Dungeon & Commander (Chapter 35)
The deputy director spoke calmly like a gentleman right up to the end.
Lee Wan-yeol barely suppressed the urge to smash that greasy face with his fist and stepped outside.
The deputy director's secretary spotted Lee Wan-yeol's face and smirked slyly.
That bastard!
His eyes flashed with murderous intent.
The startled secretary hurried back into the deputy director's office to pick up the scattered papers on the floor.
Lee Wan-yeol went to the bathroom and washed his face.
The injury was in too awkward a spot to blame on tripping down the stairs. If his nose had been broken, he could've made some excuse.
With a sigh, Lee Wan-yeol returned to his office and found three section chiefs waiting. Among them, the one trembling with his head bowed low was the Guild Management Section 3 chief.
"You."
"...Director, please give me just one chance!"
The Section 3 chief dropped to his knees.
"It's fine. These things happen. You came up with the idea, but I was the one who approved it."
"Your grace runs deeper than the sea and higher than the mountains. I will never forget it."
"More importantly, where are you from?"
"...Daegu."
"Starting next week, report to the Daegu branch. It's a special dispatch, so you can head down right away without issue. And during the regular personnel shuffle, you'll transfer there permanently."
"D-Director?"
Lee Wan-yeol entered his office, and Section 1 Chief Park and Section 2 Chief Oh followed without sparing a glance at Section 3 Chief Kim.
Bam! The door slammed shut.
Lee Wan-yeol perched on the edge of his desk and eyed the two section chiefs.
"What is it?"
"I have a good idea."
Section Chief Oh stepped forward.
"Let's hear it."
Lee Wan-yeol had no real expectations.
Instead, he was pondering how to handle the deputy director's rage.
How could he leverage his network to make someone else take the fall and get booted from the Association?
One section chief wouldn't be enough.
If he slipped up, the tower he'd built over 26 years could come crashing down.
Should I pin it all on the Simulation Adjustment Section? That'd make us blood enemies with the Simulation Department, though. Hmm, better to make enemies than get kicked out.
Section Chief Oh finished his explanation and looked at Lee Wan-yeol, awaiting his reaction.
"Ahem, run through the key points again."
Lee Wan-yeol didn't admit he'd been lost in thought.
"After reviewing Team C, which passed the second test, two suspicions arose. First, the carrier from Uramata Guild. No matter how you look at it, he's no ordinary carrier. The guild master might have disguised a raider as a carrier and sent him in."
Lee Wan-yeol wanted to explode in anger.
A proud raider joining as a carrier just because the master ordered it? A section chief should know better what raiders were like.
"And the second?"
"Strictly speaking, Team C didn't pass the test."
"What do you mean?"
Lee Wan-yeol's eyes sparkled with curiosity.
"The purpose of the second test was alliance between teams from different guilds. Team C was an alliance between Gwanpo Guild and Uramata Guild, but An Seong-ho's team disconnected midway and left. So the test failed."
"But didn't Uramata Guild take down Wilexy Rex on their own? There'll be protests."
Section Chief Oh grinned broadly at the objection.
"Uramata Guild didn't take down Wilexy Rex. The pack of Wilexy-sauruses did. Uramata was just lucky to be there."
"Hm."
Lee Wan-yeol nodded slowly. This story could work if spun right.
"And even if Uramata protests, no other guild will back them. Gwanpo disconnected themselves and got eliminated, same for the rest. The failed guilds won't support Uramata's solo pass."
"Smart as always. As expected from an elite university grad."
"I learned it all from you, Director."
"You've surprised me. Grasping not just the raider but the guild's nature too. I remember the moment I first saw you. You showed such promise."
"Thank you."
Section Chief Oh bowed deeply and enthusiastically.
In contrast, Section Chief Park glared at him with a sour expression like he'd bitten into a bug.
"You handle wrapping up the test. You know the outcome, right?"
"No teams pass the second test."
"Perfect! You're dismissed. Section Chief Park, you stay."
Section Chief Oh left the office beaming with delight. Section Chief Park, meanwhile, stood there with the uncomfortable look of a student summoned to the teacher's office for a scolding.
