-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 12
Chapter Title: Overtime (3)
-----------------------------------------------------------------
"First off, we need to establish a solid reporting system and standardized report formats."
I replied in a very confident tone.
As if I knew everything about the world.
Even though I was just a fifteen-year-old punk who'd barely been in the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult for ten days.
"With a reporting system and formats in place, handling tasks afterward will be much smoother. For example, the death warriors won't need to personally run around checking every situation like this time. They can just review the reports that come up from below and check for any discrepancies."
As I spoke, I continued my explanation tailored to the realities of modern Korean civil servants.
"We need to specialize. No one person should handle all tasks in a region. That's where the specific reporting system and fixed formats I mentioned earlier come into play."
Once tasks are subdivided and specialized like that, dozens of departments will naturally form.
"Then, each field department can relay situations through reports, and process tasks according to the instructions from above."
As a result, the buck-passing that plagues Korean government offices begins.
Work gets delayed as reports travel from the field to the top, and often, meddling middle managers trying to dodge responsibility make reports vanish into thin air.
"Also, if someone keeps handling the same tasks, there's a risk of corruption. So, we should rotate regions or departments at regular intervals to prevent close ties with locals or industry players."
This was one of the most burdensome aspects of Korean civil service work.
Department rotations under the guise of preventing corruption.
In reality, it was one of the things civil servants dreaded most.
The biggest reason? They only moved you to a new department—no proper handover.
"With detailed reporting systems and formats already set, there shouldn't be any issues picking up work even after a rotation."
The response you'd always get from asking the previous occupant?
- Just check the manual.
- Everything's in the forms if you dig.
- I'm busy adapting here myself—figure it out on your own.
Yeah, sure.
They'd been dragged to another department just like I had once.
But still.
'So, where are all the reports and files you made while working? I was hoping to study them...'
- Why would I leave those? They're mine. Copied them to a USB and deleted everything, obviously.
'...'
You could at least leave some traces of the work you did.
'You fucking bastards!!'
Memories from my civil servant days flooded back unbidden, and I nearly yelled out loud by mistake.
Thanks to that goddamn predecessor, I had to pull all-nighters poring over manuals and forms just to adapt to the new job.
A life light-years away from the work-life balance I dreamed of.
In short, the civil service way of handling work was riddled with problems, despite its shiny justifications.
Obsessively citing "responsibility" and sticking rigidly to manuals and report formats made routine tasks quick, but exceptions or complaints dragged on endlessly.
And catching corruption by comparing reports to the field?
Even idiots could fudge reports after a few years on the ground and skim plenty.
It was less common now, but any team leader or higher in real estate, construction, or development could skim if they wanted.
To curb that corruption, they introduced department rotations—the absolute worst system that drove rank-and-file civil servants insane.
That was why I confidently explained this shiny-on-the-surface, problem-ridden system.
I wanted them to spot the flaws.
No—even if they didn't, as long as they realized it didn't fit the cult, that was fine.
Before I died, in that community where "No One Held a Knife to Your Throat" trended.
I remembered a post from some company's HR rep, a mix of gripe and advice for new hires and interns.
The gist? Over-eagerness to shine was a bad move.
A clueless newbie who hadn't even adapted yet, constantly pitching "innovations" just looked pathetic.
To push real change, you first had to fully grasp how the company ran.
What mid-level managers and above wanted from newbies? One thing: adapt quickly and learn the ropes.
So, I did the opposite—acted just like that overzealous newbie from the post.
A punk who'd barely been here ten days, clueless about how the cult operated.
Acting like hot shit, spouting a shiny new system like I'd bring revolution.
A system that was all gloss, no substance.
'Now they'll see me as a pitiful fool, right?'
Eager, somewhat clever, but missing the big picture—a bit disappointing.
Just your standard overenthusiastic rookie.
That's what I wanted them to think.
But...
'...What?'
For some reason, Master looked at me like he was about to burst with pride.
"Hahahahaha! Master, looks like our little junior's sharper than we thought."
Eldest Senior Brother burst into his signature idiot laugh, grinning ear to ear.
"..."
"..."
Third and Sixth Senior Brothers said nothing—one glared darkly, the other stared in surprise.
"He even considered corruption among field workers. It's a system that accounts for our cult's doctrines too, right, Master?"
Not content with that, grinning idiot Eldest Senior Brother spouted nonsense.
"Heh heh heh. Just as you say. Humans are inherently wicked by nature. I, the Heavenly Demon, can't inspect every follower daily. But rotating departments and regions solves it so simply. Heh heh heh."
