Park Jinsung returned home and, after a long while, pressed the computer’s power button. He wanted to search for information about the people who had attacked Ahn Sungho.
The video of Ahn Sungho, which had already become a hot topic, was not hard to find. The profiles of those featured in the video were also widely disseminated.
“Kang Jinno and Yuk Dongho….”
In the video, Kang Jinno did nothing but snicker, showing no significant gestures. It was Yuk Dongho alone who forced Ahn Sungho to his knees and defeated him.
Only towards the end did Kang Jinno appear to slightly contribute, but that too was merely a part of the Edeya held by Yuk Dongho.
“So, it was Kang Jinno.”
According to additional explanations posted by netizens, the person who had bragged about defeating Ahn Sungho during their middle school days was none other than Kang Jinno.
“Sergeant….”
Thus, Ahn Sungho had been defeated by both Kang Jinno and Yuk Dongho.
There were two individuals who had beaten Ahn Sungho, and as a result, public opinion was entirely on the side of 998.
Moreover, it seemed 998 Brigade had openly advertised, as detailed information about joint training sessions between brigades and battalions, including dates and times, was readily available.
The guerrilla training conducted by Haeun Battalion had garnered so much attention that it seemed impossible to compete with. Some cable channels had already concluded agreements with 998 Brigade to broadcast the training live.
Although Kang Jinno had gained a lot of attention because of this video, the main focus was still on Yuk Dongho. After all, Yuk Dongho was the only person Ahn Sungho had not been able to overcome.
Naturally, the spotlight was more on Yuk Dongho than on Kang Jinno, who had done nothing.
However, Park Jinsung found his gaze drawn more to Kang Jinno, who was quietly smiling, than to the panting Yuk Dongho.
“Could it be Kang Jinno, that guy!”
The build of the suspicious person he had seen during the special forces selection was similar. Such a physique was rare, so it was likely the same person.
“What’s that?”
Seeing Kang Jinno’s expression made Park Jinsung’s skin crawl.
The face that simultaneously twisted and smiled was a type all too familiar to Park Jinsung.
“Similar to… me…?”
For the first time, Park Jinsung discovered someone of a similar kind.
The expressions Kang Jinno wore were akin to those of Park Jinsung when he was completely dominated by the intent to kill.
“…….”
Look at that naturally raised corner of the mouth. Despite the heavily furrowed brow, it harmonized with the corners of the mouth.
“…Such a filthy guy.”
Pure evil.
Although it was a bit cheesy, there was no other way to express it.
The tingling in his abdomen was different from the atmosphere typically felt around ordinary thugs.
While Park Jinsung’s expressions were involuntary, Kang Jinno’s were driven by his emotions.
“Kek. That guy.”
No doubt about it.
This person not only have a weird Edeya, but also took pleasure in them, a true madman.
His strength, ideology, and morality were dangerous. Not that he lacked the chance for rehabilitation, but rather, he had no intention of reforming in the first place.
“Kang Jinno was the brigade’s ace, huh.”
Had the brigade hastily accepted such a dangerous person?
It seems Kang Jinno had been studying in China. There were no records of him in the country after his fight with Ahn Sungho in middle school.
“If Kang Jinno is the same age as Sergeant Ahn Sungho… Is Kang Jinno a year senior to me?”
Nevertheless, since the battalion was established before the brigade, Park Jinsung was senior to Kang Jinno.
“Kang Jinno is probably at the level of Sergeant, right? Good. 998 Brigade, you’re all finished. Get ready to be hit by a private first class.”
Park Jinsung said this while locking eyes with Kang Jinno on the screen.
* * *
Time flew much faster than expected.
“Ah… The current time is 08:10. Training against the infiltration tactics of 998 Brigade begins at 08:30.”
The principal addressed all battalion members with an untimely inspirational speech.
Even though it was just a formality, his expression lacked any vigor. With the battalion commander’s attitude being what it was, it was not even worth discussing the morale of the soldiers under him.
3,000 against 1,000.
A threefold difference in troop numbers, and even their ace had been taken out.
Although it might have seemed unfair, the shock of Ahn Sungho’s defeat had greatly surpassed any dissatisfaction.
