Booby Trap
"Sergeant First Class Kang. Hold on."
"Holding."
"Everyone, fall back twenty meters from your current positions."
"Falling back twenty meters."
We were currently conducting a security patrol along the border, an area where rebel forces frequently made appearances. Midway through our route, the Team Leader stopped Sergeant First Class Kang Dong-cheol, who was leading the vanguard, and ordered the rest of us to retreat. Something must have caught the Team Leader's eye.
"Sergeant First Class Im."
"Yes, sir!"
"Over here."
The Team Leader and our primary demolition specialist, Sergeant First Class Im Deok-su, stood together whispering about something. The rest of us watched them from twenty meters away.
"Doesn't this spot look a bit off to you?"
Im Deok-su stared intently at the patch of ground the Team Leader was pointing at.
"It definitely looks suspicious, sir. You wouldn't notice it at a glance, but looking closely, something's unnatural."
"What do you think it is?"
"Looks like a booby trap."
The Team Leader and Im Deok-su jogged back to our position.
"Dong-cheol."
"Yes, sir."
"See that slightly raised mound over there?"
"Yes, sir."
"Blow it away with a grenade."
"With a grenade, sir?"
"Yeah."
Our secondary firearms specialist, Sergeant First Class Kang Dong-cheol, raised his grenade launcher and scored a direct hit on the exact spot the Team Leader had indicated.
Thump—!
A brief pause followed, and then—
BOOM! CRASH! ROAR!
The initial grenade blast was instantly swallowed by a secondary explosion of unimaginable scale. The ground beneath our boots trembled violently.
"What the hell... Fuck!"
"Did they rig a booby trap?"
"Those crazy rebel bastards have lost their minds."
"Jesus. How many explosives did they bury down there?"
"Even their own guys could've been blown to pieces. They actually rigged that?"
"They're absolute lunatics."
The sheer magnitude of the blast left the entire team visibly shaken.
"O-seong, contact HQ immediately," the Team Leader ordered. "Tell them we found a booby trap and warn all other teams to exercise extreme caution."
"Yes, sir."
A few moments later, however, the radio crackled back with a response from headquarters.
"They're telling us to abort the patrol and return to base, sir."
"Alright. Everyone, fall back."
"Falling back."
Due to the threat of rebel booby traps, all active security patrols and mobile clinic operations for the Suho Unit were temporarily suspended.
Knock, knock.
"Team Leader, you called—"
"You're here? Let's go."
"Where to, sir?"
"The Commander wants to see us."
"The Commander, sir?"
"Yeah. He told me to bring you up with me."
...
"Don't just stand there. Have a seat."
"Yes, sir."
Once the Team Leader and I settled onto the sofa, the Commander, Colonel Son Tae-sik, got straight to the point.
"We received word from the Congolese government."
The moment those words left his mouth, the Team Leader's expression stiffened. The Commander noticed and quickly waved his hand.
"It's not what you think. Even those Congolese bastards have some shame; they wouldn't dare ask that. They'd love it if we stayed, but they can't outright beg us to."
"Then what is it, sir?"
"The Congolese government has formally invited In-bae."
"Me, sir?" I blurted out, genuinely startled. Why on earth was the Congolese government inviting me? If they were going to extend an invitation, it should have been for our entire team, not just me.
"Yes. They invited only In-bae."
"I don't understand why, sir."
"I don't know the exact reason either. That's just what the invitation said."
"Would it be alright if I declined, sir?"
The Commander cast a sidelong glance at me.
"Do you think you can?"
"..."
"What I'm about to tell you is strictly off the record. I didn't hear this through official channels, but from a close government contact. I'm telling you because I think it'll help you understand the situation. Take it with a grain of salt."
"Yes, sir."
"With the Okapi Sting achieving such massive results, the Congolese government desperately wants to keep you guys here. But they already used up that card a year ago. Now... our deployment end date is..."
"Two months away, sir."
"Exactly. We only have two months left, and now all patrol operations have been suspended because of the booby traps. The Congolese are panicking. They believe that if Uvira falls, it's only a matter of time before the entire country is overrun. But as it happens, there are South Korean corporations eager to break into the Congolese market. It seems they've reached an understanding with our government. There's talk of dispatching In-bae as a tactical instructor for the Congolese special forces."
