A steady pain throbbed behind my eyes when I awakened.
I sighed, massaging my temples. Crap. I didn't drink that much, but the fatigue from yesterday must have intensified its effects.
The room was still dark, the artificial glow from the city barely filtering through the reinforced windows. I sat up, exhaling slowly. The meeting card was still on my bedside table, right where I'd left it.
I turned the card over in my hands, reading the address again. My fingers tightened around the edges. This wasn't a request. It was practically a government order. Evaluations were how they tracked workforce efficiency, skill progression, and potential threats. If I skipped it, they'd come looking.
My sole hope was that the government would support me if they found out about my SSS-rank Job title. However, that was a risk. The system had already betrayed me once-who could assure me it wouldn't happen again?
I got up and brushed away the final traces of slumber. I had to get ready.
The building loomed ahead, a massive structure of reinforced steel and darkened glass. Unlike the chaotic energy of the Hudson Bridge project, this place was cold, efficient, deliberate. No unnecessary movement. No wasted effort.
Armed guards lined the entrance, standing rigid at their posts. Surveillance drones hovered overhead, tracking every movement. People moved in and out of the building with purpose, some leaving with relieved expressions, others looking pale and shaken.
I adjusted my jacket and stepped forward.
The main lobby was expansive, its ceiling stretching far higher than it needed to. Large, wall-mounted monitors displayed various government mandates, worker statistics, and evaluation results. A few people sat in waiting areas, some fidgeting nervously, others scrolling through their system interfaces.
I approached the front desk, where a woman in a dark blue uniform sat typing away. Her ID badge read Rebecca Kline.
Job: Administrative Coordinator (A-Rank)
Efficient Processing (Lv. 6): Speeds up document handling and task management.
Memory Recall (Lv. 8): Enhances retention and recollection of relevant information.
Personnel Assessment (Lv. 7): Grants insight into a worker's history, performance, and reliability.
Top of the line personnel regardless of position huh?
She glanced up, her expression professional but neutral. "How can I help you?"
I slid the meeting card across the counter. "I have an evaluation test scheduled for today."
She picked it up and read it, her fingers pausing slightly over the text. Her brows lifted, and for the first time, her neutral expression cracked.
"You... got a reevaluation?" Her voice had a hint of disbelief.
I kept my expression unreadable. "That's what the card says."
Rebecca's eyes darted between me and the slip, as if double-checking its authenticity. Then, her professional demeanor snapped back into place. "Follow me."
She led me down a series of sterile white hallways, the sound of our footsteps muffled by the pristine flooring. After a few turns, she stopped in front of a door and gestured. "Inside. Someone will be with you shortly."
The room was minimalistic—just a single desk, a chair, and a large, opaque window on the far side. But I wasn't alone.
Evelyn stood at the desk, her back turned to me, speaking into a phone.
Evelyn was always composed. Always in control. But right now?
She held the phone firmly, her knuckles pale. Her stance was stiff, her shoulders strained. And her voice—her typically assured, exact tone—was trembling.
I couldn't hear the full conversation, but then—
Deep. Powerful. Resonating through the room despite coming from the phone's speaker.
I didn't even understand the words, but the second they reached my ears, my knees buckled.
I caught myself on the desk, barely managing to stay upright. But Evelyn—she wasn't as lucky. She collapsed to her knees, her free hand trembling against the floor.
The voice didn't just carry authority. It commanded obedience.
The sheer force behind it made my entire body lock up. My breath came in short, uneven gasps as I tried to resist, but it was like trying to push back against an avalanche.
Then Evelyn spoke—her voice cracking under the weight of it.
"Yes... Mister World President."
I forced myself to breathe, my fingers gripping the desk hard enough to hurt. My vision swam as I tried to process the implications.
There was a World President? Someone who stood at the absolute top of the system?
My pulse pounded in my ears. For years, I had cursed the system. The very thing that had trapped me in F-Rank, that had dictated my life's worth with a single title. And now, standing at the peak of it all, at the peak of the society who treated me like trash, was him.
For a brief, dangerous moment, something inside me burned with pure, unfiltered hatred.
I wasn't strong enough. Not yet. I could barely stand just from hearing his voice. If I wanted revenge—if I wanted answers—I needed to be patient. I would deal with Nathan first, then go from there.
I took a silent step back and knocked on the doorframe, acting as if I had just entered.
The pressure vanished instantly.
Evelyn stiffened, her head snapping toward me. But in a single breath, she composed herself, standing up with the same confidence she always carried. She spoke quickly into the phone, ending the call, before facing me fully.
"You're here." Her voice was back to normal—controlled, unreadable. "Good."
She walked toward me, her usual calculating gaze scanning my face. If she had been shaken just moments ago, she gave no indication now.
"Congratulations," she remarked, placing her hands together behind her. "Reassessments rarely occur. You performed well yesterday."
I shrugged, keeping my expression neutral. "Guess I got lucky."
Evelyn remained unresponsive. Rather, she pointed to the middle of the room, where a luminous orb lay on a pedestal.
"Here is the Evaluation Orb. Place your hand on it."
These orbs were designed a century ago by the greatest professionals of that era using their skills including scanning skills similar to mine. I hesitated for half a second, then stepped forward and did as instructed.
The orb pulsed, and a system interface appeared—one that both Evelyn and I could see.
Job : Construction Worker (B-Rank)
Endurance Boost (Lv. 3)
Heavy Lifting (Lv. 2)
Material Efficiency (Lv. 2)
Team Coordination (Lv. 6)
Structural Reinforcement (Lv. 2)
Precision Engineering (Lv. 2)
Fast Assembly (Lv. 2)
Rapid Deconstruction (Lv. 1)
I barely held back my reaction.
My true job title wasn't listed.
Neither was my special skill.
For a split second, I was stunned. But then—understanding.
The orb only detected known categories. And since my job title, "Jobmaster", and my copy ability weren't known classifications, the orbs were never made to recognize them.
A slow, careful exhale.
Evelyn studied the results before nodding. "Impressive. A jump from F-Rank to B-Rank isn't common."
I forced a relaxed expression. "I had good people to learn from."
She didn't respond immediately, but after a moment, she reached into a trapdoor and pulled out a small, sleek card.
"This is your updated worker ID. It reflects your new rank and skills."
I took it, examining the embedded data chip. This wasn't just identification—certain areas had rank restrictions, meaning this could grant me access to places I previously couldn't enter.
Then she handed me something else.
I opened it—and my breath hitched.
I looked up, but Evelyn's expression was unreadable. "Consider it compensation for years of you being B-Rank without us noticing."
I closed the briefcase. My mind was already spinning with possibilities.
Whatever the government's motives were, one thing was clear—they were paying attention.
And that meant I needed to be more careful than ever.
Job Title:Jobmaster (Rank SSS)
Endurance Boost (Lv. 3): Reduces fatigue from manual labor
Strategist (Lv. 3): Improves planning and problem-solving abilities
Heavy Lifting (Lv. 2): Boosts physical strength, making it easier to carry heavy objects
Material Efficiency (Lv. 2): Optimizes use of resources, reducing waste and improving precision
Team Coordination (Lv. 6): Enhances team management and leadership
Structural Reinforcement (Lv. 2): Improves the stability and durability of structures
Precision Engineering (Lv. 2): Enhances accuracy in measurements and construction
Fast Assembly (Lv. 2): Increases speed in constructing frameworks and structures
Rapid Deconstruction (Lv. 1): Allows for swift and precise dismantling of specific structural components
Construction Worker (B-Rank)
Scan, Absorb, Destroy
Skill Copy (Ready for Use)
[3 Construction Worker Skill Keys]