Chapter 135
Chapter 135
Civil Servant Hunter’s S-class Resignation Log – Chapter 135
Turning twenty-three on New Year's Day. What on earth was happening to me?
"Why am I ranked number one...?"
Se-ra had turned her Cube into a training room, worked out to her heart's content, taken a refreshing shower, ordered chicken, and was digging in. The anger toward the man from her dream hadn't fully faded, but the chicken was so delicious that her irritation was gradually melting away.
So why had this ridiculous thing happened to her?
"Why am I number one!"
Se-ra shouted, dropping her chicken leg with a thud.
There were other L-ranks besides herSeong Ja-rim and Kang Se-jun, for starters. Those two had lifetimes of experience she couldn't possibly match. Even as the System Administrator's contractor, surpassing them should have been impossible. So why was she, not them, at the top?
"Lizzy, Lizzy. You knew about this and changed the channel on purpose, didn't you...?"
Se-ra eyed Elizabeth, who was munching on chicken beside her. Those green eyes blinked innocently with a cute little "quack?" Yeah, rightlike she was clueless. She looked as suspicious as could be.
Elizabeth had been the one to suddenly switch channels while they were watching a movie with their chicken. Se-ra had just figured she wanted to see something and let it go, but she should have realized then.
This infuriating fox had known all along!
"Why am I number one? There's a regressor and a returner out there! Sure, I'm the only one who knows the truth, but still!"
As she chugged her beer and vented her frustration, the Administrator tilted its head this way and that before popping an emoticon up on the TV screen.
[This ranking is based on merit points accumulated over the past year.]
Se-ra's face turned icy at the text the arrow pointed to.
'What I did over the past year...'
Clearing a Rank-2 dungeon boss solo, conquering half of a rift dungeon, partially resolving the S Hotel dungeon break, taking down the Cheorwon dungeon boss, maximum contributor to the Rank-1 dungeon in Japan's coastal waters, and top contributor to the Labyrinth's 8th floornot to mention a bunch of other stuff.
In comparison, Seong Ja-rim had only participated in the S Hotel break and the Labyrinth conquest, while Kang Se-jun had more under his belt but hadn't claimed top contributor on the Labyrinth. Objectively speaking, it was weirder if she wasn't number one.
As Se-ra's expression hardened in acceptance, the Administrator bounced around with hearts in both hands like it was celebrating. Its hearts always cheered her up, but right now, she wanted nothing to do with them.
"How could this happen."
She hadn't wanted to be number one... Tears streamed from her eyes.
"Now I'll be even more in the spotlight. I'm doomed... Hey, Elizabeth. Let me ask you one thing."
Se-ra grabbed the gumiho's face and stared straight into her eyes.
"Hold on. Are you using fox emotes now that you're a fox?"
"..."
Damn it. Too cute. Se-ra clenched her fists tight. Otherwise, she'd smash the table.
Fine. Maybe she switched channels because she wanted to see her contractor at number one. Who wouldn't?
Kyaang! Elizabeth hit her with the killer move: head bonks. In this world! Head bonks from this massive, elegant gumiho form! Actual head bonks! At her!
"So cute!"
Se-ra surrendered instantly and hugged Elizabeth tight. The nine tails swished happily.
"Whew, my head went fuzzy for a second there. Anyway, Elizabeth, that ranking isn't the same as actual power ranking, right? Positions and abilities differ, so it's not set in stone, but you'd know better than most as the Administrator."
No matter that she was the System Administrator's sole contractor, beating a returner and a regressor should be impossible. These were warriors who'd fought not just battles, but wars. How could she surpass them?
...So why was the Administrator looking at her with the eyes of a cat right before pouncing?
"What's with that look?"
It was way too excited. Something felt off. Ominous. No good would come from prodding further. Se-ra leaped away from the gumiho.
"No, I'm not curious. Absolutely not. Aaaah! I'm not curious!"
