Chapter 23

Chapter 23

The Chilgok Unit is composed of a total of 7 platoons.

Each platoon consists of one officer and ten enlisted soldiers.

Thus, classes 1 through 5 handle combat duties, while Class 6 is stationed here and Class 7 handles non-combat tasks like administration and supply at the main base in Cheorwon.

Dojae was assigned to Squad 3.

He entered the barracks, constructed of panels for easy assembly and disassembly.

“Oh? You’re already here?”

Son Jeong-gyu, who had been diligently cleaning the empty barracks, stood up and asked.

The atmosphere was completely different from just moments ago.

Do-jae was the one feeling flustered.

“What’s this? Suddenly using formal speech?”

“I’m sorry about earlier.”

Son Jeong-gyu apologized respectfully, hands clasped together.

His biceps stood out prominently beneath his shabby clothes.

It was rare to see someone for whom an apology looked so out of place.

“Why did you do that?”

“As I said, it’s a unit tradition. Anyone transferred to Chilgok Unit, officer or not, gets challenged to a fight.”

“What a strange tradition.”

“Since it’s a place with relatively more men… More than that, I apologize again for using a real sword.”

Son Jeong-gyu explained the earlier incident step by step.

The unit members already knew Dojae was transferring in, and while others deliberately ignored him, Son Jeong-gyu alone drew Dojae’s attention.

This time, it was Son Jeong-gyu’s turn, so following custom, he had no choice but to start the fight. But in his habitual excitement, he ended up using a real sword.

“I understand. I’m sorry about that too. We almost got someone hurt.”

“Not at all! I might be sore for a bit, but you made a good impression on the other members. And please, speak casually. You’re here as our class leader, aren’t you? If you use formal speech out of respect, some jerks might take advantage. It’s better to use informal speech in many ways.”

Son Jeong-gyu, despite appearances, was actually a pretty thoughtful guy.

As the conversation continued, it became clear he was deep-thinking and thoroughly respectful of hierarchy.

It became clear that his earlier demeanor had been nothing but a show.

Dojae thought he should retract his statement about muscles consuming the brain.

“Got it. Now that you mention it, that’s probably better.”

“Yes, Captain.”

“More importantly, where are the other squad members?”

“They’re all out. Some went for individual training, others went on leave. Today is our squad’s day off.”

“So those onlookers were all from other squads, then.”

“Yes, that’s right.”

The Punitive Expeditionary Force isn’t a prison.

As public servants, punctual arrival and departure are the rule.

Even the roads to Kaesong are well-maintained; you can reach Seoul in two or three hours.

But no one even considered leaving work.

With the commander eating and sleeping here, what kind of bold soldier would even consider commuting?

So, while commuting wasn’t an option, they could act freely on their days off.

Some trained, while others gathered together, took a car, and went out to the city.

“As you can see, we live and sleep here. Is that all your luggage?”

“Yeah, that’s all.”

“If you need anything, just let me know. Since we’re on standby, I’ll make sure to get you whatever you need.”

“Thanks. But don’t worry about it. I brought enough.”

Son Jeong-gyu nodded with wide eyes.

He had assumed Dojae had an inventory.

He was surprised that an individual had an inventory, but at the same time, he understood, hence that expression and gesture.

“This is the squad leader’s quarters. I’ll be leaving now. It might be good to look around the unit before the other members return. We’re all close because of the unit commander’s influence.”

“Got it.”

Clunk.

Son Jeong-gyu carried the trash bag and headed outside.

After actually talking to him, I felt inexplicably sorry.

‘He looks older than me. I should buy him a drink sometime.’

Do-jae headed for the bed Son Jeong-gyu had pointed out when he left.

It was the best spot, right next to the innermost window.

The bed was clean and plush.

The interior was surprisingly pleasant for a makeshift barracks.

He’d expected it to be unpleasant since it was only men, but it was clean and even had a faint, pleasant scent.

‘Having curtains is nice too.’

Furthermore, curtains hung between each bed, creating individual spaces.

Even if noise was unavoidable, this separation alone was quite satisfying.

Zzzzzz-.

The sub-space opened.

From within, I pull out bedding and a single picture frame.

Clothes and shower supplies just take up space, so I can pull them out of the sub-space as needed.

‘Time to explore the base a bit?’

After setting the picture frame containing a photo with his younger brother upright.

Dojae slowly walked out of the barracks.

***

‘It’s bigger than I thought.’

The base was larger than Dojae had imagined.

This was due to the sheer vastness of the Gyeongseong suppression zone.

The campaign had been underway for about two months now, but the total duration was set at one year.

Even that was just for the suppression phase; considering normalization, it was a large-scale operation that would take more than twice as long.

“Good day.”

As Dojae walked around the unit, other squad members greeted him.

Everyone seemed quite diligent and their expressions were bright.

This clearly indicates a very well-managed unit.

‘Is tension inevitable…?’

Yet there is a distinct, heavy atmosphere.

This is a battlefield.

It’s a place where Awakened gather, never knowing when monsters might strike.

A place where one keeps a bright face, but never a frivolous one.

Clunk- clunk-.

A truck enters from the opposite entrance of the unit, from the direction of the extermination zone.

Inside the truck, loot obtained from monsters—broken swords, halved spears—lay jumbled together.

Shortly after, a group of extermination troops followed, entering the base.

‘Looks like they’ve returned from a raid.’

Their weary faces and slow gait revealed how grueling their expedition had been.

Each one bowed in greeting as they passed by Dojae, their musty, damp stench stinging his nostrils.

