Chapter 31
One day before, inside the Tower Management Bureau Director’s Office.
Director Shin Kyung-chul was speaking with a middle-aged man whose hair was beginning to turn gray.
“An incredible player, truly.”
The man sipped his coffee while watching a monitor showing Lee Kang-han’s latest achievement.
“It’s just a shame that he’s terminal.”
The man was Congressman Joo Yong-wan, who had come to review the Tower Management Bureau’s budget.
“Director, is the reason you want to add an exception clause to the Special Management Subject conditions… because of Cheonma?”
“Special Management Subject” referred to players whose traits were S-rank or higher and were offered exclusive contracts by the government. These included free luxury housing, a base allowance starting at 3 million won, bonus pay for tower entry, and massive tax exemptions.
But these benefits weren’t handed out to just anyone. S-rank traits were the minimum requirement.
However—
‘Even without S-rank traits, there are some players with extraordinary talent.’
Even players ranked below S-rank occasionally possessed exceptional abilities.
To keep them from being scouted by foreign nations, an exception clause was needed for the Special Management system—to treat them well and tie them to Korea.
“Cheonma is certainly important, but there are also A and B-rank players the nation must retain. That’s why I want to add a clause where the Bureau can recommend candidates for Special Management.”
“I understand your intent to nurture talent, Director… but the national budget isn’t limitless. The public’s taxes fund those perks, so we need strict standards.”
“Still—”
“And Cheonma… he’s terminal, isn’t he? Sure, he’s accomplished something great now, but…”
Joo Yong-wan’s lips curled into a small smirk.
“In the end, he’ll lose his powers and become an ordinary person. Isn’t it crueler to give him special treatment only to take it away later?”
“…”
“It’s better to have never had anything than to have it taken away.”
Director Shin’s face hardened. He realized Joo Yong-wan wanted to stall and avoid naming Cheonma a Special Management Subject, because his powers were going to vanish anyway.
“Give him a commendation and maybe… a 10 million won reward. He might even prefer that.”
A measly 10 million won reward for someone who had destroyed towers across the world and increased global score gains by 20% for six months? That was laughably small.
“…What if a foreign country offers him citizenship? Don’t you think we should designate him a Special Management Subject at least?”
“A foreign country? For a terminal player?”
Joo chuckled as if he found it amusing.
“They’ve got brains too. Would they really recruit someone who won’t last long?”
“But… with his recent achievement, I’m sure many countries are now watching him. One of them will surely make an offer.”
“Then let him go. We’ll pretend to try and keep him, but we can’t waste taxpayer money on a dying man.”
He kept throwing around the word “taxpayer money,” yet Joo Yong-wan was infamous for wasting public funds in his own district.
‘If he cared so much about taxpayers’ money, maybe he should cut spending in his own region first…’
Director Shin bit his tongue.
“And let’s not forget—many Special Management players don’t even fulfill their duties. Shouldn’t the allowance system be changed?”
Joo Yong-wan wanted to slash the Bureau’s budget no matter what. Because of that, the discussion about Cheonma ended without progress.
Later, after escorting the congressman out, Shin let out a long sigh.
“Whew…”
In the end, he failed to get Lee Kang-han classified as a Special Management Subject.
All he could manage was raising the ridiculous 10 million won reward to 100 million won.
‘What if his power doesn’t disappear after all…?’
Director Shin knew that the reason behind Cheonma’s E-rank trait was likely the “terminal condition.”
But what if—by some miracle—his power didn’t fade, and he went to another country to make a name for himself?
How would Korea handle the fallout?
Especially if—
“Director, FIPA contacted us.”
“FIPA?”
“Yes. They want to host an international award ceremony for Lee Kang-han. They’re highly praising his achievement.”
“Hm…”
Unlike Korea, FIPA wanted to reward Cheonma in a very public, substantial way.
If things continued like this, Korea would be left embarrassed in comparison.
‘I’ll have to meet him personally and persuade him. I’ll promise to push for better treatment if he stays in Korea.’
As Director of the Tower Management Bureau and Korea’s top player, Shin Kyung-chul decided to take matters into his own hands.
Through his daughter—who had recently become Cheonma’s agent—he arranged a meeting.
But…
“Director!”
He didn’t expect to be stopped by his own daughter.
“As Cheonma’s agent, I absolutely cannot accept that offer.”
Meanwhile
In the car on the way to the Bureau:
“Cheonma-nim, please don’t accept any offers today too easily.”
“Offers? I thought we were meeting about the commendation?”
“Yes, but they’ll probably bring up your future—where you’ll be staying.”
