Master Smith Under Ministry of National Defense

Master Smith Under Ministry of National Defense

174 – Safety Measures

“Are you seriously planning to go into the suspected infection area unprotected?”

“Hyung! No way! If you do that, not only will you get killed, but Soo-jeong noona will also kill us for not stopping you!”

Soo-bin and Kei immediately opposed Myung-jun’s reckless plan. However, Myung-jun wasn’t a leader who would consider infiltrating a dangerous area without any safety measures, especially when the infection route was unclear. He addressed their concerns.

“Calm down. Do you really think I’d go into that danger zone without any protection? This is exactly the kind of situation these devices were made for.”

With that, Myung-jun took out a flat mechanical device from the box he had carried on his back. He attached the device to his chest and pressed the triangular button in the center. Instantly, a light emanated from the device, enveloping his entire body and transforming his bionic suit into a military uniform that a seasoned soldier might wear.

Seeing this, Kei sighed in relief and said, “Phew. I thought you were really going in unprotected.”

“I’m not crazy enough to enter a biological cesspool without protective gear. And I have no desire to get infected by an unknown new type of aberration.”

“But if you’re planning to enter with the bionic suit, there’s no need to say you’ll get killed… Wait, you’re not planning to go in alone, are you? Please tell me you’re not. Don’t look at me with that serious face and say you’re going in alone.”

“I’m going in alone.”

“Hyung, that’s absolutely not okay. If this were a simple Gate raid, you could handle it alone, but this is a special situation. We don’t have enough information about the enemy, and as your Seeker, I can’t allow you to go alone. I’m coming with you.”

“But…”

“I know the Optical Converter you used doesn’t change your height, but if we deceive them well enough, I might pass as a short soldier.”

“Me too. If we’re taking the corroded vehicle, you’ll need a co-driver. I can play the role of a female sergeant.”

Before Myung-jun could stop them, both Soo-bin and Kei had already pulled out identical devices from Myung-jun’s backpack. They attached the devices to the center of their power armor chests, manipulated the control panels on their wrists to select their desired appearances, and pressed the triangular buttons. A brilliant light enveloped them, transforming their appearances into that of active-duty South Korean soldiers.

“How do we look?”

Seeing their transformed appearances, Myung-jun let out a deep sigh. Unlike his own disguise, which was based on his actual appearance in a military uniform, their disguises were simply their usual looks with military attire superimposed, resulting in many noticeable flaws. He began pointing out the amateurish aspects of their disguises.

“Soo-bin, your hairstyle is too free-spirited for a female soldier. If you go in like that, they’ll immediately know you’re a civilian pretending to be a soldier.”

“I’ll change it.”

“Kei, while we might be able to overlook your height, your uniform is too clean. Look at my disguise.”

“Yes.”

“It seems like your disguise was made using images of soldiers found online. Soldiers typically divide their issued uniforms into three types: one for winter, one for summer, and one for outings or leave.”

“What’s an outing uniform?”

“You can’t wear a dirty uniform used for training and work when you go on leave. Usually, soldiers keep one good set aside, iron it neatly, and wear it when they go on leave. Your disguise looks like you’re about to go on leave, not transporting corroded supplies.”

“Wow, how do you know all this?”

“Anyone who’s served as an active-duty soldier would know. Your boots are too clean and shiny. You need to make them look dirtier.”

“So, we need to give our disguises a more lived-in feel? Got it. But it might take some time to make those adjustments.”

“That’s why I said I’d go in alone. For me, pretending to be a soldier is no big deal since I’m a former active-duty soldier, but for you and Soo-bin, there will inevitably be awkward parts.”

“But we can’t let you go alone. If it’s going to take time, then teach us military jargon and mannerisms.”

“You want me to give you a crash course?”

“We don’t have any other choice, do we?”

Unable to break their stubbornness, Myung-jun began giving them a crash course on how to appear like active-duty soldiers.

“From now on, end every sentence with ‘-da’ or ‘-ka.’ Got it?”

“Yes!”

“Not ‘yes,’ but ‘algesseumda!’ Again!”

“Not ‘algesseumnida?’”

“Did I say you could end with ‘-yo?’ A seasoned soldier never pronounces things clearly. Algesseumda? Jalmosdeul-eosseumda? Geulke hasijimal-imda? Repeat after me.”

“Algesseumda? Jalmosdeul-eosseumda? Geulke hasijimal-imda?”

“Good. As you know, the Optical Converter only changes visual images. While you may look like soldiers, the moment someone touches you, they’ll feel the power armor underneath. So, if someone tries to touch you, shout your rank and name loudly to startle them into stepping back.”

“Algesseumda!”

“Let’s practice. Kei, you first. Someone’s about to touch your shoulder!”

“Private! Ito Kei!”

“Where in South Korea would a soldier have a Japanese name? Use a Korean name! Again!”

