Chapter 72
Chapter 72
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: penny
Chapter: 72
Chapter Title: Behave Yourself
-----------------------------------------------------------------
To sum up the contents written on the document simply:
Instead of joining the Hunter Special Task Force, they would promote him one rank to Staff Sergeant.
A one-rank promotion for an NCO was far better than for an enlisted soldier, but Kim Min-jun felt nothing.
'They should've at least lifted the no-electronics clause first if they wanted to negotiate with me.'
The Special Task Force's principle was to strictly prevent identity exposure.
As soon as he joined, he wouldn't be able to show his face easily in society.
'What? I have to cover more than half my face when operating in public? What am I, a Saudi Arabian woman?'
What good was lots of money and fast promotions?
If they were going to take away his freedom.
In that case, he'd rather live it up in Igard.
"If you make exceptions for the no-electronics or internet clause and the identity exposure clause, I'll think about it again."
"...Even for an outstanding Hunter like you, that's impossible. It's a strict rule of the Special Task Force."
"I'm sorry. As I said before, I want to serve where I have at least some freedom guaranteed."
"Sigh...."
The operations staff officer let out a sigh at Kim Min-jun's firm response.
He was a general.
Not one star, but two.
The guy sitting in front of him was just a lowly sergeant.
He had gone out of his way to set up this opportunity, and now it was being kicked away?
All because of no internet?
Irritation suddenly surged.
"Think about it one more time. This kind of opportunity won't come again. I'm saying this because your abilities are too valuable to waste."
"I'm sorry. I'll serve here."
"Sergeant Kim Min-jun. I didn't want to say this, but...."
He had tried to persuade nicely, but got a cold rejection in return.
"The military is a place where you do what you're told. I'm the operations staff officer sitting in front of you. A general. Not one star, but two. Do you still not get it?"
The suddenly furious operations staff officer raised his voice at Kim Min-jun.
"Rejecting like this is meaningless. You saw it during the 5th standby— the Special Task Force has power. I can make your unit suffer as much as I want. Want me to harass you so bad you can't even sleep?"
A somewhat coercive tone and attitude.
After Kim Min-jun repeatedly rejected the offer, the operations staff officer's attitude changed abruptly.
Realizing persuasion wasn't working, he switched to half-threats.
'What? You're threatening me? You? To me?'
Kim Min-jun's eyes sharpened.
'All that talk about how the military's gotten so much better these days is bullshit. Outright threatening like that.'
If the operations staff officer had said he'd harass only Kim Min-jun, it wouldn't have fazed him.
It would even help his performance scores—exactly what he wanted.
'So you're going to harass my whole unit too?'
But if his fellow Hunters in the unit suffered because of him, that changed things.
The 104th Division was already undergoing intense training due to insufficient preparation.
If the Special Task Force got involved, the Hunters would drop dead.
"I'll warn you once. If you keep messing with me, your whole unit will go up in smoke."
Kim Min-jun spat a threatening voice at the operations staff officer.
Compared to his time in that world, he'd mellowed a lot, so he stopped there.
"W-What? Sergeant Kim Min-jun! Have you lost your mind! I can't just let that comment slide— Khek!"
The operations staff officer tried to get angry but suddenly clutched his throat from the pressure.
"W-What's this all of a sudden... Kek!"
It wasn't just his throat.
An intangible energy seemed to squeeze his entire body.
If he didn't hold on to his sanity, his consciousness would fly away.
"You should've just let it slide."
Kim Min-jun smirked bitterly at the choking operations staff officer.
"That way you can retire and get a fat pension."
"...K-Khek!"
The operations staff officer trembled at Kim Min-jun's gaze.
He felt instinctive fear.
"If I wanted to, I could wipe out a country like Korea with ease. Know why I don't? Because this is my hometown. And military service is something every healthy adult man has to do."
The operations staff officer's face froze white.
Kim Min-jun chuckled and switched off his Demonic Energy Singularity skill.
Purple demonic energy that had filled the space then revealed itself.
"W-What is this! You, you! What the hell are you... Urk!"
The operations staff officer felt his consciousness fading rapidly.
Severe nausea rose too.
It started the moment that bizarre smoke appeared.
"S-Stop! I'll leave this unit alone!"
Feeling his life threatened, the operations staff officer answered quickly.
He even swore never to speak of what happened today.
He didn't understand the situation at all, but dragging it out would spell disaster.
"Aw. Verbal oaths don't count, do they?"
Kim Min-jun withdrew the demonic energy into his body.
The choking pressure vanished like a ghost.
"You won't be able to speak of what happened here today."
He drew blood on his finger and dropped it on Division Commander Mun Ye-chan's forehead.
"W-What did you do to me...."
"Nothing at all. I love Korea too much for that."
One of the minor special abilities black magicians had: Constraint.
It literally restricted the target's actions.
The gap in power had to be huge, the target gripped by intense fear, etc.