“…My future?”
“Thanks to this achievement, the whole world is watching you. You might start getting immigration offers. Up until now, your low trait rank kept them away… but not anymore.”
She glanced at him.
“Actually… has anyone already made you an offer?”
“No. And I’m not really thinking about emigrating.”
“Even if the offer is way better?”
Even if the deal was way better…
‘Not right now. I still need to find Mom, so I can’t leave home yet.’
Maybe afterward, but for now, he didn’t want to leave Korea.
“But what if, say, Country A offered you 10 billion won while Korea gave you nothing?”
“10 billion…?”
Now that was tempting.
Lee Kang-han almost said no, but paused.
He didn’t care much about money, but—
‘To strengthen my ability, I’ll need a lot of TP… and TP costs money.’
Upgrading his training hall, Manmajeon, would burn through TP.
“Of course, they’d probably pay it in installments because of your E-rank trait. But if I negotiate well—”
“My trait went up to D-rank, actually.”
“What? D-rank?”
“Wait, seriously?!”
Both Shin Yu-ri and the driver, Shin Dong-seok, turned in shock.
Trait rank increases were extremely rare—and only possible if the trait description allowed for it.
Cheonma’s didn’t have any such clause.
“When did it go up?”
“A few days ago. I just woke up and saw it had risen.”
“Whoa… if your rank can go up, then maybe it’s not even terminal?”
“Uncle! How many times do I have to tell you—it’s not terminal!”
“You still think punching through a hundred orcs with an E-rank trait is normal?”
Lee Kang-han just listened silently.
‘No need to tell them about the death penalty that lowers my rank.’
He didn’t plan on dying, so there was no need to reveal his weakness.
Now that he admitted he was D-rank—
“…Then the situation has totally changed.”
Yu-ri’s eyes lit up.
“Can I publicize this?”
“That I’m D-rank now?”
“Yes! It’d be even better if you show it during your next game too!”
“I do plan on staying in Korea, but—”
“I’d love that. But even so, you still deserve proper treatment.”
She continued:
“The Bureau might just use patriotism to gloss over things. They’ll claim you’re E-rank and won’t give long-term benefits.”
“Yu-ri! Your dad’s not that petty.”
“He complained last night about how tight the budget is. While drunk.”
“Hmm…”
Shin Dong-seok frowned while Yu-ri continued.
“They’ll say something like ‘We’ll try to improve things, please wait.’”
“I mean… I can wait if it’s fair—”
“No. If you wait quietly, they’ll just walk all over you.”
She let out a bitter laugh.
“Just like they did with my dad.”
“Hey now—he’s a powerful man!”
“Really? Then why’s he begging Congress for budget scraps?”
“Still—”
“My dad built the Bureau and the national guild system, but they treat him like a workhorse. All he gets is empty praise.”
Her voice carried the weight of long-held frustration.
“That’s why I hope you don’t lower your value, Cheonma-nim. Show them you’re not someone to be underestimated.”
“So PR the D-rank, listen to foreign offers—even if I don’t take them?”
“Yes! Don’t let them think you’re a ‘caught fish.’”
“…Isn’t this a bit much?”
“I’m your agent, remember? So here’s a tip—”
Yu-ri smiled.
“If I call him ‘Dad,’ it means it’s a great deal. ‘Father’ means it’s decent. But if I say ‘Director’—it’s trash. Just leave.”
“…Huh?”
“Pay attention to how I address him. If I yell, ‘Director!’ just get up and go.”
Ah. A secret signal.
Lee Kang-han nodded.
When they arrived at the Tower Management Bureau—
“I was truly impressed by your performance, Lee Kang-han.”
Director Shin Kyung-chul greeted him warmly and shook his hand.
After some small talk—
“Actually, the real reason I called you wasn’t just for the commendation.”
“I heard there was something from FIPA as well?”
“Yes, but aside from that… we want to designate you as a Special Management Subject.”
He slid a document across the table.
[Special Management Subject Registration Form]
‘Same one I saw before.’
In exchange for some benefits, it banned him from leaving the country for six months.
Lee Kang-han stared at the document silently.
“…However, since your trait isn’t S-rank, there’s no precedent. So the benefits may be delayed. But please trust me to handle it as Director…”
Wait. So he’d get none of the benefits, but still be banned from leaving the country?
‘That’s a bit much.’
It wasn’t even that amazing a deal to begin with.
As he frowned slightly—
“Director!”
Shin Yu-ri suddenly stepped forward with a cold look.
“As Cheonma’s agent, I cannot accept that proposal.”
