11. Restructuring
She's got some surprisingly cute sides to her.
"Really?"
So you like that?
"Of course."
She'll teach me even more if I catch Madric Blood's eye.
What's so great about that foul-tempered witch?
Madric sis is—
On the way back to my quarters, Angelica kept badmouthing Madric Blood. Her gripes mostly targeted her personality and looks. Listening closely, it was obvious they all stemmed from jealousy and envy.
"Looks like you've built up a serious inferiority complex."
Wh-who's got an inferiority complex!
Her over-the-top reaction only confirmed it.
Kim Jeongha. Hey.
"Yeah?"
When are you gonna let me out?
"I told you back then. Lifting the seal is—"
Angelica cut me off.
You've gotta at least try something!
"You'll just try to kill me the second you're out."
Well, yeah, but... No! I absolutely won't!
"Hmm..."
I swear it on the name of the Vampyre.
"Fine. I'll look into it whenever I get the chance."
You need to search with everything you've got...
I cut off Angelica.
"More importantly, I want to know how you spotted Gwak Do-cheol's feint in that spar earlier."
Oh, that? She switched to a casual shrug in her tone, like it was no big deal.
If you take a polite stance and ask nicely, I'll tell you.
"What is it?"
Soon enough, Angelica rattled off some instructions. I immediately dropped to my knees and reverently lifted the Sealed Sword with both hands.
"O great and supreme ruler of all the world..."
After a full minute of that grand speech, Angelica sounded satisfied.
Heehee. Now I'm your master. Got it?
"Yes, Mistress."
Groveling is temporary, but strength lasts forever! I'd sell my pride in a heartbeat if it meant getting stronger.
"So, how'd you do it?"
Truth is, I don't really know.
"What?"
Maybe because I'm sealed in the sword, but I could kinda feel its 'intent' or whatever.
"That's your answer?"
Not just the sword—the opponent's attacks were crystal clear, like I could see right through them. So if you want to borrow my power from now on, you better treat me nic— Hey! What the hell? Put me down!
I promptly set the Sealed Sword down respectfully.
Either way, I now knew Angelica could help me in battle. If she didn't cooperate, I'd just train her properly each time.
For the record, even I—a reincarnator—didn't know how to unseal the Sealed Sword. Like I said before, I don't know everything.
The next morning came, same as always. I washed up and grabbed breakfast with my colleagues in the cafeteria. That's when a message popped up.
Promoted to Section Chief, and the department itself had leveled up. Looked like it was finally time.
Time to enter the Safety Planning Agency's Operations Control Room!
Choi Heejeong asked me, "What's up? Something personal?"
"Cherubim the Manager wants me in the Operations Control Room."
My memories of Floor 12 and beyond—after the Castle of the Vampyre on Basement 11—were fuzzy. But hearing "Operations Control Room" jogged some vague recollections. It was all from 20 years ago, so no surprise I'd forgotten a lot.
I asked Choi Heejeong, "Wanna come with?"
"That okay?"
"Should be fine. No issue for a Safety Planning Agency employee using agency facilities."
"But access varies by employee rank."
Kim Hansu chimed in. "We'll find out when we get there, right? I've always wondered what goes on in there whenever I passed by. Not that it looked busy or anything. Kkekke."
Yeah, that tracks. The Safety Planning Agency's Operations Control Room was always on standby in peacetime.
A bit later, after scarfing down breakfast, I headed there with Kim Hansu and Choi Heejeong.
"This the place?"
Choi Heejeong looked up at the sign reading "Operations Control Room."
I slotted my employee card into the lock. A green light flashed.
Beep-ring.
Employee Kim Jeongha. Access granted.
The door slid open, revealing a kid about half my height.
"Hello!! Did you just think 'kid'?!?!"
"Nope."
"Section Chief Kim, I'm disappointed!!"
It was Cherubim the Manager.
"Who's with you!!"
"Fellow Safety Planning Agency employees."
"Got it!! Come on in!!"
I flashed Choi Heejeong a smile and stepped inside. Cherubim flapped wings as big as his body and said to me,
"This is the heart of our Safety Planning Agency!!"
Kim Hansu picked at his ear and asked, "So what goes on here?"
"If intruders hit the company lobby, every department follows our Safety Planning Agency's command!!"
"Intruders?"
"Monsters from underground, otherworlders via dimensional shift, aliens crash-landing in UFOs—whatever!!"
