Chapter 28 Promotion

Chapter 28: Promotion

After several days of marching, we finally reached Guryong Fortress.

“Guryong Fortress!”

“Waaah. We’re finally here!”

The vanguard warriors cheered with voices full of excitement.

And then.

“Let’s drink until our noses turn crooked.”

“We’ll cover it, so come out without worry.”

The warriors of the garrison, who had shared life and death with me, even if only briefly, exchanged farewells.

There were three hundred of them, so I didn’t know all their names, but one thing was certain.

They were all comrades who had shared life and death.

With that feeling, I shook each of their hands.

***

Three days later.

Thanks to North Palace Baek’s consideration, I received a few days’ leave and returned north to the Outer Hall.

Perhaps due to the exhaustion from the fierce battle at Jianchang Mountain, I slept like a log for three straight days.

Worried about me, Myohyang kept making nourishing meals, and the cleaning staff brewed tonics every evening.

Thanks to that ample rest and good nutrition, I was able to return to work in peak condition.

“Well, well! Isn’t this the great hero of the Outer Sect, the Dragon-Slayer Jin?”

Upon entering the Outer Sect headquarters, the Deputy Sect Leader greeted me warmly alongside the First and Third Squad Leaders.

“Oh dear, please don’t flatter me so much in front of the senior Squad Leaders. I’m so embarrassed I could crawl into a hole.”

“Hahaha, it’s just joy talking. Thanks to you, who earned the greatest merit in this battle, our Outer Sect’s reputation is soaring sky-high, isn’t it?”

“How could that be because of me? It’s all thanks to the outstanding guidance and instruction of the senior squad leaders!”

“Modesty taken too far is just as bad. It’s Jin Squad Leader’s ability that backed it up, leading to this good result. Or is that not the case?” ”

The Second and Third Squad Leaders answered brightly to the Head of the Outer Division’s subtle question.

“Of course.”

“That goes without saying.”

Hahaha.

The atmosphere was so bright it was almost blinding.

It felt like I was seeing my own bright, bright future.

“So, did you come to see the Head?”

“Yes, he said to stop by after returning.”

“Go on in. We’ll wait here.”

“Wait for me? For me?”

“We’ll need you to buy us drinks sometime.”

Though puzzled by the incomprehensible remark, he couldn’t keep Baek waiting.

After a cursory greeting, he entered Baek’s office.

“You’re here?”

“Gu! Ryong! Seventeenth Squad Leader Jin Mujeon, back from leave!”

“Enough, sit down.”

After the salute, Baekgong Baek personally poured tea.

“Have some.”

“Yes.”

Slurp.

Top-grade white tiger silver needle.

Considering the outer office’s budget barely stretched to cheap white tea, this was quite a generous offering.

As I savored the tea’s aroma, Baekgung Baek placed a small paper envelope on the desk.

“What’s this?”

“It’s for you.”

Flutter.

At his words, I unfolded the paper to check its contents.

“Appointing Squad Leader Jin Mujeon of the Seventeenth Squad as Squad Leader…”

“Starting today, you are Squad Leader. From now on, assist the Deputy Director and oversee the Outer Division’s overall operations.”

The unexpected promotion news left me dumbfounded.

“……”

Becoming a First Division Chief meant becoming one of the Outer Hall’s top leadership.

Even if the Outer Hall was treated like a lowly branch, this wasn’t a position easily attained.

The salary and benefits would also rise to match those of the Eight Divisions of the Main Hall.

But I couldn’t view it purely positively.

‘The workload will become overwhelming.’

From the position of Head of the Day Division onward, there were no fixed working hours.

If nothing unusual occurred, one could stop by the Day Division office just once a day to receive reports and then leave for the day without anyone questioning it.

The problem was that the Day Division was incredibly busy.

Unlike other squads that are assigned specific duty stations, the Day Squad handles incidents and accidents occurring throughout the Outer City.

Therefore, it stands to reason that every Day Squad Leader throughout history has worked non-stop.

