BKR Ch 13

Dohan’s fist slowly clenched. Jihan’s eyes narrowed playfully.

“Are you planning to make me a battered husband?”

He was asking for it. Seeing Jihan quickly shield his abdomen, Dohan slapped his shoulder with his open hand.

Smack!

A sharp sound echoed as Jihan’s mouth dropped open.

“Wow, that really hurts! What does my darling eat to have such a spicy hand?”

If Dohan had hit him properly, he wouldn’t be talking like that.

‘He’s back to his usual self, alright.’

Dohan clicked his tongue and turned his back to Jihan. Jihan immediately reached for his waist again, attempting to embrace him.

“Don’t touch me.”

Dohan warned, his eyes still closed. He hadn’t intended to be receptive, but Jihan’s runaway spirit had safely returned. He’d had enough of indulging him.

But Jihan ignored him and pulled Dohan’s waist tightly against his own.

“Well, who told you to be as cool as a bamboo wife? You’re not even made of bamboo. And we don’t even have a fan in this heat, so just deal with it.”

“…!”

Dohan finally understood the meaning of “bamboo wife.”

‘Bamboo…!’

Realizing he’d gotten upset over something made of bamboo, his face flushed with embarrassment.

Jihan wrapped his arms around his waist again, but Dohan couldn’t bring himself to push him away. He simply thrashed under the covers, mortified.

And so, under the pretext of being hot, Jihan held Dohan, whose body was cool to the touch, close in his embrace.

Jihan closed his eyes, inhaling the clean scent of Dohan’s hair and skin. The comforting aroma of the person he longed for, the peace of this cozy space, and the unexpected laughter Dohan had given him…

It was like a gift of healing. As Jihan opened his eyes, the hidden pain and sadness in his light brown eyes momentarily receded.

Inhaling Dohan’s scent deeply, Jihan slowly spoke.

“Dohan.”

Dohan listened quietly as his name was called.

“They say married couples shouldn’t sleep with their backs to each other…”

Jihan murmured, his cheek resting against Dohan’s neck. Dohan remained motionless, pretending to be asleep.

“Turn around. Are you going to sleep like that?”

Dohan still didn’t respond. Jihan nuzzled closer to Dohan’s ear and whispered, his voice even more teasing.

“Don’t you want to see my face, honey?”

Finally, Dohan turned around. He glared at Jihan, his eyes shooting daggers.

“Just…”

Dohan raised his hand and struck Jihan’s back.

“Go. To. Sleep.”

Wham!

The impact was so forceful that Jihan felt his insides churn.

✦✦✦

Jeokho walked across the desolate battlefield.

The barren land was a scene of carnage, strewn with the wreckage of armored vehicles. Dark, un-dried bloodstains marred the ground.

Several soldiers followed Jeokho, who wore a large sword on his back and a red cape signifying his leadership. Each of them wore a belt around their slim waists.

The wind blew, carrying the stench of gunpowder and blood.

Jeokho turned his head to look at the armored vehicle base in the direction the wind was blowing from. It was completely devastated.

Annihilation.

True to their motto, they hadn’t left a single armored soldier alive.

“The enemy’s numbers have certainly decreased.”

A Class-A soldier beside him spoke quietly.

“…”

Jeokho continued walking, his red cape billowing behind him.

As the soldier had said, the number of armored soldiers was dwindling daily. Their morale was also significantly low. This was the result of their efforts since President Osek’s assassination.

But with the successor and allied forces still remaining, they couldn’t let their guard down.

Jeokho and his soldiers passed the ruins of what had once been a civilian settlement and walked towards an open area enclosed by barbed wire. Captured prisoners were held there.

Officers, soldiers, and civilians were all crammed together like caged animals. Numerous soldiers from their own army stood guard, watching them with triumphant expressions.

The sound of their footsteps echoed.

As Jeokho and his soldiers appeared, expressions of terror and fear spread across the faces of the captured prisoners.

The electromagnetic special combat suit that reached their necks, the belt encompassing their entire abdomen, and the heavy sword on their backs… the Berserkers, with their distinctive appearance, exuded an overwhelming aura of intimidation. To the prisoners, they were like demons from hell.

The appearance of the infamous red cape further chilled the air.

Jeokho scanned the faces of the terrified prisoners. Their fate was sealed.

