Chapter 62.1
Seoryeong entered the mountains as the snow began to fall in flurries.
The cadets, who had rested sufficiently over the past two days, dispersed with survival bags prepared by the instructors.
If Hell Week was a week of no sleep, the final gateway, “Catching the Instructor,” was a week of extreme difficulty, with the infamous “Raw Food Week” thrown into the mix.
The most infamous of the training exercises involved surviving a week on a single 500-millilitre bottle of water.
The cadets would now have to battle intense hunger, eating anything from tree roots to insects and grass to survive.
“Wouldn’t it be better if we captured the instructor together? We work well as a team. When else will we get to stick together?”
“I don’t like sharing with anyone.”
“You cold-hearted b*stard, couldn’t you just let it slide once?”
“Once will turn into twice.”
Dong Jiwoo kept grumbling next to her, clearly feeling slighted, but Seoryeong had no intention of sharing the glory. There was only one instructor she wanted to catch, and splitting that victory made no sense.
“They say there might not be any new recruits for the special security team this year.”
“Why?”
“Because the instructors are former UDT. Survival training like this is nothing to them… I guess I’ll just target Instructor Jin Hojae. I don’t want to get shot to pieces by Instructor Lee Wooshin like anyone else…”
“I’m going ahead.”
Seoryeong frowned and left without hesitation. After a few steps, she turned back. “Don’t eat any random plants just because you’re hungry. You’ll end up with diarrhea.”
“Hey!”
Sorry. Seoryeong muttered to herself and pulled her poncho tighter around her shoulders.
Before the final test started, the first thing she did was tamper with the survival bags issued to each cadet.
She removed the batteries from her comrades’ night vision goggles and flashlights. This way, they would be immobilized at night, and even if they found the instructor, their response would be slow.
So, sorry. I need to survive too.
The corner of her mouth twitched slightly as she began to climb up the snowy mountain, which had begun to accumulate a thin layer of snow.
“――!”
It wasn’t until darkness fell that the heated shouts of the cadets echoed like a chorus. Seoryeong busied herself building a makeshift shelter, using the cacophony as background noise.
The instructors set fair conditions. They entered the mountain unarmed, just like the cadets. The only difference was the tread pattern on their boots and the bell attached to them, ringing clearly with each movement.
Moreover, their movement was confined to a specific area within the vast mountain, creating a fair environment where capturing them was possible. But after four days, they were nowhere to be found.
Seoryeong chased the bell sounds, hoping to find Lee Wooshin, but it was always a futile effort.
Every now and then, a few soldiers would spot him and rush in, only to be overpowered and beaten.
Seoryeong watched these scenes through binoculars, lost in thought. Would it have been better to attack in groups?
“Catch him, ugh, catch him!”
“Calm down for a second, ugh! Hey, you motherfuckers…! Can’t you hear me!”
“Why don’t you get rid of the ones you don’t need!”
“Get your hands off me, you f*cking—!”
“Do you want me to take away the Gore-Tex you’re wearing?”
The cadets began to fight among themselves, trying to steal each other’s remaining water and survival bags. Those who were robbed of everything had no choice but to descend the mountain, crying bitterly.
The survival bag contained useful items like a knife, a waterproof container with a flint, a compass, sunglasses, snare wire, signal flares, waterproof matches, a sleeping bag, an emergency kit, underwear, socks, a folding shovel, and securing straps.
Especially valuable were the waterproof tarp, which could be used as a tent substitute, and the sleeping bag. The more you had, the better your chances of survival.
As time passed, the competition evolved into a more vicious struggle than just catching the instructors.
At one point, Seoryeong made eye contact through her binoculars with a cadet who seemed to be watching her closely…
“….!”
She immediately ducked her head, but her throat felt dry. Besides hunger and cold, there was now another thing to be wary of.
In just a few days, the incessant snowfall had piled up so high that her boots sank deeply with every step.