“Private! Lee! Dong! Gaek!”

“Louder!”

“Pri!!!vate!!! Lee!!! Dong!!! Gaek!!!”

“Good. Next, Soo-bin.”

“Sergeant! Lee! Soo! Bin!”

“Actually, lower ranks can’t touch higher ranks without permission, so you probably won’t need to shout your rank and name.”

“Damn it!”

“I was testing to see if you’d react like Kei in case someone bumps into you. Soo-bin, you’ll be our leader for this operation, so act with the demeanor befitting a non-commissioned officer.”

After about 30 minutes of practice, Myung-jun finally ended the training session. He then looked at the two with a very dissatisfied expression and said,

“Honestly, you still stand out a lot, but we don’t have a choice. Just keep quiet and stay in the truck. I’ll handle the rest.”

“What? Do we really stand out that much? We tried our best.”

“There’s a strong scent of inexperience coming from those who haven’t served. But we have no choice. Let’s proceed like this. If we get caught, drop the disguise and retreat to safety as quickly as possible.”

With that, Myung-jun climbed into the driver’s seat of the 2.5-ton truck. Soo-bin followed into the passenger seat, while Kei sat on a box in the cargo area. After ensuring they were properly seated, Myung-jun started the engine and said,

“We’re moving out.”

“Wait a minute. There are no seat belts in the cargo area.”

“Da-na-ka.”

“There are no seat belts, da-na-ka?”

“That’s how it is. Now, keep quiet and try not to get caught. Let’s go!”

Myung-jun drove the truck loaded with supplies slowly towards the unit’s entrance. Two soldiers armed with rifles pointed their guns at the truck and said,

“Stop! Identification check before entering the unit! What’s your business here?”

“Loyalty! Sergeant Cha Min-jun from the 3rd Division. I’m here to deliver today’s cooking supplies.”

“Cooking supplies? Was there such a delivery scheduled today?”

The soldier tried to act nonchalant, but Myung-jun’s eyes grew cold as he observed him. The soldier’s calm demeanor was a telltale sign that he was infected.

‘A soldier from a unit that just had a skirmish with EDA agents is acting this calm at the mention of a supply truck?’

This was because the Inspector-controlled humans acted based on ‘memory’ rather than human thought. Just as they exhibited textbook combat behavior against intruders, infected humans were controlled to perform the most appropriate actions for each situation.

Thus, the infected soldier’s response to the ‘supply truck’ was overly ‘normal.’ Normally, he should have been much more cautious, but the Inspector’s control had its limits, preventing it from connecting the recent ‘attack’ with the ‘supply delivery.’

As Myung-jun had predicted, the infected soldier acted completely normal, allowing Myung-jun’s vehicle to pass through. Despite the fact that there was no scheduled delivery, the soldier raised the barrier as if it were a routine event.

“It seems like it’s your first visit. Do you know where the cooking unit is?”

“Actually, I’m not sure.”

“Just go around the parade ground, turn left, and go straight. The cooking unit is there, and the supply warehouse is right behind it. Feel free to stay for dinner. I heard tonight’s menu is fried chicken.”

“Is the cook here any good?”

“Probably the best in the entire corps.”

The infected soldier even tried to lower Myung-jun’s guard by chatting amiably and providing directions within the base. Watching the soldier’s scripted performance, Myung-jun couldn’t help but smirk as he drove the truck into the base.

Once inside, Myung-jun parked near the supply warehouse, and Kei jumped out of the cargo area.

“Wow, I was so nervous, I thought we’d get caught.”

Myung-jun got out of the driver’s seat with a serious expression and said, “We probably were caught.”

“What? But they let us through?”

“It’s just the three of us. They likely decided it would be easier to isolate and infect us later. Damn, these guys are more cunning than I thought. This could be a bigger problem.”

“Why do you think that?” Soo-bin asked.

Myung-jun explained that while he, who knew the full situation, had entered the base on high alert, other soldiers or officers from different units wouldn’t have noticed anything amiss while passing through the checkpoint. If those visiting soldiers got infected and returned to their units, it was highly likely that their units would also become infected.

“Fortunately, Inspectors don’t infect soldiers from other units until they have 100% control over a specific area. So, if there are infected individuals in another unit, it means this unit is already fully infected. Conversely, if there’s even one uninfected person in this unit, it means there are no infected individuals in other units.”

“How can we tell?”

“I don’t know that either. That’s why we’re here to capture a living infected person.”

“Capture… How do you plan to do that?”

“We need to lure them. Even if the entire base isn’t 100% infected, they won’t want to miss a chance to infect someone without being detected. No matter how intelligent the infected are, at their core, they’re still filthy parasites driven by base instincts.”

With that, Myung-jun opened the door to the empty supply warehouse. He turned to the others and said,

“From now on, you two hide inside the supply warehouse and wait. When they see me alone, sorting supplies, someone is bound to approach.”