I Became a Black Market Tycoon with an Inventory - Chapter 24

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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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024-Booby Trap
24.
“Kang Sergeant. Hold position.”
“Holding.”
“All units, fall back 20 meters from current position.”
“Falling back 20 meters.”
We were conducting a security operation.
Rebel Forces frequently appeared in this area.
We had come out on patrol in the border region.
But the Team Leader standing midway halted Kang Sergeant at the front and ordered our unit to retreat.
He pulled us back.
Something must have looked different to the Team Leader’s eyes.
“Im Sergeant.”
“Yes, sir!”
“Over here.”
The Team Leader and Im Deok-su, our demolitions specialist, were discussing something together.
We watched them from twenty meters away.
“Doesn’t something look off about this area?”
Im Sergeant examined the spot the Team Leader was pointing at intently.
“You’re right, something does seem odd. At first glance you wouldn’t notice, but looking closely, something feels out of place.”
“What does it look like?”
“It looks like a booby trap.”
The Team Leader and Im Deok-su returned to us.
“Dong-chul.”
“Yes, sir.”
“See that spot slightly raised over there?”
“Yes, sir.”
“Blow it up with a grenade launcher.”
“With a grenade launcher, sir?”
“Yes.”
Kang Dong-chul, our weapons specialist, picked up the grenade launcher and struck the exact point the Team Leader indicated.
Boom~~~~
…
Kaboom kaboom kaboom rumble rumble kaboom kaboom.
The grenade launcher fired,
and moments later, an explosion beyond imagination erupted.
“What the hell.”
“Did they plant booby traps?”
“Those insane Rebel Forces bastards have lost their minds.”
“Damn it. How many explosives did they bury there?”
“Could we have taken out all of their Rebel Forces with that? Why did they set it up like this?”
“Absolutely insane bastards.”
The explosion was far larger than we’d anticipated, and our entire team was caught off guard.
“Oh Ki-jung, contact headquarters right now and report that we’ve discovered booby traps. Tell all teams to exercise extreme caution.”
“Yes, sir.”
But shortly after, the message came back from headquarters:
“Withdraw from the patrol operation and return to base.”
“Roger. Everyone, withdraw.”
“Withdrawing.”
Due to the booby traps laid by the Rebel Forces, both the Guardian Unit’s patrol operation and the Mobile Hospital operation were completely cancelled.
*******
Knock, knock.
“Team Leader, you called for me…?”
“You’re here? Let’s go.”
“Where to, sir?”
“The Battalion Commander is looking for you.”
“The Battalion Commander, sir?”
“Yeah. He said to bring you along.”
.
.
.
“Don’t stand there. Sit down.”
“Yes, sir.”
Once the Team Leader and I sat on the sofa,
the Battalion Commander began to speak.
“We received contact from the Congo government.”
The moment I heard that, the Team Leader’s expression hardened.
The Battalion Commander noticed his expression too.
“It’s not that. Even those Congo bastards have some shame—they wouldn’t do that. They’d be happy if you stayed, but they can’t ask you to remain.”
“Then what is it?”
“This time, the Congo government has formally invited Gong In-bae.”
“Sir? You mean me?”
I was genuinely shocked.
Why would the Congo government invite me?
If they were going to invite someone, they should invite our entire team, not just me.
“Yeah. They invited only you.”
“I’m not sure I understand the reason.”
“I don’t know the reason either. That’s just how the invitation came.”
“Would it be possible to decline?”
The Battalion Commander glanced at me briefly.
Can it be done?”
“…”
“What I’m about to tell you is off the record. I didn’t get this through official channels—a close contact in the government told me. I thought it might help you understand the situation, so I’m sharing it. Take it with a grain of salt.”
“Yes, sir.”
“As Operation Okapi Sting’s success grows, Congo wants to keep it going at all costs. But they used their chance for that a year ago. Now… the deployment date is…”
“Two months away, sir.”
“Right. With only two months until deployment, all patrol operations have been halted because of booby traps. Congo’s in a bind. They believe that if Uvira falls, it’s only a matter of time before the entire country is overrun. But coincidentally, there are Korean companies wanting to enter Congo. Apparently, the government negotiations went well. It seems they’ve brought up the idea of dispatching Gong In-bae as a special forces instructor for Congo.”
“Gong In-bae as an instructor?”
