Chapter 14

14. A Shocking Proposal, and a Vacation – 2

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To a soldier of F-rank, being told to become an officer...

The battalion commander had clearly said so.

His words were so shocking that all the staff members stopped eating.

Clank—

The sound of utensils ceased, and a moment of silence fell.

Lee Hyun-wook deliberately showed a look of surprise.

‘Not a non-commissioned officer, but an officer... Honestly, I never expected this.’

To be honest, he had anticipated a proposal for a non-commissioned officer, but never for an officer.

As everyone knows, officers are the highest rank among the three main ranks in the military.

Moreover, the criteria for AMT officers were so strict that it was almost impossible for an AMT soldier to become an officer.

No, it had never happened before.

‘Even that Choi Young-joon was commissioned as a non-commissioned officer. He eventually rose to A-rank a few years later, but it was too late for him to receive officer training...’

The initial 'rank' assigned to a player often determines their fate.

All players in South Korea enter the player training camp and undergo two months of training.

During this time, they go through various tests and are ultimately assigned their 'initial rank.'

On the day of the graduation ceremony, a 'bidding competition' begins based on this rank.

‘It’s like a draft, in a way.’

In other words, it’s the gateway for new players.

Civilian guilds, AMT, PMC, and other organizations that have the authority to hire players compete to secure the best player resources. In such cases, most players prefer to be chosen by a 'civilian guild.'

After all, civilian guilds offer the best advantages in terms of honor, money, and lifestyle.

If not, the second-best option would be...

‘To enter a military academy through the recommendation of the training camp commander.’

Even as a soldier, an officer rank would ensure the best treatment in the player community, and it would also open up the possibility of joining a civilian guild after discharge.

However, if none of these options were available...

‘You end up here, serving as a soldier for two years.’

In other words, being a soldier is the worst-case scenario, meaning you are not considered a high-quality player.

From this perspective, one can understand how radical Kim Gang-seok’s proposal was.

“...”

To be told to become an officer... Everyone must have been shocked, but they tried not to show it.

Among them was the assault squad leader, Seo Eun-ha.

She looked at Lee Hyun-wook with a subtle expression.

Kim Gang-seok, seemingly oblivious to the atmosphere, continued speaking.

“Although your player ability is only F-rank, the combat power you demonstrated by maximizing that small ability... I would say it’s at least C-rank. Of course, if you encounter something larger than a goblin or kobold, like an orc, your combat power might drop significantly, but we’ll have to see.”

C-rank is the unofficial 'officer duty standard' within AMT.

In simpler terms, if you don’t reach C-rank, your promotion is generally restricted.

Like Lieutenant Oh Jung-tae, the battalion armory manager, whose promotion to major was deferred, and he eventually had to retire.

“And most importantly, apart from combat power, your judgment is your greatest ability.”

Judgment...

Perhaps because his words and actions to win Kim Gang-seok’s favor had worked, Kim Gang-seok’s evaluation seemed very positive.

“Thank you, sir.”

“You’re not the only one who thinks highly of you. I heard you received a business card from the tactical instructor of the Black Tiger unit.”

“Yes, that’s correct.”

“The Black Tiger unit is also closely watching you. However, if you go that route, you’ll be a non-commissioned officer, essentially the youngest member. It will be like being a private all over again.”

Subtly hinting at the Black Tiger unit as a deterrent...

“If you want to challenge becoming an officer, I’m willing to support you in every way.”

He said this while lifting his coffee cup.

Kim Gang-seok’s support means you’ve climbed one of the important lines in AMT.

Given that he is a founding member of AMT, he maintains a close relationship with the top brass.

Slurp—

Even though they were right next to Kim Gang-seok, some officers who hadn’t even reached the end of that line were heard swallowing their saliva.

The loudest sound came from Lieutenant Lee Hee-min, the 1st Battalion 2nd Squad Leader. Lee Hyun-wook saw his eyes trembling as he bowed his head almost touching the utensils.

“Private Lee Hyun-wook, what do you think? How about trying it out and seeing if you can be called Lieutenant Lee Hyun-wook?”

Kim Gang-seok even added a bit of encouragement.

“Ah...”

However, Lee Hyun-wook had no intention of staying in the military, just like before.

And this thought would not change in the future.

‘Most importantly, to become an officer, I need to enter a military academy and complete a two-year raid command course.’

Lee Hyun-wook didn’t have the time for that.

‘But outright rejecting it would be unwise.’

The battalion commander, Kim Gang-seok, is a powerful ally.

His support could be beneficial not only for the remaining military service but also after discharge. In fact, it would definitely be helpful.

In other words, even if it’s a cunning thought, it’s necessary to appear to consider the lifeline Kim Gang-seok has offered.

“Thank you, sir. You’ve given me such a great opportunity over the past few days. It’s almost too much for me.”

“It was a test over the past few days, and now I’m giving you a real opportunity. You’ve proven your worth.”

Kim Gang-seok emphasized the word 'real.'

“Thank you. However, I’ve been through so much recently that I’m confused about making a decision. Most importantly... I’m F-rank. My limitations are clear. If I take on a significant role...”

He paused for a moment, then looked directly at the battalion commander.

