Chapter 160. Employee of the Year (2)
Eun-Ho activated the black card. “Activate.”
In the next moment, a door appeared before him, smooth and dark like carved obsidian. He turned the gold-rimmed door handle, its design matching the gilded trim on his entry badge.
Then, the door opened soundlessly.
[Welcome to the Employee of the Year Residence!]
Trees lined the path symmetrically on both sides, with a fountain set perfectly at the center. A manicured garden stretched out around a set of tea tables. Behind it loomed a four-story mansion, all grandeur and old-world splendor, as if torn straight from a noble estate.
“Hyungnim, is this what they meant by company housing?!” Jae-Hyuk asked in disbelief.
“Wow...”
“So, this is what people mean when they say one celebrity in the family can uplift the whole bloodline?” Swear-Master joked.
“Shut up! We’re not even related and he’s not a celebrity,” Ye-Ji snapped back, unimpressed.
They bickered as usual, yet never strayed far from each other’s side.
Eun-Ho cleared his throat and said, “Let’s head inside.”
Knowing the night wouldn’t be long and he had work to do, he walked in first.
“Yes, sir!”
“Understood, Hyungnim!”
Pillars like those of a temple framed the entrance. Embedded into the massive three-meter-tall doors was a square obsidian gemstone, akin to a silver cast in black. Eun-Ho pressed his entry card against the golden key-shaped engraving at its center.
Click.
The doors swung open, and beyond them stretched an interior so immense it rivaled a stadium.
“Whoa...”
“This place is insane.”
A sofa so large it seemed like clouds peeled down from the sky, a crystal-cut coffee table, and chandeliers dripping with reflected light. It was as if someone had uprooted a billionaire’s mansion and dropped it here whole. Even with more than ten people spreading out across couches and chairs, the house still felt empty.
Ji-Woong murmured under his breath, “So this is why people say bigger is always better...”
Eun-Ho heard him, then addressed the room. “Then let’s begin.”
He finally unveiled the plan he had prepared: his so-called Multi-Level Upgrade System. “So, if you agree, you’ll be registered as my Sub-Sales Agent.”
“Sure, sure! I got it!” said the cleaning lady.
“I’ll start with Ji-Eun. Is that alright with you?” Eun-Ho asked.
Ji-Eun listened with a serious expression, nodding slowly. Then she raised her hand timidly. “I-I have a question.”
He looked at her. “Go ahead.”
“Being your Sub-Sales Agent means we’ll be close, right? Closer than with clients?” she asked.
“... Pardon?”
“And we’ll go out on sales together, won’t we?”
He nearly blinked. It came out of nowhere, but technically, she wasn’t wrong. “Well... Yes. I suppose so.”
Ji-Eun seemed relieved at that, pressing a hand over her heart. She said brightly, “Then please take good care of me, Boss.”
She was far too cheerful for someone volunteering to be registered under a pyramid-like system. Still, Eun-Ho nodded. “Salesperson Management.”
The next moment, a translucent window flickered into view.
[No Sub-Sales Agent has been registered.]
[Would you like to register a new Sub-Sales Agent?]
There were three buttons: Register, Edit, and Remove. Without thinking too much, he selected Register and typed in Ji-Eun’s name.
[Please input the commission rate.]
Let’s start with zero percent.
When Eun-Ho entered zero percent, a warning popped up immediately.
[Caution!]
[No commission has been allocated to the Sub-Sales Agent.]
[Would you like to proceed anyway?]
“Yes,” he answered without hesitation. He had no intention of taking a cut from her earnings, not with how things stood.
Ding!
Then, a pleasant chime sounded in his ears.
[Sub-Sales Agent Kim Ji-Eun has been registered.]
[Performance from Kim Ji-Eun will now be shared.]
[Open the Employee Management Window to view details.]
Then, a status panel materialized like an RPG interface.
[Kim Ji-Eun]
- View Status
- Performance Log
- Commission Control
- Benefit Management
- Employee of the Year Discount Applied
For a simple personnel tool, it was surprisingly robust with stats, commission, permissions, and more. He decided to examine each function in detail later.
“It looks like the registration worked,” Eun-Ho said. “Would you like to open the shop interface and check your perks?”
He hadn’t even finished speaking before Ji-Eun was already browsing imaginary shelves with sparkling eyes. She was fully absorbed in whatever invisible menu hovered before her.
Then Ji-Eun exclaimed, “It works!”
“How big is the discount?”
“I think it depends on the item!” she said, eyes wide and sparkling. “This sword was thirty thousand points, but it’s showing forty percent off! And the shield is fifty percent!”
She seemed so delighted that Eun-Ho couldn’t help but find her adorable. It made sense because she had been stuck using the dagger she pulled from a random loot box.
Even after he forged her that beaked blade back in the MS Tower, she had never had the chance to replace it. She pretended not to mind, but she likely had. Besides, she wasn’t the only one.
