A Chance Not to Be Missed

8:30 AM. Led by Scott Hayden, Jun-ho and Jun-hyuk headed toward ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠the outdoor shooting range of the REDROCK Tactical Institute, which was built at the foot of the red mountains as its name suggested. For trainees like Jun-ho who paid a premium, REDROCK’s outdoor range was a massive facility featuring ten thoroughly partitioned individual lanes. Moreover, the targets were digital, equipped with chronograph monitors and various sensors. There was a reason the two-week short-term course cost $50,000.

“Alright, then.”

Standing before the brothers—who were equipped with issued ballistic helmets, headsets, and tactical vests containing ballistic panels—was Scott Hayden, dressed in the same gear and wearing sunglasses.

“I heard you received basic training on the AR15 and Glock at a Korean academy. Is that correct?”

The firearms prepared were, as Jun-ho had specified in advance, an AR15 ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠equipped with a Picatinny rail, red dot sight, and silencer, along with a KP9 and a Glock 17. Although the guns used at the tactical academy in Korea had been replicas, their structure was nearly identical to the real thing.

“Yes, sir.”

“Then, just to be sure, let’s quickly go over the structure and jump straight into live-fire training.”

Scott Hayden taught the brothers with enthusiasm, demonstrating how to open the internal parts of the firearms and check the chambers with quick, practiced movements. Having handled them countless times at the tactical academy, Jun-ho and Jun-hyuk grew accustomed to the real AR15s without much difficulty.

“Since you’re both Korean military veterans and said you used red dot sights during your active duty, I’ll teach you actual combat shooting techniques right away.”

A combat pro who was a veteran among veterans, Scott Hayden taught them more practical and detailed versions of the techniques the brothers had learned at the Korean tactical academy, such as controlled pairs, lead shooting, and pivot shooting. He was truly a veteran instructor from a $50,000 private academy. Furthermore, following the hour-long AR15 session, brief training and live-fire drills for the Glock 17 and KP9 followed immediately. Jun-ho found the KP9 training particularly interesting and useful.

“Now, this submachine gun is optimized for rapid response. The barrel is short and the range is limited, but thanks to the silencer, accuracy is maintained.”

With that, Scott Hayden fired at the targets with lightning-fast movements while on the move, without even looking through the red dot sight.

Tak-tak-tak!

Three rounds fired in semi-auto hit the heads of the targets thirty meters away with precision. The subsequent shots were no different. The 9mm subsonic rounds, fired with clean, efficient movement, all lodged themselves into the heads or chests of the targets.

“Whoa…”

As Jun-hyuk marveled, Scott Hayden finished his safety check—habitually removing the empty magazine and checking the chamber—and spoke.

“Do you know the characteristic of the shooting method you just saw?”

“Perhaps because the firearm is light, it seems like you use your entire body more for recoil control.”

“Correct. As expected of a Ranger veteran. Now, shall you give it a try?”

Under the one-on-one ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠guidance of the seasoned instructor Scott Hayden, Jun-ho and Jun-hyuk took turns conducting live-fire drills for each weapon. Since both were reservists who had thoroughly polished their fundamentals at the tactical academy in Korea, the first day of live-fire training proceeded as smoothly as water.

“Junhyuk, solid grip! Push with your support hand more! Yes! That’s it!”

“Good job Juno! Two rounds, one target! Tight grouping! Good! Very good!”

Receiving encouragement, correction, and admiration from Scott Hayden—a veteran among veterans and a skilled combat instructor—the brothers fired a total of 1,000 live rounds throughout the morning and afternoon. With the first day of training concluded, the brothers spent the entire week practicing precision shooting, reaction shooting, and mastering movement and transition shooting in combat scenarios. They even conducted day and night tactical shooting drills. Because they were used to intense physical training, the brothers didn’t tire at all and participated diligently, which greatly satisfied Scott Hayden, who in turn became even more enthusiastic in his instruction.

***

A week at REDROCK had passed. Jun-ho and Jun-hyuk had mastered right-to-left shoulder drills, multiple target transition shooting, three-round burst response routines, and reaction shooting within two seconds. They also covered rapid transitions from AR15 and KP9 to the Glock 17, corner approach and wall-hugging shooting, two-man team alternating entry, tactical and emergency reloads, and jam clearing. They learned how to utilize lights and laser seekers for each weapon, stationary shooting after nighttime target identification, and precision shooting at distances from 10 to 100 meters while moving. On top of that, they performed all the above drills again with the red dot sights removed, using only the iron sights.

Thus, on the final seventh day, the brothers underwent a comprehensive combat shooting evaluation that combined tactical course completion. In this evaluation, which required completing a 500-meter combat shooting course involving five weapon transitions and ten shooting positions in under seven minutes while fully geared, Jun-ho and Jun-hyuk passed with flying colors, earning an A+ and an A, respectively, with times of 4 minutes 12 seconds and 5 minutes 27 seconds.

Jun-ho’s record, in particular, was not only far shorter than the average completion time (5 minutes 30 seconds to 6 minutes) of the countless trainees who had passed through REDROCK, but it was also a top-three record, enough to surprise not only Scott Hayden but the other instructors who oversaw the evaluation with him.

And after taking a full day off, the next day, the brothers finally received the ‘special situation’ simulation training that Jun-ho had specifically requested.

“The request isn’t exactly standard, but here at REDROCK, we have simulation programs for things like drug cartel hideout raids and responding to urban riot zones. We modified those slightly to recreate a situation as close to your request as possible.”