"In-bae as an instructor?" the Team Leader asked, his brow furrowing.
"Yeah. It's not like the rest of you would agree to stay even if ordered. You're all returning to Korea, aren't you?"
The Commander was right about that. We had already made up our minds to return home, no matter what.
"In-bae will be returning as well, sir," the Team Leader answered firmly on my behalf.
"But... it seems the government is aware that In-bae isn't on good terms with his family. The reason they only called In-bae is probably because they think they can persuade him if they get him alone. In-bae still has some mandatory service time left, and he has no real reason to rush back to Korea. They're thinking they can win him over by having a corporation guarantee him a job later, or by offering government incentives like extra points for long-term service, or maybe bumping up his pay grade. None of this is set in stone, of course. It's just what I've heard."
"..."
I couldn't say a word. Honestly, it wasn't a bad deal. A guaranteed job at a major conglomerate, a higher pay grade... Under normal circumstances, I would have jumped at either offer.
But I didn't want to accept it at the cost of leaving this team. I wanted to stay with them. I wanted to sweat, struggle, and bleed alongside them. I felt a sudden pang of resentment toward the Commander for trying to send me away.
"Ultimately, the decision is yours," the Commander said. "So don't make up your mind based solely on what I've said. Go and hear them out. Just think of it as a one-week vacation. You depart the day after tomorrow at 0900 hours."
"..."
"Yes, sir. Understood."
I kept my mouth shut, my face twisted into a deep scowl, leaving the Team Leader to answer for me before we stepped out of the Commander's office.
Once outside, the Team Leader led me to a quiet, secluded corner of the base.
"In-bae."
"Yes, sir."
"The Commander was speaking to you, and you didn't even answer. What kind of attitude is that? Wearing your displeasure right on your face."
"I'm sorry, sir. But I really don't want to go."
The Team Leader's voice dropped, carrying a stern weight I had never heard from him before.
"Is the military a place where you only go where you want and skip what you don't? Since when did our military develop that kind of culture? Isn't 'If it doesn't work, make it work' the motto of our Black Berets?"
"I'm sorry, sir."
"The Commander went out of his way to give you a heads-up out of consideration. Did you really have to scowl and refuse to answer like that?"
"I'm sorry, sir."
"Are you going to refuse to go on our team's operations if they're not to your liking? Are you going to abandon your assigned missions?"
"No, sir."
Perhaps my repeated apologies finally got through to him, because the Team Leader's voice softened slightly.
"In-bae, I know you cherish this team. But that's a separate issue. And besides, once we return to Korea, our team will be disbanded anyway. Some will discharge, others will be reassigned to different units."
"..."
"Don't overthink it. Like the Commander said, the choice is yours. For now, just go, clear your head, and eat some good food."
"I'm sorry for acting so childishly, sir."
"If you're that sorry, bring back something delicious when you return."
"I'll bring back a full-course feast, sir."
"I'm just kidding, you punk."
"I was kidding too, sir."
"This bastard, getting cocky on me, haha..."
The anger melted away, and the Team Leader returned to the warm, familiar man I knew. I, too, returned to my usual self.
Looking back, I don't know why I acted like that. I was throwing a tantrum. A childish tantrum in front of the Commander, of all people. Yet, the Commander hadn't punished me, and the Team Leader had only corrected my attitude. They both seemed to understand exactly why I was acting out. I felt incredibly grateful, and deeply embarrassed.
...
"Loyalty! Sergeant First Class Gong In-bae reports that he has been ordered to attend the Congolese Military Conference. Sir!"
"Right. Have a safe trip."
With that, I set off for Kinshasa, the capital of Congo. From our base in Uvira to the capital, it was a straight-line distance of 1,500 kilometers. As I mentioned before, this is the second-largest country in Africa—twenty-three times the size of South Korea. Traveling by land was practically impossible. The roads were in terrible condition, and the routes were crawling with rebel factions. Thus, I had to fly out from Melchior Ndadaye International Airport.
...
After the official event in Congo concluded, a man approached me as I was preparing to head to my quarters.
"Pleasure to meet you. I am Seong Jun-hui, a Secretary at the South Korean Embassy."
