Read Online The Shadow of Arms by Hwang Sok-Yong - Free Book Online Page A

anymore. At any rate, he had escaped, hadn’t he? Someday when he returned to civilian life, some night when he got good and drunk, his experiences in those days might return to haunt his dreams. Or, would he try hard to recall those days when his body becomes too exhausted even to dream them anymore? Yong Kyu looked out the window. A Phantom was taking off with an ear-splitting roar. The Jeep was threading its way through the crowd and the bicycles.
    â€œYour driving is amazing,” Yong Kyu said.
    â€œIt cost me twenty boxes of C-rations to learn this.”
    â€œWho taught you?”
    â€œNobody. I learned on my own. Once I drove through a house and another time I ran over a guy. I used rations to settle the survivors’ claims.”
    The Jeep halted in front of the air force PX. It was quitting time for the employees, so the front gate was congested. Two guards, a male and a female, were conducting body searches on those leaving the PX. The MPs on duty were checking bags and bundles. Blue Jacket Kang exchanged a knowing bow with them and went inside. In back of the PX, in huge galvanized sheet metal Quonset huts, there were several warehouses and office compounds. An American staff sergeant emerging from the security office shouted a greeting as he ran into Kang.
    â€œHi, Sergeant Kang, nice to see you. I tried to call you. A little problem’s come up.”
    â€œWhat is it?”
    â€œCome on in.”
    Inside the guard office they found a Korean marine in a neat jungle uniform. A Vietnamese civilian was sitting next to him and a Vietnamese policeman was also there. When he saw them, the Korean soldier moved to stand up. Blue Jacket Kang glanced quickly around the office, spotted a torn box under their feet and looked inside. It was full of green cigarette cartons.
    â€œWhere’s your unit?”
    â€œI’m at Brigade, sir.”
    â€œSon of a bitch, what the hell are you doing here, then? You’re AWOL, aren’t you?” Kang asked sharply.
    â€œNo, sir. I came to pick up these goods.”
    â€œDo you know what time it is now?”
    â€œPlease, pull me out this once, sir.”
    â€œYou’re under Master Sergeant Pak, aren’t you? When did you come here?”
    â€œIt’s been two weeks, sir.”
    â€œBastard, been here only two weeks and already cheating on your superiors behind their backs . . . did you take the money?”
    â€œI did, but these bastards . . .”
    The soldier turned toward the Americans. Kang nodded. Then he called the American sergeant who seemed to be the head guard and talked with him for some time. He seemed to be signing some sort of receipt for the transfer of custody.
    â€œYou, over here.”
    The soldier, his head hanging, walked across the room and stood before Blue Jacket Kang.
    â€œHow many times have you done this?”
    â€œToday was the first time, sir.”
    â€œHow did you buy the Salems?”
    â€œI increased the quantity by altering the shipping documents.”
    â€œYou son of a bitch, don’t lie to me. Who did you buy it from? How much mark-up did you pay?”
    The soldier was silent.
    â€œListen, bastard, if you want to help yourself at all, use your brain and don’t disgrace yourself in public. How dare you profiteer right in front of our noses when everybody else is fighting for their lives in the middle of an offensive? Son of a bitch, thanks to your good connections you wrangled an assignment to the PX at brigade headquarters and within two weeks you open up shop to do business? Hey, Corporal Ahn, take a good look at this bastard.”
    Kang pointed at the soldier with his ballpoint pen. Then he went on.
    â€œOne report from me and you’ll never be coming back to Da Nang to pick up the goods. For thirty cartons of Salems, at a buck-fifty a carton, you must have paid forty-five dollars.”
    â€œNo, sir. I paid sixty dollars.”
    â€œWho did the extra