Chapter 32

32. Preparing to Face the Waves – 2

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Lee Hyun-wook received a call from Captain Kwak Yong-joon.

“Reporting! Private Lee Hyun-wook!”

Then, a loud voice burst from the other end of the phone.

– Hey! Damn, I've never seen anyone like you before!

At first, it sounded like an insult, but it was a voice filled with excitement.

It couldn't be otherwise.

‘Judging by the tone, he must have won a lot?’

There is a game that is popular among high-ranking players.

It's an illegal gambling game known as the 'Gate Game.'

They place bets on various topics whenever a gate appears.

Which team will have the highest contribution, which boss monster will appear, and so on.

But this time, it seemed that Jeong Sang-sik had won a lot of money from Yoo Jae-hyuk.

– Hahaha! The contribution was 100%? Hahaha! I wonder what the Blue Flower Guild members were doing inside after failing three times? Hahaha!

He chattered away to a mere soldier.

In any case, it meant he was very excited, which was a very good sign.

– Hmm, hmm, right! Your name is Lee Hyun-wook, right?

“Yes, that's correct.”

– Amazing! Truly amazing! I didn't expect you to do it so perfectly!

“It wasn't just me. Eight soldiers worked together to achieve this.”

– That's right! I'll make sure to reward you all more than you can imagine, so don't worry! It will be several times more than all the reward points you've earned during your military service combined!

“Thank you, Commander!”

Of course, as the AMT Seoul Operations Commander, he had immense authority in every aspect.

Thus, he could transfer even the hero-grade item, the Pale Note, at his discretion.

‘Well, this guy may use soldiers recklessly, but his rewards are just as generous.’

– And I'd like to hear the details over a good meal sometime, is that okay?

“Of course.”

– Alright, then get some rest today. I'll make sure to give you a few days off!

“Yes! Understood! Reporting!”

The call ended there.

“...D, did it end?”

“Yes.”

Captain Kwak Yong-joon was drenched in cold sweat.

It's not easy for a mere captain to receive a call from a three-star general.

Turning his head, he saw Yoo Hae-na still standing there, staring intently at Lee Hyun-wook.

She seemed to have a lot more to say, having waited quietly while he was on the phone.

“Do you have something else to say?”

“...Well, since I lost, if you need anything in the future, just let me know.”

Her cheeks were flushed, but she tried to maintain her haughty demeanor.

She lost, and she was angry about it, but she was still trying hard to save face.

“Or... would you like to join Blue Flower in a good position? I can arrange a spot for you in the strategy team.”

On one hand, she still wanted to keep him under her command.

But at those words, Seo Eun-ha glared at her and spoke up.

“Hold on, what are you doing? Are you trying to openly poach AMT's forces?”

“...I just said to join after discharge. What's the problem with that?”

“What, what do you mean?”

“You didn't drag them into AMT out of their own will, did you? As an officer, why are you trying to block their path? Are soldiers your pets?”

“...”

Honestly, it was a very valid point, and Seo Eun-ha couldn't say anything.

Moreover, Yoo Hae-na was using formal language, which was unusual.

It meant she was very upset.

“...”

Of course, Seo Eun-ha wasn't about to back down easily and glared at Yoo Hae-na.

An invisible low-frequency tension could be felt between the two women.

“Hmm-.”

Finally, Lee Hyun-wook cleared his throat and interjected.

“...Sorry, but I have no intention of joining the Blue Flower Guild right now.”

“Why? What's wrong with Blue Flower?”

“After going in today, it was...”

Lee Hyun-wook chuckled awkwardly, as if it was hard to say.

“Why? What was it like?”

“...The level wasn't as high as I thought.”

“...”

“And I didn't want to say this, but one of the snipers tried to 'steal' the kill. Haha... Still, it was a huge disappointment, being the top guild in the country.”

She opened and closed her mouth, stammering.

The strategy team she had put together with great ambition had a 0% contribution.

And the attempt to steal the kill was so embarrassing that she had no words...

Finally, her cheeks and neck turned red, and she turned around.

“...Whatever, don't do anything stupid and stay in the military.”

Seo Eun-ha glared at her with a fierce look, but Yoo Hae-na ignored it.

“Since it's a bet, I'll contact you with the number on my business card.”

With that, she turned around abruptly, clearly irritated.

‘Well, I'll make sure to get the bet money, so don't worry.’

Several items came to Lee Hyun-wook's mind.

***

In the truck returning to the base, the special strategy squad members were wide awake despite their exhaustion.

They were listening to a very interesting story from Lee Hyun-wook.

It was about the conversation with the commander, promising them rewards beyond their imagination.

“Wow!”

“Jackpot...”

Everyone's mouths began to curve upward at the news.

“To think I'd receive a reward from the commander, hahaha...”

As Lee Hyun-wook had experienced several times, AMT's rewards are given in the form of reward points or items.

