Chapter 44
Chapter 44
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 44
Chapter Title: Platoon Outing - 2
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‘Dungeon Fighter keychain.’
Not many left in stock—just the one.
Here, I’ve gotta go first.
“I’ll take this one.”
“Oh! Sharpshooter!”
“Corporal Kim Min-jun. The first shooter’s at a disadvantage here.”
“Watch me first before you say that.”
Kim Min-jun told the staff he’d pay for everything at once later, then picked up the toy gun on display.
A toy assault rifle modeled after the real thing.
‘That keychain’s mine.’
He stared at the targets with a serious gaze.
“Alright. Since you’re hunters, I’ll give you a special bonus! Something extra pops up mid-game? Hit it for 300 bonus points!”
As he picked up the gun, the staff offered the special chance.
‘Bonus 300 points.’
Add those 300, and even with a perfect score, he could snag both first and second prize.
“Here we go!”
The staff hit the button, and cute hologram monsters zipped by.
“What kind of speed is that?”
“Hey, mister. It’s fast even for us hunters—what do normal people do?”
“Nah. We slow it down for them, obviously. I’ve got a conscience.”
Meaning they cranked up the difficulty because they were hunters.
Bang! Thud!
[10 points!]
[10 points!]
[10 points!]
Kim Min-jun didn’t miss a single target.
As time passed, the targets shrank and sped up even more.
“No way this is meant for humans….”
“What the hell is that guy doing, nailing every one?”
“Whoa… Your squadmate’s crushing it.”
His squadmates gaped at his shooting skills.
“What’s his agility stat even at….”
Even Son Eun-seo looked a bit surprised.
[Bonus time!]
As the game neared its end, a massive sound effect boomed, and a mosquito-sized target appeared.
“That’s straight-up bullshit.”
“How do you even hit that?”
“Hey, mister! You charge 10,000 won a pop— this ain’t right!”
The squad even grumbled about the staff’s lack of conscience.
Bang!
[300 points!]
Kim Min-jun stayed cool and nailed the full score.
‘That last one was tricky.’
He shot the staff a look for the prizes, who pulled them out with a defeated expression.
‘Got second place. First is….’
Kim Min-jun squinted at the top prize.
‘That thing’s huge.’
First prize was an orange mushroom plushie the size of a kid’s torso.
“Awesome! Your squadmate killed it!”
“They say it’s all sales tactics, but you swept the board!”
Female hunters clapped and cheered as he emerged hugging prizes in both arms.
‘Don’t really need this. It’s just in the way.’
Kim Min-jun held out the mushroom plush to anyone who wanted it.
“Whoa! Thank you….”
Whoosh!
As the female hunters reached for it, Son Eun-seo snatched it like a ghost.
“What? First come, first served, right?”
“Y-Yes! Totally….”
She was a sergeant anyway, plus her dad had stars on his shoulder.
Who’d ask her to hand it over?
‘Chance!’
‘Guess I’ll give her that one then!’
‘Outta my way—I called it first!’
The female hunters pouted, while the squad lit up with resolve to gift them at least the third-place prizes.
“Whew. Looks like you soldiers aren’t great at shooting.”
“Something’s wrong with this gun, right?”
“No way a shooting game’s this tough….”
“Hahaha! That hunter over there got a perfect score!”
“Ugh….”
In the end, no one in the squad except Kim Min-jun won a prize.
“Last place goes to Sergeant Kim Kwang-sik!”
“Pfft. Idiot. Didn’t you know Corporal Kim Min-jun’s a beast? Chasing that 300 points nearly bankrupted you!”
“…….”
Kim Kwang-sik had tried to match Kim Min-jun’s bold play but bombed his score and came in dead last.
“Alright! That’s eight chickens on you!”
“Hey, don’t forget delivery. Make it nine.”
His peers teased and prodded him mercilessly.
Grown men over twenty acting like kids.
“My fate, I guess.”
Kim Kwang-sik sighed softly and paid for two squadmates’ worth.
“Squadmates! Time to really have some fun!”
“Yes, sir!”
After that.
Kim Min-jun and the squad rode rides nonstop for a while.
[Monster Express]
“This is it? It’s massive.”
Finally, at the Monster Express.
‘Hey. I’ll sit next to her.’
‘Sounds good. I’ll pair with that one over there.’
Hunters signaled each other and slyly swapped seats.
Meanwhile, the staff handed out VR goggles.
“Make sure they’re secure.”
“Yes!”
“Oh, and it looks like a roller coaster… but it’s scarier than you think. You sure you’re good?”
One squadmate piped up.
“Of course. How long’s the ride?”
“About 15 minutes.”
“How scary we talking?”
“It’s subjective, but most women come out crying.”
“Nice!”
“Huh?”
“Nothing.”
The squad pumped their fists at that.
“Kim Min-jun.”
Moments after he sat on the ride.
Son Eun-seo took the seat next to him.
“Got something to talk about later. Got a sec after?”
“Just say it here.”
“That’s awkward. Plus, I’ve got something for you separately.”
“Then hand it over now.”
“Ugh! Come on! It’s important!”
Kim Min-jun inwardly sighed but agreed since she called it valuable.
