Tomb Raider King

"What? Giving him pretty much everything isn’t working either?”

TKBM’s top executives were in uproar. Chairman Kwon was naturally a part of this group.

"Something really is weird.”

“That’s right. There’s no way Seo Ju-Heon would do something like this…!”

Based on Ju-Heon's abilities alone, it would not be weird to see him claiming his authority like this.

However, Ju-Heon had not been able to do something like this until now because they had hostages.

‘It’s at the level where regular healing artifacts won't work.’

It seemed reasonable that someone being treated like this would say screw this, I'm going off on my own, make things better or else, but…

“He normally wouldn’t even think about doing something like this after that incident in the past.”

That was right.

Ju-Heon had not been treated like this by TKBM from the beginning.

‘My goodness. Mr. Ju-Heon, you're so talented.’

‘You cleared a tomb that nobody has been able to clear…!’

‘Sunbae-nim. I have a lot to learn from you, please take good care of me.’

There had even been a faction at TKBM with Ju-Heon at the center in the past.

The problem was that Chairman Kwon hated it.

Why?

‘It’s bad if that bastard has people following him.’

Talented bastards were bound to dream of independence. He was scared that the others around him might say something that would make Ju-Heon aim for his position.

‘That bastard is talented enough to easily become a Monarch.’

He couldn't let something like that happen.

But the factions were already being developed within the company.

‘Wow, don’t you think that Mr. Ju-Heon is actually more skilled than the Chairman-nim?’

‘Yes. Why are you rotting here instead of going off on his own? You're strong enough to create your own company. TKBM is a well-known company but you could easily aim to become a Monarch.’

‘I’ll go with you if you leave. Hmm?’

‘I heard rumors that TKBM is holding some people important to Mr. Ju-Heon hostage……’

That was extremely bad for Chairman Kwon.

Most importantly, Chairman Kwon found it loathsome and scary that Ju-Heon might start having ideas of leaving.

That was why he completely shut it down.

He created a rift between Ju-Heon and the people who liked Ju-Heon and supported him in the company.

‘What did you say? Ju-Heon did that? He stole Team 2's merits?’

He also killed off the people who were urging Ju-Heon to leave while making it look like Ju-Heon had done it.

‘Damn it! Chairman Kwon locked all of us in here!’

But the rumor that spread around the company was…

‘My goodness. He was so greedy for money that he betrayed the people who were supporting him. Apparently he left Team Chris inside the tomb.’

‘I heard he used them as shields and was the only one to make it out alive.’

‘He must be crazy. How can he betray their goodwills like that? How…?!’

‘I didn’t think he was that kind of person, but he's a total psychopath. How can the Chairman-nim hire a bastard like that…?!’

‘Don’t get close to him. You'll probably just end up being used as well. No wonder he just goes around raiding tombs instead of excavating like normal people.’

Ju-Heon ended up as a loner at TKBM after that. There were lots of negative gossip about his Unsanctioned Excavation Team as well.

That was how Ju-Heon's entire tomb raiding team ended up branded as terrible.

The team members felt wronged and wanted to reveal that all of the rumors about Ju-Heon were lies fabricated by Chairman Kwon, but Ju-Heon told them to stop.

‘I just crossed a line that I should have never crossed with Chairman Kwon.’

‘But Captain-nim, you didn't even do anything…!’

‘You didn't even have any plans of creating your own faction.’

Unfortunately, Chairman Kwon was an extremely suspicious person.

Ju-Heon knew better than anybody else that Chairman Kwon would not be happy unless he towered over everybody else.

‘This is his way of stealthily giving me a warning.’

Don’t think about running from his paradise and know your place.

Ju-Heon had known that was the case from the moment he joined TKBM, so he kept his mouth shut.

‘But this feels so wrong!’

‘It’s good enough for me that you guys know the truth.’

In addition, Ju-Heon could not do anything about it.

All he could do was remain silent to show that he had no plans of rebelling against Chairman Kwon.

