“Eh. Today is the day for chemical and biological warfare training. Has everyone received their gas masks?”
The chemistry teacher kindly informed everyone that today was their “doomsday.”
With Edeya becoming a national power, the utility of conventional weapons naturally diminished.
For instance, even a low-grade Edeya like an F-grade dagger would not be affected by something like a bomb.
The same goes for secondary kinetic energy from explosions; one could be thrown by the blast but remain unaffected.
However, there were exceptions.
“Your scores will be recorded, so make sure to give it your all.”
Agents with long durations, such as chemical gases, still proved to be highly effective.
Edeya might not be affected while being summoned, but it’s impossible to keep it summoned all day long.
“Alright, everyone, line up.”
This is where chemical and biological weapons showed their effectiveness.
Invisible agents infiltrating the body could drastically reduce combat effectiveness. Bacteria that had entered and integrated into the body did not disappear even upon summoning Edeya.
Merely affecting the respiratory system was considered a huge success.
Hence, chemical and biological warfare training has not disappeared and continues to be a proud tradition.
“Teacher! Honestly, isn’t it over once you breathe in bacteria or viruses?! If it’s over the moment you inhale, why do we need to do unnecessary training like chemical and biological warfare? Wouldn’t it be better to practice evasion?”
“Squad leader of 10th Platoon, 2nd Squad? Even if it’s the 10th Platoon, we need to maintain discipline.”
The turn has come full circle, and it was already the 10th Platoon’s turn.
The other Platoons had all completed their chemical and biological warfare training.
Their reactions were similar, so for a while, the 2nd Company was enveloped in wails.
“I’m gonna die, I almost died, am I not dead yet?”
Someone from another squad was even carried out. There were rumors of someone getting into a fight with an instructor.
Amidst the spreading rumors, how the 10th Platoon would undergo chemical and biological warfare training became a topic of interest.
[But… how will the 10th Platoon handle the chemical and biological warfare training?]
They are the legendary platoon that even defeated the Pest.
Despite being of the same rank, the essence of the 10th Platoon seemed fundamentally different from the others. They were born soldiers.
The other Platoon members, of course, all held a certain respect for the 10th Platoon, albeit subconsciously.
[Are they just going to pour CS gas directly on their faces?]
[It’s about mental strength, mental strength.]
Expectations spread throughout the school, continually cornering the 10th Platoon into a dead end.
There was precisely zero chance of avoiding the chemical and biological warfare training. They could only hope that the concentration of CS gas would be similar to that of the other squads.
Indeed.
In reality, the members of the 10th Platoon were still green, young kids.
When they saw other squads dying and froze in fear,
[That’s the 10th Platoon for you. Look at their stoic faces. Amazing.]
Stoic my foot. They were just too scared to bluff or even react.
When they first smelled the CS gas and tensed up,
[That’s the 10th Platoon for you. Look at them just taking it.]
Taking it my foot. If they had tried to kick, they would have fallen face first because their bodies were paralyzed.
[I don’t want to! I’m scared! I want to go home!]
Even the indomitable Kim Seyun, the surly Byun Kiyoung, and for once, all of the 10th Platoon united in spirit. Secretly, in their hearts.
Under the guidance of the chemistry teacher, the entire 10th Platoon finished setting up their gas masks. They took their time, but the clock was despairingly generous.
The chemical and biological warfare room was located at the southernmost end of the battalion building.
This place was constructed to only face the north wind, minimizing the loss and leakage of CS gas.
In other words,
The timing was appropriate, the location was prime, and the training condition was at its peak.
“You all want to finish quickly, right? Start with the 1st Squad. Your platoon leaders and the 3rd-year instructors are waiting inside.”
The chemistry teacher personally pushed the 1st Squad into the slaughterhouse.
The last to enter, the Squad leader of the 1st Squad, turned back and whispered softly,
[I’ll go ahead….]
A chorus of stifling and bursting emotions!
Squad members secretly wiping away tears and others offering discreet salutes!
“Damn it… cursed thing…”
“Hmph… making a fuss over something like this…”
As the 1st Squad entered the chemical and biological warfare room, even Byun Kiyoung and Kim Seyun found themselves swallowing hard.
“……”
The room was dead silent except for occasional thumping noises.
It was so quiet that even the sound of the wind brushing against the leaves could be heard, indicating that all squad members were intently focused on the state of the chemical and biological warfare room.
After what felt like an eternity, the 1st Squad members, thought to be dead, burst out.
“Uwaaaack!!”
“Aaaargh!!”
