Secrets in Plain Sight

The three walked toward the dungeon gate in silence.

For Geum Soo-ah, the situation was relatively straightforward.

Fine. If things turn out like this, it might actually be for the best.

She had already experienced something similar back in the 22nd Dungeon. When confronted with something incomprehensible, the easiest path was to stop trying to comprehend it. All she had to do was accept it as reality. In any case, she was not the one responsible for conducting a meticulous assessment of Kim Mu-saeng right now.

While Geum Soo-ah took comfort in that thought, Yoon Pyo—the very man tasked with that meticulous assessment—was inwardly writhing in agony.

How… how on earth did he pull this off?

He had read Geum Soo-ah’s report. Mu-saeng likely possessed at least two, perhaps three artifacts from the 66th Dungeon. Yet that alone should never have been enough. Sorcerer Maia, affectionately known as 'Mama,' was the reigning boss of the 55th Dungeon. In terms of sheer raid difficulty, clearing her domain was widely considered comparable—if not superior—to conquering floors in the late 50s or even the early 60s.

Maia excels at optical distortion, creating illusions and duplicates, and vanishing from sight entirely. To even locate her true body, one has to hack through an endless tide of guardians.

And those guardians were an ordeal in their own right. Climbers routinely referred to her lair as a living museum. They were not merely humanoid automatons; mechanical constructs fired projectiles, exploded, swooped from the rafters, and charged blindly from the most unimaginable angles. Some resembled ferocious beasts, while others possessed grotesque, nightmarish forms beyond human comprehension.

And he pushed through all of that?

He had broken through every single layer of defense and killed Maia? Even with artifacts from the 66th Dungeon, could a former dungeon sherpa who had never officially climbed past the 10th floor truly accomplish such a feat? Yoon Pyo was in such a state of shock that he forgot to question how Mu-saeng had previously explored the 51st Dungeon, let alone how his body had endured the crushing mana pressure of the 55th.

"Deputy Head," Yoon Pyo called softly.

"Yes, Director?"

After a moment of heavy deliberation, Yoon Pyo reached a verdict. "I will sign off on your previous report. I will brief the Chairman personally."

"…Ah, understood!"

Kim Mu-saeng was worth far more than fifteen billion won. Geumseong had to commit every available resource to recruit him into their fold. As the two shared a coded exchange that only insiders could decipher, Mu-saeng quietly trailed a few paces behind.

Was he hanging back to eavesdrop on ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠their ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠plans? Or was he keeping his mouth shut out of fear of interrogation? Neither.

Mu-saeng was entirely preoccupied with the transparent eyewear resting across his face: Maia’s Goggles. Maia was the boss of the 55th floor. Whatever bizarre phenomenon had corrupted her dungeon, her parameters could not exceed the baseline of the 55th floor itself. Yet Maia had perceived Wahsh. She had even attempted to hold a conversation with him. The moment that happened, Mu-saeng had realized something ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠crucial: the goggles worn by the Last Sorcerer were far from a decorative toy or a stylish eccentric accessory.

Insane. This is completely nuts. Look at those resistances… He has resistance against all four primary offensive elements, plus the major mental afflictions? What kind of life do you even have to live to build stats like that? Wait, Light and Dark actually have resistances you can acquire?

Under normal circumstances, an Awakener's status window was strictly private, visible only to its owner. Even with the cutting-edge diagnostic equipment developed by the World Awakened Association, outside observers could ascertain nothing more than the name and rank of an Awakener’s intrinsic ability. Yet these goggles literally permitted him to peek at another person's entire profile.

It seems I can't read his raw stat numbers right now… but complaining about that would be begging for divine retribution.

Furthermore, a helpful system prompt sat beside the skill field, informing him that additional details were hidden because the wearer's own capabilities were too low. That implied that once Mu-saeng raised his own specs, he would be able to read other people's skills as well.

Damn… As expected of Geumseong’s Raid Director. Wait, underwater breathing? What is he, a merman? Is he even entirely human?

Seeing that even passive traits were laid bare, Mu-saeng nearly let out an audible gasp. How many more special traits were concealed beneath that final locked line? Just how absurdly powerful was Yoon Pyo? Staring directly at the raw figures, Mu-saeng struggled to grasp the sheer scale of the man's might. This was the calibre of a true elite.