Just how grueling is it? Even the former squad leader, Garip, still recalls this time as hell.

That’s not all.

‘Being too conspicuous isn’t good either.’

The current City Lord is recruiting his disciples.

He isn’t seeking applicants.

He simply picks whoever catches his eye, and that person becomes his direct disciple.

In such circumstances, a mere twenty-year-old rising to a top position in the Outer Court based on merit?

It’s highly likely to catch the eyes of the faction leaders trying to push their own children into the City Lord’s discipleship.

As he pondered this background, Baekgoong Baek spoke softly.

“Seems you have many worries.”

“Huh? Yes, I’m still too lacking…”

“No one calls a dog the size of a house a wolf. No matter how small, no one calls a wolf a dog.”

“…?”

As I looked at him with puzzled eyes, Bukgung Baek chuckled softly and continued.

“Even if you act like a dog, if you were born a wolf, everyone will know you’re a wolf.”

Bukgung Baek stretched lazily and dismissed me.

“If you understand, take your appointment letter and leave. I’m tired and need to catch some sleep.”

“…Yes.”

That single, deeply meaningful sentence left me speechless as I exited the office.

‘Have I been too cautious?’

He wasn’t wrong.

Already, the nickname ‘Twin Dragons’ had been bestowed upon me for the rescue mission at the cleaning station, and my fame was spreading throughout the main city due to my merits at the Pointed Spear Division.

Perhaps the clan leaders were already keeping an eye on me.

Perhaps stepping forward openly would be better.

From that perspective, the title of First Assistant could actually serve as a protective shield, keeping me safe.

Having become a direct subordinate of the renowned Ten Thousand Swords Division, the clan leaders wouldn’t dare move against me lightly.

‘Yes, I won’t live cautiously anymore.’

Surely they wouldn’t come knocking with swords in the dead of night.

A subtle check might be possible, but…

After much deliberation, I reached a conclusion and felt considerably more at ease.

With that refreshing feeling, I opened the palace gate.

Buzz, buzz.

The deputy leader and sixteen squad leaders were waiting for me.

“Hey, Team Leader Jin! Time to buy us drinks. You wouldn’t dare skip the promotion celebration, would you?”

This unexpected expense made me want to tear up my appointment letter.

***

The next day.

Waking up with a throbbing headache from the previous night’s unexpected gathering, I was met with a storm of nagging from Myohyang and the cleaning staff.

Myohyang was like a sister to me, so I didn’t mind her, but when even Cheongso-so acted like that, I felt a strange lump rising in my throat.

“Huh? Why are you glaring like that?”

But, the profit-sharing payments coming in from the Cheongjang-mujin branch she managed exceeded three nyang a month.

“Nothing. How could this lowly servant glare at the heavenly Miss Cheong? Hehe.”

I bowed my head with dignity.

“Here, eat this before you go to work.”

Whether my effort paid off or not, Cheongso handed me a small pill.

“What is this?”

“It’s a hangover cure I developed this time.”

“Just expelling the toxins…”

“That only works once or twice. Don’t you know frequent detoxing strains the liver?”

As if I’d know.

‘In martial arts novels, they detox perfectly fine even while drinking.’

And those guys later become peerless masters, living enviable lives until they’re too old to even shit on a wall.

“Anyway, try it and let me know. If it works well, we’ll make it and sell it.”

“Ah, yes.”

He swallowed the pill and asked.

“But if you’re going to sell it, it needs a name. What are you going to call it?”

“It means ‘to wake up refreshed in the morning’…”

“Stop it, that’ll get you in trouble with copyright law.”

“Huh? You asked me, then suddenly what kind of nonsense is this?”

Ignoring the cleaning station, I headed toward the main headquarters.

It was my first day back after the promotion, so I felt a bit tense.

In modern terms, it was an unprecedented promotion, skipping three ranks from assistant manager to department head.

‘Anyway, I wonder if the kids are adjusting well?’

