Chapter 39
Chapter 39
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 39
Chapter Title: After Clearing the 10th Floor: Future Plans
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That dawn, after such events had unfolded.
As daylight broke, they gathered.
The Skyscraper.
The building closest to the entrance of the Tower of Lust, symbolizing the authority of the six major guilds.
Not everyone was present today—just the usual faces showed up.
"Hahaha!! Ahahahahaha!!"
The witch threw her shoulders back, baring her deep cleavage as she laughed.
A beauty with a cola-bottle figure, her star-shaped tattoo on her cheek perfectly matching her platinum-dyed hair.
Tall and curvaceous in all the right places, she was the type who seemed like she'd drag her boyfriend to every event under the sun if they dated.
"Woo-hoo, what an achievement! The 10th floor's finally open! Now we can kick off the search operation for real!"
As the Copper Witch Iian shouted triumphantly, the people around her clapped in unison.
-The married redhead ginger.
-The melancholic beauty in black mourning clothes with long hair.
-The sunglasses-wearing baldy who had greeted Hong Chang-gi when he first arrived here.
Of course, he was there too.
Still feeling a bit awkward from the morning's incident, he couldn't hide his discomfort as he sat with his legs crossed.
"Congratulations, Mr. Hong Chang-gi. You didn't let us down."
"Who are you again?"
"I'm the doorman who greeted you at the entrance. Also an executive of Maan, so just remember my face."
"We'll just call you Baldy. That's what we call you anyway."
"...Isn't that a bit rude?"
"It's fine. I kinda like it when you guys say that."
The sunglasses baldy chuckled, while Hong Chang-gi awkwardly scratched the back of his neck.
"How was it on your way here? The reactions must've been wild, right?"
"Yeah. Our guild home was chaos from the morning. People everywhere flipping out—"
"-Sorry for not cleaning up! That mess was your auntie's guild that dirtied it!"
"Nah, it wasn't your guild's party. Hunters and reporters started barging in like crazy from the crack of dawn, causing a ruckus. Like, it's not even the 50th floor—what skills does this guy even have? All that bullshit from the sidelines..."
"Heh. Reporters are persistent, huh? I remember my first time. You did well to make it here."
"Tell me about it. It was a real struggle."
"Heh heh heh."
Even as he sipped his tea, Iian—the number one—couldn't hide her good mood.
The others were the same.
They kept rising onto their tiptoes and dropping back down, betraying their jittery excitement.
"Why's everyone so fidgety?"
"They're all antsy. The 10th floor's finally open. The person we've been looking for might be within the first 20 floors."
"Right. There were people detained in the tower, yeah?"
"You heard the slogans we shouted at the start, right? That's the hint."
"Hint? Isn't it more like the answer spelled out plain as day?"
Hong Chang-gi still vividly remembered the declarations from back then.
"I, the former Maan Guild Master, for my precious mother."
-From number one, the Copper Witch.
"Likewise, for my mentor, the former Bronze Shield Guild Master."
-From number two, the international criminal Hogul.
"For my precious person suffering in the tower, and the friend from across the sea who trusted me and joined Chomok."
-From number three, Seong-yeon.
"For the future of Mechanic Guild, and my precious child who supported me through my harsh life."
-From number four, the redhead ginger who hadn't introduced herself yet.
"For my wonderful friends with whom I enjoyed Cartographer work, and to reclaim the life the tower stole from me~♪"
-From number five, the smiling girl with the big backpack.
"For the master of OP, the benefactor who took me in..."
-From number six, the disheveled beauty in black mourning clothes.
"Iian lost her mother, Auntie Bridgetta her child, and Madam her benefactor, right?"
"Don't call me 'Iian miss.' We agreed to be friends if she comes back."
"Oh, right. Iian?"
"Yeah. Call me Iian like that. Be as cheeky as you want."
"Anyway, was I right?"
Everyone nodded at Hong Chang-gi's question.
Bridgetta's reaction was especially intense.
"My kid might be on this floor. I wanna storm the tower right now and tear it apart!"
"How old's the kid?"
"Little. Still in elementary school. Poor thing, stuck with a gangster mom like me, living in this dump..."
"How do they even get mandatory education living here?"
"Woo, our junior doesn't have kids, so he wouldn't know? Schools these days even provide buses to and from the tower! Luckily, there's a school nearby aimed at hunter couples..."
"Hold up, Auntie. We didn't come here to talk about that."
"Oh, right. Anyway. So yeah, a kid like that trapped in that damn tower? How do you think a mom like me feels?"
"Like you're rotting from the inside."
"Exactly! If they were gonna take someone, take me—not the kid, as punishment for bypassing the tower..."
Even indoors, she puffed on her herbal cigarette like a sea creature slumping over. Sitting limply in her chair, exhaling weakly, her face was full of worry for her child.
"Speaking of bypassing the tower, how'd that happen?"
