“Pick one—either look down on women or be afraid of them. You don’t get both.”

Even seated, which made him the lowest in the room, Lee Wooshin's expression made his contempt for the recruits crystal clear.

He bounced his foot lazily, his posture casual, his demeanor blatantly annoyed. And yet, the air only grew heavier—like gravity was pressing down harder. He was being overtly emotional in front of them, and no one dared to talk back. That was the kind of authority he carried.

“Judging by how you're reacting like it's a full-blown seizure, guess it’s the latter.”

He clicked his tongue, frowning.

“You’re not uncomfortable because Han Seoryeong’s here. You’re pissed off because your own monkey-brained instincts make you see her as a woman and want to court her.”

“......!”

“So of course you’re scared. You’ve got to face the mirror that reflects your pathetic impulses every day. But being unable to see your teammate as a teammate? That’s on your lack of intelligence and culture.”

He even dropped formal speech, his tone turning colder.

A suffocating silence filled the barracks. The recruits sat like they’d been stabbed, too ashamed to make a sound. Their bowed necks turned blotchy with red and pale streaks.

“If you get it, start unpacking.”

The moment he stood up, voices stuttered out all at once: Yes, sir. Y-Yes. Understood...

They were bracing to attention now, and the frozen tension in the air began to thaw—until Lee Wooshin stopped right in front of her.

“So, what do you want to do?”

He’d acted bothered the whole time, but his gaze toward Seoryeong was sharp enough to pierce flesh. The weight of it made her flex her fingers open and shut.

“If I give you a separate room like they said, does that solve the problem?”

He shoved his hands deep into his pockets, leaning forward with lazy arrogance.

The question sounded simple, but it came with a blade: Do you really think something that shallow will fix all of this?

Now at eye level, his jet-black pupils flooded into hers like the deep sea at night.

“There’s no extra room, though. If you want one, you’ll have to share with an instructor.”

“.......”

“And that instructor... is standing right in front of you.”

His mouth curled up into a smile that didn’t reach his eyes. It was the same impersonal condescension he gave everyone, but somehow, it grated on Seoryeong even more. His way of talking down to people was insufferable in a whole different way than disrespect.

“No need. Don’t give me any special treatment.”

“Just like the others said, you’ll be seeing them strip half-naked multiple times a day.”

“I don’t mind.”

“So you’ll be changing clothes here in full view too?”

“You said earlier that not seeing teammates as teammates is an issue of intelligence.”

“So that means you’ll sleep, shower, and pant alongside them through training, just like everyone else?”

“I’ll do it exactly the same.”

As she answered firmly, Lee Wooshin straightened with a nod. But his lips twitched into a crooked smirk before settling again—he clearly didn’t love her answer.

In the electric eye contact that followed, something unfamiliar sparked between them.

“Fine. Enduring it is your choice.”

He let out a dry laugh, but the sting in his voice was unmistakable. Then, without warning, he reached into his pocket and tossed something at her.

Seoryeong caught it instinctively before she could even tell what it was.

A small combat knife, just the size of her palm.

Lee Wooshin glanced around at the recruits and gave a crooked grin.

“If any of your teammates try to harass or assault you—use that first. Then report it.”

“......!”

“Don’t mess up the order, Han Seoryeong.”

His cold, striking face turned toward her briefly... then swiveled in the opposite direction.

“If anyone ends up stabbed, no discussion. You’re out. That goes for you, Recruit Seong Wookchan.”

“Y-Yes! Sir!” 𝑓𝓇𝘦ℯ𝘸𝘦𝑏𝓃𝑜𝘷ℯ𝑙.𝑐𝑜𝓂

The man, who had been trying to roll his eyes and keep quiet until now, straightened his back at being named. But Lee Wooshin didn’t even glance his way. He just swept his gaze slowly across the entire room, scanning every rigid face one by one.

“If something does happen while sharing a room—that’s not a misunderstanding. That’s assault. And that means blood.”

That was no warning. That was a clear threat.

Watching his broad back retreat, Seoryeong bit the inside of her cheek in silence.

One moment, he stirred people’s hearts with crude, cutting remarks—and the next, he completely crushed the room’s chaos and tension with the same brutal skill.

