Chapter 2 With Mother on a Deserted Island (1)

“Haa~”

Although it was the height of summer, the frigid air at the front lines in the early morning made the breath shatter into a white expanse.

As I stared blankly at the dissipating white mist in the sky, a younger soldier on duty spoke up:

”General Jiang Changzai, what are you thinking about?”

I miss my family.

The junior officer on duty with him was Han Chengbi.

Although arrogant and conceited, at least he’s not useless.

I actually find this quite interesting.

”Please take a nap. I’ll keep a close eye on things.”

”Ha. Why should I believe you?”

”No. I can keep an eye on things.”

”fart.”

Silence returned.

For now, all we can hear is the croaking of frogs.

”Speaking of family, I suddenly remembered. Wasn’t Kang Chang-jae’s mother a great beauty?”

Ah~

A few days ago, my mother suddenly came to the military base without any warning.

We did meet as instructed by the squadron leader, but to be honest, this sudden visit was quite awkward. Of course, if he had told me beforehand that he was coming, I definitely would have stopped him.

The group of guys swarmed over like puppies, I don’t know what kind of show they were watching.

Thinking about it carefully, Han Chengbi was also one of the onlookers who joined in the fun at the time.

Ha, this kid really deserves a beating. But I can’t really hit him.

When I was a private first class—

”I envy you. You have such a young mother.”

”Envious my ass. What business is it of yours if your mother is young?”

”But it is precisely because I am young that I can stay with you longer. My mother passed away long ago.”

”Ha~ You brat. You’re deliberately picking a fight, aren’t you?”

Although Seung-pil is a comedian, he can occasionally make things awkward without warning.

But I can’t really hit him.

I kicked the ground with my military boots in frustration, muttering casually:

”My biological mother passed away when I was ten years old.”

”Huh? Really?”

”Yes, you idiot. That young aunt is my stepmother. Are you satisfied now?”

Wow! Aren’t young stepmothers even more enviable?

”What did you say, you brat? You really want to die?”

The subtle insult made me slap Seung-pil’s bulletproof vest repeatedly.

Cheng Bi, that brat, must have taken some kind of medicine; he was being beaten while still chuckling like an idiot.

Damn it, my hand hurts from hitting you.

”Ah~ I wish I could be on duty with Lieutenant Kang Chang-jae every day.”

”This kid is fucking insane. Please stop saying such creepy things, okay?”

”I’m serious. Time flies and I’m happy working with you, isn’t it?”

”Fast my ass. It’s only been less than an hour.”

There are still more than 30 minutes before the shift change.

And even when you change shifts, you can’t rest. Back at the barracks, it’s time to start daily training again.

Ugh! I really want to skip military service! Damn it!

”Soldier Jiang Changzai is a role model in my military career.”

”What’s wrong with you all of a sudden? Did you take the wrong medicine? You’re about to throw up, bro.”

”To be honest, to be respected by younger generations and recognized by older generations. My life’s wish is to live like General Kang Chang-jae.”

A sudden tingling sensation appeared on the back of my neck for no apparent reason.

”No matter how hard you lick, my mom won’t introduce you to anyone.”

”Haha, that’s not what I meant.”

Seung-pil scratched the back of his head and said, “Ah!” as if he had suddenly remembered something.

”Don’t do that, General Jiang Changzai. How about we become in-laws?”

”What? This kid’s mother really—”

No! No, no, no! That’s not what I meant!

No matter how chaotic the army is, which junior would dare to lay a hand on the mother of their senior?

Seeing this joke that crossed the line, I grabbed my rifle, and Seung-pil was so frightened that he waved his hands repeatedly.

He fumbled around in the pocket of his combat uniform for a while before pulling out a photograph with a worn-out corner.

It’s a film photograph. There are still such retro things these days.

”Actually, I have a younger sister who looks a lot like me. Do you want to see a picture?”

”I’ve seen your sister eleven times. Han Chengxi. I’ve memorized her name.”

”Uh, really? General Kang Chang-jae, you’ve actually always been quite interested in him, haven’t you?”

”Who the hell wants to remember? If you’re going to think about it that way, I could remember that ox from the transport team too.”

Cheng Bi, that brat, grinned like an idiot whenever he heard his sister’s name.

He would seize any opportunity to mention his beloved younger sister, Han Chengxi.

Looking at the photos alone, it’s not impossible to say they’re beautiful.

A sweet-smiling, pure-looking beauty. I heard she’s not in good health, which makes her seem like a sickly, beautiful young girl.

But it’s probably just a misperception that comes from being in this lousy military camp for too long. After being here so long, even that cucumber-belly-faced female squad leader from the next company seems pretty to me.

”Although she’s my sister, she’s beautiful and has a great personality. You don’t see girls like that often these days.”

”Sung-pil, do I look like someone who takes care of a sick person?”

”While her friends are enjoying campus life at university, my Seung-hee is lying in the hospital. Doesn’t Lieutenant Kang Chang-jae feel sorry for her?”

”What a load of rubbish! My life was so pitiful, being in prison in the military while others were enjoying campus life.”

I’ve heard Cheng Bi’s sister’s tragic story hundreds of times.

Seung-hee, who had been frail since childhood, suddenly fell ill after Seung-pil enlisted in the army. He finally underwent a heart transplant and has been hospitalized ever since.

”Hey, please think about it seriously just this once.”

”Ha~ Seung-pil, you’re really willing to introduce such a pretty and well-behaved younger sister to trash like me?”