Then, the very last one.

A man stopped walking and greeted him in a friendly voice.

“Oh? Hello!”

He wore a patch on his left arm, just like Dojae.

Shim Young-jin, wearing the 十 mark symbolizing his rank as an officer, squad leader, and captain of ten, greeted him warmly.

“Oh? You’re a squad leader too? Your name is….”

“I’m Do Jae.”

“Right! Dojae. Seeing someone I know here is really great!”

Chuck.

Shim Young-jin extends his hand for a shake.

His hands were covered in dust and sticky, unknown substances.

Thud.

“What a place to run into you. Nice to see you too.”

Do-jae took Shim Young-jin’s hand.

The feel wasn’t great, but surprisingly, it felt good.

He’d been bothered about not greeting Shim Young-jin during the last exam, and this felt like a small resolution.

“I figured there was no way you were F-grade. Why did you lie back then? Wait, didn’t I even check your license?”

“There were circumstances back then.”

“I see. But what did you talk about with my uncle then? He looked really pleased.”

“Nothing important, really. Just asking if I was thinking of joining the department…”

“Wow, seriously? Uncle really said that?”

“Yeah… Well…”

Shim Young-jin’s face twisted.

She felt hurt that he had been so dismissive of her and her friends, yet was willing to scout someone he’d just met.

“Hmm… What are you doing later, Dojae?”

“Nothing until tonight, I think. It’s the members’ day off, so they’re all out.”

“Then have a cup of coffee with me. Today’s my first day too, and I was sent straight out on a raid as soon as I arrived… Ugh, I’ll report to the captain and be right back.”

“Take your time coming back. You can freshen up a bit.”

“Ah, got it! Guys, come with me!”

Shim Young-jin runs after his departing team members.

Seeing this, Do Jae chuckled softly.

***

“Ahh, that feels great. This shower room is nice!”

“Yeah, the facilities are better than I expected.”

A small smoking area tucked away in the corner of the base.

Shim Young-jin called Dojae over there.

“Want to have a smoke?”

“No, thanks.”

Shim Young-jin took a drag on his cigarette, then exhaled a deep sigh and said.

“Huh… I’m not supposed to be here in the first place.”

What was he trying to say?

It was Dojae, who was getting unnecessarily hopeful.

“During the exam… Ha, that crazy bastard. Ah, I mean the exam proctor. Anyway, that guy followed me around for three straight days, tormenting me terribly. Plus, he kept dragging monsters from somewhere. If I tried to rest a bit, he’d show up again. If I tried to rest a little longer, he’d show up again.”

“Really?”

Dojae frowned, trying not to show it.

This was exactly why he hadn’t been able to hunt monsters.

But he quickly relaxed his expression.

It was water under the bridge anyway.

Besides, knowing Shim Young-jin’s personality, he could tell it wasn’t intentional.

“Thanks to that, I racked up quite a few points. About 20,000 points? I probably would’ve been first.”

“With that many points, it’s almost certain.”

Twenty thousand points was more than enough to take first place.

And since the other test-takers had their monsters stolen and barely got any points, it was even more certain.

“So I should have definitely gotten into Tobon, right? I put Tobon as my first choice. But why! Why on earth! Did I end up in the 3rd Expeditionary Force….”

“Yeah. I don’t really get it either.”

“No. I know why.”

Shim Young-jin’s gaze fixed on something.

The battalion commander’s tent, its flag fluttering.

Shim Young-jin was glaring at it as if he could kill it.

“The commander must have brought me here. You saw it too, right? The commander was the test leader.”

“Even so, isn’t unit assignment based on academic ranking?”

“True. But apparently, only the exam captain gets one pick. They can take the candidate they want. That’s why I didn’t even go to the main unit and came straight here!”

“I didn’t know that.”

It was information not disclosed externally, so Dojae couldn’t have known, but each exam hall’s chief examiner was granted the authority to specially select one examinee of their choice.

Shim Young-jin knew this.

His suspicion had gone beyond mere conjecture and was now filled with certainty.

“Ah, life.”

“Then wouldn’t it be better to quit? Working somewhere you don’t even want to be…”

“Mr. Dojae. You saw our uncle, right? He was thrilled when he heard he was going to the 3rd Expeditionary Force, wasn’t he? No way. I’m sticking it out.”

“Yeah, well.”

“Still, knowing someone like you makes me feel a lot better. Did you see our squad members? Holy crap, what’s with their bodies? Like ten mountain gorillas gathered together.”

After that, Shim Young-jin chattered nonstop.

Do Jae felt Shim Young-jin, who didn’t care whether the other person was listening or not and just talked about himself, was like a younger brother.

“And those guys grabbed my arms and legs and dragged me off to the third extermination zone…”

Thus began Shim Young-jin’s first extermination tale.

He arrived at the extermination zone and flowed through the battle situation like water.

And just as he reached the climax.

“Sergeant, all members have assembled at the barracks.”

Son Jeong-gyu came to the smoking area and said.

“Huh? Already? I didn’t call them.”

“I called them. Since it’s your first time here, shouldn’t we have a welcome party?”

Do Jae scratched his head awkwardly at the sudden welcome party news.

Since Shim Young-jin’s story was getting boring anyway, he saw it as a good opportunity and immediately stood up.

“Alright, let’s go.”

Son Jeong-gyu and Dojae headed toward Class 3’s barracks.

Watching their receding figures, Shim Young-jin said in a voice tinged with sulkiness.

“Man, I’m jealous… Why don’t they throw us kids a welcome party like that?”