When they returned to the association, the entire Gate division was quiet.

    It was past working hours.

    ‘Since there are a lot of field dispatches here, it’s rare for people to stay late.’

    It was actually a good thing.

    If no one was around, he could get his work done quietly.

    Just as he was about to head to his desk, a problem arose.

    ‘...But where’s my desk?’

    He realized that he hadn’t even been told where his desk was yet.

    Damn.

    He didn’t want to call Cheol-min to ask where his desk was.

    Just then, as he was trying to figure out what to do, the conference room door opened and a familiar face appeared.

    It was Jeong Cheol-min.

    “Team Leader?”

    “Hey, you’re back?”

    “You haven’t gone home yet?”

    “Nope, not yet. So, you finished the Gate clear and came here directly?”

    “Yeah, sort of... But, did you wait for me?”

    “Well, kind of?”

    Surprisingly, Jeong Cheol-min really had been waiting for Su-ho.

    Since he thought Su-ho would probably clear the Gate today and come back to this place.

    Checking the time, Cheol-min said, “You’re not too late. I guess it’s because the Gate was in Seoul.”

    “Still, didn’t you just wait for me without knowing when my clearance would finish?”

    “Come on, it’s you. I thought you’d finish quickly.”

    “Even so...”

    “Still, I wasn’t just waiting for you. I’ve been writing your report and catching up on some of the backlog paperwork. I’ve been fairly busy.”

    Jeong Cheol-min smiled his usual warm, friendly smile.

    Though he said that, Su-ho knew the real reason was because of him.

    Because Cheol-min was that kind of person.

    So, Su-ho smiled back.

    “Thank you. I was actually struggling to figure out where my desk is.”

    “Oh, right. I sent you straight to work without telling you where your desk was because of Team Leader Im. In that sense, your desk is over there.”

    It was by the window.

    One of Su-ho’s favorite spots.

    “Nice.”

    “I wasn’t sure, so I even set up your desk while you were gone. You can set your computer password, and... as for the handover of tasks...”

    Cheol-min, who had been continuing his sentence, awkwardly smiled and said,

    “If you have any questions, just ask me. It’ll be easier that way.”

    Su-ho understood why Cheol-min was acting so awkward.

    The problem of task handovers was one of the biggest issues in government institutions.

    ‘People just delete the work they’ve done or leave files all over the place... So when you’re handed over the job, you end up starting from scratch.’

    Why did this happen?

    It was simple.@@@@

    They just didn’t want to take responsibility.

    If any problem occurred with the assigned tasks, the previous person would just blame it on the way they had done it, saying something like, “Well, that’s how the previous person did it...” and the place would end up even more chaotic, especially when it came to task handovers.

    In his previous life, Su-ho had struggled a lot with paperwork.

    Though he had joined as a 9th-grade field employee, he couldn’t avoid handling paperwork entirely.

    Still, he eventually mastered it.

    He was a public servant after all.

    Su-ho smiled and said, “I’ll try going through the manual first and if I can’t figure something out, I’ll ask you.”

    “Good. Do that. But why are you here? There’s nothing for you to do here.”

    “Obviously, I came to write the Gate clearance report, right?”

    “Eh? What do you mean? I said I’d write that.”

    Jeong Cheol-min said,

    “Why don’t you take a special leave for your singularity and get moving? Didn’t you know? The Grand Hunter Association offers special leave for singularities.”

    “I know. But it’s only for three days.”

    “Right... that’s true.”

    Jeong Cheol-min’s voice became quieter.

    He knew that three days wasn’t enough to get everything done.

    Although the three-day period was based on statistics from the Bureau of Statistics...

    ‘Every player’s singularity is different. How can everything be wrapped up in three days?’

    For large guilds, when a player reached their singularity, they typically gave them about fifteen days of leave.

    If more time was needed, it was extended.

    Of course, the Grand Hunter Association would also grant more time upon request, but...

    ‘Submitting detailed documentation is a hassle.’

    There’s always the risk of statistical traps when working with data.

    However, Su-ho had already set his singularity to "Sword Path" through Pi Seong-yeol, even outside of official business.

    The "Sword Path" was a common trait for any swordsman, something Su-ho was very familiar with from his past life.

    If his actual trait was "Sword Path," three days would have been enough—maybe even just one day.

    The issue was that Su-ho''s trait wasn’t "Sword Path."

    So three days might not be enough.

    Su-ho replied,

    “Well, I’m not sure how it’ll turn out, so I’d prefer to allow myself a little more time for preparation. My personal trait is Sword Path, but as you know, I’m a healer, right?”

    “Oh, right. That could create a variable. So, you’re planning to insert the Sealed Gate in there?”

    “Yes, that way, I’ll have more leeway with the preparation and clearance periods.”

    Jeong Cheol-min paused, then smiled lightly and said,

    “You’re really straightforward.”

    “Suddenly?”

    “Well, it’s just that your level is your business. You knew the singularity would happen once you cleared the Mountain Swamp Gate, right? But still, you went ahead and cleared the Gate and now you’re asking for permission. You’re...”

    Ha-ha.

    I may not be that straightforward, but I can see why Cheol-min would think that.

    However, Su-ho didn’t vocalize the reason.

    Su-ho smiled and said,

    “Even so, we’re partners. I wouldn’t deceive you, my superior.”

    “I appreciate that, but if I had known, I would’ve just said it from the start. I would’ve set the plan up properly before the Mountain Swamp.”

    “Hey, it’s wrong to receive consideration for something that hasn’t even happened yet. This isn’t a club, it’s a workplace, right? So, I thought it would be better to first focus on actual work and then handle my singularity issue afterward. By the way, the Gate candidates you showed in the meeting earlier—could I take another look at those?”

    “Oh, sure.”

    Jeong Cheol-min brought over the materials, and Su-ho pointed to one of the Gate options.

    “Here. The environmental characteristics make it a tough one to clear, and it will take time, right? It also had the longest player stay times in the Gate. So, let’s aim for this one and use that period to take care of my personal issues while we clear it.”

    “Hm...”

    Jeong Cheol-min stroked his chin thoughtfully.

    Truthfully, it didn’t matter which Sealed Gate they entered—every one of them was dangerous.

    Moreover, Jeong Cheol-min wasn’t high enough level to even enter a Sealed Gate.

    So in the end, he would have to follow Su-ho’s lead.

    “Alright, let’s do that. Share the process and any required steps with me. I’ll cooperate as much as I can. This is just between you and me, right?”

    “Yes, I’d really appreciate it.”

    “Good. Then, you handle the details yourself... By the way, do you have some time tomorrow?”

    “For what?”

    “You know the Shibo-tteok, right? I’ve ordered it. Just come out tomorrow and take care of it.”

    “Eh?”

    “Just come and turn the wheel. I’ve already paid, so don’t feel pressured. Just come, stamp your presence, and turn the wheel. I know no one likes the Shibo-tteok tradition, but if you don’t do it, you’ll get looks from people.”

    “Well, even so...”

    “Let’s consider it my welcoming gift for you. It’s the only thing I can do for you as your team leader. So, once again, congratulations on your promotion.”

    “Team Leader...”

    Jeong Cheol-min awkwardly smiled and patted Su-ho’s shoulder.