Ilseong Apparel headquarters.

Deputy Commissioner Jeon Gwangil and CEO Jeong Donghun spoke alone in the office.

He’d heard the whole story.

How Jeong Donghun knew Bong Juhyeok’s name. Where the documents came from.

“I-I really wasn’t going to do anything. I was going to dispose of the documents. I’m being wronged. This is a trap.”

Jeon Gwangil looked at Ilseong Apparel’s CEO Jeong Donghun with indifferent eyes.

This wasn’t something he’d cooked up.

If it were, he wouldn’t have made a mistake on the phone—and even now, he was sitting there with anxious eyes, legs trembling.

It did seem clear he’d received the documents from Chairman Jeong Seongtae.

But—

‘Where did these documents come from in the first place?’

America? Japan? Or China?

At this point, the origin wasn’t the main issue.

The real problem was that Bong Juhyeok’s name was circulating as far as private corporations.

Anyway, Chairman Jeong Seongtae.

The more Jeon Gwangil thought about him, the more disgusted he felt.

‘That raccoon old bastard.’

It was an obvious play.

He’d dump something he didn’t want to do personally onto his nephew, then watch how things developed.

Then, once he judged the information was solid, he’d nudge politics into motion and casually stick a foot in.

“When you received the documents, did you record it?”

“N-no.”

“Then you have no proof these documents came from Chairman Jeong Seongtae.”

“Yes. Th-then... am I getting arrested?”

“Of course not. Relax. That won’t happen.”

He understood the situation now, so—

“The reason I called in the first place was a business proposal.”

“Ah...”

“If you’re willing, would you like to hear the proposal you didn’t get to hear earlier?”

Jeong Donghun hesitated, thinking for a moment, then spoke.

“Um... I’m not sure I can even stay CEO. I only have 10% equity. My uncle will probably use this as an excuse to strip my management rights and push me out.”

“Hm.”

“Honestly, I’m not attached to the CEO position. I was thinking I’d take this chance to let everything go and rest...”

Jeon Gwangil nodded.

The more he looked, the more he liked him.

As a business partner, that is.

‘No greed, seems kind-hearted, and looks easy to control.’

Of course, Jeong Donghun might change later.

But for now, he was far more trustworthy than CEO Goyeonha.

Ilseong Apparel was unlisted.

Most of the shares were probably held by Chairman Jeong Seongtae.

If they spun the company off and transferred the shares to Summoner Bong...

That would solve the leather problem to a meaningful degree.

“The content of the business proposal is about supplying wyvern leather.”

Jeong Donghun flinched.

Wyvern? Wyvern leather?

“We’re planning to supply wyvern leather to the private sector. What do you think, CEO Jeong Donghun?”

“Uh... w-well...”

Wyvern leather.

Above all, its biggest advantage was durability.

It wasn’t even comparable to basilisk.

Beautiful, vivid patterns, plus an impressive self-restoration function.

It wasn’t limited to leather goods like bags—it could be used in a much broader range of applications.

Furniture like chairs and sofas, automotive interior and exterior materials, and of course, the finest possible material for Player armor.

But Jeong Donghun couldn’t accept the proposal.

He’d already decided he wasn’t attached to the company.

“If a new CEO comes in instead of me, maybe you can make the proposal again—”

“No. I need you. If you refuse, I’ll go to Daehyeon.”

“Um...”

“Why don’t you keep running the company instead of quitting?”

“Th-that’s not up to me...”

“Become independent from Ilseong.”

“...Pardon? Wh-what?”

He couldn’t help but panic.

Deputy Commissioner Jeon Gwangil wasn’t an ordinary bureaucrat.

A real power inside the Administration.

He wouldn’t throw out words like that casually.

“Putting aside whether independence is even possible... I don’t know if I can do it well...”

“You will. I’ll help you.”

“...”

Jeong Donghun agonized.

If he could receive wyvern leather supply, the company wouldn’t collapse even if he ran it like a pig.

“Then decide to remain CEO for now. I’ll contact you later with details.”

“Uh... y-yes, yes.”

Jeong Donghun nodded without thinking.

Deputy Commissioner Jeon Gwangil really was exactly as rumored.

His drive was no joke.

‘I thought I was going to get hauled away.’

And instead, an opportunity just dropped into my lap.

It felt like being possessed.

After finishing his meeting with Jeong Donghun, Jeon Gwangil returned to the Tower Player Awakening Administration.

He went straight to Commissioner Park Kyungsoo’s office and reported everything that had happened today.

“...That’s the situation. The difference in weight class is too big for me to go head-to-head.”

“Well now. Chairman Jeong Seongtae—he isn’t even due to go yet, but has he already gone senile?”

Park Kyungsoo’s expression was deeply displeased.

“People get it wrong «N.o.v.e.l.i.g.h.t» sometimes. When their power keeps growing, they start thinking they can cross a line like that. Without realizing crossing the line is the end.”

Commissioner Park Kyungsoo made several phone calls to somewhere, then spoke to Jeon Gwangil.

“Hand over the documents.”

“Here.”

“I’ll handle this matter. You go and focus on other work.”

“There’s something else I’d like to ask as well.”

