Chapter 110

[Translator - Night]

[Proofreader - Gun]

Chapter 110: First Night (1)

[13th District New Employee Talent Show, the final winning zone is—!]

The host, wearing a headset, made a "drumroll" sound with her mouth.

"Is it us?"

"Who knows."

Perhaps to build suspense, the host hadn’t revealed the sponsorship status of the final performance.

The first-place winner had to be either us or CN—basically, China.

"I'm getting a bit nervous."

Standing beside me, Yeon Bora gulped.

Just as I was about to nod in agreement—

[Oh-oh—?]

[It’s not a tie...]

[58,000 points to 57,500 points! The victory goes to the ROK zone!]

"Only a 500-point difference?!"

"Wait a minute! Then if it weren’t for that person earlier..."

[Applause for contestant Lee Eunho’s judgment!]

[ROK zone... receives an additional 1,000 sponsorship points! The total is now 58,000 points!]

The moment I stepped onto the board and changed the game—

A lucky influx of sponsorship funds completely shifted the tide.

[With a 500-point difference... contestant Lee Eunho’s decision was crucial!]

[Ahh— CN zone, what now? You just helped raise your competitor’s score!]

Everyone’s attention turned toward the host’s commentary.

"Uh, Eunho... I think they’re looking this way..."

"Yeah, I noticed."

Even before that, I had already felt their piercing gazes.

Among the Chinese contestants, a group wearing outfits that were somewhere between suits and martial arts uniforms glared at us, practically shooting daggers with their eyes.

They must think we blocked their victory.

Even though Wei’s abilities were fully revealed, in the end, we barely managed to snatch the top spot.

If I were in their shoes, I’d be frustrated too.

I decided to let it go.

'Thirty people... glaring at me.'

Of course, I also analyzed their strength while I was at it.

[Congratulations!]

[The ROK zone has narrowly seized first place—!]

The host shouted, swinging her ponytail like a ribbon.

Then—

Bang! Pop-pop!

Fireworks exploded above us, forming an image...

"Wait, is that... our country?"

"......"

It was the Korean Peninsula.

Was this supposed to boost our morale or something?

The familiar yet oddly out-of-place sight made me chuckle dryly as I looked up.

The host, beaming with a bright smile, continued.

[ROK zone, you earned a lot of points with a lowbrow and provocative performance, huh?]

[Sera found the crude insults particularly memorable!]

[Now, let’s take a look at the results!]

It was hard to tell if that was praise or an insult.

The host dramatically extended their hand—

Poof!

A scroll, rolled up like an ancient royal decree, appeared and unfurled.

[Talent Show Results]

ROK - 58,000 points

CN - 57,500 points

IT - 52,000 points

...

CZE - 50 points

From teams that completely bombed their performances due to clumsy sword dances to the top competitors—50 teams in total.

[Now, let’s begin the settlement process!]

Snap!

The host snapped their fingers.

Vwoooom—

Flash!

The gemstones beneath our feet rattled, radiating a dazzling light.

Each gemstone, and every facet of their cut surfaces, began emitting beams of light.

And then—

[Now! We’ll distribute training points to all new employees!]

[Training points will be awarded based on the talent show rankings.]

"Training points?"

"What the hell is that now?"

Wait a second.

Something about the way they were saying this felt off.

"This was... training?"

【'Investigation Bureau's Brain' asks if you really thought it would end with just an induction ceremony.】

【'External Affairs Department's Rookie' laughs, saying it was the same during their time.】

【Several observers are looking forward to your performance at the training center!】

[The new employee training will last for just three days—today, tomorrow, and the day after!]

[Right? Isn’t that way too short? I wish it were longer, but there’s no choice!]

[The departments are so eager to bring in the new recruits—]

Sigh.

Training, all of a sudden.

I had a lot of questions, but for now—

[Shall we start from the bottom?]

[All contestants from the 50th-place zone will receive 1 point, the 49th-place zone gets 2 points, and the 48th-place zone gets 3 points.]

[Each rank higher gets 1 more point. Got it?]

47th place gets 4 points, 46th place gets 5 points.

The points increase by 1 for each rank higher.

'Then first place gets... 50 points...'

[But! The top three get bonus points.]

[Think of it as a ranking incentive!]

'...So that’s not it.'

The top three, huh?

It was funny how they divided it up like Olympic medals, but I wasn’t about to reject free points.

[Third place gets 50 points, second place gets a whopping 60 points!]

[And the grand prize—first place—gets 70 points!]

"What?! It jumps by 10 points all of a sudden?"

"Isn’t that too big a gap between the top and bottom ranks?"

Several foreigners grumbled, clearly displeased.

The host, hearing the complaints, smiled brightly and declared—

[If you don’t like it, just win first place tomorrow. Right?]

"......"

[Now—go ahead and check your training points!]

The blonde host flicked her ponytail as they stretched out a hand.

As if to say, Here’s a fantastic gift, so open it up!

"Check training points."

By the way—

[Contestant 'Lee Eunho.' Total training points earned: 77p.]

