A Surgeon Who Uses Martial Arts [EN]: Chapter 430

Chapter 84: Illusion and Delusion (1)

‘No way. This has to be a dream.’

Inho was in denial.

A former soccer player, Inho, was failing to dominate even the military league.

Unable to overcome the wall of talent.

Perhaps due to a lack of effort.

He had quit playing because he spent more and more days on the bench.

But comparing Inho’s soccer skills to the average person was absurd.

Whether it was in the military or a weekend soccer club, Inho was always a standout. He excelled and shone everywhere.

But what was this?

Today, the game wasn’t going his way.

All because of that damned medical company commander right in front of him.

“……”

“……”

Near the goal area, Inho faced the company commander alone. The air between them was thick with tension.

“Inho, what are you doing! Break through and score!!!”

A shout came from behind, from a superior officer.

He seemed frustrated that Inho wasn’t breaking through despite having a clear chance.

What does the platoon leader know?

It feels like I’m blocked by a real iron wall…….

Inho couldn’t recklessly dribble.

Left or right.

No matter which way he ran.

He was anxious that the company commander would block him and steal the ball.

And that’s exactly what happened.

Throughout the first half, Inho couldn’t break through the company commander even once.

It was an incomprehensible situation.

That the company commander, who seemed far removed from sports, could tie down a former player like himself with such ease.

As a doctor, he probably only played as a hobby.

How could this be…….

Inho felt like reporting the company commander to a soccer version of ‘What on Earth is This?’ [a TV show featuring strange or unbelievable events].

Don’t give up.

The reward vacation is mine.

I promised Yewon we’d go see the cherry blossoms.

Clench.

Inho gritted his teeth.

His eyes changed as his resolve deepened. A fierce energy began to rise.

Tap.

Inho lightly kicked the ball to Junhoo’s left and ran.

It was one of Inho’s signature moves, the push and run.

Normally, a defender would be easily beaten, but Junhoo kept up with Inho at a similar speed.

I won’t fall for the same pattern!

Learning from the pattern where he lost the ball earlier.

After the push and run, Inho flicked the trapped ball between Junhoo’s legs.

It was a nutmeg [kicking the ball between an opponent’s legs] pattern he used when the push and run didn’t work.

But what was this?

As if he had seen it all coming with his mind’s eye, Junhoo easily caught the ball passing between his legs.

What? He’s blocking even this?

Is this a cheat?

“I’ll take that pass.”

Winking at the dumbfounded Inho.

Junhoo charged forward like a missile.

The dribbling was crude, hardly what you’d call dribbling, but the speed was truly a work of art.

It was like a horse galloping through a crowd.

No one could stop Junhoo.

In the blink of an eye, Junhoo reached his own goal area and slammed a shot into the corner of the goal.

It was a simple ground ball, but the goalkeeper couldn’t stop it.

Twenty minutes into the second half.

The red vest team, which was supposed to win, was losing 3-0 to the blue vest team.

Now, Inho had to accept the bitter reality.

The cherry blossoms were falling before they even bloomed.

* * *

Beeeep!

A resounding whistle shook the training field.

The final winner of the combat sports event with the reward vacation on the line was the blue vest team.

The final score was 3:0.

The blue vest team achieved victory with overwhelming firepower despite the presence of former player Inho.

“Wow, they actually won.”

“Company Commander, you were like Sonic the Hedgehog.”

“The Company Commander really carried us.”

As the game ended, the medics who had played together surrounded Junhoo, each saying a word.

Other soldiers from different units also flocked to Junhoo, uttering exclamations of admiration.

Junhoo just smiled awkwardly.

This level of performance was nothing.

He hadn’t even used 1/50th of his true abilities.

In today’s game, Junhoo didn’t use even a gram of internal energy.

He only fought with the physicality he had honed through martial arts.

Yet, he was able to lead his team to an overwhelming victory.

Even if he played in a world-class soccer league, the conclusion would be the same.

Whether as a striker.

Or a defender.

Or a goalkeeper.

Junhoo was confident that he could set unprecedented records in any field he desired.

If he put his mind to it, he was confident he could dominate not only soccer but also baseball, basketball, volleyball, and American football.

