Chapter 304
Chapter 304, Episode 038 Memory is Not Sufficient Against Time (1)
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4 min read
Winsley Scott was found.
They searched tirelessly day and night, a full twenty-four hours filled with worry and anxiety, until their voices were hoarse from shouting.
Eventually, they spotted him on a stony beach thousands of meters away.
The same hazy dawn, but without the stormy winds or raging waves. The peaceful, stony beach littered with alternating layers of rocks seemed untouched from any stormy experience.
On that picturesque stony beach, one could see the color of the ocean — blue, green, white, intertwined. It was the color most familiar to them.
Except, the peaceful colors lay static there, surrounded by alternating rocks of various sizes. With the clash of the waves, the scene appeared like a tranquil painting.
However, upon witnessing such a scene, one could only either break down uncontrollably or remain speechless and pale.
They took Winsley Scott’s body back to the base. Bard Walker was the first to take care of the matter. Except for the frogmen who brought Scott back, no one else had seen his body in person.
"In a few days, both of them will have their funerals."
Briefing them of Winsley’s situation in full, even the usually composed Squad Leader Lin’s voice couldn’t help but carry a tinge of heaviness and sigh.
No one would want to see Forces’ death at the Base. Having stood at the cooking class post for so many years, Squad Leader Lin has seen a fair share of soldiers’ departures. This is not an ordinary Forces, with tasks that involve not just trainings and exercises, but also unexpected battles.
The so-called era of peace has never genuinely been peaceful.
Unrest, crisis, war, continually eroding their lives, but things just appeared to be relatively peaceful.
They belonged to the Marine Corps, expected to bear risks. The greater their capabilities, the larger their responsibilities, which often propelled them to hover around the brink of death.
Winsley Scott, along with another fallen soldier, were people Squad Leader Lin knew. Those naughty frogmen always liked to come to the cooking class for favors, and they were no exception.
Squad Leader Lin still remembered the time when Winsley, with a bashful face, asked him to take care of Janice Wood. Despite having been marginalized by her for a long time, Scott still smiled foolishly, his eyes filled with warmth and sweetness.
But now... a very real person, someone who seemed like just moments ago was alive and by his side... just like that...
Forever beyond reach.
The cooking class that had gathered fell gradually into silence.
Not yet their usual waking up time, the sky was still very dark. Only the light from two dorm rooms seeped out from the door gap, casting a dim, blurry glow.
Realizing the person beside her had left, Becca Reyes looked over subconsciously, uncontrollably calling out her name.
From the moment she heard the devastating news, Janice’s eyes reddened immediately. However, she listened quietly from start to end as Squad Leader Lin spoke. Amidst their immense shock, none of them detected her distress.
It was only when they saw Janice leave, that it dawned on them, the most distressed one would undoubtedly be Janice.
No one knew what had happened yesterday morning when she was with Winsley. But from her intermittent description, it was highly likely she witnessed Winsley being swept away by the ocean waves.
Most likely, Winsley was trying to save her.
Nothing could be more devastating than witnessing the person one loves fall into danger. Not to mention, after an agonizing wait of over 20 hours, the outcome was utterly heartbreaking.
— End of Chapter 304 —