Climbing the Mythic Tower as a Cheating Administrator - Chapter 110

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Cheating Administrator Climbs a Mythic Tower (110)
It was a scene of subtle oddness.
Two women and three men seated around a circular table.
Kim Woo-min, the woman he was introducing, Geum Su-ah, Kim Moo-saeng, and Park Hyun-gu.
The patrons who’d been sitting at the tables surrounding the circle had gradually begun to rise and vacate their seats.
Yet the five seated at the table itself had barely exchanged words.
Park Hyun-gu had merely cast looks of pure common sense—’Why is Geum Su-ah sitting at this table?’ and ‘Shouldn’t we at least wait a moment before talking?’
Of course, Geum Su-ah’s disposition was precisely the sort that wouldn’t accept such reasoning, nor step back even if she understood the glances.
In the tense and awkward silence, it was Moo-saeng who spoke first.
“Congratulations on clearing Floor 67, Su-ah. Ha, truly Geumseong! You’ve always been the best, but now you’ve solidified Korea’s top position.”
First, congratulations directed at Geumseong, and respect shown toward Su-ah.
Su-ah was Deputy Director of the Strategy Division.
She’d been granted her position not merely because she was Geum Byeong-chul’s daughter, but because of her abilities.
And simultaneously?
“I should be thanking you first rather than receiving congratulations. Thanks to you, we wrapped it up without any casualties. I won’t forget this kindness.”
It was a path to elevating Moo-saeng himself.
As Moo-saeng smiled and said “Not at all” while accepting her greeting, his eyes flickered sideways.
There was hardly anyone at Geumseong who didn’t know Geum Su-ah.
And such a Su-ah had just expressed gratitude to Kim Moo-saeng?
“Your brother did mention you were a capable person….”
Which meant that for Kim Min-ji, meeting Moo-saeng for the first time—the one who’d sought him out with a genuine purpose—she’d already received an excellent first impression!
A woman with a black bob cut, short hair, rose from her seat and offered a business card with formal precision.
“It’s a pleasure to meet you. I’m Kim Min-ji, in charge of Barsingyeo at Geumseong’s Research Division.”
To Moo-saeng.
“Ah, Kim Min-ji. Yes, delighted to…meet you.”
Moo-saeng had to work to maintain his bright expression.
Why was she greeting him first?
Sure, making a good impression was fine!
Min-ji and Su-ah should greet each other first!
And then Min-ji should be the one introducing me—that’s the normal order!
Especially with Su-ah in between! Su-ah’s sitting right next to me!
Su-ah glanced at the business card Moo-saeng was holding and murmured.
“Research Division, M-Continent Team, Barsingyeo Section….”
As he heard her murmur, Moo-saeng examined the card properly.
Geumseong
Research Division, M-Continent Team, Barsingyeo Section
Deputy Director/Section Head Kim Min-ji
Only then could he barely grasp the subtle relationship.
“Deputy Director? Is that…?”
Moo-saeng swallowed hard as he spoke, and Su-ah opened her mouth beside him.
“Deputy Director would be executive rank…. So you’re Executive Director Kim Min-ji.”
Title: Deputy Director of Research Division and Section Head.
Rank: Executive Director.
Kim Min-ji smiled warmly and nodded at Su-ah.
“Yes, I’ve heard much about your reputation throughout the company. I’m so grateful for everything you do.”
“I don’t think we’ve met at the board meetings.”
“I was appointed through special promotion, so I’ve only just gotten business cards printed. I haven’t yet made a formal introduction at a board meeting. At the next board meeting, I’ll be introducing myself as the company’s youngest executive director. Though I’m still inexperienced, I look forward to working with you.”
In essence, the two were now peers within the company.
Two executives at the same table.
One of them was the founder’s daughter and chairwoman.
The other was the youngest executive director.
“…What was I doing at that age.”
Park Hyun-gu muttered very quietly.
