Chapter 3
Chapter 3
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 3
Chapter Title: New Beginning (2)
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The man rolled his eyes. The situation wasn’t looking good. The meat wasn’t real Earth Dragon meat, so if the cops showed up and started asking questions, it would inevitably lead back to the beginning of the incident and expose everything. Even without that, the guy standing right in front of him looked plenty intimidating.
‘He’s definitely a cut above me, and on top of that, a Superpower user...’
Still sitting on the ground, the man forced an awkward smile and glanced around. It was a pathetic attempt to find an escape route. Spotting this, the elf hurriedly waved his hands.
“I don’t know him. This guy.”
“Hey!”
Betrayed, the man cried out in an indignant voice.
“Cut it out.”
Snap—
At Suhyun’s words, the two men’s mouths shut automatically. Not long ago, he had been darting between life and death on fierce battlefields, clashing against powerful monsters and carrying out dangerous covert ops against spy units from various countries.
And now, here he was, dealing with a couple of back-alley idiots. Suhyun suddenly felt pathetic about himself.
‘No, don’t get complacent just because I’m full. I should be grateful my body’s back in one piece!’
His body being whole again was the greatest joy, but the fact that he’d returned to the past was just as crucial. Suhyun intended to make the most of this advantage. He had no plans to rejoin the military and waste his youth on sacrifices like before his return.
‘To do that, I need to take the first step.’
Suhyun extended his hand.
The elf’s eyes widened round.
“Hand over the money.”
“......”
Of course, he’d take the money back. He had no intention of just walking away after being scammed. The elf’s face fell, and he returned the bills Suhyun had given him.
“You don’t have to give it all back.”
“?”
“Pork skewers are worth this much at least. Just take this. It was delicious enough, so don’t scam people by calling it Earth Dragon meat. Ignorant folks might buy it, but anyone who knows their stuff will spot it the moment they taste it. Trusting an idiot like that and pulling scams will get you killed before your time.”
“Kind human. I like you. Thank you.”
“Yeah. Mr. Elf... Come to think of it, what’s your name?”
“Franjo. Call me Franjo.”
“And him?”
“Joo Han-seong.”
“You said you didn’t know him?”
“Oh!”
The elf clapped a hand over his mouth. Suhyun shook his head at how easily he’d fallen for the simple leading question.
“No talent for scamming, as expected. Just sell pork skewers. That’s the way to live long.”
Suhyun said no more and turned to leave. Staring at his retreating back, the two men stood dazed for a moment before looking at each other.
“What the hell’s his deal?”
“Dunno?”
“Wait, you bastard. You sold me out?!”
“Gotta live. Gotta survive!”
* * *
He’d stormed out of the military full of bravado, but Suhyun couldn’t picture himself as anything but a soldier. His parents had been career military, and he’d grown up thinking he’d become a soldier working on Cameron Planet. In his previous life, he’d stayed in the military right up until he burned out as a wreck.
Suhyun lacked confidence in any other career. All his built-up experience and skills were tailored for the military; they wouldn’t translate well elsewhere.
Fortunately, Cameron Planet had an endless demand for capable fighters. And Suhyun had pride in his own abilities.
Over a decade of honed combat experience. Plus all the intel he’d gathered on Cameron Planet. If used right, it held limitless value.
“Found it.”
Arriving at his destination, Suhyun frowned at the unexpectedly shabby building exterior.
‘What’s up with this?’
Uncle Jo Company. One of the PMCs (Private Military Companies) from his memories. A modern, organized mercenary outfit.
If there was one business that boomed after the Dimensional Gate opened and Cameron Planet was discovered, it was the PMC trade. Like the gold rush after gold was found, mercenaries flocked to Cameron Planet dreaming of striking it rich.
There was a reason for that. The Dimensional Gate to Cameron Planet was located in North Korea. Only a limited number of countries could position their militaries there. Most nations didn’t even have the authority to send troops.
On top of that, regular armies weren’t suited for exploring and pioneering Cameron Planet. Maintaining security in already developed cities was burden enough, let alone scouting and advancing into uncharted territories.
Moreover, the planet’s environment wasn’t just dangerous—it came with insane combat attrition rates during advances. It wasn’t until mass protests erupted alongside soldier deaths during development that large-scale military pushes were halted.
