A temporary alliance, sealed in the utility room on the 7th floor.
They shook hands once more and headed side by side toward the elevator.
"Kind of inefficient, isn't it?"
"It's for security. Can't really help it."
With a shrug, he pressed the button for the first floor.
Without the private elevator, there was no way up to the Oriental Suite.
No wonder they'd built exclusive facilities on the top floor.
"So it's designed so you never have to come down in the first place. Nice. Very private."
He mentally gave the Resid Hillt Hotel a few extra points.
Definitely coming back here later.
Ding!
The doors slid open with a cheerful chime.
The manager and staff, already waiting, bowed their heads.
"Have you finished using the utility room?"
"Yes, we're done. The grooming tools were great too, thank you!"
"It was nothing. Please let us know if you need anything else."
After a few more polite bows, they walked toward the private elevator.
Footsteps echoed beside him.
He glanced over.
Lotte, humming to herself, matched his pace.
Again?
"I'm heading to the restaurant over there."
She must've felt his gaze.
Lotte pointed toward the restaurant across from the private elevator.
"Why?"
Their eyes met, and she gave him a knowing smile.
"Were you expecting something?"
He had to admit it again.
She was weird.
He shook his head, and she let out a soft laugh like it was the funniest thing.
Taking a few steps ahead, she waved.
"See you later, then."
"Yep. First floor, 5 a.m. Enjoy your meal."
"Okay."
He kept waving until she disappeared into the restaurant.
Walking backward just to keep waving… yeah, that was on him.
Once she was completely out of sight, he lowered his hand.
"…Handled?"
Just in case she popped back out, he waited about ten seconds before pressing the button.
Tap tap tap tap tap tap.
The moment he stepped in, he spammed the close button like his life depended on it.
"Phew…"
He leaned back with a sigh of relief.
Why was getting into an elevator this stressful?
…Kind of fun, though.
He tapped his fingers, recalling what she'd said earlier.
"An expedition ship, huh."
Lotte had told him—
this ship was the only way to get from Reykjavik to Greenland.
Its purpose was to transport researchers from various countries who had caught wind of something.
Funded by the Icelandic government.
Given how all routes had been blocked, it probably wasn't voluntary.
More like they were pressured into it by stronger nations.
If they had to let them in anyway, better to keep them where they could see them.
"Not like I'm a researcher… is that okay?"
He thought for a moment, then shrugged.
Whatever. Let's just go.
She said they'd let me on.
And if they don't?
Rent a jet ski.
If that fails?
Swim.
Ding!
"Huh?!"
The moment the doors opened, the smell hit him.
Rich, fresh—definitely just made.
He hurried over and rang the doorbell.
After a brief moment of pressing his face up to the lens—
Click.
The door opened.
"You're here, sir!"
Kancho, commander of the Yodel Rangers, greeted him with a salute.
His mouth was smeared with sauce and cream—clearly mid-meal.
Jinhyuk tucked him under his arm and stepped inside.
"Whoa."
As expected, the table was packed.
How many did they order?
His view was filled with bright red king crab and lobster.
"Come on, eat! It just arrived, still piping hot!"
Elia, stuffing her mouth with king crab, patted the seat beside her.
As he sat, Seira handed him a steaming crab.
He gave a thumbs-up and took it immediately.
He was starving anyway.
But still—
"That thing's huge."
If what he'd seen in Korea was king crab, this was king-king-king crab.
Any bigger and he'd have mistaken it for a monster.
"But is this okay? When we checked in, it was just one person. Now there's all this food too."
"It's fine, it's fine. Turns out Black Wings didn't sign with Resid Hillt for nothing."
Online, the hotel didn't have a great reputation.
A place that ignored everything short of murder—prioritizing customer convenience above all else.
Which made it a favorite among criminals worldwide.
"Even better."
After devouring crab for a while, he raised his hand.
"Camela. Question."
"Hmm?"
"From the 71st floor, undead and zombie-type monsters start appearing. They revive unless hit with holy damage. Do you have any holy-type skills?"
Couldn't he just check the system window?
He had.
Didn't find anything.
Which made no sense.
Camela was a pilgrim, a high monk, even a shaman—yet not a single holy attack?
"Don't think so."
"Oh."
The instant answer made him blink.
Kancho shoved a claw forward.
"What do you mean 'don't think so'! Either you do or you don't!"
"Is that so? Then I don't."
"I thought pilgrims were closely tied to priests?"
"You're not wrong. That was in the past, though."
Camela smiled faintly and exhaled smoke.
Kancho looked like he was about to jump in again, but got distracted mixing rice with crab innards.
