I Became a Black Market Tycoon with an Inventory - Chapter 21

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com

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021-Okapi Sting
21.
Restless.
Anxious.
Worried sick.
My mind and body were in turmoil.
That was my current state.
I was whimpering like a dog desperate to relieve itself.
“What’s wrong? Is something bothering you?”
“No, sir.”
“Just sit down. Stop fidgeting around.”
“Yes, sir.”
As I shuffled nervously around the barracks, Lee Won-jun spoke up.
I answered and sat in the corner, but my mind found no peace.
I was far too anxious and uncomfortable.
I had managed to grab a bag from the Rebel Base,
but I had no idea what to do with it.
At this point,
I couldn’t exactly produce it and say, “I forgot about this, but I found it at the rebel base.”
And I couldn’t open it to check its contents either.
Why couldn’t I open it?
This was the military.
There was always someone nearby.
The military is fundamentally an organization that doesn’t tolerate individuals acting alone.
Whether eating, training, or dining, I was always with my team.
Even the sleeping quarters were shared by six people.
There was no time or space to be alone.
I couldn’t even shower by myself.
Truly.
The only place I could be alone was the bathroom.
But pulling out a bag full of firearms in the bathroom and rummaging through it?
No way.
I didn’t want to be misunderstood for any reason.
So I hadn’t properly examined the bag I’d taken from the Rebel Base.
Before putting it in my inventory at the rebel base, I’d hastily opened just a couple of them like roasting beans over a flash fire,
but I had no idea what was in the rest of the bags.
I wanted to pull everything out and check what was inside.
I wanted to organize the guns and weapons too,
and count how much money there was. But I couldn’t do any of it.
It was driving me absolutely insane.
That’s why I could only whimper like a dog desperate to relieve itself.
.
.
Starting with the operation to neutralize the Rebel Base that day,
our Guardian Unit began operating like outlaws.
We realized the route designated by the UN wasn’t the answer.
Both our Guardian Unit and the UN understood this.
So they didn’t particularly interfere even when we didn’t follow the UN-designated route.
When we launched patrol operations, we still departed on the prescribed route.
But depending on the situation, the moment we spotted anything suspicious, we’d immediately change course.
Most of the time it led nowhere,
but occasionally we’d discover and neutralize rebel groups or drive them away.
Not on the scale of the base from last time,
we’d chase away rebels traveling by vehicle,
or spot them crossing the border from a distance and open warning fire.
The previous base strike was simply too significant a victory.
This level of success wasn’t bad either.
The Congo Military and Police gave our unit the nickname “Okapi Sting” for our operations.
The okapi is the animal that represents Congo.
Once called the African unicorn for its rarity.
It’s an animal so beloved by the Congolese that it’s even engraved on their currency.
The okapi resembles a zebra.
In fact, its legs have the same stripes as a zebra.
Only on the legs, not the entire body.
The torso is chocolate-colored.
From a distance it looks like a horse? A donkey? A zebra?
But it’s actually a giraffe.
It has horns and a long tongue like a giraffe.
It’s Congo’s symbol—an animal with many fascinating characteristics.
Our unit was honorably given the nickname Okapi Sting.
Everyone took pride in that name.
Thanks to that, security in the Uvira region gradually stabilized.
At least there were no more shootouts in the city center,
and no more kidnappings of civilians.
Moreover, Uvira is the premier smuggling hub.
Using the massive Lake Tanganyika and
tropical rainforest regions, all manner of goods were smuggled in and distributed throughout Congo.
But with our unit’s continued patrol operations, smuggling became increasingly difficult,
and as weapons smuggling was cut off,
UN reports indicated that rebel forces across all of Congo were weakening.
They have guns, but ammunition is in short supply, apparently.
Overall, things were stabilizing.
Is this the power of a military deployment?
.
.
.
“So decide what we’re going to do and let me know.”
The Team Leader spoke.
One year of deployment.
In this hot, humid place teeming with insects.
We had spent a year here.
Without any incidents—the fact that we’d made it through a whole year
was something to be commended.
Now, unless there was a special reason,
we would wrap up our year-long deployment and return to Korea.
Our original orders when we departed were for one year.
But something special had come up for us.
“Apparently, the Congo Military made a special request to our government. They want our team to stay a bit longer. So you bastards better have done a decent job. You did too well, now you can’t even go home.”
“Aw come on—but we’re still seeing Rebel Forces out there. What do we do? Just leave them alone?”
“How can we leave them alone? We have to capture them.”
“Hahahaha.”
“Anyway, the orders have been handed down, but it’s not mandatory. Depending on the situation, everyone could stay, everyone could return, or just some personnel could stay or return. So talk it over among yourselves, and once you’ve decided, let me know. If you stay though, you’ll get bonus points, so promotion should be easier.”
At the Captain’s words, everyone’s faces filled with contemplation.
As for someone like me, there was nothing to worry about or deliberate over.
Whether here or in Korea.
