14. Unconventional proposal, and vacation – 2
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An F-rank soldier becoming an officer… ···.
The battalion commander clearly said so.
That one word was so shocking that the entire staff stopped eating. The sound of
dishes
stopped and there was silence for a moment.
Lee Hyeon-wook deliberately gave a puzzled expression.
‘Because it’s not a noncommissioned officer, but an officer commissioned… I honestly didn’t expect this to happen.’
To be honest, I expected to be offered a non-commissioned officer position, but I never dreamed of becoming an officer.
As everyone knows, an officer is the highest rank among the three major ranks in the military.
And for AMT officers, the criteria were so strict that it made no sense to select them without considering ‘player grade’, so it was extremely rare for former AMT soldiers to be commissioned as officers.
No, there has never been one before.
‘Even that Choi Yeongjun was commissioned as a noncommissioned officer. A few years later, he broke everyone’s expectations and rose to Grade A, but it was too late to receive officer training…’
Like this, the first ‘grade’ assigned will determine the player’s fate.
All players in Korea enter the player training center and receive two months of training.
At this time, it goes through various tests and is finally given the ‘first grade’.
And on the day of the graduation ceremony, a ‘bidding competition’ begins based on that grade.
‘It’s like a kind of draft.’
In other words, it is a gateway to new players.
Organizations with the authority to hire players, such as the
private guild AMT PMC, compete to obtain better player resources, and most players want to be chosen by a ‘private guild.’
It was true that private guilds were the most advantageous in all aspects of fame, money, and life.
If not, the next best thing…
‘I would like to enroll in on the recommendation of the training center director.’
No matter how much a soldier was, if he was an officer, he would receive the best treatment in the player world, and it was possible to join a private guild after being discharged.
But if you don’t get any choice…
‘I will spend two years as a soldier right here.’
In other words, being a soldier is the worst case scenario, meaning you cannot become a good worker.
In this respect, I could see how unconventional Kim Kang-seok’s proposal was.
“······.”
But when he became an officer… everyone must have been surprised, but he kept it as secret as possible.
Among them was Seo Eun-ha, the leader of the attack platoon.
She glanced at Lee Hyun-wook with a mysterious expression.
Kim Kang-seok continued to say what he wanted to say, as if he was not conscious of the atmosphere at all.
“Although your player ability is only at grade F, the combat power you showed by making the most of that small ability… is enough to be considered grade C in my opinion. Of course, I think your combat power may drop sharply if you only encounter orcs rather than small monsters like goblins or kobolds, but we’ll have to wait and see.”
Grade C corresponded to the unofficial ‘officer duty performance standards’ within the AMT.
To put it simply, if you don’t reach grade C, promotion will most likely be restricted.
Like Lieutenant Oh Jeong-tae, the manager of the arsenal of the battalion, his promotion to captain was put on hold, and he was eventually discharged under compulsion.
“And more than anything, regardless of your fighting ability, your judgment is your greatest ability.”
Judgment…
Kim Kang-seok’s evaluation seemed to be very generous, perhaps because Lee Hyun-wook’s words and actions, which had been trying to please Kim Kang-seok until now, had worked well.
“Thank you for your kind words, battalion commander.”
“I am not the only one who liked you. I heard that you received a business card from the tactical training center of the Black Tiger Unit.”
“Yes that’s right.”
“It means that the Black Tigers are also watching you carefully. However, if you go that way, he has the status of a noncommissioned officer, but he is actually the youngest. It would be like living the life of a private again.”
Even subtly keeping the Black Tigers in check…
“If you want to take on the challenge of being commissioned as an officer, I plan to support you both materially and spiritually.”
He said that and lifted the coffee cup.
Kim Kang-seok’s support meant getting on one of AMT’s important lines.
As a founding member of AMT, he maintains a close relationship with the highest ranks.
Gulp –
I could hear the sounds of several officers swallowing their saliva who had not yet reached the end of the line, even though they were assisting Kim Kang-seok closest to him.
Among them, the loudest voice was Lieutenant Lee Hee-min, commander of the 2nd platoon of the 1st Company. Lee Hyun-wook saw his head lowered, his nose almost buried in the tableware, and the corners of his eyes fluttering.
“What do you think, Corporal Lee Hyun-wook? To be called Lieutenant Lee Hyun-wook once.”
Kim Kang-seok even put in the wind like that.
“ah······.”
However, Lee Hyeon-wook had no intention of remaining in the military just like the first time.
And this thought will never change.
‘Above all, in order to be commissioned as an officer, you must enroll in and complete the two-year Raid Command Course.’
Lee Hyun-wook didn’t have time for that.
‘But it’s not good to just reject something.’
The trust of Battalion Commander Kim Kang-seok was a tremendous weapon.
I had no idea that my relationship with him would be of great help not only during the remainder of my military service, but even after I was discharged. No, it would definitely help.
In other words, even if it was a treacherous idea, there was a need to hold on to the rope given by Kim Kang-seok.
“thank you. The battalion commander has given me such a great opportunity over the past few days. “It almost feels like it doesn’t fit the bill.”