‘Test subjects.’

They would all be sent to Yeongam Island for drug experiments. Expendable guinea pigs.

Human rights? There was no such thing. In the midst of a brutal world war, where everyone was fighting for survival, who would care about such sentimental notions?

Moreover, these were citizens of an enemy nation, responsible for countless deaths, individuals who had to pay for their unforgivable sins.

Jeokho walked past the beast-like prisoners and headed towards another barbed-wire enclosure where a small group of Asians were held.

Enemy spies and traitors were segregated and held there. Brutal torture awaited them, to extract information.

“Berserker.”

One of the Asian prisoners approached the barbed wire, addressing the tall Jeokho.

“Excuse me for a moment.”

Jeokho, observing the man’s demeanor, immediately recognized him as a leader among the spies.

His tone was serious, his posture upright, and he appeared to be of considerable age. He also possessed the audacity to address the Berserker leader directly.

But Jeokho, uninterested, ignored him and continued walking. The man followed him, speaking again.

“I know I’m going to die anyway…”

Despite the urgency of the situation, the man’s voice remained remarkably calm.

“But would you mind listening to just one thing?”

Jeokho still didn’t even glance at him. The man quickly added,

“It’s about the Berserkers.”

Jeokho stopped dead in his tracks.

This guy’s got something. Jeokho looked at the man, wanting to know what it was. The man didn’t hesitate to get to the point.

“I want to make a proposition related to him.”

“Hey, you! What are you doing?!”

Just then, a soldier from their own side approached, trying to pull the man away from Jeokho. Jeokho glared at him with icy eyes and waved his hand dismissively. Seeing this, the soldier obediently retreated.

“Go on ahead.”

Jeokho also gave the order to his men standing behind him.

Having cleared everyone away, Jeokho stared at the man, prompting him to continue.

Gulp, reading the cold gaze of the berserker, the man swallowed hard and lowered his voice further.

“I helped a fellow berserker before. If you wish, I can connect you with the same broker.”

“Get straight to the point. What kind of help did you provide?”

Jeokho asked. The man answered without hesitation.

“I provided him with a Class 1 ID and a bank account. I also secured a smuggling vessel.”

A flash of light flickered in Jeokho’s eyes.

“A berserker made such a request?”

“Yes, he wanted to leave the unit.”

The man spoke with a firm tone.

“Why should I trust you?”

However, Jeokho’s eyes still held no trust.

“A Class 1 ID… quite a bit of money must have changed hands.”

Jeokho knew well about the IDs used by spies.

Class 3 were crude copies, simply swiped like cards. Class 2 were IDs of deceased individuals bought on the black market, and Class 1 were elaborate forgeries of someone else’s ID, retaining only the unique identification number.

Therefore, with Class 1 IDs, the original owner’s identity vanished completely, leaving only the unique number. They were mainly obtained by loan sharks who had seized them from debtors unable to repay their debts, and were traded at a very high price on the market.

“What did the berserker offer you, an enemy? Money means little to a spy.”

Jeokho asked in an indifferent voice. However, his gaze was chillingly sharp.

Facing imminent death, the man calmly answered.

“One of them was holding my son hostage. They promised to release him if I helped. If you wish, I can arrange a meeting with them. In exchange, I ask for safe passage out of here without being tortured…”

“Who was that berserker?”

Jeokho interrupted, asking. His tone was strikingly similar to Dohan’s. It was the influence of a senior officer on his direct subordinate.

The man blinked for a moment.

“If I reveal that, can I trust you to arrange my escape?”

He was trying to emphasize his reluctance to divulge the information. Jeokho then raised a finger and hooked it onto the barbed wire.

“I’m not interested in leaving.”

Creeeak-

With just one finger, the thick barbed wire yielded easily like a net.

Snap, snap, thud!

The pulled wires stretched and then snapped completely.

“……!”

The man stared at the severed barbed wire, his expression incredulous.

‘Monster….’

There were no other words to describe him. Jeokho’s voice pierced the ears of the rigid man.

“Actually, leaving is always possible. I just like it here. I can crush someone’s head whenever I want.”

Jeokho tapped the barbed wire he had just broken.

“And this kind of thing isn’t an obstacle for me. Not for crushing heads.”

A tiger’s killing intent surged intensely.

Cold sweat trickled down the man’s forehead. Jeokho brought his face closer to the barbed wire.

