I returned to my apartment after talking to Yoo Yeonha. I could hear the kids whispering inside the tent in the living room.

— Did someone just come in?

— Nn, I don’t know. Ah, maybe it’s a ghost!

— Meow.

I walked past them to my room. Haa… I lay in my bed with a deep sigh. Today, Yoo Yeonha told me something I hadn’t known. Some of it was speculation, but I wasn’t quite sure how to feel regardless if it was true or false.

— The Chameleon Troupe? What’s that?

That’s how I replied when she asked. I inwardly shook, but I acted calm on the surface.

— You probably haven’t heard of them. They’re hidden deep within the shadows. A group of some of the strongest on Earth. I think their strength rivals that of the Vast Expanse.

Yoo Yeonha seriously replied. I stood still as she continued.

— I… I think they’re the ones who killed your…

Her sentence cut off in the middle. However, I understood what she meant. Chundong’s past that I didn’t know about. I blanked out as though a hammer struck me.

— Are, are you sure?

— I’m almost certain. These two are most likely your parents.

Yoo Yeonha handed me a few documents. Kim Yoohon. Shin Yiyeon. It contained two unknown names and faces.

— They passed away on the day of the Kwang-Oh Evacuation Shelter Incident. This is a portrait…

She handed me a portrait.

— Of the person who left you at the orphanage. Only half her face is shown and it’s from 20 years ago, so I doubt it helps much.

I took out the portrait and looked at it again on my bed. It showed a cute young girl with a somewhat dangerous aura. It would be difficult to determine her identity after 20 years. However, I felt almost certain it was a young Boss.

“What a shitty remake…”

I muttered. Frankly speaking, none of this had anything to do with me. This was Chundong’s and I was Kim Hajin.

However, I thought about how Chundong might feel if he knew about this? Of course, I had no way of knowing since Chundong was gone without a trace left in this world.

“Chundong…”

A life that disappeared because of me. Or rather, a life that became me.

“It looks like you weren’t an extra after all.”

***

Yoo Yeonha also returned home alone. Her large mansion felt especially empty today.

“Mom? Dad?”

She knew they had left for a guild conference, but still called out anyways. She wanted to see her scary mother and overly attached father. She knew they’d be happy if she suddenly hugged them.

However, she was currently alone when she needed her family.

Yoo Yeonha trudged to her room and sat in her work chair like usual. She picked up her pen and looked over contracts like usual, did some calculations like usual, thought about things like usual, and certain things troubled her like usual.

Suddenly, an unbearable self-hatred rose within her.

“Uk.”

She clenched her teeth. I have to endure it. I have to grow stronger and colder. I have to harden my heart with self-contradiction and selfishness to conceal the truth and lies. I have to become shameless for my family, my guild, and my dream.

This deep-seated self-hatred bothered her despite what she constantly told herself. She had left out her father and Chae Joochul from the story. She smiled and felt relieved when Kim Hajin didn’t ask any further questions. She felt happy when his anger wasn’t directed at her. In the end, she couldn’t help but feel disgusted by her own unsightliness.

“Uuk…”

Her stomach churned and she threw the documents aside to run to the bathroom. Then she threw up into the toilet and emptied her stomach. She threw up once more after seeing the filth coming out of her mouth. This cycle continued until only yellow stomach fluid came out of her mouth.

“Uuu… aah…”

After an unknown amount of time, when her vomit changed into coughing up blood… Tiriring— Tiriring— The smartwatch on her wrist rang.

“… Hnng.”

Yoo Yeonha closed her eyes and took a small breath after glancing at the caller. She spat out the blood and saliva, washed her hands and face, then brushed her teeth. The caller had already hung up by the time she wiped herself off.

Tiriring— Tiring—

Soon, her secretary called again and she quickly picked up.

“Yes, what is it, Sechan?”

Her voice sounded different.

— Miss, the government returned the offer we made.

“Did they?”

Yoo Yeonha’s eyebrows twitched. However, she maintained her composure.

“What did they want?”

Chwaaa— She turned on the faucet and washed her hands again. Her mysophobia and obsessive-compulsive disorder had grown worse recently.

