“Jinsung, no, Trainee number 367. What are you doing at the officers’ meeting room? Don’t you know you’re not supposed to be here?”
“Ah?! Oh, Aaah!”
“Go back now.”
There was a sense of urgency from the 10th Platoon Commander. He seemed eager to send Park Jinsung away quickly.
“10th Platoon Commander, is something wrong?”
“Tch… No, nothing’s wrong!”
It wasn’t just the 10th Platoon Commander in the officers’ meeting room. Another voice reacted, causing the commander to frown again.
Bustling noises.
‘Oh no. Are all the officers gathered here?’
Park Jinsung didn’t particularly want to be in a place filled with officers. He feared facing some kind of repercussion for inadvertently intruding.
“10th Platoon Commander, if there’s nothing else, come back in… What?! Who is this!”
“Rank! Trainee number 367! Ah!”
The commander of the 6th Platoon peeked out from behind the 10th Platoon commander. He was easily recognizable by his distinctively baggy pants due to his short legs.
“Isn’t he our battalion’s only double F-grade? Maybe even the only one in the country?! Haha! What brings you here? Came to quit the training?”
“Go back, trainee. Return to your quarters.”
“Oh, come on. Why so cold to our good trainee, 10th Platoon Commander?”
“Tsk.”
The irked 10th Platoon Commander clicked his tongue sharply.
“Come on in. Since you’re here, want a cup of coffee? Commanders! Trainee number 367 is here!!”
“Ah, Ahhh!”
The commander of the 6th Platoon forcefully dragged Park Jinsung inside.
The officers’ meeting room, being a temporary setup, was quite disorderly. Especially, cables twisted like Park Jinsung’s life added to the chaos.
The commanders were casually seated in a wide circle, moving the desks around.
From the commander of the 1st Platoon to the 10th Platoon, along with a few subject teachers and the health teacher, they were all present.
“Oh? Jinsung?”
Each commander had a laptop in front of them, but only the health teacher seemed to be actively working.
The atmosphere among the commanders, except for the 10th Platoon commander and the health teacher, was like a harmonious family. They had gleefully taken a break, leaving everything to Ahn Sungho.
[Ha ha ha. Leaving the aftermath to us, are you?]
The principal, who also had an office as the battalion commander, was practically commuting from his main house.
Normally, the commanders should have participated in the guerrilla training as well.
However, under the guise of overseeing the safety of the trainees, they simply skipped the training sessions. They didn’t want to be criticized by a soldier, even if it was Ahn Sungho.
‘Hm, were they having a meeting?’
What meeting? They weren’t even participating in the training.
“No, about the Chinese restaurant we went to today.”
“Eat up! Eat! Ha ha ha!!”
The commanders had convened the meeting merely to chat. Being alone all day was tiring, after all.
They boasted about the guerrilla training being a highlight and garnered a lot of media attention, truly acting grand.
“Commanders! A welcome face has arrived!”
The 6th Platoon commander, who had brought Park Jinsung, sat down with a satisfied expression.
Although the meeting room was quite chaotic, the authority held by the commanders was not to be taken lightly.
Starting with the 6th Platoon commander, a barrage of questions began.
“Hey! Jinsung! Since there’s no one else here, feel free to speak casually!”
“Yes! Thank you!”
“How was the training today? Was that guy Ahn Sungho too harsh?”
“No, not at all! The training was conducted well!”
“…Trainee number 367, you just got lost, right? That’s it, right? I’ll escort you back to the dorms.”
“Oh! 10th Platoon Commander! Really, let the kid rest a bit! He must be tired!”
The 10th Platoon commander seemed oddly disregarded by the other commanders. It appeared his standing had shifted since the Pest incident, not treated as an equal colleague.
“But F-grade, really, why did you come here?”
“I actually came to see the health teacher.”
“Wow! You know who to look for! Don’t tell me you came for a midnight confession?!”
The 6th Platoon commander, with his short legs, chuckled as he spoke.
“I need treatment for Squad 5.”
“Oh… Did they get hurt badly? Commanders, I’ll head to the men’s dorms right away.”
The quick-witted health teacher immediately stood up.
For the health teacher, there was no reason to waste time here, not even a speck of interest.
Believing it was a real meeting, but finding almost a party atmosphere, the health teacher felt even more irritated.
“Huh? But why are the scores like this? Commanders, look at this scoreboard.”
“What? Park Jinsung… first place?”
‘Oh no. So much for escaping quickly.’