"I see."
Dozens, hundreds of monitors surrounded the chair where Cherubim Manager had been sitting. CCTV feeds covering every corner of the lobby. Hard to find a blind spot.
"Huh? You can see inside other departments too?"
"Exactly!!"
As Kim Hansu said, we could spy on other departments' interiors too. Shockingly so.
"But only departments ranked lower than us!! So no HR Innovation Department!!"
"Meaning to keep spying on others, we stay #1 in the rankings."
"Right!! That's the only way our Safety Planning Agency holds #1!!"
Madric Blood keeps growing stronger.
Kim Hansu grumbled curtly, "Someone else could promote, though?"
"Th-that...!"
The room went quiet for a moment. It felt like a challenge to the Director's authority.
"Impossible!!"
"Is it?"
"Yes!!"
I sat in Cherubim Manager's chair and said, "If someone could, they should. Everything in Hunter Stock Company is competition."
"Hmmm."
I eyed the array of keypads in front of me. Cherubim zipped over fast.
"Section Chief Kim, stooop!!"
I threw up both hands. "Didn't touch a thing."
"Press the wrong button and the company defense system might activate!!"
Choi Heejeong tilted her head. "Defense system? That exists?"
"I just said!! Intruders could come!!"
"What happens if it activates?"
"Turrets pop up from the floor and attack anything that moves!!"
Kim Hansu shrugged. "In other words, in the lobby, Safety Planning Agency is Lu Bu. Kkekke."
"Pretty much!!"
Exactly. That was one reason I didn't want to transfer out of Safety Planning Agency. Plus the CCTVs everywhere. The thought of other departments watching me gave me chills.
I pointed at a monitor and asked Cherubim to confirm, "Manager, is this Operations Control Room exclusive to Safety Planning Agency?"
"Dunno!! Other departments might have something similar!! But our surveillance and defense is definitely unique to us!!"
"So no worries about other departments watching us. Do they know that?"
"No way!! We never told them!!"
Cherubim shook his head and zipped his lips.
Keep it under wraps, got it.
"So every department has some special function, huh."
"Probably!!"
I knew HR Innovation's too. Restructuring.
Restructuring kicks in if a floor isn't cleared in time. Underground monsters swarm the lobby, and HR Innovation picks the spot.
Half-run by HR Innovation, fitting their name perfectly.
I remembered it vividly—unforgettable for any Safety Planning Agency employee.
Hadn't happened yet, though. So prepare now.
I had a way. Right here.
The lobby's main monitor was airing the day's news.
Safety Planning Agency employees watching were unimpressed.
As the news said, we'd hit Basement 12 once. Injuries, but no deaths. Madric Blood had accepted my plan: scout and bail.
'Why assume Safety Planning Agency can't clear Basement 12?'
She'd questioned it, but agreed the moment we entered.
Basement 12 was the Volcano Zone. No fire resistance? Good luck breathing. Massive penalty from the start.
Solution? Fight in the lobby.
Not easy, though. Planning & Finance and one more department would fail next. Then stagnation, leading to Restructuring.
That was my first life's memory.
I'd focus on training until then.
Circulating Blood Cycle every night had boosted my Gongryeok proficiency by a whopping 2.
"What a joke."
At this point, I had to wonder why I'd been cursed with this talent.
Meridians blocked... No, even average talent would've broken B-rank by now.
My growth was fast. Insanely so. But it'd be impossible without the Jade Legged Blood Hand's neidan.
"Gotta hunt for another spirit medicine, huh?"
Spirit medicine?
Silent Angelica finally spoke up.
"You know, stuff that massively boosts Gongryeok or Maryeok just by eating it."
Hmm. Can't get strong through effort, so you chase lucky breaks.
"Think what you want."
No need to explain my life or my talents.
Anyway, it's obvious you have jack squat for talent.
"You knew that already."
Hard not to, watching up close.
"Hmmm."
I mulled it over deeply, then asked, "Any way to improve talent?"
Really? That's your big question after all that?
I shook my head. "Forget I asked."
Why not ask Madric sis or that bearded swordsman?
She meant Gwak Do-cheol.
"So in your eyes, what's his talent like?"
How should I know? I'm no scouter. But definitely way better than yours.
"Yeah."
Had to admit it. "Alright."
I nodded and started walking. Time to meet Gwak Do-cheol again.