"Sergeant First Class Gong In-bae, sir."
"Thank you for coming on such short notice."
"Not at all, sir. When duty calls, I must answer."
"Thank you. There are some people here I'd like to introduce to you. Do you mind if I introduce them?"
I had no desire to meet anyone, but I didn't have the authority to refuse.
"This is General Manager Hong Hyeon-yeong of the Korea Resources Corporation. This is General Manager Ye Tae-seong of LY Electronics, and this is Representative Oh Gi-jeong of DL Mining."
"Nice to meet you. I'm Gong In-bae."
"It's a pleasure. I've heard how incredible the Okapi Sting is, but coming to Congo, the rumors don't even do you justice."
"I've been dying to meet a member of the Okapi Sting. It's an honor to meet you."
"I spoke with some of the locals at the venue earlier, and they had nothing but praise for the Okapi Sting."
"They said the rebels can't even move because of you guys."
"No, you flatter me. It's not my doing, but the achievement of our entire team."
"Why don't we move to a more private spot to talk?"
"Shall we?"
We relocated to a quiet room and began our conversation.
"Sergeant First Class Gong. Are you familiar with coltan?"
"Yes. Isn't it one of the mineral resources mined here in Congo?"
"Correct. Do you know what it's used for?"
"I don't know the exact details, but I've heard it's used to manufacture things like smartphones and laptops."
"You're well-informed. Coltan is an essential material for modern electronics. Naturally, South Korea requires a massive amount of it."
"Is that so?"
"The issue is that the vast majority of the world's coltan is produced right here in Congo. South Korea has held multiple negotiations with the Congolese government regarding coltan mining rights, but we never achieved any significant results. However, the Congolese side recently made an interesting proposal."
"An interesting proposal?"
"They offered to grant us coltan mining rights if we let the Okapi Sting stay."
"We have already decided to return to Korea once our deployment ends."
"Yes, we are aware of that. However, they said it doesn't have to be the entire team. They want to hire you as an instructor to train the Congolese military. They want you to pass down the tactical know-how you've gained on the battlefield."
"That's..."
"We've already cleared this with the Ministry of National Defense. There are no legal issues with you being dispatched to the Congolese military as an instructor," Secretary Seong Jun-hui chimed in.
"You would be training Congolese special forces in the rear, far from the actual front lines."
"I don't have the skills to teach anyone, sir."
"We've actually verified that with several sources, and everyone unanimously agreed that when it comes to raw skill, Sergeant First Class Gong is the absolute best. They said you are more than qualified to be an instructor. On top of that, you are fluent in English, can communicate reasonably well in French—the official language of Congo—and have extensive field experience. You meet every single requirement perfectly."
"Even so... I want to stay with my team."
"We heard you have a deep affection for your team. But we also know that the team will be disbanded as soon as you return to Korea. We are asking you to take on this instructor role here in Congo after the team disbands. The contract is for one year."
General Manager Ye Tae-seong of LY Electronics chimed in next.
"This might not be much of an incentive, but if you agree to become an instructor, LY Electronics will guarantee you a position at our company after you discharge from the military. If you prefer to continue your military career instead of taking the job, we will pay you one hundred million won in cash."
"At DL Mining, we would also like to offer you an advisory role and pay you an additional one hundred million won. This is entirely separate from LY's offer," Representative Oh Gi-jeong added.
"You will continue to receive your current military salary and allowances, and on top of that, you will receive a salary as a Congolese instructor, though it might not be a massive amount."
This was insane. The terms were too good. Even if they had just asked me to be an instructor, I would have had to seriously consider it. A guaranteed job at LY Electronics? That was a major conglomerate that even elite college graduates struggled to get into.
But a career at LY Electronics wasn't in my future. What would a high school graduate like me even do there? On the other hand, the one hundred million won cash from each company—two hundred million won in total—was incredibly tempting. And I'd still get my regular salary. I wanted to stay with my team, but they were going to disband anyway.
"May I have some time to think about it before giving you my answer?"
"Of course, take all the time you need."
Just then, Secretary Seong Jun-hui's phone rang. He answered it, and within seconds, his face turned completely pale. Everyone's eyes locked onto him.
"What's wrong?"
"The Okapi Sting... has met with an accident."