Park Jinsung’s escape was thwarted by the 2nd Platoon commander who noticed the scoreboard.
“F-grade, why are you in first place?”
“Kim Seyun or Byun Kiyoung would have made some sense, but this?”
“Did you lobby Ahn Sungho or something?”
The commanders bombarded Park Jinsung with rapid-fire questions, implying he had cheated.
The fact that they were only now noticing his score indicated their previous lack of interest in the trainees’ scores.
Disillusioned with the battalion’s atmosphere, the health teacher smirked bitterly.
“The scoreboard is accurate. I earned those points fair and square.”
“Look at this, will you. The scoreboard is a mess.”
“Even men’s Squad 5 scored high? Did they all bribe Ahn Sungho?”
“Jinsung, come here… ugh, ugh.”
The health teacher tried to send Park Jinsung away but was quickly overwhelmed by the commanders’ barrage.
“It does seem like lobbying. Is it true? Because you’re in the same club as Ahn Sungho, you got high scores! That’s favoritism! Even if you’ve gotten stronger lately, this doesn’t add up. Ahn Sungho isn’t that competent, right? He’s only good at fighting, no eye for judging. Should we have taken charge from the start?”
Starting with criticizing Ahn Sungho, they also disparaged Squad 5 and Park Jinsung, mixing everything together like a blend in a mixer.
“Stop it, commanders! What kind of language is this in front of a trainee!!”
The 10th Platoon commander inadvertently interrupted the other commanders.
“10th Platoon Commander, why don’t you step out, okay?”
“Are you defending him just because he’s one of your own? Ha!”
He ended up being ridiculed rather than cutting off the conversation.
In fact, the 10th Platoon commander felt a bit of indignation himself.
He knew how hard Park Jinsung had worked and the changes he was undergoing.
‘They know nothing…!’
And… even though Park Jinsung was a student he once tried to transfer, he was irked when his student was insulted.
The 10th Platoon commander was surprised at his own reaction, but annoyance is annoyance.
He involuntarily took on the role of a scapegoat for a while.
‘Oh dear, that’s unfortunate.’
Park Jinsung felt a bit sorry for the 10th Platoon commander but didn’t feel like defending him.
After all, the 10th Platoon commander hadn’t been much different from the other commanders in the past.
‘Well, he is our homeroom teacher… Okay, let’s do this.’
He decided to speak up for the 10th Platoon commander who had defended him for the first time.
“If…”
“Huh…?”
“What, do you have something to say?”
The commanders, who had been stoking the fire, all turned their attention to Park Jinsung.
The atmosphere quickly became chilly. Only the health teacher seemed restless and unsure what to do.
[Life is all about taking it easy.]
Park Jinsung remembered a scene where his dad got smacked on the back by his mom. A natural smile came to him, leading to his next statement,
“If! The entire Squad 5 ranks within the top 50 in the final standings, what will you do then?”
“Pfft… Ha! Hahahahahat!!”
“Huh? Are you serious? The kid gets a bit of good luck with scores and now he’s lost his mind.”
The cute joke from the F-grade lightened the atmosphere in the meeting room. Although it was laughter tinged with ridicule, laughter is laughter after all.
“Heehee! Oh my, my stomach! F-grade, you’re serious, right?”
“Hehe. One hundred percent, a thousand percent serious.”
“If everyone in Squad 5 ranks within the top 50, I’ll promote the entire squad to corporal. You too, F-grade. How about that?”
“Oooh! I like that! But if even one person fails to make it, it’s no promotions for all, agreed?”
The commanders casually established their negotiations.
Elated, they propped Park Jinsung up like a screen and began their chitchat anew. Lost in their own world, they were set to end the day on a fun note.
Quietly observing the commanders, Park Jinsung just slightly raised the corners of his lips.
“Hehe. You have to keep your word, okay?”
Whether Park Jinsung left the meeting room or not, the life of the conversation flower remained vibrant. The health teacher, leaving the perplexed 10th Platoon commander behind, hurriedly followed Park Jinsung.
“Let’s go together! Jinsung!”
“Oh, right. I forgot about the health teacher.”
“Oh… sorry. I should have intervened sooner.”
“Hehe. It’s okay. Actually, I was looking for you because I have a favor to ask…”
“Oh? What is it? I’ll agree to anything except a kiss.”
The health teacher winked, a gesture that could melt the heart of any man at least once.
“Please secretly treat Squad 5 early in the morning. It’s a request.”