“Answer honestly. If you want to save your life and avoid torture.”

It seemed a path to survival had opened. The man breathed a sigh of relief.

He looked again with solemn eyes at Jeokho’s armband, embroidered with a red tiger. And he recalled what he had seen back then.

“One was a flower, a blue petal pattern.”

‘Cheongyeon.’

A faint smirk appeared on Jeokho’s lips as the name he had expected came up.

“The other one’s armband was…”

Jeokho pricked up his ears.

“A devil pattern. Black.”

‘…Heukma.’

Suddenly, a very rare smile blossomed on Jeokho’s cold face.

‘He’s alive!’

The smile was so bright and vibrant that it seemed as if the wall of ice surrounding him was shattering.

“Haha-!”

The one he had longed for so much. He was alive. At that realization, Jeokho even threw his head back and laughed.

“……?”

The man, witnessing this, was unknowingly gripped by a strange feeling. The stark contrast of the seemingly cold monster suddenly laughing like this was incredibly jarring.

Of course, the man had no idea.

That there was someone who could make Jeokho laugh. That it was the ‘Black Devil’ he had just mentioned.

Wiping the smile from his face, Jeokho walked over to a nearby soldier.

“Attention.”

The soldier, of lower rank than Lieutenant Colonel Jeokho, saluted sharply.

“Annihilation.”

Jeokho returned the salute with the counter-sign and then gave an order.

“Send the prisoner I just spoke with directly to my barracks.”

“Yes, sir.”

Knowing the authority of Jeokho, the leader of the berserkers, the soldier immediately nodded.

Having fulfilled his promise, Jeokho turned around. He looked at the man and gave another satisfied smile.

‘I can’t leave him here.’

If he were tortured here, Heukma and Cheongyeon’s escape plan would be exposed to the entire military.

It was fortunate that this information had fallen into his hands.

‘Heukma.’

Now he could definitely find him. All he needed to do was find out the identity the broker had created for him.

‘You’ll never escape me.’

The tiger, stained with blood, had finally caught the scent of blood.

✦✦✦

Jeokho boarded the submarine returning to Yeongam Island.

The stealth submarine, which bypassed laser detection, was an excellent means of transportation that prevented Yeongam Island from being exposed to the enemy.

Inside the submarine, Jeokho placed his greatsword on the floor and lay down on a seat. He then put on an eye mask and closed his eyes.

‘Heukma….’

That face appeared before his closed eyes.

The corners of Jeokho’s mouth twitched slightly.

When was the last time he saw him? Probably right before Heukma received the mission to infiltrate the enemy warship.

While resting, Jeokho recalled the memory of that time.

✦✦✦

“Attention.”

The soldier guarding Major Heukma’s quarters saluted.

“Annihilation.”

Jeokho responded with the counter-sign. He had just arrived at the Yeongam Island bunker after a long battle.

Lieutenant Colonel Jeokho, with his lieutenant colonel epaulets, gestured with his chin for the soldier to open the door. The soldier in charge of the door looked flustered.

“I apologize, but no one is allowed entry without authorization…”

At those words, Jeokho stared directly at the soldier, who seemed to be newly assigned.

“….!”

The soldier, meeting the red tiger’s gaze, trembled.

He couldn’t know exactly how many people had died by those claws and fangs, but the palpable killing intent was truly overwhelming.

Jeokho quietly spoke.

“I’m Heukma’s direct superior officer. Need I say more?”

“No, sir!”

The soldier immediately opened the door. There was no reason to resist any further.

Jeokho, having entered the S-class private quarters as he pleased, glanced around the comfortable interior. Everything was neatly organized without a speck of dust.

But the owner of the room was nowhere to be found.

Jeokho glanced towards the bathroom and walked over. There he found Heukma sitting in the bathtub.

‘Ah….’

Looking at his smooth, white back and wet hair, Jeokho felt an involuntary dizziness.

Dohan remained still. Despite clearly sensing Jeokho’s presence, he didn’t move, his back still turned.

Jeokho spoke first, casually.

“Taking a bath, I see.”

Only then did Dohan turn his head to see Jeokho behind him. His dark eyes, revealed between strands of wet hair, flashed. Anger at the intrusion into his quarters was evident.

The audacity to glare even at his superior officer.

