#28 Warrant Officer Oh
Army Headquarters.
Colonel Jang Mi-ran, head of personnel for the NOVA deployment unit, frowned as she looked at the report.
"2,000 for intel?"
"Yes, that's correct."
"You want me to sign off on this crap?"
"It's all in there."
Jang Mi-ran looked at the report again, which she had skimmed through.
'Information you could get in a day, you're paying for it? And even… hmm?'
Jang Mi-ran was about to chew out Lieutenant Colonel Kim Jung-yong, the chief in charge of the Cheongju portal site, but frowned as she looked near the end of the report.
She read that part carefully.
'Lee Sang, Kang Cheol-du, and Kim Jin-tae are believed to be the first to activate the Sanctuary, and we don't know what the first reward is yet. They possess combat power capable of hunting ogre juniors with their bare hands, and they were unharmed even after taking down orc warriors. So, we're spending 2,000 to butter them up...'
Jang Mi-ran tossed the report onto the desk and closed her eyes.
'Bottom line, they're more valuable than their intel.'
The 2,000 isn't for their recon, it's for them - for Kang Cheol-du and Kim Jin-tae.
"This writing is awful."
Jang Mi-ran picked up the report that was attached next.
"They're charging 2,000 for this?"
"Yes, it is."
<Kang Cheol-du Investigation Report>
As Jang Mi-ran read through the documents page by page, she was smiling without even realizing it.
"He's top-tier."
"He's got everything NOVA could want."
"Great background, proven in sports, and he's killing it in NOVA."
"He's a sure thing."
"We need to invest in this guy, big time."
"He's going to be a major player for Korea."
"But, he's not a fan of the military."
"Nobody likes jarheads. Send Warrant Officer Oh."
"Yes? Warrant Officer Oh?"
The aide did a double-take.
"Isn't that a bit much?"
"He's the perfect age. Draft him."
"He's still in high school."
"He'll be 20 next year. We'll get him in early. He won't want to be a grunt, right? He'll go officer."
"I think you're underestimating this."
"That's why we're sending Warrant Officer Oh, isn't it?"
"Ah."
"Even wild beasts can be caught and tamed when they're still cubs."
"Indeed."
"Warrant Officer Oh is rough around the edges, but he gets the job done."
"Yes, I'll handle it."
"Right. And make sure he gets his reward money."
"Got it.”
*
Gang Cheol-du opened his eyes.
"Ugh."
He and Grandpa had a good time drinking together for a while.
Grandpa went to bed first, but he felt like drinking more, so he had some more soju and then went to sleep.
When he came outside, Grandpa was gone.
Creak.
He opened Grandpa's door, but he wasn't there either.
"He's already gone."
Yesterday, he was talking like he was going to move to the countryside immediately, but today he went straight back to work.
Grandpa is really diligent.
"Hmm. First, I need to find my phone."
His phone was already smashed during the apocalypse test.
He found his resident registration card that had been sleeping at home, got a new phone activated in front of his house, and immediately called Jin-tae.
-Got a new phone
-On my way. Wait.
-k
Soon, Jin-tae arrived, looking worried, and Cheol-du tilted his head in confusion.
"Why are you so down?"
"Ah, it's nothing."
"Hmm, tell me if you have any difficulties."
"Haha, okay."
But Jin-tae didn't say anything else.
If you can handle it yourself, that's best.
"Let's figure out what we're gonna do."
"What's there to figure out? We just gotta pick a time to head to New Seoul."
"Hmm. Haa."
Kim Jin-tae sighed deeply and then, hesitantly said, "Let's stay for about a week before we go."
"Okay."
Jin-tae was surprised by how easily Cheol-du agreed.
"Is it okay to go that late?"
"What's the rush?"
"No, I'm just worried I'll slow you down."
"Slow me down how?"
"Seven days on Earth is almost a month in Nova... You won't be able to level up during that time."
