Joint Infiltration Training
Sergeant: Baek Jaesung 6
Joint Infiltration Training
Just like the third-week survival training, this is a joint exercise for regular trainees and hunter trainees, and it's the final training before graduating from the Special Forces School. Complete it, and you get the red beret.
The roles differ between regular trainees and hunter trainees. The hunters act as scouts, infiltrating first into a heavily guarded penetration zone, then guiding the regular trainees' secondary infiltration.
The infiltration method is incredibly dynamic: parachute into the sea, swim there bare-handed, break through land surveillance forces on your own, and reach the target point. From there, use guidance equipment to direct the ally's secondary infiltration.
The day before the final training, we flew to Jeju Island.
The last training took place off the coast of Jeju Island. On the third day of the fourth week, we'd already wrapped up the drop training like popping beans in lightning. At 00:00 on the final training day, we geared up with our packs and parachutes and boarded the transport plane. The real training started now.
Woooong!
The transport plane took to the skies. Seated on either side of the plane, Kim Sang-in the sergeant eyed us with a heavy expression. In a voice as stern as his face, he spoke up.
"This is the final training. Don't get complacent."
"Yes, sir!"
Our thunderous reply filled the plane.
"You've double-checked your infiltration points, right?"
In the final training, the 20 dungeon hunters pair up into 10 teams, each taking a different route. My partner was Hwang Cheolmin.
Woooong!
Suddenly, the plane rocked hard side to side. Even in the shaking aircraft, Sergeant Kim Sang-in stood firm without grabbing anything. He always showed off in front of the trainees.
"Get ready. This is the last one."
Sergeant Kim Sang-in slammed open the aircraft door.
Shiiieek!
A ferocious blast of wind roared through. Everything outside was pitch black. It wasn't even 1 a.m. yet. A vast swamp of darkness stretched beyond the plane. And below? Ice-cold ocean.
No matter how brave, no one jumps into that abyss trusting just a parachute. But hunters are different. Hunters are more than brave humans.
"Prepare to drop in order! High-five on the way out—for the last time!"
Sergeant Kim Sang-in thrust out his hand and shouted. First up was Jang Gun-gi. As he stepped to the door, he high-fived the sergeant.
"Thank you for your service!"
"Trainees Jang Gun-gi! You've finally become soldiers! Good work!"
The sergeant added a unique word for each trainee. The others seemed pretty touched.
One by one, they high-fived Sergeant Kim Sang-in and dropped out. Hwang Cheolmin and I were last.
"Baek Jaesung. You're the least soldierly guy I've ever seen. You do everything right, but you're always slimy about it."
"You noticed?"
"At my level, I see everything. Stay safe and finish your service well."
"You stay safe too, old man, and retire smooth."
Calling him "old man" made Sergeant Kim Sang-in chuckle. The guy who'd never smiled in front of trainees once.
"Your mouth... Get the hell out."
Yeah, Sergeant Kim Sang-in wasn't a bad soldier.
Whoooosh!
I hurled myself into the void. The pitch-black world swallowed me.
But there was no fear. Instead, an unprecedented freedom enveloped me.
I was the freest being in this sky. It felt like the world was made for me.
The moment I jumped, I scanned with Darkness Radar. Dropping into a lightless sea, eyes were useless.
Shiiieek!
Hwang Cheolmin dropped right behind me. He was plummeting straight down like a spike. But his speed was way too fast.
"Slow your descent!"
He was closing in like he'd crash into me, so I bellowed. But the drop noise drowned my voice. He probably couldn't even see me.
Something's gonna go to shit.
Checked the altimeter: 3,800 feet. Time to deploy.
But fuck, Hwang Cheolmin's too damn close!
Fuck it.
It'll work out.
Not gonna die.
I deployed the parachute.
Pooof!
The chute opening sounds like thunder—no bullshit. You instinctively cover your ears. At the noise, Hwang Cheolmin finally realized we were too close.
Pooof!
He deployed right after. But trouble: sudden gusts hit. Our distance shrank again.
"Fuck! Lines are gonna tangle, you dumbass! Back off!"
We strained to move opposite ways. Our chutes were seconds from kissing.
I recalled drop training, yanking lines to control. Barely pulled apart. Hwang Cheolmin veered opposite too.
The salty sea air rose from below.
We ditched chutes almost together. Our bodies plunged into the frigid night sea with a splash. The float stones in our packs buoyed us right back up.
"Pffft!"
Steps fucked from the start. Should never team with this guy.
"Ugh! Jaesung! You okay?"
"Seems so."
Checked the compass on the altimeter.
Middle of the ocean. No lighthouses, just endless dark. We'd navigate by compass to the target.
"Northwest."
"Huuu~ Let's go."
We swam. Float stones kept us afloat.
Sea infiltration was an endurance battle. We had stamina to spare. We swam toward the target for about an hour. Stamina wasn't the issue—cold was. Even hunters felt the night sea chill gnawing at our minds.
Hwang Cheolmin floated like a chatty buoy. His yapping didn't stop over the waves. Maybe the cold made him talk more.
"So I told my girl! 'How can you say that without seeing?' Even so, that's too much. Guess what she said? Well..."
No reply for 30 minutes, yet he kept babbling.
This was creepy as fuck. Was he talking to ghosts?
"Uh... Jaesung?"
"Yeah?"
"Ah. No. No reply, so I thought I was swimming with ghosts."
Same thought, huh.
"Nah. Island's in sight."
Finally, the lighthouse at our Jeju coastal target gleamed.
"Light means we nailed it."
Our zone was guarded tight by Marines and Navy. Could break through with this space cadet?
As we neared land, we dove. To evade thermal sensors. Mana into float stones disabled them temporarily.
We surfaced at the coastal cliff. The massive wall blocked sentry sight.
"Climb this?"
Hwang Cheolmin looked worried. Soaked, 50kg packs, up the cliff. Not tough. He managed easy.
"Sentry post there."
He pointed right, checked the map. Dungeon vet—good at maps.
"Northwest. But this looks like a full Marine outpost?"
"We pierced a Marine base."
Can we trust national defense to these guys?
Hmm... dunno.
Used Darkness Control to slip inside. Two Marines chatted atop the old sentry post.
"Jaesung. Target's not here..."
"Time to spare. Let's sightsee."
The outpost was small. Barracks and dingy kitchen attached. My eyes locked on the weekly whiteboard and menu by the kitchen.
Duty Cooks: Ma Cheoldu, Jin Deokpal
Today's Dinner
Jjajang rice, braised pork, soybean paste soup, pickled radish
* Late kitchen cleanup = formation.
A surveillance camera on the barracks side—I dodged it, moved careful.
Kitchen door locked. Window open. Slipped in—fridge caught my eye.
"Leftovers? Ice cream."
My fave: bungeo psycho popsicle. No hesitation, scarfed it. Inventory full of food, but stolen tastes different.
"Whoa. Me too."
We raided the Marine fridge. As we devoured ice cream and chocolate bars, the sentries outside noticed zilch.
Ate the rations well. See ya.
The sentries are total idiots.
We left the note and slipped out. Hwang Cheolmin snickered behind.
"They're fucked."
"Not our problem."
"Kek! True."
Fuckups get rekt.