Chapter 36
kPyZgMSamra did not respond.pXktIdu
4Yp8But even if he had denied the accusation, it would have been pointless.AQMJv
6IG5XRThe fact that Kang Cheonseo had dared to say it outright in front of Samra meant she was completely certain.duo3ZOM
aJX5gnFor the first time, I couldn’t control my expression.8nmYKN0
zX0ayVF‘CEO Cha of Paseong? Me?’j32
xtff2KPaseong was the world’s most famous private military company founded by Adepts.LSjreT
qkW61It had earned international renown, boasting an astonishing 90% success rate in its operations.zJh
elMCd5UAll thanks to its CEO.K8b
JyLwJWhenever a Paseong mercenary failed a Trial, the company would ask the client whether they wished to attempt a second incursion.07bql
5YtjhSHIf they did, the client had to pay an additional fee, and if they agreed, Paseong’s CEO would personally enter the Trial.Bxdfx7q
1QrfTo this day, he had never failed a single one.FQoxYra
qDmolHowever, unlike Je Hyuno, Paseong’s CEO was a completely ordinary human who had not been infected with the BT virus.G8lxqwU
ZCKIEven so, his extraordinary success rate was enough that no one questioned his abilities.NpFm
bH5Paseong’s CEO kept every detail of his personal information a secret.kc8
fOwniDiThe only thing publicly known was the title “CEO Cha,” and no one even knew whether Cha was actually his surname.5ZNF9
sxkk9XFurthermore, he always concealed his face behind a white mask—an item that not only distorted his voice but also reduced the cognitive abilities of anyone who looked at him.KRc
OiPBecause of that, even within Paseong, only a small number of highly trusted executives knew what he truly looked like.G2CX4
tbhE‘And one of the few people who does know is the Chairman of Cheongang.’cqa
f44cB8In other words, only someone on the Chairman of Cheongang’s level was worthy of seeing Paseong’s CEO remove his mask.iXD
ESClHcWithin Archive World, Paseong’s CEO was a character who completely divided the readers.lq8RZnl
MaJHis personality was so cold that many wondered whether he might actually be a psychopath or a sociopath.JxN
RvtWith the exception of a few people he trusted completely, he treated everyone else as nothing more than tools.BuoZ6A
btWVvHe never judged things based on right or wrong, only on usefulness.F64RQh
HWM1aHis arrogant attitude and cutting remarks frequently caused unnecessary conflicts.IECGYL4
JIcHzEven so, he was an indispensable existence in confronting the Trials appearing all over the world.s6JIth
WjvyThose who found him fascinating and those who despised him could never understand one another and constantly criticized each other.f1T
gfKWlhI could understand both sides.1TsPWY
RT4D637But in the end, I was always on Paseong CEO’s side.YhDda
85w5GMgIt was shameless favoritism toward my favorite character.0LslJ
Mrt4J4And now it turned out he was looking for me.R5nHl
UyLbyPxKnowing that I had caught my favorite character’s attention made me feel both a little happy and thoroughly chilled.TBRnPAF
mvl9QAfter all, I knew very well how terrifying he was.cGH
1QK17‘In that sense… is he a little like Je Hyuno?’WklPjF
5DmCAt the same time, I couldn’t help feeling confused.GZS0
7jPConsidering the relationship between the Trial Response Agency and Paseong, there was no reason for them to be looking for me.WZC5I
xnWgCIn South Korea, as a general rule, every Trial and every item belonged to the State.iY7d
rxAcRHowever, the Trial Response Agency couldn’t handle every Trial that appeared in the country on its own.Qkl4ULE
btKSThat was why it established cooperative relationships with private companies.mj62U
DIxukAnd its primary partner was none other than Paseong.ysJoF
53DfcIn exchange for handling the missions assigned to it by the Trial Response Agency, Paseong obtained ownership of certain Trials and the items found within them.FOBqB
XfCCpyhIt also received supplies of vaccines and treatments for the BT virus.ysZ3y2d
E2DqHNPaseong and the Trial Response Agency also exchanged, bought, and sold information and items on a priority basis.8TZrN
0mgCIThe two organizations needed each other.iOYTFg
KVwbTherefore, Paseong had no reason to become hostile toward the Trial Response Agency.CIGthu5
5AwUAnd yet, they were pursuing the very person the Trial Response Agency was watching most closely—me.esqxr
C5lnM3VThey had to know perfectly well that this could jeopardize the good relationship between both sides.5Xqa65
