Climbing the Mythic Tower as a Cheating Administrator - Chapter 24

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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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Climbing the Mythic Tower as an Administrator with Cheats (24)
An hour remained on the clock, yet no monsters survived the fourth Wave.
The ancient statue stood so fragile that even breath might shatter it—yet the Imps’ hands never quite reached it.
[You have protected the Relic Statue.]
[Statue Destruction Rate: 99%]
[Congratulations!]
[You have achieved the Clear Condition.]
[Ability Stat +6]
In other words, Mu Saeng had achieved the standard Clear Condition for the sixth floor.
“Tch. Only managed to earn an hour, then.”
[The fourth Wave basically ended the moment it started, and you’re still not satisfied?]
A note of regret that the forced Wave start time had kept him from shaving off more minutes.
To Wash, it bordered on incomprehensible.
“I’m just saying it would’ve been better if I’d pulled the Wave start forward from the beginning. I’ve got work waiting outside.”
For Mu Saeng, whose mind was already on tasks beyond the tower, every second felt precious.
[You have achieved the Hidden Condition.]
[Not giving up]
[Even in that final moment]
[Ability Stats +5 across all categories]
[Willpower +3]
[Luck +3]
[You are the 877th achiever of this Hidden Condition.]
Certainly more than the fifth floor, but still modest when set against the total number of Awakened worldwide.
‘Not as many as I’d have thought. Though I suppose one wrong step means death, so it makes sense…….’
And that was reasonable.
The Hidden Condition was to clear the floor with the statue at 99% destruction.
No one would deliberately attempt such a thing.
These were people who lacked the skill to defend cleanly against the rushing monster Waves.
Yet who somehow clawed and fought their way to survival.
Those possessed of such willpower, blessed by one final stroke of fortune—they succeeded like that.
[Your understanding of traps has increased.]
[Precision 32 → 34]
[Your understanding of poison has increased.]
[Knowledge 32 → 34]
[Your understanding of Magical Engineering has increased.]
[Knowledge 34 → 35]
[Mana 32 → 33]
“Heh, but moving for nearly twelve hours straight—that’s solid.”
Traps, snares, poisons, and every spare moment spent trying to activate the Guardian once more…….
The regret about the forced Wave timing lingered, yet the tower rewarded him well for not wasting that stretch of time.
[So you’re heading out now, Mu Saeng Kim?]
“Ideally I’d push straight through to the fifteenth floor in one go, but…… I’ll take one step back to make two steps forward.”
Mu Saeng adjusted his gear one last time.
Wash drifted in lazy circles around him, settling his square-framed glasses into place.
[Hmm~. If you’re not going to see that female, I’m curious what you’re up to.]
“Hm? Oh, I do need to contact Keum Sua.”
[Squawk? I thought you said you wouldn’t solve it with money?]
This was the part Wash genuinely couldn’t grasp.
The funds needed to commission the Guardian’s physical body.
Mu Saeng had said no when asked if he was going to meet Keum Sua—the one person who could provide that money.
He’d said there was a better way.
And now here he was, saying he was going to see Keum Sua?
“Yeah, but I’m not solving it with money, right?”
[……The language of you primitive humans makes no sense.]
Wash let out a squawk and shook his head.
Mu Saeng chuckled and called out.
“Hehehehe, you’ll see when we get there. Anyway…… Mu Saeng Kim! Requesting exit!”
On entry, his total Ability Stats had been 248.
And now, having spent slightly more than a full day within the tower.
[Mu Saeng Kim]
―Age: 29
―Awakened Ability: 〈Transmission〉
―Ability Stats
Strength: 74(37) Agility: 70(35)
Stamina: 68(34) Mana: 74(37)
Knowledge: 78(39) Accuracy: 68(34)
Will: 70(35) Luck: 70(35)
Remaining Stat Points: 12
―Skills: Poison Mastery, Steel Bone, Magical Engineering (from Mage Maia)
―Resistance: Poison (S)
―Climbing Record: Maximum Floor 6
·Solo—Floors 1–6
·Additional or Hidden Rewards—Floors 1–6
·Group—None
―Peculiarities: High resistance to Mana Pressure.
