Chapter 34: Star, The Test (5)

Chapter 34: Star, The Test (5)

However, the bloodbath sadly(?) did not take place. Just as the violent aura of [Tiger Kill] was about to sweep over the applicants and the employees outside Sector C, a powerful wave—no, a storm—tore the [Tiger Kill] apart as if it were cutting silk with a single stroke.

Slaasssh!

Cough!

“Argh!”

“Ergh!”

“Cough... Is this?”

“Executive... Executive Director!”

Trembling, the four team leaders started to cough blood as if someone had hit them forcefully in the backs of their heads. The Team 3 Leader, who was known to be the weakest among the four, even collapsed on the floor, his face turning white.

Tap. Tap.

No one dared to move or speak at that moment. All those present silently held their breath, including the four team leaders, the employees, and the spectators. The only sound that filled the air was that of quiet footsteps, approaching the four team leaders.

They belonged to a man who appeared to be in his sixties, around 160 centimeters tall. Despite his short stature, however, his presence was sufficient to overwhelm the crowd; it was as if his small body contained a veritable giant.

‘He’s the White Tiger Clan’s second-in-command,’ Chang-Sun realized.

Executive Director Oh Shi-Hwan had built the current White Tiger Clan on behalf of ‘Sword Sky Tiger’, who was known to be a martial arts maniac; Shi-Hwan was also his right-hand man. Chang-Sun had to be extremely wary of him while trying to destroy the White Tiger Clan.

‘I did hear he was a high ranker, and I can see why. How should I hunt him?’ Chang-Sun thought, mentally simulating battles against Executive Director Oh in order to figure out how to deal with him.

Chang-Sun ran the ‘simulation’ multiple times, but the result was always the same. He lost every single time, unable to exchange more than ten attacks. Even though he could not be certain of the outcome in a head-to-head battle against Team Leaders Jeong-Gwon or Sang-Ho, Chang-Sun was confident that he would be able to exchange more than a hundred attacks with them if he used various methods. However, it seemed that every tactic he had would be useless against Executive Director Oh. Chang-Sun could not tell for sure whether he could approach Shi-Hwan, let alone hurt him. It was extremely difficult to find his weakness.

[The Celestial ‘A Good Season to Hunt’ widens her eyes, saying you could have a good fight against this man.]

“I was wondering why the testing site was so rowdy... Tsk! You’re all behaving so pathetically. How can you fight like children to recruit one person? Did you not think about the Clan’s image?!” Executive Director Oh yelled at the top of his lungs. His voice was far louder than his size suggested; his yells sounded like rumbling thunder.

Rrrrumble!

The applicants all began struggling to breathe amid the suffocating atmosphere, breaking out into a cold sweat. Naturally, considering how much even those on the edges of Executive Director Oh’s overwhelming pressure were suffering, it was far worse for the team leaders right in front of him; they all seemed about to collapse.

“How can you cause trouble instead of calming down your juniors despite being the oldest among the team leaders, Sang-Ho?!” Executive Director Oh exclaimed, massaging his temples.

Team Leader Sang-Ho’s face turned pale. Although he badly wanted to defend himself, he had just entered a fight with his juniors, so he could say little in response.

Meanwhile, Jeong-Gwon’s face lit up; he assumed Executive Director Oh would put Chang-Sun in his team, as they belonged to the same faction. Although he hid his true feelings, he thought smugly, ‘Hahahaha! I’ll get to see that annoying Team Leader Park’s face crumpling up!’

“All of you, get lost! I don’t want to even see you anymore!” Executive Director Oh severely scolded the four team leaders, making them retreat with their tails tucked between their legs. However, they continued to furtively study each other’s faces, unable to let go of their lingering feelings about Chang-Sun.

“Ah, and...” Executive Director Oh added, raising a finger.

Wondering what he was trying to say, the four team leaders nervously looked back at him. However, Executive Director Oh remained expressionless as he continued, “About that rookie who’s the cause of all this mess...”

“...?”

“...?”

“If I let one team take the rookie, the Raid Teams might end up on bad terms with each other, so I have no choice. I’ll take him!” Executive Director Oh unilaterally declared, then looked away and lightly cleared his throat as if he were suddenly feeling awkward.

“...!”

“...!”

The four team leaders gaped, thinking simultaneously, ‘He got us!’

The White Tiger Clan’s Raid Team Department, which was made up of four Raid Teams, was under the Clan Leader’s direct supervision. That made it the face and main star of the Clan; consequently, its members could gain many privileges from working in the field.

However, the Future Strategy Department was different. It was akin to the Clan’s spine and brain, the power source of the giant beast named the White Tiger Clan; thus, unlike the Raid Teams, they were not exposed to the public. Instead, they oversaw and inspected the White Tiger Clan’s general affairs. From time to time, they themselves worked in the field, but only off the record. They were a group of advisors, sometimes known as ‘shadows.’