”Jiang Changzai is a high-ranking soldier. I don’t say this to just anyone. I only say it because I trust you.”

It will also make my military career a little easier.

Cheng Bi got embarrassed as he spoke, and then added another joke that wasn’t really serious.

I burst out laughing.

”Okay, okay. Stop talking nonsense, I’m going to sleep for a while. Wake me up when the shift change comes.”

”Why.”

”Why?”

”Ahem. No, that’s not it.”

Thanks to my long military service, I even learned to sleep standing up. Especially when I’m on extremely tiring sentry duty like now, I can fall asleep as soon as I lean my head against the wall.

Moreover, at times like these, what’s important isn’t falling asleep easily, but rather waking up easily.

I’m always sensitive to noise, so even if the officer on duty crouches down and sneaks close, I’m confident I’ll be able to detect him and wake up.

”Whoosh—”

So I assigned that kid Chengbi to stand guard, and I leaned against the corner of the post.

Now, before I go to my next shift to change shifts, let me drift off to sleep—

”—Private First Class Jiang Changzai?”

”Huh! What now?”

I was just about to close my eyes for a bit when that bastard Seung-pil started yelling and acting crazy again.

I opened my eyes groggily and saw Seung-pil pointing to the sky.

”What.”

”Why don’t you take a look at that one?”

”That… what?”

”There’s something that looks like a UFO?”

”What nonsense are you talking about?”

I forced myself to swallow the swear words back.

It seems our Seung-pil has finally gone mad. Even if he’s sent to a mental hospital, I’ll force them not to say he’s insane.

It’s best if it’s not a big deal.

I muttered as I straightened up from the wall.

—Then, I saw it.

”…………What is that??”

At a not-too-high position

A sphere the size of a human head was floating in mid-air where Seung-pil was pointing.

If I had to say something… a burning volleyball?

It’s a volleyball that emits a white light like a light bulb. That’s the only way I can describe it with my limited vocabulary.

”Was that really a UFO?”

Han Seung-pil’s soldiers stared blankly at each other, muttering to themselves.

Seung-pil, who remains calm and composed despite seeing such a scene, might unexpectedly be a very important person.

My heart is pounding so hard right now.

”Hey, send a radio signal! No, wait, I’ll do it—”

I hurriedly reached for the radio, but my fingers couldn’t touch the device.

KIIING!

The intense light felt like it was about to burn through my retina.

A metallic noise loud enough to tear your eardrum.

The light emitted by the volleyball-shaped UFO engulfed the entire world.

”Uh, ah…”

With a buzzing sound, my head started spinning.

I can’t see anything. I can’t hear anything.

Just as my fingertips were about to touch the radio.

I collapsed to the ground and lost consciousness on the spot.

*

Changjae? Changjae, wake up!

Someone shook my body to wake me up.

”Hmm…”

My throat is dry.

The oral mucosa was so dry that I couldn’t make a decent sound.

I’m completely exhausted. My head is throbbing so badly it feels like it’s going to split open.

”Uh…”

I forced myself to hold up my heavy head despite the dizziness.

When I managed to open my eyes, a dim light came into view.

It appears to be a cave-like structure built of stone.

Against an unfamiliar backdrop, a pair of round eyes were looking down at me.

Those were eyes I knew well, yet they should never have been here.

”Uh, Mom…? Cough!”

His voice was so hoarse it sounded like he hadn’t spoken for months.

The sound I managed to squeeze out triggered a violent cough.

”Changjae, are you alright?”

My stepmother rubbed my back with a worried expression.

The warmth of the body is transmitted throughout the body via the back.

That’s right. This person is my stepmother.

If my eyesight is not impaired, she is clearly my mother.

”…Why is Mom here?”

He managed to stop coughing and then managed to make a sound.

I was just in the army a moment ago.

He was on duty at the ammunition depot post just moments before.

My mother couldn’t possibly be here, so why is she here?

The mother didn’t answer, but simply shook her head, as if to say that she didn’t know either.

Those eyes trembled with unease.

Completely baffled. Utterly confused.

But my mother seemed more panicked than I was. I had to stay calm.

I decided to clarify the current situation first.

The uneven, stone-gray floor and walls.

It resembles a natural cave that has not been carved by humans.

I am currently wearing combat gear and military boots.

Although he was wearing his duty uniform, his original body armor, rifle, and ammunition belt were gone.

…Could it be that it’s lost?

An ominous premonition pierced my chest.

He left his post without permission during his duty and lost his gun.

It wouldn’t be surprising if they were sent to a military prison.

No… let’s not jump to conclusions before we even understand the situation. This is more like being kidnapped than being unauthorized.

The immediate priority is to understand the situation and respond accordingly. Let’s set aside our concerns for now.

Compared to me, who was at least still wearing a military uniform, my mother was only wearing a thin nightgown.

Is this what they call a nightgown? A mature white nightgown made of semi-transparent material.

Aren’t you cold? You’re so obviously exposed.

Just as this thought crossed my mind, a strange notification sound suddenly rang out from somewhere.

『Ding-a-ling♪』

My mother and I both froze.

They were completely absorbed in the follow-up news.

Successfully peeked at your partner’s bra. Earned 1 coin.

”What?”

-Crack!

With the force of an impending sound, the mother quickly covered her chest.

They looked at me with terrified eyes and took a step back as if they were keeping their distance from a dangerous person.

…What is this?