Camela pulled out a necklace.
It was the same Judas Iscariot Cross Jinhyuk had engraved on a card before.
"This traitor's cross devours holiness. It consumes everything in its path—coexistence is impossible."
Jinhyuk swallowed dryly.
"Then… did it eat your holy power too?"
Even a god's power, swallowed whole… just how strong—
"No? I gave it up."
"…What?"
"I was given a choice. Keep the pilgrim's holy power, or become the owner of the cross."
"So you chose the cross. Why?"
Camela exhaled again.
For a moment, it looked like there was some deep story behind it.
"It's cool."
…Nope.
"A cross that devours all holiness—how cool is that? Pilgrims and priests are common. This? Not even close. I chose it in one second."
She rubbed her face against the cross affectionately.
One second to abandon her path as a pilgrim.
Impressive decision speed.
Kancho lowered his voice.
"Haven't I always said it? That's a cultist."
…Honestly, he had a point.
Looking away, Jinhyuk saw Elia shrug.
"We could check the workshop, but we might not have enough holy materials."
"Hm."
He rubbed his chin.
The undead zone wasn't just about things not dying.
There were too many of them.
Without holy attacks, it'd be a nightmare.
And at level 110, with a big gap from the floor level—
one misstep, and top-tier ranking was gone.
Even with first-clear advantages.
"Okay! Putting that on hold!"
He finished thinking quickly and smiled.
Before, he'd have forced it—wasting a ticket if needed—to get holy damage and push through.
But now?
Didn't matter.
He had the ticket storage.
Focus on the Black Dragon here, and come back later with borrowed gear for the undead floor.
Maybe even find something like a compression ticket to merge floors or strengthen them.
"How about crab fried rice, fluffy grains, finished with a drizzle of sesame oil?!"
Momo ran in carrying a massive frying pan.
Jinhyuk clapped like a seal and pointed his spoon.
For now—
eat first.
It's a long road ahead.
While Jinhyuk was busy devouring fried rice—
Lotte walked through the dark harbor.
She only stopped at the very edge of the pier.
"How long are you planning to hide?"
Her playful voice echoed.
A moment later—
figures emerged beneath a flickering streetlamp.
Armed with personal weapons and Tower gear.
Lotte smiled faintly.
"Chasing after a woman alone like this… not a good look. No wonder you're unpopular."
One of them stepped forward.
She pulled off her hood.
A large scar revealed under the dim light.
"You're not going to pretend you don't remember me, are you?"
"…Hmm."
Lotte leaned in, studying her.
After a moment, she shrugged.
"Don't think so."
Crunch!!
"You wiped out my entire unit and don't even remember?!"
"I've killed too many to keep track. Besides, I didn't kill all of you."
She pointed straight at the woman.
"You survived, didn't you?"
"…Ha."
The woman let out a hollow laugh.
"Talking to a psychopath killer with no emotions… that was my mistake."
"I don't like pointless conversations either. By the way—you're all boarding the expedition ship to Greenland tomorrow, right?"
"What?"
The sudden question made her frown.
Why did that matter?
"Good. I was wondering who to ask. I only need two spots, you see."
Lotte held up two fingers.
"You don't all have to die. Just two of you."
"…Ha! You crazy bitch!!"
Everyone raised their weapons.
"Shame."
Lotte shrugged, a faint smile lingering.
Dark blue mist rose from one of her hands.
Soon, it shaped into a massive pair of scissors.
"Well, a few extra seats wouldn't hurt either."
The moment her quiet murmur ended—
Swoooosh…!
Her figure vanished from the edge of the pier.
Korea Central Player Hunter Bureau.
In the personnel director's office—
Jin Yunho bit his nails.
He kept glancing between the Tower site and the clock.
One minute until midnight.
And still—
no update on the Hall of Fame.
Slurp.
Lee Changgi sipped his tea and clicked his tongue.
"Team Leader Jin, when did you turn into such a coward? It's Runner we're talking about. It'll update soon, relax."
"This is the first time it's been this late."
"It's not even past midnight yet."
The second he said that—
the clock struck twelve.
Jin Yunho shot to his feet.
"Calm down. Midnight resets tickets. He probably went in before that and is still inside."
A few minutes passed.
Still no update.
Crash!
Lee Changgi dropped his teacup.
He'd been pretending to stay calm, but that was his limit.
This was too late.
Something was wrong.
Thud thud—
The door burst open as Strategy Director Han Jiwon rushed in.
Her face was pale.
She looked between the two men.
Without a word, all three pulled out their phones.
Something was happening.
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T/N:
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