IGMB 35

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Chapter 12: Individual Combat (3)

We kept rolling and tumbling until the sun went down, shouting, “Training is combat! Individual combat!”

Finally, after the training ended, we were given a brief personal maintenance time.

Groans constantly escaped from the mouths of the recruits.

However, the instructors at the recruit training center didn’t give us even a moment to feel pain.

“Alright, everyone! Get up! If you don’t want to sleep on the ground tonight, you better set up your tents, okay?”

At Instructor Joo Yong-hyuk’s shout, we reluctantly responded, “Yes, understood.”

We still had the outdoor camping training ahead of us.

The basic foundation of this training was setting up tents.

It was an old-fashioned A-frame tent, a very, very small tent with a triangular structure.

For that reason, setting it up itself wasn’t very difficult.

But for recruits encountering an A-frame tent for the first time, it was natural to struggle a lot.

I could often see comrades fumbling, unsure how to attach ropes, anchor the stakes, or position the poles.

But for my squad—Seohwan, Park Jun, and me—there was no such chaos.

Why?

Because I handled everything myself.

“Alright, that’s it. Setup complete.”

“Whoa, damn… it’s already done?”

“Yep. If you’re worried, try shaking the tent. It’s sturdy.”

“Okay, just a sec.”

Seohwan grabbed a tent pole and shook it back and forth.

Normally, if a tent is set up poorly, it would collapse under that kind of treatment.

But the tent I set up didn’t budge.

I had even easily pitched a 24-person tent before.

Would someone like me really struggle with something this small?

Seohwan’s admiration spilled out.

“It’s properly anchored. Jun, look at this. No matter how much you shake it, it doesn’t move.”

“Right? Hey, Geumseong, where did you even learn this?”

I wanted to say, “I learned it all during my first military service before I returned…”

But as always, I had to keep that thought to myself.

“I went camping a lot before enlisting, so I know this stuff.”

“Ah, that makes sense!”

Another excuse successfully stacked.

Since returning, my ability to lie smoothly had only improved. A bit of a problem, honestly.

Well, being able to bluff convincingly is actually a useful skill in the military.

Setting up the tent wasn’t the end of the work. This was just the beginning.

“Give me a field shovel.”

“A shovel?”

“Yes.”

“Why do we need a shovel?”

Just as Seohwan was about to ask, the administrative supply officer of the recruit training unit went around with a megaphone, giving additional instructions.

“There’s a forecast for rain tonight. Those who have finished setting up tents, use the shovels to dig drainage channels as well. Understood?”

“Yes, sir!”

I shrugged lightly.

“That’s why I asked for the shovel.”

“You’re seriously amazing.”

“A military genius. A genius.”

Not exactly a nickname I liked.

Every time we trained, besides the physical exhaustion, there was another universal complaint:

“Why is the food so awful?”

Seohwan finally broke down while eating rice and soup from his mess tin.

The meals had never been tasty, but somehow, eating outside during training made them even worse.

Park Jun looked puzzled.

“I heard that food tastes amazing after sweating a lot. But in the military, after training, it’s disgustingly bland. I don’t get it.”

“Exactly. Why is that?”

No need to search for a reason.

“Because military food is just bad.”

I bluntly settled the debate, and my two comrades nodded in agreement.

After finishing our meal, we completed the remaining tasks.

Then came night training.

The fortunate thing was that the night training wasn’t as intense as the individual combat drills we did during the day.

If we were to compare, it was more like a basic formation drill.

This was because, at night, we had to keep noise to a minimum, training quietly to avoid making sound.

So the scope of what we could do was limited.

Then…

Drip, drip, drip.

“Huh?”

“Looks like it’s raining?”

“The platoon leader didn’t make us dig those drainage channels for nothing.”

As expected, the rain started pouring.

‘Come to think of it, it poured a lot that day too.’

A memory I had long tried to forget resurfaced because of the rain.

The military had a way of dredging up memories, whether you liked it or not.

When we put on our ponchos, the smell of mold hit our noses.

Even though we had sun-dried them thoroughly, the ponchos still retained their characteristic smell.

The platoon leader shouted at us through the ponchos.

“Go check the drainage channels again! If any water paths are blocked, dig them out with your shovels! Understood?”

“Yes, sir!”

Although physically and mentally exhausted, following the platoon leader’s orders was the smart choice.

Neglecting the drainage work would mean we’d suffer the consequences later.

If we didn’t want our tent to flood in the middle of the night, we had to check the drainage properly now.

“Seohwan, the rainwater is flowing downward properly, right?”

“Wait a second! …Huh! But on the right side, I think we need to pile something up. If it rains a bit more, water might overflow under the tent.”

“Got it. Let’s wait a moment.”

I gathered nearby stones and covered them with soil.

A temporary small earthen wall.

I wasn’t sure if the rain would keep pouring all night, but…

“This should be enough.”

“Nice, Geumseong!”

Seohwan gave me a thumbs up.

We checked the drainage thoroughly. The state of the drainage could determine whether we’d sleep comfortably or wake up soaked and have to do additional work.

‘Thinking back, before I returned, I remember I sloppily set up the drainage, and water got into the tent, waking me up.’

The memory gave me a sudden headache.

Thanks to our hard work with the shovels, our drainage channel ended up stronger and sturdier than any other squad’s.

Even the passing platoon leader pointed at our tent area.

“Take a look at how they dug their drainage channels. These guys did a good job.”

“Thank you, sir!”

No prize was given, but praise alone made us feel good.

After finishing the drainage work, the next challenge awaited us.

Seohwan pointed inside the cramped tent.

“Hey, Geumseong. Can the three of us actually sleep in here?”

The tent was far smaller than anyone would think for three people.

With all our gear inside, it was hard to imagine sleeping comfortably. Seohwan was unsure.

Jun felt the same.

But there’s a saying in the military:

“Nothing’s impossible in the military. You’ll manage eventually, so don’t worry too much.”

“Ha… alright.”

Still, Seohwan kept tilting his head in doubt.

To sleep comfortably in a tiny A-frame tent, there’s a simple formula: maximize space usage.

“No need for separate pillows. Let’s use our full rucksacks as pillows, okay?”

“Got it.”

“And don’t all sleep in the same direction. One head toward the tent entrance, and the other two in the opposite direction. That way, we’ll have some space.”

I shared this arrangement plan with my squad.

Seohwan and Jun nodded, agreeing it was the best approach.

Just as we were ready for our first outdoor camping experience in the military, Instructor Joo Yong-hyuk shouted through the megaphone:

“If you’ve finished all the work, come here and get ready for rice noodles!”

At the word rice noodles, the recruits’ eyes lit up.

While the rain poured down heavily, certain foods instantly came to mind for Koreans:

Pajeon (green onion pancake), for example. Or ramen.

But this time, rice noodles were supplied instead of ramen.

Seohwan licked his lips.

“Rice noodles before bed? Lucky us.”

Hot, slightly spicy broth with noodles—it was enough to make anyone hungry.

But I wasn’t as excited.