The second day of MT.
Morning came; along with a bunch of bizarre sounds came from the tents.
“Kkeueung, kkeung.”
“Heuheoheoheoheok!”
“Ma…my thigh.”
Pain resulted from the aftermath of yesterday’s running.
Even with the pain occurring during the event, it was nothing comparable to the muscle ache of the following day!
“All rise. It’s morning!”
The professors each went around the tents to wake everyone up.
With eyes so narrowed due to the sleepiness, they moved to wash their faces and hurried to prepare breakfast.
Each group nodded their heads grandly at their meals.
Due to the troubles of yesterday, they simply had ramen because they didn’t have the will to cook the materials otherwise; today, there was a wide range of food.
Chigeulchigeul. (sizzles)
Grilling pork, and also opened a bottle of cider.
“Can I drink the Soju?”
Some students asked the professors with hoarse breath.
Drinking in the morning is not condoned during an MT!
The professors delightfully allowed.
“Go ahead! Drink and see if you can withstand today’s training of hell!”
They withered and returned the Soju back to the box once again.
In Lee Hyun’s group, he used the leftover materials to boil stew; along with a side dish of seasoned premature leaf mustard kimchi.
He steamed the rice in a sotdanji until thick smoke evaporated, till the rice seemingly burnt, then they were allowed to eat. (???it’s like a flat kettle of a pan.)
“Hyeong, this food is really is the best!”
Choi Sang-jung gave it two thumbs up.
Min Sura also slurped down the meal and asked.
“Where did you learn to cook like this?”
It has long been settled that the ideal men are those that can make appealing dishes.
If you can cook day by day particularly for a woman, she can’t be helped but fall in love with you.
So from that standpoint, learning how to cook is a virtue of a man!
“My cooking skill rises over the years at home. It has been more than a decade already.”
“So you cooked since childhood? And the qualities are so high.”
“There are circumstances. And I learned more specific dishes in Royal Road.”
In Royal Road, there was a separate cooking skill. But simply relying on that could not lead to a finished dish from beginning to end.
In reality, even with just the improper adjustment of water in the rice cooker, the damage is enormous. At that point it’s either to turn into porridge or throw it away completely.
Practicing in Royal Road helped reduce these mistakes and even acted as flavor analysis.
Thus, in order copy the taste properly, it required accurately finding the increments in the recipe exactly.
Lee Hyun studied such recipes for days.
Given that the various parts in the recipe in virtual reality did not transliterate precisely out in the real world.
After having finished breakfast, the hell’s training started again!
“Group lunges. Just 300 meters worth.”
“Uoooooooooooooo.”
After the professor’s words, the students’ grievances were enormous.
With cramps in their legs at one point or another, they forcibly lunged for 300 meters.
In fact, the length of it wasn’t that long so it ended quickly.
“Today wasn’t bad. Didn’t even take more than 20 mins.”
“The professors also have consciences, huh.”
“I want to go back to sleeping more soundly.”
The students’ conversations were a bit relaxed.
Then as if to instilled more resentment, a professor spoke.
“Is the warm up exercise done?”
Since they overly abused their muscles during yesterday’s run, this warm up was to release the pent up tension in their muscles!
The real hell on this training schedule was the coming boat ride.
Eight people riding at once on the wooden boat.
“The rule is simple. One lap around the island paddling your boat.”
Since the professors won’t be able to keep an eye on everyone, they all were enclosed in life vests.
They also rented fishing boats to hover around, to watch out for any accidents that could occur.
Lee Hyun examined the detail of the boat.
‘The boat’s pretty old. Think it’s about 10 years old or so. I don’t have any experience on boats, let’s give it a try.’
Lee Hyun tried to reach for the oars and Choi Sang-jung grabbed hold of them first.
“Hyeong, let me do this.”
“Are you sure?”
“Yea, you get some rest. You can take over once I’m weary.”
Choi Sang-jung was feeling sorry about having left Lee Hyun to endure alone until now.
While the other groups suffered, it was all thanks to Lee Hyun that their current lifestyle was comfortable.
“Kkeungcha!” (exerting force)
Choi Sang-jung rowed.
Kkulreong.
“Huh?”
Kkulreongkkulreong.
With each row, the boat staggered aimlessly. Fortunately, the boat was surprisingly sturdier than it looked.
“Left, go left!”
“Ah! The waves are coming this way!”
The waves were pushing against them at the opposite flow instead of their intended one lap around the island.
Every time the waves came, it rocked the boat back and forth and slowing their speed to a crawl.
Choi Sang-jung and Park Sunjo alternately rowed the boat for more than 40 minutes.
Suddenly, their backs were drenched in sweats.
“Wanna switch to me?”
“Yes, hyeong.”
Park Sunjo got up from the seat and switched to Lee Hyun.
Lee Hyun gripped the oar in both hands tightly. And stirred.
Kkulreong!
The distortion between the forces he exerted and that of Choi Sang-jung was too much!
The boat skewed for a bit before realigned itself.
It was difficult due to the fact one had to take into account of the incoming waves as they row.
‘Not easy.’
Lee Hyun relaxed himself.
He figured it’d cost more power if he had try to force against the flow. He adjusted his strength accordingly so he wouldn’t get tired quickly.
After all, the paddle was simply an extension of the arms.
‘It’s like brandishing the sword to a flow. No point to go against that.’
Lee Hyun rowed the oar as he felt the pushing force against the water.
He accepted the oncoming waves fully and allowed it to slip by.
After which he once again puts reasonable force into each paddle.
Seureureureureureong.
While not a too overwhelming row, the ship moved forward with ease.
Without distorting the boat, it wasn’t being pushed back.
It was nothing comparable to the experienced fishermen, but the boat’s advancement was in a different dimension comparing to when Choi Sang-jung and Park Sunjo did it.
Choi Sang-Jung curiously asked.
“Hyeong, have you done sailing before?”
Of course, Lee Hyun had never been on another boat before. They were something beyond his reach.
Though there is a possibility if it was a shrimping boat. Though it’s kind of like the worse case scenario of a job.
“I have the feel of the paddle.”
“Huh?”
To Lee Hyun it was an easy answer; but since that philosophical sentence was built off of his numerous experiences as he suffered, it wasn’t for others.
If you don’t endure physical labor then you’ll suffer when experiencing it.
Such as working hard shoveling. After a period of tremendous effort, it becomes easier as one get well accustom to it.
The boat moved along soothingly whenever Lee Hyun paddled.
This island of unspoiled nature and wide blue sea!
While doing the lap, they were able to take in the scenery Silmido had to offer.
Afterward, it was lunch. Then followed by the sport competition.
The students were still tired and exhausted, but the heat from the sun remained strong.
Due to the view of the sea and the taste of fresh air, unexpected vitality arose from within all the students.
A gift from nature.