Chapter 1 The colorful stone

…

Yoon continent, within the republic of Feros, in the outskirts of the city called Galia, a small convoy of heavy military trucks is currently crossing the wilderness to deliver some supplies.

The trucks are carrying the provisions and munitions for the republic's forwarding base, Zulu, at the southern sea border of their territory.

The city of Galia is located about 300 kilometers away from forwarding base Zulu and the base is near the town of Alfas… which has become the center of the military force of the southern part of the republic of Feros.

Inside one of the trucks sits an 18-years-old young man with military crop-up hair and Asian descent with a lightly masculine yet charming feature. In short, the youth looks a bit handsome with a fit body.

As he sits calmly while holding his standard military rifle, he could not help but be in deep thought.

He was accepted into the military after passing the basic cadet training just days ago… and his name is Han Jin… Private Han Jin.

Today's delivery is Private Han Jin's first mission outside of the city of Galia… which is a very weird thing.

Although he is a bit skeptical about the mission he was given… he is also showing both excitement and a worried expression on his face.

The reason for this is because… he has heard that rookies are not assigned to tasks like delivering provisions just like what he is doing right now. However, for some unknown reason, he was actually sent to deliver all the way to base Zulu.

It was truly a weird assignment.

However, he did not care as he just wanted to do his job as a soldier.

As Han Jin looks at the clear blue sky above, he could not help but show a worried expression on his face. He has taken this job and applied for this job as a soldier because of his mother who has been sick for a while now.

His previous part-time jobs could not pay the hospitalization fee of his mother who is inflicted with a rare virus. She has worked hard to raise him alone but when he reached 15, she suddenly fell sick.

Han Jin could not even finish his formal schooling and decided to start working to support his mother's hospitalization.

After 1 year of working really hard, he knew that he could not support her no matter how many jobs he gets. At that time he became desperate and in dire need of help.

In his mind, he is already developing that strange hatred for the father that left him and his mother in this cruel world.

In his time of desperation, a friend of his advised him to become a soldier.

Becoming a soldier has its benefits, and one of them is the transfer of his own hospitalization benefit to his mother.

The military would take care of everything, but there's a catch in the transfer… if ever something happens to him, then he could get no claim in the benefit because his mother is already using his it.

But he did not care as all he wanted is the welfare of his mother.

He could remember that while in training when he gets wounded or got beaten up, he would grit his teeth and push his body to the limits because he knew that his mother needed the hospitalization more than he.

He would just sleep it off and then continue the next day.

He went through that hellish training and finally became a soldier.

And now… for his first mission, he was given a strange task. He could not help but lament his fate but had no other choice but to accept it.

He suddenly shifted his gaze and looks at his uniform, then at the standard rifle in his hand, then at his sidearm. He then nodded his head in contentment after checking his gear for the umpteenth time.

His attention was suddenly interrupted by a hoarse voice.

"Hey, private! Is this your first mission?" a burly soldier asked with a grin.

Han Jin nodded his head.

"Sir, yes sir!"

Hahaha!!!

Everyone laughed inside the truck.

"He's still as stiff as a rod!" someone commented.

"Hahaha… I did not know why they assigned you in this delivery, but… man, you're sure going to get a hell of an experience riding with us!" someone joked.

The rest chuckled while looking at Han Jin.

The person beside him patted his shoulder and nodded his head.

"Welcome to the group!" the man showed his slightly crooked but white teeth.

"Thank you…"

"So… why did you become a soldier?" the man asked casually.

Han Jin looks outside and then heaved a deep sigh while shaking his head.

"Money…"

When the rest heard his words they all frowned. Everyone knew that soldiers did not get high pay, though it is enough to feed them.

But when they heard his next words they all seem to agree.

"…and benefit…"

The group then began to introduce themselves to each other and Han Jin came to know the people inside the truck that are with him.

"So… Who did you offend in the training?" suddenly someone asked.

Everyone turned silent and shifted their gaze as they look at him.

"Umm…" he was confused and was about to ask something when suddenly…

Bang! Bang! Bang!

They were all startled to hear gunshots from the front.

"Damn it! We're not even halfway and those bastards are already at it!" one of the soldiers commented as he suddenly jumped down the truck with a rifle in his hand.

The rest followed behind him and the guy next to Han Lin patted his shoulder.

"Follow me!" he commanded.