Yet Cameron Planet remained a land of opportunity. No matter the risks, everyone wanted what lay within. People sought alternatives.
One such alternative was PMCs. Professional mercenaries driven by profit. If accidents happened mid-op, cleanup was far simpler than with soldier casualties.
Escort duties while locating and developing resources, or scouting new resource sites—the demand for PMCs was overflowing.
For someone like Suhyun, who only knew how to fight, joining a PMC was the easiest path to success on this planet. Even to leverage his intel, he needed a solid foundation first.
He’d heard of Uncle Jo Company back when he was in the military. There were countless PMCs operating on Cameron Planet, with huge variances in quality. Some operated like major corporations, while others were barely a handful of people without even a building.
‘Uncle Jo Company. I heard the president was an incredible operator...?’
Suhyun didn’t know much about Uncle Jo Company, but what he did know left a strong impression. The president was a master operator who still managed to avoid bad reviews from insiders.
Mercenaries could get as dirty as they wanted, so Suhyun found that intriguing. Being shrewd while earning good reps from those around you—how could those coexist?
That meant the president was a capable, decent guy. That’s why Suhyun had come here. Even with his skills, joining a shady outfit would be a joke. In the worst case, they might just steal everything he had. In this industry, character mattered more.
‘No, even so. This is too much...?’
Was it a building from the early days of Cameron development? It looked so worn it was unsettling. For a moment, Suhyun wondered if he’d come to the wrong place.
The rusty iron door creaked annoyingly as it opened. The inside, however, was neatly maintained. A stark contrast to the dilapidated exterior.
“Who are you?”
“Ah. This is Uncle Jo Company, right?”
“Yeah.”
“I came to join up.”
“No openings.”
“What? No spots?”
Mercenaries on Cameron Planet were always in short supply. Sure, you could rake in big money if things went well, but the risks matched. Irregular environments, monsters beyond Earth’s comprehension—the more fighters, the better.
If Uncle Jo Company was a top outfit, it made sense they’d have locked down proven mercs already. But it sure didn’t look that way from outside.
“Really?”
“Really. We didn’t even post any hiring notices, so how’d you hear about us?”
“Well, yeah, but aren’t mercenary spots always open?”
“Huh? Mercenary?”
The woman at the desk blinked at Suhyun’s words, then scanned him up and down. Aside from his shabby clothes, nothing stood out. He didn’t look like a seasoned soldier. Early twenties was rookie age everywhere—no one would assume heavy experience at that point.
“We can always find office staff.”
“Then what was that about no openings?”
“I figured you meant office work, obviously. We don’t have those.”
“I have zero interest in office work. So, there are mercenary spots?”
“There are spots, but... um. You sure you’re up for it?”
Suhyun smirked. He knew what she meant. Dangerous work required the resolve to match. Lots of clueless newbies showed up thinking of the rewards without grasping the risks.
Of course, Suhyun was leagues beyond those newbies.
“What’s going on?”
Overhearing them, a man in his forties emerged from the inner room. His beard was unkempt, his hair unkempt too—messy overall. He looked somewhat sloppy. Glancing at Suhyun, he turned to the receptionist.
“Who’s this?”
“Someone here to join as a merc, but...”
‘He doesn’t look too reliable’ went unsaid, but both Suhyun and the man picked up on it. The man scratched his chin.
“You wanna be a merc?”
“Yes.”
“Experience? Anywhere you’ve worked?”
‘Wait, come to think of it...’
Only then did Suhyun realize his current record was a mess. In his past life, he’d risen from regular grunt to special forces commander, but now? Nothing.
Suhyun trusted his abilities, but without proof, others wouldn’t buy it.
“None.”
“None? You know what we do here? What balls makes you walk in?”
“I did get basic training in the Korean military.”
That was at least decent news. The man nodded slightly.
“Hang on. Why are you here, then? How old are you? Even being generous, you should be grinding through basic as a fresh recruit right now. No way you’re discharged already.”
“Got kicked out of training camp for talking back.”
“What? Puhahaha!”
The man burst into laughter. He laughed so hard tears welled up, barely catching his breath before sizing Suhyun up. He screamed rookie, but the build was solid, clearly trained.
Plus, they were short-staffed right now. No time to be picky. A greenhorn they could train might even be a bonus.