In This Life, The Greatest Star In The Universe

Translator: MarcTempest

Editor: Rxel

Chapter 276 

Han Byungchul, the man who became ‘Viper’ after being bitten by a snake on a picnic day, smiled.

‘Come on! Come at me!’

Trainee Number 8 rushed in.

His movements seemed slow, as if in slow motion, due to the adrenaline.

‘How efficient.’

He was running fast, bending his upper body like a wrestler trying to tackle.

But he looked like he had a limit to his strength.

He lacked muscle mass, so he thought he wouldn’t hurt him even if they collided.

It would feel like being hit by a ping-pong ball.

He felt like it would hurt more if he were hit by Lee Jeongah, the weakest in strength among Team 1.

‘What should I show him?’

It was time to show him how to subdue a terrorist while minimizing his damage.

Before he could think, his body reacted.

He grabbed him and gently prepared to slam him on the mat.

“Huahaaap!”

He grabbed his arm, twisted it slightly, and lifted him up.

‘He’s light.’

Did he weigh more than 60 kilograms?

He felt amazed that a person could be so light, even with a height close to 180.

He felt lighter than a six-pack of water.

‘I did it…!’

It was a perfect technique.

He was about to smile with satisfaction.

But something felt off. It was like he missed something.

‘Oops…!’

He looked down at his arm and saw that it was still tangled with his.

“…”

His back had just touched the floor when his body floated in the air.

He moved his center of gravity as he slammed him, but it was like he used it as a lever.

Bang!

His body didn’t hurt at all, but his head felt numb as if he was hit by a hammer.

‘What the hell?’

It all happened in less than a second.

When he came to his senses, he saw that his head was stuck between his legs.

“…?”

He looked at him with a bewildered face, and he looked just as confused.

‘Hey! You’re not supposed to be confused!’

He felt ridiculous.

He felt a strange gaze. The cast of ‘Men Go’ was looking at him with a fish-eyed expression.

The cameraman with a blank face.

The ‘Men Go’ PD who was hugging the assistant director and screaming silently, ‘Ratings!’ from behind.

“…”

He started to feel embarrassed. He heard someone muttering among the cast.

“Wow. The criminal won.”

“…”

He shivered.

“Who are you right noooow!”

“…”

“Right now… oh, wait. Trainee Number 8.”

“…”

“Trainee Number 8!”

“Yes!”

He glanced up at Woojoo, who was still choking him with his legs.

He spoke to him as kindly and softly as possible.

“Please let go of my neck, Trainee.”

“Trainee Number 8, Seon Woojoo!”

“Have you ever learned any martial arts?”

‘Please! Please say yes!’ The instructor’s eyes pleaded with Woojoo as he avoided his gaze and shook his head.

“No, I haven’t.”

“Are you sure?”

He gave Woojoo a look that said ‘This is your last chance. Please!’ He smiled at him.

“Sometimes I watch YouTube and learn from there.”

“I knew it, I knew it.”

He coughed, but his authority was shattered.

The other cast members snorted and gave him doubtful looks, wondering if they could trust him.

“Ahem, so what kind of technique is this?”

“Well, I don’t remember very well.”

Strictly speaking, it wasn’t martial arts, but a stunt.

It was a scene from an action movie where the hero subdued the final boss who was much bigger than him.

…But it actually worked.

Woojoo couldn’t imitate things that were impossible in reality, like stunts that required wires or superpowers.

He thought this wouldn’t work either. But the action director must have done a good job of verifying the reality.

“Uh, um, anyway, Trainee Number 8! You can go in!”

“Yes!”

“I’ll show you another demonstration.”

Woojoo was feeling playful and tried to go back, but the instructor stopped him urgently.

“Not you, Trainee! I’ll call someone else!”

“Yes!”

The PD and the assistant director behind the camera chuckled and gave Woojoo a thumbs up.

The instructor took a deep breath and looked around the cast.

Woojoo could see his train of thought.

He excluded the ones who were too old and might get hurt, and there were three young ones left. He skipped Woojoo and glanced at Junghyun for a moment.

Then he looked back and forth between Woojoo and Junghyun and quickly turned away.

He must be a Special Forces agent.

He knew that Woojoo and Junghyun were on the same team.

He pointed at Hanjo.

“Number 7.”

“Trainee Number 7, Lee Hanjo!”

“You jump in just like Number 8 did.”