It was more accurate to say they barely escaped than simply came out. Despite the chemistry teacher’s vigorous commands, there was no sign of control.
“1st Squad all members! Start running with your arms spread!!”
“Uuuuugh…”
“1st Squad! Can’t you hear me?! Don’t touch your face! Do 10 PTs!!”
Regardless of the chemistry teacher’s shouts, the 1st Squad members were too busy expressing their agony.
Tears, snot, and saliva exploded.
A true vision of hell.
“2nd Squad, enter the chemical and biological warfare room now!! 3rd Squad, stand by right in front! 1st Squad, if you can’t stand it, pour water on your face! Do not touch your face at aaaaaall!!”
The urgency in the chemistry teacher’s voice was palpable.
The situation had spiraled out of control with just one squad having finished.
The chemistry teacher’s attempts at control were futile. The 1st Squad members showed a clear example of what collective panic looks like.
A pungent smell of CS gas leaked from the briefly opened chemical and biological warfare room.
“Ugh, why is it so strong?”
Jinsung waved his hand in front of his face.
All of this chaos was orchestrated by the 10th Platoon leader and the chemical warfare instructors.
The expectation that the 10th Platoon should be able to handle this much had birthed the current hellish landscape.
Even the chemistry teacher commanding at the front of the chemical warfare room started coughing.
“Cough, cough. Ugh. 3rd Squad! Enter!!”
The chemical warfare room, akin to the maw of hell, inevitably doomed the 2nd Squad as well.
Like the 1st Squad, they became madmen, extending the hellish scene.
“Hey… trainee…”
“What is it, Deputy?”
Kim Seyun grabbed Jinsung’s shoulder with a seemingly serious gaze.
With everyone wearing gas masks, it was hard to read expressions, but the brief exchange of looks allowed them to share their emotions successfully.
“Cough, cough. Ugh. 3rd Squad!! Hurry up and enter!!”
“Damn it!!”
Led by the dawdling Byun Kiyoung, the 3rd Squad also entered the chemical warfare room.
Creeeak, thunk.
The door closed earlier than expected. It was just carelessly shut by an instructor, but the entire 3rd Squad felt it had sealed their fate.
“It’s too dark in here, isn’t it? Is the light weak?”
It wasn’t that the light was weak. The CS gas was just dense enough to obscure the fluorescent lights.
“Nice to meet you. I’m the deputy squad leader of the 1st Squad, 3rd Company, Ju Ye.”
Three instructors, fully equipped with chemical gear, stood there, and one of them introduced herself.
She had a lot of history with Byun Kiyoung’s squad.
A soldier suited for shining armor, she had been a sergeant who almost decimated the 3rd Squad.
“Tch. Is it that senior who was all about values last time? I’m sorry about what happened then, Senior. So, please, go easy on us?”
“Don’t worry. There’s nothing for you to be sorry about. It was our squad leader who made a fuss last time. Besides.”
Ju Ye looked around briefly before continuing.
“Now, there seem to be a lot of people here who look more valuable than you.”
With a mixture of audacity and desperation, the scene unfolded into chaos.
“Ha! Senior, one day I’ll show you my worth so much that it’ll dazzle your eyes!”
“Kiyoung, stop it. You need to show that worth right now. 3rd Squad, line up!”
The 10th Platoon leader personally organized the 3rd Squad members into two lines.
Currently, the 10th Platoon leader’s position within the battalion had significantly diminished.
Regardless of the attack, the charge of leaving the 10th Platoon in Pest’s clutches was severe. Just avoiding detention was reason enough to be grateful.
The 10th Platoon leader had since been loudly proclaiming the platoon’s achievements to maintain his position.
Though he managed to stay within the battalion, he needed to improve his reputation to aim for a promotion.
‘I can do this.’
Fortunately, the opportunity came sooner than expected.
Thankfully, this time the chemical warfare instructors were Ahn Sungho’s squad members. He had to emphasize strict guidance to maintain his position as the 10th Platoon leader.
Successfully handling the chemical warfare training harshly would naturally lead to word of mouth from the instructors.
The 10th Platoon leader deemed the beloved 3rd Squad as the perfect target to spur on.
“From now on, I will be directing the chemical warfare training. 3rd Squad, remove your filter canisters!”
“Ugh. Re, remove!”
“Ugh, ugh, ughaaah!!”
Moans erupted from various places as soon as the filter canisters were removed.
However, even moaning was a trap, as each sound would invite more CS gas into the respiratory system.
Predictably, the platoon members panicked, not knowing what to do.