“The last few days have been a test and the results are giving us a real chance now. Your fountain has been proven.”
Kim Kang-seok spoke with emphasis on ‘real’.
“thank you. But I’ve been through so much lately that I’m just confused to make a judgment. More than anything… I’m an F grade. The limits are clear. If that kind of person takes on a heavy responsibility…”
After a brief pause, he looked straight at the battalion commander and spoke.
“······Not simply fighting the enemy and winning, but making the soldiers trust and follow my judgment. I think that is the most important competency a commander must have. The battalion commander said my judgment was good, but wouldn’t it be useless without the right leadership and proper teamwork? “The truth is, I’m not sure if I, as an F-ranked person, can secure that.”
What he meant was that the officer organization would not welcome F grade.
Nevertheless, the corners of Kim Kang-seok’s mouth slowly rose.
The importance of leadership and teamwork… As expected, this was an answer that a soldier would like to hear.
“······But I haven’t had a chance to think about that yet. This is because a temporary squad leader was appointed a few days ago. I would appreciate it if you could give me some time.”
“Lee Hyun-wook, you know how to see the point.”
Kim Kang-seok nodded.
“Okay then, think about it while you’re on vacation. positively.”
“Yes, I will seriously think about it.”
Lee Hyun-wook directly requested Kim Kang-seok and received approval for a 3-night, 4-day vacation starting tomorrow.
However, there would be no time to think about Kim Kang-seok’s recommendation during the vacation period.
‘There is so much to do for growth.’
All he had in mind was to make this vacation a ‘hidden stage’ for explosive growth.
‘More than anything, the day of return coincides with the day the incident occurred.’
Important events that will happen in the future…
Immediately after his return, Lee Hyun-wook organized them in a notebook.
And among them, there were a few underlined incidents, and we will reach the first ‘underline’ in the next four days.
‘······An event that announces the beginning of the 4th wave.’
Wave.
This refers to a phenomenon in which a gate explodes within a specific area.
At present, most of the areas that experienced the 1st to 3rd waves have become ruins, and some areas have been left unrecovered and have become the land of monsters.
‘But such incidents happen in Seoul.’
Lee Hyun-wook was the only person who knew that a crisis like a huge wave was approaching.
Therefore, all his actions were made under thorough calculation.
‘All benefits are taken throughout that period.’
***
After finishing my meal with the battalion commander, I was returning to the 1st Company barracks.
“······Lee Hyun-wook!”
Someone called from behind.
It was Seo Eun-ha’s voice.
When he turned his head, something flew at him, and Lee Hyun-wook caught it without hesitation.
It was chocolate.
“······.”
I looked at Seo Eun-ha with an expression asking why she was giving me this, but she still had an expressionless expression.
“I’m sorry about yesterday.”
“······yes?”
I didn’t know what I was sorry about, but without answering, I tapped Lee Hyun-wook once on the shoulder and passed by.
In some ways, she looked like a very cool and stylish female executive…
Hyunwook Lee I forced myself to burst into laughter.
‘Ah, is it because you shot me right after suppressing the kobold warlock yesterday?’
She seemed to be bothered by it.
‘Anyway, I heard you were very pretentious…’
On the outside, he clearly appears to be a cold and cold knight.
He was a soldier with a sense of duty and the best tanker, somehow holding on to his heavy eyelids when he was on duty, and running first when something happened.
There was no one who did not acknowledge her like that.
‘But I’ve seen him drunkenly and covered in tears and snot so many times…’
However, Lee Hyun-wook knew.
Even though Seo Eun-ha is cold on the outside, she was so thoughtful and considerate that she subtly apologized with something like chocolate because she was concerned about a comment she made yesterday. That’s why she was willing to die for her colleagues
…
***
Lee Hyun-wook arrived at the dormitory and threw something green onto Ahn Min-tae’s bed.
It was the squad leader’s epaulettes.
“Oh, am I finally going to try this?”
Prior to the vacation, command of the squad was handed over to Ahn Min-tae.
“Don’t like it too much. It’s a pinch hitter for a pinch hitter.”
“ah? Come to think of it… But where are you going? Dinner set soon.”
“Wait a minute, PX.”
Post eXchange (PX).
In our language, it was the canteen of the loyalty club army.
However, AMT’s PX also included a ‘military item store’.
“oh! Are you flexing with the reward points you earned this time?”
“Just to write some before I go on vacation.”
“ah! Are you trying to cash in?”
“Don’t ask for details.”
Items purchased with ‘reward points’ at the military item shop are not supplies and belong to the individual player.
Therefore, it was possible to sell items bought with reward points to society to raise money, so-called ‘cash-out’.
The PX was located in the building between the barracks of the 1st and 2nd companies.
‘It’s always crowded.’
After all, PX is a haven for soldiers. Both female and male soldiers were grouped near it.
Inside was quite spacious.
There was a shelf on one side, and dozens of tables were spaced apart on the other side.
However, as soon as you enter the entrance, there are some unwelcome faces sitting at the table in front of you.
