Master Smith Under Ministry of National Defense

Chapter 09

After being captured by the main headquarters, Myung-jun was immediately isolated in a containment facility with all external communication completely cut off. What followed was a series of numerous physical examinations that spanned a staggering two weeks. From bizarre examiners with names so long they were hard to remember, to precise examinations using equipment worth tens of billions of won each. Having undergone repeated tests to the point where there was almost no space left on his arms for needle marks, what awaited Myung-jun was a psychological test employing a lie detector.

With wires attached to his head and arms, Myung-jun sat earnestly answering the questions posed by the soldier in front of him.

“So, after discovering this monster that the normal weaponry couldn’t affect, did the squad leader order everyone to retreat and then rule this monster alone?”

“I’ve probably answered that question about ten times already. Yes.”

“Then how did you know the squad leader’s location?”

“I heard the sound of the grenade exploding. Although I heard the sound of a test explosion during training at Military Academy, I know very well what the sound of an actual grenade detonation is like. At least, it wasn’t a sound that a living being could produce.”

“So, knowing that it was a dangerous situation to the extent of detonating a grenade, why did you move towards the sound?”

“The 999K radio was malfunctioning, making it difficult to report via communication. Therefore, for reporting purposes, I needed the squad leader’s cellphone.”

“But even if you knew the attack might have harmed the monster, you still moved towards the sound, despite the possibility of being attacked yourself?”

“I am a soldier. Even though I’m discharged in two weeks, at that time, I was a soon-to-be discharged sergeant with only a month left. I was well aware of the risks associated with my actions, but the sense of duty to prevent additional harm due to the inability to report to my superiors was stronger. The deaths of all my comrades, except for me, who perished at that time, further solidified my determination.”

“Sounds like you were caught up in the excitement during combat.”

“That’s correct. Wouldn’t anyone be? At that moment, there were only two things I could do. Either run away in fear or stand against that fear and fulfill the mission given to me. I chose the latter.”

“On behalf of the Ministry of National Defense, I thank you for that. Your courageous actions likely prevented even greater losses.”

“Now, can you provide a detailed account of what you experienced? I understand it in my head, but I still can’t fully comprehend it emotionally. Not only are these monsters attacking people, something I’ve never seen since birth, now there are creatures that bullets can’t penetrate. What exactly are these things? Where do they come from, and why are they killing people?”

As the interrogator observed Myung-jun’s performance of feigning ignorance, he took a deep breath and proceeded with the questioning.

“I’m sorry, but the information you’re asking about is currently classified as top-level confidential. Even after your discharge, this is something you must never disclose. Understand?”

“I understand.”

“If you were to disclose it, remember that you could face imprisonment for up to 5 years or a fine of up to 50 million won according to the Military Secrets Protection Act. Or, in this case, you could be prosecuted under the National Security Act, which would result in even heavier penalties. Are you aware of this?”

“I will not disclose it under any circumstances.”

“I trust your determination to carry out your mission until the end, even in life-threatening situations. However, regardless of that, now that you’ve come across information that must not be leaked, you should be aware that overseas travel will be prohibited for the next few years. You should be willing to accept that for the sake of the nation, right? Did you have any plans for overseas travel after your discharge?”

“Nothing specific. I plan to find a part-time job after my discharge and live quietly.”

“Good. That seems like a wise choice.”

Just then, as if receiving some kind of instruction, the soldier who had been talking to Myung-jun touched his earphone and nodded a few times before turning to Myung-jun.

“The operational director of the overall situation wants to have a conversation with you. Wait for a moment.”

As the soldier left, a familiar face entered the room. The man instructed the other man in the room, except for Myung-jun, to remove the lie detector, then asked them all out of the room.

Sitting down in front of Myung-jun, the man began to speak.

“Special Captain Moon Hee-chul, in charge of the Defense Department Monster Response Special Unit. This is our second meeting, right? Can I expect a salute this time?”

After a moment of hesitation, Myung-jun nodded.

