I Conquered the Tower with the EX-Class Character That I Raised - Chapter 96

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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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Chapter 96
After the Apostle departed.
In the ruined conference room, the three exchanged glances in silence.
What manner of object was Pandemonium’s Mobile Fortress?
It was the beating heart of a ‘criminal organization’ that intelligence agencies across the globe had pursued for a decade without even grasping its shadow.
Merely comprehending its existence was an extraordinary achievement, yet they had stormed in with unstoppable momentum and seized it outright?
It was a feat so staggering that one couldn’t even begin to assess its implications.
And beyond that, its value defied reason.
It was an amalgamation of over-technology, surpassing Earth’s magical engineering by several orders of magnitude.
Who had created it? How?
No one knew.
Yet that ‘someone’ had designed a structure of this magnitude to be mobile, and had actually constructed it.
They had even developed and implemented perfect optical camouflage technology capable of deceiving every radar on the planet.
Moreover, scaled large enough to conceal this vast fortress in its entirety.
As if mocking the engineering level that merely harnessed mana stones for power generation, they had equipped the entire fortress with a mana stone engine capable of driving it.
To put it another way.
It was as though they had obtained a super robot that aliens had secretly constructed and hidden away.
Whether it possessed independent combat capabilities was something they would need to determine going forward, but…
Hadn’t the Apostle instructed them to ‘devise plans for how to utilize it effectively’?
Missiles, perhaps. Artillery!
Mount them and it becomes a ‘mobile bombardment fortress’.
They could even use it as a ‘carrier’—stationing hunters aboard and deploying them instantly to critical points.
The applications were truly limitless.
Countless ideas bloomed and faded in the minds of all three.
Analyzing this mobile fortress and weaving it into the reconstruction project would be a glorious opportunity to etch their names into world history itself.
For three who prided themselves as the Apostle’s closest confidants, it was work they absolutely had to covet.
But.
‘If I take this on too, death by overwork is guaranteed.’
‘I’m already bleeding from the nose just managing the grand enterprise the Apostle designed…’
The three were far too busy!
Glory and honor meant nothing if they’d cough up blood at their desks and die before earning any of it.
“Surely only Kang Hyo-jun, the Black Market’s finest mind—someone with expertise across multiple domains and impeccable connections—could analyze this unprecedented pinnacle of magical engineering.”
Min Ji-hee smiled smoothly and pushed Kang Hyo-jun’s back.
Concealing the sinister thought: ‘Please, take the fall for this.’
“You’re too kind. To calculate the astronomical value this fortress holds and operate it properly, wouldn’t Lee Hyung-je’s business acumen be absolutely indispensable?”
Kang Hyo-jun, cold sweat beading on his brow, lobbed the bomb to Lee Hyung-je.
“Considering its military value, perhaps Ji-hee would be the most suitable candidate…”
Outwardly, the three praised each other’s abilities and demurred.
But their exchanged glances all gleamed with murderous intent.
‘You shoulder this and perish!’
‘As long as it’s not me…!’
The silent cry echoed simultaneously through the minds of all three.
“Ha ha.”
“Ha ha ha.”
A tense standoff where they merely exchanged glances and hollow laughter devoid of meaning.
A premonition struck me that if this continued, no conclusion would ever be reached.
“I cannot do it.”
…In the end, it was Kang Hyo-jun who made the first move.
“I’m already swamped with Foundation work. Recently, the Apostle himself even issued direct orders through the Black Market to prepare for civilian casualties caused by the Corrupted Entity.”
Kang Hyo-jun’s eyes blazed with intensity.
I could feel the desperation in his words—he simply couldn’t take on more work.
“And that’s not all. My director promotion review at the Black Market is right around the corner. I need to meet my performance targets, so I’m handling Market business while sacrificing sleep and meals.”
After finishing, Kang Hyo-jun glared at the two of them as if daring them to refute him.
“That’s ridiculous!”
Lee Hyung-je, who had been watching with displeasure, immediately launched a counterattack, fire igniting in his eyes.
“Swamped with Foundation work? When Happy and I bring you documents, you just sign and stamp them—that’s it. We could replace you with a signature machine and the efficiency would be identical!”
“What, what did you just say?”
“If you have any conscience, deny it!”
Provoked by Lee Hyung-je’s challenge, Kang Hyo-jun slammed the desk and stood up.
“Of course not! You’ve read the ‘South Korea Normalization Five-Year Plan’ that became the Foundation’s cornerstone—how can you say such things now? Who wrote it? Every word came from my hands!”
Despite Kang Hyo-jun’s indignant protest, Lee Hyung-je annoyingly scratched his ear and snorted.
“Ah, so you were busy back then and want sympathy? But now you’re just a signature machine?”
