It was unbearably hot without the air conditioner during the summer.
I was inside the lab, basking in the air conditioning, when…
“Ugh! This junk computer! It’s crashed again!”
The owner of this lab, Yoo Ji-woo, who had been fiddling with the computer, suddenly yelled.
Pang pang!
He was hitting the main unit.
“For heaven’s sake, give it a rest, you old thing! The deadline’s right around the corner!”
At this point, Yoo Ji-woo should have been using his lab coat as a blanket, taking a nice afternoon nap.
“Will you be responsible if I get an F? Do you want me to feed you carrots? Or how about I sell you off to a mining operation?”
However, Ji-woo was wide awake, wrestling with the computer.
The reason was simple: it was the end-of-term exam period. Ji-woo was in the middle of creating a submission for the exam.
“I beg of you, hold out until the end of this term! You can do this, right?”
It seemed like some help was needed. I put on my gloves and stood in front of the computer.
“Let me give it a try.”
“Eh? You? Even I couldn’t do it.”
The question implied how could someone like a grunt from the Combat Division fix a problem that even the genius engineer Yoo Ji-woo couldn’t solve?
“That said, I do have some confidence in computers.”
But I could handle it.
Who am I, after all? An ex-director of a game company who rose from the bottom, not some mere “Spoon Fairy.” From simple programming to computer repairs, it’s all fine.
Maybe.
Drrrr—
I carefully opened the cover of the case and inspected the internal components.
Pooof—
“What, what is that sound?”
An explosion suddenly went off. Ji-woo, startled, peered inside the computer case.
“Aaaaah! What have you done?!”
“I just fiddled with a few cables.”
“Why is there smoke coming from the power supply? It’s blown up!”
Perhaps it’s the Celestial Power brand… Checking the label, no, it doesn’t seem to be that one.
“Aaah! The graphics card cable melted too!”
“I don’t think that’s my fault.”
“Shut up!”
Anyway, isn’t it just an old computer? It was only going to break sooner or later, right?
Perhaps the computer itself wished to end its life at this point.
Everything comes to an end eventually.
“Now what are we going to do?”
“Why don’t we just send it to a professional repair shop?”
“There’s no time for that with the submission deadline right around the corner!”
Ji-woo was even more furious than when the computer had previously crashed. There’s nothing—not even a sausage bun—that could calm him.
“Hey, it’s been really noisy ever since. Can’t you keep it down? I can’t concentrate otherwise.”
Kang Tae-hoon, who was lying on the sofa playing a game on his smartphone, chimed in.
Ji-woo gritted his teeth.
“Tch. This is my lab, isn’t it? And why do you even enter my bed without asking? Hmm?”
“This junk isn’t even a bed. There’s such a thing as common sense, you know?”
“Ugh, really! Why are there so many people in such a cramped lab! Is this supposed to be a club room?”
Recently, this lab has turned into a neighborhood hangout. Starting with me, there’s Rashid doing push-ups over there, and Kang Tae-hoon who’s sprawled out.
By the way, Kim Han-bit occasionally drops by as well.
“No! That’s not the main issue right now! What about the computer? What are we going to do about it?”
“Just buy a new one.”
Ji-woo frowned at Tae-hoon’s casual suggestion.
“Do you think our ancestors will pay for it? Do you know how expensive computers are these days?”
“Even so, they’re not more expensive than train tickets?”
“You, rich kid, sure know how to talk! And if you’re not going to buy it for me, can you at least shut up…”
At that moment, Ji-woo’s eyes grew wide. It was because of the black card Tae-hoon had just offered.
“What, what is that…?”
“Can’t you see? It’s a credit card. Why aren’t you taking it?”
“Uh uh…”
Suddenly handed the card, Ji-woo became docile in a flash, like a puppy with a piece of gum.
“So… You’re saying to buy a new computer with this?”
“Yeah.”
Coolly responding, Tae-hoon made Ji-woo smile a bit.
“Umm… Up to what extent will that be possible?”
“What are you saying?”
“You see, computers have different tiers. The expensive ones can get really pricey… Especially graphics cards…”
An unexpected chance to get a free computer presented itself. Might as well get a good one if we’re buying a new one anyway.
Ji-woo bent over and gently rubbed his hands together.
“Referencing the one I used—7070—it’s a bit outdated, and so it’s not efficient for work… like before…”
“What’s popular these days?”
The bait was taken. Ji-woo seized this moment to subtly feel out Tae-hoon.
“Recently, the 9000 series is popular… Among them, the 9090 is the best of the best, but it’s not cheap…”
“Then just buy that one.”
Without even needing to probe, Tae-hoon readily gave his approval. For a moment, Ji-woo almost fell backward.
“Is, is this real? Can I really buy the 9090?”
“How many times do I have to say it? Are you asking for trouble? I’m playing a game, so just leave me alone.”
“Yay! Master is the best!”
Ji-woo started running around the lab like a child. Then, he even hopped on Rashid’s back, who was doing planks, and started jumping around.
To note, Rashid didn’t budge at all.
“Do you think that’s okay?”
I approached Tae-hoon and asked.
“What about what?”
