Chapter 8
Chapter 8
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 8
Chapter Title: Assigned Unit - 1
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‘What the hell? Are those eyes?'
He checked the tires and saw snow chains installed on them.
What month is it now? Snow already?
"You must've been waiting a while. The snow slowed me down, so I'm a bit late. Hop in the back."
"Private Kim Min-jun! Yes, sir!"
No matter how tough the foremost frontline was supposed to be, it couldn't be worse than Isgard.
Kim Min-jun climbed aboard with a relaxed mind.
**
Before his fellow recruits headed to their own units, they'd left him with some words.
There are tons of lunatics like you in Cheorwon, Gangwon Province. The bullshit there is off the charts. The training is insane. And so on.
'Who could've guessed that after returning, it'd be the day before enlistment.'
He'd lost most of his power coming back to Earth, but his personality was the same as ever.
Which meant he currently lacked the patience to put up with dogshit.
'I heard even smacking a senior once lands you in the stockade, and they assign you to a regular unit.'
And there, you only get leave once every six months.
The food tastes like crap, too.
For him, accustomed to Hunter Corps life, a regular unit was no different from prison.
'Guess I just have to endure it for now.'
He'd dealt with plenty of crap back in Isgard, too.
It'd be tough to hold back now, but whenever it got hard, he'd think about his otherworld days.
"New guy's here. Feed him and teach him properly."
"Yes, sir."
"Got it."
The officer tossed Kim Min-jun into the barracks and vanished.
Starting from the privates first class, then corporals, sergeants, and so on.
Kim Min-jun felt countless eyes locking onto him.
"Salute! Private Kim Min-jun reporting!"
"So you're the new guy today. Welcome."
"Yes, sir! Thank you!"
"Kim Min-jun? Isn't this the guy who was top recruit at basic?"
"Oh. The one who took down that massive hound by himself?"
"That's right. I heard a newbie like him was coming, but I thought it was just a rumor."
The seniors eyed Kim Min-jun up and down with curious looks.
"You had good scores at basic, so you could've picked a rear-base unit. Why'd you come all the way to the foremost frontline?"
"I heard the frontline racks up achievements the fastest!"
"What? That's why? You that eager to promote quick?"
"Yes, sir!"
At Kim Min-jun's words, the seniors looked baffled.
Clang!
"Hey! New guy's here, right?"
"Who's the best-looking guy here?"
No sooner had Kim Min-jun answered than the door flew open and sergeants barged in.
'Hey, once you hit your unit, the sergeants will swarm you asking who's the hottest. Guaranteed.'
'The frontline might make you do even worse shit. Like a talent show or something.'
'That's old-school army. No way they'd make you do that nowadays.'
His basic training buddies' words echoed in his head.
It was hitting the nail on the head, like some ghost was calling it.
'And they said there's no right answer.'
Exactly.
There was no right answer.
He just had to play it smart and answer in a way that didn't piss anyone off.
'It's all the same everywhere, anyway.'
Objectively, not a single soldier here could be called handsome.
Especially the sergeant on the far left—he looked like an ugly catfish.
"In my opinion, this sergeant here is the best-looking."
"Whoa! See that? Newbies have picked me three times in a row! Kid's got eyes!"
The singled-out sergeant lifted his head proudly, clearly pleased.
"Now pick the ugliest one."
"Got it."
Kim Min-jun smartly pointed at a moderately ugly sergeant.
'Pick the catfish and he'll get hurt. Playing it cool is tricky.'
After that, the sergeants grilled him on where he was from, if he had a little sister or older sister, and if so, how hot she was.
They said it was the standard questionnaire for every new guy.
"No little or older sisters!"
"Oh? No girlfriend then? You must've gone to college."
"I'm a high school grad! No college!"
Even in the Hunter Corps, they were still soldiers.
Of course they'd obsess over women, especially hot ones.
Locked away with nothing but guys for a solid five years? Totally understandable.
"Damn. Strikeout."
"Fine, one talent show for the finale."
"Talent show?"
"Yeah. Anything you're good at. But don't half-ass it, or we'll chew you out."
Talent show, huh.
His basic buddies' predictions were spot-on again.
'Guess I have to.'
Kim Min-jun said he'd do one-finger push-ups.
"Dude, that's not a talent. Sergeants can do that easy."
The sergeants, who'd hoped for something fun, looked deflated.
"Just do it. Let's see what you got. If a private pulls it off, we'll give credit."
"Got it."
Kim Min-jun immediately planted one finger on the ground and kicked up into a handstand.
Then, using just that one finger, he started push-ups.
"Uh..."
"What the hell's this guy?"
The sergeants gaped, mouths hanging open.
It wasn't the push-up they'd expected.
Kim Min-jun's were straight out of a movie.
"Doing that on one finger? What's his strength stat?"
"Anyone here can even do that?"
"I bet they could barely manage one, tops."
As the sergeants buzzed in shock, a familiar voice came from behind.
