Chapter 101
Chapter 101
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 101
Chapter Title: Severe Cold Training - 1
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Two days later, the severe cold training would begin.
It was usually held sometime between December and January, but this time it had been moved up.
"It needs to be really cold for it to count as proper training for the guys. What month is it even?"
He turned on his smartphone and checked the calendar. It was October.
However, there was a warning that starting two days from now, abnormal temperatures would cause a massive drop due to unusual weather.
As expected from the infamous Invincible Hunter Unit.
They'd timed it perfectly.
"Starting two days from now, heavy snow and extreme cold will persist... Expected temperatures between minus 28 and 30 degrees."
Definitely ideal weather for severe cold training.
Maybe because the Invincible Hunter Unit had been racking up good results lately.
They seemed motivated about training the hunters.
"It's been a while since we'll get some real training."
Unaware that he himself was the reason, Kim Minjun headed to the barracks.
To share the good news with his squadmates.
**
Two days later.
Hunter Army mountain training ground.
A fierce blizzard whipped through with biting winds.
Conditions so harsh that a regular army unit couldn't even train.
But that didn't apply to the Hunter Army.
"Ugh, this is insane. I'm freezing my ass off."
"What's the temp today? Feels like minus 40."
"It's minus 32, 32 degrees. This crazy Cheorwon in Gangwon Province."
"Legendary. Last year it didn't even drop below minus 22."
The hunters stood in full combat gear formation.
They shivered in the intense cold they were experiencing for the first time.
They were dressed thicker than usual, but considering the temperatures, their combat uniforms felt ridiculously thin.
"Ah... Please let us survive and make it back. Please!"
"Don't jinx it while you're half-asleep."
The Hunter Army's severe cold training lasted 10 nights and 11 days.
Compared to regular army units, it was quite long.
Naturally, during that time, the hunters had to battle nature itself.
Outdoor sleeping was standard, with extreme cold and intense training tormenting them in real time.
Severe cold training boosted survival skills inside dungeons.
That's why it was standard procedure across all Hunter Army units.
"Loyalty!"
A short while later.
The 2nd Battalion commander strode in confidently, followed by the company commander's training report.
"From this moment, I declare 10 nights and 11 days of training!"
A brief pep talk followed.
Things like how overcoming extreme situations was key to becoming a great hunter.
How constant training allowed them to handle the various accidents in dungeons.
It was all about the mindset every hunter should have.
"We've had great results lately, but don't get complacent! Understood?"
"Yes!"
"Understood!"
Amid the extreme cold.
The training began along with the hunters' resounding responses.
"2nd Company, 2nd Platoon! You've trained well so far—think you can handle this too?"
"Yes!"
"Voice too quiet! Think you can handle this?"
"Yes!!"
Starting with Lieutenant Kim Cheolmin's booming commands, the hunters set off toward the training ground.
They were in full gear, but all they'd brought was sleeping bags and tents.
Everything else was just training weights packed with special items.
From now until training ended, they had to fend for themselves for food, water, everything.
Of course, that was just the start.
If signs of fatigue showed in the hunters, training monsters would be deployed immediately.
It tested not just survival skills, but situational response too.
"Ugh..."
Climbing a treacherous mountain path, a fierce blizzard blinded the soldiers' vision.
Some even staggered as if they might fall.
"Keep your eyes wide open and heads up. If you're gonna trip, fall forward."
Kim Minjun supported his staggering platoonmates.
Snow piled up to knee height.
Even for hunters, it was a brutal environment to adapt to.
'Kim Seohyun's handling it on her own.'
Looking back, 2nd Company 3rd Platoon followed 2nd Platoon's line.
Kim Seohyun was leading the stragglers just like him.
Impressive adaptation for her first time in snow like this.
"From now on, I'll assess the adaptation skills of 2nd Company 2nd and 3rd Platoons."
Upon reaching the first waypoint, the waiting supervisor pulled out a sheet of paper.
It was the training evaluation form.
Items focused on survival: how they sourced food, how quickly and stably they set up tents, etc.
After a brief exchange between platoon leaders.
"Lieutenant Kim Cheolmin. 3rd Platoon will scout the west sector first."
"Yes. Then 2nd Platoon will head east."
They split to secure food supplies.
Pairing the two platoons wasn't for competition.
It was to check their cooperation.
Though platoon leaders who hated each other might screw each other over instead.
"Ugh, damn. Not sure we can even catch a single rabbit in this."
"Why's it snowing this much? Knees-deep, can't even move properly...."
Sergeant Kim Gwang-sik and Sergeant Lee Dong-jin stared at the piled snow with dizzy expressions.
They had three hours to secure food.
If they got enough for the whole 2nd Platoon within that, no deductions.