“Yes!”

Hanjo jumped in and the instructor smoothly and swiftly laid him down on the floor.

“Wow…!”

They clapped.

The instructor smiled as if to say ‘That’s how it’s done!’

“How was that? Wasn’t the instructor cool?”

“Very cool!”

“From now on, we’ll do a simple self-defense and restraint technique practice in pairs of two.”

They paired up and practiced.

Hanjo was paired with the instructor because they were an odd number, and Woojoo practiced with Junghyun.

“Junghyun, I’m going to use the technique.”

“Okay. Go ahead.”

“Here I go. Hiiiiyak…!”

“…?”

He was supposed to fall, but he didn’t.

“Fall down!”

“Hyung. Did you use your strength?”

Woojoo felt a surge of emotion.

“…Not everyone can be as strong as you, Junghyun.”

“You’re surprisingly weak, Hyung.”

“You’re the strong one.”

They continued the close combat training.

The instructor walked around and gave them guidance. He seemed to be coming their way, so he tried to sync up with Junghyun.

Swoosh.

He slid past them like a snake.

“Why did he pass us?”

“I know, right?”

“Oh, he’s coming this time. He’s coming.”

“I’ll get ready, Hyung.”

They tried to match their close combat moves again.

Swish.

This time, he passed by faster and went to another place, saying ‘That’s right!’

Seeing him avoid them in every way, their eldest brother Lee Pilseung smiled from nearby.

“Instructor!”

“What is it, Trainee?”

“I’m good at the basics, but I want to learn some more advanced skills.”

“Hmm… That’s not a bad idea.”

The instructor said he would show them a new skill and everyone gathered around.

The broadcasters quickly set the mood and whispered ‘Take him, take him’ when it was time.

Instructor Viper chuckled as if he had figured out the situation.

“I know what you trainees are up to.”

“…?”

Instructor Viper raised his hand to his waist and said to the uncle and idols with innocent expressions, “Don’t you want to see me fight with Trainee Number 8 again?”

“No!”

“I can tell by your eyes.”

Everyone laughed slyly and said ‘Yeah’. Instructor Viper nodded.

“Good. Let’s try it one more time.”

“Wow…!”

“Number 8, come out.”

“Yes!”

“Well, you don’t have to be nervous in front of the instructor. You have a lot of experience, and you won’t lose unless you suddenly use some weird skills like in an action movie.”

What did they call this in the movies?

It was like watching a scene in a war movie where someone looked at a picture of their lover and said ‘I’m going to marry you when I get back’.

As Woojoo warmed up, Min Taewon suggested with a relaxed expression.

“How about a bet while we’re at it…”

“Do you think it’s funny because the instructor is smiling?”

“No!”

“Get a grip.”

Everyone swallowed their saliva and stood still. He relaxed his stern expression and looked at the camera.

Of course, it would have been impossible to make such a joke if it had been real training.

He took into account that it was for the fun of the show and asked Instructor Viper, “Good. But that’s only if you win. What are you going to do if Trainee Number 8 loses here?”

“…”

“PT one hour extra.”

“Ah…”

“Who ‘ah’ed? It just became an hour and ten minutes.”

‘How about this!’ Instructor Viper, who was hot, looked at the members with a gloomy face and turned his eyes to Woojoo.

“Trainee.”

“Trainee Number 8, Seon Woojoo.”

“Trainee, if by any chance, you achieve some results in the confrontation with the instructor, I will judge that you won the bet.”

“Yes!”

“Well… Do you want anything?”

Woojoo glanced at the members around him. He quickly thought of what they would like.

“Then a little break…”

“No break. You came here to train, didn’t you?”

“Then I want to eat some cool ice cream.”

Everyone said ‘Oh’ and reacted as if that was it.

It was probably because they had been rolling around in the hot weather, and they didn’t have much chance to eat something sweet and cool.

Instructor Viper snickered.

“That’s not too hard. Well, if the trainee wins the bet… I’ll buy the production staff ice cream too.”

“…!”

The production staff behind the camera started cheering ‘Seon Woojoo! Seon Woojoo!’

“Well, no need for long talk.”

Instructor Viper, who had distanced himself from Woojoo, scratched the floor with his foot.

Then he snapped his fingers with a scary expression as if he was going to overpower him.

“Let’s try to overpower the instructor. Trainee.”

Police Special Forces cafeteria.

