"Immunity to Corruption: Starting with a Disaster-Class Magic Sword" Chapter 12
Special Treatment
The relationship between the Bureau and the military is one of cooperation.
Even though they belong to different organizations, they are effectively one big family.
That is why it was said that this "Special Treatment" would be provided to soldiers.
I thought everything had been discussed in advance, but...
"Are you telling me to use such an unverified treatment method on our soldiers?"
"It is not an unverified method. It is performed under the supervision of professional medical staff and has already completed clinical trials."
Kang Cheong-hwa submitted the medical staff's professional opinions and records, asserting the legitimacy of the "Special Treatment."
"Nonsense. I’ve never heard of treating someone by stabbing them with a knife."
The battalion commander of the Capital Defense Command Special Task Force refused point-blank.
Thanks to that, the scheduled treatment was postponed, and the situation remains uncertain as to whether it will even proceed.
"I understand. Even if it were me, I wouldn't believe it if someone said they’d treat me by stabbing me."
"But there’s objective data and footage of the treatment. It’s a bit strange that they’re refusing it."
Since the battalion commander had put his foot down, we couldn't force the treatment.
"Let’s go get something to eat."
"Oh, are you buying?"
"I’m using the corporate card."
The meal Kang Cheong-hwa bought me was seolleongtang.
I thought she would elegantly eat pasta or something.
"It seems the treatment for the soldiers is off the table, but are there no other candidates?"
"There will be plenty. If we announce free treatment for Hunters, many will volunteer."
Well, beggars can't be choosers, as they say.
"For now, we can prove it by verifying it in the private sector. It won't be as many as the soldiers, though."
"The soldiers should be the priority for treatment, right?"
Kang Cheong-hwa nodded.
"Because the Special Task Force tends to get 'consumed' quite easily."
She said that conscripted soldiers often die in the field because they don't receive proper treatment.
Thinking that I might have been drafted into the Special Task Force in two years if I were unlucky, it didn't feel like someone else's problem.
I really want to help the soldiers first if I can...
"Soldiers don't only get treated at military hospitals, right?"
***
The next day, we headed to a general hospital in Seoul.
"Hello, Corporal Kim Hyun-cheol. I am Kang Cheong-hwa, an agent from the Bureau."
"What brings you here from the Bureau?"
Corporal Kim Hyun-cheol.
He was admitted to a private general hospital rather than a military one, having broken his leg during a search mission in a Dark Zone.
"First, I would like to express my deepest condolences regarding your injury during the Dark Zone mission. Thank you for your dedication and hard work, Corporal Kim."
"Hmph."
Corporal Kim snorted, but he didn't seem offended.
Aren't Korean soldiers the type who don't even get such formal gratitude?
"The reason I’m here is that I understand Corporal Kim has a reported Karma level that is quite high. The last reported figure was 5,386. You’re in a very precarious position."
Level 0 civilian Hunters are denied entry to Dark Zones if they exceed 5,000.
It’s a figure that’s easily reachable after entering, but...
"Who says that? Five thousand something?"
"That is the figure reported in the Bureau's data."
"That’s the level 'when going in'."
"Non-Awakened individuals cannot enter once they hit the 5,000 range."
"That’s for civilian Hunters. We don't have such rules."
Military units measure Karma on their own.
In principle, even if entry is prohibited, it seems the field commander just lets them pass.
"Isn't that wrong? Even if the danger threshold starts at 6,000."
"..."
Kang Cheong-hwa narrowed her eyes, but there didn't seem to be anything she could do.
The Ministry of National Defense and the Bureau are strictly separate organizations, and in terms of rank as government agencies, the Ministry of National Defense is far higher.
"Anyway, the reason I came to see you, Corporal Kim, is to recommend the 'Special Treatment' discovered by the Bureau."
"Special Treatment?"
Kang Cheong-hwa began to explain the "Special Treatment" through me.
Corporal Kim was horrified at first, but after seeing the video of Kang Cheong-hwa herself and the noticeably dropped Karma level, he seemed convinced.
"Wow... You mean you dropped 20,000 Karma in one go with this?"
"It does have the disadvantage of having to be stabbed near the heart. It’s less effective on ordinary people, so I recommend other, safer areas."
The outer collarbone, the outside of the thigh, or around the biceps and triceps.
These were the areas recommended by professional medical staff for ordinary people.
"Ugh... I won't be able to use it for a while, right?"
"Four to six weeks of recovery is expected."
"Then, I'll have to be hospitalized for that long, right?"
"That would be the case. Are you perhaps hoping to return to your unit quickly?"
At that, Corporal Kim waved his hands frantically.
"Are you crazy? Why would I go back there? They’d just shove me right back into a Gate."
Corporal Kim chuckled, calling it a legal vacation.
Then, he suddenly asked with an anxious expression.
"Is the treatment... covered by insurance?"
Kang Cheong-hwa shook her head.