“Are you finished talking?”
Lee Hyung-je snorted dismissively.
“Not even close! Preparing for civilian casualties? Fine, I’ll grant you that—it’s important work. But what about the ‘director promotion review’ after that? Isn’t that just for your personal advancement?”
“Once I become a Black Market director, my authority will immediately…!”
“In any case, your salary goes up, doesn’t it?”
Ignoring Kang Hyo-jun’s flushed face, Lee Hyung-je continued.
“Hmph, you dare invoke busyness in front of me? Who’s the one selling ‘unit leader meeting rights to gain Tower farming authority’ and filling the national treasury? Me.”
“I acknowledge that.”
Min Ji-hee interjected swiftly.
“Who budgets and executes the funds needed for Foundation projects and brings in the money to cover it? That’s me too.”
“Ugh… I acknowledge it.”
Kang Hyo-jun admitted it despite his frustration.
He had no choice.
After all, 100% of the operational costs and budget needed to run the Foundation came from Golden Mine’s card.
“Who will earn the astronomical amount of points—so vast it’s impossible to even estimate—that the Foundation will need in the future? That’s me as well.”
The conference room fell silent.
“Who’s the one responsible for the practical negotiations with the United States regarding this Corrupted Entity situation? Huh? Who has to squeeze treasures out of America’s pockets?”
“….”
“That too… is me.”
Lee Hyung-je exhaled a deep sigh laden with melancholy, as though expelling the crushing weight that bore down upon his shoulders.
“I’m out of the running. You’ll acknowledge that, won’t you?”
“…I acknowledge it.”
“…Yes.”
The moment the decision was confirmed unanimously.
As if he hadn’t just sighed so pitifully moments before, a wicked smile spread across Lee Hyung-je’s lips.
“By now, you should know clearly who your enemy is in this race. Very well, I shall be the judge.”
Min Ji-hee and Kang Hyo-jun’s eyes met.
A palpable tension crackled through the air as though sparks might ignite from the void itself.
Lee Hyung-je raised a finger sharply and spoke.
“From this moment on, kill each other.”
Ding, ding, ding!
An auditory hallucination like the ringing of a bell echoed through the air.
“I cannot do this!”
“No, you absolutely can!”
The logic of two beasts clashed.
“Kang Hyo-jun, you are far more capable than you believe!”
“No! I’m so incompetent that I’m already overwhelmed with what I have!”
“Don’t diminish your own worth!”
“And you, Min Ji-hee, you of all people…!”
* * *
…Min Ji-hee accepted her fate.
“Ugh…! Uuuugh…!!!”
“Haha. I’m grateful for your understanding.”
“This grudge… I will not forget.”
“Hahaha! Suit yourself.”
Kang Hyo-jun drew a victory V with his hand.
“This was a battle you could never win from the start. You said protecting civilians is your top priority—so what will you do? Abandon the civilians? Hm?”
Chuckle.
Kang Hyo-jun cornered Min Ji-hee with the logic that “only I can fulfill the global mission of protecting civilians worldwide from Corrupted Entity terrorism.”
Min Ji-hee was helpless.
However, Kang Hyo-jun had to concede something as well.
He had to accept her oath that she would ‘set unlimited work hours for this mission.’
“It doesn’t matter! My work hours are already unlimited anyway!”
“Ugh.”
That crazy workaholic bastard…
But Min Ji-hee’s situation was identical—her work hours were unlimited too.
Now that the fierce battle had ended, it was time to work.
As if by prior agreement, all three simultaneously pulled laptops from their bags and began their tasks.
Tap. Tap.
A heavy sigh.
Ugh…
Tap. Tap.
A sharp exhale.
The room fell silent except for the rhythmic clacking of keyboards and occasional sighs. After a moment.
“Well, you’ve all worked hard.”
The Apostle had returned.
“Who’s going to report?”
Min Ji-hee raised her hand.
“That would be me.”
“Ah, Min Ji-hee. Perfect. Then…”
The Apostle’s gaze swept across the two victors—Lee Hyung-je and Kang Hyo-jun.
“?”
“…”
“You two have nothing else to do right now, correct?”
Both men felt a chill run down their spines.
No one here possessed the audacity to tell the Apostle, “Actually, we have mountains of work.”
“Captain Lee Hyung-je, I have another task for you.”
“…Yes? What task would that be?”
“You need to slip into Italy and back within the next day or two. Before then, I need you to stir up some chaos at their Hunter Association—something significant and catastrophic enough to keep the upper echelons distracted during my stay.”
“…”
Lee Hyung-je swallowed hard, fighting back tears.
“What’s the deadline…?”
“Don’t let midnight pass.”
“…”
“You can manage that, yes?”