The conditions were strict, but more than enough for the guy in front of him.
'I absolutely can't touch that guy.'
Division Commander Mun Ye-chan's face was drenched in sweat.
He'd overcome every worst-case scenario to earn his stars, but the aura from the man before him was on another level.
What the hell was that guy's identity?
What was that bizarre smoke just now?
He didn't even want to ask.
He just wanted to get out of there as fast as possible.
"Why not go nice from the start? How much easier would that be?"
He supported the stumbling operations staff officer and opened the door for him.
"Take care going back. Loyalty!"
Kim Min-jun put his index finger to his lips.
Meaning: behave yourself.
"...A-Alright."
Division Commander Mun Ye-chan nodded and staggered out.
"Sergeant Kim Min-jun! What happened with the operations staff officer?"
A moment later.
Lieutenant Colonel Lee Jun-beom rushed into the battalion commander's office after checking the operations staff officer's complexion.
They'd been approaching to pull Kim Min-jun since before anyway.
All for one lowly enlisted soldier.
Though he was an NCO now.
"Sergeant Kim Min-jun. They offered you a spot in the Special Hunter Task Force."
"...And your answer?"
"I said no. And the operations staff officer said he'll never get involved with our unit again!"
"Really? You sure you're okay turning it down? They must've offered great terms."
"No terms are good without internet. Besides, I want to stay in this unit."
"...I see."
Lieutenant Colonel Lee Jun-beom sighed in relief at Kim Min-jun's refusal.
'If that guy had said yes, the division commander would've hounded me for a while.'
He'd been ordered to keep an eye on Kim Min-jun from the start—if he got snatched away pointlessly, that anger would come his way.
"More importantly, Sergeant Kim Min-jun. Your handling of the orcs during 5th standby was excellent. You've got reward leave, so go out and get some fresh air."
"Yes, sir! Thank you!"
He wrapped things up nicely and even got 2 nights and 3 days of reward leave.
Feeling satisfied, Kim Min-jun headed straight out of the base.
**
Tap! Tap!
"Hm? What's this."
Right after leave started, Kim Min-jun, healing at a PC bang, glanced at the KakaoTalk from Son Eun-seo.
She only messaged occasionally at night after work—what's up?
Son Eun-seo: Hey, you free now? Can you come out?
Kim Min-jun: Hey, it's Sergeant Kim Min-jun to you.
Son Eun-seo: Work hours are over? And I'm on leave right now.
Kim Min-jun: On leave again? Living the dream, huh.
Son Eun-seo: What? I'm just using up some saved leave little by little?
Checking it out, she was asking if he could come to where she was now.
"What is this. I'm not that easy a guy."
If it were Kim Kwang-sik, he'd be over the moon, running laps around the base.
But he felt nothing special.
Sure, more comfortable than when they first met.
"But do I really need to go all the way there? It's far."
He thought to refuse.
Son Eun-seo: Think of it as helping me out. Come out just once.
Kim Min-jun: Terms first.
Son Eun-seo: Ugh. I'll buy you food later! Something expensive! Please come out just once.
Kim Min-jun: I'm at a PC bang right now. No good if it's over 1km away.
Son Eun-seo: Haa... That damn PC bang.
"What? Surprisingly close."
Son Eun-seo sent her location like she'd surrendered.
Seeing it was a pub one floor below the PC bang, Kim Min-jun decided to go.
Curious what could make Son Eun-seo beg like this.
"Hey. Why'd you call me?"
Entering the pub, three women and one man sat at the same table.
'Who's that guy. Hunter Army sergeant?'
Kim Min-jun glanced at the uniformed man and headed to the seat.
"I'm here. Lucky the PC bang's on the second floor."
Answering Son Eun-seo nonchalantly, the other women gasped in admiration.
"Wow. That's the Kim Min-jun you were talking about?"
"You said he was ugly? He's handsome. You exaggerated. And so tall?"
"Have a seat here!"
"Yes. Thank you."
Not sure what it was, but since she asked for help, he'd hang out for a day.
'Got demonic energy from their house, items from the division commander too.'
Kim Min-jun pulled up a chair and sat next to Son Eun-seo.
"You really come when called?"
"I-I told you. I'm closest to Kim Min-jun in the unit."
Desperate eyes begging for backup.
Kim Min-jun felt playful and flicked her forehead.
Snap!
"Ow! That hurts! What the hell!"
"Who said he's ugly. You corporal punk. Take another one."
"Eek! It hurts!"
"You two seem close."
The women laughed amusedly at their bickering.
"Excuse me. Even if it's playful, that seems too rough."
But the man at the table showed clear displeasure.
'Why's this guy glaring at me all of a sudden. Oh. No way?'
Kim Min-jun looked back and forth between the Hunter Army sergeant and Son Eun-seo.
'This is definite.'
He was certain.
Why Son Eun-seo had called him here.