"It is a specialized treatment outsourced by the Bureau, so it is not covered by insurance."
"Ah..."
"However, the Bureau will cover the full cost of the treatment."
"Even the treatment costs? Are you serious? The unit said they wouldn't give me a single penny because I went to a civilian hospital."
Kang Cheong-hwa then stated the price of the treatment.
"I would appreciate it if you could introduce it to your fellow unit members. There are many in your unit, aren't there? Members whose Karma levels have reached dangerous levels."
If they can't be treated in the unit, I just have to pull the soldiers out of the unit.
***
It was my idea to promise free treatment to the Special Task Force members and ask them to spread the word.
Just because they are soldiers doesn't mean they can't receive civilian treatment, so if the money issue is solved, wouldn't they receive the "Special Treatment" without their superiors' interference?
The idea was a success.
"I heard from Corporal Kim, do you really drop the Karma level all at once?"
"If you are anxious, how about receiving treatment on a relatively less burdensome area? It definitely drops less, though."
"I heard it was near 6,000 and dropped to 3,000 in one go. I’d be grateful for even that much."
The Special Task Force members who came out in groups for treatment were admitted to the hospital after receiving my "Special Treatment."
Of course, the Bureau covered all the costs.
"Wow~ I absorbed over 60,000 after treating 20 people. Black Heron, are you full?"
【I am digesting, so do not talk to me.】
"He says he's full."
"Are you okay?"
"With what?"
"The treatment costs. You're the one paying for it."
In fact, the treatment cost was in the form of converting the fees the Bureau paid me and giving them to the soldiers.
Since the procedure to arrange the budget and get approval from the director level at the Bureau was complicated, I just told them to use my money.
"I'm helping soldiers. I can eat and live well even without that money."
Above all, free support was necessary to get the soldiers to receive the treatment in the first place.
Aren't these people who only get an extra 1 million won as a Dark Zone danger allowance on top of an 800,000 won salary?
If they wanted to receive my "Special Treatment," they would have eventually had to ask their families for help.
"Black Heron gets fed, my magic power increases, and the soldiers get a little bit of medical service."
No matter how I look at it, it's a win-win for everyone.
"..."
Kang Cheong-hwa looked at me silently for a while, then smiled and patted my head.
"I'll petition to have the costs covered."
"You don't really have to."
"You shouldn't do good work for free. If you do, they'll take it for granted next time."
That was when it happened. Just as we came out of the twenty-third patient's ward, a group of soldiers came rushing down the hospital corridor.
"Huh? That man is..."
It was the battalion commander who had berated us when we first visited the Special Task Force.
Was it Colonel Jo Yang-gi?
Upon spotting us, Jo Yang-gi narrowed his eyes sharply and shouted until the veins in his neck stood out.
"You bastards!!"
Colonel Jo's shout echoed loudly.
Thump! Thump! The sound of military boots was particularly loud.
Stopping in front of us, he pointed his finger with a face flushed red.
"Colonel Jo Yang-gi."
"Hey! It was you!!"
"What are you talking about?"
"Coaxing the kids into getting this 'Special Treatment' nonsense! You guys were the ones pulling the strings!"
It wasn't just Colonel Jo. Behind him, he had brought majors, captains, lieutenants, master sergeants, sergeants... a well-rounded group to create a hostile atmosphere.
However, Kang Cheong-hwa, who had an awesome Gatling gun arm, didn't back down one bit.
The soldiers only had small arms at best, so there was no reason for Kang Cheong-hwa, who could even fire beam cannons, to be intimidated.
"We merely treated the soldiers who applied for civilian treatment."
"You call that bullshit treatment?! I clearly told you it wasn't allowed!"
"It is the soldiers' choice whether or not to receive treatment outside the military hospital. As for the medical referral documents, we received them officially, didn't we?"
She was referring to the special treatment ward under the Bureau.
Usually, it was for treating trauma caused by artifacts, regenerating damaged organs, and Karma care, but because of the high price, only high-level Hunters could barely afford to use it.
And I was registered as an outsourced worker in the "Karma Care" field.
Since it was a department that utilized special powers like artifacts or magic, it was recognized as legal as long as it was effective.
"Do you know what you've done? You've put national security at risk!!"
At those words, I tilted my head.
How did treating soldiers threaten national security?
"Sir. What are you talking about?"
"Sir? Are you talking to me right now?"
"Such lack of manners! Where were you raised to be so rude!"
"This is why the Bureau people... Don't they manage their staff properly?"
As the Colonel said one thing, the local broadcast started blaring. Are they competing for loyalty?
"I'm not a Bureau employee, though? I'm a civilian."
"What?"
The soldiers flinched when I revealed I was a civilian.
It meant that the battalion commander, a man of his rank, had started off by hurling insults at a civilian.
"A civilian, you say?"
Colonel Jo had hesitated for a moment, but since his temper didn't seem to be cooling down, I wondered if he might just drop dead right there. They say there’s no cure for a broken heart, but I’m sure there’s no cure for a temper like that, either.