“That Razor Beak Blade... You’ve really been using it too long,” Eun-Ho murmured.
The Swear-Master scoffed and said, “Nah, this blade’s perfect. Hell, give me a week and I’ll be cutting steel with it.”
He was clearly bluffing to flatter the maker, Eun-Ho.
Eun-Ho asked, “You’ve all saved up plenty of points, right?”
the Swear-Master snorted. “Too damn many.”
He had earned over thirty thousand just from Myung Seung-Tae alone, and everyone else had accumulated a good stash from trials and OJT. Still, they had understandably been hoarding, just in case a medical bill or emergency demanded their entire life’s worth.
“Let’s swap everything out. Get something better while we can,” Eun-Ho suggested.
No one wanted to miss a half-price miracle.
“If there was something you’ve wanted, buy it now before this title disappears,” Eun-Ho said.
“Right, you said you could lose it anytime?” someone asked.
“Yes,” he replied. “If another salesperson beats my numbers, that’s it. It will be gone.”
“Then we should make use of it now,” Ye-Jin declared, eyes blazing.
“That’s the spirit,” Eun-Ho said approvingly, scanning the eager faces around him.
“So, who’s going to be the next Sub-Sales Agent?”
Hands shot up and voices overlapped.
“Me, me, me!”
“Pick me!”
“Please accept me, Hyungnim!”
***
Night stretched on with the glow of constant shopping.
“Sol-Ah! How’s this armor?” Yeo-Jin shouted.
“Isn’t it too heavy?” Sol-Ah asked.
Yeo-Jin stomped around proudly in steel plates over her tracksuit. “You think so? I like it though!”
“Yul, is your neck okay? It’s not itchy?”
“Mhm! I like it!” Yul said, hugging her new necklace. It was fragile, yet blessed with danger detection and a single-use barrier.
Across the room was the security guard and the cleaning lady.
She twirled a master-forged spear as if she’d trained her whole life. “Hey, Mr. Kim, look at this spear. What do you think?”
Meanwhile, the security guard tried to lift a full-body shield made of ultra-light alloy.
“Be careful! Don’t point it at me. You scared the hell outta me!” he scolded.
If only it stacked with the First Sponsor title... Eun-Ho thought.
A miracle bug—meaning unlimited gifting—would have been perfect. Well, the benefits were absurd even without it. Eventually, most people finished their purchases.
“Eun-Ho, aren’t you buying equipment too?” Ji-Eun asked.
The Swear-Master laughed. “Does he even need upgrades? The guy could murder monsters with his bare hands.”
“No way...” Ji-Eun replied. “We never know what kind of monster is coming next.”
Eun-Ho nodded quickly. “Yeah. Ji-Eun is right. I better boost my items too.”
It was his turn. He had always hesitated to spend one hundred thousand points on a shop system upgrade. Finally he had reason to spend the mountain of Welfare Points that he had saved. He had over five hundred thousand Points by now.
“Shop upgrade.” Eun-Ho said.
[You have fulfilled the upgrade conditions.]
[Due to the Employee of the Year bonus, fifty percent cost reduction has been applied.]
[Would you like to use fifty-thousand Welfare Points to upgrade the intermediate-tier Everywhere and Nowhere Golden Caravan?]
Just as he had expected, he did not have to pay the full price.
“Yes,” he said.
[Congratulations!]
[Your intermediate-tier Everywhere and Nowhere Golden Caravan, has been upgraded to the advanced-tier Soeju’s Universal Emporium!]
He blinked.
[Would you like to move to Soeju’s Universal Emporium?]
“Move.”
Soeju Handgun, Soeju Fountain Pen, and Soeju Infinite Ink all had the word Soeju. Therefore, the name rang a very specific bell.
What the hell?
Then all of a sudden, darkness hit. The parlor, the chatter and the laughter all vanished.
[Transporting to the shop.]
His foot landed not on carpet, but on solid wood.
Ding!
Then, a small shop materialized around him, trimmed with red-and-white garlands. A doorbell jingled softly in the breeze.
Behind the counter, a toy-soldier-like clerk in a long green cap bowed deeply. “Welcome to the shop! How may I assist you today?”
Well, this is far more advanced than I expected, Eun-Ho thought.
“Ah, so it seems like you’re the first customer from Sector 13?” The clerk clapped his hands once, briskly. “There's a first-entry bonus available. This way, please.”
The employee polished his green apron, then guided Eun-Ho behind the counter. A short swinging plank-door opened, just knee-high.
Eun-Ho waited, noting how the clerk’s voice sounded like a pre-recorded toy, crisp yet oddly segmented.
Tap. Tap. Tap.
Three sharp taps landed on the counter. Then, three items were set before him. A monstrous shield, a mechanical bow with gears and cogs fitted along the top and bottom, and an upgraded version of the Electric Oil.
