LGHTNOVELBOOK Chapter 130
Chapter 130
Returning to the Association, the entire gate floor was quiet.
It was past the end of the workday.
‘This place has a lot of field deployments, so it’s rare for people to stay past closing time.’
In a way, it was convenient.
If no one was around, he could work in peace.
Just as he thought this and was about to head to his seat, a problem arose.
‘…But where is my seat?’
He realized he still hadn’t been shown where his desk was.
Damn.
He didn’t want to call Chulmin just to ask about his seat’s location.
Right then.
As he pondered his next move, the meeting room door opened, and a familiar face appeared.
It was Jung Chulmin.
“Team Leader?”
“Oh, you’re back?”
“You haven’t gone home yet?”
“Yeah, I’m still here. By the way, did you just finish the gate conquest?”
“Yes, more or less… but did you wait for me?”
“Well, sort of?”
Surprisingly, Jung Chulmin had indeed been waiting for Suho.
He had a feeling Suho would complete the gate and return today.
Checking the time, Jung Chulmin spoke.
“At least it’s not too late, huh? I guess that’s because the gate was located in Seoul.”
“Still, how could you just wait around, assuming I’d finish on time?”
“Well, it’s you. I figured you’d wrap it up quickly.”
“Even so…”
“But I wasn’t just sitting here waiting for you. I worked on your report, caught up on some overdue paperwork, and kept myself busy.”
Jung Chulmin flashed a good-natured smile.
He said he hadn’t waited solely for Suho, but Suho knew the real reason.
That’s just the kind of person Chulmin was.
So Suho smiled and said,
“That’s a relief. I was actually debating about where my seat might be.”
“Oh, right? Come to think of it, I sent you straight to work because of Team Leader Oh. Your seat is over there.”
By the window.
It was one of Suho’s favorite spots.
“Nice.”
“I thought it might be. I even set up your desk a bit while you were gone. You can set your computer password yourself, and as for the handover…”
Trailing off, Jung Chulmin chuckled awkwardly.
“If you have any questions, just ask me. That’ll be easier.”
Suho understood why Chulmin felt awkward about this.
Government agencies, in particular, often had notorious handover issues.
‘People would either delete the work they’d done or leave files in random places… It meant you had to figure things out on your own, practically from scratch.’
And why did this happen?
It was simple.
People just didn’t want to be held accountable.
If any issues arose, they’d claim, “I was just following what my predecessor did,” pushing the blame onto someone else, worsening the already chaotic process, especially in terms of handovers.
In his past life, Suho had struggled with paperwork for this reason.
Even though he’d entered as a ninth-grade field agent, he couldn’t avoid paperwork altogether.
Eventually, he had mastered it.
After all, he had years of experience in the civil service.
Smiling, Suho said,
“I’ll look over the manual and try to figure it out on my own. If I get stuck, I’ll reach out.”
“Sounds good. But why’d you come back? There’s not much to do right now.”
“Well, I finished the gate, so I came to write the report.”
“Huh? Weren’t you listening when I said I’d do it?”
“What? I thought that was a joke.”
“Do I look like I joke around with you? I was really bored waiting for you, so I actually wrote it. Want to take a look?”
Jung Chulmin handed Suho the document he’d prepared.
Wow.
He’d actually written it.
He even left sections for Suho to fill in with details.
As expected of Chulmin.
His work was impeccable.
Still, Suho felt guilty about letting his senior do his job.
With an awkward smile, Suho said,
“I’m sorry. I may be the assistant, but…”
“Enough of that. You’re out there handling the fieldwork solo, so this is the least I can do as your superior. No need to apologize.”
“Thank you. I’ll work even harder on the gate conquests.”
“Ahem, well, that’s not exactly what I meant… By the way, are you injured anywhere?”
Now that he looked, Suho seemed perfectly fine.
He’d been so impressed with Suho’s skills that he hadn’t noticed, but the gate Suho had conquered was none other than the Swamp of the Mountain.
While Suho’s Blood Weapon might be resistant to mountain corrosion, that didn’t mean his clothing or skin were unaffected.
In response, Suho surrounded himself with his Blood Weapon and explained,
“I used this for protection.”
“You can use it for more than just a weapon?”
“Didn’t you see me spread it wide when I fought the monster lion?”
“Oh, right, you did. That Blood Weapon of yours is fascinating. So, you can shape it however you want?”
“Pretty much.”
“Could it be something like a back scratcher or a cross screwdriver?”
“…Excuse me?”
A back scratcher and a cross screwdriver?
He’d never thought of that…
But since the idea came up, he decided to give it a try.
“Want me to show you?”
[ Blood Weapon activates. ]
With the skill activated, Suho imagined a red back scratcher, and it materialized.
