by Max Barry

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Region: The East Pacific

Kianhua wrote:Army Camp, Undisclosed Location, 2022

The platoon of recruits stand in formation on the grass after a 12 km Morning trek through the mountain with full military gear. Some of them, men and women, are tired and trying to recover while the rest who have been accustomed to the routine only show slight signs of exhaustion. The Senior Drill Sergeant calls the platoon to attention and walks through the ranks, inspecting the soldiers. He stops in front of a recruit who is noticeably calm and not so exhausted as the other people in his rank and file. The Drill Sergeant faces the recruit. The recruit is taller than this drill sergeant, but is still intimidated by him and feels faint chills running down his spine when he turns to face him. He has a faint glimpse of his nameplate, where he didn't have a good look at the nameplate but did see that his last name was "Kuang".

"Name," the drill sergeant asks.
"Recruit Hyeon-Jeong Mun, sir!", the recruit replies as the drill sergeant scans him.
"Well, Recruit Mun, looks like you barely broke a sweat," the drill sergeant remarks. "Did you take a secret shortcut? A short route perhaps? Hm?"
"No, sir!" the recruit replies once more.
"Well, why didn't you? I'm willing to bet that your just really good at holding in your pain and I can't see that your legs feel like sh!t if that's not the case," the drill sergeant remarks.
"Because I'm eager to prove myself to be ready and worthy of surviving the battlefield, sir!" the Recruit replied swiftly.

The drill sergeant immediately turns his glare square at the recruits face, serious and intimidating. A face that should be familiar to us in the future. After a few seconds, the drill sergeant places his right hand on the recruit's shoulder.

"Well, if you're so eager then you may want to listen to these...heartful words of mine," said the drill sergeant with a somber yet deathly stare. "You should be careful about wanting to survive and prove yourself as a warrior. It will require many pieces of your own soul and person, you'll become a completely different being by the end of it that no one at home or even in your own unit will know who you are."
"Y-yes sir!" the recruit replied.

The senior drill sergeant released his grip and moved on to inspecting the next rank of soldiers while the rest of the drill sergeants searched the rest of the platoon like sharks in the water searching for their prey. The recruit breathed a quiet breath of relief, the drill sergeant gave him cold feet even more so as he dwelled on his words. Soon enough, they marched back to their quarters in the barracks.

Fixed it.

Kianhua

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