Chapter 35
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 3
Chapter Title: That Bastard Gives It Out for Free
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The astonishing incident that blew up at the training camp quickly made its way into everyone's ears.
Rumors spread faster than anyone could imagine. It took less than an hour for the story of my sloppy sex with Kate to circulate among the trainees.
But the real problem wasn't my name on the girls' lips...
"Haa..."
It was the punishment awaiting both of us in front of the Company Commander.
In the deathly silent Company Commander's office,
the Company Commander and a line of other instructors stood in a row.
Not a single one of them looked pleased. The Company Commander, in particular, was fidgeting anxiously, gnawing at her nails as she agonized over how to cover up this massive scandal.
"No, Kate... I clearly told you... No. Sigh..."
As everyone probably knows,
she wasn't worried about us facing any backlash.
She was terrified her own promotion plans would go up in smoke.
"...What do you mean 'no'!"
Crash!
The Company Commander hurled a silver ashtray at our shins with all her might. If it had hit wrong, it might've cracked a bone.
"Are you insane!? Have you lost your minds!!!!!?"
We all stood there, heads bowed, awaiting our punishment as she screamed at the top of her lungs.
Everyone except one person.
Kate.
"I'm sorry."
Strangely, Kate didn't lower her gaze. She faced the Company Commander with unwavering confidence, standing ramrod straight as if she had done nothing wrong.
"You lazy asses! The rest of you too. Haven't you gotten your acts together? What the hell were you doing to let this happen!?"
Fuming and beside herself, the Company Commander lashed out at the other instructors too.
Thwack- Thud-
Cracking knuckles was just the start.
I'd thought it before, but this army felt straight out of the '80s—corporal punishment and violence thrown around like candy.
"You bastard!"
Kate didn't escape the berating either. The Company Commander's combat boot shot toward her shapely calf like a bullet.
Thud!
Yet Kate endured it without flinching.
Biting her lip tight,
she took the punishment defiantly, almost taunting the Company Commander.
"Well, look at you...! What the hell do you think you're doing!?"
The Company Commander started faltering under that boldness and spirit.
Honestly, from her perspective, it must've been utterly baffling. Even back home, violating military sexual conduct rules was grounds for someone to lose their uniform—a massive disciplinary issue. And here Kate was, owning it without a shred of shame...
"This is confinement material! Hell, it's borderline discharge right now! Don't you get it!?"
"No, ma'am. I understand perfectly."
"And you're still gonna act like that? Fine, let's see who drops first—you or me."
The Company Commander's face turned beet red with rage, like a volcano on the verge of eruption.
That menacing expression weighed heavy on my heart. What if she keeled over from high blood pressure or a brain hemorrhage?
"Everyone, heads down. These bastards...!"
Out of nowhere, the Company Commander pulled a long sword from her desk drawer.
A longsword or something...
The sight of a weapon straight out of the medieval era sent chills down my spine.
Was she planning to stab us?
A few might actually die if she did.
Should I intervene?
Or report it somewhere?
I had no idea.
"Back in the day, you'd all be dead. Got it? The world's gone soft—keeping idiots like you alive is ridiculous!?"
Thankfully,
she didn't draw the blade.
Instead, she gripped the hilt and swung it like a golf club.
Thud-
A heavy impact echoed through the office.
If that had hit me, my tailbone would've shattered on the spot...
"You heartless bastards!"
Luckily, I just swallowed hard and kept my eyes peeled.
Being a guy was a huge advantage in moments like this. Even in a beating frenzy, they couldn't just whale on frail-looking males.
One wrong hit, and someone might actually die.
Slapping cheeks at home might be routine, but for this level of brutal punishment, men got a pass.
"Argh, I oughta kill you all... Ugh..."
The Company Commander paced frantically, sweat pouring down her face.
No matter how much she vented, her anger and anxiety wouldn't subside.
"Ahhuu... Damn it..."
Pacing circles around the office sword in hand, she looked downright pitiful now.
Her behavior almost seemed like she was afraid of someone.
Every few seconds, she flung open the door, checking if anyone was outside.
"We're screwed. Totally screwed... If she finds out..."
I had no clue who "she" was.
But seeing this veteran Company Commander in such a panic, there must've been some big shot visiting the unit.
Week 3 of training camp,
heading into the final day of week 4 with graduation ceremonies and unit assignments looming...
It made sense for commanders from other units or the Recruit Training Center director to be milling about.
