I Have Returned, but I Cannot Lay down My Gun

Chapter 481

Sure, here's the translation of the chapter:

“It’s funny how the story we started just to joke around has grown this big.”

“No, hey! Why are we being dragged into this again?!”

“Didn’t they say ‘the more the merrier’? Why don’t we all just enjoy it together?”

“Hotteok, if I had some ridiculously long arms that could reach all the way to Bucheon, I’d strangle you to death.”

Meanwhile, in Korea at 2 AM.

As usual, the “Ugly Crew” that Harmonie, Hotteok, Limit, and Kim Stone were often a part of, got a bombshell dropped on them. The reason was simple. Due to Hotteok’s donation, they suddenly found themselves invited to join a late Hawaii trip.

Still, Hotteok wasn’t entirely without excuses. One of the rules of the group’s chat and voice chat was “Share the good with yourself, but share the hard times with everyone,” and besides that, it was actually Eugene who first invited everyone to Hawaii.

Of course, dragging Limit and Stone into this was entirely Hotteok’s fault.

“Anyway, I’m trying to think positively, as long as nothing urgent comes up. I don’t have any sponsorships this week or next week, and the streamer competition isn’t for another three weeks.”

“Ah, when you put it that way, I’m starting to feel tempted too. But when I think about it, is there even anything to do there? Won’t we just go there, shoot some guns, and come back?”

“Guys, that’s not a vacation, that’s a training camp.”

The thing making the three of them hesitate was the possibility that they might have to undergo training.

Actually, it wasn’t even a matter of “maybe.” It was going to happen. It wasn’t a matter of probability. When considering the lineup of Eugene, Loren, Harmonie, and Dice, even the idea of a “tropical paradise” would inevitably turn into something else. It was more likely to become a “training camp” location rather than a vacation spot.

The thing was, Eugene hadn’t really said much about what they were going to do there—like what they’d actually be doing once they got there. So, lacking that information, they had to imagine it themselves, and their imagination ran wild with endless possibilities.

Besides that, there was something else:

“And besides, just because we don’t have a schedule doesn’t mean we can just leave for Hawaii at a whim. You guys aren’t cursed wanderers with no sense of responsibility.”

“Exactly, that’s why we’re having this discussion—whether to go or not.”

“Come on, don’t you think it’d be fine if only Hotteok and Limit go, not me? Ah, fine. Stop looking at me like that! You guys are seriously terrible!”

Zing.

Naturally, as soon as those words came out of Kim Stone’s mouth, sharp glares shot out from the others. The look in their eyes was unmistakable: “Read the atmosphere.” There was no escaping it. Kim Stone was also planning to participate in the streamer competition in three weeks.

Even if the Hawaii trip turned into a training camp… would it be all that bad? Hotteok and Limit had already come to this conclusion, and there was no way Kim Stone was getting out of it.

Anyway, aside from that, they absolutely had to find out what they were going to do when they got there.

Since Hotteok was the one who brought it up, it was also up to him to take responsibility.

Just ten seconds after that, Hotteok called Eugene for a private voice chat.

“…Ah, yes. Hello, sir. It’s been a long time. I’m the one who donated earlier, Hotteok. I just wanted to check—if we do go to Hawaii, we won’t just be shooting guns, right…?”

“I think I now understand exactly how you see me from that last comment.”

“Sir! I didn’t say anything like that!”

“Neither did I!”

A quick severance.

In the blink of an eye, Hotteok was left hanging, while Limit and Stone rushed over to Eugene, attaching themselves to him and waiting for the inevitable verdict. However, it only took a few seconds before Eugene burst out laughing and added:

“Well, of course, there will be some shooting involved, but do you think we’ll just go there and do nothing but shoot guns? The majority of the trip will probably be like a normal tropical vacation. We’ll be snorkeling, playing on the beach, surfing… you know, the usual tropical tourist activities.”

“Oh, I see. That’s a relief.”

“So, you three, including Hotteok, right? Once we get everyone’s input, let me know. I’ll send you round-trip flight tickets to Hawaii.”

“Wait, what?”

Round-trip?

At that moment, the eyes of the three people, who had been listening carefully to Eugene’s words, grew as wide as lanterns. They were sure that they’d only get one-way tickets and were already ready to be grateful for that, but suddenly, they had been struck by the surprising fortune of getting round-trip tickets.