The corners of Jeokho’s mouth twitched.

Everyone was terrified when they saw him. But this guy was an exception. From the day they first met until now, he had never shown a moment of weakness.

It wasn’t that he lacked emotion. One could tell by the clear displeasure he was displaying now.

It was because his pride was too strong, and his courage immense.

To put it simply, he had a noble, strong heart.

Screech-

Jeokho pulled a chair over and placed it on one side of the spacious bathroom. He sat down and crossed his long legs.

Dohan continued to glare at Jeokho, who was calmly watching him bathe. His tightly closed lips didn’t open the slightest bit.

‘Yes….’

A smile spread across Jeokho’s face again.

‘The harder the fruit is to pick, the sweeter it will be.’

Someone with this kind of temperament, once they gave their heart to someone, wouldn’t change their mind even if a knife were held to their throat.

That pure heart would be heavier than gold, harder than a diamond.

That’s why he coveted it. He wanted to possess it desperately. Not just his body, but his entire being, including his heart.

The two remained in a standoff for a while.

Finally, Dohan slowly rose from the bathtub and stepped out. Jeokho also stood up.

Picking up a large towel from the shelf, Jeokho unfolded it and wrapped it around Dohan’s naked body. But his hands didn’t leave, so it appeared as if he was embracing him from behind.

Dohan turned around sharply. Naturally, Jeokho’s hands were pulled away.

“Please leave.”

His lowered, beautiful voice held a sharp edge.

But Jeokho didn’t retreat. He simply stared, mesmerized, at Dohan’s wet face.

‘Ah….’

Jeokho’s mouth parted as he continued to gaze.

It was beautiful. Insanely captivating.

His white, translucent skin, the subtle double eyelids that peeked out whenever he blinked. His luscious, rosy lips and the baby fat that hadn’t quite disappeared yet.

He was literally a devil. A devil with the magic to enchant people.

For a moment, Jeokho felt an overwhelming urge to take this alluring devil to bed immediately. His lower body burned hot.

“I asked you to leave.”

Dohan said to Jeokho again with a hardened expression. He didn’t even meet his gaze. However, Jeokho, unfazed, casually brushed aside Dohan’s damp bangs.

“You don’t have that authority.”

“…….”

“The authority to command lies with me.”

Jeokho glanced at the bedroom.

“You’re my subordinate. I could order you to go to bed right now.”

His voice was laced equally with lust, the desire to hold him until dawn, and the implication of a favor for not yet giving that order.

“Is that an order related to the mission?”

Dohan raised his eyes, burning with anger. Jeokho’s face came into full view.

He was an arrogant, handsome man.

Haughty eyes that looked down on everyone, a sharp, high nose bridge, and a sneer playing on his cold lips. His handsome features were filled with disdain for everything and an unshakeable arrogance that dared anyone to defy him.

“I will not obey any orders outside of the mission.”

But Dohan made his point clear, without an inch of leeway.

Something surged within Jeokho. He ripped off the towel Dohan was wearing in one swift motion.

‘How long have I waited?’

The wet towel fell to the bathroom floor, revealing a completely naked, white body before Jeokho’s eyes.

“….!”

Dohan’s eyes hardened.

‘For him to grow this much!’

He had waited and endured so much.

Until this small, young boy grew this much. At least until he reached an age where Jeokho wouldn’t feel any guilt.

And now, he would be an adult in just a month. Twenty years old. The same age Jeokho was when he first saw him.

Jeokho slowly scanned Dohan’s matured body. His appreciative gaze swept over his elegant collarbone and chest, past his slender waist and well-defined abs, down to the secret area below.

A satisfied smile spread across Jeokho’s lips.

Everything had ripened beautifully. He had grown perfectly, to the point where accepting this body would pose no problem.

Looking up again, Dohan had his head down, eyes closed. Judging by his trembling breaths, he was clearly trying to endure the intense shame that washed over him.

“Let me say it again.”

Unconcerned, Jeokho lifted Dohan’s stiff chin with one hand. He brought their faces close.

“I can give you that order right now.”

A breath filled with lust touched Dohan’s face. Dohan slowly opened his eyes.

“Try it.”

Dohan lifted one corner of his mouth slightly.

“You’ll be doing it with a corpse.”

Resolute will.