"Listen up. Keep the trainees' mouths shut from now on."
"Yes, ma'am...!"
The instructors groveled, shouting their responses with all their might.
Anything less than full volume meant extra beatings, so they squeezed out every ounce of strength.
"This isn't a military sexual misconduct incident. It was a misunderstanding. Instructor Kate and Trainee Han Jeong-woo were organizing supplies in the warehouse when some hidden cream milk exploded, creating that weird scene. Got it? That ties it together nicely, right?"
The Company Commander laid down the law to their bowed heads.
It made zero sense,
but in the army, they could bulldoze incidents like this.
Because it's the army.
A place where anything could happen,
and plenty of idiotic events did.
"You bastards! Answer me!?"
"Yes...! Understood...!!"
Downplaying scandals was Army 101.
The Company Commander immediately rolled out her cover-up plan.
"And from now on, not a word about this to anyone. If any trainee mentions it, educate them on the spot. More bad rumors hurt you too. This is for your own good. Got it?"
The situation was uncomfortable,
but I was actually rooting for the Company Commander.
If word reached the higher-ups, neither Kate nor I could stay here. No way.
I had to hope she'd bury it somehow. Sure, more issues might crop up later, but priority one was saving Kate's career.
It'd be too tragic if one fuck tanked her life.
Truth be told,
like it or not, I felt responsible.
So I'd follow her orders to the letter.
Didn't matter how stupid the plan was. We'd bury the truth and bet everything on this idiotic, implausible lie.
"Company Commander."
But I wasn't the only one feeling responsible.
Kate suddenly shot to her feet for a private word. The other instructors shot her desperate warning glances, but she stood firm, voicing her honest feelings.
"I have something to say."
The air froze again.
I shot Kate a pleading look—please don't, just nod—but...
"...L-loving each other isn't a crime, I think!"
Out came the nonsense from Kate's mouth. She still hadn't snapped out of it.
"You bitchhhh!"
The Company Commander clutched her neck and shrieked. It was practically a scream.
Hell, I'd probably react the same in her shoes.
"It's the truth. I love Trainee Han Jeong-woo—"
"Fine, you wanna die today? Let's see who goes first—you or me!"
"C-Company Commander! Calm down! You need to calm down!"
The instructors tangled with the Company Commander again, turning the place into chaos.
The disciplined atmosphere of the training camp shattered completely.
A typhoon raged through what should have been a solemn recruit training ground.
This might all be my doing.
Dragged here out of nowhere,
stirring up issues from start to finish...
But this time was different.
Never had things gotten this serious.
"Hey, over there."
Even heading back to the barracks,
trainees stared me down, scanning me head to toe.
"Acts all high and mighty."
"Told you. Total slut."
I didn't even try, and the girls' murmurs reached me.
The whole camp was buzzing because of me.
I'd crawl into a rat hole if I could.
In a rigid place like this, a male-female scandal was prime gossip fodder. The girls gossiped wildly about my lewd acts with Kate, spreading every rumor under the sun.
"Heard he gives it out free everywhere? Just slip him some cash."
"Nah, doesn't even need money. Loves getting fucked. That's why he came to the army alone."
"Makes sense. Why else would a guy enlist... Must be into that."
The rumors were vicious.
In seconds, I became the guy whoring himself out. I even heard insane crap like I was a notorious player back in society.
"Yeah, that's right~"
And tracing all those rumors back to the source...
"Told you. That slut's been shoving his body at me since day one. Couldn't hide his whoring nature. But he acts all pricey too. Fucking asshole. Squeeze him once and he can't do shit."
Hayes.
In the barracks,
outside,
that girl badmouthed me nonstop.
Her pride scratched, the brat pounced the moment she had ammo, fanning every vile rumor.
"Heard the instructors and Company Commander pass him around daily. That's why they're desperate to squash the rumors."
I wanted to deny it, but public opinion had tanked.
"You girls ask, and he'll give it up? Sluts like him can't live without women."
At the same time,
the number of girls hitting on me exploded.
Now, wherever I went, they threw themselves at me openly.
Treating me like their personal fucktoy had become the norm.
Without instructors around, groups swarmed...
"Buddy, share with us too."
"..."
Demands bold as brass.
And not just that—
even the loser types who'd only ogle from afar mustered courage and approached.
"U-um..."
Even using the bathroom got tricky.
Spot me alone, and girls slinked up...
"H-how much?"
Aiming straight for sex.