Conquering the Tower Even Regressors Couldn't-Chapter 112: Twenty-Einth Floor, The Deck Stained by Betrayal (1)

[4 hours 59 minutes until the rest period ends. Please take a rest.]

“Kriee! Su-Yeok is here!”

Barely a moment after I returned to the waiting room, Doppy burst through the training room door. Streams of sweat trickling down its bald head suggested that it had been training quite diligently during my absence.

“What’s this, Doppy? Have you been training all by yourself?”

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“Kriee! That’s right! Trained! Goblin was bored!”

“Oooh, impressive!”

I had expected it to just be lazing around in bed, but instead, it had surprised me. Proud, I gently patted its smooth head. My fingers came away slick with sweat, but it didn’t bother me at all.

“Hurry and freshen up. Let’s go grab something to eat after.”

“Kriee! Sounds great! Steak!”

Having gone for a swim, I was feeling rather hungry myself. Doppy beamed and scurried off toward the bathroom.

Since the twenty-eighth floor hadn’t been very intense, I didn’t bother to check my status window for any updates. Instead, I decided to send a message to Ha Hee-Jeong as I was curious about the staff we had retrieved from the treasure chest.

- Kwon Su-Hyeok (Twenty-ninth Floor): Hey Hee-Jeong, how’s the staff? Is it any good?

- Ha Hee-Jeong (Twenty-ninth Floor): Yeah, it’s pretty decent. I think it’ll serve me well for a good while.

- Kwon Su-Hyeok (Twenty-ninth Floor): What are its specs?

- Ha Hee-Jeong (Twenty-ninth Floor): It reduces mana consumption and boosts magical power. It’s also specialized for fire mages, so it suits me quite well.

Although her message was brief, I sensed that Ha Hee-Jeong was rather pleased with her find. Only long-time friends, like her and me, could communicate in such a manner.

Until now, she had been using a low-tier staff, focusing more on assisting me than empowering herself. It was gratifying to see her finally get a weapon that matched her capabilities.

I couldn’t help but smile.

- Ha Hee-Jeong (Twenty-ninth Floor): Thanks.

- Kwon Su-Hyeok (Twenty-ninth Floor): Ah, there’s nothing to thank me for. You only did that because you were looking out for me.

- Ha Hee-Jeong (Twenty-ninth Floor): Still, gratitude is gratitude.

- Kwon Su-Hyeok (Twenty-ninth Floor): Alright, alright. I picked it out with you in mind anyway. Get some rest after you eat. We’ve got the twenty-ninth floor to tackle next.

- Ha Hee-Jeong (Twenty-ninth Floor): Sure, I’ll talk to you later~

***

[1 hour 27 minutes until the rest period ends. Please take a rest.]

With how brief the last floor was, the waiting room’s allotted rest period was equally as short. Still, I managed to complete two rounds of combat training even with the shortened rest, though Illusion Resistance frustratingly refused to level up.

I had hoped to raise it to at least level 4. Perhaps the enemies I was training against couldn’t level it any further.

Tossing myself onto the bed, I dried my hair and considered passing the time by checking the Community.

[Did anyone get anything worthwhile on the twenty-eighth floor?]

[lol. I opened a chest and got my Agility reduced by 4.]

[Wow, thought my shabby bow was unlucky, but maybe I got off easy.]

[Is it true someone pulled a Unique-grade sword? Or is that just a rumor? ]

[Selling a spear earned from a hidden mission on the twenty-second floor. PM me for details.]

[Obviously a lie, haha. That guy’s my teammate, and he is devastated since he lost 7 Strength.]

[Seems like the last floor contained 80% traps, 10% junk, and 10% treasure.]

Most posts were filled with tales from the previous floor. Even a quick skim revealed that the floor had been anything but normal, as the vast majority of climbers ended up with bizarre pulls.

Eighty percent chance for a chest to be trapped. Wow.

The trial was less like hunting for treasure and more like surviving a minefield.

I guess you can call it a trap floor.