By the time Mu-saeng finished parsing the data, the trio had reached the glowing perimeter of the dungeon gate.

"D-Director!" Assistant Manager Seo Yeong-hwa hurried forward, bracing himself to admit that he had failed to contain the intruder.

Yoon Pyo cut him off before the subordinate could incriminate himself. "We have secured—ahem, that is, we have successfully rendezvoused with Mr. Kim Mu-saeng. Prepare for departure, Assistant Manager Seo."

Swallowing his acute embarrassment at nearly using the word 'secured,' Yoon Pyo fought to keep his expression composed.

At the security checkpoint, Manager Park Jin-cheol of Geumseong’s Dungeon Management Department was equally unsettled.

"Those goggles…?"

Park Jin-cheol was responsible for overseeing traffic in and out of the 55th Dungeon. That meant keeping strict track of who went in with what gear, and who came out carrying what loot. Yet the youth was wearing a strange pair of goggles. Was it possible to acquire something like that inside the 55th Dungeon? Did Sorcerer Maia drop eyewear? He had never seen such an item in all his years of service.

Park Jin-cheol swallowed hard. Had he been a mere junior associate or an assistant manager, curiosity would have gotten the better of him.

"Is there a problem, Manager Park?" Yoon Pyo asked evenly.

"Oh, no! Not at all! I was merely admiring how dashing they look on him. Hahaha!"

He was a department manager for a reason. Both the Raid Director and the Deputy Head were escorting the man in person. Whether those goggles were a high-grade functional artifact or a piece of trendy leisurewear, and whether they had been looted from Maia or received as a personal gift, it was none of his concern. He knew better than anyone that meddling in the affairs of another department brought nothing but misery.

I suppose there’s no issue, then, Yoon Pyo thought, seeing the manager laugh it off.

Hmm, so goggles are among the potential drops from that boss? Geum Soo-ah mused silently.

Taking their cues from the checkpoint supervisor’s jovial reaction, both Yoon Pyo and Geum Soo-ah simply nodded. In the end, not a single person questioned the extraordinary artifact resting on Mu-saeng’s nose.

"Ahem. We appreciate your cooperation, Manager Park. This assignment came down as an urgent directive from the Chairman himself, so we were unable to process the standard dispatch paperwork in advance—"

"Goodness, please don't give it another thought! Everyone in the guild knows how demanding Director Yoon’s schedule is. If anything, I must ask you to put in a good word for our team with the Chairman. We've been terribly short-handed in Dungeon Management lately… haha, though I suppose I shouldn't be troubling the Raid Director with our administrative woes."

Survival in a cutthroat corporate guild required relentless hustle, and Park Jin-cheol was playing the political game to the best of his ability. He continued bowing and offering courtesies until their vehicle pulled away, demonstrating a level of corporate deference that made even Geum Soo-ah feel slightly uncomfortable.

With their business at the 55th Dungeon concluded, the path ahead was clear.

"We will escort you directly to Geumseong’s headquarters, Mr. Kim Mu-saeng," Yoon Pyo said from the front. "I realize you may be exhausted from your dungeon excursion, but—"

"Not in the slightest! Honestly, my heart is pounding just thinking about meeting the Chairman."

Their destination was the fortress of Geumseong Guild. Their objective: a personal audience with Geum Byeong-cheol. Mu-saeng could barely conceal his childlike excitement. Geum Soo-ah, seated in the front passenger seat, glanced back over her shoulder, tilting her head at his radiant enthusiasm.

Most people would be trembling with terror at the prospect of meeting my father… He truly has nerves of steel. He's anything but ordinary.

Ask anyone to name the five strongest Awakeners in South Korea, and you would spark a heated debate over the final few spots. Yet not a soul in the country would dispute that Geum Byeong-cheol belonged on that list. He was the undisputed apex predator of South Korea’s Awakener society. To hear someone say their heart was racing with joy at the thought of meeting him was almost absurd.

I wonder what floor Geum Byeong-cheol has truly reached… Geumseong published official records, but not a single veteran in the industry actually bought their claims. Just verifying that with my own eyes will make this trip worthwhile!

That was the sole source of Mu-saeng’s excitement. What would Maia’s Goggles reveal when he looked at the legendary tycoon? Mu-saeng was climbing the Tower as an active Awakener now, but he had spent thirteen grueling years as a dungeon sherpa. Whispers, rumors, and classified intelligence were the lifeblood he had traded in for over a decade. His instincts as a sherpa were boiling hot.