* * *
What was fortunate for Moo-saeng was that aside from the initial greetings, nothing else noteworthy occurred.
“Yes, the composition itself looks like the representative Religious Scripture used by Barsingyeo…. I have several copies myself.”
“Then, might you be able to find some other distinguishing features?”
“Hmm…. It looks almost identical. But on a few pages, the arrangement of the characters feels somewhat off. I don’t memorize every nuance down to the smallest particle, so I’ll need to verify it carefully.”
Most importantly, Kim Min-ji was a genuine expert.
Flipping through rapidly, pausing here and there—
Already from that alone, he’d grasped that it differed from a standard Religious Scripture.
“It’s the original, then? Unchanged?”
“Yes. I haven’t touched or altered anything whatsoever.”
“No editing, no tampering. Absolutely certain. Ah, not that I’m doubting you—it’s just that I’ve printed copies this way before, but this is the first time anyone’s brought one to me like this. A copy in this format.”
True to her title as Geumseong’s youngest director, she confirmed the information with meticulous clarity, leaving no room for misunderstanding.
Moo-saeng simply smiled awkwardly.
“Ah, ha-ha, yes. That’s right. That’s how it came to be.”
What Kim Min-ji was examining now was a copy.
To be precise, a printout created last night on a computer, transferred from the data Wash had scanned and saved.
Kim Min-ji studied the Religious Scripture a moment longer, then murmured aloud.
“But if you went through the trouble of transcribing from towers or dungeons and then typing it all out to print…… you could’ve just brought the original.”
“Once I obtain the original, I’ll try that approach.”
Wash responded just as quickly as Moo-saeng had answered.
[Kya-kya-kya! See? Kim Moo-saeng. Did you really think that computer, or whatever that tin can of a machine is, could contain true craftsmanship? The original should have been here from the start!]
To avoid hearing the duck’s cackling laughter, Moo-saeng had to make a deliberate effort.
Hand over an irreplaceable original to someone he’d just met, something he might never recover if lost?
That simply wasn’t Moo-saeng’s nature.
With a soft clink, Geum Su-ah set down her teacup between Moo-saeng and Kim Min-ji.
Without realizing it, Moo-saeng found himself looking at Geum Su-ah.
She, in turn, was already watching him.
In her gaze, he felt something like a gentle reprimand.
‘She’s saying something like, why hide it when you have it? Though, someone of Geum Su-ah’s caliber would probably guess by now that I have the original and am keeping it hidden.’
As if she were reading his very intentions.
As if asking: don’t you have the original and just aren’t showing it?
Those bright, searching eyes.
‘Or maybe I’m just putting on a show for myself.’
Moo-saeng carefully looked away from her.
Geum Su-ah, too, merely brought the teacup to her lips and drank quietly, offering no other reaction.
Kim Min-ji was rapidly scanning through the pages one final time before focusing more closely on the sections she’d marked.
“So, what you’re saying is—you suspect there’s something special about this content?”
“Not so much the content itself, but…… well, I think something’s different about it.”
“The content…… The overall framework is the same, as I mentioned. Though I do get the sense that certain words or phrasing differ slightly…… but again, as I said, I haven’t memorized every single character perfectly either.”
“Of course, of course. I wasn’t expecting results on the spot, right here and now. I’m grateful you’d even look at it.”
Already, this could hardly be called anything less than a gain.
To have sparked curiosity in someone of Kim Min-ji’s caliber—a genuine Barsingyeo expert, someone who verbally dominates enthusiasts across the globe through knowledge and eloquence—was itself a significant win.
With this personality type, these characteristics……
“So what I’m asking is—would it be alright if I examined it more thoroughly for a few days?”
There was no other way this could unfold.
He couldn’t show that he’d desperately wanted her to say exactly this. That this was what he’d hoped for.
Moo-saeng nodded carefully, keeping his expression under tight control.
“I actually wanted to make a request of you. If Deputy Director would examine it, I’m the one who should be grateful.”