Unlike the floors every climber had conquered before, this last one was heavily luck-dependent. Even skills couldn’t guarantee success. Now it made sense why Ha Hee-Jeong had been so relieved by our reward from the twenty-seventh floor. Even I felt a sense of relief now that I looked back on it. My hard-earned stats had narrowly avoided disaster.

[Isn’t he a warrior? Why did he get a Strength reduction?]

[Idiots, two warriors were partnered. He lost at rock-paper-scissors, lol.]

[Even with a two-man party, you should coordinate the roles.]

[😂Lesson learned: always have a good party composition.]

[Instead of wasting time posting here, go train to restore what stats you can.]

The posters seemed surprisingly calm for having lost stats—or maybe I was mistaken?

As I scrolled further up, it became clear that the composure was just a facade. Not even two hours earlier, the Community had been in uproar, with a whirlwind of curses filling the posts.

I quickly scrolled back up.

[Still, wasn’t it nice to see the ocean after so long?]

[Let’s guess what’ll be on the twenty-ninth.]

[Yeah, it was really nice to take a swim. Well, everything was good until we opened the chest.]

[You’re just saying that because you got a treasure. I want to kill you all.]

[I liked seeing the ocean for the first time too!]

A few others seemed to share my thoughts, though perhaps that was because we were among the lucky few. After countless life-and-death trials, seeing the ocean was a genuine comfort.

Fondly recalling the time spent by the water with Ha Hee-Jeong, I closed the Community.

As per usual, it lacked useful information. With so many climbers posting rather than replying, the constant flow of new posts made scrolling a chaotic experience.

What will the twenty-ninth floor be like?

Unlike the series of floors we had just cleared, the next would be an individual challenge floor. Since it was positioned right before a rest area, there was no telling if I would face a different trial from the other climbers or not. Although Ha Hee-Jeong had shared some insights, prior knowledge wouldn’t make much of a difference.

If things don’t go as planned, please let the floor be luck-based.

Considering the last floor had concluded so quickly, I still had the fairy’s blessing for about another ten hours. It felt like a bit of a waste to use such a powerful luck boost on only a single chest.

Well, I would find out soon enough. Wishing for a specific outcome wouldn’t change anything.

Will Doppy be joining me on the next floor?

Being separated from Doppy for two floors in a row was unusual. We had rarely been apart since meeting each other, and it seemed a bit restless from its extended wait in the room.

Thankfully—according to Ha Hee-Jeong—Doppy would be by my side again soon.

There is no reason not to take a short break.

I didn’t feel particularly sleepy, but since I still had an hour left, I decided to at least rest my eyes. I adjusted the blanket that had slipped from Doppy’s bed, then lay in my bed.

***

[Welcome to the twenty-ninth floor of the Tower of Ordeal: The Deck Stained by Betrayal.]

[As a knight, you boarded a merchant ship to return to your homeland. Shortly after the voyage commenced, however, a mysterious murder occurred on board.]

[No clues were discovered at the scene of the crime, leaving the crew in a state of terror. You resolved to uncover the killer’s identity.]

[Identify the murderer. Time remaining: 95 hours and 59 minutes.]

Standing at the ship’s bow, I took in the calm waves stretching across the sea beneath the blazing sun. I drew in a deep breath, the salty scent of the ocean filling my senses.

Beside me, Doppy exclaimed in awe, “Kriee! The sea!”

Thankfully, it had joined me on the twenty-ninth floor.

I slowly checked the tower’s messages, quickly realizing this was a trial that Ha Hee-Jeong had warned me about. Yet, one problem remained.

I know the trial’s premise, but...

It didn’t help much.

Besides Doppy and myself, ten other crew members were on board. Unfortunately, the killer wasn’t predetermined, so each climber had to approach the floor differently. In other words, identifying the murderer would be no simple task.

I hope my extraordinary luck kicks in this time.

The reward for this floor would vary based on how many crew members survived. According to Ha Hee-Jeong, saving every crew member would result in a reward on par with a unique-grade item.

Some climbers had bragged about randomly accusing a crew member and, by sheer luck, hitting the mark. With my incredible luck, perhaps I could hope for a similar outcome.

If I accuse the wrong person, though, the penalty will be severe.

