Ch.30Pure Evil

How many times had the hill changed hands?

Twenty? Thirty? At some point, I even forgot that I should be counting.

How many more people have to die before this war ends?

The war that was supposed to end quickly grew longer and more unfavorable with the sudden participation of those puppet bastards.

With the arrival of reinforcements again, we were able to reclaim about half of the land.

Is this right?

Everyone who questioned that is now dead.

Why are we fighting this war?

Those who thought like that are dead too.

All that remains are those who hold guns without purpose or will.

Having lost our humanity and strayed from morality, perhaps we’ve been transported to another world.

‘Or maybe it’s hell.’

I stare at the gun I picked up before I even learned how to read.

My parents died, and finally my sister died,

And all that’s left is this single gun.

“Sister, what’s my name?”

Things have gotten so bad that now I’m seeing my sister in this gun.

I want to eat white rice piled high, soaked in rich meat broth.

When will the revolution finally happen?

Crackle!

In the distance, I can see words pouring through the radio.

The one listening is a tin can of a man pretending to be solemn.

Now that all the wise and smart ones are dead,

All we have left are scarecrows who repeat “Great Leader Comrade” over and over.

A dull and stupid commander who isn’t satisfied unless you do exactly 100 when he orders 100,

That’s who sits at the top of our heads.

Yet the reason we can capture the hill is probably

Because there are more of us than there are bullets from those puppet army bastards.

‘In other words, we’re just numbers.’

My unfocused eyes land on the helmet.

I carefully place it on my head, though I doubt it’s even worth wondering if it will stop bullets.

“Listen up, everyone! The liberated homeland is near! Move faster!”

What liberated homeland?

Does such a thing even exist?

I want to ask that, but it’s too late.

To ask such a question,

I’ve come too far.

++++++

Whoosh!

The emotions of the nameless student soldier instantly drain from his body.

‘This is completely different from Lee J’s time.’

While Lee J had hatred, inferiority, and blind faith in talent,

The student soldier had only emptiness and longing for his sister.

Having lost his humanity, forgotten his proper purpose,

With only survival instinct remaining, he was no different from a beast in some ways.

Just as I was understanding the student soldier’s feelings…

“Normally we’d have to do a screen test, but given the time constraints and how good you were at the script reading…”

So is it okay if we just start filming right away?

I nodded at Film Director Kang Sanghun’s words.

“Yes, that’s fine.”

“As expected, having thorough research as a foundation makes you well-prepared.”

“…?”

What is he suddenly talking about?

Seeing my puzzled look, Director Kang continued with a knowing tone.

“Judging by how clean your script is, you must keep your research in a separate notebook. I know many actors like you.”

Director Kang proudly stroked his Guan Yu-style beard and patted my shoulder.

“If you keep this up, you’ll become a truly great actor someday.”

“Ah… thank you for your kind words!”

“Good, get ready.”

Since it seemed like a compliment anyway, I smiled brightly as I answered.

Director Kang, seemingly pleased, returned to his seat.

Being the youngest on set definitely seemed to earn me special consideration.

Glance.

I look down at the script again.

‘The student soldier’s part is about 5 minutes.’

Considering the movie’s running time, this is quite significant.

For an unnamed character, it’s a substantial role.

That means I need to make a considerable impact.

‘In that case.’

I have no choice but to deliver.

+++++

“Cue.”

With the director’s short cue signal,

A sudden tension envelops the filming location.

To portray the horrors of the battlefield,

Even the sound of swallowing is careful now.

“…So they’ve set up camp this close.”

Kim Suha, played by Han Taegeon, the ROK Army reconnaissance team leader trying to recapture Icaro Hill, fixes his gaze on the distant hill.

Swish.

Through his binoculars, he spots North Korean soldiers.

Though their numbers aren’t great, the disadvantageous elevation makes a direct approach difficult.

“Get out what we prepared.”

At Kim Suha’s words, the soldiers behind him pull out North Korean uniforms.

On hills that changed hands countless times, supplies belonged to no single side.

“Fire when I give the signal.”

“It’s too dangerous.”

“If it’s dangerous, should we not do it?”

No one can respond to that.

There were too many situations where they had to risk their lives.

Perhaps that’s why even those lives felt too light now.

Despite knowing the danger, there was no trembling.