True to being a company in a capitalist thug-nation, REDROCK Academy faithfully followed the request of Jun-ho, a $50,000 client. The focus and passion the brothers showed throughout the training also played a part, and REDROCK Academy judged that such special training programs would help attract a new client base. In any case, the brothers were to receive high-difficulty response tactical training, assuming the use of live ammunition, against threats armed with knives, iron pipes, and baseball bats in narrow building interiors tailored to the Korean environment.

The first day was training to hit stationary targets using rubber bullets, and the second day continued with a situation where REDROCK employees wearing armor and full-face helmets launched direct attacks. Motion sensors were installed in the employees’ helmets and armor, and Jun-ho and Jun-hyuk also wore vibration alarm vests to receive impact feedback. Unlike the first day against stationary targets, on the second day, Jun-ho was marked for 2 hits and Jun-hyuk for 6.

However, the brothers were not disappointed. Because the REDROCK employees were all veterans from special forces units around the world, including the U.S., with extensive real-world combat experience. In fact, REDROCK was shocked that Jun-ho had been hit only twice while landing shots on the heads or chests of all ten employees.

Thus, on the 11th day, the brothers repeatedly engaged in training to suppress multiple threats—who were extremely violent and aggressive due to drug use—indoors and outdoors using non-lethal barrage shooting and two-man team cover fire, or to secure a safe zone after moving to the rear. On the 14th day, they underwent a comprehensive combat evaluation of an indoor-outdoor complex scenario course spanning about 1 kilometer, including two buildings.

And this comprehensive combat evaluation, which involved 8 weapon transitions and over 20 shooting points, was watched in real-time by REDROCK instructors and several executives via CCTV and drone footage.

***

“This is fascinating. It reminds me of Mogadishu in ’93.”

An executive nearing sixty marveled as he watched the brothers on the monitor, moving without pause while firing at targets in the right places. “The locals and the rebels were all drugged up and rushing at us like crazy. How should I put it… they were like zombies. Anyway, if the Delta team had a training program like this back then, things would have been very different.”

“Times have changed a lot, haven’t they? If you’d just had drones, it would have been different.”

“Well, that’s true. Anyway, that client, Juno? He’s a Korean military Ranger veteran?”

“Yes. He enrolled through an introduction from a Korean tactical school instructor that Scott knows personally. He finished last week’s comprehensive shooting course evaluation in the 4-minute range.”

“Whoa! Koreans are certainly tough. So, is he planning to join a PMC?”

“That’s… apparently just a hobby. From what Scott heard, he’s quite a millionaire in Korea.”

“What?”

The executive’s eyes widened, and he muttered “fucking crazy” several times while shaking his head. Meanwhile, the 12-minute evaluation period ended, and the behavioral assessment and results for the two appeared on the monitor.

Jun-ho’s evaluation was on par with what an active special forces member or a top-tier PMC operative might receive, and Jun-hyuk was also proven to possess the skills to command a base salary of over $80,000 if he were to join a PMC right now. Their teamwork was also at the highest level.

“This… we can’t use this for company promotion by offering them money, can we?”

At the executive’s words, the employee who was checking the monitor with him gave a bitter smile. “We can’t. They’re citizens of an allied nation and they’re rich. They won’t ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠allow it.”

“A shame, a real shame. Still, you never know, so let’s ask.”

“Yes, let’s do that.”

The words “Do you think that will work?” rose to his throat, but the employee nodded for now. He sent a radio message to Scott Hayden, who was praising the brothers for finishing all the training, and soon Scott spoke with a slightly troubled expression.

“Juno, I’m sorry to ask this, but since I’m just an employee getting a paycheck, I have to ask.”

“What is it, Scott?”

Because they had become quite close over the two weeks, Jun-ho asked back without hesitation.

“The higher-ups seem to want to use the footage of you and Hyukie for company promotion. On the condition that all personal information that could identify you—name, country of origin, race—is kept private, they’re offering $10,000 each, for a total of $20,000. What do you think?”

“Our training evaluation footage?”

“Yes. One of the higher-ups seems to have been quite impressed. They also want to make proper use of this special training program you requested.”

As Scott Hayden pointed to the sky with his thumb, Jun-ho naturally looked up. A drone was hovering leisurely in the cloudless sky.

“We’re wearing helmets, ballistic sunglasses, and masks anyway, so our faces aren’t showing. Personally, I’d refuse, but…”

Jun-ho, who had been listening to Scott Hayden’s words silently, answered before he could even finish.

“No. Tell them it’s okay to use it.”

“Seriously?”

“Yes. Instead, tell them there’s a condition other than money. If they grant it, they can use the footage however they want, provided our faces and personal information are thoroughly kept private.”

In the United States, the land of lawsuits, one would have to be prepared to pay millions of dollars if they carelessly leaked the personal information of a wealthy client. So, as long as he and Jun-hyuk couldn’t be identified, Jun-ho didn’t mind if the footage of the ‘special situation’ training they received was released to others. Of course, it wasn’t out of some naive humanitarianism hoping that even one more person might survive by watching this. The reason was immediate.

“The higher-up is asking what you want?”

When Scott Hayden asked after finishing the radio call, Jun-ho took off his mask, which was damp with sweat, and said calmly.

“Please get me some Dragon Skin body armor. I’ve searched the internet hard, but I couldn’t find any in Korea.”

He had already confirmed that one of the REDROCK Academy executives had retired from the U.S. Army a few years ago with the rank of field officer. Someone like that would be able to procure Level 4 special body armor that weighed about 20 kilograms for the top and bottom combined and could even stop armor-piercing rounds. Jun-ho could not let this opportunity, which had come by chance, slip through his fingers.