11. A Man Who Doesn't Get Screwed Over
11. A Man Who Doesn't Get Screwed Over
11. The Man Who Won't Get Fucked Over
Many cities are established on the 1st floor of The Tower.
Among them, the foremost is the capital city that serves as the center of continental forces, 'Seoul'.
Its location is right in the center of the 1st floor, connecting it to the 2nd floor, which means this city is the final rear guard and Maginot Line of the continental forces.
An enormous population, countless public institutions, and the headquarters of companies conducting commerce between The Tower and various parts of the continent, along with all sorts of Guilds.
Countless gray buildings stretch on endlessly, and the length of the walls surrounding them reaches at least 500 li.
Excluding the city's scale, the difference from other cities is the skyline.
High-rise buildings that are rare not just on the continent but in major Tower cities are plentiful here.
The standout among them is the 200-meter twin buildings in the city center—one side used by the 'Supreme Committee', the other by the 'Noblesse Committee'.
For reference, since the entire 1st floor belongs to the Ha Family, this city is basically theirs too.
However, as a show of respect to the 'Supreme Committee' and 'Noblesse Committee', the area densely packed with public institutions in the city center has been essentially gifted in a 'permanent lease' that's practically a donation.
In other words, both committees owe the Ha Family one.
"Fuck, that goddamn bitch."
A silver-haired woman with a reddish glow.
Her hair cascaded down like silk, exquisitely beautiful, and even her furrowed expression looked stunning on her doll-like face.
"Auuugh!!!!!"
She vented her rage wildly, hurling innocent objects to the floor.
Wajangchang—the flowerpot shatters, and the glass tumbles limply before bursting.
By now, her aides should've come rushing in to ask what was wrong, but since this had become a daily routine lately, no one entered.
Of course, her demon-like temper played a part too.
After exploding for a good while, she huffed and plopped down into her chair.
Made for committee members, it was a luxury item that comforted down to the bones, but right now, she felt none of that.
Just unbearable rage and teeth-grinding thirst for revenge.
"Huu... huu...."
Slow deep breaths.
She tried to calm her fiery temper and think.
"Ha Yeon-seo... how the fuck should I screw that bitch over...."
She still remembered it vividly.
That humiliation.
Dragged by the hair and thrown like trash in front of everyone.
There were a few other people there too, even Humans.
To pull that shit in front of such lowly scum.
Later, she'd gotten sweet revenge by delivering the Chief Instructor's dismissal, but since it was just 'delivering' the message from the start, the satisfaction didn't last.
Instead, afterward, she wallowed in utter defeat.
And just recently, she'd been hit with a brutal punishment—six months' pay cut and full aide replacement—for a string of bullshit reasons. No matter how she thought about it, it felt like Ha Yeon-seo's doing.
"Fucking bitch. Goddamn cunt. I'd rip her pussy out and tear it apart."
Even as a low-level 3rd Rank Commissioner, she was officially Noblesse Committee staff—how dare they fuck her over like this.
It made her newly realize the Ha Family's immense power, stirring up hatred and jealousy.
"What? Our levels are different? Bullshit. Anyone born into that family could've done it. Even I could've!!"
A noble bitch who just gobbles up businesses tossed her way like charity.
She felt a fierce storm of inferiority, but she didn't even realize it was inferiority.
Knock knock.
"Who is it!!"
"...Supreme Ju?"
The woman who'd been throwing her tantrum went rigid, then sprang up and started fixing her clothes.
Supreme Committee member Ju Ye-ji.
In the committee hierarchy—from 3rd Rank to 2nd, 1st, and Supreme, totaling four levels—she was one at the pinnacle, the lifeline she'd barely clung to by kissing ass, her one and only backer.
No matter how recklessly she rampaged, she wasn't dumb enough to piss off her own backer.
"Tell her I'm coming right now."
-Yes, Commissioner-nim.
She fixed her makeup, smoothed her messy hair to perfection, then kicked open the door and stormed into the hallway, immediately boot-kicking the door to the room next door.
Kwang!
"Get your asses out here?!!"
-W-We're coming!!
Udangtang—the aides come scrambling out.
