#Episode 73: A Hair-Trigger Situation
A white-bearded man arrived at the Government Office.
General Im Unjin surveyed the Operations Briefing Room before speaking his first words.
“Your simple tastes haven’t changed in two years, have they?”
Major General Park Junpil silently gestured towards the Seat of Honor.
“Lieutenant General Im. This way.”
“It’s General now.”
“...Yes. General Im.”
Promotions often accompanied changes in position. Appointed as the Nova Army Chief of Staff and relocating his post to New Seoul, Lieutenant General Im Unjin had been promoted to Four-Star General.
With the creation of the new unit called the Nova Army, all soldiers in Nova now belonged to the Nova Army, no longer the regular army.
Park Junpil, who had been promoted to Lieutenant General and tasked with pioneering the cities around Cheongju, now reported directly to the man before him, Nova Army General Im Unjin.
Going forward, the Nova Army would be structured with the New Seoul Nova Army HQ at its center, and Corps stationed in Pioneer Villages centered around each portal.
Park Junpil’s official title was Commander of the Nova Army 1st Command.
He was tasked with overseeing the 1st Command, protecting the Novices near Cheongju, exploring and developing the Map, pioneering, and all related duties.
Only his title and post had changed; the work remained the same.
The only difference was leaving the village he had painstakingly completed and having to start over in the Wasteland.
Leaving the Main Base to establish an Expansion was his primary mission.
“Alright, handle the Handover yourselves. I’ll take care of assessing the unfinished situation, so don’t worry. Lieutenant General Park, you should select the personnel for the 1st Command and depart.”
New leadership for the new unit.
That was Im Unjin’s philosophy.
Park Junpil tried to offer various pieces of advice out of concern, but Im Unjin cut him off sharply.
“Don’t worry about me. Lieutenant General Park, just hurry up, pick your people, and leave.”
Park Junpil’s expression hardened.
Confidence was good, but here in Nova, playing general like back on Earth wouldn’t work...
He was worried, but Insubordination was not an option.
Forcing unwanted advice, especially on a superior, was extremely disrespectful.
“Colonel Kim Geunsu is here, so the Handover shouldn’t be a problem.”
This was Colonel Kim Geunsu, the Vice Commander who had been completely sidelined by Park Junpil in their Power Struggle and had stayed secluded in Nova.
He wasn't particularly reliable, but as Im Unjin said, not everyone was leaving, so any further meddling would be overstepping.
“Then I will depart as soon as the personnel selection is complete. Loyalty!”
“Ah! Major Lee Eunyeong and the Special Task Force members are not available for selection. I’d also like some combat troops to remain.”
“Understood.”
“Then be on your way.”
“Ah! This is truly important. You must avoid friction with the Ironhead Mercenary Corps as much as possible.”
“...”
General Im Unjin’s expression stiffened.
Is this guy deaf?
“Do you find my words amusing?”
“I’m telling you because it’s extremely important. Please just grant all promises made to the Mercenary Corps. They’re a bit hot-headed, so if there’s a clash...”
KWANG!
Im Unjin slammed his hand on the table.
“How long do you intend to make me repeat myself?”
I’ve been telling him to leave, why is this bastard dragging this out?
“You must absolutely not become enemies with him.”
“Look here, Lieutenant General Park!”
“I implore you.”
“Get out! I’ll handle it myself!”
“Then, Loyalty!”
Lieutenant General Park Junpil saluted and exited.
General Im Unjin, with his piercing eyes, slammed the desk again.
KWANG!
“Insolent brat!”
Im Unjin hated anyone challenging his authority more than anything.
What sustained the military wasn't combat power, but organizational strength. If this Chain of Command system collapsed, the army ceased to exist.
It would just be a massive violent mob.
“Tell Kim Geunsu to come in!”
Colonel Kim Geunsu was the unfortunate Vice Commander who had clashed with Major General Park Junpil over various opinions and ended up crushed.
He quickly approached and offered a booming salute.
“Loyalty! General Im Unjin. Congratulations on your promotion!”
“Enough! You’ve worked hard.”
“Whew, not at all. Seeing you again, General, fills me with deep emotion.”
“Hmm, the information gathered so far...”
General Im Unjin looked at a figure occupying a corner of the briefing room.
The various officers and cadets who had just arrived as Novices were all dressed in the standard-issue beginner clothes.
But amongst them was a man in an ill-fitting Dopo.