In truth, he was doing his best to suppress an even greater surge of exhilaration.

[Does this primitive ground vehicle have assigned seating? You took the exact same spot on the way here and on the way back! Is that a rule, Kim Mu-saeng? Is the upholstery softer on that side? Why do you insist on sitting there?]

Lacking any understanding of concepts like the driver’s seat, the front passenger seat, or the VIP rear quarters, Wahsh bobbed lazily through the cabin air, squawking his complaints.

Even when viewed through Maia’s Goggles, Wahsh’s profile yielded nothing. Was that why Maia had recognized him as an entity tied directly to the governing structure of the Tower? Because his data was completely blocked from mortal observation?

And what’s with 'W.A.S.H'? Well, I guess Wash is Wash.

Mu-saeng recalled the system alert from the day Wahsh had first materialized in his life: Tower CX-Ω-74 Administrator: Codename 'Wahsh.' If those letters formed an acronym, what did each letter stand for? Well, the meaning of his name isn't important right now.

With Yoon Pyo beside him and Geum Soo-ah in the front, he could hardly strike up a conversation with an invisible rubber duck anyway. He would have to interrogate Wahsh about it later when they were alone.

The vehicle began to decelerate.

Outside the tinted windows rose a towering skyscraper draped in a shimmering glass curtain wall. Among the dense forest of corporate high-rises lining Euljiro, this building was unmistakably the most opulent and commanding, adorned with gleaming golden accents that caught the afternoon sun.

Geumseong.

The golden emblem was enough to make the pulse of any climber race.

"We have arrived, Mr. Kim Mu-saeng," Yoon Pyo announced. "Please, step outside."

The instant the car came to a complete halt, the rear passenger door was opened from the outside with a crisp click. The security detail executed their protocol with such mechanical precision that Mu-saeng flinched slightly in surprise.

"Ah, you don't have to go through all this trouble. I can walk on my own—"

"We cannot treat an honored guest carelessly," Geum Soo-ah said with a warm smile as she stepped out ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠of the front and fell into stride beside him. "Please, don't feel burdened."

Suit-clad bodyguards smoothly formed an escort corridor around them. Yoon Pyo tapped his earpiece the moment they crossed through the grand revolving doors.

"Information desk."

With that single quiet murmur, the lobby staff sprang into action. Although the cavernous marble atrium was teeming with guild operatives, ranking climbers, and visiting corporate delegates, not a single individual crossed into Mu-saeng’s path. The staff cleared the route with flawless efficiency.

Ding!

Their pacing had been calculated down to the second. The instant Mu-saeng approached the VIP elevator bank, the doors of a dedicated high-speed car slid open.

"After you, Mr. Kim Mu-saeng," Yoon Pyo gestured.

"Ha, Geumseong really doesn't do things by halves… Huh? Ms. Geum Soo-ah? Aren't you joining us?"

"Today's meeting between the Chairman and Mr. Kim Mu-saeng is strictly a private audience," Yoon Pyo answered on her behalf. "Once I guide you to his personal office, I will be returning down to the first floor immediately."

Such meticulous control. Such absolute confidence.

Personal bodyguards… yeah, of course he doesn't need them.

Mu-saeng felt a subtle chill run down his spine at the sheer weight carried by the name Geumseong—or more accurately, the name Geum Byeong-cheol.

"I'll be waiting down here, so… let's grab coffee once your meeting is over, Mr. Kim Mu-saeng," Geum Soo-ah said, flashing a playful, lingering smile.

Before Mu-saeng could formulate a reply, the elevator doors sealed shut.

The express elevator, programmed to travel exclusively between the ground lobby and the penthouse office, rocketed upward with a muted hum. Seconds later, a gentle chime rang out, and the doors glided apart.

Stepping out, Mu-saeng found himself face-to-face with the legend.

A first-generation Awakener. A world-renowned ranker among the revered 'Eight Seconds.' The living titan who had built Geumseong into one of the top ten guilds on planet Earth.

Behind his signature sunglasses, Geum Byeong-cheol studied the young man standing before him, his voice rumbling like distant thunder.

"…I see. So you didn't pull this off alone, did you?"