Chapter 54
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 54
Chapter Title: Toward the Whole Story of the Incident
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"Let's give it our all. The goal is to max everything out. So, what about skill combinations and changes?"
Lee Ru-ri first tapped on the Skill Combination Ticket.
[Skill Combination Ticket]
[Combine three low-grade skills to randomly acquire a higher-grade skill.]
"What, they make you test your luck here too?"
She also tapped on the Skill Change Ticket.
[Skill Change Ticket]
[Select five low-grade skills to change them into higher-grade skills. You can choose which skills to change.]
"This is the important one. I can swap out the useless ones for skills I actually want... Let's check the skill list again first."
She opened her skill window.
"Seduction is basically useless now, so in it goes. Stone Bomb hasn't been used since mid-grade either, so that too. And for the last one... Ignition. Haven't used it once since getting it."
[Skill Combination Ticket ― Skills to Combine]
[Poison Needle (Seduction)]
[Stone Bomb]
[Ignition]
[Combine? Y/N]
Ding.
[Acquired new skill <Meteor Fall>.]
"Meteor Fall?"
Lee Ru-ri hurriedly checked the new skill's details.
[Meteor Fall]
[Attack Power: 1,000]
[Mana Cost: 3,000]
[Drops massive meteors from the sky within a certain radius (max 20m), dealing attribute damage (dark) to targets. Higher skill levels increase the number of meteors.]
"Whoa, I didn't expect a skill this insane... Now I've got even more reason to push for B-grade gates and above. Hell, ten bodies wouldn't be enough for this."
She cautiously tapped the Skill Change Ticket.
[Skill Change Ticket ― Selected Skills]
[None selected.]
[None selected.]
[None selected.]
[None selected.]
[None selected.]
[<No skills currently available for change.>]
"Looks like I have to select some first to see the options. Anyway, it's taken too long already. Better wrap up for today to avoid Seung-woo's nagging."
Feeling pressed for time, Lee Ru-ri quickly exited the Hidden Gate waiting room.
The moment she reached the entrance, a message arrived.
She hurriedly completed the gate clear registration and checked it.
Ding.
[New Message]
[Han Seung-woo (S): Lab.]
'Ooh, short and sweet. He's pissed, huh?'
She chuckled at the image of Han Seung-woo's grumpy face and headed to the lab.
As she approached the lab entrance, loud shouting echoed from inside.
'What's going on?'
She cautiously entered to find Ham Dae-hee grabbing Choi Si-jin and yelling furiously.
Lee Ru-ri jumped into the conversation.
"Wh-what's wrong?"
Yang Jeong-hyun shrugged and answered for her.
"Someone from Han tried fudging grades. Got caught red-handed by Dae-hee, of all people..."
"Ah... Anyway, Seung-woo told me to come to the lab. Where is he?"
"Must've blown up right after messaging you. He's in a meeting now. Can't just sweep this under the rug."
"I came in terrified thinking I'd get reamed for hitting a B-grade... So re-testing is on hold?"
"Park Joo-hyung got busted tampering by Dae-hee and Eun-woo, ended up dragged off by the collar. Total chaos. Resuming in two hours."
Somewhat calmed, Ham Dae-hee asked Yang Jeong-hyun,
"Jeong-hyun, any word from Seung-woo?"
"Nope, nothing yet. Si-jin, mind grabbing some coffee?"
"Sure. What would you like, Ru-ri?"
"Oh, black tea for me!"
"And you two?"
"Si-jin's order's a bit off, isn't it? Don't you ask adults first?"
"Haha, sorry, force of habit."
"Seung-woo or you... I'll have an Americano. Dae-hee?"
"Same."
"Be right back!"
Choi Si-jin left the lab. Yang Jeong-hyun watched him go, then sat Lee Ru-ri down.
Ham Dae-hee joined them.
"Ru-ri. You know this is straight-up personal info violation now... But me and Dae-hee spotted something."
"Wh-what?"
"Ru-ri, did something happen in the gate?"
"In the gate?"
"We were reviewing your C-grade results, cross-checking system stats and docs, and noticed your numbers shifted hugely from pre- to post-gate."
"Ah..."
"Mana ballooned like five times over. Black mana allow that? Attack power spiked too."
Lee Ru-ri panicked briefly but relaxed, realizing they could only see changes in attack, HP, and mana.
"I-I'm not entirely sure, but... black mana grows the more you use it, letting you handle more. And attack? Check this—I got a weapon in the gate."
"Yeah, that B-grade took forever. Makes sense? Wild. Let me see the weapon."
As the three seriously discussed her stat changes while examining her weapon, Han Seung-woo and Han Eun-woo entered.
"You're back? What happened?"
Han Seung-woo glanced at Lee Ru-ri before answering Yang Jeong-hyun.
"Our embedded agent gets disciplined, formal apology from Chairman Han, and Han pulls back from high-gate rotations for a bit."
