Fired Characters from an Idle Game

40. You Know That’s Tampering – (3)

Originally, I, Nam Jooyeon, wasn’t exactly polite, but I *was* a human being who respected elders and knew my place.

However, the world had been turned upside down overnight, and within this newly introduced system, I was undeniably powerful.

Which meant…

“You’re saying you couldn’t stand by and watch, and had to monitor me, trusting that I wouldn’t do things right on my own?”

So, this is what it means to have the clout to dress down high-ranking government officials with impunity.

What they call a power trip, I suppose.

Barely half a year ago, I was swallowing insults from my part-time job boss, not daring to utter a word. Now, I’m cornering the nation’s core power players and holding them hostage.

How did it come to this?

Well, the world’s already gone to hell, so a little more carnage probably won’t make much of a difference.

“So.”

In an instant, the tables had turned.

Everyone in the conference room was my prey.

“I was just having a cozy chat with a Chinese scout. Anyone got a problem with that? Step right up.”

I finished speaking and took a step to the side.

The movement shifted everyone’s gaze to the space I’d just vacated. Their eyes landed, inevitably, on the man at my feet: the congressman whose face I’d just slammed into the table.

He was shuddering in what looked like a fit. Seemed like he’d need some time to recover.

I felt a twinge of guilt, beating up a perfectly healthy man like that. But there was no choice. If I hadn’t shown them I meant business, they would’ve kept trying to butter me up.

“You think I’d be even a little scared of your Awakened Ones Management Act or those life sentences you were throwing around?”

A few days ago, maybe I would have been.

Frankly, I probably didn’t need to go this far.

But things were different now.

I’d just heard a shocking story from the Chinese scout and Mirian. The great calamity I’d accidentally unleashed – Karane, the Mother of Ill Omens – was condensing the lives of tens of millions to create her retinue.

Twenty million, no less.

Compared to that staggering number, what did the lives of a few people gathered here matter?

“….”

That fact, in a strange way, lessened the guilt I felt for what I was doing.

“Now, think about this. What do you think would happen if I summoned the Storm Dragon in here, right now?”

“….”

“Even the President, watching on video, or his precious underground bunker… how many strikes from the Rock Crusher do you think it could withstand?”

An Awakened One who could brazenly threaten to wipe out the nation’s leadership.

What else could you call that but a disaster?

Kang Sena was right. Awakened Ones, especially S-Class ones, were beyond the reach of conventional law enforcement.

So if they were going to come at me with force, I had to show them what I was capable of.

“Let me make one thing clear: summoning Tempestura and wiping out everyone in this room is nothing. A snap of my fingers, and it’s done. Your lives are hanging on my mood.”

“I am an existence beyond your control.”

The words, uttered with an unsettling calm, plunged the conference room into a chilling silence.

It was the Prime Minister who broke it, his face paling as he slammed his fist on the desk, rising to his feet.

“W-what!”

He spoke in a flurry, forgetting to adjust the glasses that had slid down the bridge of his nose.

“Ms. Nam Juyeon! Stop! There’s no turning back from this! You’re a killer! If you kill us, South Korea will surely… Ms. Nam Juyeon, you’ll be…”

“Are you trying to threaten me even in this situation?”

“…N-no… I didn’t mean it like that…”

“Threats are my prerogative. If I decide to make a mess of things here, does the government even have the capacity to deal with it? Is that your man there going to shoot me? You think I’d fall to a single bullet?”

I gestured toward the man standing against the wall, a broad-shouldered suit, likely here for security. He already had his hand on the holster at his hip.

He must be considering drawing his weapon if things went south.

A reasonable judgment, perhaps. The terrifying thing about Awakened ones is the calamity they wield, not necessarily their own inherent strength.

However, that only applied to the rank and file.

“Go ahead and shoot, if you think you can kill me.”

Truthfully, guns are frightening.

Getting shot is even more so.

Having fired one myself, I knew their power well.

That’s why I borrowed this from Selene.

[5☆ Shell of a Dead God]

Equipable items for Calamities can also be equipped by Awakened ones.

This item nestled within my coat is a defense specialized for massacres. Even with its base stats, it’s outstanding, but the added effect unconditionally blocks attacks below 3 stars.

And a gun, unless wielded by an Awakened one, doesn’t even qualify as a 1-star weapon.

“Let me make one thing clear. If you can’t kill me in one shot, it won’t end with just your death. Your family in Seoul will die too.”

The point being, I have nothing to fear.

I maintained a nonchalant expression as I addressed the guard.

“And one more piece of advice, I absolutely will not die from that bullet.”

The guard flinched.

The absurdity of actually delivering a line straight out of some B-movie washed over me.

Like the world, my mind must be falling apart.

How did I become such a cold-blooded creature?

The reason is simple.

[5★ Burned Saintess Selene is watching you.]

[5★ Maelstrom of the Northern Sea, Mirien, is watching you.]

A cataclysm capable of obliterating Earth single-handedly is watching me, so why would I cower before some government bigwig?

Rather, those I should fear are my own subordinates, not these suits before me.

“Th-that’s enough! Nam Juyeon-ssi! Understood! I understand perfectly, so please, quell your wrath!”

Finally, after a silence that felt like eons.

The Prime Minister ultimately signaled his surrender.

“Um… Nam Juyeon-ssi… what we wanted to say was… certainly not… to threaten or coerce, but rather… to seek a resolution through amicable discourse… that was the… intention…”

The Prime Minister’s words dwindled to a whisper.

It was because I had crossed my arms and furrowed my brow.

In the end, he abandoned his last vestige of pride.

“Um… I will concede that we were somewhat impudent… and I wish to offer my deepest apologies… please, spare my life.”