“Alright! Double-check those safety belts! If it’s too much, just close your eyes.”
Moments later.
With the staff’s briefing done, the coaster launched into the dark interior.
-Shreeeek!
“Gah! What the fuck!”
Boom! Thump!
“Kyaaah!”
As time went on, hyper-real monsters lunged right at their faces.
Male and female hunters alike screamed their heads off.
‘These guys swore to bond with the girls, and they’re just squeezing their eyes shut.’
Kim Min-jun smirked at his squad.
-Grrr! Grraaawl!
“Uwaaaah!”
“Hit it!”
“Moooom!”
A goblin’s club suddenly swung overhead.
So realistic the hunters jolted and freaked out.
‘Man. No games where you beat these things up?’
Kim Min-jun felt nothing.
He rode the Monster Express with a calm face for a bit.
‘Huh.’
Most of the squad had their eyes clamped shut.
Son Eun-seo next to him too.
‘Bored anyway. Perfect.’
A mischievous urge hit Kim Min-jun.
“Son Eun-seo. It’s over. When you opening your eyes?”
“It’s over?”
-Shreeeek!
“Aaaah!”
She yelped at the gaping monster.
‘Yep. This is the fun.’
Kim Min-jun quietly smirked in satisfaction.
“Come ride again!”
The staff’s all-clear signal.
Hunters finally opened their eyes, looking like they’d survived.
Some were totally zoned out.
“Damn it. My plan….”
“Guh! Am I really this chicken?”
The squad beat themselves up over their failed scheme.
**
Time passed, inside the restaurant.
As the squad eyed the menu.
They gawked at meals starting at 30,000 won base price.
“No way white rice is 4,000 won….”
“They’re pushing it hard. Isn’t 1,000 won the rule of thumb for rice?”
“Yeah. Place is pricey.”
Hunters grumbled briefly, then Son Eun-seo offered to pay.
“Dad covered it earlier. I got this—order whatever, don’t worry.”
“Uh….”
“That okay?”
“Yeah.”
Relieved on that front, the squad picked the cheapest items.
“Waaah! Where is it! You said there was one, Daddy!”
Then.
A kid started bawling loudly in the restaurant.
The dad looked flustered and scooped up the child.
“Sorry. We’ll just grab the menu and head out.”
“The shooting game one! With the Dungeon Fighter character!”
“Staff said they’re all gone, buddy. Dad’ll get you something else.”
“No! I want that one!”
The boy flailed in his dad’s arms.
‘Shooting game earlier? Dungeon Fighter?’
You little rascal.
Future gamer in the making.
Kim Min-jun, situation assessed, approached them.
“This what you mean?”
The kid’s sobs stopped dead at the character keychain from his pocket.
“Yeah!”
“Want it?”
“Yeah!”
The kid beamed and nodded furiously.
“No, really. You don’t have to. Just spoils him.”
“It’s fine. It’s not even what I wanted anyway.”
Truth was, it wasn’t his target prize, so he was offloading it.
If it’d been his fave character, even a kid wouldn’t get it.
“Big bro! Thank you!”
“Yeah. No crying in crowded places.”
Grow up strong, you little dreamer.
“Yeah!”
Onlookers smiled warmly at the scene.
A feel-good moment boosting hunters’ image.
“Your squadmate’s got a great personality.”
“Heard Kim Min-jun shot from private to corporal super fast? Super talented too.”
“Yeah. Corporal Kim Min-jun’s our company legend.”
“Oh! Last time our company did community service, he showed up on leave to help!”
“Even our company commander heard and thought he was nuts.”
The female hunters watched fondly, chatting with the guys.
Ding!
“Be right back.”
Kim Min-jun checked his KakaoTalk and stepped outside.
‘What’s she got that’s so special she needs privacy?’
If it’s lame, I’ll tease her later.
Waiting like that, Son Eun-seo glanced around and approached.
“Jeez. Someone’d think we’re trading black market gear.”
“What? It’s not illegal.”
“Anyway, you had something to say? What?”
She hesitated at his words, then answered.
“Nothing big. Just wanna be friends with you, Kim Min-jun.”
“Huh?”
“No, not like that—just friends! Friends!”
As he narrowed his eyes, she rushed to clarify no misunderstanding.
“Think of it like networking. Connections matter a ton in the hunters. You’re not aiming for officer, right?”
Actually, not “a ton”—they were everything.
So she figured befriending him was a win.
He didn’t seem romantically interested either, which was ideal.
“I’m going all the way to general.”
“Huh?”
She stared in disbelief at his absurd reply.
“Aiming for officer school via hunter track? You went to college, right?”
“Nope. Just promotions straight to general.”
“I feel dumb for taking you seriously.”
“What? What if I do pin on stars?”
Screw some four-year degree.
Crush it with raw skill.
“Anyway, hurry up and give me whatever.”
Kim Min-jun held out his palm impatiently.
“Sigh… Dad said to pass this to you.”
Son Eun-seo pulled a small box from her pocket and handed it over.
‘Wonder what’s inside.’
Click!
‘Huh? What’s this?’
Some unfamiliar item. What is it?