In a sense, it's like a performance bonus.

“What a rare opportunity, what should we ask for to make a good impression?”

“Should we go for a full set of armor? It's so expensive that I never dared to think about it, but it would be perfect, right?”

As they were imagining various possibilities with excitement, Lee Hyun-wook interjected.

“Wait, I have an item I want to recommend to all of you.”

Everyone looked at him with hopeful expressions.

“Oh! What is it?”

Now, they believed that following Lee Hyun-wook's advice would bring them unexpected benefits.

“This time, definitely... ask for a weapon imbued with holy power as your reward.”

However, upon hearing this, everyone couldn't hide their puzzled expressions.

Holy power...?

“...Eh? Why?”

“Holy power... isn't it useless for us, except for Min-wook, who is a healer?”

As Choi Tae-yong pointed out, holy power was a characteristic with no versatility.

In other words, unless you were a priest or a paladin, where holy power directly affects the efficiency of your skills, it was practically useless.

‘How should I explain this...’

He couldn't say it would be needed during the 4th Wave.

This time, he had to come up with a plausible excuse...

“Have you heard about the large-scale undead gate that opened in Siberia, Russia?”

“Hmm... I haven't.”

“Well, I heard about it by chance. The large-scale undead gate in Siberia was discovered too late, and a huge number of undead spread throughout Siberia.”

Gates that appear in remote areas like Siberia or the Amazon can't be responded to immediately and sometimes are discovered much later, after several eruptions have already occurred.

“Oh... So the demand for holy weapons, which are already rare, will suddenly increase?”

Lee Hyun-wook nodded.

“Yes, there's a very secret and unverifiable piece of information that the top guild in Russia is preparing for a large-scale holy war. So, if you receive a holy weapon as a reward this time, you can sell it later and buy the weapon you want, which will be more profitable.”

It was a complete lie, but with a few details added, it seemed to be believed.

“Hmm... But where did you hear such news?”

An Min-tae tilted his head and asked.

“I said the source is confidential. Why can't I know such things?”

“No, that's not what I meant. I'm just curious. Ah! Maybe you know the second daughter of the Blue Flower Guild, who we saw earlier... Yes, that's it!”

An Min-tae found a plausible reason on his own.

After all, in their eyes, it was a rare and unusual scene for the second daughter of the Blue Flower Guild, a top-tier A-grade player, to show interest in an AMT soldier.

Thus, they assumed there was some kind of connection between them.

“It's not like that, you don't need to know.”

“Then, could it be... like the company commander, will Private Lee Hyun-wook also join the Blue Flower Guild after discharge...”

“No, I said it's not like that.”

“But why that woman... Hmm, I see.”

Lee Hyun-wook's stern gaze made An Min-tae nod obediently.

“Anyway, follow my advice. Holy weapons.”

“Understood!”

“Thanks for the good information!”

Soon, the time would come when 'holy power' would be truly effective.

This would increase their survival rate and potential for active participation.

***

“...Se, success!”

Someone burst into the 2nd dormitory.

Oh Sang-guk and Kwak Jin-cheol, who were watching TV, frowned and turned their heads.

“Ah, damn! You scared me... What is it?”

“It's about them who left last night! They succeeded in the strategy!”

The special strategy squad, composed of players level 18 and below,

It had been 16 hours since they left the company.

“That's obvious, isn't it? The Blue Flower Guild must have been well-prepared, right?”

Oh Sang-guk said dismissively.

“No, that's not it!”

“Then what, man!”

“O, our company members' contribution... was... 100%!”

“...What?”

Oh Sang-guk and Kwak Jin-cheol looked at each other, frowning.

Killing even one monster in the dungeon gives a minor contribution.

But 100% contribution on one side was practically impossible.

It was an unbelievable event.

“Damn...”

But now, when he thought of that guy, Lee Hyun-wook, it somehow seemed possible.

So, they turned their heads back to the TV without much skepticism.

But the content of the TV didn't register in their minds.

‘How could this happen?’

The two of them, with blank stares, started shaking their legs simultaneously.

This story was being discussed all over the company.

In the counseling room, five soldiers were sitting and talking.

“Wow... Private Lee Hyun-wook, isn't he practically better than Sergeant Choi Young-joon now?”

“Hey, no way. Have you seen Sergeant Choi Young-joon fight?”

“I have. He cut through four orcs surrounding him and came out. Hmm, but in terms of leadership, isn't he the best?”

“Hmm, maybe. After all, not just anyone can lead a strategy operation...”

Now, he was even being compared to Choi Young-joon, who was considered the strongest soldier in the battalion.

“...By the way, when Sergeant Choi Young-joon returns from leave, he'll be really surprised to hear what happened.”

“Huh? Why?”

