Surviving Among the Entities

Of course, this was the stage of the past that required re-enacting my military service. As long as I followed my past actions exactly, nothing would change and I would proceed along the predetermined rails.

“You crazy fuckkkk!!!”

Just like back then, another sergeant rushed over in the barracks.

“Do not become agitated.”

And my response was the same. I rendered the charging sergeant unconscious by the same method as before, then swept the legs of the corporal who belatedly tried to attack from the side, dropping him.

“Resorting to violence to resolve matters that could be settled through conversation is an undesirable habit.”

The corporal got back up and charged, but I grabbed his left arm, stepped behind him, and bent it back, eliciting a groan of “Ughh” as he lost the will to resist and went limp.

“You need not worry about Sergeant Jang Hyeong-seok and the other. Rendering unconscious through carotid artery constriction knocks them out within 5 seconds without much pain, and they’ll awaken in a few minutes.”

I released the nameless corporal’s arm. There were no more charging attacks.

“Oh, you haven’t unpacked your duffel bag yet?”

At that moment, the unit commander returned.

“Seung-hoon, you should just stay in a different barracks, got it?”
“Yes, understood.”
“Let’s go.”

Before leaving, upon catching the lingering cigarette smell, the unit commander wrinkled his nose then clicked his tongue after seeing the unconscious Sergeant Jang Hyeong-seok.

“This bastard smoking in the barracks again…… Aish, whatever, let him be.”

‘A place of nostalgia.’

The barracks the unit commander mentioned was a very small temporary one.

“Hey? You’re the new recruit? I’m Yoo Min-ho, a corporal and transportation personnel.”
“Private Seung-hoon Lee, pleased to meet you.”
“Right, let’s unpack your stuff first. I’ll help you.”

The tiny barracks could barely accommodate 4 people at most. Of those, two wall lockers had found their owners.

“This used to be a storage room. But a while ago Sergeant Jang Hyeong-seok acted up outside and contracted gonorrhea, so they completely emptied out this storage to quarantine him.”
“I heard gonorrhea is highly contagious, but the others didn’t catch it?”
“About four people? They had an intense bleach disinfection by the unit commander’s order. That was fortunate at least.”

Feigning ignorance, I led the same conversation as before.

“Sergeant Jang Hyeong-seok smoked in the barracks earlier. He also committed acts of cruelty and used violence against other squad members.”
“Yeah, kind of? I used to get beaten a lot too until I became a private first class. At least in this different barracks I didn’t get hit often, but whenever we received unit discipline they’d give full swings of the laundry bat in the laundry room.”

Corporal Yoo Min-ho’s face was even smiling as if reminiscing fond memories.

“Why? Did that guy do something to you?”
“There was a minor incident. But what was strange was that despite the lingering cigarette smoke in the barracks, the unit commander didn’t say anything about it. Even though he knew Sergeant Jang Hyeong-seok had smoked.”
“Ah, that, well actually……”

The smiling expression froze on Corporal Yoo Min-ho’s face.

“That guy’s uncle is a Defense Security Command colonel. He even came on our first day to personally request we take good care of his nephew. Who would dare touch someone like that?”
“So because his uncle is a Defense Security Command colonel, he can do anything without consequence?”
“If the Defense Security Command conducts an inspection, promotions are out the window. They can dig up any dirt so of course everyone is extra cautious. Especially since this is the last promotion opportunity for the brigade commander, division commander, and company commander, so they’re really watching themselves.”
“I see.”
“Plus with the recent increase in North Korean military defectors, the atmosphere is tense. If even a hair is out of place, it’s over, so we’re being extra careful.”

The brigade commander, division commander, and company commander’s last promotion opportunities.
The recent unstable situation near the demilitarized zone.
The formidable backing of a Defense Security Command colonel uncle.

“He’s practically the king here.”

These were the reasons Sergeant Jang Hyeong-seok could act that way.

“But it’s fortunate at least? Now we only have one month until discharge, and we’re getting vacation days too so realistically it’s just 2 weeks to endure.”
“You won’t report it?”

The atmosphere suddenly became heavy. Corporal Yoo Min-ho, his smile completely gone, lowered his voice.

“Why? Were you thinking of reporting it to the military police?”
“Weren’t you assaulted and subjected to corruption?”
“Hah, new recruit, new recruit?”
“Yes.”
“Should I state my name and rank? Huh? Gotta do it properly when being nice?”
“Private Seung-hoon Lee.”
“Hey, you really do have naive thoughts.”

He had clearly just mentioned being a victim of Sergeant Jang Hyeong-seok’s actions.

“Report assault and seniors’ bullying to the military police? Why? Want to write a poetry book or something? This is just how the military is, they say it’s become better these days but that’s only for the rear units, at the front lines where North Korean soldiers could attack at any moment we can’t have crumbling discipline.”

