Chapter 18
Chapter 18
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 18
Chapter Title: Tomboy Childhood Friend and [Six Major Guild Conference]
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The Six Major Guilds.
The collective name for the six guilds representing modern-day Korea.
Ranking 1: Maan Guild
Ranking 2: Bronze Shield
Ranking 3: Chomok Guild
Ranking 4: Mechanic Guild
Ranking 5: Cartographer Guild
Ranking 6: OP Guild
Our Chomok Guild ranks third, placing us firmly in the upper echelons of these Six Major Guilds.
That said, no one outside—including me—knows the true state of the sixth-ranked guild, since they've settled into the Golden Tower.
The previous sixth-ranked guild handled finances, and since they pushed them out, we can guess it's something related...
Nah, that's not the issue right now. Not at all.
"Can someone explain why the hell I'm being dragged to a formal meeting like this?!!!"
Vrrr~!
We were riding in a limo for the first time in my life. And they were taking me there still covered in sweat from our fight just moments ago.
What the actual fuck was going on?
"Calm down. Lady Seong-yeon doesn't move without reason. There's surely something behind this."
"And you know what that is?"
"Vaguely. But I don't know the full intent. Maybe she thinks even a freak like you could be useful somewhere."
"Dressing that up doesn't make 'I don't know' sound any better!"
More than that, this fake-butler-in-drag had apparently decided to just call me a freak from now on.
Damn title.
The bra incident was all my fault, so I couldn't even argue back—that was the most infuriating part.
"Chill out. You think I'd drag you there for no reason?"
"I know that, but this is too sudden, man. You won't explain a damn thing—how am I supposed to stay calm?"
"C'mon, trust me. That thing I introduced you to last time? It was as good as I promised, right? No regrets?"
"Kuh! Don't put it like that—what am I supposed to say!? Yeah, it was awesome, but—!"
"Ah. Ceres is here, so no details. But it was amazing, right~? Mmm~?"
Seong-yeon turned sly.
Fuck.
Acting all smug just because she hooked me up with a great girl.
"It was good. Fucking fantastic. Best ever—that's all I can say."
"Right?"
But I wasn't in a position to snap at her.
Like she said, it was the meeting of a lifetime. I could've poured all my luck into it and it wouldn't be an exaggeration.
Who knew my childhood friend would play Cupid... She'd grabbed my weakness for life.
"There you go, then. Just trust me this time too."
She thumped her chest confidently.
For once, she was in a suit, looking dead serious. Ceres was still in her butler outfit, and I was the only one in leather armor—it felt way too out of place.
"You sure it's fine to go like this? Don't we need to dress for the occasion?"
"Everyone shows up in their usual gear, so don't worry."
"For real? If I get side-eyed, I'm seriously pissed."
"It's fine."
"...Believe Lady Seong-yeon. If you follow her lead, you'll come out ahead a hundred times out of a hundred."
"You know you get a little too blind when it comes to Seong-yeon, right?"
"Everyone has their reasons. Whatever yours is, you've received her grace too, so just follow along quietly."
"Tch."
No one on my side.
Still, like Seong-yeon and Ceres said, I was probably overreacting.
If my outfit was an issue, Ceres would've flipped out already.
They'd explain everything once we got there—no need to stress...
Right?
'Why drag me into something like that? Is she trying to network me through her connections? I fucking hate that shit.'
My first goal was to stack savings in the tower for a comfy retirement later.
Skill ranking up was a stepping stone... Was she pushing me toward something higher?
Like, time to climb even further?
"Don't shake. They're all good people. Hell, they'll probably welcome you with open arms."
"Really?"
"Really."
"Whether it's real or not, they're all merit-based. I doubt they'd be interested in a freak like this."
"Ceres~!"
She threw in an unsettling jab from the side. Seong-yeon kicked her shin and yelled at her to cut it out.
They looked so close—why weren't they dating?
"Ahem. Anyway, don't stress too much. Get some air."
"We have drinks too. Let me know if you're thirsty."
"Got any burdock tea?"
"Yes, we do. Though for your age, your tastes are... unique."
She pulled a 500ml burdock tea from the limo's mini-fridge and handed it over.
What the hell? Why was that even there?
The tower branch convenience store never stocked it, so I'd always ordered from outside...
"Lady Seong-yeon likes it, so we keep it stocked."
"For real? Wow, your tastes are savage too."
"I don't wanna hear that from you~!?"
Even as friends, they overlapped in weird ways.