“It's funny enough that Private Lee Hyun-wook suddenly changed, but what will he think when he hears that he was put in charge of a strategy operation he had never done before?”

“Ah...”

And it wasn't just the 1st Company that reacted this way.

“Wow! Is that the guy? The one who commanded the closure of the Kobold Gate!”

In the PX, the 2nd Company female soldiers were also discussing this hot topic.

“Hey, that's not all. He's the same guy the brigade commander was looking for during the Seoul Unlucky Event when he teleported in... It's crazy, really.”

“He- That's cool! If I ever run into him at the PX, I should get his number!”

“Hey, didn't you say you wouldn't even look at a guy below C-grade?”

“Hehe, my thoughts seem to have changed a bit?”

He had practically become a celebrity.

***

While becoming the subject of gossip, Lee Hyun-wook and the other eight were given a 48-hour combat leave.

Of course, they didn't just lounge around.

After sleeping for exactly six hours, they all gathered at the training ground.

Following Lee Hyun-wook's instructions, they trained according to their roles.

“Phew... I didn't know training could be so fun and rewarding.”

“Now I understand why this training is necessary and what aspects need improvement.”

Especially, six out of the eight special strategy squad members were from the 5th squad.

Thus, the morale of the 5th squad soared to unprecedented heights.

“Private An Min-tae, can you now handle orcs and daida?”

“Well, honestly, I think I could probably hold my ground against three or four orcs.”

An Min-tae's level was already 20, placing him in the upper-middle range among the privates in the 1st Company.

A 5-level increase in just three days...

It was not just encouraging but explosive growth.

“Wow! You're practically a tank now.”

“Then, were you a fake tank before?”

“Well, to be honest, there was a bit of that feeling, wasn't there?”

“Oh... Choi Tae-yong, do you want to stand behind me in the next battle?”

“Ah, I'm just joking!”

The next day,

At the morning assembly, the company commander announced a special schedule.

“Hey, there's a special promotion exam today. If you want to take it, register at the administrative office. Of course, only those who have increased by 5 levels or more since the last exam are eligible, right?”

At the battalion commander's request, AMT 'player grade examiners' had come to the base.

Usually, 'promotion exams' are only held during the 'regular exam period' every six months, but if a player has grown explosively, the battalion commander can apply for a grade exam at his discretion.

And this time, it was clearly a visit for the 'special strategy squad members.'

“We'll do our best!”

“We'll definitely get promoted!”

Six squad members went to take the promotion exam with confidence.

And about two hours later...

Creak!

The dormitory door opened, and the squad members burst in, drenched in sweat.

“...”

Their faces were filled with a sense of exhilaration.

The result was obvious even without them saying anything.

“...Private Lee Hyun-wook! I'm now D-grade! Hahaha!”

“Me too, me too!”

“We all got promoted to D-grade!”

Four out of the five squad members who participated in the promotion exam moved from E-grade to D-grade.

“Good job, everyone.”

“Honestly, it's all thanks to Private Lee Hyun-wook, isn't it?”

“If you think so, keep doing well.”

“Of course! I'll do my best!”

“Got it, don't overdo it.”

Rumors began to spread that the support squad would be 'reorganized.'

It was natural.

They were already recognized as having more combat power than the 3rd and 4th squads of the 2nd Company.

Some even argued that if Lee Hyun-wook were to lead, they could be better than the 1st squad.

And Lee Hyun-wook was confident he could make it happen.

Moreover, their growth was far from over.

Having achieved growth in ability, it was time to taste material growth.

– Beep! This is an announcement from the administrative office. The special strategy squad members who participated in the Red Gate strategy yesterday, please go to the battalion armory immediately. This announcement is repeated...

The squad members all looked up at the announcement.

“...Is that like a delivery for us?”

“Oh, it seems so! And the sender is none other than the Commander!”

They went down to the armory with excitement.

“Reporting! Thank you for your hard work.”

“Hey, what's going on here?”

The armory manager, Lieutenant Oh Jung-tae, looked bewildered.

Because a large number of weapons had arrived in the name of the AMT Seoul Operations Commander.

It had never happened during his service.

“These are the reward items we received.”

“...What? You received rewards from the Commander?”

“Yes, that's right!”

Lieutenant Oh Jung-tae also knew that they were the lowest-ranked soldiers, so he looked puzzled.

He seemed to be out of touch with battalion news, as if he had been stuck here and almost never heard them.

They opened their boxes and checked the reward items.

They had requested items imbued with holy power, tailored to the items they mainly used.

“The holy power makes them look more radiant.”

“That's just your imagination.”

Of course, they can emit light in response to dark power.

“Oh, but why does Private Lee Hyun-wook have two boxes?”

That was because the reward items he requested from the brigade commander had also arrived.

He opened the box from the brigade commander first.

Inside were two one-handed swords.

They looked like the same model, with a blade length of about 70 cm,