Chapter : 4
A New Beginning (3)
“So you talked back and got kicked out. I like that. Let’s be clear about this, though. There wasn’t any other problem that got you expelled, right? If you hide something like that and it comes out later, it’ll be awkward for both of us.”
“That’s not the case. If you don’t trust me, you’re welcome to go and request a background check.”
“Good. If that’s all, then no problem. You may be a total rookie who doesn’t know anything, but you’ve at least gone through basic military training. If we work you a bit, you’ll become useful.”
“Dad. Are you really going to hire this person as a mercenary?”
“Why? What’s wrong with that? He’s an adult making his own decision. There’s no reason to stop him. Hey, what’s your name?”
“Kim Su-hyeon.”
“I’m Jo Seung-hyeon. I’m the president of Uncle Jo Company. This is my daughter, Jo Seung-ah. You can think of her as handling all the office-related work. The other mercenaries are staying in the dormitory building next door.”
Bits of minor information. Nothing particularly interesting. Su-hyeon nodded. No matter how he looked at it, Uncle Jo Company was a small outfit. Based on what he knew, Jo Seung-hyeon would later show remarkable skill and grow this company into something big.
‘Hard to imagine.’
No matter how he looked at him, Jo Seung-hyeon just seemed like a sloppy middle-aged man. That someone like this would later be called a master operator—it was hard to believe.
“I don’t lie to people I work with. That’s why I lay everything out before we start. What I mean is, the work we do isn’t easy. Sometimes people hear it pays well and come in with nothing but their body, saying they want to work. Those guys usually run away within three days.”
“Should I write a statement saying I won’t run away?”
“No need. If you want to run, you can. I don’t really care—as long as it’s not during an operation. If you run in the middle of an operation, I’ll personally track you down and strangle you. Anyway, what I’m saying is this: before you join, be absolutely sure you know what you’re getting into. Don’t come crying later.”
“Uncle Jo Company is a PMC authorized to operate on the Cameron Planet. You take on various contracts that come down from above, or you independently head into unexplored regions to deal with dangerous situations and find things that make money, correct?”
Jo Seung-hyeon’s expression shifted slightly.
‘Look at this guy?’
He continued listing information as if to intimidate him.
“You could die. Honestly, a lot of people do. Losing an arm or a leg is actually considered lucky.”
“Everyone dies eventually. The real issue is when and how.”
To Su-hyeon, it was yawn-inducing talk.
“I don’t know whether you’re fearless or just pretending to be, but you do understand that this is dangerous work where you could die, right?”
“Yes.”
“Good. Whether you’re lying or not, you’re an adult, and I respect individual choice. Since you say you came here fully aware of that, I’ll hire you! Oh, right—where did you see our recruitment info? We weren’t even advertising.”
“I saw it somewhere on a site, but I don’t remember exactly.”
“That posting’s been up for a long time. You did well to find it. Oh, and one more thing I almost forgot. Our company is small. We only have about a platoon’s worth of people. You knew that when you came, right? That means you must have your own reasons.”
There weren’t many places that would treat a young, inexperienced rookie well. If you joined the wrong place, you could end up as nothing more than a bullet sponge.
If an inexperienced rookie wanted to work, Su-hyeon would recommend the military—or a small company. The military handled recruits relatively safely, and small companies, being short on manpower, were less likely to treat rookies as expendable. Of course, that wasn’t absolute.
“Yes.”
“Good. If you already know all that, I’ve got nothing more to say. Seung-ah will give you the contract. Oh, right—what about lodging? Since you’re new, it’d be good for you to stay in the dorm with the team and get familiar with them.”
“If there’s a dorm, that’s what I was planning.”
He’d already moved out of the place he stayed before since he’d planned to join the military. Renting another place nearby would be a waste of money. If they provided room and board for free, there was no reason to refuse.
“Straightforward, huh?”
“What are the contract terms?”
“You’ll see in the contract, but we’re a small-to-mid-sized company. You know what that means, right? We can’t guarantee everything like the big PMCs do. You get a base salary, but it’s mostly incentive-based. You get paid per job completed. And equipment costs are deducted from your pay. Some idiots don’t realize that, so make sure you check.”
Large PMCs had steady work and enough capital to form high-quality teams and guarantee stable treatment. Smaller PMCs, on the other hand, were always desperate for jobs. If they stopped getting contracts, their cash flow dried up immediately.
Places like this couldn’t afford to pay members generously when there was no work. That’s why contracts were incentive-heavy—low base pay, but additional money for every completed job.
“You sure you’re okay with that? If you want, you can go think it over and come back.”
The fact that Jo Seung-hyeon explained everything so thoroughly showed he was fundamentally a decent man. Su-hyeon could understand a little why he would later earn a good reputation.
“It’s fine.”
