Climbing the Mythic Tower as a Cheating Administrator - Chapter 42

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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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Admin Using Cheats: Legendary Tower Climbing (42)
“Yelp, yelp-yelp!”
The werewolves bolted, howling as they fled.
The wolf packs they led scattered just as quickly.
Watching the monsters flee tail between their legs, Mu Saeng smacked his lips.
“Tsk. Adjusting my Contribution Score on Floor 13 won’t be easy either…….”
The Quest on Floor 13 was to protect a village from werewolves and wolf packs.
Compared to Floor 5, where there had been only a single werewolf, this was a large-scale incursion—three werewolves and over forty wolves.
Of course, they posed no real threat to Mu Saeng anymore.
[Kekeke, right you are. Dog-nosed bastards.]
The moment they sensed his overwhelmingly superior power, the werewolves and wolves were already running.
“That’s the thing. Chasing them down and killing them one by one is no problem, but if they catch my scent—what then? Will it count toward my Contribution Score?”
Mu Saeng had good reason to worry.
What if these werewolves and wolves with their keen sense of smell detected the scent of Park Hyun Gu and the others?
And based on that scent, made a judgment?
Wouldn’t the Contribution Score calculation kick in at that very moment?
‘They pick up another person’s scent, come to attack, then catch my scent and bolt. Even if that happens, I’ve still influenced the monsters’ movements.’
Even if Mu Saeng ended up chasing them all down and killing them himself.
Wasn’t he still affecting the monsters’ movements, their decisions?
[Gwak~. I can’t give you a definitive answer either. But the odds are high.]
In a typical scenario, since Mu Saeng alone met the clear condition of defeating the monsters, one might think his contribution wouldn’t be divided.
But the Tower’s Contribution Score criteria are known only to the Tower itself.
And most critically, once you claim a reward, you can’t challenge it again.
If the Contribution Score gets split?
He’d suffer through the ordeal but receive growth rates lower than Solo Play.
There was nothing to discuss or argue about.
“No wonder the wealthy despise Party Play.”
It made perfect sense why modern power brokers, plutocrats, and the children of major guilds—Lee Eun Woo among them—were trained exclusively in Solo Play.
[So what’s your move, Kim Mu Saeng? Got anything from your Dungeon Sherpa knowledge you can use?]
“Well. The easiest approach seems to be rolling them in excrement. Erase the scent, and we’re done.”
[Kekeke! The thing reeking of feces might end up getting the Contribution Score instead?]
Hearing Mu Saeng’s offhand remark, Wash burst into laughter.
Perhaps it was simply that he enjoyed watching Mu Saeng struggle.
Mu Saeng could only shake his head at the sight.
Mu Saeng’s growth was directly tied to what Wash desired—revenge.
“……But shouldn’t you be concerned about this? From a human perspective?”
[I’m not human?]
Thunk.
Mu Saeng found himself at a loss for words at Wash’s utterly serious reply.
“Never mind trying to reason with you. First, you know where the wolf respawn points are, right? Tell me that.”
[They’re fixed locations, so it’s easy. Want me to give you the coordinates?]
Wash circled around Mu Saeng, buzzing as he spoke.
Mu Saeng nodded, about to head back to the village.
“If I knew the range of the olfactory sense or how far away the wolves can pick up a scent, that would help even mo——wait, what?”
But he had to stop mid-stride.
A message suddenly appeared beyond his Goggles.
[Olfactory Visualization Request]
[Displays the wearer’s olfactory range.]
Wash tilted his head quizzically.
[What’s wrong, Kim Mu Saeng?]
“……This is better than I thought.”
Mu Saeng laughed in relief.
[Distinguishes types of olfactory stimuli.]
[Categorizes distinguished olfactory data.]
[Distinguishes color patterns by category.]
A pale green aura began emanating from his body.
Through the Goggles stolen from the mage Maia, the landscape shifted.
Every scent now appeared in its own distinct color.
After Mu Saeng gave him a brief explanation, Wash smirked.
[Color distinction? That Maia woman built quite an amusing system. I could do the same if I wanted, but—.]
“You couldn’t have done this in the Tower anyway, could you?”
[-Right, that’s what I was about to say. But you’re not complaining, are you, Mu Saeng?]
“No, who’s complaining? It’s just… these colors separated like this, these smells, you see?”
