Return To The Building Owner [EN]: Chapter 409

410

2nd Armored Regiment Recruit Barracks.

Recruits who had completed their training at the 1st Division Recruit Training Center the day before were waiting inside the barracks. Their caps had a single line on them, signifying their status as new recruits.

With their fists clenched and placed on their knees, they all stared ahead, their lips tightly sealed as if they were nervous.

However, one of them was different from the other recruits, showing no signs of nervousness at all.

The three letters written on his right chest.

[Kim Hyun-sung]

It was Hyun-sung, who had somehow ended up enlisting in the army a second time.

And next to him, sitting with a very nervous look, was Kim Dong-soo.

“Hey, relax. No one’s coming until 10 o’clock anyway,” Hyun-sung said, nudging Kim Dong-soo’s shoulder.

Kim Dong-soo frowned. “Hey, don’t talk to me. They told us to sit quietly and wait without even rolling our eyes.”

“That’s just what they say.”

“…….”

Kim Dong-soo didn’t say anything more. He seemed about to add something, but he kept his mouth shut and stared ahead.

Tsk.

Hyun-sung clicked his tongue, then spoke to the recruit sitting on his right. “Hey, Baek Doo-soon. Today is your last day of freedom before being assigned to your unit. Let’s meet here again when you get discharged. Please don’t cause any trouble, drive carefully if you’re a driver, and I hope you get discharged safely. I’ll say it again when I get discharged later, but if you’re still thinking about farming, come find me. I think farming is your calling.”

“……?”

“And one more thing, don’t be too eager to show off your shoveling skills, even if you go to a construction unit. If you work as hard as you did in the training center, you’ll be stuck with all the hard labor until you get discharged. Do it moderately—not too much, not too little, just in the middle. I’m not kidding, so keep that in mind.”

“……?”

Baek Doo-soon remained silent. Of course, the choice was his, but that was the last piece of advice Hyun-sung could give him. He really was the best at shoveling among the trainees.

Hyun-sung got up from his seat and went to say his last goodbyes to the comrades he had become close with in the training camp. After all, these were comrades he might only see again when he was discharged if they parted now.

“Everyone, have a safe military life, and let’s meet again when we get discharged.”

Hyun-sung said his last goodbyes to his unresponsive comrades and sat down.

It was then.

“Is it real?”

Baek Doo-soon, who was sitting on his right, asked in a whisper.

There was only one thing he could be asking about: Hyun-sung’s words about coming to him if he wanted to farm.

Hyun-sung nodded immediately. “Of course. I’m planning to farm on a large scale in the future. I need to do at least 50,000 *pyeong* [approximately 41 acres] of greenhouse farming, so I definitely need a real farmer like you. I’m planning to run a big restaurant in the future, and I’m going to grow the vegetables to use there myself. I’m not kidding, so think about it until you get discharged.”

“…….”

Baek Doo-soon nodded silently.

Hyun-sung was serious.

As the saying goes, you can know ten things from seeing one. There was a time when they went out for civilian support for a day in the 4th week of the training camp. The moment he saw him then, he thought that this guy was a born farmer. That’s why he had said it to him sincerely.

Five minutes before 10 o’clock.

“Okay, everyone, put on your duffel bags and gather outside now. Execute!”

“Execute!”

Hyun-sung also shouted loudly and slung his duffel bag over his shoulder. Despite Chairman Shin Chun-oh’s dissuasion, he had chosen to do his military service again anyway, so he was going to do it properly.

Perhaps that’s why Hyun-sung’s voice was particularly loud when he repeated the order.

The soldiers who came outside had even more hardened expressions than when they were in the barracks. On top of that, the weather was windy and cold, so the soldiers’ expressions were so stiff that it was pitiful to see.

But strangely enough, only their eyes, with their caps pressed down, were shining brightly. That was the military discipline of a new recruit.

As soon as the adjutant of the brigade finished his short greeting, the adjutants of each battalion began calling out names in order.

Finally, a face Hyun-sung knew came forward: First Lieutenant Yoo Jin-cheol, the adjutant of the 6233rd unit. More than 30 years had passed, but he could recognize his face the moment he saw it because of his unique appearance.

Because of his pretty face that could be mistaken for a female soldier at first glance. But his personality was quite rough, the complete opposite of his soft appearance.

At first, there were more than one or two people who were cheeky just by looking at his appearance and got a scolding.

That was the man who opened his mouth.

“Kim Hyun-sung.”

“Private, Kim Hyun-sung!”

“Kim Dong-soo.”

“Private, Kim Dong-soo!”