[Soeju Kite Shield]
- A full-body shield crafted from refined, lightweight meteoric iron
- It can cover the user from shoulder to ankle
- Thanks to a spell engraved on the inside, it has a five percent chance to nullify any incoming attack
- Defense power of 50
[Soeju Compound Bow Set]
- A mechanical bow and matching arrows crafted by Soeju’s meticulous artisan
- Pulleys fixed to both ends of the bow allow for steady aim, letting it pierce distant enemies with little effort
- Only compatible with its proprietary arrows
- Attack power of 10 to 30 depending on hit location
[Soeju Signature Lightning Oil]
- An oil made from a lightning-struck ancient tree, processed by Soeju’s meticulous artisan
- It reacts to the user’s will and unleashes high-voltage currents
- Self-recharges after 10 uses; recharge time is about 10 hours
The clerk beamed and said, “Please select your bonus item!”
Eun-Ho studied the three rewards in silence. He tapped a finger against his arm, eyes narrowed in thought.
Hmm. Which one should I choose?
Any of the three rewards laid before him would be valuable. With his current equipment, fighting ordinary monsters posed no real problem. As long as he didn’t end up alone against hundreds at once, he could survive and get out somehow. He could always use his Acceleration skill and run if it ever became too much. That had worked well enough so far, except against the Center Director or the Gambler.
It seemed like the stronger the rank, the more overwhelming their power. Eun-Ho could not tell if promotion granted that power, or if only the monstrously gifted ever made it that far. He only knew for certain that anyone he met from this point on—meaning those at the top—would have strength he could not even hope to match.
A quick burst of lightning from my armor might slow down a weaker opponent, sure, but a head-on fight? Against people my Acceleration didn’t even affect? What chance do I have against the Director of the Management Bureau? The Center Director? Even Harona, carefree as she always seems? Honestly... probably none.
If he ever wanted to take them down with his own hands, he required a killing move. Therefore, after a long breath, Eun-Ho pointed to the item he had chosen. “I’ll take this one.”
The employee behind the counter smiled, eyes narrowing with approval. “That’s an excellent choice! Will that be all for today?”
***
It was 8:30 AM and morning came earlier than usual.
[Attention all new employees.]
[The final OJT trial will begin at 9:00 AM sharp.]
[Please gather in the Banquet Hall for Strangers.]
“Hyungnim? Why did you bring that?” Jae-Hyuk asked.
Eun-Ho answered quietly, fastening equipment to his belt. “Just in case I need it.”
He picked up a few more items and headed toward the Banquet Hall. Voices simmered through the corridors. It was low and vicious muttering.
“I’m going to kill them!”
“If I see that administrator again, I swear I’ll...”
The air crackled with tension, and Eun-Ho could hear teeth grinding and curses hissing.
“It feels dangerous,” Ji-Eun whispered.
“It seems like everyone’s made up their mind,” Eun-Ho replied.
This morning was nothing like the others. None of them held fond memories of their administrators. There was only fear, bitterness, or the desire for payback.
“Shit, what if this turns into a bloodbath?” the Swear-Master muttered.
“The administrators won’t be easy to take down,” Eun-Ho replied grimly.
“Still! Out of all of us, you’re the only one who could last ten seconds against that brat of an administrator.”
Ten seconds...
Eun-Ho rolled the words around in his head, and then it hit 9:00 AM.
[The final OJT will begin now.]
[Today’s department will be chosen by the new employees themselves.]
“We get to choose? Really?”
“Does that mean we can all pick the same one?”
[Maximum capacity is three new employees per department.]
[Selection order will follow sales performance ranking from your previous OJT.]
“Only three per department?”
“I mean, if it’s based on the sales performance ranking, isn’t our team first?”
The top candidates were Eun-Ho, Ji-Eun, Jae-Hyuk, and Wei. Among them, Eun-Ho was naturally the first.
[New employee Lee Eun-Ho, Please select the department for your final OJT.]
The moment his name was called, light flared before his eyes. A spinning sphere took shape in midair, threads of brilliance weaving together until they tightened into a perfect globe.
Blue oceans, familiar continents, small white markers gleaming like pins. He turned it slowly, seeing Asia, Europe, the Americas, Australia—each one just where it should be. It seemed almost exactly like Earth.
[New employee Lee Eun-Ho, Please select the department for your final OJT.]
If he chose rationally, the smartest choice was probably the place he knew best. However, that management performance piece that the system mentioned kept nagging at him.
If performance is what matters, then I’ll end up squeezing the people who survived the contract phase...
Through the entire restructuring, he had gotten familiar with the Koreans, learning most of their strengths and weaknesses.
Choosing a department he knew well would be efficient, but it could also get uncomfortable fast. On the other hand, picking a region full of strangers would make the guilt easier to bear. Therefore, it was one or the other.
Well, I’m not the same person I was at the beginning.
Swoosh—
Lost in thought, he stopped the globe he had been idly spinning.
Click!
Then, he selected a single white circle.
[Department selection has been completed.]
[Final OJT trial now begins.]