The Apostle spoke as though assigning something trivially simple—something that simply could not fail.
‘The Apostle… truly doesn’t understand the human heart.’
Lee Hyung-je nodded.
“It’s possible.”
“Good. And Kang Hyo-jun.”
“…Yes.”
Kang Hyo-jun braced himself mentally.
The Apostle withdrew a black sphere from his robes and tossed it casually.
Catching it reflexively, Kang Hyo-jun habitually pulled out his analysis glasses to examine the sphere.
‘…Nothing’s showing up?’
It wasn’t an artifact.
“What is this?”
“I don’t know. It came out when I split open the Pandemonium Guild Master’s body.”
“….”
Cold sweat suddenly erupted across Kang Hyo-jun’s entire body.
A king of criminals who had lived in hiding for ten years, committing countless crimes!
That was the Pandemonium Guild Master.
By estimated strength, among the highest S-rank.
A dangerous individual whom the Black Market’s intelligence division judged could easily be treated as EX-rank, simply because his criminal nature hadn’t been publicly revealed.
Yet even after crushing such a heavyweight, the Apostle felt no particular emotion.
Rather, it felt like the weight of having simply squashed an ant.
“But you said you ‘split’ it, not ‘killed’ it?”
“That.”
Where the Apostle pointed, only a pile of dirt remained.
A somewhat blackened pile of dirt.
“That is the Pandemonium Guild Master.”
“Pardon?”
“It was a fragment. A golem, if you will. That orb came from inside that golem.”
“So in other words…”
Kang Hyo-jun trailed off.
To summarize.
The Pandemonium Guild Master, who wielded EX-rank power, was actually a ‘golem’.
And its true body existed elsewhere.
This orb was the thing that allowed a mere golem to boast ‘EX-rank strength’.
“Wow… that’s quite an extraordinary item.”
“Indeed.”
Kang Hyo-jun retrieved a special case from his bag.
It was a premium-grade case, used only occasionally for truly precious items.
It was also an artifact inscribed with various protective enchantments.
With trembling hands, Kang Hyo-jun placed the orb inside the case.
“Look into what that is.”
“…Yes.”
Kang Hyo-jun nodded.
“And…”
“There’s more?”
“As a branch manager of the Black Market, I need your professional opinion…”
“Yes.”
A simpler request than expected.
Offering an expert opinion wasn’t difficult work.
“The Crimson Elixir—you remember it.”
“Of course.”
The mysterious potion that allowed the Apostle to ascend to Special One!
Ever since Golden Mine and the Saint each claimed one, it hadn’t appeared in the world again, but the moment the Apostle released his supply, it would become the apex predator that overturned the entire potion industry.
‘Finally, he’s about to reveal his true inventory.’
Kang Hyo-jun’s anticipation swelled.
‘If the Korean branch supplies it exclusively, considering the commissions that would flow from there… my promotion to Executive is as good as sealed…’
“Not that low-grade trash…”
“Pardon?”
Kang Hyo-jun’s thoughts ground to a halt.
‘L-low-grade?’
“Some arrogant Master Craftsman is trying to create a single masterpiece worthy of being called the ‘Divine Elixir.'”
The Apostle continued, resting his chin in his hand.
“It must be something that has never existed in this world, mysterious enough that no one would dare attempt to replicate it. Yet simultaneously, it cannot leap too far beyond Earth’s current alchemical understanding. The raw materials must be obtainable only from the Korean Tower. Ah, the 70th or 80th floors would be ideal.”
“I beg your pardon?”
“Try recommending what would be good to create.”
“….”
Kang Hyo-jun froze solid.
‘Where in the world would such a potion exist!’
“Why aren’t you answering?”
“…Well, that is…”
“You don’t know?”
“I’m just thinking right now…”
“Why don’t you know?”
The Apostle let out a dissatisfied hum.
“So this is the extent of it…”
At the chilling gaze, Kang Hyo-jun cried out desperately.
“No, no! I’ll organize my thoughts and report back to you today—no, in 30 minutes—no wait, 15 minutes!”
“…Hmm.”
“10 minutes!”
The Apostle nodded and rose from his seat.
“You’re taking too long… Report separately to Min Ji-hee. I’m leaving.”
“…Yes.”
“Min Ji-hee, come with me.”
“Yes, Apostle. I’ll brief you on the operational direction of the Mobile Fortress inside the helicopter.”
“Good. Already finished organizing everything? That’s Min Ji-hee for you.”
Min Ji-hee followed in the Apostle’s wake as he left the ruins.
Just before disappearing beyond the doorway, Min Ji-hee glanced back and raised her middle finger at Kang Hyo-jun.
‘Enjoying the view? Hehe.’

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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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