'77 points?'

But just now, they said first place gets 70 points...

Without realizing it, I looked up at the host, and our eyes met.

[Ah, right! The representative of the first-place team will receive additional points, so keep that in mind!]

The woman winked playfully.

[As for the district representatives, they will be given additional tasks. However, if they successfully complete them, they will receive special incentives, so do your best!]

Special incentives.

Does that mean an extra 10% in points?

‘Doesn’t seem all that special.’

I wasn’t particularly excited.

Because—

"Can training points be used to buy items?"

[That is not possible.]

"Can they be used to level up skills or stats?"

[That is not possible.]

Even after quietly going through a Q&A session with the system, I had no idea what the training points were actually for.

Whether it was 70 points or 77 points—

"Then what exactly are we supposed to use them for?"

Frustrated, I asked, and instead of the system, the answer came from the air.

[Our adorable representative sure has a lot of questions, huh?]

[Well, it’s only natural to answer them right away, isn’t it?]

A voice filled with amusement.

The speaker’s expression was playful, with a mischievous glint in their eyes and animated hand gestures accompanying every word.

[But before that…]

Snap!

They snapped their fingers.

And then—

[Congratulations!]

[All participants' 'eyes' will be upgraded to Level 2!]

"Eyes? But they’re in the sky!"

"What does Level 2 even mean?!"

A sudden announcement caught everyone off guard—though for me, it wasn’t anything new.

Then, above everyone’s heads—

Swirl—

The air began to condense like droplets of water.

That was all I could see.

Just vague, whitish shapes forming and then vanishing.

‘I've seen it so many times before.’

I didn’t need to look to know.

They would continue to gather, take shape, and develop texture.

Eventually, they would become round spheres—watchful "eyes" tracking our every move.

Just like the one hovering next to me.

"Eek!"

"T-This is the same eye from the memory mission!"

"Do we have to carry this around with us now?!"

"Fuck, is it gonna follow us to the bathroom too?"

Huh?

Everyone was handling this more calmly than expected.

Maybe because they had already experienced it during the last mission.

Regardless, as people wavered between curiosity and distress, the truly important announcement followed.

Ding—!

[Congratulations!]

[Participant 'Lee Eunho,' your rank has been changed due to completing the induction ceremony.]

‘Rank, huh…’

I had started as a restructuring candidate.

Then I became a probationary selectee.

And finally, a full-fledged selectee.

【Many observers are celebrating participant 'Lee Eunho's' official start!】

【The 'Raven of the Administration Bureau' is shouting to hold an entry ceremony sparring match!】

【Many observers shake their heads, thinking it's a bad idea.】

[Check your status window!]

So, I did.

〔 Lee Eunho 〕

Affiliation: District 13 ROK

Rank: Employee (Probationary)

Stats: Stamina (30), Strength (23), Intelligence (15), Judgment (17), Agility (17), Endurance (33), Resistance (100)

Traits: Rebel

Skills: [Acceleration (Lv.6)], [Petrification (Lv.12)], [Basic Swordsmanship (Lv.4)], [Sword Wind (Lv.1)], [Leadership (Lv.2)], [Revival (Lv.-)], [Bone-Breaking Strike (Lv.1)]

For the first time, I had a rank that actually resembled a real job.

[Translator - Night]

[Proofreader - Gun]

"But if I’m an employee, why am I still probationary?"

…Though, even that wasn’t entirely legitimate.

"Oppa! What’s the difference between a regular employee and a probationary one?"

"Uh… probation is like a training period before you officially start working."

The foul-mouthed guy grumbled beside me.

The security guard and cleaning lady also looked exasperated.

"Damn, are they really gonna pay us a salary at this rate?"

"Eh, young man, you’re joking, right?"

"Wait, we have to earn money even here? Oh no!"

Hmm…

【The 'Prince of the Investigation Bureau' asks what the starting salary for new hires is these days.】

【The 'External Affairs Department's Rookie' shakes their head, saying it's the same as it was a hundred years ago.】

【The 'Raven of the Administration Bureau' assures that salaries rise quickly as long as you do well.】

Looks like…

I really am getting paid.

A salary.

[Congratulations—clap clap clap—!]

[Your probation period will last exactly until the training ends! Once training is over, the probation label will be removed immediately!]

[So, no need to worry about being probationary!]

[But—!]

The host’s eyes sparkled as they deliberately paused.

And then—

[Your employment type will be determined by your training performance!]

[The top 100 participants will be hired as full-time employees, while the rest will be hired on a contract basis!]

[Kyah! Isn’t that thrilling?]

Clap!

They clapped excitedly.

'…This is insane.'

For the past ten years, I had desperately longed for a full-time job.

I never expected I’d have to compete for one even here.

"What the hell! I thought things would be easier after the restructuring!"

"What do they even want from us?!"

And I wasn’t the only one in shock—around me, people were bursting into exasperation, disbelief, and anxiety.

But the host’s headset must have had some kind of selective noise-canceling feature.

"What’s the difference between full-time and contract employees?"

