Chapter 102

[Translator - Night]

[Proofreader - Gun]

Chapter 102: New Employee Lee Eunho (2)

Last time, during the mission where I received the most sponsorship money and earned the lens—

There was also an awards ceremony like this.

Back then, a giant balloon-like screen floated in the sky, broadcasting my face across all of Yongsan District.

'I thought that was excessive at the time...'

I was wrong.

That was a modest, small-scale event because it was just a district-level affair.

'I didn’t know.'

—Flash!

To give out an award, they actually turned off the sunlight in broad daylight.

"Wh-what? It’s nighttime now?!"

"What the hell! I can’t see!"

Darkness suddenly descended.

People’s startled screams echoed around me.

And amidst the chaos—

—Flash!

A dazzling spotlight fell from above.

Like a theater stage erasing the audience and illuminating only the protagonist, a massive platform and I alone were bathed in light.

A path of light stretched from my feet to the platform.

"Heh... So it really was the young man!"

"But this is weird. He ranked first out of a hundred thousand people, so why am I not surprised at all?"

Amid the darkness, the security guard’s sigh and Lee Yeji’s puzzled murmur reached my ears.

"Even if it were a million, it would’ve still been that bastard. Who else but that guy would win?"

"Go and come back safely, hyung! We’re proud of you!"

The foul-mouthed guy and Jaehyuk added their own proud remarks.

And so, I turned my back on the others and walked toward the stage.

—Step.

Had they been watching my every move?

As soon as I turned around, murmurs erupted as if they had been waiting for it.

"That guy is Lee Eunho?! No way…!"

"Oh, oppa! He’s not bulky at all! I knew he looked different when he was using the sword earlier…."

"What? Are you seriously siding with him right now?"

Sigh.

The stares at my back burned so much they were almost painful.

"He took all my points, and I lost to him?"

"When did I ever take them? Watch your words."

"You totally did!"

"Hey, can’t you all be quiet?"

Annoyed, someone who clearly didn’t care told them to take their argument outside.

"You. Come here."

With clenched teeth, Myung Seungtae spat out his words and disappeared.

"That guy…."

"Then just what kind of ability…?"

This was the first time in my life I had ever received so many people’s attention.

I never cared much about what others thought, but when the number of eyes on you reaches a hundred thousand, it’s different.

[Target Lee Eunho, please hurry!]

A hundred thousand eyes clung to my every step.

The weight of their gaze felt so heavy that my feet seemed to sink into the grass.

But.

—Step.

I was the one who had once run with legs as stiff as wooden planks.

This much weight wouldn’t stop me.

[Target Lee Eunho, please hur—]

"I'm going."

In the midst of darkness, bathed in a flood of light, I walked forward as the protagonist.

—Crunch, crunch, crunch.

Leaving just those words behind, I crossed the grass.

—Swish!

I stepped onto the red carpet leading to the platform.

The soft carpet stretched all the way up to the barely visible stage above, making it feel like I was walking on a staircase reaching up to the sky.

As I walked down my personal red carpet, voices in oddly translated tones filled my ears.

"Aah! Is that the strongest one?!"

"So cool—!"

From girls speaking in cutesy tones—

"Oh, that Asian guy is quite…!"

"…Right?"

"Is he a student? He looks young, but he’s incredible…."

To deep-voiced murmurs of admiration.

I ascended the steps.

—Tap!

And at the top, I saw a giant man.

Behind him, people sat in perfectly aligned rows.

It looked like a school principal giving a speech in an auditorium, with teachers seated behind him.

Except for one key difference—

—Click! Clang! Creak!

Every single "teacher" was armed with terrifying weapons.

Regardless—

'There must be at least a hundred of them.'

Among the sea of unfamiliar faces, I spotted someone I knew.

"!!"

Administrator Harona.

She sat neatly with her signature twin tails, and strangely, I felt relieved.

Maybe it was because we had negotiated before and talked a few times—I was feeling a sense of familiarity.

[This time, the award ceremony will be presented personally by the Director of the Bureau!]

[Surprised? Even I, Sera, am seeing him for the first time!]

[This is a huge deal—!]

Following the announcer’s excited voice, I stepped before the massive man.

'So this is the Director of the Bureau.'

His enormous shadow blocked out the light.

Perhaps that’s why—

For a moment, the air felt chillingly heavy.

The Director wore an about-to-burst suit, his slicked-back black hair perfectly styled.