“It’s going to be tough… isn’t it…?”
“Shh. Keep it quiet. The kids will hear.”
From the battalion officers down, there was already an acceptance of defeat.
Particularly, the 1st and 3rd companies were desperate to avoid the brunt of the aftermath as much as possible. No matter how much it was a training exercise among the soldiers, punishment was inevitable.
The battalion members had finished lining up in three separate directions, as if they were being deployed to the battlefield. The cliffs visible right in front of them seemed to serve as a foreshadowing for the Haeun Battalion.
‘Huh? Am I with the freshmen?’
Park Jinsung found himself placed on the right path, led by the freshman with sparrow eyes.
Kim Seyun and the 2nd company took the broadest center, while Ju Ye and Byun Kiyoung, leading the 3rd company, were responsible for the left path.
‘Ah, I should’ve known. It couldn’t have gone my way.’
The new face sergeant had cunningly persuaded the officers, effectively silencing Park Jinsung’s opinion.
Considering the last time in the faculty room, the strongest 3rd company should have been responsible for the wide center.
Even if the 2nd company had taken the center, Park Jinsung and Byun Kiyoung should have been there with them.
‘So much for the importance of the center. Tsk.’
But the current arrangement had deliberately split the 2nd company’s ranks to strengthen both the left and right sides.
Since the 3rd company was entirely placed on the left path, it made sense to interpret that more strength was allocated there.
‘The button…’
The button, which would determine the outcome of the training, was inside a container box the size of a small truck. Any of the three paths could easily reach it if only one was breached.
‘Hehe, so Sergeant Ahn Sungho is at the very back?’
In front of the button stood Ahn Sungho, who had fully recovered.
“…….”
Ahn Sungho made no effort to conceal his energy, emitting a powerful aura that enveloped all the battalion members.
“Ahn Seong… keuk.”
New face sergeant, intending to greet Ahn Sungho, couldn’t even approach him and turned back.
Even the other battalion members who had doubted Ahn Sungho kept their mouths shut at this moment.
‘Wow. He seems really angry. That’s good.’
If Ahn Sungho was at the very back, that was satisfactory enough.
Although Ahn Sungho himself would be furious for a while,
‘Wait for it, Sergeant.’
Park Jinsung could later make it up to him satisfactorily. That is, if everything went according to plan.
“Alright, is everyone here?”
Park Jinsung looked at the gathered zombie squad with satisfaction.
Originally, the zombie squad should have been with Kim Seyun in the center. However, after seeing the troop arrangement, an annoyed Park Jinsung blatantly snatched the zombie squad away.
Given the circumstances, the leading role would undoubtedly be the zombie squad.
“Captain, is it really okay if we don’t go to the madam?”
The sergeants of the 3rd company were aware of the zombie squad’s movement but did not overtly criticize it, silently agreeing to let Park Jinsung handle it.
“Right. Why stay here and get scolded for nothing?”
“Eh? Madam? Who’s the madam?”
“Who else but Corporal Kim Seyun!”
“Who, who said to call her by that title?”
“Who else but Corporal Kim Seyun!”
“…….”
“If you don’t call her ‘madam,’ she said she’d beat us up.”
All 4,000 participants received bracelets that would absorb a portion of the damage. This safety measure was provided by a collaboration between Haeun Battalion’s medical team and 998 Brigade’s medical personnel.
If a bracelet broke, it would be considered a death, and the wearer had to withdraw from the battlefield.
“Ha-ha-ho-ho…. Sorry, nurse teacher.”
The nurse teacher’s dark circles were visible, a sign of suffering from being overworked.
Clack, clack, clack!
The troops checked their positions.
Even though the paths were divided by open cliffs, they were not close enough to see each other’s situations. They would function as completely independent routes.
Whirr, whirr, whirr!
Drones equipped with microphones and cameras flew back and forth between the cliffs and paths.
‘Wow, they’re even broadcasting it.’
Ding!
Park Jinsung’s 5,000 won digital watch announced that it was 8:30 AM.
Park Jinsung and the Zombie Squad advanced to the very front of the right path. The freshmen who recognized Park Jinsung naturally made way for him.
“Ha! Have you finally arrived?! What exactly were you doing at the back?”
