**Chapter 13: Special Treatment (2)**
"Gaon. You can come out now."
Surprisingly, I was out of the detention center in just a day.
I suppose they realized my sincerity in trying to save Colonel Jo and cleared up the misunderstanding.
"Mr. Park. What happened to Colonel Jo?"
"Scapular fracture. Penetrating wound to the shoulder joint. Tears in the pectoralis major, deltoid, and trapezius muscles. Rib fractures, chest stab wounds, and nerve and vascular damage. He’s looking at 14 weeks of recovery."
"That’s brutal."
Usually, even patients who received Special Treatment only needed about six weeks to recover.
But because of the Corrupted One’s resistance and the interference from other military officers, his injuries had become much worse.
"But Colonel Jo is cured, right?"
"Cured, you say...?"
"He was a Corrupted One, wasn't he? Didn't I treat him?"
"......Wow."
Park Do-kyung stared at me in silence for a moment.
"Were you serious about that?"
"Yes?"
"So you were serious......"
Park Do-kyung looked genuinely impressed.
"Huh? Was I not supposed to be?"
"The probability of a man who has never even stepped foot in a Dark Zone being corrupted is low."
"No, then why did he pull that red-baiting stunt? Unless he was a Corrupted One, there’s no reason to block the soldiers from getting treatment."
"Hahaha......"
Park Do-kyung offered a hollow smile for a while before explaining the situation behind the scenes.
"It was probably for a promotion. If the number of Dark Zone sorties for the search team drops, it affects their promotion review."
"Excuse me?"
They let soldiers go without treatment and drove them to their deaths just for a promotion?
"Are they even human?"
"There are many beasts in this world that I don't even want to treat as human."
So, the things he was screaming about in the ward back then weren't the evil schemes of a Corrupted One?
"Then how did I get out?"
"Well, at first, it was noisy—talk of throwing you in the slammer, attempted murder, and so on."
Park Do-kyung discreetly showed me a contract.
It was the Special Treatment contract I had signed with the Bureau, and he pointed to one specific clause.
"'The Hunter Bureau assumes legal and medical responsibility for the Special Treatment practitioner and shall handle, respond to, and process all related matters'? Does that mean..."
"It means Gaon’s Special Treatment is, at its core, an act to heal Colonel Jo Yang-gi. The Bureau guarantees this and handles any legal disputes."
Park Do-kyung said that the Bureau Chief had a showdown with the Capital Defense Command commander that night.
Apparently, there was a lot of shouting, but seeing as I was released, it seems the Bureau Chief won.
"The Bureau has quite a bit of pull. The Ministry of National Defense can't afford to clash with the Bureau over a mere colonel."
It also helped that Colonel Jo’s Karma level actually did go down.
Even if the Special Treatment method was a bit bizarre, the levels of over twenty soldiers had dropped significantly.
From the military’s perspective, having troops who could continuously lower their Karma levels and be redeployed was a more attractive prospect.
The promotion issues of a search battalion commander were likely irrelevant to them.
"But do they really go that far just for me?"
The Bureau Chief, of all people. Suddenly, someone from such an impossibly high position was involved.
Didn't they fight the Capital Defense Command commander just to get me out of detention and stop the prosecution?
"Gaon, you are irreplaceable."
"Pardon?"
"You don't seem to realize your own position. Ever since the connection to the Dark World, 'corruption' has been the primary challenge for all of humanity."
It is said that every organization in the world dealing with the Dark World has failed to find a way to fundamentally prevent corruption.
"I told you that if your existence were revealed, they would wage war to claim you, didn't I? That wasn't a joke. Turning back a Corrupted One who has already fallen is a miracle."
They prioritize treating soldiers first because soldiers have a duty to keep secrets.
In fact, the Bureau is doing its best to ensure my existence isn't leaked.
"For now, we’re introducing you as a 'Special Treatment practitioner' who can lower Karma levels, but there will be a limit to that eventually. You need to prepare for that time."
"You said I was a very precious existence."
"There are those who cannot tolerate someone else possessing something precious."
There are definitely those who would rather kill you than let you be possessed by someone else.
"The military doesn't know the full extent yet, but just knowing you can lower Karma levels is enough for them to guess your value. That’s why they decided not to blow things out of proportion."
"That should be the normal reaction, though."
"Indeed."
In the end, since he was actually treated, Colonel Jo couldn't even press charges and is currently stuck in the hospital.
I thought the issue of Special Treatment for the soldiers had been resolved.
"I think we’ll have to postpone the treatment for Sergeant Baek Jin-seong, which was scheduled for today. And the other soldiers, too."