What happened after that was obvious. The employees who didn't know about the incidents probably didn't want to get on Chairman Kwon’s bad side.

‘That team pretty much has a target on their backs. Don’t even pretend to be close to them unless you want to be implicated as well.’

‘The company has no choice but to hold onto them because of Pandora.’

‘Ah, the Executive Director-nim really hates that team. He would probably be happy if you screw them over and cuss them out.’

They naturally read the atmosphere of the company and used Ju-Heon's team for their own benefits.

Ju-Heon turned into the company's pushover because he didn’t react to anything people did so that he could resolve Chairman Kwon's suspicions.

As for the people who were drawn toward Ju-Heon because of his abilities despite the drama, the people above stepped in.

‘Hey… Your merits are lacking.’

They compared those people with Ju-Heon to crush their confidence and make them loath Ju-Heon. If that didn't work, they would fire the person.

That cycle pretty much continued for a long time.

But this guy who should have known his place after being ignored by his fellow employees suddenly caused a ruckus?

“My goodness, we were trying to be nice because it seemed as if he had suddenly gone crazy.”

Chairman Kwon seemed to have prepared a big carrot for Ju-Heon. Ju-Heon had done a lot of good things for him lately as well.

“But it's bad if he doesn't know his place and keeps up these shenanigans.”

“It should be okay because we told people this is because of an artifact’s risk.”

The board members frowned.

“I guess we need to teach him a lesson like last time…”

“That’s right. It would be bad if he became even more arrogant and aimed for the Chairman-nim's position.”

“No matter how crazy that bastard is, he wouldn't cast aside his sister.”

They smiled wickedly and started plotting ways to stop Ju-Heon.

They had no idea that all of it would be useless.

While that was going on…

[I'm sure of it, Seo Ju-Heon is very close to the Cradle.]

The apocalypse artifacts were grinding their teeth while looking at Ju-Heon.

[This bastard will end up calling up the Cradle if this continues.]

The apocalypse artifacts determined that things could end up bad for them.

[Use the Time and Space artifact to send our allies over! Seo Ju-Heon should not be able to use the Majesty's powers properly over there so they should be able to take care of him!]

Some of the strongest apocalypse artifacts quickly disappeared.

[Don't worry too much. That dimension already has some of our allies hidden among the humans.]

[That is true.]

[But should we do a few more things just in case?]

The apocalypse artifacts’ eyes flashed.

The former Majesty, who had been listening in on their conversation, frowned.

The person responsible for sending Ju-Heon there seemed extremely anxious.

‘We won’t be able to last long like this.’

The apocalypse artifacts would probably try to destroy the world in a few hours.

That was why he hoped Ju-Heon would figure it out quickly.

‘The Cradle should be close to you in that timeline.’

The former Majesty that had been turned into an artifact desperately hoped for Ju-Heon to get it right.

‘My descendant, you might not believe it but suspect everything without casting it aside. Even things you think you know very well…! Don’t ignore those things!’

As that was going on…

“Haaaa, are those disgusting artifacts really the Cradle?”

Ju-Heon seemed to be accepting the inevitable as he was heading toward Irene.

It was still too hard to believe.

‘The Cradle is supposed to be the overlord even among the Treasures.’

If the Treasures were the Majesty's personal assistants, the Cradle was the leader. It was so strong that it could lead all of the artifacts.

“But those shitty things are that supreme Treasure?”

‘There’s definitely something wrong.’

His instincts were telling him that they weren’t it.

If those dirty artifacts were the Treasure, there was no way that Prometheus or Pandora wouldn't have noticed.

The reason he was still heading toward Irene was because he needed to be sure.

Or maybe he just wanted to see Irene.

It didn’t matter.

“You contacted the Monarch of Destitution properly, right?”

Jaeha, who was sitting on a park bench, started scratching his butt.

“Hmph, like hell I did. I would have to be crazy…”

Ju-Heon cracked his knuckles before June who was next to him anxiously stopped him.