The level of soccer stars Junhoo had observed so far was equivalent to first-rate martial artists in the world of martial arts.

(Assuming they had no internal energy).

So, there was no way they could be a match for Junhoo, who had surpassed first-rate martial artists, transcended the peak, surpassed the ultra-peak, and entered the ‘Hwagyeong’ realm [a high level of martial arts mastery].

In any case, the difference in physique was so great that Junhoo played the game casually.

He shut down Inho, who was said to be a former player, as if turning off a faucet, and occasionally charged forward alone to score two goals.

The core strength of the red team was Inho.

Once Inho was contained, there was no need to worry about the rest of the tadpoles.

“You’re a doctor, but you’re also good at soccer?”

A familiar voice approached.

It was none other than the regimental commander.

The highest-ranking officer in Junhoo’s unit.

The regimental commander had come out to the training field ten minutes before the end of the second half to watch the soccer game.

“I have good athletic sense, so I once considered becoming an athlete.”

Junhoo made up an excuse.

“Hmm…… after watching today’s game, I can see that might have been possible. Tying up even a former player, and all.”

“……”

“Here. Take this.”

The regimental commander took out a reward vacation pass from his pants pocket and held it out.

“Thank you…….”

Junhoo, who was receiving the vacation pass, couldn’t continue speaking and looked at the regimental commander.

Junhoo’s head tilted slightly to the side.

“But, Regimental Commander.”

“Yes?”

“There are two reward vacation passes. Weren’t you only giving one?”

“One is for today’s combat sports event, and the other is for treating me.”

“Ah…….”

Junhoo belatedly nodded.

The day he first met the regimental commander.

Junhoo had noticed a painful tic on the regimental commander’s face.

Through this, he had diagnosed trigeminal neuralgia [a chronic pain condition affecting the trigeminal nerve in the face].

“Are you receiving treatment well?”

“Thanks to you, I’ve prevented the disease from worsening. They said I don’t need surgery. They said I’ll get better if I take my medication consistently.”

“That’s a relief.”

“I’ve been hearing very good things about the company commander lately. Officers and soldiers alike are full of praise.”

The regimental commander smiled contentedly and placed a hand on Junhoo’s shoulder.

“Just keep doing what you’re doing. I won’t ask for anything more.”

“Yes, Regimental Commander.”

The conversation with the regimental commander ended, and the combat sports event also ended.

After helping the headquarters company soldiers with the cleanup, Junhoo returned to the medical room with the medics.

The eyes of the medics looking at him were sparkling.

Like baby birds craving food.

The problem starts now…….

Who should he give the reward vacation pass to?

* * *

The GP outpost [Guard Post] is the frontmost outpost located within the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) [the border area between North and South Korea].

It directly faced the North Korean army.

That wasn’t an exaggeration; it was literally true.

Using binoculars, one could observe the movements of the North Korean soldiers working on the other side.

The search company soldiers dispatched to the GP for the first time would curiously observe the North Korean soldiers, but that was only temporary.

As time passed, their interest in the North Korean soldiers waned.

People generally didn’t know much about the GP.

This was because civilian access was completely prohibited, unlike the GOP [General Outpost, a less isolated type of military base].

At a certain GP outpost where a terrible tragedy was about to unfold.

The sky was as dark as if it had been painted over. Obscured by clouds, neither starlight nor moonlight reached the ground.

The only light was the glow of the lights surrounding the outpost.

It wasn’t a lie; moths the size of palms and gnats the size of fingers were performing a dazzling dance near the lights.

As if courting the light.

The current time was 10 PM.

Inside the outpost, which was as cramped as a pit toilet.

And surrounded on all sides by concrete walls, two soldiers were standing guard.

Corporal Jiwoong and Private Youngjoon.

“Aaaaaaah! Aaaaaaah!”

A terrible scream came from beyond the barbed wire fence.

It sounded as if someone was being brutally tortured.

But Jiwoong and Youngjoon’s expressions were indifferent.

They didn’t even bat an eye.

“Ugh. That damn roe deer. It’s being extra annoying today.”