dZm“Goyo, doesn’t it seem strange to you? Why would they hide something like that? I don’t understand.”qBTi8
6fBWLKKang Cheonseo asked me with the faintest smile.Z8aGf
bHSzJqs“It seems the Trial Response Agency isn’t treating you very well. Would you like me to fix that?”duPx8i
dni4“Chairwoman Kang Cheonseo. Any further remarks would constitute actions contrary to the Trial Response Agency.”R2hFa7o
AusQA“My, how frightening.”5Dwc
QARBudkA faint mocking smile appeared on her lips.W30icp
55RM4Her expression seemed to say,dYFM8f
1MZUa“An improvised institution like that is awfully full of itself.”Ipx
9S9IQBut she voiced no further complaints.jCG
QxwNo matter how young the organization was—it had existed for only four years—the Trial Response Agency was still one of the very few means capable of stopping the Trials.JWzwdP
xGyAt last, she conceded to Samra.YWo
ua3“Very well. I’ll leave it at that.”FBC7O
HUvXrQAfter saying it in a carefree tone, Kang Cheonseo turned to me again.Xg0Yr
x075cw“Goyo, are you eating properly?”JdcG
0vThShe took out a card and held it out to me.0sTQ
DwYACNUIt was a Black Card, the kind I had only ever heard about.iKJTBn
KtVZXOm“Use it to buy yourself something delicious. Think of it as pocket money from an adult. Alright?”9kB18SH
DGk1dIf“Chairwoman Kang Cheonseo.”IW3
cQmU3“The Trial Response Agency won’t even allow a simple gesture of gratitude. Goyo, because of Samra, I can’t even give you any pocket money.”76AR7a
LGZKang Cheonseo feigned regret, saying it hurt her pride, her tone completely playful.EYlp
8gqLVBut I felt a chill run through my chest.TQLSq8
Fv1It was easy to guess that the Black Card was a trap.psHU
H1xIf I accepted it and used it, it would serve to track my location and every one of my movements.qOfVkKI
OZLpe9‘Does the Chairwoman want to push me toward Paseong?’gmasU
9zyI couldn’t understand what her objective was.2l9wq
JR6x0If she intended to sow discord between Paseong and the Trial Response Agency, then the situation was beginning to make some sense.OupqOj
jqEQBut even so, I couldn’t see how that would benefit Cheongang.2mQqY8
txxKPrecisely because I knew how much Kang Cheonseo valued Cheongang, all of this seemed even stranger.AByDYL
T5rvIn the past, her name had been Kang Soyoung.vLIo7ZJ
dS39pTBShe trampled countless people to reach the position of Chairwoman of Cheongang.5Hf
IkihkVmAnd on the very day she reached the top, she officially changed her name to Kang Cheonseo.hNMmXq
xGxIt was her way of declaring that she was Cheongang.yXu1BY
EspPwLeIf someone like her had started a game so dangerous that it could even affect Cheongang, there had to be an extremely important reason behind it all.t3yH48
2ed“Instead of giving you pocket money, I’ll go get you some Grooming. I have to pick it up personally. Can you wait a moment?”tKqsG
rn7mzi“Thank you very much, Chairwoman.”UQkqZ
5Yz0pwQPushing all those thoughts aside, I immediately answered with a smile.tHDdX2
jggI7The most important thing was obtaining Grooming from Cheongang.I01RnO8
Jxhr6lPUntil I understood why Paseong was looking for me, I didn’t want to arouse suspicion in that direction and lose the Abnormal Disaster Management Agency’s trust.8KzOq2
BUrfAnd besides, no matter how much Paseong’s CEO was my favorite character, even through that filter I had to admit that his personality left a great deal to be desired.If7w3gu
HcJiCompared to him, Samra could be considered a complete gentleman.CO1Sj
1Z1gwV‘Besides, right now I need Samra much more.’ShWP
DTA4For the time being, remaining with the Trial Response Agency was still the best option for me.sELX
SVx***FruNM
BLvAxKang Cheonseo personally escorted Samra and Han Goyo to the front entrance.OHQe
nTsxlZAs she watched Han Goyo politely bow deeply in farewell with satisfaction, the expression on her face turned cold the moment the door closed.Z87Xg
pAzShe stared at the closed door for a few moments before turning around and walking down the long hallway.abGC3a
gWmKg8gAt that moment, her phone rang, and she answered it immediately.JBUlPDs
qMVq“Well, look who’s calling.”NoOG4Vc
LZ29oiAThe coldness from moments ago disappeared completely. As soon as she answered, she began joking.NepL
DaAd“CEO Cha! To what do I owe the honor of receiving a call from an old woman like me?”lYWrP
LBXNYrThe response from the other side, however, was cold.9mIfm