— Environmental concern… is what they said, but that’s obviously false. They’re not willing to negotiate with us. It seems Chae Joochul bribed or threatened them.

Chae Joochul. Chae Joochul came up again. She thought about what Kim Hajin once said to her, If your hands are already dirty then use them however you want.

— What should we do?

Her secretary cut off her self-deprecating thought.

“There’s nothing we can do against someone who doesn’t want anything.”

Yoo Yeonha replied with a smile. She felt bitter, but decided to give up on the matter.

— Understood. Also, we captured a spy trying to make a copy of our monster database. Unfortunately, some information has already been leaked. That said, they weren’t anything too expensive.

This time, Yoo Yeonha’s composure shook. Everything bad seemed to come at once today.

“Another spy? What do you think, Sechan? What should we do?”

— I…

“Should we cut off one of his arms?”

Yoo Yeonha left the bathroom and sat in her office chair again.

— Y-Yes?

“Regrowing a severed arm isn’t too difficult nowadays. There’s that potion we developed too.”

She turned her laptop on. Her secretary had already sent the detailed report to her email. [Yi Jonghwa]. The traitor’s name and face appeared on the screen.

— Leave it to me.

“What will you do? Are you going to cut off his limbs and throw him in a dungeon?”

— Pardon?

Yoo Yeonha already lost count of how many times something like this had happened. It couldn’t be solved with lawful means like a lawsuit. Her opponents always covered up their crimes with unlawful methods. Chae Joochul almost always played a part and even when he didn’t, other large corporations bribed officials against her.

“You should know this too, Sechan.”

Yoo Yeonha had experienced and learned many things over the past 4 years.

“I, Yoo Yeonha…”

She experienced her first betrayal 4 years ago. At the time, she thought it would be her last. However, many more followed. Even an attempt to overthrow her almost succeeded.

As far as she was concerned, these things happened because she acted too soft. Others wouldn’t have dared if she had cut off the heads of her traitors.

“Can no longer forgive such a thing.”

With that, Yoo Yeonha hung up. Only one principle remained. Kill or be killed. She immediately commanded the Falling Blossom guild.

[Understood.]

A reply quickly came back. Yoo Yeonha stared at the message… Thud. Then she slammed her head on the desk.

“Haa…”

She sighed and pondered. Now is a rough time for both my personal life and professional life. I’m in the middle of a storm, but a storm can’t last forever. It will eventually disappear and the sky will clear. Remember, be patient and endure it. Eventually, an opportunity for victory will appear.

“I’m so tired.”

Yoo Yeonha got up and staggered to her bedroom. She could see her beloved bed and felt like melting the moment she lay on the soft mattress. This magical bed resolved all her stress and exhaustion. Never in her life would she have thought a piece of furniture could console her. She remained still for a moment. Sniff, sniff. Then she smelled the mattress.

“Why doesn’t the smoke go away?”

She had washed the mattress several times. However, her sharp nose could still smell the faint scent. Calling it Kim Hajin’s smell… felt a bit weird, so she called it the cigarette smell. Yoo Yeonha rolled over to the part that smelled the least and curled her body like a shrimp. The faint scent remained, but she slowly fell asleep inside it.

***

Prestige’s final tower collapsed with the combined effort of Essence of the Strait, Desolate Moon, and Frost Sanctuary. A total of 27 Players from the above guilds and 3 other rankers participated in the conquest.

The southern tower was the largest of the four, but they didn’t suffer a single casualty.

Essence of the Strait’s tower subjugation team returned to their base after a brief item transaction with the other two guilds. They found their injured comrade outside as they returned.

“Chae Nayun?”

The chief officer, Kim Youngjin, called her name.

“Ah, Team Leader.”

Chae Nayun hurried over with her left arm in a cast.

“Why are you outside? You should take care of your body.”

“Well, I was just wondering… Was Fenrir among the rankers?”

Chae Nayun asked with a serious face. Kim Youngjin looked at her. She had been fixated on Fenrir almost as if he was why she had entered the tower. Her obsession only grew worse after her injury.

“No. I checked if any of them used a gun since you asked, but no one like that appeared.”

“Team leader is right. Maybe that man in the elevator misspoke.”

Yi Jiyoon muttered as she approached Chae Nayun. Then she whispered into her ears.