With my promotion, Team Seventeen was officially disbanded.

That didn’t mean they scattered; they transferred to the First Squad with me.

From their perspective, the existing First Squad members were much senior, so I wondered if adaptation would be difficult.

‘Let’s just get in.’

Squeak.

Opening the door, I found only middle-aged men seated inside. The members of the Seventeenth Squad were nowhere to be seen.

“Haha, hello everyone?”

Since Guryongseong was practically like the military, it was customary for superiors to speak casually to subordinates.

But since the existing members of Group 1 were mostly middle-aged men who had worked in the outer offices for over ten years, speaking casually felt incredibly awkward.

This was all because of the rigid Confucian Taliban-like ideology stuck firmly in my head.

As my awkward greeting fell, every member of Team 1 rose from their seats.

Then, in unison, they saluted me.

“Gyu! Ryong!”

After the greetings concluded in the heavy atmosphere, the person who appeared to be the eldest approached.

“Long time no see.”

“Ah! That… Uh…”

“I’m Woo Je-jun, the deputy leader of Team 1.”

“I see. Sorry. I’m still adjusting and haven’t memorized all the names and faces yet.”

“It’s fine.”

Woo Je-jun brought over a thick ledger.

“This is the ledger the previous team leader kept.”

“What’s in it?”

“He recorded the money received.”

“What?”

Startled by his words, I opened the ledger to look inside.

Sure enough.

The ledger was densely filled with details of the money he had embezzled over time.

I knew the former team leader.

That suspicious, money-obsessed man would never have entrusted such a ledger to his subordinates.

When I looked at Woo Je-jun with suspicion, he answered in a low voice.

“It’s a copy of evidence the inspection team found at the former team leader’s house.”

“Why are you showing this to me?”

“I showed it to you to ask how you intend to run the team going forward.”

“Are you asking whether I’ll run it like the former team leader, or by the book?”

“That’s correct.”

“What do the team members think?”

“We’ll follow your lead. That’s the only way we can keep working in the field for the long haul.”

He wasn’t wrong.

If I did that, whatever happened, I, the team leader, would be held responsible.

But what I wanted were colleagues, not slaves who blindly followed orders.

“Since I’m still learning, let’s do it this way.”

“Please tell us.”

“Moderately. Just enough that no one would think it would cause trouble later. Understand?”

“I’m not sure exactly how much ‘enough’ is…”

” You’re experts who’ve worked in the Outer Court for over ten years and don’t know that?“

”I believe what we think and what you think might differ.”

As expected, it was a power struggle.

‘They say politics is inevitable whenever three people gather…’

Well, even in AOS games played remotely, all kinds of political maneuvering run rampant, so it’s perfectly understandable.

I spoke loudly enough for everyone to hear.

“You want standards? I’ll give them to you. If you want to earn pocket money, take it. But if that money was made from someone else’s tears, I’ll send you straight to the brain prison. Procedural convenience? I’ll overlook it. However, if you violate that procedure and harm the city’s interests or disrupt the order, that too is a trip to the brain prison. How about it? Is that clear enough?“

In short, it meant only take money that wouldn’t harm others.

And only to the extent that it wouldn’t cause harm.

At that, Woo Je-jun and the other team members all smiled.

”What is this?“

Confused by the sudden change in atmosphere, Woo Je-jun explained.

”The team leader likes you, that’s why.”

“…?”

“The previous leader was too greedy for money, so the team members disliked him. The leader before that was obsessed with promotion and tormented the team members relentlessly. In that sense, Leader Jin is the most ideal leader.”

Woo Je-jun gathered the ledger again and continued.

“I’ll burn this and destroy it. A friend from the Inspection Team specifically requested it. ”

“…Hah.”

What? Am I being tested right now?

It was absurd, but he wasn’t angry.

Smart subordinates were far more reliable than mindless slaves.

‘This is actually better.’

In many ways, it was a promising start to his life at the unit.