Chapter 194. A Rift in Time (5)
The space, an entire room molded from packed mud, was wrapped in taut tension. Forty-two pairs of bright, expectant eyes sat in a circle, all fixed squarely on Eun-Ho. It was the kind of pressure no one could understand without experiencing it firsthand.
“All right, then...” Eun-Ho finally said.
Someone audibly swallowed.
“To the Labor-Management Cooperation Team!” He thrust the wooden cup in his hand straight out. “And to our success!”
He raised it high and tipped it back, emptying it into his mouth in one go. The wooden cup had to be at least three hundred and fifty milliliters, which was far too big for a single shot. However, there was no backing out now because that would be cringeworthy.
“To our success!”
“To our success!”
“To our success!”
“That’s it?”
“No cute act or anything?”
“Or at least a dance!”
Ye-Ji and Ji-Woong teased Eun-Ho with grins, clearly enjoying themselves.
“What century do you think this is, forcing someone to play drinking games?” Eun-Ho replied flatly.
At times like this, the key was to be as boring as possible, while also being shameless about it. Otherwise, he would be stuck doing humiliating nonsense at every team dinner or private drinking session from now on.
“Tsk, you’re no fun.”
The playful complaint sloshed through the night like liquor in a glass. The team members popped open wine they had discovered in the food storage, and took leisurely sips of the whiskey drawn straight from an oak barrel.
“For some reason, the alcohol goes down so smoothly today.”
“Free drinks always taste the best, don’t they?”
Eun-Ho watched the team laughing and relaxing, his thoughts drifting.
Just then, Yeo-Jin dragged Sol-Ah over, her eyes sparkling. “Mister!”
“What is it?”
“This juice is really good too. Want to trade and try it?”
Seeing right through the obvious ploy, Eun-Ho waved his hand with a faint smile. “Alcohol tastes awful. Drink something you enjoy.”
“Ah, this isn’t working.”
“Let’s go bother the dumb mister instead.”
They shot him a look and retreated, immediately swarming Jae-Hyuk instead.
Once the high school girls were gone, Ye-Ji, who had just emptied her glass, asked with a flushed face. “Mr. Lee Eun-Ho! What’s your alcohol tolerance?”
“I’m not really sure.”
At his half-hearted answer, Ji-Eun chimed in. “Eun-Ho can drink a lot. I’ve never seen him actually drunk.”
“Techically, I’m always drunk, you know...”
“But you never drink until you black out.”
“Isn’t that obvious? You drink only enough to find your way home on your own.”
Ye-Ji, who had been listening quietly, suddenly flailed her arms and shouted, “Forget it, forget it! Let’s go all the way tonight!”
“Hell yeah! Let’s see who drops dead first!” Swear-Master declared, pouring liquor aggressively into Eun-Ho’s cup.
“Cheers! Cheers!”
“Cheers!”
They clinked glasses and drank together one after another. With the first, they toasted their positions. With the second, they toasted the company that held their livelihoods in its grip. With the third, they washed away the countless near-death crises they had survived, as if this peaceful night would last forever.
“Kkh...”
“This tastes sooo good!”
As the oak barrel slowly emptied, the team members’ faces grew redder, their speech sloppier.
“Uuuh...”
“Lee Ye-Ji?”
She was nodding off, then staggering around like a zombie. “Yes! One more glass!”
Yet somehow she still manages to ask clearly for more alcohol. It was impressive in its own way.
“I think I’ve won,” Eun-Ho said calmly. “Let’s start wrapping things up.”
They had probably blown off enough steam. Eun-Ho looked around at the cheerful cluster of people sitting together and decided this was a good place to end the night.
That was when he noticed they were missing people. The drinking party had started with forty-two participants, but while they were busy dealing with Lee Ye-Ji’s group, the number had shrunk considerably to maybe around thirty now.
People disappearing from a drinking party is not usually a good sign, Eun-Ho thought.
As he considered several possible explanations, a whisper brushed against his ear. “Oppa, come over here.”
“Hm?” Eun-Ho asked.