“Okay! I’ll do it. Really trying to grow your squad, huh? Honestly, it’s a miracle they’ve held up this long. You know that, don’t you, Jinsung?”
The reason why Park Jinsung was dedicated to growing Squad 5.
He figured that the more people similar to his case emerged, the more his reputation would change.
He was essentially combining the exercise he had to do anyway with image management.
In fact, he had sincerely thought this way until just the first day.
“I’ll make sure Squad 5 goes to bed early.”
“Will the kids actually go to sleep if you tell them to?”
“Hehe. They’ll probably sleep even if I tell them to stand.”
“Oh. When should we do it? Before their duties, right?”
“Any time that’s convenient for the health teacher. I’ll let you know the time separately.”
“Oooh… A secret rendezvous is a bit tricky. Can you pick a time that’s not too awkward?”
Once again, the health teacher deployed her passive skill of charming glances.
“You must come, okay? If you don’t, I’ll bring all the kids to find you.”
“Uh, uh-huh. Alright.”
But as usual, her charm didn’t work on the socially awkward.
* * *
Swoosh-swoosh-swoosh-swoosh!
Thud-thud-thud-thud-thud!
Amidst the ongoing rain, the sounds from the men’s Squad 5 room were distinctively different.
“Heyyyyyy! Guys!”
“Where’s your captain?!”
The relentless training and the damp weather had maxed out the trainees’ irritation levels.
To make matters worse, the controversy over Park Jinsung’s scores had been stirring up their stress.
Even grown adults can rebel when their sense of normalcy is brutally shattered.
“Where is he! That fraudster, where is he!”
“Spill it out quickly! You guys!”
The World Spirit Ranking System couldn’t be wrong. Yet, the performance that Park Jinsung showcased wasn’t something an F-grade could normally achieve.
Let’s find out for ourselves.
Curiosity about how exactly he broke the rock soon turned into a resolve to go and ask directly. These actions gradually morphed into aggressive confrontations, fueled by suspicion.
[How could that guy have broken the rock!]
[Let’s go and ask!]
[There must be a trick!]
Already on edge due to the weather, the attitudes of Squad 5, previously considered weaklings, also had an impact.
Eventually, trainees from Room 1 and as many as three other rooms stormed into Room 5.
The sight of a line forming in the corridor outside Room 5 said it all.
‘Wow, what is all this?’
Park Jinsung, sensing danger instinctively, blended into the crowd as he approached Room 5.
His ability to blend in was among the best in the battalion. Navigating through a crowd like swimming through a wave wasn’t much of a challenge for him.
“Where’s your damn captain?!”
“Ugh. Go back to your room.”
“You guys are really joking around! Just a few days ago, you were crawling at our feet!”
Room 5 was filled with raging trainees.
The members of Squad 5, exhausted from following Park Jinsung, were unable to put up any resistance. It was inevitable, as they hadn’t properly recovered from exerting their physical limits.
‘The commanders… won’t be of any help.’
The commanders were busy with their own festivities. There was no savior to intervene.
Thud, ugh, thud, ugh, thud.
A member of Squad 5, knocked down by a punch to the abdomen, happened to spot Park Jinsung.
Oh…, Ca…, Ru….
“…”
Reading the member’s lips, Park Jinsung involuntarily moved his thigh. His previously perfectly blended figure suddenly exploded into presence.
“Huh?! It’s Park Jinsung!”
“…What are you all doing?”
“Phew. Finally caught the damn captain.”
With the appearance of the F-grade showing unknown combat prowess, the situation became as tense as a stretched elastic band.
“What are you doing? Do you all want to be expelled from the training grounds?”
“Phew-phew. If they find out we fought with you, you and your squad will also be penalized, right? Weren’t you trying to change your image this time?”
A tall, beetle-like trainee from Room 1 said this.
Commonly known as the “Big Beetle.”
He was an ace among the 367, a student with formidable combat skills not to be underestimated.
He was notoriously known for his nasty personality, unlike actual beetles, which are generally harmless.
“…Go ahead. If you leave now, I’ll let you go quietly.”
“Why so scary? We just came to talk to you, Jinsung. We just want to talk, but these guys are getting in the way.”
“So you hit them? They’re your comrades, aren’t they?”
“Phew-phew! What comrades? These losers? And, actually, this is a secret… if you just tell us the trick to breaking the rock, that’s all we need! Right? You weakling!!”
“Oh my… Did that really look like a trick to you? Seriously?”
Ssshh, snap.
Park Jinsung forcefully controlled his mouth from smiling involuntarily.
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