Cheol-du chuckled.
He hadn't even known Nova existed until now. Why would he suddenly be in a rush to hunt?
"Jin-tae. Don't be impatient. There's no reason to rush at all. The apocalypse is still far away."
"Haa... I guess so. Okay."
Still, Jin-tae felt uneasy.
"You can go to New Seoul first. I can catch up later."
"That's not necessary."
Cheol-du said, looking at Jin-tae.
"It's almost the end of the year, so let's just head out on the 1st."
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"Yeah, I should be able to get everything wrapped up by then."
"Tell Jong-du too."
"Ah, right. That gangster guy."
Cheol-du took out the hand axe from the second slot of his inventory. A phone number was carved into the handle with a carving knife.
Cheol-du dialed the phone number and asked for confirmation.
"So, 9 AM at my place on the 1st?"
"Yeah, tell him."
"Got it."
Ring ring ring ring.
After a few rings, the phone was answered.
[Yong-gu Labor.]
"Is Jong-du there?"
[Hello? He's currently at the work s... Thump, crash.]
Loud noises were heard over the receiver, and soon another man's voice was heard.
[Boss. This is Byeon Woo-jin.]
"Who's that?"
[His Number Four man.]
"Ah, okay. Where's Jong-du?"
[He's cleaning up the business.]
"Really?"
"He's cleaning it himself? I figured he'd make his guys do it. Guess he's leading by example."
"Let's meet at my house at 9 AM on January 1st."
[Uh, yes sir. I will relay that. Excuse me, but is this number the Boss's phone number?]
"Yeah."
[Yes, sir, I understand. Thank you, Boss.]
"Yeah."
Cheol-du hung up the phone.
"What did he say?"
"He said he'd meet us then."
"So, do we need to get anything ready?"
At Jin-tae's words, Cheol-du shrugged.
After all, only Novices can use the portal.
"It's crazy that the inventory even works on Earth."
"Too bad we can't get the coins out."
"Yeah... that sucks."
Jin-tae also felt that was the most regrettable thing.
For some reason, the coins couldn't be taken out.
He could bring up the status window, but only the goblin coins were not summoned.
"If only this worked, I could have had Grandpa promoted yesterday."
"Yeah, too bad."
"Guess we just gotta wait and see where the next apocalypse test pops up."
"Yeah, that's all we can do."
"Ah, no contact from the soldiers, right?"
"Not yet."
"Hmm. I'm sure they'll handle it well, but don't give them any leeway and be firm."
"Hehe, Jin-tae. I've always been firm."
"You should have said you wouldn't ride in the car yesterday too."
"Wasn't I firm when I rode?"
"...Ha, damn, that's so firm."
Jin-tae chuckled.
He felt ashamed of himself for coming with such a serious face.
"See you on the 1st. I'll get everything squared away by then."
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"Sounds good."
Jin-tae made up his mind.
Since Earth is facing the apocalypse anyway, what's important is to establish a base in Nova.
If only he could persuade his father...
"Okay, take care."
Cheol-du said goodbye to Jin-tae and found himself with nothing to do.
"Hmm, maybe I should go work out?"
He can't swing an axe at the gym.
After all, Cheol-du has now broken through his limits by eating stat stones. There's nothing more he can learn at the gym.
From now on, he needs to keep practicing in real fights and figure things out on his own.
Cheol-du ran towards the mountain behind his house.
It was a hiking trail he used to go on a lot because of the exercise equipment halfway up.
Not long after Cheol-du left, a Grandeur stopped in front of Golden Villa.
The woman who got out of the driver's seat checked the address and house number on her phone and nodded.
"This is the place."
She went to the passenger seat and knocked on the window.
"Oh. We're here. Get out."
Click.
A man in his thirties with sleepy eyes got out and stretched.
"Ugh, yawn! Choi. Let's just drop it off and go."
"Huh, this is important."
"No, why are they making a Deserter Pursuit guy recruit new soldiers?"
