Climbing the Mythic Tower as a Cheating Administrator - Chapter 38

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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 with an Administrator’s Cheat (38)
Mu Saeng’s unease was palpable enough that Park Hyun Gu could feel it.
“It’s not just the Dungeon 66 Artifact, is it, Mu Saeng? What else is there?”
Park Hyun Gu had already heard about it from him anyway. They’d even split a piece of Slayken’s Shed Skin at one point.
The fact that Geum Su A and Yun Pyo had come looking for him, and that Geum Byung Chul had found something—he’d assumed it was all connected to Dungeon 66, some Artifact or information about it.
But it wasn’t?
“No, I mean… there is something, but, ugh, the thing is…….”
Yet Mu Saeng couldn’t answer readily.
It wasn’t a trivial concern like whether to reveal Washu’s identity or keep it hidden.
‘Did Geum Byung Chul really let that information slip to someone else?’
At the point when Geum Su A had sensed Washu to a certain degree.
And at the point when Mu Saeng realized Geum Byung Chul was stronger than Slayken.
Mu Saeng had thrown down a kind of gamble.
If he couldn’t keep it hidden, he might as well use it to raise the stakes.
As a result, he’d found out how Geum Byung Chul had grown.
Not because his Awakening Ability was SSR-grade, but the actual method behind his ascent—literally becoming the nation’s number one and growing powerful enough to establish a major Guild.
It had been close to a fair exchange of information.
And given how precious information is in the Awakener world, shouldn’t it be locked away as a secret?
[TV? I can’t tell through this screen how barbaric those bastards are. Are all the ones I just saw really at that… beast level, Kim Mu Saeng?]
But had he told them?
Told the Awakeners that Washu was staring at through the TV screen—those who might be equal to or even surpass Geum Byung Chul himself?
If he hadn’t told them, was he calling them now to tell them?
‘To run some kind of verification… no, if that were it, they’d have contacted me. Or the door could’ve burst open and it could’ve been Geum Su A or someone, saying “The chairman wants to see you,” something like that.’
From that angle, there were no messages left for Mu Saeng. The same went for Park Hyun Gu.
This restaurant was also located right near the Tower.
If Geum Sung had tried to apprehend him, he should’ve been found in the Tower’s common lobby first—or failing that, Geum Sung personnel should be walking through that door right now.
Especially given their intelligence capabilities.
Yet there was no reaction at all…….
‘It’s not me?’
Not Washu? Some other reason?
Mu Saeng pondered.
“If it’s true, they’ll contact me. Hey, hey, order more meat. Boss! Can we get some more skirt steak over here!”
And Park Hyun Gu ended his deliberation for him.
Mu Saeng laughed softly.
“The guy who said he wasn’t eating… Ah, instead of ordering more meat, you’re really determined to save people, aren’t you?”
Park Hyun Gu nodded.
In that moment, a text message arrived on Mu Saeng’s smartphone.
Bzzzzzz.
A short vibration—both Mu Saeng and Park Hyun Gu froze at once.
“Who is it? What do they want?”
Park Hyun Gu asked.
Mu Saeng quickly checked the contents.
Then he had no choice but to let out a hollow laugh.
“What? What is it?”
“If it’s good, then it’s good. No, it’s good. It’s good, but…….”
The message was simple.
* * *
“Director Jang. Where is Kim Mu Saeng? This is the best Korea One Way Group can do?”
“That, that is…… We’re doing our best, but—first, the executive’s recovery is the priority—.”
“I’m all better! No, I’m not all better! I won’t be all better until I catch Kim Mu Saeng and beat him to death, my heart won’t!”
Lee Eun Woo exploded with rage.
Jang Ha Guk had to lower his head and hide his expression.
‘Damn it, how much longer do I have to keep doing this…….’
Mu Saeng had kept his promise.
The Antidote had immediately purged the poison from Lee Eun Woo’s body.
After a brief hospitalization for aftereffects—or rather, the lingering symptoms—Lee Eun Woo had now been discharged with a clean bill of health.
Yet he would not stop raging.
Find Kim Mu Saeng. Bring him here.