"Is something wrong?"
"Colonel Jo has placed a restriction on their leave."
He’s not even a Corrupted One, so why is he being so petty?
***
Just because the soldiers' Special Treatment stopped didn't mean there was a huge change in my daily life.
Just that my busy schedule had become a bit more relaxed?
"The Bureau will handle the issues with the Ministry of National Defense. Just take a break for a while."
Team Leader Park Do-kyung also said that since Colonel Jo was such a headache, it would take some time to resolve.
"But Gaon, this might sound a bit strange."
"What is it?"
"We’ve received inquiries asking if secret treatment is possible."
Secret treatment?
Aren't the soldiers all restricted from leave and unable to leave the base?
I heard they were even blocking the submission of medical documents.
"Weren't they unable to come out?"
"The soldiers can't. But officers can come out, right?"
"What does that... Ah!"
Only the conscripted soldiers are under leave restrictions.
Officers can commute to and from the base freely.
"They block the soldiers from getting treatment, but they want to receive it themselves?"
I can clearly picture the officers who were egging Colonel Jo on from behind.
Weren't they the ones who raised their voices, saying corruption is just a sign of a weak mind and that they should endure it with the 'soldier spirit'?
What is this? Are they not soldiers themselves?
When I looked dumbfounded, Park Do-kyung replied bitterly.
"That’s just how the military is."
The word 'military' truly has a magic of its own.
"But the applicants are all field-grade and company-grade officers. Aren't the non-commissioned officers in more urgent need?"
According to what I heard from Park Do-kyung, Dark Zone searches are conducted in squad units.
Non-commissioned officers are always included as squad leaders.
If that’s the case, the NCOs should have higher Karma levels, so why are only the field and company-grade officers, who never have to enter the Dark Zone, reaching out?
"Their Karma levels were under 2,000, too."
"People value their own lives. Even if they don't enter the Dark Zone themselves, they often wait nearby."
I was speechless.
They talk about 'soldier spirit' and push the sergeants and corporals with levels over 5,000 into the fray, while the officers who just watch from the outside tremble at 2,000 and want treatment?
Is this the 21st-century South Korean military?
"Ugh. I'm so glad I'm exempt."
"Well, it’s definitely better not to go to the military if you can avoid it."
According to Team Leader Park Do-kyung, if you happen to Awaken while on duty in a search battalion, your life becomes a living hell.
*You Awakened? Then you have room until 10,000, right?*
*You can push to 15,000 with soldier spirit, can't you?*
*You don't want to? Are you disobeying orders? Do you want to go to the brig?*
"Why do you know so much detail?"
"......"
"......"
I patted Park Do-kyung on the shoulder to comfort him and thought once more.
I'm so glad I'm exempt.
For a while, I continued training with Kang Cheong-hwa.
Park Do-kyung also came by occasionally to help with training, mostly sharing essential know-how on combat techniques and Dark Zone common sense.
【Blood! I want blood! Give me blood!!】
Since I couldn't even stab anything while treating the soldiers and was only training, Black Heron was showing withdrawal symptoms again.
Just as I was thinking about whether I should take on a Hunter mission, Park Do-kyung brought me a new job.
"Gaon. Shall we go to a Dark Zone with us today?"
"Is that allowed?"
"It would be in the form of us hiring you as external personnel, but think of it as training while we're at it."
The Bureau’s Special Task Force is at the forefront of Dark Zone clearing.
With Park Do-kyung and the rest of the Special Task Team 2, the other agents would likely carry the load.
It was a chance to learn real combat while riding the bus. There was no reason to refuse.
The Special Task Team I joined had two more members, faces I had seen in passing.
"Hey~ Gaon, training with Agent Kang and now working together, huh?"
Agent Jang Tae-sik, known for his large shield and flail.
"This is our first time officially meeting, right? I'm Min Do-hyun."
And Agent Min Do-hyun, who had a sharp look and carried a spear.
It seemed these four, including Park Do-kyung and Kang Cheong-hwa, made up Special Task Team 2.
"But if you're Team 2, does that mean there's a Team 1 or other teams?"
"There are about ten teams, right? You need that many to rotate through the Dark Zone."
"Come to think of it, isn't Team 1 due back? I heard they were on a long-term mission, so they must have accumulated quite a bit of Karma."
"If nothing happens, they can just come and get treated by you, Gaon."
I certainly have a lot of people to 'treat'.
We headed to the Dark Zone that Team 2 was set to clear, and there, I saw a familiar face.
"Oh, the guy who was behind that colonel?"
"You little...!"