“Yeah. Besides, you all wouldn’t do it anyway. You’re all planning to return home, aren’t you?”
The Battalion Commander was right about that.
This time, I’d made it clear I would return no matter what happened.
“Gong In-bae will return as well, sir.”
The Team Leader answered on my behalf.
“But… it seems the government has also figured out that Gong In-bae’s relationship with his family isn’t good. The reason the team only called Gong In-bae this time is because they’re thinking—if he comes alone, wouldn’t it be easier to persuade him? He still has some mandatory service time left, and there’s no particular reason for him to return to Korea. So if a corporation guarantees him employment later, or the government offers him points for long-term service, or raises his salary a bit, wouldn’t that be enough to convince him? That’s what they’re thinking. Though this isn’t confirmed either. It’s just talk that’s going around.”
“… ”
I couldn’t say anything.
Honestly, the conditions weren’t bad.
Employment at a major corporation.
A salary increase.
Under normal circumstances, if they’d offered just one of those,
I would have jumped at it.
But.
I didn’t want to accept it as the price of leaving this team.
I still wanted to be here.
I wanted to stay with this unit.
I resented the Battalion Commander for trying to send me away.
“Anyway, the decision is yours. So don’t make up your mind just from listening to me. Go and hear them out. Think of it as taking a week’s leave and coming back. You depart tomorrow at 09:00.”
“…”
“Yes, sir. I understand.”
I kept my expression tightly scrunched and said nothing, while the Team Leader answered on my behalf and we left the Battalion Commander’s office.
The Team Leader took me to a secluded, empty place.
“Gong In-bae.”
“Yes, sir.”
“The Battalion Commander speaks to you, and you don’t even answer. What kind of attitude is that? You’re showing your displeasure all over your face.”
“I apologize. But I really don’t want to go.”
A stern rebuke from the Team Leader unlike anything I’d seen before.
His voice had changed.
“Is the military a place where you go if you want to go and don’t go if you don’t want to? When did our military develop such a culture? Isn’t ‘make it possible if it seems impossible’ the motto of our black berets?”
“I apologize.”
“The Battalion Commander is being considerate by telling you in advance, and you’re going to scowl like that in front of him and not even answer?”
“I apologize.”
“If you don’t feel like going on our team’s operation, are you just going to skip it and abandon the mission you were given?”
“No, sir.”
Had my repeated apologies finally gotten through to him?
The Team Leader’s voice had softened somewhat.
“In-bae, I know you care deeply about this team. But that’s not the issue here. Besides, when we return and go back, our team will be scattered anyway. Some will be discharged, and others will transfer to different units.”
“Don’t overthink it. The decision is yours, just as the Battalion Commander said. Go clear your head, eat something good, and come back.”
“I’m sorry for acting on my own.”
“If you’re that sorry, bring back something delicious when you return.”
“I’ll prepare a full course.”
“I’m just joking, you bastard.”
“I was joking too, sir.”
“This guy’s completely lost it, hehehehe.”
The Team Leader’s anger had dissipated, and he was back to the Team Leader I knew.
And I had returned to my usual self, Gong In-bae.
Looking back on it now,
I don’t even understand why I acted that way.
I had thrown a tantrum.
A tantrum?
I had done something unthinkable in front of the Battalion Commander.
Yet the Battalion Commander didn’t scold me,
and the Team Leader only pointed out my attitude.
It seemed they understood why I had acted that way.
I was grateful for that.
I was ashamed.
.
.
.
“Unit Dangyeol. Sergeant Gong In-bae has been ordered to attend the Congo Military Competition. I report this accordingly.”
“Understood. Travel safely.”
I headed toward Kinshasa, the capital of Congo.
From Uvira, where our unit was stationed, to Kinshasa, the capital, was a straight-line distance of 1,500 kilometers.
Didn’t I mention it?
That Congo is the second-largest country in Africa.
Twenty-three times the size of South Korea.
Overland travel is virtually impossible.
The roads are terrible,
and there are many Rebel Forces along the way.
So we traveled by plane from Ndadaye International Airport.
.
.
.
The event in Congo had just concluded.
A man approached me as I was heading back to my quarters.
“It’s a pleasure to meet you. I’m Sung Jun-hee, a secretary at the Congo Embassy.”
“I’m Gong In-bae, Sergeant.”
“I apologize for the sudden invitation, but thank you for coming.”