An incorrect accusation would incur a larger penalty than allowing another crewmate to die.

Hmm, observing the crew should give me some insights.

I could only hope that my luck would give me a sudden hunch like it had on the twenty-eighth floor.

A frantic shout from the stern interrupted my thoughts. An elderly sailor then hurried toward us, out of breath.

“C-captain! Lettry is dead!”

“What?”

“Lettry is dead?”

The crew, scattered across the ship, began rushing toward the back. Just as anticipated, I had been summoned during the aftermath of the second murder—an opportune moment to observe each of the crew members.

“Doppy, come with me.”

“Kriee! Got it!”

***

[Identify the murderer. Time remaining: 95 hours and 57 minutes.]

Ten crew members were gathered around a lifeless body sprawled across the deck. A heavy silence settled over them, broken only by the occasional low curse.

“Damn it, what’s going on here?”

“Who the hell is responsible for this?”

Though they huddled together, the crew’s mutual suspicion was evident in their uneasy glances. Regardless, one of the sailors gave me a respectful nod as I approached.

“Good day, Sir Knight.”

I paused, pondering how I should approach the situation. After a moment, I replied, “Yes, I heard one of the crew has been killed?”

“Sadly, yes. This is the second murder already. I can’t fathom why this is happening...” The sailor trailed off as I moved closer to the corpse.

I was hoping to find some clues, but a figure dressed like a captain had already beaten me to it and was already examining the corpse.

“Would you mind if I take a look?”

“Oh... of course, Sir Knight. You’d likely spot more than us sailors would.”

“Thank you.”

The captain stepped back, and I directed my attention to the body.

Lying face down, the torn fabric around the wound suggested their heart had been pierced from behind. The victim’s eyes had widened in shock, staring into the void.

After a moment’s observation, I found nothing particularly notable. Then I recalled a crime show I had watched back on Earth.

Maybe there is evidence of a struggle?

On Earth, investigators often examined the victim’s nails for signs of resistance. Sometimes, traces under the nails could lead to crucial forensic evidence. Of course, DNA analysis wouldn’t be possible here, but if there were signs of a struggle, I could examine the crew members for any fresh injuries.

I carefully lifted the victim’s hand. There was some grime under the nails, but nothing else.

After gently closing the victim’s eyes, I stood back up.

“Did you discover anything?”

“No, only that the killing blow was a single, precise strike. This wasn’t done by an amateur.”

The captain swore before abruptly turning toward one of the crew members. “Bolren! You were the one who found the body?”

“Yes, Captain.”

“And you also found Ark’s body, didn’t you?”

The crewmate paused before responding, “Yes.”

The other crew members turned to Bolren, giving him suspicious glares. His face flushed under the weight of their accusing stares.

Seizing the moment, I took another glance around the gathered crew, hoping I would get a hunch just off that. Unfortunately, my extraordinary luck wasn’t yielding any results yet.

Breaking the silence, Bolren shouted defensively, “It wasn’t me! Both times, I was following the first mate[1]’s orders!”

“Following Renek’s orders?”

“Yes, he told me to check the ropes. And when Ark died, he asked me to look for any signs of flooding!”

The captain shifted his gaze to the first mate, and the other crew members followed suit.

“Captain, are you suspecting me now?”

“Did you send Bolren to throw suspicion onto him? Once might be a coincidence, but twice is rather suspicious.”

“Nonsense! Those tasks are standard protocol! You know that as well as I do!”

“Yet they aren’t exactly a daily routine. How could you time it so precisely both times?”

The first mate let out an exasperated sigh. “Captain, we’ve sailed together for five years. You’re doubting me now? I barely know how to hold a weapon!”

The captain remained silent.

“And frankly, isn’t the knight here the most suspicious? He’s an outsider and the most skilled fighter here. Plus, he has that strange goblin with him. To be honest, I find him highly suspect!”

Ten pairs of wary eyes turned toward me, brimming with distrust.

Hmm... Things aren’t going as planned.

1. This is a key crew member responsible for navigation and overseeing the vessel’s day-to-day operations, second only to the captain in authority. ☜