“Ugh! Everyone, calm down! Don’t hit the person next to you, just endure, agh!! My filter canister?! My! Cough, cough, my canisteeeeeer!!”
Jinsung lost his filter canister due to someone bumping into him.
The canister rolled away, disappearing into the fog of CS gas.
Following the filter canister, some even removed their entire gas masks. The CS gas sticking to their faces provided an extreme level of irritation.
“Now! 3rd Squad! We will start singing the military song! The song is ‘Torch of Eradicating Communism’!”
“Aaaaah!”
“Save me! Save me save me save meeee!!”
The 10th Platoon leader forcefully requested a military song, but instead of the song, the volume of helpless screams only grew louder.
“Are you not following orders? If you don’t sing the military song, we can’t move to the next stage!”
“Ex, exterminate, huuueeek.”
“Start the military song! One! Two! Three! Four!”
‘Oh no… at this rate, we’re all going to die, huh? Kim Seyun, Corporal?’
Jinsung saw Kim Seyun clenching her fists and enduring. In her steadfast stance, he saw a reflection of the decision he had made just recently.
After his conversation with Ahn Sungho, Jinsung had resolved to try being the best. He decided to do his best to surpass himself.
A self that surpasses me! A self that completely controls me!
The first step was to rise in rank.
Starting from the basics of a soldier, methodically, thoroughly, to overwhelmingly conquer.
“Cough, cough! Uh, trainee…?”
Jinsung patted Kim Seyun on the shoulder and then approached the 10th Platoon leader, who was in the midst of a frenzied outburst.
“What are you doing! 3rd Squad! You can only leave here if you sing the military song! I’ll give an additional 10 points to the soldiers who sing!”
“Protecting this beautiful land, cough, our…”
“Who is it! Excellent! I’ll give you the additional points right… huh? Pa, Park Jinsung?!”
“Cough! The spirit, cough, of a man! Living today, cough, cough!!”
Jinsung started singing with veins popping in his neck, even placing his hands on his waist and maintaining a straight posture as he sang.
The epitome of confidence!
A stance so perfect, it could be featured in a textbook.
The flustered 10th Platoon leader quickly added another mission.
“Cough! Impressive, but it’s not enough for additional points! Everyone, start running with your arms spread!”
“Execute!!”
Only Jinsung prepared for the PT exercises.
“Cough cough cough.”
“Save me…”
Other squad members were either trembling on the floor or pleading desperately with the instructors. Even Kim Seyun quietly collapsed to the ground without a word.
“The Platoon leader orders! 3rd Squad, pull yourselves together! Stand up! I said stand up!”
“Cough, cough. Damn it… What the hell is this!”
Byun Kiyoung initiated the chaos.
Nearly half of the platoon members charged towards the door of the chemical warfare room.
Naturally, they tightly held onto their Edeyas as they ran. The squad members, having lost their senses, were ready to blow away the instructors as well.
“Sorry, guys. But your platoon leader wants to check your worth. [Armor.]”
Clink, clank.
[Unfading Armor]
World Soul Grade System: B
Overall Combat Ability: B⁺
Though overshadowed by Ahn Sungho, this ace still shone brightly, even amidst the dense CS gas.
“Ju Ye! I’ll help!”
“Let’s go!”
The other instructors followed Ju Ye’s lead and summoned their Edeyas.
[Powerfully Twisting Nunchaku]
World Soul Grade System: C⁺
Overall Combat Ability: B
[Suddenly Accelerating Wooden Staff]
World Soul Grade System: B⁻⁻
Overall Combat Ability: B⁻
The 3rd Company was a group of experts, all with overall combat abilities of grade B. The 1st Squad of the 1st Platoon was notably exceptional.
A battle between Edeyas with gas masks versus Edeyas affected by CS gas?
Every time the instructors swung their arms, squad members helplessly fell one after another.
As Ju Ye firmly stood in front of the door, she seemed more impenetrable than a steel gate.
“Is this all your worth amounts to? You’re the squad that defeated the Pest. This makes no difference from when we fought before, does it?”
“Please, just let us out! Cough!”
“Cough, cough, cough!”
Naturally, violent actions were followed by violent breathing. Squad members who had deeply inhaled the CS gas were clutching their throats, crying out in distress.
There was nothing in the spacious chemical warfare room for anyone to lean on or grab hold of.
“Just a bunch of kids barely a year older than us…”
Byun Kiyoung, having resorted to kneeling on the ground, snarled as he looked at Ju Ye’s shining armor.
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