Aside from the heat, there wasn’t much difference.
Honestly, this place had its advantages.
The pay was much higher,
and since I couldn’t go out, there was nothing to spend it on.
Money was accumulating steadily, just as it should.
Following the senior members’ advice, I even invested in cryptocurrency.
It was quite lucrative.
Since I didn’t know anything anyway, I just followed what the seniors did.
And beyond the money.
Here, I wasn’t lonely.
There was always someone beside me.
Of course, because I was with someone twenty-four hours a day,
I couldn’t check what was in my inventory,
and yes, it was inconvenient at times,
but still, living alongside others didn’t feel so bad.
Even in this sweltering Congo, there were moments when warmth bloomed in my chest.
If I was with these people,
I could have lived in Congo without complaint.
But that was only my perspective.
Those with families,
those who were married—their situations were entirely different.
They yearned desperately for their loved ones.
The deployment was fine, but they wanted to spend time with their families.
It seemed they thought a year of deployment was more than enough.
The environment was also a problem.
I had no issues with it.
In fact, compared to living in a dilapidated house in the Mountain Village—
a place without electricity, running water, or gas—I thought the present circumstances were far superior.
But not everyone shared that view.
Some complained constantly that they couldn’t adapt to such harsh conditions.
What could I say?
It was a personal matter; no choice could be deemed right or wrong.
.
.
.
“So what are you going to do?”
Communications Sergeant Oh Jae-beom asked.
Sergeant Oh Jae-beom was twenty-five.
With a two-year age gap between us—I was twenty-two—
he was the closest in age to me on the team.
Perhaps because of that, Sergeant Oh Jae-beom often spoke to me like this.
“Well, sir. I don’t mind either way. I’ll follow whatever the team decides.”
“Come on, that’s not an answer. Tell me honestly.”
“Don’t you know? I have no family. Whether I return or stay here doesn’t matter much to me.”
“Really? I do want to go back, and sure, the promotion points are tempting, but it’s been so long since I’ve seen my family. I want to date a girlfriend too. Here, I can’t even see a woman, let alone date one.”
“That’s a fair point, sir.”
“Sigh… I’m torn.”
This dilemma was shared by the entire team.
“How can I not see my wife and child for a whole year?”
“I’ll forget what my mother’s face looks like.”
“I want to go somewhere cool. I want to see autumn.”
“I feel exhausted. I want to rest.”
Most opinions seemed to lean toward returning home.
However,
“But they’re offering promotion points. Do you know how valuable that is? You could be promoted one, maybe even two years faster.”
“In military service, opportunities to earn merit points like this are practically nonexistent.”
“Even if we go back, we’d be deployed on operations and stuck away for months anyway. Isn’t this actually a better opportunity?”
“We’ve already adapted here. It seems better than being reassigned to a different unit and having to adapt all over again.”
The return faction and the stay faction were at a standoff.
The team’s atmosphere, which had never been poor, grew slightly clouded.
The Team Leader brought the solution.
“So you can continue the deployment once you see your families’ faces, right?”
“Yes, sir.”
“Then let’s take leave. I’ve discussed it with the Battalion Commander. Twenty-nine nights, thirty days. I’ll give you the leave. You go back to Korea and then return. If you don’t like Korea, you can go somewhere else. It’s leave, so as long as you don’t cause trouble, it doesn’t matter where you go.”
“I’ll go to Korea.”
“I’ll head to Korea.”
“I’ll go with you too.”
The team’s opinion unified once more.
Typically, after deployment ends, soldiers receive twenty-nine nights and thirty days of leave.
Rather than immediately extending the deployment,
he asked if they’d prefer to take leave first and then resume deployment life afterward,
and the team members agreed.
After taking twenty-nine nights and thirty days of leave, they would resume another year of deployment.
All twelve team members decided to return to Korea.
.
.
.
Seoul Airport (Seongnam).
“Don’t cause any trouble!”
“Hehe. Yes, sir.”
“Don’t mix up your return date. If you’re late coming back from leave, that’s desertion. Don’t desert.”
“Understood.”
“Then enjoy your leave. If anything happens, contact me right away.”
“Yes.”
“Though I’d prefer not to hear from you…”
“I’ll be careful.”
“Right, right. Don’t drink too much or you’ll struggle when you return. Keep it moderate.”
“Understood.”
“Then I’ll see you in a month. Enjoy your leave, and dismissed!!”
“Dismissed!!!!!”
“Woohoo~~”
“Good, good.”
“In-bae. Enjoy your leave and stay in touch.”
“Yes, sir. Understood.”
The moment we stepped out of Seoul Airport, all the team members scattered in different directions.
Everyone scattered—some boarding the subway, others catching buses,
while the rest climbed into cars driven by people who’d come to pick them up.
With no pressing schedule, I moved slowly, deliberately taking my time.
Only then did I truly see a world utterly different from Congo.