“You’re actually reading this properly and thinking it through, right?”
Jo Seung-hyeon complained, finding Su-hyeon’s easy answers hard to trust. But for Su-hyeon, these were actually good conditions.
You earn what you work for.
With terms like that, he was confident he wouldn’t lose to anyone.
“Yes.”
“Good. Let’s work well together from now on. Let’s make this a long and mutually beneficial relationship. Shake on it!”
The two men shook hands firmly. Jo Seung-hyeon put some strength into it, but when Su-hyeon didn’t budge at all, he grinned.
“Alright, then. I’ll show you the dorm.”
* * *
“Attention! We’ve got a new recruit!”
“……”
“Wow, that fell flat. Well, it’s a bunch of unsociable guys anyway. Still, they’re all useful, so learn on your own and work hard. Your room is upstairs. Two people per room. You’ll be sharing with… Gorgan.”
“Gorgan? That’s a unique name.”
“Yeah. He’s an orc. That okay?”
“I don’t mind.”
“You’re young—must be nice. No pointless prejudice, huh?”
Orcs. Once a race found only in fantasy novels and movies, but like elves, they were a real species on the Cameron Planet. They didn’t possess any mystical powers; the difference from humans was purely physical. Still, prejudice existed.
Su-hyeon had seen them a few times before. Orcs generally had excellent physical abilities and straightforward personalities, so military officers often viewed them favorably. Orc mercenaries working among humans weren’t particularly rare.
They were currently on the first floor of the dorm. There were sofas, tables, a TV, and computers—simple, but clearly meant for the members’ convenience.
A few members were already there, but they just stared blankly at Su-hyeon and Jo Seung-hyeon without saying anything.
“It’d be better if our team leader explained things. Where’s Lee So-hee?”
“She’s probably working out.”
“Go get her.”
“Ah, seriously…”
“I’m the boss. Or are you the boss? Aren’t you running yet?”
“Damn it…”
The man who had been lying slanted on the sofa grumbled as he stood up. Watching him head outside, Jo Seung-hyeon said,
“That’s Kim Chang-sik. He’s got a decent personality, so get along with him.”
‘Come to think of it, where did he gather these people?’
Large PMCs often started with massive capital backing them, but small-to-mid-sized PMCs usually began with people who knew each other personally. Given the nature of the work, most of them were connected through prior service.
Uncle Jo Company was likely formed by people Jo Seung-hyeon knew—whether from his time in the military, as a mercenary, or through related businesses.
“What is it?”
“New recruit.”
“A recruit? Here?”
“Hey! You too?!”
The person who entered was a woman with hair cut to her neck. Her face was damp with sweat, as if she’d just been exercising. Su-hyeon immediately sensed she was no ordinary fighter. From her appearance to the way she walked, there wasn’t a single opening.
“You didn’t trick him, did you? You know if you deceive someone into working with us just because we’re desperate, it’ll cause problems later.”
“I didn’t trick him! I explained everything!”
“You should’ve explained it properly. This isn’t kids playing around.”
“He’s not some teenage kid. How much more was I supposed to explain? I told him it was dangerous, I told him the conditions. And he still said he’d do it. What was I supposed to do?”
Jo Seung-hyeon beat his chest in frustration. Lee So-hee and Kim Chang-sik both looked at him suspiciously.
“Anyway, the contract’s already signed, so explain things to him yourselves and make him useful. Until the next job comes in, train him well.”
“When’s the next job?”
“I don’t know. One just came in and I’m negotiating now. If it goes well, next week. If it gets messy, next month… I’ll handle that. You guys just do your jobs!”
“Yes, yes. Got it.”
Jo Seung-hyeon’s relationship with the others seemed quite close. Su-hyeon could tell they had all started working together as people who already knew each other.
An honest boss and coworkers with strong bonds. It was a good place. A place that could rise quickly once given the opportunity to grow. There was a reason this company would later make a name for itself.
After Jo Seung-hyeon left, Lee So-hee looked at Su-hyeon with a troubled expression. Judging by his face, he looked like a rookie who had trained for only a few years at most.
“Do you have any work experience?”
“I received basic training at boot camp.”
“And nothing beyond that?”
“Yes.”
He wanted to say that he’d spent over ten years surviving in the remote regions of the Cameron Planet and experienced just about everything—but no one would believe that. Worse, he might be labeled insane and kicked out. So Su-hyeon kept his mouth shut.
“Hmm… alright. Since we’ll be working together, let’s do our best. I’m Lee So-hee. You’ll learn naturally as you work, but I’m the team leader. Since you’ve had military training, I’ll clarify this now: both in and out of the field, ‘Team Leader’ is the official title. Call me Team Leader. No need to use terms like platoon leader. We’re not the military.”
“I understand.”