[You’re being foolish. What good does hiding information do? Floor 28! Resurrection! Data collection from experiments! That’s what you should be saying. Didn’t you hear it from that bug—the information we got? Kim Moo-saeng! When she offers to look, you should share right away!]
Moo-saeng swallowed the objection rising in his throat.
He understood she was impressive enough, certainly, but he hadn’t yet reached the point of complete trust.
So long as he couldn’t be sure they’d work together long-term, leaking such information would only benefit Geumseong…
‘Wash, this creature is truly baffling sometimes. Same thing happened when we talked to Graf.’
When it came to negotiation, conversation, and deal-making, Wash was still a novice.
But as Moo-saeng focused on Wash’s cackling, he suddenly realized something.
That Kim Min-ji had taken an interest—that was itself a gain.
But wasn’t there already another gain he’d overlooked?
‘Learning that I can connect Wash to a computer through this whole affair is a gain in its own right. It was worth it just to see the look of shock on its face when I asked which USB port to use.’
Moo-saeng’s lips twitched upward.
The moment Wash saw his expression, it straightened its black-framed glasses and cackled.
[Th-this bastard, you’re thinking of something unpleasant again! You’re imagining hooking me up to that primitive machine once more, aren’t you!?]
Just as Moo-saeng was thinking how sharp Wash’s instincts could be at moments like these.
With a soft rustle, Kim Min-ji rose with a smile.
“I’m looking forward to this. Oh, and I’ll contact you through Woo-min, if that’s alright?”
“Yes, of course.”
“Th-thank you, Min-ji.”
Moo-saeng, Kim Woo-min, and Park Hyun-gu, who’d been standing nearby, all rose to see her out.
Kim Min-ji rose with a bright smile, offering a final greeting even to those still seated.
“It’s nothing. I’ve always received so much help from Woo-min anyway. So then… Director Geum, I’ll head up first and take a look around.”
“Yes, see you next time.”
Geum Su-ah gave a light nod in reply.
Kim Min-ji offered one more grin and that was the end of it.
No further words passed between the two women.
Watching Kim Min-ji’s receding figure, the three men slumped back into their chairs in unison.
Park Hyun-gu let out a long breath.
“Phew… It really is true, isn’t it? People who succeed at such a young age carry themselves differently. Wouldn’t you say, Moo-saeng? There’s definitely something about her presence—”
“Brother.”
“Ah, no, yes. I mean, it’s not like the Deputy Director is uncomfortable to be around or anything! That’s not what I meant, ahem, you understand?”
Even though Geum Su-ah was still in the room.
Yet she offered no particular response.
She merely smiled faintly at Park Hyun-gu—that was all.
It was enough to leave Moo-saeng tilting his head in confusion.
What on earth was this woman doing here?
Kim Min-ji had left—shouldn’t they get to the main point now?
“So then, Geum Su-ah… Our business here is finished, isn’t it?”
Moo-saeng ventured to break the silence.
Geum Su-ah, still seated, began to move—slowly, deliberately.
“Ah, ahem, Geum Su-ah?”
Toward Moo-saeng.
Her upper body tilted forward.
Moo-saeng tried to back away inch by inch, but Geum Su-ah kept closing the distance, her hips sliding forward across the seat, and he could not escape her advance.
“Moo-saeng.”
Geum Su-ah spoke.
And in that moment when he faltered—
“Um, there’s—”
Geum Su-ah’s lips brushed against his earlobe.
Moo-saeng could not shake her off.
He could not.
A small voice, tickling the fine hairs in the hollow of his ear…
“Floor 28, resurrection, collecting experimental results… whether it’s insects, females, or… actually, none of that really matters. Moo-saeng, what is that duck next to you?”
Geum Su-ah spoke.
Or rather, the Awakener who had cleared Floor 67 of the Tower and finally entered a realm where she could see and hear Wash spoke.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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