Chapter 26: Return to Earth
“Please use your strength for the military. You will be commissioned as a second lieutenant.”
“Second lieutenant?”
Cheoldu tilted his head and looked at Jintae.
Jintae didn’t know much about the military, but he understood the hierarchy. All thanks to playing gun games.
“It’s the rank right below warrant officer.”
“Hmm. How high is that?”
“Mid-level.”
“Tch, no thanks.”
Listening to their conversation, Sergeant Park and even Corporal Kim Sang-cheol felt their heads spinning.
‘These military idiots are really…’
They were offering him the honor of an officer commission without even graduating from the military academy.
“This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.”
“I’ve decided to become a tribal chief.”
“What?”
“I won’t submit easily.”
“…….”
Park Gu-sik wanted to smack Cheoldu’s head but barely restrained himself.
‘What kind of bullshit is this?’
Does this punk lack basic worldly sense?
As Park Gu-sik stammered, lost for words, Kim Sang-cheol stepped forward.
“Sergeant Park, let me handle this.”
“Sigh, fine.”
Corporal Kim Sang-cheol explained the situation at Cheoldu’s level.
His words weren’t meant to forcibly recruit Cheoldu into the military—he simply laid out the facts and left the choice to him.
“First, let me ask: Are both Cheoldu and Jintae planning to return to Earth and then come back to Nova?”
“Of course.”
“Me too.”
Kim Sang-cheol had anticipated the answer but asked to confirm.
“Cheoldu, your value is high. It’s rare for field bosses to be defeated in the Final Test.”
“Corporal Kim, you—!”
“Please let me handle this.”
Sergeant Park’s face flushed red as he struggled to contain his anger. What idiot lays all their cards on the table during negotiations?
That bastard clearly didn’t have a shred of patriotism.
“Cheoldu, you’re a talent with explosive potential. The military desperately wants you.”
“Get to the point.”
Cheoldu’s voice turned blunt.
Were they testing the barbarian’s patience?
If not for Kim Sang-cheol being a former hunting companion, he would’ve kicked them out already.
“If you join the military, you’ll receive support. They could form a unit for you, supply iron weapons, even provide hunting grounds.”
“And if I refuse?”
“Then no military support. But honestly, anything can be bought with money.”
Cheoldu shook his head.
He saw no merit in sacrificing his freedom for a commission.
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He already had six subordinates.
Cheoldu pulled an axe from his inventory.
Thud!
The massive axe asserted its presence merely by being placed on the ground.
“I have subordinates and weapons. I lack nothing.”
Corporal Kim Sang-cheol smirked at Cheoldu’s confidence.
“Sergeant Park. Cheoldu will never join the military. Give up.”
“You fucking—!”
Sergeant Park swallowed his habitual curse. His gut simmered with rage.
He disliked people like Cheoldu too.
Those who prioritized individualism over organization.
Unsuitable military material.
But that was his personal opinion.
Orders were orders.
A soldier’s duty was to achieve objectives by any means when ordered to recruit someone.
“Heh, let’s all eat first.”
“Huh? What about the scouting intel?”
“Jintae. You handle it.”
“Me?!”
“Yeah. Get a reasonable price and move on.”
Cheoldu snorted, delegating the tedious negotiation to his lieutenant before heading to the firepit.
He began roasting freshly skewered rabbit meat.
“Phew. The intel isn’t that valuable anyway.”
“With the river blocking the path, any reconnaissance data helps—even basic terrain info.”
“What’s the payment?”
“Hmm. Coins or cash—either works.”
Having come with proper authorization, Sergeant Park answered smoothly.
“Then pay in Earth currency. Put it under Cheoldu’s name—I don’t need it. Let’s see…”
Jintae’s brow furrowed.
‘I need to know its worth to get fair value.’
He didn’t understand the value of shrines or dimensional gates. Moreover, they weren’t far—just a day’s journey past the river.
But these weren’t possessions—just existing landmarks. Information anyone could discover by crossing…
Better to play the generous fool than fail as a shrewd merchant.
They’d pay properly if they didn’t want future hostility.
“Just pay what you think is fair after hearing it.”
Sergeant Park sighed internally at Jintae’s words.
‘This kid’s still green.’
Once spilled, information can’t be taken back. You haggle first, set the price, then trade.
He’d never seen anyone offer post-payment for intel.
“Head northwest across the river—there’s a shrine about a day away. Three coins for a double regeneration blessing. And the orcs…”
Kim Jintae drew a map on the ground with a branch as he explained.
“There’s an inactive teleportation circle here. It needs 100,000 units to activate. And over here…”
“A teleportation circle?!”
“Yes.”
“Huh.”
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“Oh, seems like good intel. Pay properly. I’ll expect it.”