“Not at all. When the nation calls, I must answer.”
“I’m grateful. There are some people I’d like to introduce you to. Would you mind if I did so briefly?”
I wasn’t particularly eager to meet anyone,
but my refusal carried little weight.
“This is Hong Hyun-young, Director of the Korean Mineral Resources Corporation. This is Ye Tae-sung, Director of LY Electronics, and Oh Ki-jung, CEO of DL Mining.”
“It’s a pleasure to meet you all. I’m Gong In-bae.”
“I’m delighted to meet you as well. I’ve heard impressive things about Okapi Sting, but seeing you here in Congo, you’re even more remarkable than the rumors suggested.”
“I’ve wanted to meet Okapi Sting, and I’m honored to do so this way.”
“I had a brief conversation with some locals at the event, and they had nothing but praise for Okapi Sting.”
“They mentioned that the Rebel Forces can’t operate because of Okapi Sting.”
“You’re too kind. It’s not my achievement—it’s what my team has accomplished.”
“Why don’t we move to a more comfortable place and continue this conversation?”
“That sounds good.”
We relocated and began our discussion.
“Sergeant Gong In-bae, do you happen to know what coltan is?”
“Yes. It’s one of the underground minerals mined in Congo, isn’t it?”
“That’s correct. Do you know what it’s used for?”
“I’m not entirely certain, but I’ve heard it’s used in the production of smartphones and laptops.”
“You’re well-informed. Coltan is essential for manufacturing modern electronics. Naturally, South Korea requires substantial quantities as well.”
“Is that so?”
“The issue is that most of the world’s coltan production comes from Congo. South Korea has negotiated with Congo multiple times regarding coltan development rights, but we haven’t achieved satisfactory results. However, the Congolese side recently made an interesting proposal.”
“An interesting proposal?”
“They said if Okapi Sting would remain here, they’d grant coltan development rights.”
“We’ve already committed to returning once our deployment period ends.”
“Yes, we’ve confirmed that. However, they said it’s acceptable even if not everyone stays. They want to use you as an instructor and requested that you take charge of training the Congolese military. They hope you’ll share the expertise you’ve gained in the field.”
“That’s…”
“We’ve verified this with the Ministry of Defense, and there’s no issue with dispatching personnel to the Congolese military in an advisory capacity.”
Sung Jun-hee answered on my behalf.
“You would serve as an instructor training Congolese special forces in rear areas, not on the front lines.”
“I don’t have the qualifications to teach others.”
“We’ve confirmed this with multiple people, and they unanimously praised Sergeant Gong In-bae as the most skilled. They said you’re more than qualified as an instructor. You’re fluent in English, capable of communicating in French—Congo’s official language—you have extensive field experience, and frankly, you meet every requirement perfectly for this role.”
“Still… I want to stay with my team.”
“We’ve heard about your strong attachment to your team. However, that team will be disbanded upon the completion of the deployment. After the team is dissolved, we’re asking you to serve as an instructor here in Congo. The duration would be one year.”
Ye Tae-sung, the headquarters director of LY Electronics standing beside me, added his words.
“While it may not be of great help in your decision, if you agree to serve as an instructor, LY Electronics will guarantee employment for Sergeant Gong In-bae after your discharge. If you prefer to continue your military service instead of employment, we will provide 100 million won in cash.”
“DL Mining will also offer you an advisory position and provide 100 million won as compensation. Separate from LY Electronics.”
“You will continue receiving your current salary and allowances, and while modest, you will also receive the instructor salary for Congo.”
Is this even allowed?
The conditions are too good.
I would hesitate even if they simply asked me to be an instructor.
Employment at LY Electronics, no less.
It’s a major corporation that’s difficult to enter even with a university degree.
But LY Electronics has no place in my life.
What could I possibly do if I got a job at LY Electronics?
A high school graduate like me.
But the 100 million won in cash was extremely tempting.
100 million each from LY Electronics and DL Mining.
A total of 200 million won.
And I would continue receiving my salary.
I wanted to stay with the team, but the team would be disbanded anyway.
“May I take some time to think about it and give you an answer?”
“Of course.”
That was when it happened.
Sung Jun-hee, the secretary, received a phone call and his face went deathly pale.
Everyone’s attention turned to Sung Jun-hee.
“What is it?”
“Okapi Sting… has had an accident.”

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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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