hAM— Chairwoman Kang. I’m disappointed.FH5
bqMAsscThe accusation came without the slightest explanation.5jQU
KjoSosKang Cheonseo smiled casually.IACCm
gIy“You’ve had me under surveillance? How frightening. News reaches you quickly.”jtR3n8
puxcjO— It’s only natural to be disappointed when you hand over an item that Paseong obtained to the Trial Response Agency. Instead of returning it to us.vd3L
Odms“Hmm, I didn’t really have a choice. Besides, I didn’t give it away. I merely lent it.”QpS6
JKOqw— Explain your reason.1YSdHg
cwIl9I“That isn’t something to discuss over the phone. How about we meet in person? It’s been a long time since we’ve seen each other.”gC2
yijA65— ……VGFY
SCwwd8The silence conveyed obvious displeasure.up6oIg
3wVOtQKang Cheonseo quietly exhaled.Svg
3nenn‘What an ill-mannered brat.’L8z
YpCfzBut she wasn’t angry.NczBG
tJ5On the contrary.3zk
zHmEqYZShe found the entire situation extraordinarily interesting.oYTRh
bHw“When you hear the story, you’ll be satisfied. I guarantee its quality. Since our CEO Cha is such a busy man, I’ll adapt completely to your schedule. Whenever you like.”sbKvg
mhV— It’s difficult for me to come personally. Tell me now—xMWe3q2
9w0C“I’ve met Han Goyo.”TDy2Kr
i5i3qKang Cheonseo smiled broadly, knowing the other party couldn’t see her.Jbe
qIn“So, how about we discuss it in person?”LtdQ
4uhAnd she hung up without waiting for a reply.cvPb
z5vHer granddaughter came running down the stairs.wC3
kqM0V4After being confined to the third floor until she was finally given permission to come down, Kang Byeokrin looked utterly dejected.9NyD
WVbkk9“Has… he already left?”lAdU
yJZpCKang Cheonseo shrugged.GYD
LeA“A while ago.”6sCA3mH
Qg0“Grandma!”tKE
E3Dn87Kang Byeokrin protested in a voice full of sorrow.Iefr9Y
04wfHow could she do something like that when she knew perfectly well that she was Goyo’s fan?Tbbj
WcyVMxUOf course she knew.9qQVuQ
Qd2After all, the only reason Cheongang had sponsored an esports team was because of Kang Byeokrin.5i0oP92
tYd“That is precisely why I didn’t let you see him, Rin.”Mtdh5gk
uIEuRM“Huh?”INHEXg
K2Pl“You’re supposed to be Cheongang’s future heir. Do you think you can behave in such an undignified manner? I arranged all of this so you could meet Han Goyo, and you completely fell apart the moment you saw him.”49Snqk
8xM“…I’m sorry.”eQI8
7UWv“As long as you’re aware of your mistake, that’s enough. Never forget that one day you’ll represent Cheongang. Don’t do things that make you look ridiculous, Rin.”B8Y2B
WOG0uU“Yes. I’ll keep that in mind.”yG13
FsG2CAfter finishing the brief scolding, Kang Cheonseo shook her head.ZpGuLLG
nnSkz“Honestly… on the other hand, Han Goyo, at only twenty-four years old, is truly an admirable young man.”NJ1
9FFTa“Right? I’ve always said Goyo is very mature and has a good head on his shoulders.”pIeckKx
a1Vj6“Oh, dear…”DFjp9xk
xukvgw2Seeing her granddaughter grinning from ear to ear even after that comparison, Kang Cheonseo looked at her in resignation.eSbe9
w7O9Mo3Even so, she couldn’t help smiling.mk3
ik4Up until now, her granddaughter had never disappointed her.obvUpZ
opL5rqAnd that was why she had always allowed her that one little indulgence.1LHMZs6
1WyAHan Goyo.GnOhB
5PYWhenever Kang Byeokrin kept talking about him, Kang Cheonseo had simply listened to the reports from her assistants.zVP
gS6rIhToday was the first time she had met him in person.MvkD
tX2SeAnd now she completely understood why he had captured her granddaughter’s heart.RBa219m
q8FNOt3He was decisive and bold, yet without ever losing his manners.xD9
DTW9On9He also seemed quite intelligent.DpJCT
IxMB3And on top of that, he was handsome.uXU8
AkRIf it had been possible, she would have wanted him by her side as one of her own.5Xc1r
RFH0ha‘Although with Paseong involved, that’ll be difficult.’H4H
1dxE3xNot even Samra could have imagined that things would end up becoming so tangled.2mQ2Jr
JizpXcAs she smiled while listening to her granddaughter’s endless chatter, while at the same time calculating how to obtain the greatest possible benefit between the Trial Response Agency and Paseong.TKYw
XWdBooom!!!wWs5
wGLhA tremendous explosion echoed through the Chairwoman of Cheongang’s mansion.wNv
6X0j4At that overwhelming sound of destruction, Kang Cheonseo’s eyes widened.lget
vQQFThe person who had ripped the front door clean off its hinges walked in as if nothing had happened.01WRKQr