What does military discipline have to do with corruption? If I were my current self, I would ask that, but my past self did not.

“It’s all necessary, even before that guy our unit was like this. He’s just more extreme. Those internet posts saying ‘no corruption or assault in modern units’ are just about the rear units.”

At the time, I found Corporal Yoo Min-ho’s attitude highly intriguing.

“But it has improved now so don’t be too intimidated. Just watch out for Sergeant Jang Hyeong-seok. When I was a private, I couldn’t even drink water or go to the PX freely, or smoke. Ah, do you smoke?”
“Yes, I do.”
“Let’s go out and have one. I’ll give you a cigarette.”

He was clearly a victim.

“But those things don’t happen anymore. At most you just do the seniors’ laundry? How is doing their laundry corruption? And for night duty, you just wake up 30 minutes early and wake the senior 15 minutes before his shift ends.”

Yet he was now vigorously defending the perpetrators despite being a victim.

“And memorizing meal schedules is basic, right? We all did that in school too. You also need to memorize the seniors’ duty rosters in advance and write them on the temporary barracks duty roster, that’s a private’s job so do it well. There’s also a cleaning roster board, right? Memorizing the facilities staff seniors’ names is basic too. Ah, you said your primary specialty code is 1111? Then you’ll be assigned to guard post duty. When going to the guard post, you should buy packet ramyun from the PX in advance.”

It seemed like I was witnessing the Stockholm syndrome I had only known through knowledge.

“Ask the senior you’ll be on duty with what kind of packet ramyun he wants to eat. If he says he’ll eat it, buy that flavor in advance from the PX. When buying, tell the PX staff so they don’t say a private first class came to the PX. Use your own money to pay. It may seem stingy now, but when juniors come in later you can do the same to them. Honestly, is it that big a deal?”

Corporal Yoo Min-ho must not have been like this from the start. Humans adapt to their environment to survive, and once adapted, they become numb to even special environments.

“Alright, anything else you’re curious about?”
“Yes, there is.”
“What is it?”
“I’m curious about the seniors in the other barracks too.”
“Hmm, the private sure is curious? There’s no transportation run today so I’m bored, I’ll tell you!”

That night, the first in the barracks.

“……”

After confirming the already asleep Corporal Yoo Min-ho, I took out my notebook.

[Military Human Rights Center XXX-XXX-XXXX]
[Ministry of National Defense XXX-XXX-XXXX]
[Military Police XXX-XXX-XXXX]

With just one phone call, I could definitively expose the unit’s situation. Even if no evidence remained, even if the victims like Corporal Yoo Min-ho had become numb to the environment and refused to testify, the unit’s atmosphere would inevitably change.

‘I’d like to try that path too……’

Unfortunately, my past self did not choose that means.

‘I have to do that, don’t I?’

For my past self was a practitioner.

‘Knowledge gained through physical experience lasts longer and becomes more firmly ingrained than knowledge learned just through words.’

Rather than seeking others’ help, I preferred taking direct action myself as a practitioner.

“This is the transportation department and this is the storage, this is the PX……”

A few days passed. With Corporal Yoo Min-ho’s assistance, I became familiar with all of the unit’s facilities.

“You see this photo? It’s a table organizing each barracks’ personnel by rank. Memorize it before entering the other barracks.”
“Understood.”
“Memorize the Aces, Deuces, and Threes as quickly as possible. If you use the wrong rank or don’t know their name when addressing them, the people who would normally overlook you being a private won’t do so. Especially the Aces, they’re all from the same class as Sergeant Jang Hyeong-seok with similar personalities. You know what I mean?”

There was no retaliation from Sergeant Jang Hyeong-seok or the members of Barracks 1 that he belonged to. While I didn’t know the reason at the time, with my enhanced senses allowing me to eavesdrop on their conversations, I could understand.

[“I’ll be discharged soon anyway. I’ll tell my uncle during my discharge vacation.”]
[“Really? Then an inspection will probably happen.”]
[“Yeah, if he calls me in while I’m still here it’ll be awkward, and I don’t want to suffer through it before discharge either, so I’m planning to get him to do it after I’m discharged. No need to get my own hands dirty during the discharge period, right? You gotta watch even falling leaves in the discharge period.”]
[“True, gotta be careful. Wow, the company commander and brigade commander really kissed your ass huh? How pathetic.”]
[“Call me pathetic, honestly if you slip up twice doesn’t that mean no chance? You’re being greedy as hell.”]

So there was a reason like this. An unfulfilled dream.
And so those peaceful five days passed.

“Ah, we need to play futsal…… Ah! Seung-hoon!”
“Private Seung-hoon Lee.”
“Go wake up Sergeant Yeom Sung-soo at the transportation department? He has a transportation run to the brigade but he’s sleeping right now.”
“Understood.”