But that wasn’t all.

“The room on the left side of the suite where we’ll be staying is free. It’ll be more than enough to accommodate the three of you. I’ll book it for about a week, so just pack your bags and come.”

“…Wait, what? Did I hear that right?”

“I’m inviting busy people, so booking isn’t a problem. Once you’ve decided who’s coming, please let me know as soon as possible. To be honest, there’s no need to pack, but that’s not something I’m involved with.”

Squeak.

The moment those words reached their ears, the three people in the room almost had to force their necks to move, as if they were machines that hadn’t been lubricated in years. It was impossible to comprehend. It was beyond their imagination.

Moreover, these were people who hadn’t had much of a schedule aside from streaming for the past week or two, so Hotteok, Limit, and Stone began to feel a slight pang in their stomachs.

“…Should we start pretending to be busy now?”

“I still have a triangle of conscience in my heart.”

“I think I’m going crazy…”

Of course, there were still many more absurdities to come.

Among them was the fact that Hotteok, Limit, and Stone were about to be put through extensive shooting practice once they arrived in Hawaii, and so the two of them were already laughing at the idea that even Kim Stone would have to go through basic training in Hawaii.

After a few minutes, the three of them, now completely enchanted by the unbelievable Hawaii package, took a deep breath and added:

“…I guess there’s no reason not to go. I’m definitely going.”

“From now on, my schedule is just the airport.”

“Ugh… I’m going too. But what should I do? I’ve gained some weight recently, and I don’t have a swimsuit that fits…”

“No way, Stone. Did you gain weight again? What excuse are you going to make this time? Did you gain weight because of the harvest season in October, or is it because you’ve been snacking too much after Chuseok?”

“You sent me three Hanwoo beef sets on Chuseok, you jerk, and that’s why I gained weight!”

Eugene chuckled as he watched the chaos unfold, and in no time, the voice chat was filled with rustling noises as everyone excitedly rummaged through their wardrobes.

Soon after, Eugene added:

“Alright, then let’s meet in two days, looking healthy.”

Click.

In that moment, the scale of the Hawaii trip grew unexpectedly.

“Today’s additional shooting is as planned, but the mock battle is canceled. Those three are coming to Hawaii in a day or two.”

“...They’re really coming? For real?”

“Eugene, maybe content creation is your true calling after all…”

“Haha.”

It might not have been entirely wrong.

It was the morning of the second day in Hawaii.

“Greetings, everyone. It’s pretty hot today. Normally, I’d greet you inside the building, but due to a schedule change, the mock battle unfortunately won’t be happening. But I’m sure none of you are unhappy about that. If you are, feel free to come to Hawaii.”

Interpretation: Those who are dissatisfied will be turned into target practice.

Oh, we’re just thankful for you streaming for us. Thank you, thank you^^

Hey, when the teacher holds the machine gun and says stuff like that, hahaha…

Police, officer, this guy’s actually holding a gun and threatening us!!

Man, seriously hahahaha

Click.

On the outdoor shooting range in Hawaii, under the large folding canopy, a MG338 machine gun lay on the ground. Pulling the handle connected to the linked ammo in the opposite direction would automatically load the gun. This was one of its unique loading methods.

Fortunately, the machine guns prepared for the day’s shooting had no legal issues. Moreover, the MG338 in this world was slowly being replaced by better models, so obtaining one wasn’t a big problem. It was a relief that this was the year 2036.

At any rate, they’d spent quite a bit of money on all this, but there was no major issue. Those with FFL and SOT were lucky. Of course, when I went to America, it wasn’t that hard to buy or make those kinds of guns either.

“There are a few things like this South African machine gun, which cost several thousand dollars for each one. But luckily, today, we’ll be able to show you some machine gun shooting without any problems. And this MG338 is a machine gun I used often during my active duty.”

“Heh, I never thought I’d see the youngest holding that thing again all the way in Hawaii.”

“…Anyway, today, we won’t be aiming at distant targets. We’ll focus on hitting close-range targets. I’ll mix in some tracer rounds so the viewers can easily follow the trajectory.”

Today, Loren and Eugene would go first in shooting.