“Hm? Go on.”

Deputy Commissioner Jeon Gwangil explained his plan in a calm, measured voice, and Commissioner Park Kyungsoo listened, nodding.

*****

Cheongdam-dong penthouse.

How much time had passed? Juhyeok’s eyes snapped open.

“...Huh?”

When did I fall asleep?

And where was I?

‘The living room.’

I’d heard if you sleep in the cold, your mouth can go crooked. Still, I must’ve slept deeply—my body felt light.

‘Mad Demon is gone.’

Mad Demon.

From now on, I had to add “sir” when I addressed him.

I couldn’t just say Mad Demon, Mad Demon, like that.

I had basic human decency.

‘But what is this smell?’

Who the hell took a dump?

“...Huh.”

There was no one here but me.

‘Is this because of the cleansing?’

He told me.

My skin would peel, waste would be expelled from my body, and the smell would be pretty awful.

After I learned the inner-power method and how to operate Blood Jade Force, the final process had been a cleansing.

He said something about unblocking channels and executing the Grand Circulation, but the sleepiness hit and I passed out.

Ah, Mad Demon, who gives without holding back.

To the point I almost regretted how I’d treated him all this time.

I opened the Catalog, selected Mad Demon, and gave him five stars.

[Mad Demon’s Satisfaction Rating has been set to 5.]

Anyway, I needed to deal with the smell.

The clothes I’d been wearing went straight into the trash. I mopped the living room floor. Then I turned on the air purifier.

BWOOOOONG!!!

A red light lit up—AIR QUALITY: CRITICAL—and it spun like it had gone insane.

‘Sorry, air-purifier servant.’

I went into the shower and washed clean.

When I came out and changed into fresh clothes—

‘Whew.’

I could breathe again.

Most of the smell was gone.

‘Then should I review what I learned yesterday?’

Starting with the Heaven-and-Earth Unity Art breathing method.

One shallow breath, one deep breath.

“Hoo... hooooo... hoo... hooooo...”

I still couldn’t feel anything.

When Mad Demon’s hand was on my back, it worked perfectly.

‘Is it because I’m doing it alone?’

Even so, I kept breathing.

Right then—

“Oh!”

A small current in my lower abdomen.

It moved.

In sync with my breathing, a small mass flowed through the vessels of my entire body.

It was definitely different from mana.

Heavier.

Thicker.

‘And Blood Jade Force...’

Sss.

A faint red current gathered at my fingertips.

Compared to Blood Jade Force in the Tower, it was barely there.

But I wasn’t disappointed.

No one gets full on the first spoonful.

If I could do this much after one day of breathing exercises, that was insane.

‘Anyway, I reviewed it.’

Should I summon the others? First, check the Catalog.

[Catalog]: John Cossack / Meatshield / Gyeon Dallae / Rajix / Mad Demon / Veronica Caliber / Lucius Bardin.

Seven total.

No—technically six, plus one holy sword.

Let’s start with the core members.

SPOT!

Cossack appeared.

“Thanks for calling me, Summoner Bong’s right—huh?”

He flared his nostrils.

“Did you fart, by any chance?”

“...No.”

“C’mon, feels like you did. Your bowels are lively, sir. This Cossack is moved.”

“I said I didn’t!”

“Yes, sir!”

Not just his nose—his eyes rolled around too.

“Hm. Something’s different. Your skin looks clean.”

“My skin was always good.”

“...You definitely look healthier.”

I summoned Gyeon Dallae too, and she seemed to smell it as well.

“Sir Cossack, how dare you fart when safety is at stake!”

“It wasn’t me.”

“Then are you saying Master farted? How could you harbor such impure thoughts!”

Meatshield too—

“Warrior... hm. Assassin. Your breath smells.”

“You little—! It’s not me!”

“Then it was Princess.”

“Y-you—YOU BASTARD!!!”

Rajix’s reaction was on a different level.

“SQUEAK?”

After checking the smell—

Sss!

He pulled a golden mop out of the Subspace Backpack.

“SQUEEEAK!!”

And started mopping the living room floor like a madman.

Especially the spot where I’d been sleeping.

Then he went to the bathroom, rinsed the mop, and came back—SCRUB SCRUB!

Even the trash can didn’t escape Rajix’s gaze.

RROOOLL!

He stuffed the clothes I’d thrown away into an official trash bag and sealed it tight.

RROOOLL.

He placed it outside, by the elevator in front of the entryway.

RROOOLL.

Then he mopped the living room floor again.

“SQUEAK!”

All done.

Now there was no smell at all.

“Awesome! Smells good!”

“Top servant, good work. You cleaned up the shit Sir Cossack took.”

“How many times do I have to say it wasn’t me!”

I just stayed quiet.

There was no reason to say it was me.

“Alright, alright. Let’s take a look at the promoted one’s face.”

What would she look like now?

“Designated Summon Veronica Caliber.”

FWAAASH!

SPOT!

She finally appeared.

“Kuuuuh... zzz... hrrrrp... smack, smack...”

Spread out flat on the living room floor like a starfish—

“Hng?”

“Hm.”

“Wow.”

“Mm.”