“I refuse. If you’re displeased, please punish me according to military law.”

“Other people who left earlier managed to salute well, so why only treat me this way? Have I done something wrong to you?”

“It’s not a mistake, but there were things that personally bothered me.”

“Tell me.”

“On that day, 20 members of the squad, except for me, died. And the squad leader who defeated the monster that bullets couldn’t even penetrate, he did everything in his power to fulfil his duty and protect the nation, until his last breath. He even showed concern whether the report was being carried out properly even in his final moments. But when you, the captain, arrived at the scene that day, you showed no concern for the dead soldiers and only focused on the monster’s corpse. That bothered me.”

“For me, that was the more important issue. While the deaths of the fellow soldiers are regrettable, from a national perspective, they aren’t that significant. Even though it’s unfortunate, anyone entering the military is aware that they might lose their lives during operations. That goes for anyone, especially your squad leader as a professional soldier. It wasn’t a matter arising from personal emotions. Everything stems from decisions made for the nation and the state.”

“I don’t think that attitude justifies your behaviour.”

“Fine. In that case, out of consideration for your psychological state due to the loss of comrades, I won’t insist on salutation. But if you could acknowledge that I’m not all bad as to give you such consideration, that would be appreciated.”

“Perhaps that depends on the actions of Captain you’ll be having from now on? It’s been two weeks since I was brought in. During that time, we drew enough blood to fill a milk carton and took more X-rays than I’d take in my lifetime. I don’t know what you’re trying to find in my body, but if even after such extensive testing nothing has been found, it’s as if there’s nothing, don’t you think?”

“Haha, there seems to be some misunderstanding. The examinations we conducted weren’t about finding something inside your body. It was to confirm if any hidden injuries or infections occurred during the fight with the monster.”

It was an obvious lie, but Myung-jun understood and casually asked, “So, what were the results?”

“You’re 100% healthy.”

“Then please send me back to the squad now. Before my discharge, I want to organize the belongings of the squad members and write letters to the families as the sole survivor of the incident.”

“Yes… Yes, we should do that… But well…”

At that moment, Captain Moon Hee-chul’s hand grabbed Myung-jun’s right hand faster than lightning. Then, he leaned in and whispered into Myung-jun’s ear.

“I have a feeling you’re still hiding something from me about the monster.”

“Why are you doing this!?”

Myung-jun tried to pull his arm away with force, but Hee-chul’s grip was stronger. Hee-chul then looked at Myung-jun with an intense gaze, as if he were looking at a traitor, and continued speaking.

“Of course, logically speaking, your explanations all make sense. But there’s one thing that doesn’t add up. An abnormal gunshot wound on the entity’s head that couldn’t possibly have been caused by a firearm of human design. A creature that should have been capable of regenerating instantly and tearing apart your limbs was taken down by a single bullet and died on the spot. That implies that someone present at the scene fired a special bullet capable of penetrating the creature’s skin.”

“Didn’t you just say that bullets couldn’t penetrate the monster?”

“If it were bullets made by humans, that might be the case. But what if it was a bullet infused with power beyond human capabilities?”

Hee-chul released Myung-jun’s hand he was holding. Then, he adopted a tone typically used for interrogating criminals and began to speak to Myung-jun.

“At first, I suspected that a third party other than you might have been involved and then disappeared. During the two weeks you were undergoing examination, our special unit in the vicinity of the base was wiped out as if they were prey to be hunted, preventing them from escaping. However, from all our investigations, we couldn’t find any trace of an external intruder. That implies that someone among the 21 soldiers present fired a bullet that pierced the entity’s head. And the only survivor of that incident is you, Cha Myung-jun.”

“Let’s say I ignore your assumptions. Why would I hide that fact?”

“Well, let’s see. The most likely reason is that you’re trying to avoid getting caught up in a bothersome situation. You’re someone who’s scheduled to be discharged in two weeks. If you were to reveal that you have some special kind of power, the Defense Department might consider postponing your discharge to keep you under their control.”

