[Just call me Mugunghwa No. 1.]
The people did not know, but Mugunghwa No. 1, the current president of our country, was also an Awakened person.
And it was certain that he had heard the System alert as well.
[You did well.]
Even without saying who he meant or what he was referring to, Kim Cheol-ho understood.
“Thank you!!!”
[There will be a reward soon.]
After the call ended with those words, Kim Cheol-ho stared at the disconnected smartwatch for a long while with eyes full of emotion.
“Ha, truly. Section Officer Lee Ji-hu, that man, truly.”
The words that actually came out of his mouth amounted to nothing but “truly” repeated over and over, but those words were the highest praise Kim Cheol-ho could offer at that moment.
***
“The Hunter Management Agency is already fulfilling its role. Congratulations, Your Excellency.”
At the Chief of Staff’s words, the president smiled.
“It is doing better than expected.”
At those words, the Chief of Staff’s face brightened as well.
In truth, although the Hunter Management Agency had been newly established with great speed, not everything had proceeded smoothly.
That was because they had needed to meet with the leaders of both the ruling and opposition parties to coordinate their opinions.
“I did not think the Republican Party would change its position in a single day.”
In truth, as soon as Cha Jun-hyeok’s death became certain, everyone’s opinion had leaned toward the need to create a Hunter Management Service.
However, when the plenary session was actually held the next day, these were the words that came from the mouth of the Republican Party leader.
“We oppose the establishment of the Hunter Management Service.”
The Hunter Management Service.
Originally, they had planned to establish not the Hunter Management Agency, but the Hunter Management Service.
Like the National Intelligence Service, they had intended to place the Hunter management organization directly under the president and unify the chain of command.
However, during the plenary session, they had run into fierce opposition from the Republican Party, the opposition party. In the end, the compromise was to newly establish the Hunter management organization as the Hunter Management Agency under the Ministry of National Defense.
“It is regrettable that the ruling party is in the minority while the opposition holds the majority.”
The president nodded at the Chief of Staff’s words.
He could have simply forced it through, but although they called it an emergency situation, it was not wartime. As long as that was the case, he had no choice but to be mindful of the majority party.
And it was not difficult to guess who was behind all of this.
“The Association’s influence must have reached them.”
In such a situation, the work the Hunter Management Agency had accomplished this time was highly significant.
An S-Rank Tower clear, something no one had heard of anywhere before.
Moreover, the reward was a Tower buff.
A Tower-wide buff that applied regardless of the floor.
This was a benefit that anyone clearing Gwanaksan Tower could receive.
In other words, the people who would enjoy the greatest benefit were the Hunters of the Republic of Korea.
Now that the Hunters ranked first and second had vanished overnight, this was practically the most ideal situation the current government could have hoped for.
It was also closely aligned with the founding purpose of the Hunter Management Agency: to strengthen Korea’s self-sufficiency and build a nation that did not depend on foreign powers, and to protect the lives and safety of the people.
“Spare no support for them. Understood?”
“Yes, Your Excellency. I will pay special attention to it.”
***
[Let us go to Gangwon-do! Gangwon-do!]
From morning onward, the room-corner ghost had been singing the praises of Gangwon-do.
“Why?”
[To set a new record!]
“We are not going today.”
[What? Why not?]
Leaving the grumbling ghost behind, I left the house.
Today was the day I had to report to the Hunter Management Agency.
“Hey there! Section Officer Lee Ji-hu!”
The moment I entered the first-floor lobby, I ran into the Commissioner.
“You did well!”
He did not specify one thing or another, but I knew immediately that he was talking about the Gwanaksan Tower clear.
For now, that was the only duty I had been assigned.
“Thank you.”
“You may continue exactly like that from now on!”
“I will do my best.”
“Speaking of which... Section Officer Lee. What do you think about taking on the Gangwon-do Tower for your next clear?”
“The Gangwon-do Tower?”
“Yes. Or the Jeju-do Tower would be fine as well. The order does not matter.”
If that was the case, I could guess why.
Yesterday’s System alert had clearly mentioned...
“Is it because of the Tower buff?”
“That is right! As expected, you understand quickly!”
“Understood. In that case, I also have one request.”
“What is it? Say anything. I will grant it to the extent of my authority.”
“May I go directly to the Tower itself?”
The Commissioner looked surprised.
“Hm? Gangwon-do? All the way there?”
“Yes. There is a reason I have to go in person. The rewards change if I come out through the hidden exit.”
“A hidden exit?!”
“I am told it is information known only to a few rankers.”