“Should have said that from the start.”

“If, until now, there has been anything that Awakened One Nam Juyeon-ssi found disagreeable in our association, we are more than willing to improve upon it… please, abate your anger…”

With the Prime Minister adopting such a submissive posture, the high-ranking officials in the conference room each added their own words of apology.

Yoo Junseo breathed a sigh of relief as the atmosphere eased in an instant.

I, too, had no intention of causing any more of a ruckus.

“The reason I was talking with the Chinese scout wasn’t to immigrate, but solely to pursue Actor.”

“…Ac-tor? The Lord of the Abyss?”

“Yes. That Actor. It seems he’s headed toward China now.”

Only then did the Prime Minister’s expression brighten.

Of course, clearing up misunderstandings is separate from the bigger problem.

“Therefore, I’ll say just one thing.”

And so, I raised my middle finger and continued.

“Stay out of my business.”

Truthfully, that was all I wanted to say.

*

Overthrowing the nation, replacing the cabinet – such grand narratives are meaningless at this point.

Rather, it benefited me to have a government with some semblance of structure, even if it was incompetent.

“Surely, there’s still much to secure within the nation’s system, no?”

Like, connections amongst Awakened, for instance.

“Nam Jooyeon-ssi!”

Yoo Junseo came rushing up behind me as I walked down the hallway, breathless.

He must have sprinted full-out, because he bent over with his hands on his knees, catching his breath for a long moment.

“What is it.”

“Ah, no, it’s… about what happened in the conference room earlier…”

Could it be that this Yoo Junseo intends to blame me?

Even after hearing that threat of his just minutes ago?

“Are you trying to act friendly now? To be honest, you’re not all that different from the rest of them.”

As I frowned, Yoo Junseo startled and shook his head vigorously.

“No, no, it’s not what you’re thinking, Nam Jooyeon-ssi!”

“Then what is it?”

“I just wanted to say this.”

Yoo Junseo cleared his throat and spoke.

“Nam Jooyeon-ssi, you were really awesome today!”

“…”

“Actually, it was something I should have done, I only ever imagined it, and then you, Nam Jooyeon-ssi, just appeared and did it! You were like a total hero, you know? Wow! Putting you at S-Rank was the best decision of my life!”

Yoo Junseo seemed to have taken that tense atmosphere from just a moment ago quite cheerfully.

His tone was full of sincerity.

It seems I’ve gained a follower; my head throbs.

Regardless, Yoo Junseo clasped both of my hands together and continued excitedly.

“So, listen? To also kind of tame those government b*stards, you should just take on the role of Bureau Chief, Nam Jooyeon-ssi…”

“No, thank you.”

“…Right, I suppose?”

“Just handle it flexibly, Yoo Junseo-ssi. They won’t be able to interfere much with the Bureau’s work for a while anyway. Fortify the system as much as possible. Make sure no Awakened suffer unnecessarily.”

My first impulse was to shake Yoo Junseo off. He, too, was clearly a man full of intentions to exploit me.

But I quickly reconsidered.

Maintaining a good relationship with Yoo Junseo, and the Bureau in general, was by no means a bad thing.

After all, this is a world headed towards ruin.

“Teaming up as partners, that’s only natural, isn’t it?”

And Yu Junseo was, among all the people I’d met, the easiest to handle.

“So, so that means I’m Ms. Nam Jooyeon’s dependable patron!”

“I suppose… wouldn’t you say so?”

“Oya! I’ll work hard!”

Just like that.

He was nodding vigorously, wearing a truly foolish grin.

*

“My liege, did the parley conclude well?”

“You were amazing, Actor!”

As soon as I returned to the base, the two great calamities greeted me.

The Sun-Kissed Saintess Selene and Mirien, the Tempest of the Northern Sea.

Truth be told, these two were a hundred times more terrifying to me than some measly president.

“Selene, I’m sorry. It seems I’ll have to keep using this equipment for a while.”

“It is of no consequence. I possess the Holy Flame Imprint. More importantly, it is proper for my liege to safeguard their body, rather than someone like myself.”

Selene’s expression was brimming with delight.

It seemed the riot I caused in the Management Bureau today resembled the ideal image of the ruler Actor that she desired. Mirien, well, that one would be happy no matter what I did.

“Anyway, Selene.”

“Yes, my liege?”

“Prepare. We have somewhere to go.”

“…Might I inquire as to where that place is?”

Selene’s face hardened, thinking I was going to China.

I wasn’t foolish enough to not know that meeting Karne right now was practically suicide.

“South.”

“…South, you say?”

“Indeed. South. We’re going to the Calamity Nest controlled by the Awakened Community.”

We’ll gather calamities there.

Karne, the Mother of Ill Omens, is creating her horde of retainers in China. Right now, she’s only a potential threat, but Karne’s ultimate goal is the world’s demise.

Eventually, we will inevitably face each other. By then, we need to have secured at least a minimum of forces to fight her horde.

[ Base Upgrade: Barracks ]

[ ■■■■□□□□□□ ]

[Experience Required: 800 Exp]

I tapped the Barracks Upgrade button four more times.

Immediately, a chilling sensation prickled my skin.

Turning, I saw Mirien tilting her head, looking at me.

“Actor… Me? Why aren’t you taking me?”

“….”

Caught off guard by her unexpected reaction, it wasn’t I, but Selene, who responded to Mirien’s words.

“…Isn’t it the Master’s wish for magic-flingers to stay home and play house? Just shut your trap and stay put.”

“Just because that b*tch has a hole punched in her face doesn’t mean she can use it as a mouth, does it? Should I add another, just to keep you company?”

The UFC match, about to erupt again, made me want to lose my mind.