“You made my little sister faint. How are you going to take responsibility?”
[…S-Sorry…]
“Can you change that bizarre appearance of yours?”
[I’ll give it a try!]
Crack. Crack.
With the sound of joints grinding, Kim Minji’s body twisted into an outlandish shape, as if a Lego figure were being reassembled.
‘…If Sooah had seen this, she would have been terrified.’
A moment later.
Returning to a form resembling her appearance in life, Kim Minji beamed at Taeseong.
[H-How do I look? Do I seem more normal now?]
Taeseong nodded.
“Now you’re at least bearable to look at.”
However, perhaps because she had been dismembered, the severed sections of her body looked like surgical scars.
“Have you gathered all the dismembered parts?”
[My father found them all.]
“And yet, you still remain as a spirit. I assume it’s because of your father’s death?”
[Yes. I became a lingering spirit because of my father’s unjust death. I’m certain that the one who killed him was Park Ilhwan.]
“Do you know how your father died?”
[…It was a traffic accident. I heard he was hit by a large freight truck. The driver confessed to all his crimes.]
“It’s the same.”
[Huh? What’s the same?]
“Nothing.”
It was the exact same method used in the accident that killed his parents. The truck driver might not have been the same person, but the pattern was eerily similar.
A dark, murderous aura flared in Kim Minji’s blood-red eyes.
[If I could, I’d kill that bastard myself… But in this state, I can’t. By the way, may I ask what rank you are, Administrator?]
“I’m Delta rank.”
[…Delta?]
Hearing Taeseong’s rank, Kim Minji’s expression darkened. She had thought he was an incredibly powerful figure, but to learn he was only a Delta rank was disappointing.
“Not good enough for you?”
[N-No! It’s not like I’m in any position to judge… Sorry. I was bad at hiding my expressions when I was alive, and it seems I’m still bad at it after death. But it’s strange… The aura you released earlier didn’t feel like it belonged to a Delta rank Administrator…]
Taeseong responded in a flat tone.
“I’m Delta rank for now, but I’m about to be promoted to Beta.”
Kim Minji’s eyes bulged. Literally. Out of pure shock, her eyes nearly popped out of their sockets.
[B-B-B-B-Beta rank!?]
Taeseong nodded.
Despite being a ghost, she had a surprisingly expressive personality.
[Wow! I’ve never seen a Beta rank Administrator before! This is an honor! No wonder you gave off such a powerful aura… Do you serve a god or something? Or are you a half-blood yokai? Or maybe you came from another world?]
“You sure have a lot of questions. I was born in Korea, got caught in a dimensional shift, and returned as a returnee. So, of course, I’m a pure Korean.”
But calling him an ordinary Korean was laughable. He had long since surpassed the limits of his species. If Kim Minji saw how he regenerated instantly even after being cut apart, she would be left speechless.
[Aha… So you’re a returnee.]
“Enough useless chatter. Let’s talk about the reward you mentioned. If I bring Park Ilhwan to you alive, what can you offer me in return?”
[A-Anything! Whatever you want!]
Taeseong stared at her.
“I doubt you have anything useful to offer.”
[…]
The words were humiliating, but Kim Minji couldn’t deny them. He was a Beta rank Administrator. What could a mere Epsilon rank like her possibly provide? Especially now, when she was nothing more than a lingering spirit.
What could she offer him?
What would he want?
After some deep thought, Kim Minji suddenly exclaimed, “Ah!”
[I’ll give you my family’s heirloom!]
Taeseong responded with little interest.
“Heirloom?”
[Yes! It’s been passed down in my family for generations! It must have some historical value, at least…]
It wasn’t exactly an enticing reward, but receiving something was better than nothing.
After all, he wasn’t doing charity work—he was just taking care of his own matters along the way.
“Fine.”
As Taeseong turned to leave, Kim Minji hastily called out.
[W-Wait! A-Are you leaving already?]
“I can’t just leave my sister lying there, can I?”
Kim Minji murmured to herself with a wistful expression. It had been so long since she had held a conversation with someone.
[Ah… Right… If you ever have time, please stop by again!]
“I will.”
Sooah jolted upright, frantically turning her head.
“What? Was that a dream?”
A familiar ceiling and furniture. Fortunately, she was in her room.
“I guess it was a dream… Is this place cursed or something?”
Click.
Taeseong entered, carrying a tray in his hands with neatly arranged porridge and side dishes. He had personally cooked for Sooah, who had collapsed.
“…Abalone porridge?”
“It’s your favourite.”
“Thanks. I’ll eat well.”