Players who wanted to be famous usually applied for the Attack Department, not the Future Strategy Department. Thus, Chang-Sun’s answer left Executive Director Oh quite shocked.

‘I’ll be able to climb the corporate ladder much faster that way, because I’ll be able to observe the Clan’s power dynamics and structure in detail,’ Chang-Sun thought.

By attaining as many achievements as possible in the Future Strategy Department, Chang-Sun intended to become the Future Strategy Department Head in the shortest period of time and climb the corporate ladder in the White Tiger Clan.

The moment Chang-Sun stood beside Sword Sky Tiger as the Clan’s second in command after beating Executive Director Oh and gaining Heoju’s special favor, he would then start attacking the Clan. He would tear apart the White Tiger Clan and make Heoju plummet to rock bottom. After that, he would break Heoju’s limbs and shove him into the Underworld’s abyss so Heoju could never return to Heaven.

“I don’t really like to follow people’s orders like a tool, so I want a position in which I can move independently and make my own judgments,” Chang-Sun said, trying to sound as ambitious as possible while hiding his sinister plans. As he was not lying, he spoke without hesitation. “From what I’ve heard, the Future Strategy Department doesn’t have a hierarchy aside from the Department Head.”

“You’re right. Depending on the project, teams can temporarily be formed, but they really are temporary. As there’s no hierarchy, however, there’s more pressure to produce results. A Player who’s been working for ten years can be fired right away if they make a mistake,” Executive Director Oh said with a nod.

“The world I lived in was similar,” Chang-Sun remarked, his eyes shining.

“You always have something to say, don’t you?” Executive Director Oh said with a grin.

“Above all, I’ve heard the Future Strategy Department is under your direct supervision, Executive Director Oh,” Chang-Sun said as he set down his teacup.

“Are you already trying to flatter me?” Executive Director Oh asked, adjusting his posture.

“I’m just trying to make a connection with the true power in the White Tiger Clan,” Chang-Sun replied with a shrug.

“It sounds as if you’ll have zero interest in me if I lose power in the Clan,” Executive Director Oh said, tilting his head.

Chang-Sun merely smiled without speaking.

Executive Director Oh chuckled and said, “Well, you seem to have enough motivation to join the department. Fine, I’ll assign you to the Future Strategy Department as you wish.”

Chang-Sun’s eyes sparkled with excitement as he finally got what he wanted.

“Still, it won’t be easy for me to just assign you to the department, even though it’s under my supervision. To even be considered a candidate, a Player needs to have a solid background and to have been working in the Clan for a minimum of five years,” Executive Director Oh added, tapping on the sofa.

Chang-Sun understood the underlying meaning behind Executive Director Oh’s words; ‘not easy’ did not mean impossible. He asked without hesitation, “What do I need to do?”

Executive Director Oh burst into laughter and replied, “Indeed, you’re a fast learner. What you need to do is very simple. You just need to distinguish yourself enough to make people unable to raise any objections when I say I trust you. Well, they might still talk behind your back, though.”

Chang-Sun said, “I heard new recruits would be trained in the ‘Black Blood Mountain Range’ on probation, regardless of the departments they’ll be assigned to. Would achieving a new record in the dungeon be enough?”

“Are you saying you’re going to achieve a whole new record in the dungeon ranking, not just the first place among the employees who joined the Clan at the same time as you?” Executive Director Oh asked in disbelief.

“Yes, I’ll achieve a new record in the dungeon ranking,” Chang-Sun confirmed.

“No one should raise any objections then, huh...” Executive Director Oh said hesitantly, in contrast to his previous confident tone; that implied he wanted something else.

What did he want, however? In such scenarios, people usually wanted to get rid of their old problems...

“I’ll also clear the dungeon,” Chang-Sun confidently added, instantly realizing what Executive Director Oh wanted. He did not fail to notice Executive Director Oh’s eyes shining as he said those words.

‘There’s something in the ‘Black Blood Mountain Range’,’ Chang-Sun thought, making plans to investigate the dungeon further. There could be something inside that he could use against Executive Director Oh.

“To be honest, the dungeon has remained open for too long, so it’s time for the Clan to pick a different dungeon to use as a training site,” Executive Director Oh remarked.

“Then I’ll just close the dungeon on my own,” Chang-Sun said, hinting that he would make it look as if he had been acting on his own or cleared the dungeon by accident.

“I think I’ll be able to speak with complete candor from now on,” Executive Director Oh said as he smiled again; it meant he had understood Chang-Sun’s hidden message.

“Thank you,” Chang-Sun said, smiling along with Executive Director Oh. Unlike the other man’s pleasant smile, his own smile was cold and sly.

How could Executive Director Oh possibly know that Chang-Sun had actually wanted that exact response?