She snatched the remote and killed the TV, still blaring about "Yoon Se-ra, ranking number one, Headbang," then scrambled for a distraction.
"Oh."
In her frantic search, she spotted a NEW! tag on the S-rank+ exclusive community. It didn't look great either... but better than a tte--tte with the beaming Administrator. She dove in.
Finally figured that out, huh. She skipped titles that screamed the poster.
The next one was obvious too. Probably full of curses, so she skipped without reading.
"..."
Se-ra's face went cold.
Wait, hold on. This couldn't be from the person flashing through her mind right now, could it? Ha, no way. Even that person wouldn't...
But "no way" killed the Se-ra who hadn't even caught a silent dragon.
Se-ra's jaw dropped at the blatant name and retirement talk from her auntie-figure. Ranking drop means retirement? Auntie retiring?
"Ridiculous!"
Memories of her own resignation letters getting rejected flooded back. Joke or not, she couldn't allow it.
Se-ra hammered out comments at machine-gun speed.
|Do Jun-young| : No retirement.
|SuhorangGuildBoss| : Ah, future Association President. You came running in shock?
|CerberusHater| : Retire? How about joining Athena then?
|Noeul-sii| : This one's even more no-back-off... Scouting here??
|SuhorangGuildBoss| : Alley Russo's captain would hate this post. Hey. You got beef with him to trash your own HQ?? Spill the grudge on Alley captain.
|CerberusHater| : Misunderstanding. Minor spat, but it'll strengthen our forces, so worth it. Obvious choice as an executive.
|Noeul-sii| : Scary person...
|Reaper| : Retiring? Understood. I'll prepare your post-retirement residence right away. Which area? I'll scout a nice spot personally.
|Noeul-sii| : Wait. Not just one no-back-off.
|Do Jun-young| : Guild Master Jung Ho-young, don't do anything stupid.
|Reaper| : Calling the Association President's will stupid?
|SuhorangGuildBoss| : Ooh! You two fighting?? Epic. Section Chief Do's still anonymous, but a fight outs everyone! Popcorn, stat!
|Yeonhee| : Oh my. Better prep for a nationwide tour^^
|Noeul-sii| : Stop egging them on and rein it in.
|NotHeadbang| : Absolutely no retirement! You can't retire before I do! I'll block it no matter what!!!!
|YeongwonQuitDream| : Gasp!! It's Headbang!
|Noeul-sii| :
|SuhorangGuildBoss| : Oh dear. The not-Headbang Headbang appears?
Everyone snickered at Se-ra's nickname, but the person herself didn't care a bit. It was a name full of her true heart, and besides, that wasn't the issue now.
|NotHeadbang| : As long as my feet are planted in the Association, you absolutely cannot retire. You have to hold that seat until I quit!
She had no plans to resign until she dealt with jerks like Lee Gil-sang and the rest, so Song Han-na had to stick it out too. Payment for rejecting her resignation letters multiple timessuffer as a corporate slave together.
No letting go. Ever. She hammered the keys, vowing over and over.
Finally, after Song Han-na surrendered with a "no retirement" declaration, Se-ra closed the community. First time posting directlyway more labor than expected. She wiped sweat-dampened forehead.
The Administrator wagged its tail beside her in praise. Head cleared, she remembered something she'd forgotten.
"Gotta repair my gear before the Labyrinth reopens."
The Labyrinth fights had badly damaged her equipment. Her EX-rank weapon Heat was fine, but the Jacket of Revival was severely worn. Had to fix it before floor 9 opened.
"Lizzy, that list of item crafters from the sponsorship proposals you were gonna filter for me. Ready?"
A system window popped up. Five filtered names, with short profiles.
"Oh, thanks."
Se-ra scrutinized the list. Some familiar names, some new. Ages and genders varied.
"Hard to judge from this alone."
The Jacket of Revival was a rare item with tricky crafting conditions, so few could repair it. Who among these could?
"Huh?"
Her hand paused on the last entry.
Shin Do-won. 39-year-old blacksmith.
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