“I’m going.”

Kim Suha, now changed into a North Korean uniform, makes his way toward the North Korean position.

Each step is heavy.

The moment he’s discovered, he’ll die instantly.

Imagining bullet holes in his body, he runs straight toward the position.

Then suddenly, he locks eyes with a young boy.

‘What’s this kid?’

Empty eyes.

He sees a boy looking down at him with eyes full of emptiness.

A gloomy face visible despite the tightly pressed helmet.

Rather than feeling pity that such a young boy was dragged to the battlefield,

He felt a deep fear at facing this horrific killing machine created by war.

It was just a moment of eye contact, but Kim Suha felt profound terror.

So he ran. Feeling that he couldn’t predict what might happen if he looked longer,

He ran to escape from that boy’s sight.

“No! What happened? Is, is the radio broken?”

“What are you talking about?”

“I ran for so long, but why… huff… huff…”

He disguises his awkward North Korean accent with panting breaths.

“Why were you running?”

While Kim Suha stalls for time, his unit slowly approaches.

Little by little, to get within effective rifle range.

In other words, the longer he could stall, the better.

‘Just a little more, just a little more.’

And at that moment.

“Do they really eat white rice and meat soup in South Korea?”

From behind,

“Please answer me.”

The words of the boy he had just seen slowly continued.

“My one wish is to try that just once.”

“Wh-what?”

“If not you, should I ask those people coming from behind?”

Clatter clatter.

Kim Suha’s eyes widen in shock.

Was I discovered? If so, since when?

‘But why is he just standing there saying nothing if he knows?’

If he knows it’s an infiltration, if he knows I’m stalling for time,

Why isn’t he getting to the point and instead asking strange questions?

“What on earth are you talking about?”

“This bastard is from South Korea.”

At the boy’s calm yet shocking words, everyone is surprised.

A playful tone like a child’s.

But the content was not childish, causing everyone to gradually tense up.

“So please answer me, do they really eat such things in South Korea?”

“Y-you bastard! Why aren’t you telling the truth! State your unit!”

In this tense moment,

Kim Suha’s gaze turns to the boy.

Even as everyone tensed up, the boy was looking at him with a face full of curiosity.

And then he realized.

‘Is that really what he’s curious about?’

Whether they eat rice and meat soup or not, that was this boy’s real concern.

As if he didn’t care what happened around him.

The boy wasn’t even holding his gun.

Rather, he could see him gradually distancing himself.

He was separating himself, knowing the situation would flip.

Without telling anyone,

While those who didn’t understand what was happening were getting excited.

“You bastard! Are you really from South Korea?! Catch him now!”

The thrill of capturing a South Korean prisoner to extract information.

The ambition to gain merit and rise in rank.

These desires visibly emerged as North Korean soldiers began to appear from their holes one by one.

Click click!

Guns are quickly loaded and fingers move unhesitatingly toward triggers when—

Ratatatatata!

Support troops who had approached within effective firing range immediately shower the North Korean soldiers with bullets.

The tide of battle turns in an instant.

As everyone panics and drops to the ground,

Kim Suha sees the boy slowly moving away.

“Are you hurt?”

“Are you okay?! Commander, you’re so brave!”

While his comrades approach from behind with words of encouragement,

Kim Suha’s gaze remains fixed on the back of the boy’s head.

A distance too far to hit with a rifle due to surrounding cover.

Only when he reaches that point does the boy turn around to meet Kim Suha’s eyes,

And asks once more.

‘Is there really white rice and meat soup in the South?’

Watching those soundless lips move,

Kim Suha felt it.

That they would meet again, and in the worst possible way.

That he would forever regret not killing him here.

And the camera immediately shifts from the battlefield to the boy.

The student soldier with his tin helmet pressed down.

In his hands were various supplies.

Things he could have only because his comrades died:

Warm, undamaged clothes, some alcohol, and a few cans of food.

“It’s good that I can eat my fill again today.”

Pure evil was born.

‘Ohhh…’

Director Kang trembled at the sight.

Yes, the 120% performance I’ve been longing for

Was now visibly pulsating before him.

‘An unbelievable intensity.’

But it was also poison.

He could see an unnamed role threatening to consume the entire film.

An unstoppable addiction was about to begin.