At the rightmost front were the sparrow-eyed freshman and two freshman rankers Park Jinsung had seen in the faculty office,
“Ah, reality is indeed different from imagination.”
Digital military uniforms, slightly greener than before, appeared far across on the opposite side.
In contrast to Haeun Battalion, where spaces were sporadically visible, 998 Brigade was densely packed without any gaps, a difference in troop strength easily discernible even to the naked eye.
“Private Park Jinsung! Private Park Jinsung?!”
“Eh? Who just called me? Surely not that bastard corporal?”
Sparrow-eyes called out to Park Jinsung with a surprisingly bright face.
“Ha?! What do you mean by bastard, you bastard. Please, call me Sparrow-eyes instead.”
“Huh, so he knows he’s Sparrow-eyes?”
“Captain! What’s with this freshman?”
The Zombie Squad, now more robust with muscle, glared at Sparrow-eyes.
The killing intent was directed solely at Sparrow-eyes, but it made the other freshmen shrink back instead.
“Are you the famous Zombie Squad seniors?! Wow! If I knew it was this cool, I would have applied to HT a long time ago!”
“What are you thinking, you bastard corporal?”
“Ha! I told you to call me Sparrow-eyes instead of bastard! And what’s with that strange honorific! Just talk to me informally like before!”
Far from being frightened, Sparrow-eyes welcomed the Zombie Squad with an even brighter face.
‘Ugh! He’s become a completely different person after getting hit a few times?! Wait, I didn’t actually hit him, did I?’
“Ha! We freshmen are already prepared to swear loyalty to you, Captain!”
“Eh?! Ca, Captain?!”
Sparrow-eyes, utterly crushed by Park Jinsung, had thoroughly researched Park Jinsung’s exploits.
Initially, the goal was to understand the source of his strength, but during the investigation, the meaning somehow transformed.
“Let’s start with a salute! Attention! Salute!”
Sparrow-eyes, who had been full of talents since childhood, possessed an ambition worthy of his talents.
He might have been a bit arrogant recently, but his exceptional ambition remained intact. The Park Jinsung incident seemed to have just pruned his arrogance a bit.
Seeing Park Jinsung’s achievements made him believe he could be guided onto a higher path.
The admiration filled with awe led him to reproach himself for not realizing this sooner about Park Jinsung.
“Private Park Jinsung is great! I’ve come to respect him after seeing his past deeds! Please allow me to call you Captain!”
“Ha-ha-ho-ho…. Well, if you insist.”
“Captain! Are you really going to accept this annoying guy?!”
“I’ll do my best! Seniors!”
Sparrow-eyes bowed deeply towards the Zombie Squad, a complete contrast to his previous demeanor.
‘Wait! Could this be?’
A brilliant idea came to Park Jinsung as he locked eyes with Sparrow-eyes.
“Captain! Please, I beg you! I am!”
“But, Sparrow-eyes, do you really want to join the Zombie Squad and HT? You’d have to learn under Sergeant Ahn Sungho, whom you’ve been so dismissive of?”
“Ha! It seems I was truly mad! Only now do I realize my judgment was worth less than a pebble underfoot! I am so sorry!”
“Really, truly, sincerely, do you want to serve me as your Captain?”
“Ha! I am sincere! Truly! Sincerely!”
“If you want to serve me as Captain, you must follow orders even in death. Can you do that?”
“Ha?! Don’t say such things! The entire freshman class is already at the Captain’s beck and call!”
“Hmm. Alright. The Zombie Squad welcomes you. Zombie Squad members, please take good care of this newcomer.”
Park Jinsung spread his arms wide as if he were almost a cult leader.
Whether it was Sparrow-eyes shouting in joy or Park Jinsung feigning a kind smile, to outsiders, they both looked equally foolish. Just from this scene alone, Sparrow-eyes’ eligibility was evident.
“Ha! I can’t believe it! Thank you! Seniors!”
While the Zombie Squad initially resisted the newcomer, Sparrow-eyes’ surprisingly diligent demeanor softened their hearts a bit.
‘Hehehe… Jackpot. Things turned out better than expected…?’
Park Jinsung finished calculating the situation with a slightly creepy expression.
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