Reading that in his voice, Jeokho scoffed. Then, he bit his lip, trying to suppress the intense urge to take him to bed.

Haste makes waste, as they say.

He thought he needed time to simmer, so that his fingers could smoothly enter inside, so they wouldn’t get bitten off.

Seeing this pure, untainted body gradually succumbing to pleasure would also be a great thrill.

Click-

The sudden sound of the door opening made Jeokho turn his head. Dohan gasped and quickly picked up the towel that had fallen on the floor.

A man appeared behind them.

‘Cheongyeon.’

Jeokho couldn’t help but chuckle inwardly at seeing him come this far.

“Ha, ha…”

Cheongyeon was panting heavily, as if he had been running. Yet, he was clearly trying to appear composed.

“Myeolsal. I apologize, Lieutenant Colonel Jeokho. The command is looking for you.”

Holding his breath, Cheongyeon spoke to Jeokho as if they had met on the parade ground. But his eyes darted around nervously.

His wavering gaze shook even more when he saw Dohan covering his naked body with a towel.

“Is that so?”

Jeokho said casually. He slowly walked towards Cheongyeon.

Cheongyeon gulped as Jeokho approached him. Jeokho stood beside him and placed his hand on his shoulder.

“You’re working hard, Cheongyeon. Coming all the way here to find me.”

“It’s nothing.”

Cheongyeon spoke respectfully to his senior from the first generation, lowering his eyes. Even though his inner thoughts might differ from his outward demeanor.

Jeokho whispered in his ear.

“I’m always grateful, in many ways.”

“….!”

Cheongyeon turned his head to look at Jeokho. His dilated pupils stared at him, fixed and stiff.

With a meaningful smile, Jeokho patted Cheongyeon’s shoulder and turned around. Click, and he opened the door and left.

“Ha…”

Only after hearing Jeokho leave did Cheongyeon let out a big sigh. Shaking off the uneasy feeling, he approached Dohan, who was covering his naked body with a towel.

“Heukma, are you alri…”

“Get out.”

Dohan said sharply.

His hand, tightly clutching the towel, was white and trembling.

“Ah…”

Cheongyeon immediately stepped back. There was nothing to be gained from disturbing Dohan in that state.

‘Still, it’s a relief.’

Despite the harsh reaction, Cheongyeon turned around with a relieved heart. He had run here with a burning heart, fearing he might see the two entangled on the bed. He was grateful it wasn’t the case.

As he walked towards the door…

“Hyung.”

Dohan called out. Cheongyeon looked back.

“Tha…”

Dohan stopped mid-sentence, pressing his lips together.

“Yeah, rest.”

Cheongyeon nodded knowingly and reached for the door. Though never spoken aloud, Cheongyeon understood what Dohan meant. The unspoken sentiment was enough.

‘Definitely…’

Leaving Dohan’s quarters, Cheongyeon gritted his teeth, trying to settle his churning stomach.

‘You have to get out of here.’

The metallic taste of blood filled his mouth, as if the resolve had become a blood oath etched in his heart.

Tap, tap, tap-

Walking down the quiet hallway, Jeokho recalled what he had said to Cheongyeon earlier.

‘I’m always grateful, in many ways.’

He meant it.

It was practically a miracle that Heukma, with his looks, hadn’t been touched by anyone yet. With each passing year, the gazes of the soldiers and officers here had become increasingly hungry.

Before the doping effects were complete, Heukma was no different from ordinary people, making him an easy target for the ravenous wolves.

Cheongyeon had blocked them all.

Three years older than Heukma, Cheongyeon’s doping had completed first, and he fiercely protected the younger, less developed one from their clutches.

Even though he himself couldn’t even lay a finger on him.

Fearing even the slightest bit of resentment from that timid heart.

Jeokho looked down at the finger that had been in Heukma’s mouth. He brought it to his lips and sucked on it lightly.

The corners of his mouth turned up as he savored Heukma’s taste.

The well-prepared meal would eventually be his. There was no need to postpone any longer. He just needed to slowly simmer, to make that incredible body accustomed to his embrace.

No matter how much those two fluttered and struggled, they couldn’t stop him, the strongest berserker.

Of course, at this time, Jeokho had no idea.

That just a few days later, he would hear the news of Heukma’s death due to drug side effects. He didn’t expect him to slip through his fingers completely like this.

