While Taeseong was taking a break, Park Uman let out a empty laugh.
“What did you just say?”
“Do you have hearing problems? I said, if you have a complaint, take off your rank and fight me.”
“…….”
He was at a loss for words. Did this guy even realize what he had just said? Taeseong’s expression was far too calm for that. Since becoming the branch director, he had never heard anything like this before.
—If you have a complaint, take off your rank and fight me.
Among all the administrators working at the Korean branch, was there any man aside from this lunatic who would dare say such a thing to him?
This wasn’t just bold—it was outright insanity. Even Choi Harin, who prided herself on understanding Taeseong’s personality, had both hands over her mouth, silently screaming.
‘Th-This crazy bastard! Does he have a death wish?!’
And it wasn’t just anyone—he was the branch director. His status was completely different from that of the other administrators they had encountered so far.
Sure, on the outside, Park Woo-man might look like an ordinary middle-aged man, but he was the head of an entire branch and a high-ranking executive of Tree.
Saying something like that to him was no different from begging to be killed on the spot. Taeseong wiping the floor with a Beta-grade administrator? A hundred, no, a thousand times understandable. But an Alpha-grade…
‘You have no idea what you’re up against! Taeseong, you must never make an enemy of an Alpha-grade administrator!’
Tree had countless contingency plans prepared for the apocalypse. And all of them existed because of Alpha-grade entities.
An Alpha-grade entity had enough influence to affect the world itself. The world stirred at their mere movement. And the ones in charge of managing such entities were the Alpha-grade administrators. They were the ones standing at the very front lines, preventing the end of the world.
Even among administrators who defied common sense, they were regarded with awe and reverence. That was what it meant to be Alpha.
Of course, Park Woo-man’s position as branch chief meant he handled administrative duties more than entity management. But that didn’t mean his strength could be underestimated.
Even among Alpha-grade entities, the difference in power between individuals could be immense. However, even an Alpha-grade at the very bottom could easily erase a country or two from the map. At least, that’s what Harin was convinced of after analyzing all the data and information she had.
The only reason she acted casually around him was because of their long-standing relationship. The truth was, Park Woo-man was a man who could walk away unscathed even if a nuclear warhead dropped right on top of him.
“Taeseong! What are you doing?! Apologize to him right now!”
Taeseong ignored Harin’s plea and instead addressed Park Woo-man directly.
“I’m ready whenever. What about you, sir? Surely you’re not afraid of a mere Delta-grade administrator?”
“Would you look at this cheeky brat?”
Taeseong had crossed the line with his provocation.
Truth be told, Park Woo-man was itching for a fight as well. Taeseong’s performance had been that impressive.
‘This kid’s the real deal.’
But he didn’t believe Taeseong’s challenge was just an impulsive act of emotion. No, this was a calculated move.
‘So, you want to gauge my strength?’
Taeseong was using this opportunity to measure the power of an Alpha-grade administrator—an existence outside the norm.
‘He really reminds me of that guy in his younger days. Fine, if that’s what you want, I’ll humour you.’
For the record, among Alpha-grade administrators, Park Woo-man was considered one of the weaker ones. Even so, the reason he became a branch chief was because of his popularity and diligence.
Oh, but there was one thing that shouldn’t be overlooked.
He was considered weak among Alpha-grade administrators. That didn’t change the fact that he was still an Alpha.
And Taeseong was about to find out exactly what that meant.
“Alright. You’ve gone this far with your provocation, and as a man, it would be shameful not to accept. Don’t you agree?”
Harin frantically tried to stop him.
“Mister—no, sir! What are you saying? I’ve told you before, haven’t I? Taeseong is a great guy, but his head’s a little messed up! This is just another one of his episodes, so why not just let it go this time?”
Taeseong objected.
“I’m perfectly fine.”
“He says he’s fine.”
Harin glared at Taeseong and continued, barely suppressing her frustration.
‘You crazy bastard! Do you even realize I’m trying to save your life right now?!’
“He’s not serious about this! It’s just… I don’t know… Oh! Like anger management issues! It’s a mental illness! A psychiatric condition! So just—”
Before she could finish, Park Woo-man cut her off.
“Harin.”
His uncharacteristically serious tone made her gulp nervously.
“Y-Yes?”
“Do you know the best remedy for mental illness?”
“…….”
Park Woo-man raised his fist—a meaty one, thick with fat and muscle.
“This right here. If someone’s got anger management issues or impulse control problems, getting beaten to a pulp usually fixes it. That’s the truth of life.”
Taeseong nodded in agreement.
‘As expected, experience brings wisdom. He’s quick to grasp the truth.’
