Chapter 100. An Ownerless Room (4)
It was 11:00 PM. It was long past working hours, yet the Bureau of Audit still shone as brightly as midday.
“Did you send the request to the Investigation Bureau? Why haven’t you brought me the reply yet?”
“Well... all the staff had already left work. They said they’ll send it tomorrow.”
“Ugh, those bastards!”
Both the Investigation Bureau and the Management Bureau had emptied out hours ago. With no one left to cooperate, or even answer basic inquiries, efficiency plummeted to rock bottom.
“Damn it! We’re breaking our backs because of their mistakes, so why can’t they cooperate?”
“Maybe... because it is their mistake?”
“Tch! You think I don’t know that?”
Section Chief Jeon Do of the Field Audit Division 3 spat out nothing but curses, as if he were used to it. His temper flared, but there was nothing he could do.
The Audit Bureau’s job was to dig up internal corruption and check for mishandled work. No other department had any reason to help them. Besides, if anyone was too eager to help, that would be suspicious in its own way.
“The thirsty man’s the one who has to go fetch water, right?” Jeon Do muttered.
“I guess.” the subordinate agreed.
Experience had taught Jeon Do that it was faster to move himself than waste time shouting.
“We’ve arrived,” the subordinate announced.
While one man grumbled and the other tied up loose ends, they reached their destination.
“This is it?” Jeon Do asked.
“Yes, sir.”
The two of them stood before a heavy wooden door, its surface stained a deep brown.
“Shall I open it, Chief?”
“Of course. What, are we going to stand here all night admiring it?”
Click!
Without hesitation, the subordinate pushed the door open. Beyond lay the spire of the sector 13’s physical examination center. Signs of battle scarred the tower’s lobby. Even as they stepped inside, their discussion continued.
“What about the subjects?” Jeon Do asked.
“They’ve all been gathered in the waiting area.”
“Good. Make sure nothing leaks out to the public.”
“Yes, sir.”
Crackle!
They were just about to leave when a spark flared somewhere deep in the ruin. From the darkness of a collapsed heap, where nothing should have remained, something stirred.
“Hm? What’s that over there?”
Whoosh!
“Look at that! Smoke’s coming out!”
“Huh? Could it be a fire?”
Rushing over, they discovered a broken capsule. It wasn’t an especially old model, but it rattled noisily, clearly malfunctioning.
“There’s a scratch on the door. Could that be the problem?”
“No, sir. More likely it broke down from being overused without refueling.”
Finding a portable capsule at a crime scene was suspicious enough that even a stray dog passing by would’ve noticed.
“Check the data,” Jeon Do ordered.
“Uh... It’s been wiped clean!” the subordinate replied, alarmed.
“What?!” The section chief’s voice boomed across the ruin. “What about the dash cam?!”
“It’s... it’s gone! Looks like someone removed it!”
“So, we don’t even know whose capsule this is?”
“It’s registered under the Cho Bok. My guess is Researcher Iro tried to escape in it, but abandoned it when he failed.”
“Hah!” Jeon Do laughed bitterly at the thought that the man had tried to erase every trace of himself. “A so-called genius researcher... I guess he was thorough to the very end.”
What could they do? The capsule had lost all its data, reduced to nothing more than a broken shell.
“We don’t have a choice. Just take this with us,” Jeon Do said flatly.
“Yes, sir.”
Just then, a message arrived on the subordinate’s device, right as he prepared to haul the capsule away.
Ding!
“Chief! The investigation of Cho Bok’s office is finished!”
“What did they say? Did they find anything?” Jeon Do asked sharply.
“It’s not certain yet...” the man lowered his voice before continuing, “they think there’s a hidden space underground. Maybe he was storing something valuable there.”
“A hidden space? Did they open it?”
“They’ve called in specialists. Work will start tomorrow at nine.”
That made sense because they’d need experts for something like this. Who knew what lengths Cho Bok had gone to in order to conceal whatever he was hiding?
“Just as I thought,” Jeon Do muttered. “The man had skeletons in his closet. He had a fine reputation though... How in the world did he maintain it?”
“We’ve already scheduled interviews with his staff. Would you like to attend, sir?”
His subordinate was efficient as always.
Pleased with his subordinate’s quick handling, Jeon Do nodded in approval. “I’ll make time to be there as well.”
“Understo—”
He had just spoken with rare leniency, and the subordinate was about to answer with equal ease when a sudden gust cut between their words.
Whoosh!
“—ood,” the subordinate finished, unsettled.