“He did! I saw the Section Chief-nim contacting her!”

“Are you sure?”

“Yes sir, I think so…”

June peeked toward Jaeha who started shouting in anger.

“Yes, I said I did! Ugh!”

“-sir. Make sure to add sir.”

"Fuck, I did it, sir! Let go of me! Do you really need to do this to me in front of the intern! This guy barely joined the team!”

“I'm teaching him early on not to end up as an idiot like you.”

Jaeha glared at June who came as the baggage boy and took his anger out on June.

“Man, did you fake your gender to join us? You look so pretty. Tsk, both the Captain and the Recruiting team only care about the looks. Haaaa, can you even pull your own weight in a tomb? Huh? You'd probably be the first one to run for it.”

“I don’t think that’s something you should be saying, you son of a bitch.”

“Uuuuugh! Ow, that’s not it…!”

Ju-Heon was waiting for Irene at the discussed location.

He used Jaeha to say that, ‘the item I sent seems to have some flaws so let’s meet up.’

She should respond to that.

Of course, Jaeha who had been dragged here, felt as if he would die.

“Hey. Let’s be honest, she’s going to think it is suspicious! Who would not be suspicious about a message saying come to such a secluded area because there’s a sudden flaw in the item?! She’ll probably show up with the US army!”

Ju-Heon seemed calm while looking at the clock at the park.

“You also told her what I told you?”

“What?! The thing about how to revive her family?! The way to get rid of the curse? I did tell her, but there’s no way she would believe that…”

It was at that moment.

“Do you really know a way?”

“?!”

Jaeha jumped in shock after hearing a familiar voice. The person who appeared at the park was someone who was so beautiful that people might say that a goddess had descended on Earth.

It was Irene.

“I hope you’re not lying.”

Irene looked extremely beautiful as she took her sunglasses off. She was just wearing a simple jacket but her long blonde hair made it seem as if she was glowing.

Of course, this Irene who was the Monarch of Destitution didn't have any signs of a smile on her face.

She had a stiff expression and seemed to trust nobody.

She gave off the feeling of an Ice Queen. This was probably her normal face in this timeline.

‘But she’s still so pretty.’

Ju-Heon smiled bitterly. He had not noticed in the past, but he felt emotional because he now knew Irene’s situation.

But Jaeha truly seemed shocked.

“What the hell? She really showed up? And she's alone? She didn't bring the US troops with her? For real?”

Jaeha knew a lot about Irene as they were both Monarchs. This was something that would normally never happen. Irene ignored him and just peeked toward Ju-Heon.

“I don't trust anything you have to say. But Mr. Seo Ju-Heon…said that he knows how to save my family and get rid of the curse.”

Jaeha clapped in amazement.

“Wow, shit. You really believed that?”

Irene instantly started glaring.

“Then it really was a lie?!”

“Huh? N, no, that…!”

Irene bit down on her lips. Jaeha had no credibility while she didn’t really know Ju-Heon.

They had only seen each other’s faces while she met with Chairman Kwon.

But Ju-Heon was the right hand man for Chairman Kwon, the person who had monopolized all healing artifacts. She thought that he might know a way.

Irene’s eyes flashed once more while biting down on her pale lips.

“Then the thing about the flaw?”

She then pulled the perverted artifacts out of her bag. Jaeha screamed after something long came out of the bag.

“Hey! Don’t carry things like that in your bag!”

“You better have called me here to give me the right item after sending me the wrong one.”

Jaeha's voice quieted to a whisper.

“N, no……I have no intention of exchanging that…”

Irene’s chaotic aura of destitution started to reach out. Jaeha screamed thinking that he was dead while Ju-Heon flinched.

[The chaotic aura of destitution is threatening you.]

[It is strong enough to scorch this whole area.]

[It is extremely dangerous.]

[The perverted artifacts are starting to be destroyed by the power of destitution.]

It was at that moment.

Ju-Heon pulled Irene toward him and hugged her.