"I have a task for you."
Lee Wan-yeol hadn't forgotten the deputy director's word "third-rate college trash." If he stayed quiet, the deputy director—his university junior—would promote Section Chief Oh to console him.
"J-Just say the word."
"About Section Chief Oh."
Lee Wan-yeol paused for effect.
Section Chief Park listened intently.
"Isn't he getting a bit too full of himself?"
Park immediately read between the lines. The smart Oh was rubbing him the wrong way.
"It's worse than that. He wears his school on his sleeve and subtly looks down on regional university grads. I'm not from an elite school, but I went to a Seoul university, and lately he's been eyeing me with utter contempt."
"You think so too, huh. So, any good ideas?"
Lee Wan-yeol whispered.
Park's mind spun faster than ever. Useless at solving real problems, but peerless at office politics.
Park's eyes lit up.
"How about sending Section Chief Oh to Daegu instead of Section 3 Chief Kim? Oh agreed to that plan. Stepping up is tough, right? Kim pulled it off, but Oh just waited for him to fail and then pitched his own idea. As a team player, exploiting a colleague's failure for personal gain can't be overlooked."
Park treaded carefully.
Crossing Lee Wan-yeol could backfire on him.
"As expected from my senior section chief—such keen insight. Only you can be trusted. Who else? An organization isn't individuals. It's one body. Once Oh wraps the second test, you'll deliver the real finale."
"Understood!"
Section Chief Park left the office with confident posture.
Lee Wan-yeol went to the window and pulled out his phone. After much deliberation, he dialed a number and waited.
"Hello. This is Lee Wan-yeol, Guild Management Director at the Dungeon Association. I'd like to speak with you regarding the second test. Yes. Please pass along the message. I'll wait."
He hung up and paced by the window, eyes flicking to his phone.
The deputy director would try to crush him somehow.
It was too soon to call in other connections. But maybe he could use the big shot he'd recently met.
Soon, the phone rang.
A smile crept across Lee Wan-yeol's lips.
"Ah, Teacher Yang Hee-seon. Lee Wan-yeol from the Dungeon Association. We met recently. Oh, you remember. I'm calling because the second test results are out today. I thought you'd be curious, so I took the liberty. Yes, exactly. If you have time, I'd like to visit personally, show you the footage, and explain. Thank you. I'll head out right away."
Lee Wan-yeol left the office with uncharacteristically light steps.
The afterparty for the first test had been at a pork belly joint.
After the second test, Master Go Cheolmin took Yoo Min-jeong's team to a top-tier buffet. King crab, lobster, steak, plus a huge array of sashimi and sushi.
"Master, what's the occasion?"
Choi Muhyun patted his belly and asked.
"Eat your fill."
"Yes, sir!"
Choi Muhyun bolted to the lobster with Yeom Sang-taek. Kim Jun headed for the sashimi and sushi.
Yoo Min-jeong stayed behind.
Go Cheolmin just looked at her, holding back his words.
As team leader, she'd felt something during the test, but he could only guess.
He'd wanted to see the second test footage himself, but the Dungeon Association brushed off the request.
As master of a small guild like Uramata, he had no leverage.
Once they gained more influence, he'd get to see how Yoo Min-jeong, Choi Muhyun, Yeom Sang-taek, and Kim Jun had cooperated in virtual space, overcome crises, and passed the test.
Of course, he'd heard plenty from Yoo Min-jeong, with Choi Muhyun butting in and Yeom Sang-taek excitedly shouting over her.
But it wasn't the same as seeing it firsthand.
"Master..."
"Spit it out. You'll feel better."
"...I think Kim Jun suits the team leader role better than me."
"Why?"
Go Cheolmin glanced at her.
"His judgment is sharper than mine. For the team's sake, he should be leader."
"Has a carrier ever been team leader?"
"No."
Yoo Min-jeong bit her lip, her cheeks flushing red.
It meant she was a dealer worse than a carrier. But she couldn't back down. No matter how she thought about it, she lacked the confidence to judge and act as boldly as Kim Jun in that situation.
"What if Kim Jun became team leader? What would happen?"