“Hm?” Jeon Do narrowed his eyes.
“Didn’t it seem like something just passed by?” the subordinate asked.
***
It was 11:30 PM and Eun-Ho returned with thirty minutes left before midnight. The delay with the damaged capsule had cost him time, but leaving behind evidence of his presence was never an option.
“Attention. At midnight, a full-scale emergency inspection will begin across Sky Island. The inspection will last eight hours. During that time, no one is permitted to leave the waiting area.”
An emergency inspection? It has to be because of the earlier battle. Are they planning to blame me for killing the Inspector?
He dismissed the thought immediately. Iro was the one who injected a syringe into a colleague’s neck. The company had no reason to escalate the matter—the bigger the fuss, the worse it was for them. If anything, they’d be desperate to bury it quietly, not go hunting for culprits.
There was another possibility: the idea that they’d try to pin everything on Eun-Ho.
But if that was truly possible, that woman would never have agreed to my terms.
The very fact that the head of an entire organization had stepped in to resolve matters personally was proof enough.
I shouldn't have to worry.
If word ever got out, her reputation would suffer a blow. Besides, for people in high places, nothing was more intolerable than losing face. With that reassurance, he quickened his pace. Before long, he stopped in front of a structure that resembled a round sports arena.
“Was there always a building like this here?” he muttered.
The stairways stretching to the ground was the one and only entrance to Sky Island. The building couldn’t have been built in just a few hours, which meant it had either been transported here, or had always existed, concealed from view like the towers.
How much more do they have hidden on someone else’s land?
Eun-Ho forced down the unease and headed for the entrance.
Sure enough, Jae-Hyuk was waiting there, raising his hand high in greeting. “Over here, Hyungnim! This way!”
He seemed neat and ready, his hair still damp, suggesting there were shower facilities inside.
“I’ve been waiting for you!” Jae-Hyuk said brightly.
“Are you alone? Where are the others?” Eun-Ho asked.
The question slipped out without much thought, but Jae-Hyuk hesitated before answering, “Uh, well everyone is kinda busy right now, so I came out first.”
“Busy?” Eun-Ho echoed, frowning.
Could something have happened? Was there some hidden trap in this so-called emergency inspection that he had failed to consider?
“Well, the thing is...” Jae-Hyuk began nervously.
Eun-Ho stepped into the waiting area on guard, only to be struck by the sight before him.
Is that a department store?
It was a bustling shopping center, crowded with people at every corner.
“They’re all busy shopping...” Jae-Hyuk explained.
“What?! Shopping?” Eun-Ho asked, dumbfounded.
Just then, an announcement blared overhead.
[Welcome, subject!]
“Huh?”
[Attention to all visitors in the waiting area!]
[On the first floor, the women’s clothing corner is holding a special discount event to celebrate the Initiation Ceremony! We hope you’ll take interest.]
Wait a minute. What did they say before? That means...
[An event prepared for all survivors will be held, so please present yourselves properly dressed by then.]
“They told us to present ourselves properly dressed. So this is what they meant?” Eun-Ho muttered.
“Yes, sir! I was worried since I didn’t have the right clothes, but they’re selling everything here!” Jae-Hyuk said with excitement.
Eun-Ho exhaled heavily. Even if the system had arranged this, how could people so readily throw themselves into shopping? Did they even know what an Initiation Ceremony entailed? Conserving energy for what was ahead would’ve been the smarter choice. Still, if they wanted to spend their own money on clothes, he couldn’t exactly stop them.
“So, did you buy something too?” Eun-Ho asked.
“Yes, sir! I picked up a set myself. Would you like to see?”
Grinning with pride, Jae-Hyuk called out, “Summon!”
In the palm of his calloused hand appeared a neatly folded outfit.
[Basic Suit Set (Navy)]
- A suit made from the wool of some giant lamb, crafted by an unnamed tailor.
- Standard two-button, slim fit. Nothing special about the design.
Eun-Ho skimmed the description without much interest until his eyes stopped at one line.
- Wearing it increases your Charm by five percent.
“These clothes have effects?” Eun-Ho asked in disbelief.
Jae-Hyuk, practically bouncing, replied, “Yes, Hyungnim! Mine just boosts Charm, but Sol-Ah said she saw one earlier that gave Agility!”
“What?!”
“Would you like to pick up a set for yourself too, Hyungnim?”
If clothes could raise stats simply by being worn, then Eun-Ho absolutely had to go. There was no question about it.
“Where’s the men’s section?” Eun-Ho asked immediately.