As if Hee-chul could read his mind, Myung-jun felt a surge of anger building up inside him. However, without showing it, he addressed Hee-chul.

“To be honest, Captain, I’m suspicious if you’re in your right mind. A bullet infused with power beyond human capabilities? Are you trying to write some kind of novel? So, are you saying that people can shoot bullets from their hands like video game characters? I’m genuinely hoping what you’re saying is true. If there were such an ability, no one from our squad would have had to die.”

“Is that so?”

“Yes, it is. And Captain, please don’t expect me to salute you forever. Listening to what you’re saying now makes me dislike you ten times more. The idea that I had the power to save everyone but chose to let them die is nauseating in itself.”

“You’re being harsh.”

“What you said to me was ten times, no, a hundred times more severe.”

The captain stared at Myung-jun in silence for a while. Then, he smiled and leaned back, resting against the backrest.

“True. There’s no way a human could have such abnormal superpowers. Your words are probably just coming out of desperation. The unidentified monsters that are appearing all over the world, and the reports about the ‘bullets that don’t penetrate’ phenomenon that’s gradually increasing. In this absurd situation where, human common sense doesn’t apply, perhaps your words stemmed from the hope for a glimmer of salvation for humanity.”

“If such an ability truly exists, it would indeed be great. If you could create guns capable of taking down creatures like that, you’d become the wealthiest man in the world.”

“Yes, ‘if such a thing were possible.'”

“Exactly.”

“Then wait here for a while. I’ll let you know after I’ve decided how to handle your discharge issue.”

With those words, Hee-chul left the room where Myung-jun was seated. He then spoke to another soldier waiting in front of the room.

“I’m beginning to wonder if he might not be the one.”

“But didn’t the General say that from the beginning? Kim Hak-won, who engaged in combat with the Rank 2 monster, supposedly used a grenade to open its abdomen, and during its regeneration, came into contact with a Mana stone in its abdomen, awakening his ability. Then, he shot the entity’s head using the awakened ability after using his own K-5 pistol. Sergeant Cha Myung-jun doesn’t dispute that.”

“Right, I know. All the evidence points that way.”

“But why are you tormenting that poor soldier so much? If refusing to salute upsets you, I’ll take disciplinary action.”

“That’s not it. What I’m considering is due to a very small probability. If, for instance, everything that soldier said was a meticulously crafted lie, and by any chance, if that soldier indeed possessed the ability to create firearms that can harm a Rank 2 monster, then that power must be controlled and managed by the Ministry of National Defense of South Korea.”

“Because of that ‘one in a million’ chance, we can’t keep a soldier who has suffered for the country for two years locked up.”

“Is it not possible?”

“Captain!”

“If sacrificing just one person could save tens of millions or hundreds of millions, I would willingly do that. And the recent appearance of higher-Rank monster might even shatter the concepts of defense and public safety that humanity has held up until now. In such a situation, I can’t afford to miss even one possibility.”

“But that doesn’t mean we can keep a soldier with only a short time left until discharge detained.”

“What if we keep him confined up to the limit, and if it’s revealed that he’s not the one, we can pass it off as an accident?”

“Captain!”

“I’m joking. Send Sergeant Cha Myung-jun back to the squad. Assign two personnel to monitor him. Even though there are only two weeks left until his discharge, if he starts believing he’s not being watched, he might act oddly. If he displays any awakened behaviour, even the slightest, immediately detain him and bring him to headquarters.”

“I’ll carry out your orders!”

That evening, Myung-jun finally regained the opportunity for ‘squad reinstatement’ that he had been unable to achieve before his regression. However, Captain Moon Hee-chul was unaware. He had no inkling of how much regret his decision to reinstate Myung-jun to the squad would bring him in the future. Only one person on this Earth knew how substantial the remorse he would leave behind through today’s decision would be. It was none other than Myung-jun, the returnee. Moreover, Myung-jun, who returned to the squad with a bullet from Latona, was already aware that he would have a monitor assigned to him.

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