Attack Power vs. Small Monsters +45%
Additional Attack Power vs. Large Monsters +10%
Additional Attack Power vs. Artificial Monsters +5%
Movement Speed +5%
Maia’s Mark Stigma
Ability increase from passive skill Steel Bone
When Mu Saeng left the tower, the total of his ability stats enhanced by Steel Bone was a staggering 572.
* * *
One hundred and thirty-three missed calls.
The stack of text messages was too much to read through entirely.
Either way, knowing that every last one came from Park Hyun Gu, Mu Saeng simply chuckled to himself and called him back.
―Mu Saeng! Hey, what happens now that you’re out!?
“I told you I’d be out of contact for a while after entering the tower. What’s going on? Did the company burn down?”
Of course, unlike Mu Saeng’s composure, Park Hyun Gu’s voice was urgent beyond measure.
There was no special message from Jang Ha-guk of the Korea One Way Group.
Knowing that nothing particularly serious could have happened, Mu Saeng found even this fussing amusing, but…….
―Fire, you idiot! My ass is on fire! Where are you right now!? Are you still in the tower?
“Huh? I just came out of the tower.”
―Got it. Wait there.
Mu Saeng felt Park Hyun Gu’s voice receding momentarily.
He was speaking to someone nearby?
Mu Saeng soon found out who—and what—it was.
“Wait? For whom? For what? Explain yourself properly—.”
“Sherpa Kim Mu Saeng, good afternoon.”
―Mm?
A courteous voice addressing him.
When Mu Saeng turned around, three formally dressed men came into view.
More precisely, he saw first the golden badges pinned to their chests.
Geumseong.
“Thank you for your efforts climbing the tower. I’m Seo Young Hwa, a deputy manager with Geumseong’s Strategy Division.”
And the Strategy Division.
Park Hyun Gu’s frantic voice too.
The puzzle pieces clicked into place, and Mu Saeng answered with a bright smile.
“Oh my, yes! Hello? I actually had a few things to discuss with Keum Sua and the vice director.”
“Ah, is that so? Both the director and vice director have been waiting for Sherpa Kim Mu Saeng, though…… if it’s not too presumptuous, would it be alright if we escorted you?”
Seo Young Hwa, his face bearing a gentle smile, treated Mu Saeng with utmost courtesy.
The deference was so pronounced that Mu Saeng felt almost embarrassed, and he found himself gaining fresh appreciation for Geumseong’s influence.
How stringently organized must this guild’s hierarchy be compared to the staff at the One Way Group?
‘Training…… well, training and character both, certainly.’
In other words, at Geumseong, where merit was supreme.
The superiors who hired and managed all these people.
That meant he could gauge just how exceptional Keum Sua and Yoon Pyo truly were.
“When you say director, you mean the commander of the 66-floor assault team? You’re referring to Director Yoon Pyo, correct?”
“Yes, exactly. Both were hoping to wait in the public lobby, but given the attention and all……. Haha, you understand.”
Naturally, the movements of such extraordinary figures would inevitably become the target of intelligence operatives from rival guilds.
Not only large guilds, but mid-sized ones too scramble after Geumseong, hoping to pick up scraps from their table. Which meant that unless something extraordinary happened, it was rare for anyone to show up at the tower in person.
Mu Saeng understood this dynamic well enough, so he felt no particular resistance.
“Mm… mm-hm, I understand. Then, well, since we’re going to meet anyway, could we possibly meet somewhere other than the office?”
No—he’d actually seized on the advantage that, without facing each other directly right now, he could communicate his desired terms clearly.
“Pardon? What location did you have in mind…….”
Mu Saeng eased closer to Seo Young Hwa, who seemed somewhat flustered.
Then he leaned in and whispered.
* * *
Mu Saeng’s proposal was relayed at once to Yoon Pyo and Keum Sua.
The one most taken aback by the suggestion to meet elsewhere was Park Hyun Gu.
“Mu, Mu Saeng? Just a moment, let me call back and—.”
“No, it’s fine. Given that Sherpa Kim Mu Saeng has already expressed his wishes quite clearly, if you press the matter like that, it puts us in an awkward position.”