Holding the spoon, Sooah scooped up a spoonful of porridge, blew on it, and took a bite. A smile spread across her once-rigid face.
“Hehe. It’s delicious.”
“That’s good to hear.”
“But what do you mean it wasn’t a dream?”
Taeseong briefly summarized what had happened with Kim Minji the day before.
“So, the ghost I saw was a dead administrator?”
“In a way.”
“…And the one who dismembered that woman was Park Ilhwan, the second son of Ilseong Group?”
Taeseong nodded silently.
“…That bastard is insane. Absolute human garbage. Seriously.”
“But where are you going this morning? Isn’t today your day off?”
Thanks to the branch chief’s consideration, all administrators who had been dispatched to Japan were given a break.
“I have somewhere to stop by. I’ll be back before dinner, so just rest.”
“Got it.”
Leaving the dormitory, Taeseong headed straight for Tree. As expected of the man at the center of the rumors, countless eyes followed him. Finally, a few gathered the courage to greet him.
“Ah, hello! Administrator Lee Taeseong.”
“…Oh. Hello.”
“I’m Ryu Mi-ae from Management Team 1!”
“…I see.”
“Have a great day!”
Blushing, the woman hurried off, rejoining her group and squealing in excitement over having spoken to him.
Most of the people approaching Taeseong were women. Somehow, he felt like the male administrators’ gazes had become more hostile. Was that just his imagination?
Arriving at the office of Choi Harin, the head of Information Team 2, Taeseong knocked on the door.
Knock, knock.
“Come in.”
As he entered, Choi Harin looked surprised.
“Lee Taeseong? Aren’t you on holiday today?”
“I had something to ask.”
Just then—
Ding!
An email was sent to all employees of the Korean branch of Tree. Taeseong and Harin both looked at their phones simultaneously.
.
.
.
Sender: qkrdnaks@koreanwood.com
Recipient: All employees of Tree Korean Branch
Effective immediately, Delta-class administrator Lee Taeseong of Management Team 4 has been promoted to Beta-class.
Additionally, he is appointed as the team leader of the newly established Special Management Team, known as “Management Team 0.”
Management Team 0 operates directly under the branch chief, independent of the Management Department, and is responsible for all matters related to entity management. The team is granted autonomous operational authority.
As team leader of Management Team 0, Lee Taeseong will hold a position equivalent to department heads in other divisions.
This decision comes from upper management. Any objections should be formally submitted through the HR department…
.
.
.
After reading the email, Taeseong and Harin stared at each other.
With an awkward smile, Harin spoke.
“C-congratulations, Lee Taeseong.”
“…”
Taeseong said nothing, simply staring at her. Feeling a vague sense of unease, Harin hesitantly called out to him again.
“Taeseong?”
“Intelligence Division Team 2 Leader. Choi Harin.”
“…?”
“Aren’t you going to speak formally?”
“…Excuse me?”
“Didn’t you hear me? I asked if you’re not going to speak formally.”
“What are you talking about all of a sudden…?”
Taeseong raised his phone closer to Harin’s face, pointing at the email displayed on the screen.
“What does this say?”
“…That you’ve been appointed as the leader of Management Team 0.”
“And below that? What does it say?”
With a frown, Harin read aloud.
“…That the team leader of Management Team 0, Lee Taeseong, holds a position equivalent to a department head…”
A slow smirk spread across Taeseong’s lips.
“That’s right. As of now, I’m the leader of Management Team 0 and hold a rank equal to a department head. But aren’t you just the team leader of Intelligence Team?”
“…”
“Choi Harin, team leader.”
“…Yes.”
“Who’s the superior now?”
“…”
“Are you ignoring your superior’s question?”
Forcing a smile, Harin finally replied.
“…I apologize, Team Leader Lee Taeseong.”
“Do you remember what you once said to me?”
Harin shook her head.
“I don’t recall.”
“‘You were a soldier before, so you know how it works, right? The organization follows a chain of command. Let’s get along from now on.’ That’s what you said.”
“I don’t really…”
She actually remembered it clearly but decided to feign ignorance.
For some reason…
She suddenly recalled the sight of Taeseong ruthlessly slicing Beta-class administrators Lize and Yoo Han into pieces.
“As the head of Intelligence Division, you must understand, right? The organization follows a chain of command. Let’s get along well from now on. Team Leader Choi. Ha. Rin.”
“…”
“Aren’t you going to respond?”
Clenching her teeth, Harin’s lips trembled slightly as she answered.
“…Yes. Team Leader Lee Taeseong.”
Watching that slight quiver, Taeseong finally smiled in satisfaction.