A deep scar ran across his face, giving him the aura of a seasoned warrior.

'Rather than a suit…'

A blood-red suit of armor would suit him better.

The moment that thought crossed my mind—

—Gasp!

I instinctively sucked in a sharp breath and immediately bowed deeply.

I hadn’t meant to.

My body folded in half on its own.

Just by looking at him, the oppressive weight seeped into my lungs.

'!!'

Was I startled by his massive size?

Or was I overwhelmed by his monolithic presence?

I couldn't breathe.

It felt like an invisible force was pressing down on my back as if whispering—

Bow.

And then kneel.

You must not dare to look at him.

A sheer presence that demands submission.

The sheer pressure conveyed by its mere existence.

And then—

'My body… won't move!'

Driven by defiance against the oppressive force, I barely managed to lift my head and look up.

"!!"

Our eyes met.

Eyes like those of a beast, brimming with the darkness of the underground.

A coarse, shadowy presence poured forth.

'Huff…!'

A searing sensation pierced through my corneas and flooded my entire body.

A primal terror, like gazing into the abyss.

My throat felt not just dry, but torn apart.

It was as if all the moisture in my body was being drained away.

"Kuhek…!"

And at that moment—

As I struggled to break free from the overwhelming presence, twitching my fingertips and toes in resistance—

'Harona!'

My eyes met those of the twin-tailed girl.

But—

[……!]

Harona averted her gaze as if she didn’t see me.

That, that, that…!

'That sneaky little brat…!'

I was somehow irritated and glared at her.

Just for a brief moment, lightly.

And in that instant—

[Target: Lee Eunho, Special Ability 'Revival' Activated!]

[You have overcome the fear of death. You are now resistant to most forms of mental domination.]

[Due to purified energy, you are immune to the intrusion of ominous forces.]

[Remaining duration: 8 hours.]

A flood of system messages burst forth, and he could finally breathe.

Whoosh!

Haah.

He exhaled deeply.

Then, a heavy sigh came from above.

[Hmmm.]

A voice, weighty like a sunken island, rumbled down.

[Target, Lee Eunho.]

A voice deeper than the earth, yet as lofty as the highest sky.

[You are one who continually defies my expectations.]

"Yes."

The director had called him, and he responded.

[You always pass my tests, yet you do not pass them.]

[Translator - Night]

[Proofreader - Gun]

Not understanding the cryptic words, he asked,

"Which tests have I passed, and which have I failed?"

There was no explanation.

[Your talent is undeniable, but… at least abide by order, even if it does not suit you. If you do, I shall shield you from all hardships.]

"……."

[However.]

Order that does not suit him.

That must mean the rules and systems of the 'Company.'

The very things he had resisted at every crucial moment.

[A lone traveler has no breakwaters.]

Instead of replying, he bowed his head.

This time, of his own will.

Because he knew—

'I will continue to walk my own path.'

And so, for now, he bowed.

[Take this. It is for you.]

* * *

[Now, we will proceed with the New Employee Representative Award Ceremony!]

With Sera’s announcement, the ceremony began.

A tense atmosphere spread among the gathered administrators.

[Hey, Harona, don’t tell me you’re expecting something?]

[Shut up.]

The title of New Employee Representative carried significant weight.

If the candidate under one’s management ranked first in their class, it directly reflected on the administrator's performance.

For this reason, most administrators handpicked 'promising candidates' early on and focused all their resources on them.

[No, seriously, I just don’t get it. Why waste your investment on some random rock on the street when there are polished gems available?]

[Can you mind your own business?]

[You’re way too sentimental. It's like you live in a flower garden or something.]

[Want me to turn your head into a flower garden?]

Jookwang, that scrawny bastard, always got on her nerves.

‘Promising candidates’ didn’t just fall from the sky.

Most of them had already distinguished themselves before restructuring even began.

That’s why administrators usually chose from historical figures or famous individuals with significant achievements in the real world.

[Seriously, why did you pick someone so average? So foolish.]

[…….]

[Well, I guess it must’ve been tough choosing from a mere 50 million population. I get it.]

Jookwang had the CN region—1.4 billion people.

A pool vast beyond comparison.

While Harona had to sift through just 50 million to find a gem, Jookwang had the luxury of picking from 1.4 billion, making any comparison between their choices meaningless.

An overwhelming gap.

[How could you not get a single first place?]

It was always like this.

That infuriating Jookwang.

But—

[Just stop being stubborn and work under me. I’ll need an assistant when I move up.]