Yeon Bo-Ra’s hair curled softly like lilac blossoms, carrying the scent of grass. “Can you come with me for a second? It’s urgent.”
Right after, Lee Ye-Ji and the Swear-Master blocked the way, each holding two bottles of wine, one in each hand.
“Damn it! Where are you going!”
“Yeah! Mr. Eun-Ho, you’re supposed to die with us!”
“Why exactly am I dying?”
“We said we’re drinking till someone drops!”
Ignoring them entirely, Yeon Bo-Ra shoved Eun-Ho forward between the two of them. “Just a second! I’m borrowing him for five minutes!”
She grabbed his hand and ran. With each light step across the dirt floor, the scent of grass spread through the air. Their pattering footsteps came to a stop at the Underground Armory.
“Why are we here?” Eun-Ho asked.
Naturally, all the important items had already been taken. What remained were clothes and accessories with negligible effects.
“This one! Look at this one!” Yeon Bo-Ra staggered slightly as she walked in, picked up a white robe that looked like a lab coat, and draped it neatly over Eun-Ho’s shoulders. Then she even adjusted it for him herself. “It suits you perfectly, doesn’t it?”
[High-Grade Bisht]
- A cloak made from high-quality linen.
- Gold thread decorates the neckline and sleeves, enhancing its aesthetic appeal.
- Designed to shield the wearer from desert heat during the day and provide some warmth in the evening.
- Wearing it increases your Heat Resistance by ten percent, and Cold Resistance by five percent.
Despite being tipsy enough that her own clothes were slightly disheveled, she was fussing over his appearance.
Finding it amusing, Eun-Ho nodded. “Uh, yeah. You’re right.”
Apparently pleased with the result, Yeon Bo-Ra began pulling out more items and hanging them all over him.
[Gutrah and Agal]
- A cloth worn over the head and a ring used to secure it, meant to protect the eyes and respiratory system from blowing sand.
- No additional effects.
“This too! You put this on your head and then secure it with the ring—”
“That’s enough,” Eun-Ho cut in.
When he stopped her from wrapping the strange cloth around his head like a tissue, she puffed out her cheeks. “Tsk. I was trying to give you a special item coordination.”
“This isn’t item coordination. It’s playing dress-up with a doll.”
“Hehe. You’re right.”
Leaving Yeon Bo-Ra smiling sheepishly, Eun-Ho removed the pile of accessories stacked on his head.
“Ah! At least keep this one on!” she insisted.
“Fine.”
He left the robe on and exited the armory. Just then, they ran into an older woman and a security guard coming around the corridor, forcing them to stop.
“Hey, Young Man!”
“Oh my, there you are!”
“Why’s the star of the night hiding out here?”
Eun-Ho wasn’t hiding, but before he could say that, they shoved him forward without giving him a chance to speak.
“Come on, everyone’s waiting!”
“Pardon me? Where are we going?”
“You’ll see when we get there!”
Before he knew it, they were outside. They climbed the newly repaired dirt stairs, opened the dome-shaped ceiling, and were greeted by the desert.
“Are we going for a walk or something?” Eun-Ho asked.
“Hehe.”
Soft sand pressed under his feet. Both the cold night wind and the densely packed stars that seemed about to spill from the sky felt unfamiliar. It was nice, but Eun-Ho wondered why they were suddenly taking a nighttime stroll.
Eun-Ho looked at the older woman, only for Yeon Bo-Ra beside him to ask out of the blue, “Good thing you put on a cardigan, right?”
“Huh? You knew we were coming out here?”
“Hehe.” Yeon Bo-Ra, who had been clinging to his arm, winked with one eye and skipped away.
As if in a baton pass, Ji-Eun and the others stepped forward. “Eun-Ho!”
Ji-Eun led him to the middle of the desert and left him standing there blankly. He was about to ask what they were doing, but swallowed the words. Her bobbed hair swayed in the night breeze, looking inexplicably excited.
Ji-Eun took a few steps back, inhaling and exhaling as if nervous. “Haaa.”