Seeing it, Jung Chulmin exclaimed.
“Wow, a red back scratcher. Looks nice.”
“You’re probably the only person who’d think of using this as a back scratcher.”
“What’s wrong with a back scratcher? I use one all the time. You could adjust the size and use it as a toothpick or a spoon too.”
“….”
Suho was at a loss for words.
It was such a Chulmin-like idea.
Shaking his head, Suho said,
“I’d rather not use my Blood Weapon like that. Anyway, should I just add to this report?”
“Exactly. But you sure you’re okay to work on it now? Or maybe come in tomorrow? It’s already getting late.”
“I don’t mind…”
After a brief thought, Suho said,
“Team Leader.”
“Yeah?”
“Would it be alright to hold off on the report for a few days? Or maybe I could handle one more gate and submit them together?”
“Why?”
“To be honest, I just hit level 100.”
“100? Are you serious?”
“Yes, so I thought I should work on my class quest. I figured it’d be best to complete that before proceeding with our work.”
“Oh, absolutely! By all means, take care of that! Congratulations on reaching level 100.”
Level 100.
Known as the first singularity, this milestone marked a significant shift in traits and class, an important period for any player.
Moreover, first-star players were highly valued, welcomed by any guild or nation.
Even the outdated Korean Hunter Association understood this.
Hunters were a valuable resource.
Jung Chulmin suggested,
“Why don’t you apply for a singularity leave? Did you know the Association has one?”
“I do, but it’s only three days.”
“Well… yes, that’s true.”
His voice trailed off.
Chulmin knew too.
What could one accomplish in just three days?
Sure, the timeframe was based on statistical research, but…
‘Singularities vary for each player. How can they expect things to wrap up in three days?’
Major guilds often gave players two weeks’ leave for singularities.
If that wasn’t enough, they’d add more.
Though the Association might grant an extension if requested…
‘You’d have to submit detailed documentation, which is a real hassle.’
There were always statistical pitfalls to consider.
While Suho had set his trait as ‘Path of the Sword’ to satisfy Pi Seongyeol, who’d asked about it informally…
The Path of the Sword was a standard trait for swordsmen, one Suho had already experienced in his past life, so he understood it better than anyone.
If he really had the Path of the Sword trait, he could finish in a day.
But his trait wasn’t the Path of the Sword.
Three days might not be enough.
Suho explained,
“Well, I can’t be sure, so I want a bit more time to handle everything properly. Although my personal trait is the Path of the Sword, you know I’m a healer too, right?”
“Oh, right. So there might be other factors to consider. Is that why you’re adding the sealed gate?”
“Yes, this way I’d have more flexibility from preparation to conquest.”
Hearing this, Chulmin chuckled and said,
“You’re really straightforward.”
“Excuse me?”
“I mean, think about it. You’re no fool. You’d know reaching level 100 after the Acid Swamp would trigger the singularity. Yet, you still returned to ask permission for more time… I find that… admirable.”
Haha.
I’m not as honest as you think, but I guess that’s how it might seem to you.
Suho didn’t voice his thoughts.
Instead, he laughed and said,
“It’s a team effort, after all. I wouldn’t deceive my senior and partner.”
“If that’s how you see it, I’m grateful. But you should’ve mentioned it earlier. We could’ve planned accordingly before you tackled the swamp gate.”
“Come on, asking for special treatment over something that hasn’t happened would be wrong. This is a job, not a hobby group. So I figured it was best to tackle one proper task before dealing with my singularity. Speaking of which, could I take another look at the candidate gate files you showed in the meeting earlier?”
“Oh, just a second.”
After retrieving the files, Suho pointed to a specific gate.
“Here. The environmental conditions make it challenging and time-consuming, right? Players tend to stay there the longest. So I’ll tackle this one and handle my personal matters while I’m at it.”
“Hm…”
Chulmin stroked his chin, contemplating Suho’s proposal.
In truth, all sealed gates were dangerous, so it was pointless to debate risk.
Besides, his level was too low for such gates.
In the end, he could only follow Suho’s decision.
“Alright. Let’s go with that. Just keep me posted on any necessary steps. I’ll help however I can. This stays between us, okay?”
“Yes, thank you so much.”
“Good. Then let’s leave the details to you… By the way, do you have time tomorrow?”
“What for?”
“Probation cake. I ordered it. Just come in and hand it out.”
“Excuse me?”
“Just come and distribute it. I already paid, so don’t feel pressured. It’s tradition. Everyone dislikes it, but not doing it draws side-eyes.”
“But still, this is…”
“Think of it as my appointment gift to you. Congratulations again on your probation.”
“Team Leader…”
Chulmin chuckled awkwardly and patted Suho’s shoulder.