[Shut up! This time is different.]

This time was different.

Harona was sure of it.

Aptitude tests?

Passed.

Character evaluations?

No issues.

Not a single flaw in any category.

There had been some complications during the physical examination, but, for some reason, the Center had intervened, allowing him to pass without issue.

[The New Employee Representative has been chosen in the fairest manner possible, based on the highest entrance exam score in District 13!]

[The chosen individual must come to the stage immediately!]

[Come on, come on. Let’s accept the results gracefully, shall we?]

And so—

[The New Employee Representative for District 13 is…]

Thump. Thump. Thump.

Harona's heart pounded.

[Congratulations!]

[From the ROK-SEO region—Lee Eunho!]

[Please step forward!]

The moment Sera made the announcement, emotions clashed.

[Kyaaah!!]

[W-What…!]

Harona clenched her hands in a victorious burst of excitement.

Jookwang’s face froze.

[What kind of trick did you pull?! What happened?!]

At that moment, as Jookwang, more than anyone else, refused to accept the outcome and raised his voice—

[How noisy.]

Someone placed a firm hand on Jookwang’s shoulder.

Crunch!

They crushed it.

[……!!]

Jookwang let out a silent roar.

No, he had screamed, but it was blocked.

The owner of the thick hand on his shoulder had stifled it.

A prison of sound.

[D-Division Chief!]

Harona trembled.

The towering figure that cast a shadow over them was none other than the Director of the Bureau, Geukryang.

Though he had been pushed into the shadows of power, he was once the ruler of the Bureau.

One should never provoke him.

Any further commotion would be dangerous.

[M-My apologies.]

And then, when she finally regained her senses and turned to the podium—

[W-What?! Why is the Director…!]

A horrifying scene was unfolding.

The Director’s killing intent was directed solely at Lee Eunho.

His special ability, known as the Invisible Hand, was bearing down upon the newly hired recruit.

This was bad.

Something had gone terribly wrong.

Harona shot up from her seat and shouted.

[No human body can withstand that pressure! We have to stop it…!]

[Look.]

But as she followed the Chief’s gaze—

There, at the end of it—

"Kuhh…!"

Lee Eunho, coughing up blood-like breaths.

[…He endured it?!]

Thud!

Harona, who had instinctively leaped to her feet, collapsed back into her seat.

This was impossible.

The Director’s Invisible Hand was an absolute power over those of a lower rank.

Even she would struggle to withstand it…

[Could it be… he’s stronger than me…?]

No way, that was ridiculous…

Not just ridiculous—it was utterly unthinkable.

Yet, she was serious.

Because that was how shocking it was.

Just as she felt her strength drain from her body—

[!]

Their eyes met.

Even in such a situation, he had the composure to turn his gaze toward the audience?!

And with those eyes…!

Gasp!

[……!]

Harona, utterly flustered, instinctively averted her gaze.

Then, a thick hand patted her small shoulder.

[Calm yourself.]

[…I apologize for showing such an unsightly display.]

Harona bit her lower lip as she barely regained her composure.

The Chief shook his head, as if to say he understood.

But even the usually composed Chief—

[That is…!]

His jaw dropped at the item in the box handed over by the Director.

Just like every other administrator present.

[No way…]

[T-That’s impossible!]

[Why would the Director…!]

Inside the ornate box was a small snow globe.

But instead of snow, it held a silent desert.

[That’s unmistakably… the Sand Pit!]

The Director’s unique ability—Sand Prison.

An artifact that summoned it.

It was impossible to tell if it was single-use or reusable, but…

[The Director personally bestowing his power…!]

For centuries, no one had ever contained such a power, let alone given it away.

This was an unprecedented privilege.

A clear sign of the Director’s extraordinary expectations.

And yet!

Why?!

[Why is he so indifferent?!]

That completely unaffected expression!

[T-That, that, that… seriously!]

As Harona clutched her chest in frustration—

[…As expected.]

The man standing beside her, eyes gleaming, observed the unperturbed Lee Eunho…

And then—

Swoosh.

He left his seat.

[Where are you going, Chief?]

[I’ll be stepping out for a moment.]

[What? But the event isn’t over yet…]

His attendant hurried over to ask, but received no answer.

[Where is he going?]

[No idea.]

But from the glint in his eyes—

And the hurried steps, unbefitting his massive frame—

It seemed he was off to do something very interesting.

[Translator - Night]

[Proofreader - Gun]