✦✦✦

Chirp, chirp-

The dim early morning arrived. Dohan opened his eyes to the sound of chirping birds.

The sleepy face of Kim Jihan, asleep, appeared before his blurry vision. One arm was under Dohan’s head as a pillow, the other wrapped around his waist.

“……?”

Dohan blinked his sleep-blurred eyes.

When did they end up like this? He couldn’t tell. He had slept so soundly that he couldn’t remember anything.

Despite being pushed away so much, he still held him all night.

‘Persistent.’

Dohan couldn’t help but scoff at his unwavering tenacity. Still, thanks to being held all night, his cold body was much warmer than usual.

Fully awake, Dohan tried to gently pull himself out of Kim Jihan’s embrace.

“Mmm…”

As if unwilling to let go even in his sleep, Kim Jihan pulled his arm tighter. Dohan was enveloped in his embrace once again.

‘Ah…!’

Held tightly in his arms, Dohan glared at Kim Jihan with an exasperated look.

Lost in his dreams, Kim Jihan’s face was completely peaceful.

“……?”

For a moment, Dohan felt a strange sensation. Come to think of it, he’d never seen Kim Jihan sleeping before. Only he was the one constantly passing out.

Dohan stared intently at Kim Jihan’s sleeping face, a sight he was witnessing for the first time.

A smooth, even forehead and a straight nose bridge. His eyebrows were distinct yet neatly arranged. His closed eyelids cast a gentle shadow with their densely packed eyelashes.

His gaze slowly drifted down to Kim Jihan’s lips. His well-balanced lips were naturally upturned at the corners, even when relaxed. It was a charming feature that always made him appear to be smiling.

‘…Not bad.’

Dohan feigned a haughty look. He didn’t even realize his gaze had already been captivated.

He continued to watch Kim Jihan for a while.

The dawn sunlight streamed in through the open window, casting a soft glow on Kim Jihan’s sleeping face.

As if bothered by the light, Kim Jihan furrowed his brow slightly and opened his eyes.

Dohan stared in fascination at the light brown eyes revealed between his opened eyelids. Having only ever seen his own black eyes, he found the unfamiliar hue quite mesmerizing.

Meeting Dohan’s gaze, Kim Jihan offered a sleepy smile. He reached out and gently brushed Dohan’s bangs aside.

Kiss

He kissed him on the forehead.

Dohan, who had been staring blankly, suddenly snapped back to reality.

“What was that?”

“What do you mean? A morning greeting.”

Kim Jihan replied nonchalantly.

“What are you doing?”

Dohan rephrased his question.

“I gave you a morning greeting.”

“Why?”

“Because it’s morning.”

“Why did you touch me with your lips?”

“Because it’s a greeting.”

“But why with your lips?”

“Because it’s a morning greeting.”

Dohan was dizzy, wondering what kind of conversation this was.

Seeing Dohan’s confused expression, Kim Jihan chuckled and hugged him tighter. Then, he whispered in his ear,

“I’ll do it every morning from now on.”

What? Dohan’s eyes widened like a rabbit’s.

Did that mean he was planning to continue sleeping here?

Clank—The two opened the front door and stepped outside.

“……Are you going to school in that outfit?”

Dohan, dressed in his uniform, asked Kim Jihan, who was in casual clothes.

Kim Jihan replied casually, as if it wasn’t a big deal.

“No. I’m suspended for three days.”

Ah.

Hearing that, Dohan realized he would have to go to the military academy alone for the time being. Dohan nodded and started walking.

Kim Jihan walked alongside him, saying,

“I’ll walk you to the bus stop.”

As they exited the narrow alley, the streets were bustling with people commuting to work.

The two walked towards the bus stop. There were already many people gathered there, waiting for the bus. Street vendors selling breakfast lined the area.

Arriving at the bus stop, Dohan looked up at the electronic display board. Kim Jihan nudged his arm from beside him.

“Hey, come here.”

He pulled Dohan along as he pleased. Kim Jihan led him to a toast stall near the bus stop.

“Two toasts, please.”

After ordering, Kim Jihan gestured towards the stall with his chin.

“You haven’t had breakfast. We have time, so eat before you go.”

Kim Jihan handed him a toast on a paper plate.

Dohan accepted the toast without a word. He had never bothered with breakfast before, but the smell of butter and bread made him hungry.