"We don't know either. The lead rankers got some tip and dove right in—no details."
"We did get intel that someone offered those rankers some kind of deal..."
Iian claimed ignorance, while Sunglasses Baldy spat out that was all he knew.
"Sorry to say this to our junior, but we're suspicious of Seong-yeon."
"She denied it."
"Of course she did. Who'd admit 'Yeah, I did it' in this situation?"
"Auntie."
"But she's the most suspicious. She always had info first on other towers. Always acts first, explains later."
"Auntie."
"Same with Maan and Silver Tower clears. She knew about uncleared floors. When we asked how, no answer—just orders from that bitch."
"Auntie!"
"You know it best, right? She fed you the info this time too and sent you charging in. No guarantee she didn't pull the same on the vanguard team—"
"Hey, you fucking bitch."
"............"
Hong Chang-gi finally swore, and she awkwardly averted her eyes.
"—Sorry. Nerves are frayed right now. Forgive me for that."
She hurriedly pulled down her jumpsuit just enough to flash her chest without baring her areolas—a service apology.
"I get it, you're a parent. I'll let it slide."
"...Auntie really is sorry. I spoke out of turn."
"If you're gonna suspect someone, she's fair game, so don't beat yourself up."
"Yeah..."
Thinking it was too sensitive a topic, Iian glanced at the mood and changed the subject.
"Here's the schedule. Starting today, we'll scout from the 11th floor. We have records up to the 50th, but just in case, we'll remap with the Cartographer Guild. Once the new map's done up to the 19th, the 20th-floor gateway's yours again. Count on you then."
"Got it."
"No restrictions on looping the tower in the meantime. Level up for us—it's a win-win. But stick to mapped areas as much as possible. Cleared 1st to 9th floors, or 11th onward as we chart them."
Can't have you dying on us, after all.
"Understood."
"Rest of the schedule's business as usual—sending rescue teams. Nothing special to report."
Hm.
She tapped her lips with her index finger, pondering, then grinned.
"Oh yeah. Got a story you might like."
"A story?"
"Here."
A bundle of letters suddenly spilled from her item pouch.
"...Huh?"
Way too many.
Wondering what the hell they were, the hitherto silent Madam chimed in.
"Letters of thanks that came through me."
"Thanks for what?"
"You remember all those male challengers trapped on the 10th floor, right...?"
"Yeah. The constellation said they were still alive."
"The moment you cleared it yesterday, they all got teleported out... Guild members to their guild homes, independents to the Hunter Association, some straight to their lovers' places..."
Most of the letters were gratitude for the rescue.
"In just one day, this many?"
"You might not recall, but... OP's guild town is a haven for tower victims. Lots of women there sobbing over lost lovers, especially after cases like the 10th floor..."
And then their lovers came back.
Alive, no less.
"We had them write these as a courtesy... No pressure, just take them."
"Thanks."
Too many to read here, so he stashed them in his own item pouch.
His lips curved slightly—being thanked felt good.
"Heard they were all locked in chastity belts the whole time they were detained?"
"Another curse item?"
"Nah, regular chastity belts. Kept 'em locked up, forced blue-balling. Living with succubi the whole time—drove them damn near insane."
"Stimulating their balls and asses every day... Tormenting them right up to the edge... Then just leaving them like that..."
Hong Chang-gi marveled at how perfectly the tower ran its twisted operation.
Torture fitting for the Tower of Lust.
"Chaos everywhere because of it. Happy endings for those reunited with lovers, sure. But with partners vanished into the tower, plenty swapped shoes for new ones. Truckloads of poor bastards parading brothels, arms full of girls, celebrating."
"Don't wanna hear about that romantic hell."
"Not all bad, though. Lots of male hunters coming back. 10th-floor clear rumors spreading underground—new recruits incoming. Just one day in, but it'll explode over time."
Iian grinned ear to ear.
"That's the update for today. Any more questions?"
"Kinda random timing, but..."
"Random? Oh, I'm free. Hunting for a boyfriend~."
"Not that."
"...Then what?"
There was one thing to ask at a time like this.
"There's someone named Ceres in our guild."
"Butler Ceres? Know her. We meet here often, chat a lot."
"Perfect. Got a situation—need to know her backstory."
"...Aha!"
"I wasn't done explaining."
He hadn't even finished, but the Copper Witch Iian smirked knowingly.
"Fair. She's a sharp one. Obvious virgin, killer body... Guess you're a guy after all?"
"Watch your mouth, fuck. I got a girlfriend, you know."
"Oh, not that either?"
"What is this, desperate thot alert?"
The Golden Tower rep was more of a lovebrain than expected.
A ditzy witch to boot.
"Anyway, it's personal. Kinda awkward to ask Seong-yeon."
"Want the dirt on the sly?"
"Personal history stuff."
"Sure. No reason not to spill."
Everyone seemed to know Ceres's situation, so lips were loose.