And Master chuckled along, pleased as punch.
I felt wronged.
I hadn't even thought to tie it to cult doctrines.
'I avoided doctrine books like the plague, except when forced to study, just to dodge brainwashing.'
Had I been brainwashed without knowing?
'No. Whatever I say, these guys will twist it to fit the doctrines.'
Religious fanatics, cult or not, were all the same.
Any event? 'This must be heaven's will,' quoting scripture.
But that wasn't the point now.
Why were these people taking a clueless punk's ramblings so seriously?
Especially Third Senior Brother's icy glare—it chilled me.
'No more sleeping easy.'
I could picture him sneaking into my quarters under moonlight, unleashing Shadowless Fourteen Hands on my neck.
As I swallowed dryly at the thought.
"Hahaha! This, this. If our little junior's smarter than us seniors, then to avoid shame, we must strive harder from now on. Strive even more!"
Eldest Senior Brother's oblivious praise poured out.
I inwardly sighed, feeling like my bid to look dumb had backfired into drawing more attention.
Then Master posed a question.
"Jin-hak's right—it's a brilliant idea. But no matter how I think, for an orphan inn boy like you, Il-mok, to come up with this alone seems a bit much."
The seniors' eyes snapped back to me.
Looks demanding to know my true identity.
My amateurish know-it-all act had backfired, painting me as a suspiciously genius instead.
Maybe sensing mortal danger, my brain spun faster than usual, and a decent excuse popped up.
"I've been listening to Master and the senior brothers, pondering how to make work easier. But for some reason, my thoughts wouldn't stop—they kept going until I found the 'perfect' way."
Fortunately, Master played right into it.
"Oh? Thoughts wouldn't stop until the perfect method came? Seems like a side effect of the Soul-Stealing Heartless Sword."
"Ah! Now that you mention it, it must be that martial art."
I'd successfully played the clueless newbie swayed by demonic art side effects—one oblivious to the cause.
My acting landed perfectly—Master muttered "Indeed" and stroked his beard.
The seniors' eyes shifted back to him.
After pondering, Master let out a hearty laugh.
"Heh heh heh. Looks like I found a proper disciple in my old age. Not even ten days since starting martial arts, and side effects already? Not just brains—your cultivation's excellent too."
With Master's lavish praise, the seniors' eyes returned to me.
"..."
My strategy of hiding the little disciple's talent? Dead in the water.
At this point, it was no different from flaunting it.
'Or the little disciple flaunts talent and gets his head lopped off by a senior brother...'
Amid the turmoil from Master and the seniors' stares, Master added one last thing.
"Heh heh heh. Come to think, we've talked too much work at a gathering for brotherly bonds. We'll discuss details separately—so let's enjoy the drinks today. Il-mok, I'll call you later to summarize our talk."
Overtime after overtime confirmed.
* * *
Uncharacteristically for an old-timer, Master didn't bring up work again after that.
The issue? Oblivious Eldest Senior Brother kept praising me mid-conversation, forcing me to meet Third Senior Brother's icy glares each time.
But fortunately—or not—that day, no special guests visited Wind Rock Hall for three days.
No Third Senior Brother sneaking in at night with a blade, no Master summoning me for overtime yet.
Over those three days, chatting with Jin Ha-yeon revealed why they treated me like a genius.
'I didn't realize they handled things so primitively...'
Probing her subtly, I learned the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult's work was pure ad-hoc chaos.
Thinking about it, it made sense.
Even if Korea's civil service got flak for being outdated, conservative, and rigid.
It was worlds more refined than a medieval wuxia fantasy setup.
This was a cult, not even a palace—just blind obedience to the leader's "Do it!" with no system.
No wonder they gawked like primitives seeing new tech at my flawed bureaucracy pitch.
'Damn.'
I had my excuse: sudden dinner catch, no time to scout details.
More than that, I'd overestimated Master subconsciously.
Not brainwashed—just awed by his occasional majesty.
With such a great leader, I assumed some structure existed.
I'd overlooked that even legends were products of their era.
But spilt milk.
To survive the seniors' unpredictable wrath—and crucially, next year's Demonic Path Academy exam—I couldn't slack on training.
Especially with Master promising overtime soon.
So, four days of routine amid anxiety over unannounced visitors.
Finally, a guest arrived.
"What brings you here, Miss Seon-a?"
A cute little girl who looked no older than early teens.