Han Lin, though feeling a bit nervous and a bit confused, followed behind the man. He did not know what is about to happen, but as a soldier and someone who passed the training… he did not ask any unnecessary questions.

"Remember your training…! Remember your training!" he repeated in his mind as his hand shakily held his long rifle.

The soldiers of the Feros Republic use long bolt action rifles about 1 meter in length and have a 3 inches barrel as the main weapon. The rifle produces a single burst of shot, but the power it produces is very strong and the recoil is very powerful.

The reason for such a power is because… smaller rifles did not have any effect on the demon beasts in the wilderness.

Even though they are issued the six-shot sidearm, it is just there for backup and is used to annoy their enemy.

Right now, Han Jin carries the rifle and stood beside the soldiers looking at four large beasts glaring at the trucks.

Aside from the four large beasts that look like giant wild boars, there are a few large rodents the size of a dog hiding in the bushes.

Han Jin could even see their tail moving in the shadows.

"Giant rats…" he quickly said while pointing at one of the bushes.

The rest looks at the bushes and immediately noticed the rats.

"We also have giant rats in the bushes!" shouted the man beside him.

"Damn it! How did these guys arrive in here?!" cursed a man as he jumps down from one of the trucks in the front.

"Everyone! Prepare to fight!" he shouted and then without warning charged at the giant wild boars.

Han Jin and the rest did not hesitate as they quickly take aim and pointed their rifles in the direction of those beasts.

Han Jin did not hesitate to shoot one of the giant rats that he has noticed in one of the bushes.

The gunshot splattered the innards of the rats which suddenly causes a commotion among its kind. The other rats attacked their wounded companion and began devouring it.

Han Jin manually cocks his rifle and takes another aim. Then he presses the trigger and hits one of the charging wild boars. But the damage is not enough to kill it.

The wild boar noticed him and threw a raging glare in his direction. Then without hesitation, the giant wild boar charges at Han Jin.

"Holy mother!" he could not help but exclaimed as he quickly dashed to the side.

The man beside him also dodges and shoots at the charging wild boar.

That shot hits the demon beast right at the back of its head which immediately made the beast fall to the ground and died.

Meanwhile, Han Jin jumped to a location near a bush.

He was feeling too panicky while he warily looks at the wild boar that he did not notice a pair of red eyes looking right at his back.

Eeek!!!

The shriek woke him up but it was already too late to run. He could not help but quickly raise his hand to block the razor-sharp teeth of the giant rat coming right for his throat.

Han Jin could feel his hand being pierced by the rat's teeth. But he did not want to give up and quickly uses his other hand to grab the standard military knife on his back.

Without hesitation, he quickly stabbed the giant rat's neck while his hand struggled from the pain of the powerful bite.

The rat suddenly threw him to the side and he landed deeper within the bushes.

He became sluggish as he shakes his head. He feels a bit groggy from being thrown in the air.

His hand suddenly felt pain and he could feel his warm blood seeping out of the gaping wound.

Han Jin grits his teeth and then looks around him. Although he is a bit disoriented from being thrown, he could now clearly see the giant rat in front of him.

But it seems that the rat is still in a rage as it suddenly charges right at him.

He could see the sticking knife on its neck which made him suddenly think about something.

He dodges to the side and wanted to grab the knife, but his hand was met with the rat's sharp claws.

Without an option, he could not help but retract his hand.

Before he could gain his footing though, the rat's long tail acted like a whip and hit his chest throwing him tumbling to the ground.

He groaned in pain as he clutches his chest.

However, he did not lower his vigilance. He could not die in this place. He still has his mother to worry about. He knew that without him, his mother would surely die, and he could not let that happen.

Before becoming a soldier he promised his mother in her hospital bed, that he would work hard to give her a good life.

And he could not die before he could fulfill that promise.

And so, with that determination in mind, he touches the ground with his bloody hands and then curved his body like a bow. Then with all his might, he ran towards the giant rat.

The rat saw this and quickly charges right at him.

He did not have time to think as he dodges by suddenly jumping to the side while extending his hand to grab the still protruding knife.

Using this momentum, once he got his hand on the knife, it began to slice through the body of the rat from its neck.

As Han Jin's body falls to the ground, he suddenly noticed a colorful stone falling out of the opened stomach of the giant rat.

As if by reflex he subconsciously extended his hand to grab the falling stone before it hits the ground.

And as soon as the stone touches his hand, everything immediately… froze.