Chapter 35.2

Chapter 35.2

More voices chimed in, adding fuel to the garbage man’s rant.

“Yeah, that’s a terrible idea.”

The barracks erupted with voices, each one carrying a different tone of frustration, disbelief, and resentment.

“Wouldn’t it be better to give her her own room?” one recruit suggested, his voice edged with irritation.

“Dude, that’s not fair,” another chimed in, his tone indignant. “We’re here to train together, to suffer together, and if she’s the only one who’s comfortable, that’s reverse discrimination.”

The floodgates had been opened, and grievances poured forth from the lips of the new recruits like a torrential downpour.

“I thought Blast was one of the most renowned companies in Asia, so I was looking forward to it… but I guess it’s not exactly what I imagined,” lamented one disappointed recruit, his voice tinged with disillusionment.

“No, that’s why I’m excited,” another countered, his enthusiasm starkly contrasting with the general mood.

One man, unable to contain his disgust, punctuated his words with a grunt of disdain and a nauseating gesture that rippled through the group, eliciting a mixture of laughter and shaking heads.

Seoryeong observed the scene unfolding before her with a mix of bemusement and pity. It was amusing to see the recruits’ reactions, but also pathetic in a way. She remained silent, contemplating why they were making such a fuss among themselves when she had quietly entered their domain.

“Ah… It seems like everyone here is too narrow-minded. Do you happen to know? In reality, she might be incredibly elite.”

“Yeah, in Israel, there’s even a mixed-gender combat unit called Caracal, quite famous.”

Although the conversation topic was clearly Seoryeong, everyone talked without mentioning her.

Then, someone gathered the courage to ask Seoryeong.

“Are you any good at fighting?”

“….”

“What are you doing here? Are you perhaps a former soldier? Which unit?”

As everyone stared at Seoryeong, another familiar voice intervened.

“Hey, guys, what unit…! She was our company cook!”

“What?

“Don’t you remember the lady who used to feed us and do our laundry, the youngest one there, and yes, no shit, the one who used to throw food waste at me!”

At that moment, some members recognized her, their eyes widening. While there’s no caste in professions, their puzzled looks hinted at their thoughts. It seemed like there was more to judge about her.

Wow… This place is really like a trash can and hilarious…! Seoryeong thought to herself, secretly amused.

Suddenly, the sound of military boots approaching became audible. Seoryeong quietly observed the door, but the man who had been angry from the start didn’t notice the approach and continued to rant.

“If you’re just going to cause trouble for us and give up, you might as well leave now. If we have to accommodate your shower time and even look at the wrappers of your used sanitary pads, then get out now!”

“Seong Wookchan.”

At that moment, a tall figure intervened, blocking the loud voice.

Oh, was that his name…. Seoryeong blinked.

Lee Wooshin, who had now changed back into his tights, stood behind him, looking down at the noisy man.

“What’s all the fuss about?”

Seong Wookchan cleared his throat at the blunt question. It was funny how one moment he was running around like a colt with his tail on fire, and the next he was in front of an instructor.

“Instructor, I can’t live in a hut with a woman, and I don’t want to have to share a room with her because I’m afraid something will happen to us, and I’m not comfortable.”

“A woman.” Lee Wooshin mused oddly. Unaware of the undercurrent, Seong Wookchan continued to grumble.

“He isn’t a man, Instructor. We’re supposed to exercise, shower, and sleep together, so how can we focus solely on training when we have to worry about that?”

“Do you worry about getting an erection, Seong Wookchan?”

“…!”

Seong Wookchan was taken aback by the blunt question. The other recruits were too.

“Don’t come up with all sorts of excuses, just say it’s because you’re embarrassed of your your tent in the morning. That’s much more convincing and better.”

“Were you guys picked out of nowhere?” Lee Wooshin continued and clicked his tongue. He looked around the room with disappointment in his eyes.

“Are you going to boycott the next VIP if she’s a woman? Are you going to have a collective backlash if any of the organisations you work with have female agents?”

“….”

“What a bunch of assholes this bunch of jockeys are. If that’s the only reason you can’t fulfill your mission, you shouldn’t be here in the first place.”

Under the cold rebuke, all the recruits became as silent as bees in honey.

Lee  Wooshin sat down on the bed in the living quarters, his back pressed against the mattress. His posture was casually disheveled, his head tilted lazily, and he watched each of his men stir.