“...It’s not just about winning battles. It’s about making soldiers trust and follow my judgment. I believe that’s the most important ability a commander should have. While you say my judgment is good, without proper leadership and teamwork, it’s useless, isn’t it? I’m not sure if I can secure that as an F-rank player.”

The officer corps would not welcome an F-rank player, that was the implication.

However, Kim Gang-seok’s lips slowly curled upward.

The importance of leadership and teamwork... Indeed, it’s a response that would please a seasoned military man.

“...But I haven’t had the chance to think about such things. I was appointed as a temporary squad leader a few days ago. I would appreciate it if you could give me some time.”

“You see the core of the matter, Lee Hyun-wook.”

Kim Gang-seok nodded.

“Alright, then think about it during your leave. Positively.”

“Yes, I’ll think about it seriously.”

Lee Hyun-wook directly asked Kim Gang-seok and received approval for a 3-day, 4-night leave starting the next day.

However, during the leave, he would have no time to consider Kim Gang-seok’s proposal.

‘There’s too much to do for growth.’

His mind was set on making this leave a 'hidden stage' for explosive growth.

‘Most importantly, the day of my return coincides with the day of the incident.’

The important events to come... Lee Hyun-wook had organized them in a notebook right after his regression.

Among them, a few were underlined, and the first 'underline' would occur in four days.

‘...The start of the 4th Wave.’

Wave.

It refers to the phenomenon where gates explosively appear in a specific area.

At this point, regions that have experienced the 1st to 3rd Waves are mostly in ruins, and some areas have been abandoned and turned into monster territories.

‘But such an event is happening in Seoul.’

Lee Hyun-wook is the only one who knows that a massive wave of crisis is approaching.

Therefore, all his actions are meticulously planned.

‘I will take every advantage during this period.’

***

After finishing the meal with the battalion commander and heading back to the 1st Battalion barracks, someone called out.

“...Lee Hyun-wook!”

It was Seo Eun-ha’s voice.

Turning his head, something flew towards him, and Lee Hyun-wook awkwardly caught it.

...It was chocolate.

“...”

He looked at Seo Eun-ha with a “Why are you giving me this?” expression, but she remained expressionless.

“I’m sorry about yesterday.”

“...Huh?”

Without answering what she was sorry for, she tapped his shoulder and walked past him.

In a way, it was a very cool and impressive image of a female officer...

Lee Hyun-wook forced himself to suppress a hollow laugh.

‘Ah, is it because she reprimanded me right after I subdued the kobold necromancer yesterday?’

It seemed that incident was bothering her.

‘Still, she’s got a lot of pride...’

On the surface, she’s clearly a cold and composed knight.

When on duty, she struggles to keep her heavy eyelids open, and she’s the first to rush to any incident, a soldier full of duty and the best tank.

No one could deny her.

‘But I’ve seen her several times when she was drunk and crying, so...’

However, Lee Hyun-wook knew.

Seo Eun-ha, despite her cold exterior, was thoughtful and considerate enough to apologize subtly with chocolate for the harsh words she said.

And she was willing to die for her comrades...

***

Upon arriving at the dormitory, Lee Hyun-wook threw something green onto Ahn Min-tae’s bed.

It was the squad leader’s badge.

“Oh, am I finally getting to wear this?”

Before his leave, he had handed over the squad command to Ahn Min-tae.

“Don’t get too excited. You’re just a substitute for a substitute.”

“Ah? Now that you mention it... Where are you going? The evening meal assembly is soon.”

“Just to the PX for a bit.”

PX (Post Exchange).

In Korean, it’s known as the loyalty club, the military convenience store.

However, the PX in AMT also includes a 'military item shop.'

“Wow! Are you going to flex with the reward points you earned this time?”

“I just want to spend some before my leave.”

“Oh! Are you going to cash out?”

“Don’t ask for details.”

Items bought with 'reward points' from the military item shop are not standard issue and belong to the individual player.

Therefore, it’s possible to sell these items to the public for money, a process known as 'cashing out.'

The PX is located between the 1st Battalion and 2nd Battalion barracks.

‘It’s always bustling.’

Indeed, the PX is a haven for soldiers. Both male and female soldiers gather around it.

The interior is quite spacious.

On one side, there are counters, and on the other, about ten tables are arranged at regular intervals.

However, as soon as he entered, he saw some unwelcome faces at the table directly in front of the entrance.

Sergeant Oh Sang-guk and Corporal Kwak Jin-cheol, the self-proclaimed power duo of the 2nd Battalion.

“Wow! Is that new corporal already wearing his badge? Time flies, doesn’t it?”

“Really... When you hear Sergeant Oh talk, you can tell how much the new recruits hate him.”

They were sitting across from two 2nd Battalion female soldiers.

Intimate contact between male and female soldiers is technically prohibited, but without strong enforcement, it’s impossible to maintain such rules among these young, energetic soldiers.

“Haha! I’m still a beloved senior, aren’t I, Jin-cheol?”

“Hahaha! Sergeant Oh is honestly a necessary evil.”

“Pfft, then you’re calling me trash, aren’t you? Sergeant Oh is still Sergeant Oh.”

Lee Hyun-wook tried to pass by them without a second thought...

“Hey! Isn’t that the corporal who commanded the lockdown operation despite being F-rank?”