“Two soy milks, please.”

Receiving the soy milks, Kim Jihan opened one and handed it to Dohan.

“Here, your favorite.”

As if he knew what he liked. Dohan glanced at him and took the soy milk.

Kim Jihan took a large bite of his freshly made toast. Following his lead, Dohan slowly began to eat his own.

“Eating well, I see your throat is okay now?”

Kim Jihan asked, watching Dohan eat the toast without painkillers.

Without replying, Dohan took small bites of the toast, chewing thoroughly. He couldn’t eat as freely as Kim Jihan, but as long as it wasn’t too irritating, he could manage most foods now. It just took a bit longer.

Kim Jihan emptied his soy milk in one gulp.

“Then eat at the school cafeteria while I’m gone. The food there is good. You should try it before the break.”

The following week was the last week of the first semester, after which their month-long summer vacation would begin.

Mentioning the approaching vacation, Kim Jihan took another large bite of his toast.

Loudspeaker sound

Suddenly, a loudspeaker blared throughout the area.

“……!”

Dohan, chewing on his toast, looked at Kim Jihan with a startled expression. He didn’t know what to do when the loudspeaker went off while he was eating.

Clack-

Kim Jihan placed his half-eaten toast back on the stall and stepped out beside it. Seeing that, Dohan immediately followed.

Out on the street, Kim Jihan placed his hand over his heart, facing the direction of the flag. Beside him, Dohan did the same. So did the stall owner grilling toast, the other people at the bus stop, and even the cars on the road came to a halt.

「Attention citizens! We have glorious news to share with you today.」

The voice booming from the loudspeaker was energetic, as if emphasizing the joyous news.

「At 5:34 this morning, our brave soldiers of the national army overcame fierce resistance from Chesil and the Allied forces, and finally succeeded in capturing Chesil’s capital, Pervia!」

“Oh-!”

“Yes!”

Exclamations erupted from the people listening to the broadcast.

Chesil was a war criminal nation that had instigated the world war and was the hostile nation that first invaded Korea. However, the Korean army not only defended against Chesil’s attacks but also began to occupy their territory.

All of this was the result achieved by the three generals, including Kim Youngho.

It was thanks to the bold strategy of counterattack employed by the supreme commanders of the army, navy, and air force, who didn’t miss the opportunity that fell into their hands.

Of course, hidden within this was the powerful secret weapon, the “Berserkers.”

With the military’s prowess in not only retaliating but also expanding territory, the citizens cheered and welcomed the three-branch military system led by the commander-in-chief. This further solidified the generals’ status.

It was to the point where even the salute to the flag, which had only existed during the military regime era long ago, requiring everyone to stop what they were doing, was now accepted as natural.

‘The major battle is over.’

Listening to the national anthem that followed the announcement, Dohan thought,

The war would continue. As someone who had once infiltrated deep into enemy territory, Dohan knew that his country’s invasion would not stop at occupying Chesil but would extend to its allied nations as well.

Dohan suddenly thought of Cheongyeon.

‘…When will he come?’

As an S-class berserker, Cheongyeon was a key force that would continue to be deployed in battle. Still, if he succeeded in escaping, he would definitely come to find him.

He believed that. He just didn’t know when.

‘But…is this place worth it?’

Dohan couldn’t answer that with certainty. This was something he felt after experiencing this place firsthand.

Perhaps, for berserkers, the battlefield was the most fitting place.

This peaceful place didn’t suit those who were addicted to the taste of blood, wielding greatswords and cutting through armor under the name of Myeolsal.

Dohan looked down at his hand, resting over his heart.

The hand, stained with countless bloodstains, still vibrated with murderous intent. If a knife were placed in it now, it would be consumed by a violent urge to kill. That’s how he was raised and trained.

Although disillusionment with the higher-ups and Jeokho’s grasp made him want to leave the unit, the murderous nature dormant within him remained unchanged. It could awaken at any moment.

So, it was perhaps natural for berserkers, who were no different from butchers, to be isolated and living on Yeongam Island.

「…preserve it forever.」

The national anthem ended.

Dohan turned and followed Kim Jihan. His eyes held a firm resolve.

‘I absolutely cannot get caught.’

Therefore, his country would never leave a deserter berserker alone. They would surely pursue him to the end, by any means necessary, to eliminate the killing machine