But with blizzard-level snow, even moving was tough.
Could they even secure food like this?
"Humans use tools."
"Tools, sir?"
"We're basically naked out here."
The hunters sighed at Kim Minjun's words.
Severe cold training allowed nothing but sleeping bags and tents.
Not even a single match.
Finding live game in this insane blizzard was hard enough—let alone catching it.
In three hours.
"Oh. There's one over there."
This was definitely a deduction.
As most of 2nd Platoon thought that.
Kim Minjun picked up a stone at his feet.
Whoosh!
He hurled it somewhere.
"Insane..."
"Whoa..."
A moment later.
Kim Minjun returned calmly, holding a limp rabbit.
The platoonmates cheered without thinking.
"Sergeant Kim Minjun, how'd you even see it?"
"Couldn't see a thing...."
He'd taken down mountain game with a single stone from the ground.
In this harsh, blizzard-swept environment.
"Told you. Humans use tools."
"......"
He smirked and handed over the rabbit casually.
Obviously, one wasn't nearly enough.
With all these mouths to feed.
Needed at least ten more.
Thud.
"What the—"
Scanning for more prey.
Something flew in.
A rabbit smaller than the one he'd caught.
"What is it."
"A rabbit fell from the sky?"
"No way. Probably tossed from the other platoon."
"From 3rd Platoon? They're busy hunting too...."
Everyone was baffled, but Kim Minjun quickly figured out who threw it.
'Kim Seohyun.'
Geez.
Worry about her own platoon first.
Cooperation between platoons was fine, but no need to help.
"Huh?"
"Sergeant Kim Minjun!"
"Look over there!"
Right then.
The platoonmates spotted something.
"Oh..."
"What's that? A deer?"
"No. Look closer."
About 200 meters away, an animal wandered, foraging.
A Korean water deer.
"Gangwon water deer are tough."
Even in this cold, hunting for food.
"Alright. That's our target today."
To loosen up, he sprinted full speed at it.
"Whoa! Whoaaa!"
As expected from a water deer, its cry was eerie.
It didn't get far before meeting its end.
"Platoon leader. This enough? It's pretty big."
"Y-yeah... Slippery footing and you nabbed it first try. Nice."
"Insane. Took down a water deer in one go? Just charging in?"
"Lost for words..."
Two rabbits and one water deer.
2nd Platoon secured food in just over 20 minutes.
"What? You got it this fast?"
Back at the first waypoint, the supervisor was shocked twice: once at the short time, once at the size of Kim Minjun's water deer.
Enough for 2nd Platoon to eat plenty and have leftovers.
"How'd you catch this?"
"Charged the water deer and headlocked it one-shot."
"...Hah. Gangwon water deer are super agile."
The supervisor just laughed in disbelief at Kim Minjun's answer.
"More importantly, how do we prep it?"
Securing food was great, but processing came next.
Rabbits could be skinned and gutted somehow.
But not one hunter knew how to process a water deer.
No surprise.
Even hunters rarely caught one during severe cold training.
"Step back. This is my specialty."
"Sergeant Kim Minjun?"
"You can do water deer too?"
"First time for one, but animals are animals. Watch closely."
Kim Minjun started skinning and gutting it by hand.
His skilled movements even drew the supervisor's eyes.
'Did this a ton in Ysgrid. Piece of cake. Those beasts had poison too.'
Took just over 30 minutes to finish.
He even used mana to remove the water deer's musky smell.
Perfect mana control and processing.
"Sergeant Kim Minjun! Got some wood here!"
"Good. Nice thickness."
From butchering to starting a fire.
Thanks to Kim Minjun's familiar commands and hands, 2nd Platoon prepped for the day without issue.
"Minjun."
"Sergeant Kim Minjun."
"Were you stranded on a deserted island or something? How're you this good?"
Lieutenant Kim Cheolmin laughed heartily at the scene.
Tents pitched neatly.
Fire roaring.
Even improvised tools.
Foreign survival experts like Bear Grylls would be impressed.
"Wow, that water deer from 2nd Platoon is huge."
"If you need more, come grab some. Got extras."
"Really?"
"Yeah."
The water deer roasted golden brown.
3rd Platoon's hunters, who'd only snagged rabbits, lined up drooling.
"Wow... No gamey smell at all."
"Heard water deer this season reeks too much to eat... But this is delicious."
Water deer this time of year was uneatable due to the strong odor, even if caught.
But Kim Minjun's had no smell.
Went down smooth without salt.
"No other platoon eats water deer on day one but us."
"Agreed. In this weather, others are probably starving."
As they ate with satisfied faces.
"Hey, you."
Kim Minjun approached a downcast officer.