"Hey. Cut the crap and get lost. I'm tired."
He turned and saw—it was Sergeant Lee Seung-ho from basic.
'I thought he was an instructor. Why's he here?'
Kim Min-jun stared at Lee Seung-ho's back in surprise for a moment.
"Sucking honey as an instructor and now playing tired."
"You just roll the newbies and snag leave. How much'd you get?"
"Only four days. So fuck off already."
"Now I'm pissed. Four days off honey duty? Eat this."
The sergeants who'd barged in flipped Lee Seung-ho the bird hard and filed out.
'The vibe's kinda off.'
A moment later.
Kim Min-jun sensed the weird tension in the barracks and sat ramrod straight on the edge of his bunk.
The other privates first class with their insignia did the same, staring straight ahead.
'What is this, some '98 army bullshit?'
What era was this?
Still, the sight drove home that the army was the army, no matter the times.
'I'll hit private first class quick, then corporal as fast as possible.'
The corporals and sergeants lounged casually on their phones, so privates first class clearly had restrictions.
"Dong-jin!"
"Private First Class! Lee Dong-jin!"
A moment later.
A corporal called out, and the soldier sitting bolt upright on his bunk sprang up fast.
"Kim Min-jun's your direct junior starting today. Take responsibility and train him."
"Got it!"
Lee Dong-jin grabbed Kim Min-jun at the corporal's order and headed out of the barracks.
"Let's grab a bite and talk. I got permission from the other seniors for the PX."
"Private Kim Min-jun. Got it."
What?
Can't even go to the PX freely?
That probably meant the base arcade was off-limits too.
'Aw, shit. Dungeon Fighter event's coming up soon.'
No helping it.
He'd have to use one of his saved leave vouchers.
"Privates first class can usually only hit the PX on weekends, but new guy days allow weekdays too."
He also explained that PC bangs were corporal-level and up, and the gym was weekends only for privates first class.
'Crazy bastards.'
Steady training was key to promotions.
But limiting facilities to weekends?
Regular soldiers would never climb ranks.
Did the officers even know?
"This unit's got a lot of bullshit. Not much I can do."
Reading Kim Min-jun's face, Lee Dong-jin gave a weak smile.
"Can you fix that bullshit once you hit sergeant?"
"Corporal... no, you'd need sergeant to really change much."
Normally he'd snap to shut up, but Lee Dong-jin answered seriously.
"Most of it's been around forever. Won't be easy."
"...I see."
His basic buddies' intel was dead-on.
The further front you go, the more bullshit.
This unit was proof.
'I'll fix it all. Just wait.'
Kim Min-jun vowed to wipe out the unit's nonsense the second he made sergeant.
'The moment I pin sergeant, I'll flip this place upside down.'
"I'll cover everything today. Order whatever, no worries."
At the PX, Lee Dong-jin told him to pick freely.
"You sure?"
"Yeah."
"Thanks."
Oblivious to holding back, Kim Min-jun hugged two big baskets and swept the shelves.
"...He's really cleaning house."
Lee Dong-jin chuckled in disbelief at the receipt topping 300,000 won.
Still, watching Kim Min-jun chow down heartily didn't feel bad.
"Private First Class Lee Dong-jin, have some too. I got plenty."
"Coffee's fine for me."
He sat next to Kim Min-jun and explained the upcoming training schedule and rules.
'The guy's got a good personality.'
Whenever Kim Min-jun asked something, Lee Dong-jin answered in even more detail.
"How long you been in, Private First Class Lee Dong-jin?"
"Me? Entering year four now. Pathetic, right? Year four and still private first class."
"No, sir. You're super kind to juniors and seem diligent as hell."
"Thanks, even if it's just words."
Lee Dong-jin smiled bitterly and downed the rest of his coffee.
Quite a few hunters mustered out before even making corporal.
Promotions were that brutal.
Sure, pay rose with time served.
But the humiliation of a lower-rank guy becoming your senior? Brutal.
'Hard work doesn't guarantee shit.'
Especially for hunters.
Innate stat differences created growth gaps from the start.
"Time to head back. Shooting range tomorrow, so prep good."
"Got it."
Kim Min-jun followed Lee Dong-jin back to base.
'Why are privates this restricted?'
Only the bathroom solo—otherwise, always with a senior.
'Promotion exam's next week, right?'
Just one more week.
**
2200 hours sharp.
After lights-out cleaning, bedtime prep.
"I'm crashing first. Range tomorrow, so no bullshit—sleep."
"Yes, sir. Good night."
Even in the relatively free and open Hunter Corps after duty hours, basics matched regular army.
Dawn guard duty.
Periodic training and dungeon clears.
No discipline, no efficient missions.
'Aw, how long do I gotta put up with this.'
Of course, Kim Min-jun was the exception.
He grumbled inwardly as he lay down.
"Kim Min-jun. Come with me."
A corporal called him in a low voice.