Knock, knock.

    “Come in.”

    At the sound of Pi Seong-yeol’s voice, Su-ho opened the door and stepped inside.

    The room was empty except for Pi. Clearly, this was intentional.

    As Su-ho entered, Pi gestured for him to take a seat.

    “Sit down.”

    The atmosphere was heavy.

    It had to be. Two of Pi’s well-placed pawns had been taken out in a single move—how could he not be furious?

    Yet Su-ho maintained an expression of innocence as he took his seat.

    Pi studied him in silence before letting out a faint chuckle and speaking.

    “I hear you aced both the Awakening Division and Management Division evaluations?”

    “Yes, that’s correct.”

    “I thought you were just good with your sword, but it seems you’re sharp with your mind too.”

    “Not at all. I was just lucky.”

    “Luck favors the prepared. Anyway, congratulations.”

    “Thank you, Senior.”

    “But let’s talk about the draft dodging case. That was your doing too, wasn’t it?”

    “Yes, it was.”

    “How did you manage it?”

    So, it’s finally come to this.

    If he was going to ask anything, it would be this.

    Prepared for the moment, Su-ho calmly gave his pre-planned response.

    “There was an anonymous tip-off.”

    “A tip-off?”

    “Yes. Someone threw a set of documents onto my desk, and inside was all the information on the draft dodgers involved in the case.”

    “...Is that true?”

    “How could I lie to you, Senior?”

    The mention of an anonymous tip seemed to catch Pi off guard. His expression turned contemplative, clearly not expecting this explanation.

    “What about the person who delivered it?”

    “I couldn’t catch them. They ran off too quickly.”

    “You couldn’t catch them? You, a Sword Saint?”

    “I apologize. I had to make a choice between chasing the person or securing the documents, and I prioritized the latter.”

    “Hmm...”

    Pi’s brow furrowed deeply as he considered this.

    “Fair enough. In that situation, it makes sense.”

    Seeing the gears turning in Pi’s mind, Su-ho added, “I’m sorry for not reporting this to you earlier, Senior. I didn’t think it was significant at the time...”

    As Su-ho bowed his head apologetically, Pi stared at him for a moment before sighing and speaking softly.

    “...No, it’s fine. How could you have known? Good work. There’s nothing else to report, is there?”

    “No, nothing else.”

    “Alright. From now on, report everything to me, no matter how small. Like this tip-off.”

    “I’ll keep that in mind.”

    “Your next assignment is the Resource Division, correct?”

    “Yes, that’s correct.”

    “You’ll go to the Gate Division after that and then back to me. I’ll talk to the department heads for both divisions to ensure your training goes smoothly. After you finish your Special Division training, we’ll revisit your placement.”

    “Understood, Senior.”

    The Equipment Team, which handles item storage.The Book Team, which manages skill books.The Consumables Team, responsible for consumable items.Special Team 1, which deals with miscellaneous and material items.Special Team 2, which handles so-called ‘Cursed Items.’”

    Kim raised an impressed eyebrow. “You’ve done your homework. The field evaluation will be split into two parts. One will cover the four standard teams, and the other will focus on Special Team 2.”

    Su-ho nodded knowingly. “Makes sense. Unlike the standard teams, Special Team 2 deals with high-risk items.”

    Though he was well aware of the department’s workings from past experience, Su-ho listened attentively as Kim continued to explain.

    “So, the evaluation will happen in two stages. Don’t worry too much about the cursed items—we’re only exposing you to entry-level cases for experience. Honestly, the first part of the test, involving logistics, might feel more tedious. It’s pure manual labor.”

    As they approached the department, they met Gu Min-hwan, the Resource Management Department head.

    “I’m Gu Min-hwan. I’ve heard a lot about you.”

    “An Su-ho, sir. Looking forward to working with you.”

    “From what I’ve heard, you’ve already aced the theoretical exam. Is that right?”

    “Yes, sir.”

    “Impressive. So, Seok-hoon, what’s the order for the field evaluations?”

    “We’ll start with the joint evaluation covering the four standard teams, followed by the second evaluation for Special Team 2.”

    “That works. But isn’t it the comprehensive inspection season? Won’t the first evaluation be difficult to arrange?”

    Comprehensive Inspections

    These inspections were notorious for their intensity, examining every aspect of a department’s operations to ensure they were functioning properly.

    “Inspections are hell for any department, but I guess it’s Resource’s turn.”

    Kim quickly reassured Gu, “Yes, but I’ll handle the first evaluation myself to avoid adding to the team’s burden. I’ve already gotten approval, so it just needs your okay.”

    “Fine by me. Let’s get started. Su-ho, we’ll meet again later.”

    “Understood.”

    The External Resource Warehouse

    Kim escorted Su-ho to the department’s massive external warehouse.

    “The division head and department head work in the desk offices, but most of the work happens here in the warehouse. You know why, right?”

    “Yes. The Resource Division manages an enormous volume of items.”

    “Exactly. For now, your task will be to familiarize yourself with the locations and organization of each team’s materials, as well as the retrieval and categorization process. While it’s all outlined in the theory exam, practical application is a bit different.”

    “Is it significantly different?”

    “The theory is straightforward, but there are a lot of variables in practice. That’s what makes it tricky.”

    “I see. That should be manageable.”

    “...Confident, aren’t you?”

    “Yes, I am.”

    Su-ho’s confidence wasn’t unfounded. He had previously worked a rotation in the Resource Division and was no stranger to its operations.

    “It was tough back then...”

    Many underestimated the Resource Division, assuming it was just a matter of sorting and managing inventory.

    But reality hit differently when faced with the scale and complexity of the job.

    Kim smirked, amused by Su-ho’s optimism. “Let’s see if that confidence holds up.”

    Handing Su-ho two sheets of paper, Kim said, “Here’s a condensed version of the test. Start by retrieving the items listed here.”

    “Understood. Where should I bring them?”

    “I’ll wait at the warehouse entrance. Just bring them there.”

    With that, they reached the warehouse, and Su-ho was struck by its enormity.

    The Warehouse

    The sprawling, multi-tiered structure was filled with towering shelves stacked with countless items. Workers in helmets and uniforms bustled about, shouting instructions.

    “Careful with that!”

    “Item 2a123ab coming up!”

    The atmosphere was bustling and intense.

    Suddenly, a worker shouted, “Heads up! A helmet’s falling!”

    Clang!

    A helmet fell from a high shelf, striking another worker square on the head. The worker collapsed on the spot.