“About that.”
I gestured with my chin towards Ji-woo.
“Hehe. There will be a new computer. Should I go with a black concept? Or white?”
Ji-woo even cross-legged sat on Rashid’s back and tapped on a tablet.
He was checking the quotes.
“Forget it. Complaining all day about the broken computer is worse. I can’t stand that buzz in my ears.”
Wow. Someone who has no qualms about spending their own money to shut someone up.
“You’re a pretty good guy.”
“Much better than you who broke someone else’s computer. What a psycho.”
Hmm. True words that are logically impossible to refute.
“Oh yeah.”
At that moment, Ji-woo, who had been checking the computer quote, looked up as if to say something.
“Come to think of it, aren’t you guys preparing for exams? You guys are pretty laid-back.”
True. It’s the final exam period right now.
However, none of the three combat division students gathered here had touched their studies.
Tae-hoon was the first to speak.
“Why bother with elaborate exam preparation when basic skills suffice? I’m too busy gaming.”
He never intended to study in the first place.
Next…
“Ah.”
It seemed Rashid wasn’t the type to obsess over exams either.
And lastly…
“I only need to pass with a C.”
I didn’t even aim for high grades. Just enough to function as a person would suffice.
“No, I don’t mean that exam.”
But Ji-woo shook her head, indicating she wasn’t talking about that.
Then she said:
“The combat division has an exam that needs to be renewed each semester, right? What was it called… Individual Tactical Assessment, wasn’t it?”
“Individual Tactical Assessment?”
The gazes of the three combat division students turned to the young girl. Everyone looked at Ji-woo blankly as if they had never heard of it before.
“Uh…”
Ji-woo gave a puzzled laugh.
“Are you guys really from the combat division?”
—
Individual Tactical Assessment. Now that I think about it, there was something like that.
It’s not all that grand. Simply put, it’s an added exam subject.
–Phew! Barely managed to avoid a C.
This is the indoor training center. Specifically, in the Sync Room section. Many combat division students were already taking their evaluations.
“Hey. I’ll let it slide for me and that kid, since we’re freshmen, but how can you not know this? Are you really a troublemaker?”
Getting called a troublemaker by Kang Tae-hoon. But I had nothing to say. It’s true we forgot about the Individual Tactical Assessment.
“Hey, there’s an empty room.”
I ignored it and lightly brushed past, heading into an empty Sync Room. The other two followed.
“Ew! Why is it so hot in here? Turn on the air conditioner quickly!”
The walls of the Sync Room were made of transparent glass panels, allowing a view from outside.
“So, how do we start this evaluation?”
Kang Tae-hoon picked up the training wooden sword available in the Sync Room.
I stood in front of the kiosk installed in the corner.
“Set it up here.”
───
[Practice Mode] ◀
[Record Mode]
[Individual Tactical Assessment (End-of-term Exam Exclusive)]
───
The operation was simple. Just touch the desired tab.
I selected the Individual Tactical Assessment.
───
Individual Tactical Assessment
: Select difficulty level
-D0
-D+
-C0
-C+
-B0
-B+
-A0
-A+
-S
Clearing S difficulty does not count towards actual grading
───
“What? The clearing rank becomes your grade? This is more than enough. This is what exams should be like.”
“Who’s going first?”
“Obviously me.”
Without any hesitation, Kang Tae-hoon chose A+ difficulty.
“Anyway, S doesn’t count for grades, right? So, A+ should be enough, shouldn’t it?”
───
Individual Tactical Assessment
: Selected Difficulty [A+]
: Enter your student ID [ ]
───
Next, Kang Tae-hoon started entering his student ID.
“Is it alright to start with A+? Shouldn’t we gradually work our way up?”
“Why waste energy unnecessarily. Let’s do it in one go.”
What confidence he has. Well, someone like Kang Tae-hoon probably has reason to be so assured.
“I’m going first.”
Shouldering the wooden sword, Kang Tae-hoon entered the training field.
….
…
…
───
Individual Tactical Assessment
: Selected Difficulty [A+]
: Student Information [Combat Division 1st Year Kang Tae-hoon]
: Clear Time [00:08:42]
───
“That’s impressive.”
Kang Tae-hoon casually aced the A+ difficulty. Truly worthy of being second in the entrance exam. His skills were flawless.
“Who’s next?”
“Ah.”
In response to Kang Tae-hoon’s question, Rashid stepped up to the kiosk this time.
….
…
…
───
Individual Tactical Assessment
: Selected Difficulty [A0]
: Student Information [Combat Division 1st Year Rashid Belkalem]
: Clear Time [00:11:37]
───
“Ah.”
Although not as dazzling as Kang Tae-hoon’s performance, Rashid also achieved a high score. A0 placed him in the upper tier.
“It’s my turn now.”
Finally, I stood in front of the kiosk.
I’m not interested in high grades like Kang Tae-hoon or Rashid.
Let’s just aim for a solid B0.
…
…
…
…
───
Individual Tactical Assessment
: Selected Difficulty [B0]
: Student Information [Combat Division 2nd Year Shin Yoon-seong]
: Clear Time [Fail]
───
Dang.
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