Chapter 29
Gas, Gas, Gas! (2)
When I first practiced wearing a gas mask, I ended up completing it in just nine seconds by myself, which unexpectedly drew a lot of attention from the instructors.
On top of that, I received extra rewards for my excellent training attitude.
“With this much, I’ve more than earned the reward for finally showing my skills.”
But one thing was still lacking.
“A quest… isn’t there one?”
If we were to talk about the main training content for new recruits, there were several things: live-fire exercises, grenade practice, marching, individual combat, outdoor camping, and chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear (CBRN) training.
Even CBRN training was by no means less important than any other exercise.
So why wasn’t there a quest for it? I couldn’t understand.
“It popped up fine when I did PRI and grenade training.”
If anything, the CBRN training would feel left out.
But since quests aren’t something I can trigger on my own, I had to swallow my disappointment.
At that moment, Seohwan looked at me with a puzzled expression.
“Hey, Igeumseong. Why do you look so upset? You got praised by the instructors and even got the reward.”
Thanks to accumulating rewards continuously, even Han Gangtae, who was once considered my rival for the top trainee spot, was now far behind me.
It meant I had begun to dominate overwhelmingly.
Being selected as the top trainee meant you got a reward leave even before being assigned to your unit.
No matter how much prize money I earned through quests, that was something I could only enjoy after safely completing my service—not something I could use immediately.
But reward leave was different.
It was a precious opportunity to temporarily escape this damn military and enjoy freedom, even if only in name.
No matter how much money you had, you couldn’t buy freedom.
Reward leave made the impossible possible.
So, apart from quests, I tended to actively go after any opportunity to earn rewards.
Of course, there’s a quest for becoming the top trainee too.
You get the leave and the prize money—a nice combination.
Still, my sour expression naturally piqued Seohwan’s curiosity.
“Just… some stuff happened.”
“Is it because you couldn’t call that girlfriend who sent you a letter last time?”
“She’s a girl ‘friend,’ I said.”
Not yet.
The phone call as part of the reward would be available after tomorrow’s CBRN training, on Saturday afternoon.
Until then, I had to endure not hearing Ryu Jiyeon’s voice.
Well, enduring two days wasn’t hard.
If I couldn’t handle two days, how would I survive two years?
For now:
“Let’s just focus on how to survive the CBRN training first.”
There was still the hidden quest card left, so I refused to give up hope.
Finally, the day arrived.
The day of the CBRN training that all recruits dreaded.
Contrary to our mood, the air outside the training ground was unnaturally clear and fresh.
But soon, we would step into the complete opposite: the room of death.
For someone who had experienced CBRN training before, this was less of a “training” and more like…
“You could call this a survival test, understood?”
“Yes, sir!”
Instructor Park Gilyoung spoke aloud exactly what I had been thinking.
When you think about it, exercises like live-fire drills or grenade throwing are about eliminating the enemy.
CBRN training wasn’t.
It was about surviving the enemy’s chemical and biological attacks.
It was defensive, survival-oriented, and essential.
Even in civilian life, we receive disaster preparedness training periodically.
It’s similar to that.
But unlike civilian training, military CBRN exercises involved direct exposure and considerable discomfort.
“The most important thing in the military is not how to kill the enemy, but how to return safely from battle. Our mission as instructors is to ensure you return safely to your families. So don’t fear CBRN training; treat it as learning a survival skill and give it your best. Understood?”
“Yes, sir!”
“Follow the instructors and move out. Execute!”
“Execute!”
Instructors Park Gilyoung and Ju Yonghyuk led us to a small hill behind the barracks.
After a five-minute uphill walk, we saw a container structure.
Thin smoke leaked from it.
Seohwan panicked at once.
“Hey! Isn’t that on fire? Shouldn’t we tell the instructors?”
“No fire. Don’t worry.”
No sooner had I spoken than pops and cracks sounded from inside the container.
The amount of smoke leaking out fluctuated.
I instantly recognized the sound.
“That’s the sound of CS gas canisters.”
I hadn’t expected to hear it again.
Now, I truly felt we had arrived at the CBRN training site.
Clutching our olive-drab gas mask pouches like lifelines, we took our positions in the waiting area.
“Team 1, forward.”
“Forward!”
The first group to face hell was selected.
Seohwan, Park Jun, and I were assigned to the same night-shift team again.
At that moment, some CS gas drifted toward us.
“Cough, cough!”
“Ugh!”
“What… is this smell?”
“Ah, damn it! It stings!”
“Stings and… my eyes burn so much!”
Even a slight whiff caused recruits to complain immediately.
Instructor Park Gilyoung blew his whistle sharply to restore order.
“Quiet! Who said you could chat during training?”
Silence fell over the scene.
After a while, a voice came from Park’s radio.
—Training’s ready, send up the recruits.
“Received.”
Park Gilyoung addressed Team 1.
“CBRN training starts now. Put on your masks before entering. Prepare your gas masks. Understood?”
“Yes, sir!”
Everyone knelt with their pouches in front of them, waiting for the whistle.
Peep!
“Gas!”
“Gas!”
Hands trembling as they fumbled with the pouches.
The recruits’ panic was almost comical.
Even Park Gilyoung sighed at their reactions.
“Recruit 7! Hair tie! Hair tie!”
“Connect the filter!”
The instructors’ shouts were loud and frantic.
Nervousness before the actual CBRN training explained it.
I understood completely—I had been there once too.
Team 1, now wearing gas masks, trudged toward the container.
“Deploy!”
“Deploy!”
As we entered the smoke-filled space, one instructor slammed the door shut.
Two more joined to monitor closely.
Soon, the pounding from recruits trying to escape began.
The instructors anticipated this, pressing harder on the door.
Finally, the door opened, and the first group of recruits escaped.
Seohwan couldn’t help but exclaim.
“Wow…”
And why not?
The sight was shocking.
Tears and snot smeared faces of recruits emerging from the container stunned everyone else.
Just moments ago, they had been debating how to survive inside as long as possible with minimal damage.
Yet, there was no avoiding inhaling CS gas.
Holding breath for five minutes might work, but only for divers—so that wasn’t an option.
The only way to survive was to follow the instructor’s orders meticulously and escape as early as possible.
As our turn approached, I pulled my teammates aside.
“Listen carefully. I’ll tell you a trick to get through with less pain.”
“Really?”
“Is there such a thing?”
Seohwan, Jun, and the others blinked several times, hopeful.
“When we enter, the first task is removing the filter. If you hesitate to minimize gas inhalation, your escape will be delayed. Forget everything else—remove it quickly, okay?”
“But what if we inhale too much gas…”
“Either way, the later we escape, the worse it gets. Better to focus on getting out quickly.”
The initially doubtful recruits nodded in agreement.
“Loud voices. Do everything the instructor says without hesitation. That’s our only way to survive. Understood?”
“Okay!”
“We’ll do our best!”
“Let’s trust Keonseong!”
Our determination solidified.
At that moment, Park Gilyoung called:
“Next team, forward.”
“Yes, sir!”
Finally, it was our turn.
Before heading into CBRN hell, we nodded briefly to each other.
We would survive, no matter what.