T7FThis time, Kang Cheonseo was no longer smiling.DakYX0x
jfo“…CEO Cha.”2DMuP
M9sqVA mechanically distorted voice came from the man wearing a matte white mask.8wDzm
4X2TSa“I’ve come to hear the story, Chairwoman Kang.”5ENJv
jUK7e***WpMo6u
xKUJtAfter returning to the Trial Response Agency with Proper Appearance, I headed to the Special Mission Team office that afternoon.G2kDDa
a2wWe had the briefing for our next mission.y8TI
J05ULieutenant Colonel Je couldn’t attend the meeting, as he would be joining us directly from the location of the next Trial.ynCA8u
vkelQCRIt had been several days since I’d last seen Kwak Hanmuk and Mo Haein.7DLIfQY
qppzcoThey were both sitting in the office, but they jumped up so abruptly that their chairs nearly tipped over.rEy0zKz
vc3Z“Recruit!”Oegk3D
J2VSKMo Haein was the first to run over to me.nQbHs
8USr0bAfter confirming that I was unharmed, she bit her lower lip before letting it go.Ire
PdB6iU“They wouldn’t even let me into your hospital room.”1c4
MsYtmVU“I’m fine.”RSU0nWh
iD4DKII said it to reassure her.XJqAk
IxyeUHowever, Mo Haein immediately replied,T5W
X09bikw“Of course you’re fine. Precisely because you’re fine, you already escaped from the hospital for another mission instead of staying in bed where you belonged.”mRb
LqdqsAs I repeatedly bowed my head in apology, Kwak Hanmuk also chimed in.mFOT15d
69iazr“I thought Chestnut was going to end up becoming Roasted Chestnut.”PSL
h6TAfter inventing yet another variation in his ever-growing collection of chestnut-related nicknames, he folded his arms and looked down at me.NgdeP
v2EHiMR“Next time, coordinate with us before doing something crazy again, alright, Goyo?”JShk
guWXu“Yes!”Z6L7Sg
OFWI answered immediately at his warning tone.J2prB
7kH1RMo Haein let out a long sigh.aJA
rdFJust as I was about to become a completely roasted chestnut under the barrage of scolding from both Captains, Samra came to my rescue.z8nB
4izs2V“We will now begin the Special Mission Team meeting.”PzbTz
8lUeThanks to Samra, I was finally able to sit down, and the briefing began.Xg9a0q
l6ewvSamra started the briefing.5OOLcT
5fw0E“The second Trial that the Special Mission Team will enter is (Clean! Clean! Clean!). Its difficulty level is four stars. It will be Lieutenant Colonel Je’s first incursion, while Captain Mo Haein and Captain Kwak Hanmuk have cleared it multiple times.”DnN7e
0x3Clean! Clean! Clean! was a game in which the player was hired as temporary cleaning staff for a massive mansion for one week.tkmXM
hnMzThe goal was to clean the mansion to a standard that satisfied the butlers.JLp49
N9BgAlthough the method for clearing it seemed simple, it was actually much more complicated than it appeared.VVAK
RqEJy8Because it wasn’t enough to simply clean the mansion.kCm7ND
utNcIt was also necessary to eliminate the monsters hidden inside it, known as Creatures.NVWvKb
QYlaOAEAnd there was another element that made things even more complicated.uGAiS
NTtCht5The roulette wheel.QPVS
eujThe player’s clothing, cleaning tools, and even the weapons used to fight the monsters were all determined completely at random by a roulette wheel.3q1w
Azj7If luck abandoned you, you could begin the Trial dressed in nothing but rags while holding nothing more than a lollipop.MiAVo
DIZAnd there was something even worse.xfQ
5sq2uThe mansion’s two NPC butlers were extremely strict when judging whether the cleaners were suitable to work there.YEn
kmM9uIf they considered you dirty or poorly presented, or if your clothing didn’t fit the mansion’s atmosphere, they would immediately throw you out.0Qx5
rM4L6KIf the roulette gave you an old janitor’s uniform.gNiE75e
rizYou couldn’t even get through the front door.EctO
kDxu“CCC? CCC? Really CCC?”WYFM
4iz9The moment Samra announced that the second mission would be Clean! Clean! Clean!, both Kwak Hanmuk and Mo Haein’s expressions darkened.8pT9zlH
bPWiAs Kwak Hanmuk repeated, “It can’t be CCC…” several times, he looked at me with an exhausted expression.QygpWu
xwf“The last time, I ended up cleaning while dressed as a maid…”D86WpG
RLbHe told me about that traumatic experience when the roulette had completely ruined him.jEzHW
mAAyNVBut I couldn’t sympathize.plkS
103cBecause I had never needed to accept whatever the roulette decided.YEcCm
He4PMOlI always got exactly what I wanted.zMUwZ
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