Without a word, the team members gathered, forming a circle around him.
“When did everyone even get here?”
“Mister! Shh!”
At Yeo-Jin’s warning, Eun-Ho closed his mouth.
Rustle—
Stars spilled down from the sky. One cluster of lights glowed gold, still carrying the sun of the day; another shone blue, as if the night’s chill had been distilled into light.
Green, orange, violet... Eun-Ho thought.
The moment those multicolored lights wrapped around him like a whirlwind, a message appeared.
[Special effect Sand Shower has been activated!]
Sand?
[Your blood circulation increases.]
[Your skin clears, and charm increases by twenty percent.]
[The effects of arthritis, neuralgia, and skin conditions are greatly reduced.]
[Your Heat Resistance increases by two hundred percent.]
[Remaining Duration: 24 hours.]
The swirling lights were not stars after all. They were sand. Well, it was obvious that no matter how capable Ji-Eun was, she couldn’t exactly pluck real stars from the sky.
Why did it take me so long to realize?
Just as that thought crossed Eun-Ho’s mind, Jae-Hyuk walked toward him through the glowing haze, holding a cake. “Congratulations on becoming Team Leader, Hyungnim!”
“Congratulations, Eun-Ho!”
“Team Leader, Young Man! Congrats!”
“Congratulations!”
“We’re counting on you from here on out!”
Congratulations poured down from the team members in a rush, as plentiful as the stars filling the sky.
“But Jae-Hyuk, why are there two of you?” Eun-Ho asked.
That was when Ji-Eun’s scream rang out as the world flipped upside down. “Eek! Eun-Ho!”
Thud!
The sandy desert rushed up to meet him, filling his vision. Then everything went dark.
Did I drink too much? Eun-Ho wondered.
***
“I told you to stop giving him drinks.”
“Are you insane? Who do you think opened a fresh oak barrel?”
“You did, you idiot!”
The voices chattering near his head made his skull throb.
“Damn it! Who cares about an event with a guy whose health’s already shot—”
“Shh! Eun-Ho, are you okay?” asked Ji-Eun.
He nodded at Ji-Eun and tried to sit up. “Ugh...”
Eun-Ho felt unbearably heavy, his head like it was splitting open, forcing him to lie back down immediately.
“Sol-Ah said you caught a bad chill. Are you feeling uncomfortable anywhere else?” Ji-Eun asked.
He shook his head.
A chill, huh, Eun-Ho thought.
Come to think of it, a familiar message had filled his vision earlier.
[You have reached a physical limit due to accumulated damage.]
[You’ve developed the status effect, body aches.]
[Your limbs feel heavy.]
[Fever, chills, and headaches accompany the condition.]
It hurt so badly, he had wondered if he’d smashed his head on a rock. However, fever, chills, and headache were spot on. A cool towel rested on his forehead, and his sleeves had been rolled up to his shoulders, as if someone had just wiped down his arms with a damp cloth.
“What’s this towel?” Eun-Ho muttered.
“Oh, you were burning up, so I placed it on you. Should I remove it if it’s uncomfortable?”
“No, thank you.”
It’s been a while since anyone’s done this, Eun-Ho thought.
When he was little, his mother used to do this whenever he got sick. The nostalgic sensation wasn’t unpleasant.
“Get some more rest.”
He closed his eyes obediently. “All right.”
[Due to the effects of your Stamina stat, the duration of the status effect Body Aches has been reduced.]
[Remaining Duration: 12 hours.]
Twelve hours to go. Knowing he’d recover after sleeping soundly for half a day, he decided to take this excuse to rest for a bit.
It should be fine to take it easy.
Just as drowsiness began to pull him under, more people chimed in.
“Oh my goodness! Your forehead’s like a burning coal!” shouted the cleaning lady.
“Oppa, are you still in pain? Should I bring more water?”
“I made some porridge. Try having a bite, okay?”
“Hyungnim! I’ll fan you until your fever breaks!”
No wonder it was cold, Eun-Ho thought.
“Stop it. I’m cold,” Eun-Ho muttered.