Was it already that day?
I carefully entered the unlit transportation department barracks.

“Private Seung-hoon Lee, entering Barracks 5, purpose is to deliver transportation run notice.”

In the barracks that should have been empty during duty hours, one person lay sleeping in athletic clothes.

‘Alcohol smell.’

Sergeant Yeom Sung-soo, an Ace from the same class as Sergeant Jang Hyeong-seok and head of the transportation department, was passed out drunk.

‘Drinking during duty hours, neglecting transportation run.’

From what I heard, he had a habit of pawning off waking duties for his own runs to juniors.

‘He probably knew that and told me to wake him so I’d handle it instead.’

Since if he went to wake him himself, he would undoubtedly take the transportation run.

“Sergeant Yeom Sung-soo, it’s time for the transportation run.”
“……”
“Sergeant Yeom Sung-soo, it’s time for the transportation run.”
“……”
“Sergeant Yeom Sung……”
“Yeah.”

He opened his bleary eyes and glared at me.

“You little bastard, I can hear just fine. Who are you?”
“Private Seung-hoon Lee.”
“Ah shit, it’s you? Hey, never mind, just handle the damn transportation run yourself.”
“Sergeant Yeom Sung-soo, the transportation run……”
“I said handle it yourself. Whether you get someone else or drive it yourself, do whatever works.”

Saying that, Sergeant Yeom Sung-soo tossed me the vehicle keys.

“Don’t wake me up.”

A prank. His intention was clearly to put me in a difficult position.

“Private Seung-hoon Lee, completing duties in Barracks 5 and leaving.”

As I left the barracks, key in hand.

“This is an issue with the command.”

The division commander, brigade commander, and company commander’s strategy was flawed. If promotions were urgent, instead of ignoring problems when they arose, they should have prevented them proactively – by sweeping issues under the rug, the unit’s state had become deplorable.

“An issue with the officers.”

If the command could not resolve issues, the officers should have stepped up to resolve them, but out of fear of the Defense Security Command and due to being a special independent company, no one took active measures.

“An issue with the soldiers.”

The unit could have been changed at any time. A single phone call would have been enough in that environment, but they feared change and resigned themselves to also becoming part of the corruption.

“Great suffering inevitably accompanies change.”

This was what my past self said at the time.

“I will become that suffering.”

Befitting a practitioner, I took the vehicle keys and boarded the K-511 deuce and a half truck. While I had no driving experience, I had studied it separately on YouTube just in case I became a driver after enlistment, so I had the knowledge.

‘Is it finally that day?’

I started the engine in anticipation.

‘I’m certain I drove properly back then.’

My plan at the time was to instill a sense of urgency in the unit by appearing at the brigade as a lone soldier driving a vehicle without any officers – moreover, as a new recruit instead of a designated driver.

‘I wonder why that result occurred?’

I should investigate during this opportunity.

First Lieutenant Lee Il-pyo of the 15th Infantry Brigade let out a big yawn as he leaned back in the command chair of the command control room during his Friday duty officer shift.

‘Ah shit, why did it have to be Friday duty.’

To have duty officer duty at the unit on this wonderful Friday.

“Duty officer, anything interesting?”
“You could browse the intranet? Someone’s been posting erotic stories on the intranet lately.”
“Really? No thanks. That stuff will make my bones rot.”

Letting out yawn after yawn, he muttered:

“I wish something interesting would happen, like a defection.”
“Hey, don’t jinx it. And for a defector to reach all the way here, they’d have to penetrate every GOP, at which point they’re not a defector but an infiltration agent, right?”
“I’m just joking.”

At that moment, the radio crackled to life.

[“This is Guard Post 5! This is Guard Post 5! Suspicious vehicle approaching! Charging at high speed! Unable to identify! Arghh!”]
“What, what’s going on!”
[“A deuce and a half vehicle is not stopping despite orders and has breached the barricades!”]
“What nonsense is this!”

They had set up all sorts of barricades after rumors of a surprise inspection from higher command.

“Caltrops, Type A barricades, drum barricades, there were that many barricades! Not just one or two, how did a deuce and a half breach them head-on!”
[“But it breached them! Arghh! The deuce and a half is climbing the mountain road!”]
“What!?”

At that moment, the duty soldier called out to him.

“D,Duty Officer! CCTV! CCTV!”
“What!?”

Instinctively turning toward the CCTV screens.
Upon seeing the CCTV footage covering all key unit facilities and pathways, First Lieutenant Lee Il-pyo was dumbstruck.

“The fuck…… what is that……”

He could not tell if what he was seeing was CCTV or an action movie.

[“Genuine situation! Genuine situation!”]

And the trail left by the unidentified vehicle was straight out of an action movie.

“Scramble the 5-Minute Reaction Force!!!”