Chapter 35.1

Chapter 35.1

Her expression gradually hardened, her fists clenched and unclenched as if drained of blood.

Rarely had she felt such seething anger toward someone outside her inner circle. The intense hostility directed at Lee Wooshin made her teeth grind and her body tremble with resentment.

“So don’t let your brain fool you. It’s not love, it’s just a trick,” Wooshin’s words cut through her like a knife.

Seoryeong could brush off cheap flirtation from anyone with ease, but Wooshin’s words now didn’t slide off her like water off a duck’s back.

Each word pierced her heart.

“The fact that you still haven’t forgotten him is also proof that you’re an easy person to deceive. But does it make sense for you to put yourself through such hardships for someone like him?”

Her breath caught in her throat.

“Here, basic training; they say it’s basic, but they push people to their limits. It’s downright insane,” Wooshin pressed his index finger against her temple, as if urging her to understand.

What an asshole… She had disliked him from the moment she first laid eyes on him.

Reluctantly, she felt a pang of self-pity for the weakness she had stubbornly ignored. Even before participating in the training, she already felt drained of energy.

Wooshin nodded toward the waiting taxi.

“That manprobably don’t even think about Ms. Han anymore, so why waste your life? If you want revenge, go out and make a good living.”

She couldn’t understand why each of his words felt so painful and cutting. Seoryeong felt her eyes well up with tears in confusion.

It was true that she had come this far out of obsession and resentment. But she despised herself for being unable to refute him.

She had an impulse to crush the figure of Lee Wooshin before her.

“No.”

“Ms. Han Seoryeong.”

He called her name again, as if scolding her. Anger made her ears feel hot. She wanted to retort, but strangely, her throat felt constricted, making it difficult even to swallow.

Nevertheless, Seoryeong stubbornly met his gaze, despite knowing she would look pathetic.

“True revenge is making sure that jerk can’t even live or eat properly.”

…Without me. She buried those words deep inside.

“And even if everything you say is true,” The blood oozing from her torn wound turned into intense disgust, “I’ll make sure my husband hears it directly. Not from someone like you, who knows nothing about love!”

With all her might, Seoryeong pushed his arm away and boarded the bus instead of the taxi.

*

I’m doomed…

I practically signed my death sentence by talking back to the training instructor I have to deal with for 10 weeks.

Seoryeong stared out the window the entire way to the training camp, breathing unsteadily, but the emotions that had been bubbling to the top of her head for so long were hard to contain.

The more she thought about Lee Wooshin’s words, the tighter her fists clenched. While she was still trying to control her emotions, the bus stopped.

“Pack your bags and get off!”

The new recruits moved without hesitation as the instructor led the way.

The destination was a private military camp near the sea. It was registered as a children’s vacation camp on legal documents. She heard they disguised it like that because it wasn’t officially sanctioned by the Ministry of Defense.

As she stepped off the bus, she was met with blatant stares. Uncomfortable, disapproving, some smirking. None of them seemed friendly.

How hostile… Seoryeong thought expressionlessly.

It wasn’t just Lee Wooshin, who was determined to bring her down, and these people who refused to accept her as a comrade might pose an even bigger challenge.

No one directly mocked her or expressed dissatisfaction. But this situation, with no words and only eye contact, seemed somehow more tense.

Tension that could explode at the slightest spark. The tense atmosphere continued until they entered the dormitory.

As soon as she placed her luggage on a bed that resembled an army guard bunk, the inevitable question hung in the air like a storm cloud.

“How the hell am I supposed to share a room with a woman?”

The displeased voice snapped everyone’s attention to one focal point. The silent as a mouse Han Seoryeong at the corner.

“I don’t care if it’s training, and she’s not going to last long anyway, but shouldn’t you at least keep our quarters separate? How am I supposed to change my clothes, shower, etc. without her seeing us!”

It was blatant provocation, yet subtly, the rest of the comrades seemed to nod in agreement.

“I came here for training, not to sleep in the same room with a woman! And then if anything happens, we’re the ones who’ll get blamed!”