Seoul in June was hot, but it was nothing like the oppressive heat of Congo.
It was simply warm.
The city’s exhaust fumes and fine dust felt oddly welcoming.
The towering forest of skyscrapers looked strange to me.
Returning to the city made me feel small and shriveled again.
Was I being crushed by the weight of these tall buildings? I felt diminished.
I headed straight for my home.
There was nowhere else to go.
I had enough money for a taxi, but I took the subway instead.
Descending underground, my heart felt a little lighter.
I stepped out of the subway and walked forward with steady steps.
Only two years had passed since I left this place, yet so much had changed.
The slum in the heart of the city had transformed into a massive construction site.
A strong sense of wrongness washed over me.
I hurried toward where my home should be.
But my feet had no choice but to stop after only a few steps.
My entire neighborhood was wrapped in construction barriers.
Construction had begun.
Where my home once stood in the distance was now empty space.
The place where I’d sat on a wooden platform, eating ramyeon while gazing out at Seoul, had vanished without a trace.
Shocked beyond words, I stood there for a long time before finally heading to the Office.
I met with the site manager.
They said they were just field managers and didn’t know the details, so they told me to contact headquarters,
and headquarters told me to contact the contracts team instead.
After all that runaround, I finally met with an employee from the Construction Company.
He was a man in his thirties with a kind expression.
“It’s nice to meet you. Thank you for coming all this way.”
“Yes. But I wanted to find out what happened to the place where I was living. Since this all happened while I was deployed, I’m quite confused. I never consented to any of this.”
“You’re military. I suspected as much when I saw your short hair and tanned skin. So you were deployed?”
“Yes. I’m currently stationed in Congo.”
“I served eight months with the Guardian Unit in Lebanon.”
“Ah? Then you’re a former non-commissioned officer?”
“No. I went as an enlisted soldier. Still, it’s nice to meet someone who’s been deployed.”
The man smiled warmly.
“I’m glad to meet you too.”
And I truly was.
Now I understand why I was looking for Jae-beom and Hak-yeon.
We just returned from deployment, yet it feels like we’ve grown remarkably close.
We’re not even from the same rank, not from the same unit, yet somehow we’ve become close.
It’s as if we could pour soju in front of us and mix it with latte without hesitation.
“Then just a moment. The address is 110-8, correct??”
“Yes, that’s correct.”
“We’re also confirming after receiving the call. Please wait a moment. Would you like some coffee?”
“Thank you.”
The man returned with two glasses of refreshing iced coffee, handing one to me before taking a sip himself.
“When I was deployed, this iced coffee was what I craved most. No coffee beans, and ice was even more scarce. Whenever we managed to have a cup, it was so refreshing and genuinely delicious—it felt like the heat of Lebanon vanished in an instant. Nowadays iced coffee is common, isn’t it?”
“Not really. Even now, it’s not something you can easily obtain.”
“Is that so? I thought by now it would be readily available.”
Knock, knock.
An attractive Female Employee handed the man a file folder containing A4 papers.
“Team Leader. This is the house. The one at the foot of the mountain. I’ve attached a copy of the contract.”
“Thank you.”
The man glanced at the documents for a moment, then nodded as if remembering something.
“Address 110-8. The house at the foot of the mountain, right?”
“Yes, that’s correct.”
“Looking at the documents, I remember now. This house gave us quite a bit of trouble.”
“Really?”
“The contractual relationships were so complicated.”
“That’s right. That’s why I thought the redevelopment wouldn’t go through.”
“Exactly. I thought it wouldn’t either, but somehow it did. The house was registered under your father’s name, wasn’t it?”
“Yes.”
“We needed your father’s consent for the redevelopment, so we contacted him multiple times, but we couldn’t reach him. Eventually, we even hired a private investigator just to find him.”
“Where did you find him?”
“He was in Yeosu at that time. Anyway, we found him and got his signature. He seemed to be in urgent need of money—he didn’t ask twice and signed right away.”
“Did he say anything else? About me or anything like that?”
“Unfortunately, that’s all I remember.”
“I understand. Thank you for taking the time.”
“I’m sorry I couldn’t provide the answers you were looking for.”
“Not at all. Then please take care.”
“Wait… just a moment.”
The man pulled out two fifty-thousand-won bills from his wallet and pressed them into my hand.
“Just think of it as a senior buying his junior who went on deployment a meal. Take care on your way.”
With those words, the man abruptly left.
I stared blankly at the two fifty-thousand-won bills remaining in my hand.
I felt ashamed.
I was ashamed of my father.
People I’d never met before today were called juniors, and
they’d press money into my hands telling me to buy myself a meal,
but that man—my father—
even as he sold our home, he never wondered where I was. How I was living.
He never seemed curious about what would become of me once the house was sold.
Whether I’d end up on the streets or sleeping rough—my father simply didn’t care.
Returning to a city that wasn’t Congo,
I finally understood who I truly was.
I was a useless person.
That was who I am.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com

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