Chapter 56.2

Chapter 56.2

That day, Seoryeong sabotaged the chicken porridge prepared for the team’s lunch by pouring mud into it. The gritty sludge swirled into the pot, transforming a rare comfort into an inedible mess. It was a deliberate move to starve everyone, to break their spirits.

Her team members recoiled from her venomous act, but Seoryeong just shrugged. Other teams would use even worse tactics; they just have to start doing it.

The instructors knew of such acts but chose to turn a blind eye. There were no military laws here, nor had they ever emphasized honesty and order. Instead, they observed her team closely, considering her willingness to use any means necessary as they would in a real enemy territory.

The sense of unease peaked in the middle of hell week.

Seoryeong recalled the personal information of the team members she had memorized beforehand. Then, she began to individually target the leader of each team and the member who seemed most vulnerable to manipulation.

When Seoryeong’s team members showed weakness, she didn’t hesitate to slap them across the face, and when it was someone else’s group, Seong Wookchan  would make animalistic noises to scare them.

Seong Wookchan picked on those who had cellulitis and picked at their wounds, and often stepped on their ankles during tidal training.

At the lowest point for her team members, she spread rumors about Blast Company. There’s less money than expected, no insurance, and if you get injured, you won’t even receive severance pay and will be dismissed…

That tactic, coupled with Jiwoo’s careful and persistent instigation of already exhausted team members, yielded small victories.

As a result, Seoryeong’s team was the only one without a single member deserting.

Now, does it seem somewhat balanced? Scratching her neck, which had become sweaty and dirty without her noticing, Seoryeong whispered to Jiwoo.

‘So that’s the nature of the beast….’

Finally, Sunday afternoon, two hours before the end of the hell week.

The stench of filth wafted through the air as the crew huddled together. It was like a sewage treatment plant, with bodies covered in tidal flotsam and jetsam, and people who had defecated in their pants.

It was literally a week from hell. Seoryeong’s body was crushed, and she was sore from all the training and not being able to wash. From head to toe, even her nails were not their original color.

Nevertheless, the end of hell was finally in sight, and on the long-awaited final day, Seoryeong grabbed Dong Jiwoo and whispered to him, “I think I’m going to faint.”

“What?”

There had been nothing easy until the end.

Seoryeong felt dizzy, as if she might collapse at any moment. She immediately lowered her head between her legs and took deep breaths.

She had sometimes instructed patients at the nursing home to do so. It was a temporary and crude method, but supplying oxygen to the brain quickly could help.

To focus her mind, Seoryeong drew shapes in the dirt with her finger, breathing deeply in an attempt to ground herself. However, her body, already pushed to its limits, showed no signs of responding to these tricks. Her ears became muffled, and her vision gradually darkened.

No… How did I endure until now?

She quickly whispered through her slipping consciousness, forcing the words out.

“If I seem out of it, just play along and pretend you don’t notice.” She told Jiwoo beside her.

“Hey!”

“Just act normally. Then, I’ll manage to get up on my own.”

Jiwoo stared at her as if she were crazy, but Seoryeong, who had forewarned her fainting, remained nonchalant.

“It’s okay if only the instructors don’t find out. Especially, never make eye contact with Instructor Lee Wooshin. It’s okay with the other instructors, but never with Instructor Lee Wooshin.” She instructed him.

“Hey…”

As if a fuse had blown, there was no sound at all. Seoryeong nervously murmured and rummaged through the ground with her index finger. “I can get up. I’ll get up…”

“Hey, Han Seoryeong!”

“Don’t let anyone find out… If they find out, we all get evicted.”

Jiwoo could only make a wheezing sound from his throat without even a loud cry. At first glance, it was impossible to tell if she was just resting or asleep, but because she had just made an unreasonable request moments ago, he could easily see that Seoryeong had actually fainted.

Jiwoo composed his expression nonchalantly and absentmindedly played with the sand. Despite his stiffened shoulders, his body, which had endured hell week, having twisted elbows, was not anything out of the ordinary.

But then, in an instant, his throat dried up, and his heartbeat began to race uncontrollably. Cold sweat trickled down his dirty neck.

Instructor Lee Wooshin was walking straight towards them.