They all had neat appearances and decent specs, but they didn't impress her one bit.
She used to have aides all from the 『Advanced Races』.
But this punishment had booted them all out and replaced them.
Now they were all Outer Races.
No wonder they didn't measure up.
"You guys are so fucking slow."
"...Sorry."
She glared at their bowed heads, then whipped around and strode off.
The aides trailed after her without daring to rebel.
They rode a magic elevator up to the 80th floor.
Just five floors below the top, this was a floor used only by Supreme Ju Ye-ji and her aides.
For a mere 3rd Rank like her, even being allowed up here was an honor.
Stepping out, a woman at the reception desk rose gracefully.
"You're Phon Eun-jeong, 3rd Rank Commissioner, right? Supreme Ju Ye-ji is waiting."
She began guiding politely.
After walking the hallway for quite a while and turning a corner, a massive door came into view.
Grand and imposing, like entering a grand assembly hall.
The very symbol of power.
'Someday... me too...!'
Swallowing her ambition, she pressed on.
Finally arriving, the suited guards beside it knocked.
"Commissioner-nim, 3rd Rank Commissioner Phon Eun-jeong is here."
-Let her in.
"Please enter."
Kkiik.
The door swung open in a grand arc, revealing a vast interior.
A top power player using an area the size of a whole building floor as her single office.
Ju Ye-ji, Phon Eun-jeong's backer, sat arrogantly reading the newspaper.
"Aides, wait here."
"Y-Yes."
Unlike Eun-jeong, they were stopped.
Entering alone, the door closed behind her.
"How have you been, Commissioner-nim!!!"
As soon as the door shut, she bent at a perfect 90 degrees in greeting.
Shalak.
But the response was indifference.
She'd summoned her, received the greeting, yet ignored her completely to keep reading the paper.
"...."
Even so, she didn't dare straighten up or speak.
After standing like that for ages—over 20 minutes at least—Ju Ye-ji crumpled the newspaper into a ball and tossed it at Eun-jeong.
It flew in a perfect arc, bonking her head lightly before hitting the floor.
"Read it."
The Supreme Commissioner's mouth finally opened.
Eun-jeong knelt in awe, picked up the crumpled paper, and smoothed it out carefully.
Was there some huge news?
Maybe assigning her a big job?
Heart pounding with excitement, she opened it.
"...Huh?"
It was just a bunch of ads for local restaurants.
Food places everywhere, front and back.
Clueless, she looked up—and there was Ju Ye-ji, standing right in front of her.
"I'm meeting someone later. But I don't know where to go. You pick."
"......."
What the...
Call her just to pick a restaurant?
Curses bubbled inside, but she plastered on a smile and started searching diligently.
"C-Can I ask who you're meeting?"
"You don't need to know. Just pick."
"Y-Yes."
A distinctly chilly tone.
Sensing something off, she pointed to one spot.
A high-end restaurant boasting steep prices, but no burden for a 『Noblesse』.
"Not bad."
Ye-ji said nonchalantly and returned to her seat.
Clueless, Eun-jeong slowly stood.
"Should I tell you? Well, yeah. You're coming too, so whatever."
"Yes?"
"The person I'm meeting later. I guess it's fine to tell you."
"Ah... I see. Who is it?"
An appointment out of nowhere, but in her position, refusing was a luxury she couldn't afford.
"Ha So-ri."
"Ha So-ri... you mean... that great hero?"
A thousand years ago, the Grand Chairperson who rallied the continental forces after losing 95 floors to the sudden invasion of the gods and launched a counterattack.
Though she'd retired early and lived leisurely, she was still hailed as a legend with considerable influence in politics.
Of course, to Eun-jeong—who harbored hatred bordering on loathing for her granddaughter Ha Yeon-seo—even that great hero was just repulsive.
"And Yoo Tae-hee."
"......."
Ha So-ri alone was awkward enough, but meeting the head of the Yu Family, the continent's strongest martial force?
What the hell was going on.
She couldn't help but ask.
"Why... are you bringing... me along?"
Ye-ji smirked.
"Are you asking because you don't know?"