“Gah! You’re cold, Hyungnim? Then I’ll get a blanket—”
“No, just stay still. I’ll be fine after a nap.”
“All right! Then I’ll stay perfectly still all night! I’ll stay by your side, so please rest without worry, Hyungnim!”
Eun-Ho appreciated the attentive care which he truly did, but all he had planned was to use it as an excuse to rest quietly.
[Due to devoted nursing, the duration of Body Aches has been reduced.]
[Remaining Duration: 6 hours.]
“Oh! His fever seems to be going down!”
“I’ll do it once more,” said Sol-Ah.
[Due to the influence of Healer Yoon Sol-Ah, the duration of Body Aches is reduced.]
[Remaining Duration: 3 hours.]
Finally, Eun-Ho said, “Could you maybe just leave me alone?”
“No. We can’t. Everyone’s been so worried.”
“That’s right, Eun-Ho. We really hope you’re not in pain.”
He didn’t know why that made him smile.
***
The HR team was bustling with activity.
“Ms. Sarah! Please take this to the main conference room!”
“Yes sir!”
“These documents too!”
“Sir, you can give that to me over here!”
“What’s all this?” Sarah asked.
“Ah, it’s a special directive from the director. A competitive PT.”
“Competitive PT?”
“That’s the director’s style. When there are no good ideas, everyone brainstorms together. He says something always comes out if you put your heads together, no matter how stuck things seem.”
That was an unusual way of working. Even so, it was rare to solicit opinions all the way down to entry-level staff.
Just as Sarah finished that thought, the next set of words from the assistant manager made her eyes widen. “Ms. Sarah, do you want to submit one too?”
“Me? Even I can submit one?”
“Of course! Anyone in the Personnel Bureau can.”
To think she could participate in a competitive PT personally ordered by the Personnel Bureau director himself was a golden opportunity.
“And if yours gets selected today, they’ll attach an execution team.”
“A team? You mean a whole team gets assigned?”
“Yeah. Either the HR Planning Office under the director will take it, or they’ll form a separate task force. That’s how it’s always been.”
Compared to full-time employees who had joined the Personnel Bureau from the start, Sarah’s position was inevitably weaker as it was more like a lateral hire.
If she could earn the director’s recognition fairly through her own ability, she could establish herself quickly. Moreover, promotion and bonuses would naturally follow.
“Yes please! I’ll give it a try!” she answered energetically.
Pleased with her spirited response, the assistant manager began explaining a few things, “Great! Then start with these two. They’re the strongest candidates. Review them and create one with a differentiated strategy.”
“Yes sir!”
“The deadline is six o’clock today, so time’s tight. But you can just add minimal text and cover the rest in the presentation, so don’t stress too much.”
Sarah received two slide decks.
“Let’s see... What’s the topic of this PT?” As she read through the slides, where text and graphics were neatly arranged, her expression turned strange. “Proposal for an Efficient Strategy to Dismantle the Labor-Management Cooperation Team?”
Even the topic of the competitive PT was shocking enough.
Proposal to Induce the Dismantling of the Labor-Management Cooperation Team Through Member Defection.
Strategy for Forced Dissolution of the Labor-Management Cooperation Team via Assassination of Reactionary Elements.
Besides, the two most promising strategies were far beyond anything she had expected.
... Therefore, excluding Team Leader Lee Eun-Ho, the core personnel are judged to be the five individuals listed below. Given the nature of a newly established department, there is little incentive to prioritize the team over individual interests. If the defection of core personnel occurs first, the remaining members can be induced to leave with relative ease. Accordingly, by reducing the team to fewer than five members, the department can be dissolved on the grounds of failing to meet the minimum personnel requirement...
“Haaa...“ Sarah swallowed back a hollow laugh. She skimmed through both reports at lightning speed, then turned around without hesitation.
“Huh? Ms. Sarah? Where are you going?”
Sarah left without paying him any heed. “Uh... Just a moment!”
The assistant manager tilted his head in confusion.
Did she already think of an idea?