Unlike Harmonie and Dice, who would be lying down to shoot, Loren also picked up the machine gun, which was quietly placed on the ground. In this case, the side handle was more convenient, and Loren preferred it, so both models of guns were very similar in that regard.

With a “tick” sound, a green laser shot out. It wasn’t an infrared laser. They couldn’t use those since the viewers wouldn’t be able to see them. After quickly switching to burst mode with her thumb, Loren gently lifted the gun. Far away, she spotted a target moving left and right.

With the sound of a siren, everyone else but Loren and Eugene took a step back. It was just a precaution in case of any unforeseen situation.

A few seconds later,

???Tukakakakakang!

Dozens of Magnum bullets flew out of the gun’s barrel.

The sound of it echoed from far away, proving that the moving target was becoming nothing more than rags. She had fired dozens of rounds with this gun, and all the zeroing and adjustment data were already in her mind.

The 75-round belt attached to the side of the machine gun was quickly emptied. By forcing the recoil down and distributing it, the shot grouping was so precise that it was almost a work of art, visible beyond the LPVO crosshair. She was relieved that her skills hadn’t rusted. The zeroing was perfect.

Once the ammo belt was empty, Eugene raised the barrel vertically and kneeled down, grabbing a new belt. The “click” of it being loaded was heard as the handle passed through the chamber. After pulling it back — “click.”

The second round of shooting was ready.

Another massive boom rang out.

“Ugh.”

“No matter how many times I see it, I still don’t get it. How could that skinny body have any muscle?”

“Did she always do that?”

“Hm? Of course. Whenever Loren would go to the shooting range, everyone would be craning their necks to watch her.”

Man, she’s shooting like a pro hahaha

If I tried doing that in America, it’d cost me so much money to fire, I envy her hahaha

Look at the recoil, not even a flinch

Man, they’re like a different species hahaha

The only people who could make Rambo look like a rookie hahaha

Dice, sitting on a chair behind Eugene and Loren, turned to Laik and struggled to ask in English. The expected answer came back, and the scene vividly appeared in his mind. Although he had never seen it in person, it felt like he could clearly picture the image.

She watched like a giraffe. Though she had never seen it in person, somehow, she could vividly picture the scene in her head. Even she was starting to feel a sense of awe, watching the two figures remain completely still amidst the massive, billowing gunpowder smoke and the ferocious flames that shot up.

But that wasn’t all. Harmonie and Dice were scheduled to take their turns much later, and before that… the two “awakened” individuals’ extraordinary feats—or rather, their display of skill—would take place first.

And just as expected,

“…Eugene just picked up some ridiculously massive gun.”

“That’s the 50-caliber machine gun, right?”

“Not even a hip fire, but he’s holding it and shooting it like that—”

–––Boom!

The sound wasn’t so much a gunshot as it was an ear-splitting noise that sounded as though a divine punishment was descending from the heavens. On the drone cam’s screen, a massive amount of dirt erupted, far beyond what had happened earlier.

Naturally, Eugene didn’t even flinch. Out of all the countless handheld 50-caliber machine gun videos scattered across YouSpace, even the muscular bodies of large people were often shown being forcefully pushed backward, and even when they did shoot, the idea of achieving a proper shot grouping was virtually impossible.

But Eugene was pulling it off.

“Damn.”

“With that kind of strength, he could probably handle a minigun or a KPV too…”

“Do you think he could shoot a GAU-19, a 50-caliber minigun?”

“It’s a shame I can’t refute that.”

What in the world is that hahaha
I get that he’s shooting with that thing, but he’s not even putting in any effort, just casually firing off rounds like it’s nothing. How is that even possible, seriously hahaha
I’m sorry!! I didn’t do anything wrong, but I’ll apologize anyway!!!!!!!!!!!
Oh, next thing you know, he’ll be shooting a 105mm cannon hahaha
Stop enforcing discipline! We were wrong! Stop enforcing discipline! We were wrong! Stop enforcing discipline! We were wrong! Stop enforcing discipline! We were wrong!
Of course, this was just the beginning.

The gunfire still echoed in Hawaii.

As the day wore on, the scene became more intense. Eugene and Loren’s displays were only the beginning, and the other members of the team couldn’t help but be drawn into the excitement. The combination of strength, precision, and sheer firepower was a sight to behold, and it was clear that this training camp had just started to ramp up to something extraordinary.