“So there was a honey pot like that! If it is for your growth, I will support you as much as you need. I will give you about two days, so go and come back with peace of mind.”
The Commissioner’s words were true.
The moment I submitted my out-of-jurisdiction business trip request, it was approved.
It was lightning-fast, a speed utterly unlike a civil servant approval chain.
‘Well, there are only two of us.’
“Section Officer Lee, go home early today. You have to prepare for the trip, do you not? You must climb the Tower in the best possible condition.”
He was right.
I was not sure about managing my condition, but I did have to prepare for the business trip.
“I will submit an early leave request in the work status ledger.”
“Early leave? What early leave? This is work too. Hurry up and go home!”
Was this really acceptable?
Even so, civil servants were supposed to...
Perhaps he noticed the discomfort I felt.
The Commissioner lowered his voice solemnly.
“Section Officer Lee Ji-hu.”
“Yes.”
“Remember only this.”
“What do you mean?”
“Protect the lives and safety of the people.”
“The lives and safety of the people...”
It was something the president had previously announced in his address.
“From now on, that is the first principle for both you and me.”
“The first principle.”
“That is right. Nothing else matters.”
The Commissioner continued in a serious voice.
“And I do have at least this much authority. I have a direct line to Mugunghwa No. 1...”
The Commissioner stopped speaking and hurriedly shifted his eyes.
“...In any case, that is how it is. The Hunter Management Agency will continue to operate in this manner from now on. You only need to trust me and follow my lead.”
Was this the beginning of an office worker’s fast pass, one with a civil servant’s iron rice bowl, a pension, guaranteed performance bonuses, and even the chance to skip bothersome paperwork?
“Understood.”
“You may go now. Have a safe trip to Gangwon-do!”
“Yes. I will submit a report after I return.”
After bowing politely, I headed home in broad daylight.
The room-corner ghost was even happier than I was when he heard the news.
[When are we leaving? Right now? Tonight?]
“Tomorrow.”
[...That late?]
The ghost was briefly downcast, but soon changed his expression and began bouncing around.
[Gangwon-do! How exciting!]
What was there, anyway?
[There is nothing quite like severing goblin necks in Hwanseon Cave!]
So that was it.
Being able to sincerely enjoy one’s work was also a blessing.
[And I can take revenge!]
“Revenge?”
[Yes. I died there. In the Gangwon-do Tower!]
“Ah......”
Come to think of it, Hwanseon Cave Tower’s cleared floor count was the 40th floor.
Cha Jun-hyeok had said he died while trying to clear the 40th Floor Boss.
[Do you mean to tell me you did not know I died in the Gangwon-do Tower?]
“You died in Hwanseon Cave Tower. I will remember it from now on. May you rest in peace.”
[...Hm? But I am right here. Does it work that way?]
I did not know either.
But was that not what people customarily said to the deceased?
The ghost’s eyes turned hollow, as though he could not accept it.
In other words, his eyeballs vanished, leaving only black eye sockets.
[I cannot die yet! I am going to take revenge!!!]
No, he was already dead.
Denying one’s current state was quite a tragic thing.
In any case, after returning from the Tower with Cha Jun-hyeok, one change had appeared for me as well.
At the upper right of my Status Window, a book-shaped icon called had been added.
“Spirit List.”
When I called it up, Cha Jun-hyeok’s profile appeared on the very first page.
Bound To: Lee Ji-hu
Class: Swordsman
Rank: S-Rank
Titles: Strongest in Korea (Attack Power +10%), Back Route Pioneer (Evasion +5%)
Stats: Vitality [25,140] Mana [370] Mental Fortitude [370] Muscle Strength [620] Attack Power [4,246 (+10%)] Defense [1,557] Strength [1,328] Agility [30] Intelligence [185] Evasion [30 (+5%)]
Skills: Physical Enhancement 2 (D), Quick Draw 3 (B), Sword Mastery 3 (A), Charge 3 (B), Calf Kick 4 (C), Counter Strike 1 (S), Sword Demon 1 (S, Sealed)
Skill Selection Ticket Fragments: 57>
Just as I had a sealed title, Cha Jun-hyeok had one sealed skill.
“Why is this sealed?”
[Ah, Sword Demon? That is not complete yet.]
“Complete?”
[I have not collected enough fragments.]
Ah, I understood what he meant.
Just like Random Box Fragments, this was also something that had to be collected.
[There is something called a Skill Selection Ticket Fragment...]
What followed had the same meaning.