Han Byungchul, aka Instructor ‘Viper’, was looking at his wallet with a sullen face.

Viper: Sigh…

Meanwhile, the trainees were busy rummaging through the ice cream section of the cafeteria.

Faces full of enthusiasm.

The drill instructor yelled at the top of his lungs.

Instructor: Who bought this 2,500 won ice cream? Put it down!

Junghyun: (Sulking)

Instructor: Why can’t you just buy one Twin Bar each and share it, huh?

Everyone: (laughing)

He screamed desperately, but no one was afraid of him.

His fierceness during training was gone, and the trainees ignored him as he became gloomy in a corner.

His expression after returning to society from the Special Forces.

Production team: Are you short of money?

Instructor: (tears)

Production Team: Then we’ll get you something cheap.

Now even the production team joined them in rummaging through the ice cream.

The drill instructor shivered as he looked at the sky.

While everyone was distracted and raiding the freezer, Woojoo quietly approached him.

Instructor: What is it?

Woojoo: (Mouthing “be quiet”)

Instructor: ?

Woojoo carefully took out his card from his pocket and handed it to the drill instructor.

Instructor: This…?

Woojoo: Let’s split it half and half. Sir.

Instructor: (touched)

As if nothing had happened, Woojoo went back to picking ice cream diligently, while the drill instructor felt a lump in his throat as he held the card.

He forgot who made him this way.

A moment later.

Lee Pilseung: Woojoo, thanks!

Park Hobeom: I’ll enjoy it.

Woojoo: Bon appetit!

The scene of the members leisurely savoring their ice cream was like an homage to the movie where the prisoners drank cold beer on the roof.

And then.

The screen changed and the drill instructor in black suit smiled in the studio.

Instructor: I joined New Black’s fan club that day.

Writer: (laughter)

Instructor: Why are you laughing? It’s true.

He showed his phone screen with the ‘regular member’ mark, which he had upgraded himself, and the production team burst into laughter.

His nickname was ‘Choe Kangincheon Drill Instructor’.

After the second day of training with ice cream.

They started the real practice on the third day. It was time to test what they had learned so far.

The Tactical Team 3 guided them.

“…”

A door that opened like in a classroom, with a handle on both sides.

In front of it, they wore black suits with bulletproof vests, and empty guns.

Everyone wore masks and helmets, so they couldn’t see their faces, but they were tense.

It was time to check the results of their training.

-Bring me the money!

The role of the hostage-taker was the drill instructor from Team 2, who had nothing to do.

He shouted and caused a ruckus in the classroom.

The setting was that he had taken the students hostage, but instead of students, there were drawing boards.

The squad leader, the eldest Lee Pilseung, spoke into the radio.

“One hostage-taker confirmed inside the classroom. He seems mentally unstable. Infiltration team on standby.”

Soon the radio came back.

-Enter.

With the permission of the Special Forces commander, Lee Pilseung looked at them, and they all nodded.

Then he raised his hand with a black glove.

He spread his five fingers and folded them one by one, like a countdown.

“…Police!”

It was a bit clumsy because they were amateurs, but they successfully subdued the hostage-taker.

“Clear!”

“Clear!”

The scene of them securing their positions and shouting ‘clear’ after taking over the main points was captured by the camera.

The Special Forces member from the Tactical Team 3, who was the supervisor, gave them the score.

“Infiltration team. Well done.”

“Thank you!”

“There are a few things that need improvement. If you enter like you just did, you’re practically asking the hostage-taker to shoot you. When you enter, the most important thing is…”

He gave them some feedback, but not too harshly.

He seemed to be impressed by how much they had changed in just three days.

“Phew…”

They all took off their helmets and masks, and their hair was soaked as if they had dipped it in water.

Min Taewon proudly showed off his red head and laughed.

“Wow, the Special Forces are not called special for nothing.”

Woojoo said as he went down the stairs with his helmet on his side, “At first, I was happy to wear cool equipment. But running with this on is really…”

“Me too. I felt like I couldn’t breathe.”

Everyone nodded at Hanjo’s words.

They wore bulletproof vests that weighed over 6kg on top of their black uniforms, and masks and helmets on top of that. It was hard to breathe even if they moved one step.

Fortunately, the guns they carried were lighter than the K2 rifles used by the military.

The magazines were empty, but…

Even Junghyun wiped the sweat from his neck.