Harin, at a complete loss for words, looked back and forth between the two men before sighing.
“…I don’t care anymore. Do whatever you want. Oh, and Taeseong? Please, for the love of God, fix that personality of yours. At this rate, you’re going to die young.”
“I’ll take care of it.”
“You son of a—”
Park Woo-man burst out laughing before addressing Harin in a teasing tone, as if comforting a fussy daughter.
“Still, he might end up being your future husband, so I’ll go easy on him. I’ll make sure he can still function as a person, so don’t worry too much.”
Harin, initially unable to process his words, repeated them slowly.
“F-Future… husband?”
And when she finally understood, her face turned bright red.
“What the hell are you talking about?! Have you lost your mind?!”
Still smiling, Park Woo-man suddenly spoke in a more serious tone.
“Harin.”
“…Yes?”
“Step outside.”
She didn’t argue. When an Alpha-grade administrator got serious, everything around them would be reduced to rubble. And if she stayed here, she would be caught in the aftermath.
Before, Park Woo-man had personally protected her. But this time, there would be no one to shield her.
So Harin quietly left the room, taking Lize and Yoo Han with her.
‘I can’t risk my life just to satisfy my curiosity.’
She had seen Taeseong defy expectations time and time again. It was only natural to wonder if he could do it again.
But no matter how she thought about it, this time, the result was set in stone.
Without hesitation, she left the scene behind.
.
.
.
While everyone had left, only Taeseong and Park Woo-man remained.
“Now it’s just the two of us.”
“You say that like you were waiting for this moment.”
“Haha. Does it seem that way? Administrator Taeseong, do you know what my initial rank was when I first joined Tree?”
“I don’t.”
“It was Epsilon. The lowest rank in Tree. As you know, an Epsilon-ranked administrator is more of a disposable asset than a person. Something to be used and discarded at any time.”
“…….”
“And yet, I became an Alpha. Even became the head of a branch. Though, in the end, I’m just a figurehead. Hahahaha!”
His cheerful laughter somehow felt sad. The reason for that soon became clear.
“I was only able to reach Alpha rank because of this cursed power. Even ‘Mother’ never expected me to become an Alpha at first. Or perhaps… if it’s Mother, she might have foreseen even this.”
Why was he suddenly bringing this up?
It wasn’t something Taeseong was particularly curious about, but he decided to go along with it anyway. After all, Park Woo-man had also been playing along with him.
“What is that power?”
“Karma.”
“Karma…?”
“Unfamiliar, isn’t it?”
“Yes.”
“It would be. Even I, the owner of this power, thought it was some kind of garbage ability.”
Crack. Crack.
As Park Woo-man stretched, the sound of his joints cracking echoed. Occasionally, he muttered complaints like, “Man, getting old really takes a toll on the body.”
“Most Alpha-ranked administrators fall into one of two categories. Either they transcend the limits of power from the moment they awaken, or they possess the potential for endless growth. Which do you think I fall into?”
“The latter, I believe.”
“Correct. Among my peers, I was the weakest. Meanwhile, Choi Woosik stood out from the very beginning. Ah, Woosik was Harin’s father. My closest friend.”
Even while stretching, Park Woo-man continued to talk nonstop.
“He was promoted to Gamma rank in less than five years after joining. By his fifteenth year, he had reached Beta. That says it all. Meanwhile, I was still only a Delta at the time.”
“…….”
“But he was certain that I would become an Alpha-ranked administrator. Even when seniors, peers, and entities sneered at me—even when I doubted myself—he believed.”
His presence suddenly changed.
A moment ago, he had seemed like just an ordinary neighbourhood man. Now, a suffocating aura of overwhelming power surged from his entire being.
“He was a smart guy. Maybe he saw the true nature of my ability even back then… and realized that it was not a blessing but a curse, one that would shackle me for life.”
That gaze.
That was Park Woo-man’s true face.
Taeseong was well acquainted with eyes like those. Eyes belonging to those who had crawled through the mud, struggled desperately, and clawed their way through life.
“Unfortunately, I can never ask him now…”
“So, what exactly is this power called Karma?”
Park Woo-man’s gaze turned cold. He spoke with self-mockery.
“A power that grows stronger the more karma I accumulate. The catch is… the only way to accumulate that karma is through the deaths of my loved ones.”
“……What?”
“Just as I said. I first reached Delta rank when two of my closest peers died on duty. I reached Gamma rank when my entire team perished, along with my grandfather and grandmother.”
“……And Beta rank?”
“When my uncle and aunt, and then my parents, all died in unexplained accidents.”
“…….”
“I reached Alpha rank when… my wife, my children, and even the friend I cherished all died.”