“But Nayun, why do you want to find Kim Hajin so much?”

Chae Nayun turned and glared at her. However, Yi Jiyoon didn’t seem intimidated at all.

“Why? I wonder why?”

“You don’t have to know.”

“Hnnng? But I think I already do.”

“Screw off.”

Chae Nayun shot back and turned around. Thud. However, she immediately bumped into something hard.

“Huh?”

Chae Nayun instinctively looked up and saw a big, burly man.

“Eh?”

The man frowned. He looked more like a giant and she felt like she had seen him somewhere before.

“Oh?” The man seemed to remember her too as a huge smile appeared on his face. “We meet again, little girl.”

“Tsk.”

Chae Nayun finally recalled him. The man who acted like a bodyguard for an NPC in Tutorial Town. She clicked her tongue and stepped back. Cheok Jungyeong smiled threateningly and approached.

“Stop.”

However, Essence of the Strait’s guild members quickly stepped forward. Kim Youngjin pointed his sword at Cheok Jungyeong and asked Chae Nayun.

“Who is he?”

“He’s… someone I quarreled with in Tutorial Town.”

That’s all Chae Nayun said. Cheok Jungyeong only smirked in response. His gaze fixated on her chest.

“What, you’re Chae Nayun?”

He looked at the nametag on her chest. [Essence of the Strait – Chae Nayun] Cheok Jungyeong found it funny that guilds wore nametags.

“You know me?” she asked while maintaining her composure. Cheok Jungyeong furrowed his brows.

“Why are you talking so casually?”

“You did it first, so what?”

“Mmm.”

Her logic momentarily made him speechless. Then he snapped out of his daze.

“Cough, so why are you looking for Fenrir?”

“You know him?” Chae Nayun’s eyes widened. Cheok Jungyeong flinched, but soon shook his head.

“N-No.”

“It looks like you’re lying.”

“I, I fought him once before.”

“You fought him?”

“Yep and I won. He was quite a tough opponent.”

Kim Hajin said not to talk about anything related to him. Cheok Jungyeong always listened to his comrades’ requests. Of course, whether he could hide it or not was another matter.

“Whee, whee—”

Cheok Jungyeong began to whistle and looked away. Chae Nayun glared at him suspiciously before asking another question.

“How do you know me?”

“Ah, well, you’re quite famous.”

“Am I?”

Cheok Jungyeong had a habit of making a list of the strong, people who would become strong, and people who were said to be strong. That said, he could hardly recall their faces.

“Also, a djinn bragged to me a long time ago.”

“A djinn? What does that have to do with me?”

A dangerous smile emerged on Cheok Jungyeong’s face.

“That crazy bastard left quite an impression. He said he killed your mother.”

“What?”

The killer of Chae Nayun’s mother had always been taboo for her. Her face immediately heated up and an unbearable rage surged within her.

“Y-You fucker!” She punched him instinctively. Thwack! However, he easily caught her small fist in his palm.

“Listen, kid. I’m not the one who killed your mom.”

Cheok Jungyeong almost twisted her wrist. He felt he could crush her bones with a little bit of pressure. However…

“Hm?” Her bones felt surprisingly tough.

“Oh? You have a surprisingly strong—”

Koong! A fierce kick struck his face while he murmured in surprise. A shockwave shot out from the lightning kick.

“Haha, what a daring girl.”

Cheok Jungyeong didn’t expect her to attack with one of her arms in a cast and the other in his hand. After receiving her kick, he stood still and revealed a toothy grin. He could see Chae Nayun consumed in rage and loved to see that type of face.

“Tell me.”

“Tell you?”

“You just said it. The djinn who killed my…”

“Now? In this situation? You can’t be serious.”

Chae Nayun stared at him and bowed after calming down.

“Sorry, I got angry and lost my cool.”

“I got angry too when I was hit, so no.”

Cheok Jungyeong coldly turned around, but she immediately grabbed him. Then she opened her inventory and took something out.

“I’ll give you this.”

“Hm?”

She took out a crimson spear with a strangely intimidating tip. Cheok Jungyeong checked its description, but didn’t care for Lv.2 items. However, this was the first time he saw something with the fire attribute.