If he received Skill Selection Ticket Fragments, they could either be combined directly with an existing skill he was collecting, or he could gather fragments and select a new skill. As a skill’s level rose, the number of fragments required also increased.
[I almost collected them all.]
“How many are left?”
[Three. I only need forty.]
Cha Jun-hyeok smacked his lips regretfully.
[In any case, let us hurry up and sleep so we can wake up quickly!]
As he said that, the ghost turned off the light in the room with a “click.”
...What was that?
“You... just now.”
[Why?]
“Can you touch that?”
[Hm?]
Cha Jun-hyeok blinked.
Then his eyes suddenly widened.
[Ah!]
CLICK-CLICK-CLICK-CLICK-CLICK-CLICK!
The ghost’s hand moved deftly as he turned the room light on and off without pause.
“Stop.”
It was distracting.
[It works! It works! I can touch it! I can do it too!]
Leaving the ghost to whirl around the ceiling in a frenzy, I did what I had to do.
In other words, I ate, washed, packed for the business trip, and got into bed.
Ah, before that.
“Inventory.”
I checked the Inventory I had received as a reward earlier.
There were twenty-two Inventory slots in total.
When I put in the suitcase I had prepared, three Inventory slots were filled.
‘It seems to vary depending on the size of the item.’
[It works! The switch! I can touch it! Ooh! This works!]
Even in the midst of all this, the room-corner ghost was still repeating his frenzied turning of the light on and off.
[Did I gain some kind of supernatural power? Or am I becoming human again?]
However, the only thing Cha Jun-hyeok could touch in this house was the light switch.
It was clear from the way his hand had passed right through the doorknob a short while ago when he tried to grab it.
[No... Why?!]
I did not know either.
“I am sleeping.”
Something strange had definitely happened.
But more important than that was leaving on my business trip on time tomorrow.
I simply turned off the light with my smartphone app.
[Why!!!]
“If you do not stay quiet, I will not take you tomorrow.”
At that, the room-corner ghost, who had been chattering nonstop, closed his mouth.
However, Cha Jun-hyeok’s eyes shone brilliantly from the ceiling like beacons in a black night sky.
“......”
Thinking that it would be better to shove him somewhere, perhaps into the storage room, for the sake of a good night’s sleep, I closed my eyes for tomorrow.
***
In preparation for when I came out after the clear, I drove to Gangwon-do as well.
I left at 5:30 in the morning.
Thanks to moving diligently, I was able to arrive at the Tower just before nine o’clock.
The Gangwon-do Tower rose tall at the place where Hwanseon Cave had once been.
[Hwanseon Cave is inside this.]
According to Cha Jun-hyeok’s explanation, the environment inside the Gangwon-do Tower resembled the original Hwanseon Cave.
“Let us go.”
[Go, go!]
But then it happened.
Something moved at the foot of the Tower entrance.
It was not the speed of a person.
It was practically the speed of light.
“A ghost...”
[Ah?!]
[Hey! You too?]
[Huh? Huh?!]
A female ghost, whose eyes went round with surprise when she encountered us.
[Can... can you see me?]
[Yes. I can see all of you.]
[No, not you. Him.]
[Hey! Of course he can! Do you know what kind of person our homeowner is?]
[...What kind of person is he?]
The female ghost looked back and forth between Cha Jun-hyeok and me with nervous eyes.
[State power!]
[State power?]
[That is right! He is a civil servant, no less!]
Hm.
After hearing that, the female ghost wore an expression that seemed to say, ???.
“Let us go in.”
Cha Jun-hyeok, looking triumphant, and the female ghost, still wearing that ??? expression, followed closely behind me.
<Would you like to bind the spirit who entered with you as an affiliated spirit?>
[Hm? Something strange appeared. Contract? Binding?]
As she said that, the female ghost swiftly signed something.
Without even looking at the contents, she looked at me and said,
[I just have to sign this, right?]
“......”
<Compatibility between Jack Rich_07 and the new spirit is 100%. Would you like to bind her as an affiliated spirit?>
It was certainly different from Cha Jun-hyeok’s case.
Did each spirit have different conditions for binding?
If the compatibility was that good, there was no need to reject her.
“Bind her.”
The moment I agreed, the scenery around us changed.
It seemed we had entered the 1st floor of Hwanseon Cave Tower.
“Hey! Why did you follow us?”
[I followed this gentleman!]
Somehow, it had become twice as noisy.
[Huh? But...]
“What is it?”
[Why are you human?]
“Hm? Uh...? Why are you still a ghost?”