He looked like a Clerk from the Joseon Dynasty era.
“Who are you?”
“Captain Ahn Seungwoo.”
“...What the hell are you doing?”
“Clerk, no, no. I’m a Supply Officer!”
“No, why are you sitting here?”
“Huh?”
“You bastard, aren’t you Lieutenant General Park’s lackey?”
“Ah! I don’t belong to any Faction.”
Just then, Colonel Kim Geunsu pointed accusingly.
“Ha, look at the nerve of this guy. General. That bastard is Major General Park’s right-hand man.”
“Ah!”
So I did have a faction.
Tears welled up in Ahn Seungwoo’s eyes.
Mother, it seems I'm destined to be a Clerk forever.
“Get out, you punk!”
“Yes, Loyalty!”
After saluting, Captain Ahn Seungwoo approached Park Junpil, who stood forlornly in the Government Office courtyard.
“Magistrate.”
“Sigh.”
“Please calm your anger.”
“It’s fine. There’s nothing to be angry about.”
Park Junpil accepted it so readily that it was becoming confusing whether this was Playing Clerk or Playing Magistrate anymore.
“Since it’s come to this, let’s hurry up, prepare, and leave. Why avoid the task just because it’s unpleasant?”
“Sigh, I’m worried about this place.”
“Hmm. But aren’t things better than 10 years ago when we were starting from scratch?”
“I’m not worried about the work in Cheongju.”
The work would be arduous and difficult, but that didn’t worry him in the slightest. Rather, it was a good thing, reviving old memories and allowing them to rally together again.
“I’m worried about here.”
“Yes?”
“Enough. Let’s go.”
“Yes.”
To Park Junpil’s eyes, it looked like changing the captain of a ship right before a typhoon hit.
The Beginner Zone had been lifted.
Why did people only think about exploration and pioneering, and not the opposite?
There were no preparations for invasion anywhere.
“Let’s just select the personnel to form the 1st Command.”
“Yes, Magistrate.”
Before even entering Nova, discussions had already taken place regarding the creation of a new army and the composition of its subordinate units.
The personnel Park Junpil would take consisted of about 10% combatants and the Non-Combat Branch officers who were part of his line.
Since General Im Unjin’s division was scheduled to come here anyway, they had to make room.
At the very least, all the key non-combat positions in the Government Office were being replaced.
“We’ve also decided to take up to 1000 residents who volunteer to come with us.”
“Oh? Isn’t that more than expected?”
“People need to leave to make room for new people.”
“Ah.”
“Let’s go. Transportation is already waiting on Earth. We need to finish recruiting within two days.”
“Huh? How can we recruit 1000 people in just two days?”
“That’s why we need to hurry.”
The Clerk, along with the other Yukbang officials, gathered and went around the village, posting Notices and shouting announcements.
Surprisingly, few people wanted to leave, likely because they didn’t want to abandon what had become their second home to start anew in a barren Wasteland.
“Are the Mercenary Corps coming too?”
“It was decided long ago that they would go to Cheongju.”
“Then I will go with you.”
“Me too.”
“If the Mercenary Corps Commander is there, it’ll be safer. My family will go too.”
There were soldiers stationed in Cheongju, so securing labor wasn't an issue, but Technicians were the problem.
‘Government support from Earth will be almost non-existent.’
Being allowed to select and take 1000 people now was already significant support.
They were proven talents who had already survived in Nova.
After two days of recruitment, they gathered about 800 Technicians. Each was skilled in their own right, along with their families.
General Im Unjin offered quiet encouragement as he saw them off.
“Lieutenant General Park, good luck with the hard work.”
“Yes, understood. I will do my best to pioneer a city worthy of being the capital.”
“Yes, I know you’ll do well.”
“Then, take care.”
“Alright, be on your way.”
“When the Mercenary Corps return, please welcome them warmly. They are heroes.”
General Im Unjin’s expression hardened again.
Does this brat have no respect for his superior?
Trying to undermine his authority in front of everyone like this, there was absolutely nothing likable about him.
Giving me trouble even as he leaves.
“Haha, I’ll keep that in mind.”
He simply laughed since people were watching.
‘Insolent brat.’
The presumptuous advice felt like a demand, provoking the authoritarian Im Unjin.
‘At best, you’re just an Engineer.’
His abilities were recognized, and he was entrusted with building Korea's second capital in Nova, but the core capabilities of