"Sir. But what’s this about national security?"
"Do you have any idea how many personnel you’ve pulled out under the guise of treatment? Twenty-two! Huh? Do you have any idea the setback this causes for gate reconnaissance when twenty-two people are missing from the task force?"
Is that so?
But is it really enough of a setback to cause trouble just because twenty-two people are gone?
"So you refused because they couldn't be deployed to the gate while hospitalized."
"Hey~ Noona, that’s not it."
"???"
I calmed Kang Cheong-hwa, who was jumping to conclusions.
"People’s lives are on the line here. Would anyone really refuse treatment just to force them into a gate? What kind of bastard would do that?"
High Karma index, yet he refused treatment because he didn't want them hospitalized?
"How could a person even think like that? That’s not a human being; that’s a beast."
"······!"
I was trying my best to defend Colonel Jo, but for some reason, the veins in his neck began to bulge. Is it high blood pressure?
"The Republic of Korea Armed Forces! Must be willing to step onto the front lines to protect its citizens! If a soldier abandons their duty just because some numerical value is a bit high, who is going to protect this country!"
Huh? What is he talking about?
"The restriction on civilians under 5,000 is for safety──"
"A soldier is not a civilian! Are you going to apply regulations set by pencil-pushers to everyone? Is the spirit of national defense a joke to you?"
The more I hear, the less I understand.
To make matters worse, the local broadcast chiming in from behind only added to the confusion.
"The battalion commander is right! Don't you know the spirit of a soldier! The spirit of a soldier!"
"The youth these days are soft, that's the problem. In our day, we had the grit and the will to carry out orders no matter what."
【Let's kill them! Blood! I want blood! Let's see if those bastards can still stand tall after they've bled!】
Black Heron, you just want to drink blood, don't you?
"Stop that nonsense right now! We’ll take care of the soldiers' treatment ourselves!"
"That is impossible. The Bureau is an independent agency that does not take orders from the Ministry of National Defense──"
"You communist bastards!"
"Why are we communists?"
"If you threaten national security, what else would you be but a communist!"
I thought about it carefully.
No matter how I look at it, this isn't logical.
They want to force soldiers at risk of corruption into the Dark Zone?
And to do that, they’re going to go out of their way to block treatment that could lower their Karma index?
"Wait?"
Having realized a grave truth, my hands and feet began to tremble.
"He’s a Corrupted One!!"
"······?"
""???""
Everyone’s gaze turned toward me.
"Gaon, what is this all of a sudden······."
"What does a soldier gain by doing something like that? Why would they deliberately push soldiers with high Karma indices into the Dark Zone? To increase their own kind!!"
They say the higher the Karma, the higher the chance of corruption, but that doesn't mean it’s zero if it’s low.
Even if the index is low, one can still become a Corrupted One!
In other words, a battalion commander trying to cultivate Corrupted Ones is a Corrupted One himself!
"Battalion Commander! I will save you!"
I drew Black Heron.
The blade of Black Heron, which had been sucking up the blood of soldiers lately, was terrifyingly red.
"Uh-uh? What is this crazy bastard doing!"
"Gaon, wait a second!"
"Colonel! Open your eyes!!"
Without hesitation, I plunged Black Heron into the Corrupted One.
Unfortunately, because the Corrupted One who had refused treatment stepped back, I only managed to pierce his shoulder.
【Heeheehee! Blood! It’s blood!!】
Black Heron began to absorb Colonel Jo’s blood and Karma.
At that, the Corrupted One began to go berserk.
"Aaaargh! You, you crazy bastard!"
"Shut up, you communist bastard! Did you think I wouldn't know your true intentions!"
Threatening national security by turning the soldiers of the Republic into Corrupted Ones.
If that isn't communism, what is?
"Aaaargh! Someone get this bastard off me!"
The officers behind the Colonel tried to pull me off, but they couldn't move me now that I had awakened my mana.
I held onto Black Heron to the end with a sense of duty to save the soldiers of the Republic, but I slipped as people rushed at me from all sides.
*Riiip!*
Black Heron tore right through Colonel Jo’s shoulder. It was because I had fallen while still holding the blade.
"Gyaaaaaaaah!!"
Colonel Jo’s screams and blood splattered everywhere.
Whew··· well, that should be enough to finish the treatment.
***
"Get in!"
The police station detention center.
The criminals inside were horrified when they saw me.
"Hey, officer! What are you doing putting a crazy guy with a knife in here!"
"Look at that blood! He’s a madman who just stabbed someone in broad daylight!"
"Why didn't you confiscate the knife!"
Even though I was thrown into the detention center as a flagrant offender, I had no regrets.
"I was just protecting the soldiers who protect our country. I did nothing wrong."
【······.】
I have no regrets. But that didn't mean I didn't feel wronged.
"I am innocent!"
【Your sincerity is truly terrifying.】
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