At that question, Yoo Min-jeong realized how dangerous her request was for Kim Jun.
The moment a carrier became team leader, the moment word spread, the raider world would drag that ordinary man named Kim Jun to ruin.
"...I'm sorry. I was selfish."
"No, you're honest. That's a rare quality."
"But I don't know what to do. I lack the talent for team leader."
Yoo Min-jeong was on the verge of tears.
"What do you think a team leader is?"
Go Cheolmin asked gently.
"Leading the team to complete the mission, right?"
"You know it. Kim Jun is your team member. Lead him as team leader. Use his abilities."
"Kim Jun judges faster and bolder than me."
"Choi Muhyun has stronger defense than you. Yeom Sang-taek has wider detection range."
Yoo Min-jeong's eyes widened, not grasping why he mentioned Choi Muhyun and Yeom Sang-taek.
"Why not acknowledge Kim Jun's ability—his quick, precise observation and reasoning? As team leader, use it."
"...Ah."
Yoo Min-jeong's mouth fell open unwittingly.
"A team leader doesn't need to outshine team members. Just understand their abilities, deploy them right, and complete the mission. Accept Kim Jun as he is. The path will appear."
"Got it. Thank you, Master."
The quick-witted Yoo Min-jeong already looked like she'd found her way.
Go Cheolmin watched her run to her team, a smile tugging at his lips.
The second test would help Yoo Min-jeong grow a step. Adding team leader capacity to her dealer skills... she'd excel.
There was Kim Jun, slowly walking back with plates piled high with sashimi and sushi.
Not yet. Promoting him now would just get him crushed. To become a commander, he needs more experience, more strength. Maybe the era itself needs to shift.
Go Cheolmin felt full without eating. Passing the second test upgraded their dungeon license by one grade. The third test results didn't matter anymore.
Then, his phone rang.
He pulled it out, listened silently, then bellowed.
"What nonsense is this?"
Everyone stared.
Yoo Min-jeong, Choi Muhyun, Yeom Sang-taek, and Kim Jun—all mid-bite—stopped and looked at Go Cheolmin.
He raised a hand, forced a smile until they resumed eating, then slipped out of the buffet. He headed to the underground parking, jumped in his car, and sped onto the road.
Destination: Dungeon Association HQ.
Section Chief Oh of Guild Management Section 2 calmly explained to the protesting Go Cheolmin, then added,
"In a test meant for alliances, Uramata Guild faced Wilexy Rex alone. That alone disqualifies them from passing."
"But..."
"Of course, Uramata did take down Wilexy Rex. But strictly speaking, it wasn't Uramata who killed it—it was the Wilexy-sauruses in the virtual space. Thus, no guild passed the second test."
Section Chief Oh spoke with calm resolve.
"Show me the footage."
"I can't. Association rules prohibit showing it to outsiders."
Bam!
Go Cheolmin slammed the table.
Oh flinched inwardly but kept his composure. He knew how strong raiders were.
Better not provoke him.
"I understand Uramata feels wronged. But consider my position. I didn't make the test rules alone. I can't decide arbitrarily."
Section Chief Oh wielded one weapon Association staff had against raiders.
By framing it as organizational duty, not personal, the raider couldn't fight the entire Association without backing down.
Besides, no other guild would support Uramata now. They all wanted Uramata to fail the second test too.
"Damn it."
Go Cheolmin wanted to pulverize this slick-faced bureaucrat, but he knew it'd disintegrate Uramata Guild itself.
He had to endure.
And pay back later.
Suppressing his fury, he exited the HQ. A limousine waited outside. A suited man stepped out.
"Long time no see, old man."
"Geon-ho?"
"Granny sent me. Never thought I'd wear this getup."
Jang Geon-ho tugged at his uncomfortable bowtie.
"...Got it."
Go Cheolmin boarded the limo. Yang Hee-seon must have heard the second test results by now.
Time for a showdown. He'd raise his voice if needed. Even against the Crazy Buffer, he couldn't let them steal Kim Jun quietly.
"Old man, I'm kinda scared today."
"We're heading into battle."
Go Cheolmin clenched his fist tight.