[What?? Is that not obvious?]
At that moment, goblins began appearing one by one from the puddles gathered on the cave floor.
“SKREEE! GRRK! SKREEEE!”
“SKRAA! KRAK! GRRRRRR...”
“GRRRRK! SKRAK!”
“Shut up!”
[You are noisy!]
A sword and a sphere of spiritual energy flew at the same time.
Before the sword could even reach them, the sphere of spiritual energy exploded in the water.
BOOM—!
At the same time, six goblins were caught in the explosion.
“......GRAAK?!!”
The goblins died on the spot without even managing to scream, leaving not so much as a fragment of bone behind.
<Gangwon-do Tower’s 1st floor has been cleared.>
Basic Rewards: 100 F-Rank Magic Stones, 10-slot Inventory Expansion Ticket, 3 Essences of Earth.
First S-Rank Clear Rewards: 1 Time Delay Ticket, 10-slot Inventory Expansion Ticket, 1 Skill Selection Ticket Fragment>
Attack Power +5%, Defense +5%>
<Would you like to exit Gangwon-do Tower’s 1st floor?>
“Cancel.”
<Exit standby time is 6 minutes.>
“Guide us.”
“Yeah, follow me.”
[What? Where are we going?]
“Heh. An amateur. You are an amateur.”
[What? Me?]
“Yes. Who else would I mean?”
[Why am I an amateur?]
Regardless of what the female ghost said, Cha Jun-hyeok walked through the stalactite cave with a lively stride.
“It is here, homeowner.”
This time, we stood before a large waterfall.
From the middle of a bridge crossing the waterfall, Cha Jun-hyeok shouted proudly,
“Open the door!”
[...What are you doing right now?]
Strangely enough, lines appeared on the floor of the bridge, forming a door. Then it slid open downward.
“Let us go, homeowner!”
“Fine.”
[There was a crawl hole in a place like this...!]
“Tsk, tsk. Such an amateur. You are giving off the unmistakable air of a Tower beginner.”
[What did you say?!]
The moment we passed through the exit, a sound rang out.
Rewards will be recalculated according to causality.>
WHIRRR—!
110 F-Rank Magic Stones, 22-slot Inventory Expansion Ticket, 1 Time Delay Ticket, 4 Essences of Earth, 2 Skill Selection Ticket Fragments>
This time as well, the rewards had been upgraded quite nicely.
I was even more satisfied because I had received twice as many Skill Selection Ticket Fragments.
[Let us go now, homeowner!]
[Where?]
[Where else? Home.]
[What? You have a home?]
[Is that not obvious? The homeowner is human.]
[Ah...!]
The female ghost glanced at me.
[That must be nice...]
The female ghost did not go anywhere and continued following us all the way to the parking lot, repeating the same words.
[That must be nice. You have a house to keep off the rain. Sleeping outside is so cold.]
A ghost feeling cold?
There was no way that was true.
[...She is a little pitiful, though.]
“......”
RING-RING-RING-RING—
Just then, my phone rang.
“Yes, Commissioner.”
[Section Officer Lee! You did well! Truly well!]
“Not at all. I only did what was expected.”
[Ha ha ha. This is why I like you. You worked hard! Take tomorrow off and rest well!]
“Yes, thank you.”
[And there will be reward money issued to you.]
“Reward money, sir?”
[Yes. From now on, reward money will be issued every time you achieve an S-Rank clear. The approval just came through!]
Did that mean both the performance bonus and the reward money would be paid together?
[Both your life and mine are set now!]
It seemed duplicate payment was the correct answer.
“It is all thanks to you, Commissioner.”
[Not at all. It is all thanks to you. Then I will see you the day after tomorrow. Take your time coming back, and be careful! Safety comes first and second!]
“Yes. I will keep that in mind.”
As soon as I ended the call, Cha Jun-hyeok asked, as though he had been waiting.
[They are giving you more money? Then are we having Hanwoo beef?]
“How do you plan to eat it?”
[Well... You can grill it and place it on the table for us. With one chopstick stuck into the rice.]
A metal chopstick stuck vertically into a bowl of white rice.
It was a strangely familiar sight.
“I can do at least that much.”
After all, I would be the one eating it anyway.
Though it would probably taste a little worse as memorial food.
The female ghost, who had been silently watching us choose a restaurant, came closer.
Then, with a serious expression, she opened her mouth.
[5, 6, 12, 23, 26, 38]
[Hm?]
...Surely not?
Those six digits were?
[They are this week’s Lotto numbers.]