Every part of that man pissed her off. But it was that cold, calculated mastery over others that infuriated her most.

Then his voice rang out again—measured and clear, directed at all the recruits.

“Blast Corp divides its operations between land and sea. Through this training, you’ll need to build basic skills and endurance—consider it essential.”

He spoke with a tone so casual it almost sounded like he was waving goodbye. Then, as if his business here was finished, he turned and walked to the door.

His hand was on the knob when he paused—just for a second.

“Oh, and ‘harassment training.’ Some of you probably already know the term.”

A few recruits flinched immediately. Their faces rapidly turned ashen.

Two of them, standing nearby, whispered without a sound. That’s that hazing training they use in special forces... Seoryeong read their lips clearly.

Wooshin’s smile deepened, more pleasant than ever before.

“Just so you’re aware—I don’t let the ones I like get any sleep.”

That half-lidded smirk landed squarely on Seoryeong.

And in that moment, she knew. Without needing to be told.

It was a declaration of war: I will break you.

“If you ever want to quit, just ring the bell out on the training field and walk away.”

His gaze clung to her like static electricity.

“You’re not conscripts. You won’t be dragged to the brig for running. You made it this far, volunteered to get your body broken—I’m not gonna stop you. Right?”

“......!”

Seoryeong endured the mocking, baiting tone aimed at her without blinking—but inside, she was grinding her teeth.

Even if a moment came where she thought she couldn’t take it anymore, she’d grit through it with this bastard’s face in front of her. She would never give him the satisfaction of watching her fall.

She clenched her jaw tighter.

***

Fuuuck...

Seoryeong cursed inside her head for what felt like the hundredth time.

Day One of Blast Corp training.

“Huff... Huff...”

The exercise was a 3km run. Straight, no breaks. Her lungs were starting to taste blood.

The unfamiliar military boots were already destroying her heels, and her lungs felt like they were being crushed.

At the very front of the formation, Lee Wooshin sat sprawled atop a vehicle, no safety gear whatsoever, his chin resting on his hand like he was bored out of his mind.

He hurled what was basically verbal abuse at the gasping recruits without holding back.

“Are we pigs already boiled after one little jog?”

“.......”

“What was it—a few kilometers? And this is all it takes?”

He sneered at the red-faced recruits, soaked in sweat.

“If you’re gonna prance around like ballerinas, you should’ve joined a dance studio instead. Run properly, dammit!”

He slammed a fist onto the car’s body with a loud thud, barking orders.

Now that real training had begun, he had ditched formal speech entirely. The recruits squeezed out every last ounce of strength they had to speed up, and Seoryeong had to bite down hard to close the gap with the group ahead.

“Repeat after me, now: I am a defective reject—!”

Yeah... what was harder than the physical pain was this humiliation.

“I am... a defective... reject...”

“Put some bass in it, damn it.”

“I am a defective reject!”

“What is this, a class full of premature ejaculators? Where’s your damn conviction?!”

“I AAAAM A DE-FEC-TIVE REEEJEEECT!”

The recruits screamed at the top of their lungs, and only then did Lee Wooshin finally crack a smile.

“Good. Don’t forget that intro. Say it to yourselves every day, loud and clear.”

He chipped away at their self-worth, smashed their pride, and never held back from personal attacks.

Sometimes, he’d crush their spirits first with vicious insults before piling on brutal exercises. And then—some of them would collapse before Seoryeong did.

Seriously, what is it with ‘mom and dad’ insults? When he threw those in, half of them folded like wet paper. She couldn’t understand it.

I mean... maybe their parents are pieces of shit. Why cry about it?

Just then, his gaze brushed over her—Seoryeong, who was dragging herself along the rear line, feet barely lifting in the heavy boots. But his smug face was mostly hidden behind the blaring red megaphone.

“Han Seoryeong, those boots look a bit too big for you.”

“They’re fine...!”

“If it’s too much, quit. There’s no shortage of men here willing to carry you.”

“......!”

Her brow scrunched instantly. It sounded almost considerate—but it was actually the most backhanded insult yet.

Already at her limit, Seoryeong squeezed her dry throat and forced herself to answer.