***
It was 8:50 AM and sunlight poured down on Sky Island. From early morning, people dressed in their new outfits streamed out of the building.
“The suit suits you,” Eun-Ho remarked.
“Thank you, Hyungnim!” Jae-Hyuk replied, scratching his head. Then he asked hesitantly, “Are you sure you’re fine with that, Hyungnim?”
Because in the end, Eun-Ho’s choice of clothing was a plain white shirt and simple black slacks.
[Open-Collar Linen Shirt (White)]
- A simple shirt made from flax fibers.
- Woven from high-quality linen, it’s highly breathable.
- Wearing it increases your Agility by one, and Heat Resistance by five percent.
[Tapered Crop Slacks (Black)]
- Practical slacks suitable for both casual and formal occasions.
- Wearing it increases your Agility by one.
They appeared more like everyday clothes than anything formal, hardly different from what he had worn before.
“Yes,” Eun-Ho said calmly. “This is the most efficient choice.”
Each set of clothes only raised stats by a small margin. Most boosted Charm, while only a few granted a single point of Agility. By mixing and matching, however, he had managed to find a combination that raised his Agility by two.
“My body already feels lighter,” Eun-Ho remarked.
“Still, Hyungnim, since you’re dressing up anyway, maybe you could’ve chosen something with a nicer design,” Jae-Hyuk suggested.
They were chatting idly when the sound of footsteps echoed from a distance. It was the sharp clack of high heels, something no one had heard since the trials began.
The one who appeared was Ji-Eun.
“Ji-Eun?” Eun-Ho whispered.
She was breathtaking as she was draped in a silk-red dress that clung to her curves, the neckline plunging low. Her short hair framed a pair of dangling earrings that shimmered with every step, radiating allure. Until now, he had only ever seen her in neat business suits.
“You look like a completely different person, Ji-Eun,” Eun-Ho admitted, glancing away before he realized it.
Flustered, Ji-Eun quickly explained herself, “Ah, well other clothes only gave a ten percent Charm boost, but this one raises it by twenty percent!”
Her cheeks, and even the nape of her neck, flushed red as she muttered in embarrassment, “They said it’s a formal ceremony, so I thought maybe there could be a trial where Charm is needed.”
“A trial where Charm matters... hm, you have a point,” Eun-Ho conceded.
“Yeah, just like the memory trial last time! Competing for sponsorships, or something similar.”
“Yes. That’s possible.”
Perhaps she was right. Maybe he had been too trapped in the mindset that everything was about survival, life or death. As he found himself oddly persuaded by Ji-Eun’s reasoning, more of their companions began to arrive.
“Oppa!”
“Yeon Bo-Ra?”
True to her name, she wore a short lilac dress, soft purple like spring blossoms. Her flowing hair and the layered hem of her skirt fluttered as she spun in a small circle.
“How do I look?” she asked with a bright smile.
“Pretty,” Eun-Ho replied simply.
One after another, the others appeared, each dressed more formally than usual.
“Damn, this is so uncomfortable I could die,” the Swear-Master grumbled.
“Hmm. But dressed up, you almost pass for a normal person,” Ye-Ji said dryly.
“What the hell did you just say?”
The Swear-Master wore a crisp suit. Lee Ye-Ji, the security guard, and even the cleaning lady, had all put effort into dressing neatly, though none quite as polished as Ji-Eun or Yeon Bo-Ra.
“Young Man, aren’t you going to change?”
“I already did,” Eun-Ho replied.
It was 9:00 AM and the moment the hour struck, a new announcement rang out.
[The Gate to the Initiation Ceremony venue will now open.]
Rumble—!
“What’s going on? Is it another trial?!”
“I don’t think so... Look over there!”
From deep beneath the ground, colossal white pillars surged upward, gleaming in the sunlight like supports for a temple. Then, between the two pillars, a translucent barrier shimmered into existence.
Fwoosh—!
It wavered like heat haze, coalesced like clouds, then rippled like a lake surface. Within it, a strange new landscape stirred. The Gate had appeared.
“Are we supposed to go through that?”
“I think so. Looks like it’ll transport us when we go through.”
Through the glowing veil stretched a vast field, so wide the horizon itself was lost. People appeared within it, one after another. There were dozens, hundreds, thousands or even tens of thousands people.
Most were foreigners, though he spotted others who seemed Korean here and there. Regardless, it didn’t matter who awaited them on the other side. He was prepared to survive no matter what.
[Please proceed to the banquet hall!]
“Let’s go,” Eun-Ho said firmly.
“Okay!”