class personnel?" Adam gave him a look of contempt.
"Enough!" A solemn roar came from the station's only office.
The two, who had been chatting relaxedly, quickly adjusted their posture and pretended to be working seriously.
Shortly after, the office door opened.
Sean, wearing a cowboy hat, came into the hall, looked at the two Agents, and admonished them, "Even though we are all company Agents, don't forget the confidentiality agreement..."
"Discussing anomalies casually is not allowed. Do I need to help reinforce your memories?"
"No, Officer, no need!" the two Agents replied in unison.
"Hmph." Only then did the anger fade from Sean's face.
Knock, knock! An urgent knocking at the door.
Immediately, several voices calling for help came from outside:
"Sean! Help us!"
"Sergeant, open the door."
The sudden commotion did not cause the three Agents to panic.
"Coming." Andy, who was closest to the door, stood up to open it.
Click!
Whoosh—!
Step, step!
After the door opened, several couples in their forties flooded into the small Police station.
The three Agents were also locals born and raised in the town and were very familiar with these couples.
Through conversation, they learned that a few days ago, their children had spontaneously organized an expedition to go camping in the forest east of the town.
But they didn't expect the blizzard to come so suddenly, and the temperature dropped to the lowest in fifty years.
Combined with the persistent inability to contact the children, the panicked parents had come here to report it to the Police.
After confirming the general situation of the case, Sergeant Sean first calmed the parents' emotions and told them to return home and wait patiently.
Afterward...
Andy, who was organizing the records, complained after the parents had completely left the station:
"The Grays and the others are really something, letting a group of inexperienced high schoolers go play around in the forest, and in winter too! Tsk tsk."
"Enough." Sean, with a serious face, stopped Andy's idle talk.
The Sergeant walked over to the map of the peninsula hanging on the wall, pinching his chin with one hand as he analyzed:
"Based on the information provided by the parents, the area where the children were last active is near here (pointing to the map). There's an abandoned mine there..."
-------------------------------
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