The sudden appearance of a Diamond-grade player named Choi Junseok.
To the players who lived in a society that was practically a strict hierarchy, this was nothing less than a cataclysm that overturned the existing order.
‘Just what kind of ability did he awaken to receive treatment like that?’
‘The fact that appraisal is impossible is probably because the Player Management Office gave him some special item.’
‘Is there anyone who climbed the tower as a teammate with Choi Junseok?’
‘Even the top five guilds say they can’t confirm his affiliation?’
‘Does that mean he’s the unofficial strongest player managed by the state……?’
And all those rumors and guesses inevitably converged on a single thought.
‘Could that guy be Hamsu?’
Yet every single theory from the top-tier players shattered against one undeniable fact.
‘If Choi Junseok were Hamsu, then what are those two teammates supposed to be?’
There was one sentiment that every male player unanimously shared when evaluating Choi Junseok’s teammates.
‘Goddamn, I’m so jealous…?’
On top of that, weren’t those women’s abilities SS-rank and S-rank?
An SS-rank, an S-rank, and an unappraisable grade.
The existence of these three lent enormous weight to the hypothesis that the state was secretly raising special players.
Though tower climbing and the player domain had always been left to the private sector, there was no rule saying players belonging to the NIS or the Player Management Office couldn’t exist.
In fact, it would be stranger if they didn’t.
Given the current situation, the prevailing opinion was that the government had finally revealed players it had been hiding.
The Player Management Office could not possibly have failed to predict such a reaction.
No, everything was proceeding exactly as planned on the palm of their hand.
That was why Team Leader Kang had immediately tailed Lee Jiyu’s car and arrived at her shoot location.
The moment Lee Jiyu saw the man step out of the pursuing vehicle, she instinctively knew he was from the Player Management Office.
Lee Nayeon had recognized him instantly.
“I am Kang Jinsu from the Player Management Office.”
“Hello.”
Lee Nayeon had already detected his car following them with her sensing ability.
“You two know each other?”
At Lee Jiyu’s question, Lee Nayeon nodded.
“He is the one helping Player Choi Junseok.”
“Ah…”
She nodded as if she now understood.
“First, let’s get Nayeon-ssi’s makeup done… It’s fine if the two of you talk separately, right?”
“Of course.”
“Phew, finally I can breathe.”
In a corner of the shoot set.
Lee Jiyu and Kang Jinsu sat on folding chairs, watching the busy staff prepare from afar.
With a cup of coffee in front of them, Team Leader Kang also nodded as if he felt the same.
Hadn’t the past few days been nonstop running around without a moment to rest?
“If you’re in charge of anything related to Choi Junseok, it must be exhausting. I bet you’ve been through plenty of life-or-death situations too?”
At those words, Team Leader Kang gave a wry smile and shook his head.
“Surprisingly, there hasn’t been any real danger of dying… but now I’m not so sure. Choi Junseok-ssi has started to show himself little by little in player society.”
Lee Jiyu shrugged as if to say that part wasn’t her business.
But Team Leader Kang went straight to the point.
“The only person who knows Junseok-ssi’s true identity is you, Player Lee Jiyu.”
“Oh my… did you come here to threaten me?”
“Not a threat, just… a clear fact.”
“Then why not just keep Junseok-ssi out of the Player Settlement altogether? Why go out of your way to……”
“You mean why stir up unnecessary trouble.”
“As expected, you catch on fast. Is that what being an elite is like?”
“……It’s simple. You probably have a rough idea of the current mood in player society.”
“…It’s a complete mess.”
Team Leader Kang nodded as well.
“Even though we publicly announced the capture of the terrorists, anxiety that another attack could happen anytime is widespread.”
Of course it would be.
Buildings collapsed, players suddenly gunned down along with their families.
Everyone was connected by just one degree of separation.
“There must be a lot of questions about the Player Management Office’s ability to manage and protect players.”
Lee Jiyu nodded frankly and without reservation.
Leaning back in her leather pants, she gazed at Lee Nayeon approaching from afar.
The makeup and hair session had been short.
It was practically the equivalent of just dressing her up and lightly touching her hair before sending her out.
A judgment call from the makeup artist that nothing more was needed.
“Wow… she really is a goddess.”
Team Leader Kang nodded expressionlessly, clearly agreeing.
“My eyes didn’t deceive me.”
The Super Sonic sportswear she wore.
The outfit perfectly highlighted her firm, slender figure and perfect lines.
Even without any photo retouching, her visuals were already complete.
In fact, adding retouching would only diminish that natural charm.
“It wasn’t even custom-tailored to her measurements… and she still looks like that.”
“Representative, we’ll start shooting right away.”
“Ah, please be extra kind to Nayeon-ssi since it’s her first shoot.”
“Yes.”
“……That’s really her first time modeling?”
“Yes.”
“I genuinely thought she was a professional model… Where did you find such a gem?”
Just from that, Lee Jiyu already felt everything was set and nodded.
“Want to talk while having a cigarette?”
This wasn’t the kind of conversation to have in the middle of the shoot set.
The moment they stepped into a secluded area,
Team Leader Kang asked,
“Have you ever tried appraising her?”
“No?”