"They agreed that easily?"
Han Eun-woo cut in.
"What choice? Caught right in front of our eyes."
Ham Dae-hee continued.
"Who knows what Park Joo-hyung might pull next. Better keep him with us."
"For real?"
Everyone stared at Ham Dae-hee in surprise.
Yang Jeong-hyun poked her side.
"Spill it. What's with that guy?"
"Well..."
"Hey, come on. I got a mouth too. Who scarfed my coffee?"
Kim Tae-woong burst in with Choi Si-jin, fussing.
"How's it going over there?"
Kim Tae-woong snatched Ham Dae-hee's coffee, slurped it noisily, and replied to Yang Jeong-hyun.
"Few oddballs, but no big issues yet."
"Oddballs?"
"Folks who shouldn't be hunters but are, y'know? Can't re-awaken."
Everyone sighed heavily at Kim Tae-woong's words.
"You started re-awakening right away?"
Lee Ru-ri asked. Kim Tae-woong grinned.
"Ru-ri's already re-awakened, so skipped her. Then processed the rest separate-like. That Si-jin fella ran guild folks through hellish training—stats are all puffed up!"
Kim Tae-woong chattered loudly, handed the near-empty coffee back to Dae-hee, and stood.
"So, what're we doin' with Park-whatsisface?"
"We were just discussing when you barged in."
"Oops, my bad? Looked like he needed a good whack."
Yang Jeong-hyun frowned impatiently.
"So what is it? Spit it out straight."
"He's faking his stats. Not B-grade."
"Why would Han do that?"
"Exactly why it's fishy. Maybe keep him close and watch?"
Yang Jeong-hyun pulled up Park Joo-hyung's info on the big monitor.
"Displayed stats don't match the real ones, right?"
Ham Dae-hee, checking with her, said,
"While he's suspended, I approach like I'm scouting him."
"He's Chairman Han's direct—sly as a fox."
"If he doesn't bite, no loss."
"I'll sweet-talk him alongside Dae-hee, don't you worry!"
Han Seung-woo, lost in thought, summed up.
"Then you two handle Park Joo-hyung. Grade tampering's resolved properly, so resume re-testing. How're our guild members' grades looking?"
Yang Jeong-hyun handed him a file.
"Re-awakening added three S-grades, five A-grades. Lots of B's overall. Main force lags Han a tad, but elsewhere we might edge them out."
"Got it. Si-jin keeps training low-rankers. Soon, dispatch from US, Japan, and China."
"Dispatch?"
"To study HQ ops, gate management, raids, top guild power, etc. Rumor has special positions in the mix."
"Special positions..."
"Only Awaker and Hider left, plus Taster that Chairman Han temporarily axed."
Yang Jeong-hyun continued sadly.
"Hider... Miss that position."
Ham Dae-hee patted her shoulder.
"So other countries have special position awakeners active too."
"Hidden goal of this dispatch: revamp position names."
"They'll follow Korean style but not blindly... something like that?"
"True, lots of awakeners don't fit our old names. With gates global, it's inevitable."
Understanding, Yang Jeong-hyun added,
"Got it. I'll compile what I know on specials and send it over."
"Thanks."
Re-testing resumed after the brief halt.
In the hectic re-test room, Han Seung-woo pulled Lee Ru-ri aside while she helped hand out numbers.
"Something up?"
"Learned something interesting in New York."
"What?"
"Too many ears. We'll talk at dawn."
"Ah! Seung-woo, one more thing!"
"Shoot."
"When can I go home?"
"Ah..."
It had been a while since the Cheon Ye-jong and Im Ju-yang incidents; no real reason for her to stay in HQ guest rooms.
"Want to go back?"
"Not exactly, but empty houses fall apart."
"I'll handle your place. How about sticking in guest rooms?"
"But... isn't it too much freeloading?"
"We're prepping guild dorms for members."
"Oh, really?"
"HQ's becoming purely official now."
"Then... shamelessly, I'll keep crashing here."
"Got it. See you later."
Han Seung-woo watched Lee Ru-ri return to help.
'Better hurry.'
The thought spurred him—he needed to settle it now.
"Si-jin."
"Yes, Director."
"Dispose of Ru-ri's old place. Guild dorms I ordered?"
"Scouting near Yongsan—not too far for lounge or HQ gear center. Ji-an's coordinating spots; should finalize soon. I'll handle Ru-ri's house right away."
"Good. Push the dorms faster. High-gate raid schedule?"
"Sent summons to top guild masters post-meeting. Finalizing this and next month's raids with them."
"Park Joo-hyung to just Dae-hee-hyung and Kim Teacher feels uneasy. Add more eyes, Si-jin."
"Understood."
"I'm off to HQ."
"Yes, sir!"
Han Seung-woo watched Choi Si-jin hustle to execute orders, then hurried off.
"Teacher Park, we're not bad guys, swear!"
"Why are you doing this?!"