Sergeant Oh Sang-guk and Corporal Kwak Jin-cheol called themselves the powerful duo of the 2nd Company.
“and! Auntie Shin, did this jjamjji wear a corporal already? Is the time fast?”
“Ah really… Seeing what Sang-guk says about Mr., I think I know how much he hates his successors.”
They were sitting across from two female soldiers from the 2nd company.
Originally, close contact between soldiers of the opposite sex was prohibited, but unless there were strong sanctions, there was no way such a personal rule would be properly observed among these energetic young soldiers.
“Ughh! I am still a beloved senior. Isn’t that right, Jincheol?”
“ha ha ha! Oh, Sergeant, honestly, it’s a necessary evil.”
“Wow, doesn’t that mean it’s trash? Oh, sergeant, of course.”
Hyunwook Lee tried to pass them by without thinking…
“uh! “Is that the corporal over there?”
“Ah, the person who was ranked F and led the blockade operation?”
The female soldiers pointed to Lee Hyeon-wook and spoke, and Oh Sang-guk and Kwak Jin-cheol were momentarily speechless.
“······huh? who?”
Oh Sang-guk turned his head to look at Lee Hyeon-wook, but he pretended not to know.
“Why~ Two days ago, in the Itaewon operation, he was an F grade, but he made a great contribution and received a commendation from the battalion commander.”
“He is very famous in our company. Please say hello.”
“No ladies! Since when have you been so interested in other people’s important matters?”
Oh Sang-guk made a squealing sound without realizing it.
“No, this old man… Why are you getting irritated all of a sudden? Of course I’m not interested in guys. I don’t know if he’s like an older brother like him. By the way, you look as handsome as the rumors say~”
The female soldiers of the 2nd Company giggled.
“But isn’t Mr. Sang-guk that person’s senior? Can’t you just call me once?”
“······What are you talking about! These women are real!”
Hyunwook Lee could hear their conversation, but he passed by without even looking and went to the ‘item corner’ at the innermost part of the PX.
‘The reward points I had were 5,500.’
One ‘recovery potion (small)’ of the international standard standard was about 100 reward points.
And considering that it is traded for about 150,000 won on the market, 6,000 points were worth a whopping 9 million won.
‘Let’s see which items are good for cashing out…’
In order to cash in, it was necessary to buy the most demanded item and go out.
“It’s ‘of’ after all.”
Orb.
It was a sphere containing magic and was used to give specific ‘characteristics’ to items.
As an item with high versatility, the market price was high and stable.
Lee Hyun-wook purchased a total of three low-grade orbs of level 5.
Each item had 1,500 reward points, which totaled approximately 6.75 million won.
‘And you don’t have to buy painkillers. The absorption will end soon.’
– A ‘breath room’ is forming in the stomach. (78%)
* May be accompanied by extreme pain!
I still had heartburn, but it stabilized over time.
‘When the breath room is completed, the furnace will be created inside the body, so the digestion speed will be much faster.’
Until now, swallowing metal and then exercising was the best.
However, since the ‘Breath Room’ also functions as a kind of ‘melting furnace’, the speed of ability growth could be increased several times in the future.
Lee Hyun-wook bought three orbs with reward points and packaged them in a special safe box.
This was because the orb was a consumable item that reacted to equipment items, so if it was done incorrectly, it could stick to the female item.
Until then, Oh Sang-guk and Kwak Jin-cheol were still sitting at the table talking to the two female soldiers.
As Lee Hyun-wook approached the entrance after completing the calculation, Oh Sang-guk’s somewhat excited voice was heard.
“······No, listen. Isn’t that kid a big deal? It’s an F grade in the first place. It’s just that I was lucky. Are you saying you’re just going to kill yourself if you lock yourself in a room with a few goblins? It’s so ridiculous that such a rumor exists! “He’s acting like he’s some sort of hero!”
No matter how much I listened, the target of that grandiose criticism was Lee Hyun-wook.
When a female soldier who spotted Lee Hyun-wook burst out laughing, Oh Sang-guk was left speechless.
“Ma’am, why are you laughing at me?”
“I’m sorry, but Mr. Sang-guk, I think he heard everything?”
“······what?”
Oh Sang-guk turned his head.
And then I made eye contact with Lee Hyun-wook, who was passing right behind me.
“······.”
After a moment of silence, Oh Sang-guk quickly blinked and slowly turned his head.
And then…
“・・・・・Hiccup!”
Suddenly I started to hiccup.
“huh? “What’s wrong with you, Sangguk?”
“Hiccup! Hiccup! Ah, Mr. Hiccup!”
“······Oh, Sergeant?”
Gwak Jin-cheol was also flustered and held out a can of the drink he was drinking to Oh Sang-guk.
“Hiccup! Hiccup!”
“omg! Is that F-grade oppa really scary? Enough to hiccup just because our eyes met?”
“Oh no Shiba-hiccup! That’s not-hiccup!”
Seeing this, the women began laughing and laughing.
“Oh my, I should call you Uncle Hiccup instead of Uncle Sangguk!”
Lee Hyun-wook just looked at them once and passed by without saying a word.