“Chae Nayun, you can’t just give it away even if it’s a personal item.”

Kim Youngjin stepped in with a worried expression. Anyone would desire a weapon with an attribute. However, Cheok Jungyeong rejected her offer.

“You see, kid. I don’t use weapons.”

In Goryeo, Cheok Jungyeong had conquered the land with a sword, not his body. He cut down countless barbarians and protected his country. Naturally, his sword’s name resounded throughout the land along with his name. However, he chose a different path this time. The world became light as a feather when he held a sword. Cheok Jungyeong didn’t like that. To kill or be killed. He wanted to vie for supremacy with nothing but his bare hands.

“Then…”

Chae Nayun didn’t give up. She could tell he wasn’t lying since he would’ve taken the red crystal spear.

“Here.”

She took out 2 banknotes worth 1000 TP each. This time, Cheok Jungyeong showed a little more interest.

“This is all I have.”

“I don’t need it. Use it to treat your arm. I don’t want my future opponent to be crippled.”

Cheok Jungyeong reigned in his desire for wealth. Chae Nayun sharply shouted when he turned around again.

“Hey! F-Fuck, you lied, right! Why did you even say that if you weren’t going to tell me?”

Cheok Jungyeong paused and slightly looked back.

“… Sir.”

She respectfully changed her tone as they made eye contact. Cheok Jungyeong calmly replied.

“I like people who are strong.”

“What?”

“This one’s nickname is Goryeo’sStrongest.”

He took on an imposing tone and stared at Chae Nayun. His face still stung from the kick of a girl who barely came up to his chest.

“You can send me a friend request. I might tell you if I like you. Challenge me whenever you want. I’ll accept it.”

“Goryeo’sStrongest is your nickname? Ah, hey!”

Cheok Jungyeong waved and quietly walked away. Chae Nayun didn’t chase after him.

“Haha, this place is full of interesting people.”

He already found over 10 people to put on his list of strong people. Kim Ohsung, one of Satan’s servants. Kim Hakpyo, the executive of Evil Society. The high rank heroes, Oh Junhyuk and Seo Youngji. And Kim Junwoo, a hunter of the Vast Expanse.

“This is the perfect place for something big to happen. Heh, I’m happy with so many people to fight.”

Cheok Jungyeong grinned. At that moment…

“Na, Nayun!”

A ruckus sounded from behind him. Cheok Jungyeong looked back without much thought. The girl who yelled at him had collapsed on the ground.

“What an interesting girl.”

Cheok Jungyeong shook his head.

***

I returned to the tower after taking care of some matters on Earth. I announced that the Truth Agency would be taking a break for a little longer. Then I contacted SH Agency’s CEO, Park Soohyuk, to buy a special artifact from the auction house when the time came.

“Hmm.”

Currently, I stood in front of the elevator to the 2nd floor. I didn’t tell Boss or any other members what I planned to do. I wasn’t quite sure how to face them yet with what I found out from Yoo Yeonha. However, I wasn’t worried since I had already fully prepared with all sorts of high level equipment that players on the 2nd floor couldn’t even dream of. My skills had all reached Lv.3 as well. I felt fully confident in killing Jin Sahyuk.

“Huu… let’s go.”

Still, I had designed her as the final boss, so I couldn’t help but feel a bit scared. However, I shook it off with self-hypnosis and entered the elevator. Then I pressed the button to the 2nd floor.

[Going down.] [Warning – you will need to obtain a new citizenship card when you return.]

“That’s okay.”

The elevator began to move and it would take 4 hours to reach the 2nd floor. I wondered what to do and took out Muninn’s egg, which I brought from my waiting room. It had grown from a chicken egg to an ostrich egg. I brought it along since it looked like it would hatch soon. A system alert suddenly popped up.

[A player has entered the 5th floor!]

“Already?”

That happened faster than I anticipated. Well, the 4th floor wasn’t that difficult, so it didn’t surprise me too much. Players would start getting stuck on the 6th floor. Furthermore, I only had to prevent them from reaching the 9th floor. That floor should be opened as late as possible due to the calamity there. I took out a blanket and lay on the elevator. The 9th floor was still far in the future. For now, I only focused on Jin Sahyuk.