Amazed by their bond, I followed Seong-yeon's advice to cool off and rolled down the window to look outside.
Unlike the bright city streets, this place was pitch black. Nothing.
'Unlike the Brass Tower area, this neighborhood's rough.'
The limo racing through downtown Seoul soon arrived in a barren wasteland.
Like a nuke had gone off—empty land as far as the eye could see. Except for the massive Golden Tower in the center, there was zero infrastructure.
'And soldiers controlling it, no less.'
Gray barriers marked [Restricted Area] spread wide around the tower. The road in was blocked by soldiers. Hardly anyone would crawl out here anyway, so security was lax, but everyone armed to the teeth was creepy as hell.
'This is the Golden Tower. Just like the intel—government and guilds jointly controlling the interior?'
Weird. Those two were never supposed to mix.
Once guilds entered a tower, they became lawless bands free from government oversight. Inside, government influence was beneath the guilds' feet.
Because they were insane thugs who could aura up and slaughter anyone firing guns or missiles right there, even topple nations.
Those guys self-sustaining as rankers inside, breaching government regs to make dangerous weapons and drugs, murder rampant—government must grind their teeth...
"Leashed dogs off the chain, and the government dying to grab those leashes. Why the hell are they teaming up?"
"Humans are social creatures. Even with hunter talent, almost no one physically defies the law. You too, and most guys grind through the military anyway."
"I dropped out midway."
"Before that."
-Because it's the law.
Especially in a world where stronger rankers openly ruled—no one would step out of line. This wasn't a game; lives were on the line.
"...Hold up."
The more she said, the weirder it got.
Government was pushing reserves to boost hunter numbers. And now full-on collaboration?
Something was wrong.
"You caught on?"
"Something's happening where government and hunters' interests align... That what you're saying?"
"Exactly. As you can see, shit's serious. Guilds can't manage the towers anymore, and worst case, total breakdown of public order. They're even teaming up with the disobedient ones to fix it."
"Public order breakdown? The towers aren't overflowing, are they!?"
"Not yet, but it could happen depending."
"You're crazy..."
North Korea went nuts over that. Some country banned touching towers as sacred, then monsters overflowed and they collapsed.
Towers were disaster gift boxes overflowing with goodies.
Clear them for humanity-boosting tech, but without the chops, they became national time bombs. They appeared after the initial calamities hit each country—a side effect. And something god-like lurking inside made it extra vicious.
"Hey. Gonna explain in detail or what?"
"Not yet. Everyone gathers, then we'll explain. Easier for you to get it once, no repeats."
"Ah, fuck, more secrets! Again and again!"
I was about to chew her out when the limo stopped.
Soldiers approached the window.
I stared, wondering what was up—they looked even more tense than me.
"Halt. Halt. This is a restricted area."
"Civilian vehicles prohibited. State your business."
"Ah, excuse me. I'm Song Seong-yeon, Guild Master of Chomok Guild. Here for today's guild conference."
Their tension melted into doughy smiles at her greeting.
"Lady Seong-yeon! We've been waiting!"
"No need for ID. Orders came straight from above. Please, go right in."
"Thank you."
They radioed from their chest units and opened the heavily barred entrance.
The road to the tower cleared.
"No checks going in or anything?"
"What checks?"
"First time here for me, and they just let us through without ID."
"Everyone knows there's no point."
"To what? What if a real psycho slips in? Like some aura-high criminal, that shit happens, right?"
"That happens plenty already. Even if they sneak in, tower shit doesn't leak out. And you can't stop those types with checks anyway—pointless."
Entering tower = hunter
Blocking = regular soldier
Meaningless wall from the start.
"Bullshit. Then why bother with walls and inspections?"
"Those? Just partitions at best. Not to block entry, but to keep inside info from leaking out. Different nuance."
So, info control over entry prevention.
What the hell was going down inside the Golden Tower to need that...
"Anyway, better close your eyes soon."
"Why?"
"This tower's transition is blinding."
"........."
Ceres already had her eyes shut next to me.
How bad could it—
Flash!
"Aaaaaaaaaaagh!!!!"
"Listen to Lady Seong-yeon and you'll get laid even in your sleep. Got it?"
"Shut your trap! Quit timing your digs for every opening!"
"...What a fucking moron."
Ah, fuck! Shitty place from the start!
The desolate outside was bad enough! Nothing here sat right with me!
'Kuh, this noise marketing?'
Thanks to that, I was even more curious what kinda hell this was. Once my vision cleared, I focused aura in my eyes to see it all clearly.