[Hmm?]
Mu Saeng waved his arm experimentally.
Through the Goggles, a faint green hue streamed clearly from his moving arm, dissipating as it went.
“This is what the Tower recognizes as a smell, right? We can think of it that way?”
[What?]
An idea dawned on him as he observed it.
“The Tower or a Dungeon — the situation’s the same either way, isn’t it? If something is recognized in this world, the Tower would judge it using the same method, wouldn’t it?”
[That’s true.]
Wash nodded.
Mu Saeng’s mouth curled upward.
“Heh heh, okay then. That means…… this could work.”
[Squawk?]
A way to monopolize the Contribution Score on Floor 13.
Not even difficult to verify in a Dungeon.
Mu Saeng thought it through to that point and let out a low whistle of admiration.
“Mama really left me an excellent gift. This is almost unbelievable.”
[Cackle cackle cackle, though of course it’s incomparable to what one of us would create.]
Wash laughed as though he’d been the one praised.
“Wait, why are you laughing again?”
At Mu Saeng’s bewildered question, Wash adjusted his horn-rimmed glasses as if to ask what the problem was, and countered, [What? Isn’t it obvious, Mu Saeng? You found a way to grow stronger, and as the contract partner, shouldn’t I be happy too?]
“…… But I’m saying, why did you laugh before?”
[When?]
Mu Saeng made a silent vow.
I’m not bringing this up again.
“Never mind. Right, and humans or whatever…… well, at least compared to me, you’re right that they shouldn’t be mentioned in the same breath. But I’m pretty sure some humans have Artifacts like this too? I just haven’t managed to find one yet.”
[Squawk? Humans? Primitive humans like that? Who in the world makes something like this?]
Wash asked.
Following the conversation as if he were speaking for his entire race, Mu Saeng mentioned the most intellectually gifted human he knew.
“The Metaline Representative. The only SR-Rank among those counted as Eight Seconds.”
The world’s greatest Artifact-manufacturing guild’s genius engineer, technician, and Awakener.
A figure whose face remained unknown — humanity’s representative at this very moment, so to speak.
[SR-Rank? Treated as equal to those beast-like creatures with SSR-Rank?]
Geum Byeong Chul’s Thunder Tiger — SSR-Rank.
Steve King’s Red Hawk — SSR-Rank.
Jean Francois Hugo’s Thousand-Armed Avalokitesvara — SSR-Rank.
All the others mentioned among Eight Seconds possessed SSR-Rank Awakened abilities.
Yet among those monsters, there was one uniquely counted despite being only SR-Rank.
“Do you know what equipment advantage means? When you push equipment advantage to its absolute limit, apparently this is what happens.”
That was the pride and strength of the Metaline Guild.
[Hmm. Mu Saeng, if you speak of them to that degree, I’d like to see for myself. I’m curious what kind of technology these primitive humans possess.]
“Probably…… if my prediction’s right, I’ll be able to see soon.”
[How? Are you going to go find them?]
“No.”
Mu Saeng had already caught on.
Thanks to Hugo and Steve King.
All the members of Eight Seconds currently in the country — that is, everyone connected to Geum Byeong Chul — were all trying to scout him.
So if that was the case…….
“They’ll come looking for me.”
Metaline would come too.
Certainly.
But three more days had passed since he thought that, and no one came — which was somewhat awkward for Mu Saeng.
A conference presided over by Geum Byeong Chul had been held.
* * *
[International Cooperation and Safety Standardization Conference for Awakeners]
Live broadcast on television and real-time streaming through the internet.
Mu Saeng was watching the proceedings from an office at Omgim Corporation, alongside Park Hyun Gu.

“Nice, very nice. If you’ve met Eight Seconds, you should’ve gotten some autographs, right? You ran into those guys and just left empty-handed?”
Park Hyun Gu asked, chewing on a snack.
Mu Saeng checked on the very-much-alive Steve King one more time, then snorted at Park Hyun Gu.
“Autographs? Revelle Grandes École this, Steve King doing who-knows-what—absolute chaos. There was no time for that kind of thing.”
Even after he’d roughly explained what had happened, Park Hyun Gu was still going on about autographs.
What on earth was he talking about?
“Still, you could’ve at least gotten one autograph.”