“SQUEAK?”

She used to appear half-asleep, but—

“Looks like she was sleeping in some corner and got dragged out.”

Cossack sidled up and poked her side with a finger.

In an instant—

“HIIIK! Sergeant—n-no, Staff Sergeant Veronica Caliber!”

She sprang up, scanned the room, saw me, and—

“CERTAIN VICTORY! Present arms for the commander—magic gun!”

SNAP!

A sharp salute.

“Congratulations on your promotion.”

“SQUEAK!”

“Truly the bearing of a one-woman army.”

“I look forward to working with you.”

“Applause!”

Promoted Veronica.

What looked different?

Her power came from her gear.

First, her gun had changed.

The body was larger, and the barrel was longer.

And the enhancement suit.

Still skin-tight, but—

‘...Why does it feel thinner?’

If it’s an upgrade, shouldn’t it get thicker?

She also wore goggles.

And long boots up to her knees.

<Catalog: A famous voluptuous special-ops staff sergeant of the Ranger Unit of the Magic Empire.>

Name: Veronica Caliber

Rank: SSR (Special Super Rare)

Type: magic gunner (human)

Manifestation Time Limit: 7 hours

Satisfaction Rating: None.

Resummon Cooldown: 3 hours (applies after Dismiss Summon)

SSR rank, and the Catalog descriptor was staff sergeant.

I had no idea why “voluptuous” was in there, though.

“Then now...

What do we do?”

A commemorative Tower climb? A celebration party? But—

“Kuuuuh... zzzzzz...”

Veronica fell asleep standing up.

She slept well. Really well.

“Staff Sergeant V, wake her?”

“Leave her. Let her sleep.”

When she wakes up, we’ll go clear Floor 66.

And after that, I won’t be able to climb un-cleared upper floors for a while.

Well, I could just go farm leather and ore instead.

*****

A high-end traditional restaurant in Gangnam, Seoul. Private room.

Chairman Jeong Seongtae of Ilseong Group had arrived early, waiting for someone.

The person he was meeting today was Commissioner Park Kyungsoo of the Tower Player Awakening Administration.

The call had come from their side first.

When a heavyweight asked to meet you directly, you made time—even if you didn’t have it.

So why had Commissioner Park Kyungsoo asked to meet?

He could guess.

‘Donghun... the bastard must’ve gotten caught trying to approach Bong Juhyeok.’

He was probably here to discuss what to do with Jeong Donghun.

Punishment, whatever it was—he’d have to consult with him first.

He’d already thought through how to respond.

A sincere apology, and appropriate countermeasures.

He would accept full responsibility.

He would remove Jeong Donghun from the CEO position and let him receive legal punishment.

And then they’d have a deep conversation.

Basilisk leather had been monopolized by HG, sales dropped, and his nephew had been cornered.

Wasn’t it too much to funnel everything to a single company?

It looked bad, so supply should be provided elsewhere too.

And if he could be given an opportunity to apologize to Bong Juhyeok, he’d be grateful.

His ulterior motives would be obvious, but so what?

He was Jeong Seongtae.

The chairman of Ilseong Group, the titan who ruled Korea’s business world.

KNOCK KNOCK.

The private room door opened—

“Oh dear, I’m late. You waited a long time, didn’t you?”

Commissioner Park Kyungsoo walked in.

Chairman Jeong Seongtae responded with a relaxed expression.

“Hahaha, not at all. I’m a free old man. I should be the grateful one just to be invited by you, Commissioner.”

“It’s the same for me.”

But the moment he sat down, Park Kyungsoo rummaged through his bag.

“I picked this up on the way here. It seemed like it belonged to you, Chairman.”

THUD.

He placed a binder on the table.

A familiar binder.

The one he’d handed to his nephew, Jeong Donghun.

The atmosphere turned icy in an instant.

What was this?

Jeong Seongtae didn’t even touch the binder.

His expression openly displeased.

“You’re saying that’s mine?”

“Is it not?”

“I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

“Let’s speak frankly, starting with where these documents came from.”

“Are you... interrogating me right now? Out of nowhere like this—”

Park Kyungsoo let out a snort.

“You fucking bastard. As expected, you’ve got a long tongue.”

Did I hear that wrong? That sounded like a curse.

“Wh-what?”

“Did we look that stupid to you? You thought if you used your nephew, we wouldn’t know?” 𝓯𝓻𝓮𝙚𝙬𝓮𝙗𝒏𝙤𝒗𝙚𝙡.𝒄𝒐𝓶

“...Commissioner Park, do you understand you’re crossing a line right now?”

“You crossed the line first. Who are you to tell me I can’t? You piece of shit!”

“Do you even know who I am...? Have you gone senile?”

“You’re the senile one. People have bowed to you for so long that you stopped being afraid of anything, right? And now a mere conglomerate chairman dares to dig into an elite Player’s background?”

“Uh... th-that’s n-no—”

It was a situation Chairman Jeong Seongtae had never even imagined.

His mind went blank.

He didn’t even know how to respond.

Of course he didn’t.

Where in his life would he ever have experienced something like this?

The relaxed expression from earlier was nowhere to be found.

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