Hyun-sung rushed out first, followed by Kim Dong-soo.

The two men immediately got into the jeep that First Lieutenant Yoo Jin-cheol had come in.

The jeep was an old K111 model, a military jeep produced by Asia Motors based on the M38A1 model that was brought in by the U.S. military during the Korean War.

Personally, it was the car I coveted the most while I was a driver. Although the car body was small, it was four-wheel drive, so there was no place it couldn’t climb, even to the top of a high mountain, and it had basic power and no breakdowns.

However, the only flaw was that the top speed was 96km/h [60 mph]. But the important thing is that you don’t need more than that speed while you’re in the military.

The jeep, which was running on Tongilro [a major road in South Korea], soon turned off the main road and headed towards Junae Intersection.

‘Hmm…….’

Hyun-sung was reminded of his old memories.

It was the road he used to drive while practicing back then. Later, this road was paved, but back then it was an unpaved road.

If you made a mistake while driving, you had to get out of the car and run. After running like that, his combat uniform would be soaked with sweat even in the middle of winter.

“Kim Hyun-sung.”

“Private, Kim Hyun-sung!”

When First Lieutenant Yoo Jin-cheol called out, Hyun-sung’s rank and name came out automatically. It’s the basics of military life.

No matter how much time had passed, it seemed like his brain was reacting automatically when he put on his military uniform.

“I heard you received the award for being the best recruit?”

“Yes, that’s right!”

Hyun-sung’s voice, who knew how to have a good military life, was short and firm.

Was that why?

A smile could be seen spreading across First Lieutenant Yoo Jin-cheol’s pretty face. But Hyun-sung knew very well that he shouldn’t be fooled by that smile.

“The battalion commander wants to see you soon. Sergeant Kim, let’s go a little faster!”

“Yes, I understand.”

Sergeant Kim Min-hyuk is driving; of course, Hyun-sung knows his name well too. He’s a new recruit killer who’s always there, and he almost exclusively taught driving.

In his past life, he was beaten a lot while receiving driving training from him—so much so that he couldn’t even lift a spoonful of rice with his right arm. He was so cruel that he would hit him 30 times for rolling back 30cm [approximately 1 foot] on a hill.

He was the one who wielded violence as much as he wanted under the guise of driving training. That was also an era when it worked to some extent.

Pfft.

Hyun-sung laughed inwardly.

The only reason he was laughing was because he wasn’t the same as before. He was more confident in his driving than anyone else.

He was confident that he wouldn’t roll back even 1cm, no matter how steep the slope was. The ‘half-clutch’ operation method that he had learned by being beaten so hard that his arm was swollen—his body still remembered it even after 30 years.

‘But…….’

Swish.

Hyun-sung’s gaze turned to the side.

Kim Dong-soo, who was only looking ahead, not even knowing that he was being watched.

The problem is Kim Dong-soo.

He was no exception either. He was a case where he had only obtained a license and enlisted without any driving experience. Therefore, it was impossible to learn enough driving skills with only one week of driving training at the recruit training center.

It would have been better if he had received advanced training at the Field Transportation Education Regiment, but if he received training at the 1st Division Recruit Training Center, he would only receive driving training for one week.

Therefore, even after coming to the unit, he would have to receive driving training again in order to go out on operations. The problem is that it leads to violence.

Hyun-sung himself wouldn’t have that happen to him anymore, but Kim Dong-soo’s case is different. He wouldn’t have changed anything from his past life. He couldn’t just stand by and let the same situation happen again, no matter what—not only for him but also for his father, who had shown him kindness.

The problem is the method…….

‘What do I do?’

It was when Hyun-sung was about to fall into deep thought.

“For~~~ward~~~”

The guard who was guarding the guardhouse just before the jeep passed through the unit’s main gate saluted loudly. The salute slogan was ‘Forward’ as it was located in the front.

Of course, the sign ‘6233rd Unit’ on the left side of the main gate caught Hyun-sung’s eye.

‘Hoo!’

Hyun-sung took a short breath. Because from now on, real unit life begins.

“Get out.”

“Get out!”

Hyun-sung and Kim Dong-soo, who had arrived in front of the situation room located at the highest point of the battalion, got out of the jeep with a loud repetition of First Lieutenant Yoo Jin-cheol’s order to get out.

After briefly learning the reporting ceremony tips in the situation room, the two men entered the battalion commander’s office and finished the reporting ceremony, then sat in front of the battalion commander in a literally motionless posture.

“Are you Kim Dong-soo?”

“Private, Kim Dong-soo! Yes, that’s right!”