Now that you have the Antidote, haven’t you secured Kim Mu Saeng, and so forth.
Naturally, all of Lee Eun Woo’s directives were being held in check by Jang Ha Guk’s own authority.
I can’t find Mu Saeng, can’t reach him, can’t bring him in.
The drug was payment for betrayal, after all.
Should I tell him that?
No, that’s insane.
‘Damn it, damn it, damn it.’
So kidnap Mu Saeng instead?
That won’t work either.
He’d definitely have some kind of Auto-send System in place.
If anything happens to him, unless he enters a specific code at regular intervals, it triggers automatically and sends everything.
A man that meticulous would never skip a precaution like that.
Still, Jang Ha Guk had managed to keep Lee Eun Woo calm this long by carefully doling out bits of information—just that Mu Saeng and Geum Sung had made contact—but….
“Geum Sung people aren’t going to be glued to him twenty-four seven, right? If you can’t bring him, just say so now. Or I can wait near Geum Sung Hotel. What’s stopping me? Isn’t that right, Jang?”
“That, well—.”
Just as it felt like he’d truly reached his limit.
Bang—!
The executive office door swung open without a knock.
Only two people in the Korea One Way Group could do such a thing.
“—Father—.”
Crack—!
One of those two men, the group’s chairman and Lee Eun Woo’s father.
He immediately backhanded his son across the face.
“Stop making a disgrace of yourself. You idiot. It’s carrying all the way outside.”
“I—.”
Lee Eun Woo couldn’t muster any response.
It was the first time he’d ever been struck by a parent in his life.
Jang Ha Guk, watching from the side, was equally shocked.
“Jang. The TV.”
“Yes, right away!”
Jang Ha Guk fumbled to turn on the television.
The news screen showed the Airport.
More precisely, it was reporting on those already entering the country.
[They’re all here to attend Geum Sung’s conference?]
[That’s right. Just the fact that four members of Eight Seconds are attending is causing such anticipated chaos around the venue that police have had to coordinate emergency deployment of order-maintenance personnel with Geum Sung….]
Click. The TV shut off.
“Geum Byung Chul has made his move. Top-ranked Awakeners from all over the world are arriving.”
“That… what does that mean, Father?”
Lee Eun Woo asked, still clutching his stinging cheek.
Lee Eun Woo’s Father’s brow furrowed.
“That man moved directly for the first time in ten years. The only recent development has been meeting that Sherpa, Mu Saeng. Do you think that’s coincidence?”
There was something happening.
Something that even the Korea One Way Group didn’t dare speculate about.
Both Lee Eun Woo and Jang Ha Guk fell silent.
Lee Eun Woo’s Father spoke.
“The Southeast Asia One Way Group says they’re also deploying Awakeners for the conference.”
“Then we could ask them to seize Mu Saeng—.”
“Lee Eun Woo! Are you not hearing me?”
From now on, don’t lay a finger on Mu Saeng.
Lee Eun Woo immediately protested.
“Father!”
But it was a meaningless rebellion.
“You little bastard. Don’t start trouble carelessly. If this blows up any bigger, the Chairman won’t let it slide.”
Gulp.
Lee Jung Ki, Chairman of the Korea One Way Group, Lee Eun Woo’s grandfather.
At the mere mention of his name, Lee Eun Woo finally closed his mouth.
“Understand this. The matter with Mu Saeng ends here.”
Jang Ha Guk was bewildered.
Should he first let out a sigh of relief?
Or should he despair over the fact that a noose had been placed around the neck of the man who’d become the catalyst for this enormous global conference?
‘Hell, my life….’
In any case, one thing was certain: it would never be smooth sailing again.
All Jang Ha Guk needed to do was send a text message quietly.
[Situation concluded. To be wrapped up at the executive level.]
Mu Saeng’s smartphone rang.
* * *
Late at night, a banner fluttered across the stage of what was ordinarily used as a concert hall.
[International Awaker Cooperation and Safety Standardization Conference]
The vast auditorium could accommodate eight thousand people, but this wasn’t during the conference period.
It was late, and not even staff remained.
The space was so empty it had taken on an almost eerie atmosphere.
Through different entrances, several silhouettes emerged into view.