“Cough. Understood. We’ll report everything thoroughly.”
Jintae added details about the forest where ogre lumberjacks spawned.
“As expected… Then that axe must be from defeating the lumberjack camp boss. The drop rate’s extremely low… You got lucky.”
“Yeah. Haha. Got this cauldron lid there too.”
“Noted. Thank you for the valuable information. We’ll ensure appropriate compensation.”
“Alright. Safe travels.”
As Jintae brushed off his pants and scampered to the barbecue, only Park Gu-sik and Kim Sang-cheol remained.
Sergeant Park’s face twisted in disgust.
“Tch. His social skills are painfully lacking.”
The awkward farewell without proper etiquette made him click his tongue, but there was no helping it—a high school senior wouldn’t know workplace manners yet.
“Sang-cheol.”
“Yes.”
“You know why I dislike you, right?”
“I do.”
Sergeant Park disapproved of Kim Sang-cheol’s plan to leave the military after milking its benefits.
“See? Even someone like you wants to go freelance after discharge. No way that kid would enlist.”
“True.”
“Ever considered becoming an officer instead of just a sergeant?”
“Not at all.”
“Hmph.”
At Kim Sang-cheol’s sharp reply, Sergeant Park conceded Cheoldu’s recruitment was hopeless.
With everyone deserting like rats, who would protect the nation?
Modern kids had patriotism smaller than mouse testicles.
“Go eat with them.”
“Oh, that’s allowed?”
“I’ll report back. Stay close and build rapport naturally in case new orders come.”
“Understood.”
Sergeant Park returned to base grumbling.
“Cheoldu. Mind if I join the meal?”
“Sit.”
“Thanks!”
The gangsters led by Seo Jong-du glared as Kim Sang-cheol sat down with ironclad composure.
“Meat in a cauldron lid? What luxury!”
Though the military hunted protein in southern forests, the troops were too numerous for proper rations.
Most meals were bland sweet potatoes—this roasted meat was Kim Sang-cheol’s first proper meal in ages.
“Wow, fucking delicious!”
Appetite dominated human desires. The rare gourmet experience lifted Kim Sang-cheol’s mood.
“Smart move. I’m discharging soon to go freelance too. Enlisting now would just shackle me.”
“Really?”
Jintae asked curiously.
“Then why push enlistment so hard?”
“Combat power’s precious. No firearms yet—Seoul’s barely at iron age levels. And that’s early stage.”
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“Isn’t 10 years fast for that?”
“It is. I’m embarrassed to pretend I know—never been. Heard iron mines are scarce. Most melt drop items like Cheoldu’s axe for gear.”
“Huh? What’s wrong with my axe?”
“Ogres usually wield those. Too heavy for humans… but suits you.”
“Hehehe.”
Cheoldu stroked his axe leaning beside him.
“Earlier, you mentioned tribes. Building a mercenary group?”
“Mercenary group?”
“Yeah. Private military.”
Too small to be a company, but many like Cheoldu formed mercenary bands.
“Same as Earth here. Capitalism rules. Too many dangers for just the military.”
Mercenaries brought frontier villages coins and taxes through their work.
“Taxes?”
“Yep. Infrastructure costs money. Meals, lodging—all taxed.”
“There are restaurants?!”
“Of course. New Seoul has over twenty famous soup restaurants alone.”
“Wow, Cheoldu loves soup!”
Jintae glanced at Cheoldu, who now had starry eyes.
“Hehehe. Nova… paradise.”
What better world for a barbarian?
As they feasted, Sergeant Park returned limping with soldiers—perhaps having tripped another joint.
“Compensation will take time. We need to verify the intel.”
“Hmm. Fine.”
“Also, the military’s formal proposal.”
Cheoldu scowled.
“You’ll bleed if you try to subjugate me!”
Daring to control him again?
“Ah, no! Not a commission—a cooperation request.”
Sergeant Park presented a hard-won compromise.
“Help verify the intel and build a rope bridge. Upon Earth return, you’ll receive 20 million won.”
“Rope bridge?”
“We’ll string cables over the river, avoiding crocodiles. Just assist this.”
“Heh. Easy.”
Child’s play for Cheoldu.
20 million for this?
“Thank you for accepting. Let’s proceed.”
Plenty could ignore crocodiles to cross.
New Seoul had decade-old veterans with stat stones boosting them to superhuman levels.
But Earthside bureaucracy slowed everything—messengers using Paju Portal for contractors, then Cheongju Portal…
Cheoldu immediately swam across a narrow stretch with anchor trees, securing cables.
Too weak for groups, but sturdy enough for rappelling.
“Hehehe.”
20 million won—sweet deal.
The old man will love this.