“That’s right. My ears are going to bleed.”

Youngjoon cast a glance through the observation window in the outpost.

“Aaaaaaah! Aaaaaaah!”

The roe deer cried out loudly again.

Judging by the overlapping voices, it seemed like there were two of them, not just one.

His perception of roe deer was already bad due to roadkill, but while serving at the GP, Youngjoon came to hate roe deer.

It wasn’t just once or twice that he had been startled by the sound of roe deer.

If it’s going to cry, it should cry normally.

Why does it cry like someone who’s been through something terrible is screaming?

It makes people feel uneasy for no reason.

“Youngjoon.”

“Yes, Corporal Yoon Jiwoong.”

“I’m bored, so tell me a fun story.”

“I don’t really have any fun stories…….”

“If you don’t, then make one up with sincerity. Your buddy was telling high school stories so well.”

“I just lived a normal life, so I don’t really have anything to say…….”

“Is that the end if you can’t? You have to make it work even if you can’t.”

Under Jiwoong’s pressure, Youngjoon told the story of when he confessed to a girl he liked back in his co-ed middle school.

After listening to it all, Jiwoong yawned.

That was more hurtful than saying it wasn’t fun.

Am I a comedian?

Do you think my comedic talent will just pop out?

Youngjoon had a lot to say, but he held it in.

After guard duty, Youngjoon returned to the barracks with Jiwoong.

It was midnight, but he was wide awake.

He was also feeling hungry.

Jiwoong suggested eating ramen, and Jiwoong agreed.

The bunker-built outpost’s interior living quarters were dark, damp, and quiet. The soldiers who weren’t on duty were fast asleep.

Youngjoon quietly entered the living quarters, changed into his workout clothes, grabbed a cup ramen and some crackers, and came out into the hallway.

Jiwoong followed behind him.

Soon, the two arrived at the lounge.

“Do you have an older sister or a younger sister?”

Jiwoong, who was getting hot water from the water purifier, asked Youngjoon.

“I have an older sister who’s a year older.”

“Ooh. Really? Then she’s the same age as me? Is she pretty?”

“She’s an orc.”

Youngjoon quickly replied.

In reality, his sister wasn’t an orc.

She was actually quite pretty.

But he deliberately disparaged his sister’s appearance.

It was because he didn’t want to introduce his sister to Jiwoong.

“If you have a picture, show me.”

At Jiwoong’s suggestion, Youngjoon felt a chill down his spine.

If he showed him a picture, he would definitely hit on her.

Should he pretend she has a boyfriend?

Or should he say he doesn’t have a picture?

“What? Why did you suddenly freeze up?”

Jiwoong’s eyes narrowed.

“I’m sorry, but I don’t handle orc pictures.”

“Hehehehe. Okay. Okay.”

Fortunately, the joke seemed to work.

Youngjoon inwardly breathed a sigh of relief.

But then!

Just as he was about to get hot water from the water purifier after Jiwoong!

Bang!

A single gunshot shook the bunker.

Youngjoon and Jiwoong stared at each other with startled owl eyes.

“That was a gunshot, right?”

“Yes! I heard it clearly too.”

“Damn. It sounded like it came from inside, not outside.”

“W…… what do we do now?”

The frightened Youngjoon trembled.

“Let’s go to the scene first.”

“Aren’t we going to get killed too if we do that?”

“We only heard one gunshot. It wasn’t a barrage, so it might have been accidentally discharged.”

“Still…….”

“Then you go to the guard outpost and report the situation. I’ll go to the scene.”

“That seems dangerous.”

“Staying still might be more dangerous. You go up quickly.”

“Yes.”

After sending Youngjoon up to the guard outpost, Jiwoong left the lounge and came out into the hallway.

Why is the living quarters still quiet when a gunshot went off?

They must have heard the gunshot in the living quarters too?

While wondering.

Jiwoong cautiously guarded his surroundings as he passed through the hallway.

The silence made him even more uneasy.

Then, his gaze naturally went to the storage room.

The storage room door was open.

And a faint smoke was dancing like cigarette smoke.

Someone was dead, leaning against the storage room wall.

Fear and chills spread throughout his body.