“Heh heh, phone calls don’t allow for long conversations with that bastard listening in, you know.”
The first to appear was naturally the organizer.
Geum Byung Chul of Geum Sung.
Even in this dim space, he still wore sunglasses.
The one who took up that remark was a quick-witted man sporting a short blonde cut.
“But you didn’t bring the Key, did you? I didn’t come all this way just to stare at those ugly eyes of yours.”
The guild with the highest tower-climbing record in America: Windbloom.
Or rather, officially the Awakener with the highest tower record in the world—Steve King.
Though still only in his mid-thirties, the very fact that he could be cocky with Geum Byung Chul demonstrated his caliber.
“Tsk tsk, still as foolish and hot-tempered as ever.”
Geum Byung Chul chuckled.
Steve’s brow creased for a moment, but someone opened their mouth faster than he could act.
A figure encased entirely in jet-black reinforced armor, looking almost like a robot.
“We gathered here to cooperate, didn’t we? There’s no need for either of you to be uncooperative.”
The voice was electronically distorted, and the face was invisible.
The representative of Metaline, the world’s largest Artifact manufacturing guild, spoke.
“Drop the toys and speak plainly. Coward.”
“Well, you Germans and your sense of humor. Taking a deliberate jab at the wrong moment, trying to discipline that young brat too.”
Both Steve King and Geum Byung Chul reacted to that voice.
“……Discipline? You were playing with me?”
Geum Byung Chul didn’t answer.
He simply adjusted his sunglasses quietly and looked at him.
But the hall was already changing.
Hissss… sizzle.
A vast auditorium that could accommodate eight thousand people.
Every chair’s backrest in the space had begun to gently boil.
Before the sizzling sound grew louder, Geum Byung Chul spoke.
“Steve. Stand down.”
At the same moment, the lights in the dim hall began flickering erratically.
No one was in the machine room or control booth.
Yet it was clear that some kind of current was flowing throughout the entire hall.
Steve raised his gaze to study several lights, then snorted at Geum Byung Chul.
“What if I don’t?”
His blonde hair began gradually turning red.
Geum Byung Chul nodded as if he’d expected exactly that.
“Then I’ll have to make you. The hard way.”
Just as his hair began to bristle with a crackling sound when he reached to remove his sunglasses.
Whoooooosh—————…….
A warm breeze blew from somewhere.
Cozy, like freshly dried bedding.
A white energy enveloped the hall.
More precisely, it enveloped the two of them.
“Monsieur King, Monsieur Geum. That will be quite enough.”
The headmaster of Reveil Grandes Écoles, France’s premier advanced Awakener academy, smiled gently.
It was both a suggestion and an appeal.
“On such a fine day, now that we have finally found the Key, there is no need to sour your faces.”
At the same time, it was a threat.
Steve’s hair had already returned to a bright blonde.
Geum Byung Chul did likewise, shrugging his shoulders as he spoke.
“I was merely adjusting my sunglasses. What’s this about? Do I look so old you feel compelled to meddle?”
“……Geum Byung Chul too has shown more than enough consideration, wouldn’t you say? The moment you obtained the Key, you thought of us as well. A noble heart indeed.”
The Old Man’s hollow praise made Geum Byung Chul shake his head sharply, as if dismissing words he’d never meant to hear.
There was nothing to gain from prolonging the conversation—only loss. Geum Byung Chul cut straight to the point.
“I’ve found the Key. All that’s left is to send it up. As for how to do that……I’ll leave it to your discretion.”
The eyes of everyone from Eight Seconds shifted.
Such a reaction was only natural.
It meant he would not interfere, no matter what they did to Mu Saeng.
The representative of Metaline spoke up.
“You find it yourself, yet claim no ownership? That’s not the kind of irrational judgment I’d expect from you.”
Steve King was already turning away, walking out of the hall.
He left only one word behind.
“If you speak of this again later, one of us dies—either you or me.”
The Old Man closed his eyes in silence.
“The Tower’s intention……The Tower’s ultimate purpose……If one considers that, there’s no way you wouldn’t stand with me……”
And as he heard all those words, Geum Byung Chul was smiling.

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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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