Yoon Pyo cut off Park Hyun Gu’s interference with quiet courtesy.
What they needed was Kim Mu Saeng’s cooperation. Beyond that, a meeting with Keum Byeong Chul.
One could not simply compel such a task.
In other words, they couldn’t afford to upset Kim Mu Saeng, nor did they need to create any misunderstanding like ‘we pressured Park Hyun Gu to change the meeting place.’
“What will you do, Director?”
Keum Sua asked Yoon Pyo.
Yoon Pyo’s deliberation didn’t take long.
“I’ll contact the Dungeon Management Division immediately. I’ll tell them to process it as an executive decision, and that I’ll report directly to the Chairman myself.”
Meaning: they would accept Kim Mu Saeng’s conditions.
And do so without even informing Keum Byeong Chul first?
For Keum Sua, who knew Yoon Pyo’s usual disposition, this was surprising.
Yoon Pyo himself seemed aware of what she was thinking, and he cleared his throat before continuing.
“Ahem, for a matter of this scale, I’d rather not bother the Chairman with a call. Running all the way to Headquarters would just waste time without accomplishing anything. The priority is securing Sherpa Kim Mu Saeng. With the Deputy Director and myself on it, there’s no reason anything should go wrong…….”
“That makes sense. If it’s decided, we’ll move right away. I’ll have the car ready. Oh, Representative Park! Please take plenty of time to speak with Sherpa Kim Mu Saeng! We’ll definitely come back to you later—.”
Keum Sua made her final appeal to Park Hyun Gu even as she prepared to leave.
And Park Hyun Gu cut her off with an awkward smile.
“Ah, but there’s one thing… I forgot to mention it earlier in the rush of conversation.”
“-Yes?”
“Mu Saeng isn’t part of our company anymore…….”
Kim Mu Saeng was no longer employed by Omkim Corporation.
Keum Sua’s movements stopped.
Even Yoon Pyo, who had been about to stand, froze mid-rise.
“Pardon? What did you just say…….”
Keum Sua asked again, unable to believe it.
Park Hyun Gu smiled broadly and repeated himself.
“He quit being a Sherpa. Hehe.”
Why was he only mentioning this now?
Hehe?
Was he laughing right now?
Keum Sua had to swallow words that had risen all the way to her throat.
And in that same moment, she understood once again.
‘Kim Mu Saeng the Sherpa is plenty unusual, but this man… this one too…….’
He was far from ordinary.
Could Geumseong itself afford to ignore what a man like this could do?!
Yoon Pyo cleared his throat gently and managed to rise from his seat.
“Ahem, Deputy Director.”
“Ah, yes. Let’s go quickly. In any case, Representative Park, I’ll contact you again later!”
“Yes, yes! Please, come in!”
Park Hyun Gu bowed at a perfect ninety-degree angle.
Oblivious to the very end to what sort of assessment he was receiving.
The car carrying Yoon Pyo and Keum Sua pulled out of the parking lot.
The place they were headed.
The place where Mu Saeng was already waiting.
The place Geumseong’s Dungeon Management Division would need to be contacted about?
[What kind of place is this?]
Wash asked.
Before a gate from which thick, viscous liquid trickled in dark rivulets, Mu Saeng spread both hands wide.
Five fingers. Five fingers.
A number marked by finger—it must not be discovered by Geumseong’s personnel at his side that Wash exists.
In South Korea, a dungeon under Geumseong’s access control!
Dungeon 55.
[……The place where Maia is!?]
Wash finally understood.
Mu Saeng alone would never have entered it.
So he’d thought it would be good to draw in someone like Keum Sua, but…….
“The headquarters director is coming too, isn’t he? Director Yoon Pyo? The 66th Floor Raid Commander?”
“Yes, he’s coming along with the vice director, I’m told.”
If Yoon Pyo came, it would be far easier.
Ask an Awakened to create a Guardian?
What purpose would that serve?
“My goodness, I’m meeting you for the first time, and I wonder if I’ve imposed an unreasonable request.”
“Not at all. It won’t be too much burden on the two of you, so please don’t worry.”
Together with Luminous (SR) and Absolute Zero (SR).
‘Good…… very good. I’ll have Maia create it herself.’

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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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