Battalion Commander Lee Chun-soo was the first to show interest in Kim Dong-soo. It was the same in his past life. The reason he showed interest in Kim Dong-soo in his past life was twofold.

One was that Kim Dong-soo was a *Ssireum* [Korean wrestling] wrestler, and the other was that his father ran a large herbal medicine store in Gyeongdong Market.

As expected.

Battalion Commander Lee Chun-soo asked the same question as in his past life.

“You’re from Yongin University’s *Ssireum* team?”

“Private, Kim Dong-soo! Yes, that’s right!”

“Oh, and you don’t have to answer so loudly here. Just answer quietly.”

Kim Dong-soo suddenly remembered what Hyun-sung had said last night: that even if the battalion commander told him to lower his voice, he shouldn’t do it. The reason was because of the soldier who was assisting the battalion commander.

He said that if he did what the battalion commander said, he would suffer a harsh price from that soldier later for being undisciplined.

“Yes, I understand!”

Hyun-sung breathed a sigh of relief as he watched Kim Dong-soo say that he understood but still speak in a loud voice. After all, he would hardly ever see the battalion commander directly after seeing him briefly today, but he would have to live in the same company with the soldier assisting the battalion commander for a long time.

In his past life, they both suffered every night from that soldier for a few days after believing only the battalion commander’s words and doing as he said. Only after being beaten did they realize that a senior soldier was scarier than the battalion commander.

The battalion commander then asked a few more questions about *Ssireum* and then asked about Kim Dong-soo’s father this time.

Kim Dong-soo immediately gave the prepared answer. This answer was also the answer that Hyun-sung had told him in advance last night.

“My father said he would bring three doses of tonic for the battalion commander when he comes to visit.”

“Haha, this friend…….”

Battalion Commander Lee Chun-soo just laughed. But the funny thing was that he never said that it was absolutely not allowed until the end. It’s an absurd story these days, but it was also a dark side of that era. Of course, it was only a small part.

Battalion Commander Lee Chun-soo looked at Hyun-sung this time and asked, “Are you that famous friend?”

“Private, Kim Hyun-sung! What do you mean…….”

It was an unexpected question, so it was a difficult moment for Hyun-sung.

When Hyun-sung couldn’t answer, Battalion Commander Lee Chun-soo continued. “Oh, don’t be too surprised. Actually, that friend in the recruit training center is a friend I know well, so I just called him and heard about you. But you know…….”

Battalion Commander Lee Chun-soo’s explanation continued. He said that the battalion commander of the recruit training center was his classmate, so he called him and heard about Hyun-sung—of course, even about being selected as the best recruit and receiving an award.

Battalion Commander Lee Chun-soo finished his explanation and asked again, “You got a perfect score in shooting?”

“Private, Kim Hyun-sung! Yes, that’s right!”

“Since such a valuable talent has come to our unit, we won’t have to worry about the shooting competition in the future. I’m counting on you for shooting from now on. Our battalion is not doing well…….”

These were words he had heard in his past life, so there was nothing much to hear. The key point of these words was that the brigade holds a shooting competition every spring, and he had to go out there and win.

When he finished speaking, Hyun-sung answered loudly, “Yes, I understand!”

If it was like his past life, all the questions would end here. But looking at the atmosphere, the battalion commander didn’t seem to have any intention of doing so, and he even called a soldier outside to bring coffee.

“Okay, everyone, drink up.”

“Private, Kim Hyun-sung! Thank you for the drink!”

“Private…….”

Kim Dong-soo also said the same words as Hyun-sung and drank the coffee. As the two men drank their coffee and put down their coffee cups, Battalion Commander Lee Chun-soo smiled at Hyun-sung.

The absurd thing was Hyun-sung.

In fact, it was absurd to drink coffee while having a new recruit reporting ceremony. No one had ever heard of drinking coffee while having a reporting ceremony.

Even if he conceded a hundred times, the thing he couldn’t understand was his behavior.

His appearance looking at Hyun-sung.

That appearance was like he had obtained a treasure.

Hyun-sung couldn’t help but be embarrassed. But he couldn’t ask, either.

But after being silent for a long time, he opened his mouth again. “Thank you.”

“…….”

Of course, he had to say something along with his rank and name, but he couldn’t think of anything to say. He couldn’t figure out why he said ‘thank you’ to him.

Then Battalion Commander Lee Chun-soo looked at Hyun-sung and asked carefully, “By any chance, you far…….”

Battalion Commander Lee Chun-soo covered his mouth the moment the word ‘far’ came out.

‘Far…….’

Hyun-sung instantly began to think of words related to the word ‘far’.