“The man’s negotiating international diplomacy and you’re standing there like you’re picking a lunch menu. If I’d gone into Revelle Grandes École or Windbloom, what then?”
There it was—that was Park Hyun Gu, Mu Saeng thought.
And that he would push back against Mu Saeng’s own criticism too.
“Is that you talking, Mu Saeng? You said Yerin’s alive. But now you’re saying you spent time on something else? If you were that kind of person, you wouldn’t be here at all.”
Definitely Park Hyun Gu.
What Mu Saeng valued. How he set his priorities.
Maybe he understood it better than Mu Saeng understood himself.
“… You know, sometimes I think you’re incredibly sharp. For someone of your intelligence level, it’s almost unbelievable.”
“What? Is that a compliment or what are you saying?”
Both of them chuckled at the same time and turned their attention back to the monitor.
Displayed on the stage screen was: “Tower Climbing Standardization and Information Sharing System Establishment.”
A representative from Geum Seong Guild at the podium was in discussion with various other Awakeners who had come as panelists.
Mu Saeng knew.
The conference wasn’t the primary objective.
But the conference that Geum Byeong Chul had hastily organized wasn’t something you could gloss over either.
The Geum Seong representative presented.
―Particularly in Korea, major low-level dungeons are concentrated in one area, and since we’re missing almost no floors, if we share and disclose information with one another, even ordinary Awakeners will be able to climb faster and more safely than before―
―Excuse me, I apologize for interrupting, but… isn’t Geum Seong one of the guilds that would possess the most information if that were to happen? And now the representative from Geum Seong is saying we should ‘share information,’ that you’ll distribute it?
The panelist asked skeptically.
The Geum Seong representative wore a benevolent smile.
―That’s correct. Not just Geum Seong. We believe the Future Guild, JK Guild, and Hana Guild will all participate for the sake of Awakeners and our humanity’s future. To reach higher places. To finally reach the summit.
And at those words, the entire hall erupted in murmurs.
Geum Seong was going to share tower-clearing information?
Tower-clearing information was simultaneously dungeon-clearing information.
Without even having to climb the tower, people would start running dungeon loops just for artifact farming, wouldn’t they?
What then of the Geum Seong Guild’s value, having the most awakened equipment in all of Korea?
Was this a strategy to later manage dungeons and collect entry fees?
Would that even be enough to make up for it?
All manner of insinuations, rumors, and suspicions began to swirl inside the hall.
Even other discussion participants and the moderator seemed taken aback by such an unconventional declaration!
“Wait, huh? Are they insane? Mu Saeng, have you heard anything about this?”
“No. But—”
While everyone else was thinking about dungeons, artifacts, the value of information.
Mu Saeng alone was turning over a different word in his mind.
‘To reach the summit of the tower… They’re going to rouse even the Awakeners who’ve stopped climbing and push them upward?’
Even at the cost of damaging their own guild’s value.
They’d awaken everyone with potential.
‘And among them, the ones with real promise, Geum Seong will recruit. It’s a kind of advance investment in strengthening their forces.’
Mu Saeng’s eyes flickered slightly.
The person next to him was going on—saying it didn’t make sense, asking what the other guilds would do, griping that artifacts would become worthless.
A person with the Awakened Ability Nuclear Fist (C-Rank) who’d been sleeping on Floor 10 all this time.
Was Geum Seong intending to find and nurture people with latent potential like this?
Park Hyun Gu’s spittle-flecked theorizing was answered by another voice.
“Artifacts won’t become worthless. As supply increases, demand will too, and Windbloom wouldn’t have failed to calculate that part either… you can tell by the fact that Steve King has stayed quiet—”
A voice somewhat young, bright, and crystalline.
Yet Mu Saeng and Park Hyun Gu had to jump up at the sound of it from behind them.
“Huh!? Ah, you scared us!”
“What, what? Hyung? Do you know them? Who is it?”
Two grown men hadn’t sensed anyone approaching.
On a weekend, with no one else in the office—how?
“What? That can’t be right. Who are you? What brings you… Wait, how did you even get in here?”
More importantly, they’d locked the office door—how had anyone gotten in?
Park Hyun Gu quietly clenched his fist as he asked.
Mu Saeng was tense as well, caught in that moment.
A foreign woman with green eyes, who appeared considerably younger than he was,
“Hello? I’m Hildegard Schmidt.”
introduced 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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