[Aah, great question!]

They only answered the questions they wanted to.

[Of course, the contract length and salary will differ!]

[There are other differences too, but I can’t tell you those yet.]

"Fuck, so we really are getting paid."

With the foul-mouthed guy’s exasperated remark, the host clapped their hands as if wrapping things up.

[Time’s up, so let’s wrap things up!]

Paaat—!

At the same time, everyone's "eyes" disappeared in an instant.

[Now, next up— the long-awaited grand prize for the talent show winner!]

“There’s another first-place prize?”

“Isn’t it just training points?”

[It’s none other than… the privilege of choosing your accommodation!]

“Accommodation?!”

[The new employee training center has a total of four lodgings!]

[The right to choose is given in order of talent show ranking!]

So, the accommodations are assigned based on ranking.

A true game of chance.

“Damn… I have a bad feeling about this.”

“…You feel the same way?”

If lodging is distributed by rank, then there's a high chance other things will be, too.

“…Let’s just listen for now.”

Resigning themselves to fate, they opened their ears.

[The pride of the training center!]

[Introducing the lodgings—!]

Pop! Pop! Pop! Pop! Pop…

As the host finished speaking, vivid images appeared before them.

Judging by the way everyone’s eyes widened, it seemed they could all see it too.

[There are a total of eleven lodgings.]

[Each is a unique landmark of the training center!]

[Candidate ‘Lee Eunho.’ Please choose your first-night accommodation.]

Suppressing the sudden wave of confusion, I carefully examined the eleven displayed works.

Starting from the left, one by one.

〔 Crimson Serenity 〕

A mysterious blend of molten flames and clouds, shimmering in color.

〔 Golden Cough 〕

A painting made by finely grinding gold dust and sprinkling it thickly.

〔 Azure Yoke 〕

A depiction of a shining lake, calm and softly glistening.

〔 Moonlit Nap 〕

A deep navy canvas with a pure white glow scattered across it.

〔 Silver Blade 〕

A piece that looks as if white paint was poured over it and then scratched with a sharp carving knife.

〔 Ashen Veil 〕

A thick layer of gray paint expressing a firm and smooth texture, among others…

“Wow… they’re all beautiful.”

“But just looking at them doesn’t tell us much, does it, hyung? They’re just paintings… How are we supposed to choose?”

These were artworks that seemed impossible to create by human hands.

And yet, they were being asked to pick one.

It felt less like choosing a lodging and more like attending an art auction.

“I hope we don’t pick ‘Ashen Veil’! It seems like it’d be covered in ashes…”

“Me too! The color is so dull and gloomy, it’s kind of scary.”

“I don’t like ‘Azure Yoke.’ Doesn’t ‘yoke’ mean a burden?”

“Oh, you’re right.”

The only information we had was the title and color of each painting.

We had to make their choice based on that alone.

“Is this a gacha or what?”

“Fuck it, just pick whatever. They’re all the same anyway.”

A few people nodded in agreement with the foul-mouthed guy.

But if all the lodgings were really the same, there was no way this would be a special prize for the first-place team.

‘There must be a hint.’

Thinking that, I scrutinized the eleven artworks carefully.

Every single one, thoroughly.

“Isn’t choosing based on the title too simple? It could be a trap.”

After several rounds of back-and-forth debate with no real solutions—

“Eunho! How about we just vote on it?”

“Vote?”

“Yes. It’s random anyway, but if you pick the wrong one, you might get blamed…”

Jieun's considerate suggestion made me shake my head before replying.

“I’ve decided.”

“What?”

“B-but hyung! Noona’s right! What if you end up picking a terrible one just based on the name…?”

“No.”

I patted Jaehyuk’s shoulder, who was anxiously trying to dissuade him.

Then, I looked at the unfamiliar faces watching, as if seeking their agreement.

“Serenity. Yoke. Nap. Blade. The names do matter, but that’s not the only reason.”

“Huh? Then what is it?”

Swoosh!

I leaned in to examine the paintings again.

Not from the front, but from the side.

‘It’s thin, so it’s hard to tell, but…’

“These aren’t single sheets.”

“Huh?”

“Some are single pieces, while others are stacked. Each one is different.”

The number of layers suggested a limitation on how many people could stay in each.

“Oh?”

“It’s true! Come look from this angle!”

“When did he even notice that?”

If it were a lodging anyone could stay in regardless of ranking, it wouldn’t be much of a ‘special prize for first place.’

That meant, most likely—

“Wouldn’t the one with only a single layer be the best?”

“Oh…!”

“That… makes sense.”

Relief spread across the group's faces.

Watching them, I calmly declared—

“I’ll choose ‘Crimson Serenity.’”

And then—

[ROK Zone, selection complete!]

Paaat!

A beam of light shot up from the frame.

At the same time, the surrounding space melted, swirled, and distorted like paint on a palette.

Finally—

Paaaaaah—!

[You are now moving to ‘Crimson Serenity.’]

[Prepare for impact!]

[Translator - Night]

[Proofreader - Gun]