The captain-ranked man turned bright red the moment he saw us.
Did he come in place of Colonel Jo because he's stuck in the hospital?
But why did a captain come all the way here?
Park Do-kyung asked that question for me.
"Company Commander Park Man-ho, why are you here?"
It wasn't just Company Commander Park Man-ho. The other officers I had seen in the ward were also looking anxious and restless.
Wait, their faces looked familiar—aren't these the guys who applied for Special Treatment?
"Who do you think you are, coming here! The search isn't even over yet!"
"Excuse me? This Dark Zone has been open for three days already, and you're saying the search isn't over yet?"
"Something unexpected happened on-site, so it’s being delayed! It’ll be resolved soon, so back off!"
"That won't do. Three days after a Gate appears, the raid must proceed, whether it's handled by a civilian raid team or the Special Task Force."
"Get lost, I said!!"
It’s suspicious. My gut is telling me something.
Something has gone wrong here.
【The smell of blood...! Ohhh! The stench of blood is thick! Host, over there! Let’s go there!】
While Park Do-kyung and the company commander were bickering, I headed toward the tents set up near the Gate.
They were temporary medical tents installed around the Gate, and inside lay the injured soldiers from the search team.
What is this? They’re this badly hurt, so why aren't they being sent to a hospital?
"Are you from the Special Task Force?!"
Just then, a soldier with his head wrapped in bandages spoke to me.
Looking at his name tag, it was a Sergeant named Yoon Ki-hoon.
"Uh... something like that. Are you alright?"
"Ah, yes... I’m still alive, sir."
Sergeant Yoon Ki-hoon asked me with desperate eyes.
"When does the raid start? Every second counts..."
"Is something happening inside? We just arrived ourselves."
"Sergeant Baek... Sergeant Baek Jin-sung is still inside!"
Sergeant Baek Jin-sung?
At the familiar name, I recalled the list of candidates for Special Treatment.
He was one of the soldiers who couldn't receive treatment due to Colonel Jo Yang-gi’s interference.
His Karma level was definitely in the 5,800 range...
I left the tent feeling dazed.
Outside the tent, Park Do-kyung was still arguing with the company commander.
"We need to enter right now!"
"I told you the Dark Zone search isn't finished! Come back tomorrow!"
What happens if a regular soldier with a Karma level nearing 6,000 is isolated inside a Dark Zone for a full day?
Before survival, corruption becomes almost certain.
God damn it.
Realizing the company commander's intent, I was horrified.
The officers standing there must know his intent as well.
These are the same people who wouldn't even approach the area because they were afraid of being contaminated just by being near the Gate, yet they’ve all gathered here in a swarm. There’s no other reason for this than to block outside access.
Is this really the kind of thing soldiers would do?
If it weren't for Jo Yang-gi, I never would have imagined such a scheme.
"Black Heron."
【Damn it! What a waste of blood! Give me at least the blood those guys are spilling right now!】
"I’ll give you fresher blood, so just wait."
【Hm?】
I scrutinized the faces of the search team officers blocking the Special Task Force members.
Hmm, I’ve seen all these faces before.
The battalion commander was slashed by me, and these are the people who had secretly applied for Special Treatment.
Even Captain Kang Man-ho, who was arguing with Park Do-kyung.
"Captain Kang Man-ho?"
"Who’s calling me?"
Captain Kang Man-ho turned around at the sound of his name.
I asked him,
"You applied for Special Treatment, didn't you?"
"Huh? What are you talking about..."
He trailed off, but I already had the list. I had already unwrapped the bandages covering Black Heron.
"Beginning treatment!"
The Cursed Object dug into Captain Kang Man-ho’s shoulder.
"Aaaaaaaagh!"
"Th-this bastard again!"
"You son of a bitch! What the hell are you doing now...!"
Having 'specially treated' Captain Kang Man-ho, I pulled out Black Heron, which was absorbing his blood in real-time.
Watching the flustered officers, I checked the list. The next rank is that person.
"Next patient! Lieutenant Joo Yang-woo!"
"Wh-what...!?"
"Patient, please stay still~ You’ll get hurt if you dodge!!"
*Stab!*
"Aaaaaaaagh!"
"Next patient!"
*Stab!*
"Next patieeeeeent!! Stay still!!"
*Stab!*
*Stab!*
*Stab!!*
"Whew~ Treatment complete."
Having 'treated' five officers in an instant, I savored the sense of fulfillment of a doctor who had saved his patients.
I was a bit covered in blood, but I suppose that is the burden one bears when saving lives.
"Is there anyone else with command authority... or rather, any more patients?"
There was no answer.
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