“I asked earlier, and they said the equipment weighs almost 20kg when they go out for real incidents.”

“Phew…”

“20kg? This is already killing me. How do they run with that?”

Everyone stuck out their tongues.

It was a unit where Special Forces veterans came in, so the training was hellish.

And if real equipment and variables like terrorists or hostage situations were added…

“…”

They had a moment of gratitude for the Special Forces who worked hard every night so they could sleep peacefully.

After finishing the morning training.

In the afternoon, they had a training that they could enjoy watching.

“Hello.”

The police officers greeted them in front of the training ground.

“Wow…!”

“Wow. They look so majestic.”

“Look at their eyes. They’re so bright.”

They admired the animals that the police officers held by the leash.

Fluffy fur.

Pointy snout.

A huge body as big as an elementary school student.

Two German shepherds were sticking out their tongues and panting.

Everyone showed great interest in their cute appearance.

“What’s your name?”

“What do you mean, what’s your name, Hyung? He might have a higher rank than you.”

“Is that so? Sir?”

Someone’s joke made them laugh for a moment.

They didn’t touch the police dogs directly, but just admired them and said ‘cute’.

When a burly man in his 40s appeared, they all stood up straight.

He was the head of the Detection Unit that handled the explosive detection dogs.

“These guys are first of all.”

His sharp eyes scanned us all.

“They are not dogs.”

No?

“Then…”

“They are canines.”

“…”

“They are canines, not dogs.”

Someone who muttered ‘dog canine?’ ran to get a stick.

The head of the Detection Unit said, “They are not dogs, because they have a special purpose. These guys are explosive detection canines, and they perform missions at major facilities like airports or important events.”

“Canines…?”

“That’s right.”

He had a strangely addictive way of speaking.

He introduced the canines.

“These two are both males, and the one on the left is Jeongbok.”

“Jeongbok.”

“The one on the right is Jigu.”

“Jigu.”

Everyone nodded and reacted that their names were cute.

The head of the Detection Unit said with a grim face.

“There used to be Manse too, but he went ahead.”

They all stopped breathing.

“I adopted him after I retired.”

“…”

“He eats so well that his food costs more than my daughter’s tuition.”

They were shocked.

As everyone sighed in relief, the police officers behind the leader nodded as if they were familiar with his way of speaking.

“Basically, detecting explosives is a job for humans, but it’s a game for them.”

He explained the basic principle of the detection dogs.

There were several cans, and one of them contained explosives.

If they found the explosives, they were trained to sit there. Then the person would reward them for doing a good job.

“That’s why it’s important to play with them well while training. It’s like playing with a person for them.”

He called the officers to show a demonstration.

Soon, the training began.

When the detection dog found the explosives in the can and sat there panting, the person said, ‘Good job! Good job! Kiyahoo!’

“They don’t understand human words. That’s why you have to raise your voice tone like that so they know it’s a compliment.”

The shepherd was excited by the officer’s shout of ‘Kiyahoo!’ and ran around.

“Don’t laugh. You’ll do it later too.”

“…”

After they applauded the officers for their hot performance.

They decided to try a simple disc throwing first.

When he said to bring out the person who was best at physical activities, Woojoo was automatically pushed forward.

The shepherd ‘Jeongbok’ looked at the disc in Woojoo’s hand with sparkling eyes.

“Throw it. He likes it.”

“Yes!”

Woojoo took a stance and threw the disc with a whoosh!

The leader, who had been grumpy, had a glint in his eyes as he watched the disc fly smoothly.

Woof!

The shepherd ran like crazy and everyone said ‘Wow’ as they followed the disc’s trajectory.

Screech!

The disc rotated counterclockwise and the shepherd stopped abruptly.

“It’s coming back…”

“What? Is it a boomerang?”

“The dog is flustered, right?”

The disc Woojoo threw was coming back to him.

Without knowing what to do, he reached out his hand to the disc that was coming back with a whoosh! and it wrapped around his right hand.

As he stopped with his hand outstretched, the air around him also stopped.

“…”

As Woojoo rolled his eyes to look around, everyone burst into laughter.

Only the shepherd in front of him looked up at him and tilted his head.

It was like he was saying ‘What? What is it?’

As everyone laughed uproariously, the leader smiled kindly and patted Woojoo’s shoulder.

“Let’s go.”

The laughter of the people grew louder.