“She became SS-rank.”
“……Huh? SS-rank?”
“It’s real.”
“Has there ever been an SS-rank before?”
Team Leader Kang turned his head, exhaling cigarette smoke as he answered.
“There have been a handful throughout player history, but not zero. Items that raise grade exist. Probably fewer than two digits worldwide.”
“Wow… and with visuals like that on top? Player society is going to go insane.”
“Visuals aside, an unidentified SS-rank, an S-rank, and Choi Junseok whose grade can’t even be read, how do you think the players who saw the three of them will react?”
“You’re asking how people will respond to suddenly appearing powerhouses that were never reported before.”
“Yes.”
The questions about the Player Management Office’s competence would die down a little.
“They’ll think the government was secretly raising powerhouses all along.”
“Correct.”
“Won’t it be dangerous if Hamsu’s identity gets revealed?”
“There’s no return without risk. That part worries me too, but as long as information exists that they operate as a trio, it won’t be easy. Hamsu always acts alone.”
Lee Jiyu nodded.
“And just to add, the only person who knows about Hamsu is you, Player Lee Jiyu.”
“…Oh no, scary. Are you saying that if Hamsu’s identity ever comes out, I’ll be in danger too since I didn’t know anything?”
“If your alibi wasn’t even slightly solid, that could happen… but you don’t need to worry too much. If I judged there was even the tiniest real danger, I would have already……”
“Okay, stop right there. I’ll just live like an idiot who knows nothing. Don’t worry.”
“Then please take good care of things in the Player Settlement. I’m sure the three of them will cause quite a stir.”
That very evening.
Team Leader Kang’s prediction came true with perfect accuracy.
An unappraisable, unidentified Diamond-grade player.
On top of being seen with an S-rank player,
it was revealed that an SS-rank player was also part of Choi Junseok’s team.
“How was the shoot?”
“Um… yes. I’m still not sure if I did it right, but I’m back.”
The moment they entered the fine-dining restaurant again, the staff loudly advertised from the entrance that he was Diamond grade.
The head chef personally came out, bowed in greeting with thanks for visiting again, and guided them to the table himself.
Not only that, he served every dish personally and even explained each one.
Naturally, only the finest wines were paired.
Choi Junseok didn’t know much about taste, but he leisurely enjoyed it simply because it was “high-class.”
He paid no attention to the stiff expressions of the other top-tier players sitting nearby.
“SS-rank?!”
Someone couldn’t hold it in and choked on their food and started coughing.
The moment their shocked companion hastily appraised the woman beside Choi Junseok,
“SS—”
Everyone was inevitably stunned by the appearance of a grade they had never seen before.
Even Yoo Junhyuk, known for clearing the Incheon Magic Tower in the past, had only been S-rank.
SS-rank was a grade that could send shockwaves through the entire player society.
“Was SS-rank even possible?”
In an instant, another rumor began circulating in the Player Settlement.
‘The government definitely had human weapons hidden away.’
‘And they are by no means weak.’
The government’s image, which had been buried in the dirt, was instantly restored through its influence over the Player Settlement and the three unidentified powerhouses presumed to be state-affiliated.
So far, everything had gone according to the Player Management Office’s intentions.
The remaining issue was what came next.
Moreover, regarding these three unidentified, presumed state-affiliated underworld players,
one thing was crystal clear to everyone watching.
Choi Junseok stood at the center of the three, leading both the SS-rank and S-rank players.
That alone was enough to establish Choi Junseok as an unidentified super-powerhouse in player society.
‘If he has an SS-rank as a teammate, just how strong is he?’
‘Has that trio ever set a new tower record?’
‘It seems no one has ever climbed a tower with them, they only form teams among unofficial state players.’
‘Of course the government wouldn’t have just sat back and watched while leaving everything to the private sector.’
‘It’s an academic theory that when players register, exceptionally talented individuals are secretly recruited as unofficial state players.’
‘I heard some players actually received similar offers.’
‘There could be state-affiliated players mixed among us. Watch your words.’
‘Ha… but damn, those two women were insanely pretty………… I’m so jealous. Choi Junseok, how do I sign up to work for the government too?’
Above all, the male players were overwhelmingly jealous that two stunning beauties followed Choi Junseok around.
State-affiliated player? They didn’t even know what was so great about it, and it wasn’t particularly enviable.
They were already enjoying the highest status, authority, income, and fame a player could have.
But even so, beauties like that didn’t follow anyone around like assistants.
At the same time, that attention began morphing into envy and jealousy toward Choi Junseok.
That jealousy reached its peak the moment Lee Nayeon’s Super Sonic advertisement, released without any special editing, began airing.
Suddenly the internet and media started spotlighting Lee Nayeon.
Whenever she ate or went to the gym, people asking for autographs or hitting on her appeared at a rate of two or three per hour.
‘Just who the hell is Choi Junseok to have those two women glued to him 24/7?’
At the same time, one chilling rumor spread through player society.
Choi Junseok and those two beauties were supposedly using only one Diamond-class room as their residence.
It was the moment Choi Junseok’s position among top-tier players solidified in an instant.
And at the same time, one lingering question remained in everyone’s mind.
‘Just who is Choi Junseok?’