"They say he has a bit of a rebellious spirit."
"Ha, seriously. Doesn't the personnel department have anyone?"
"..."
Choi crossed her arms and stared at Oh with a sulky face.
"Ah, okay. Let's go."
The two arrived in front of Golden Villa Room 203 and rang the doorbell.
"Hello?"
Bang, bang, bang!
"Is anyone home?"
Choi knocked on the door, but there was no response. Oh yawned, still half asleep, and said nonchalantly.
"No one's inside."
"Huh, how do you know that? They might be pretending not to be there."
"Haaaahm, how high do you think my sense stat is? I know no one's inside."
"Why are you telling me that now?"
At Choi's sharp words, Oh said, looking annoyed.
"Let's just put it in the mailbox and go."
"No way. We have to tell them directly."
"No, why are you so concerned about one recruit?"
"Huh, Oh, didn't you see the orders?"
"Huh? I didn't see them. I was told to get an explanation from Choi."
"Haa."
Choi Seung-ah clenched her fists.
This damn military, really.
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"What is it? Who is it?"
"It's the person who caught the Ogre Junior."
"Eh, catching a baby ogre is nothing."
"In the apocalypse test."
"Huh?"
Only then did Oh's eyes light up.
"Then that's a different story. Tell me in detail."
"They say he also caught an Orc Warrior during the first Nova survival game. They seem to have marked him as a pretty important resource."
"Right. If he can catch a field boss in the apocalypse test, he's got potential, whoa... This is a big catch after a long time."
Oh, with a completely awakened face, grilled her with questions.
"So?"
"So what do you mean 'so'? We offered him a second lieutenant commission, but he refused outright, and that's why we're here now."
"Hehe, with an enlistment notice? A guy who doesn't even want to be an officer, would he enlist as a private?"
"Military service is a sacred duty."
"Oh please, Choi, that's because you volunteered."
"Huh. It's a quasi-national emergency. The whole world is in chaos, so of course..."
Oh interrupted Choi and covered his ears with two fingers.
"Aaaaaah, I can't hear you."
"Aish, really!"
"Let's wait in the car."
"Huh, you're motivated."
"Ah, with that much potential, I gotta check him out."
"Don't cause any trouble. I'll persuade him no matter what."
Oh chuckled.
The fact that the higher-ups sent him meant they were considering a show of force.
Of course, Oh wouldn't refuse.
'This is why I do Deserter Pursuit.'
Even though he's a DP, it's guilt-free violence when he goes around catching people like this.
To Oh, the military was no different from a large gangster group, and he thought of himself, a DP, as their enforcer.
And so, the two began their stakeout in the car.
After lunchtime, and even after they'd scarfed down some hamburgers, he still hadn't shown up. Choi exploded.
"Huh! Do you think he sensed it and ran away?"
"Yeah, well, stakeouts are common when doing Deserter Pursuit work."
"Am I affiliated with the DP?"
"Hehe, with that little patience, how are you going to persuade him?"
"Huh! Don't underestimate my sociability. Why do you think the higher-ups sent me?"
"Well, they probably sent you to use your feminine wiles. You're the most beautiful woman in personnel."
"That's not it! They sent me because I have good negotiation skills!"
"Well, the source of that negotiation skill is all..."
Oh suddenly stopped talking, just as he was about to say it all came from her looks.
"Why did you stop talking?"
Oh silently looked beyond the car.
It's a hillside neighborhood, so he can't see it yet, but something enormous is approaching.
What is this presence?
Oh suppressed his trembling body and got out of the car.
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"Hmm?"
Cheol-du, who was walking through the neighborhood, saw a tracksuit-wearing man staring at him and grinning.
"Is there a problem?"
"Hahaha, you're Cheol-du, right?"
"Hmm?"
Oh's smile deepened.
This is a big catch after a long time.
Let's have some fun.
Whoosh.
