Passing the Civil Service Exam.
Life’s second round.
I accepted the regression and learned of the Collection System’s existence.
【Collection System】 A system that collects taxes and raises various stats.
To catch a tiger, you must enter the tiger’s den; to become the Commissioner of the National Tax Service, you must first enter the National Tax Service.
The fastest path to becoming the Commissioner is passing the higher civil service examination.
But the 【Collection System】 had stage-based traits and rewards.
When passing the Grade 9 and Grade 7 civil service exams, and when passing the higher civil service exam, tremendous rewards were given each time.
I couldn’t perfectly understand the Collection System’s algorithm, but I interpreted it as a message to climb from the field step by step to the top.
“So I have to start with Grade 9 first?”
I decided to take the Grade 9 local tax officer exam.
There were two reasons.
First, to collect taxes and receive collection rewards.
Second, to forge a direct connection with Mayor Jang Samcheol of Haedong City Hall.
Mayor Jang Samcheol was a man who would use his position as an elected local government head as a stepping stone to become the Policy Chief of the ruling party.
To become the Commissioner of the National Tax Service, one must pass a confirmation hearing.
For the hearing report to be adopted, the support of National Assembly members—especially influential ones—is essential.
And so, my first target after regressing was challenging the Grade 9 local tax position.
“The civil service exam is all about memorization.”
I immediately dumped all 200 basic points of the Collection System into memorization.
【Ding】
【Your Memorization level increases.】
【Memorization LV1 → Memorization LV3】
【Your ability to remember and recall is enhanced.】
Pass or fail on the Grade 9 and Grade 7 civil service exams is determined by the ‘English’ subject.
Especially for the 2002 local civil service exam, English carried even more weight.
“Pass Grade 9, collect taxes, and claim every reward available.”
I judged that path to be the best shortcut to becoming the Commissioner.
***
“Wow! You’re the first one out again today?”
6:10 AM. University library.
Ma Seokdo, an active-duty police officer, approached me.
It was Ma Seokdo, who showed up at the library without fail to prepare for the police executive promotion exam.
“Yes.”
I answered briefly, then turned my gaze back to the English vocabulary book.
Ma Seokdo made an awkward expression.
“I don’t know about others, but you, Yi Ganghan, will definitely pass this local exam.”
Ma Seokdo put down a can of coffee with a chic expression and returned to his seat.
Ma Seokdo possessed a tsundere-like charm unbefitting his large frame.
After glancing at Ma Seokdo’s retreating figure, I went back to memorizing English words.
Whether it was because I’d raised my Memorization stat or just my imagination, English words definitely stuck better now.
gregarious, adjective
1. Fond of company, gregarious (=sociable)
2. Living in flocks/herds
3. Synonyms: sociable, social, company-loving
An English word from a previous exam.
Civil service exams tend to repeat questions that have been asked before.
From 6 AM to 7 AM, memorizing English vocabulary.
For two hours I studied English reading comprehension and grammar, then Korean language and Korean history in that order, and after lunch I studied tax law and accounting principles.
12 o’clock. Lunchtime.
Some civil service exam candidates went to nearby restaurants together, and after eating, saying they needed to clear their heads, they went to pool halls or PC bangs.
But I went to the student cafeteria for lunch, and after eating, walked around the campus for about 20 minutes before returning to my seat to study.
On the way back to the library after lunch.
I ran into Ma Seokdo at the entrance.
Ma Seokdo cautiously approached me.
“Um... Ganghan.”
“Yes.”
“There are about two months left until the exam... If it’s all right, would you like to have lunch with me?”
“No.”
I refused outright.
Literally two months remained.
Of course, there was the advantage of supporting each other, but there was also the disadvantage of potentially wasting time.
Moreover, Ma Seokdo was an active-duty police officer and I was a civil service exam candidate. Our subjects and scope were completely different.
“You’re always so stubborn. Haha.”
“I don’t have much time.”
“Aren’t you tired?”
“I don’t have time to be tired.”
“Hah...”
Ma Seokdo shook his head.
“Well, then...”
After a light nod, I went up the stairs.
Then, Ma Seokdo spoke to me again.
“Let me ask you just one thing.”
“What is it?”
“The other day, the goal you’d written on your notepad looked really impressive.”
“My goal?”
I turned my head to look at Ma Seokdo.
“Commissioner of the National Tax Service. The other day, when I glanced over while you were studying, I saw ‘Goal: Commissioner of the National Tax Service’ written on your notepad. Did I see wrong?”
“That’s correct. You saw right.”
I’d written it to shake off sleepiness while studying, and it seemed he’d seen it.
“But... to become the Commissioner, you need to be a national civil servant... Why are you preparing for the local tax position? I’ve been really curious about that every time I see you. So, excuse me, but I wanted to ask. Hehehe.”
Ma Seokdo laughed cutely, unbefitting his large frame.
“Because local tax officers are appointed faster. About a year faster. Do I need any other reason?”
I left Ma Seokdo behind and entered the reading room.
Collection System and collection rewards.
I intended to utilize them 100%.
Of course, I could have calmly waited, taken the national civil service exam, and entered the National Tax Service.
But my family circumstances didn’t allow such leisure.
Even at a take-home pay of 1.5 million won per month for a Grade 9 civil servant, that would be 18 million won in a year.
It was an amount that could help my mother, who worked hard at a restaurant, even if only a little.
On top of that, there was the Collection System and its rewards.
If I started tax collection a year earlier, my stats would improve by leaps and bounds.
The tax officer Yi Ganghan, grown in such a manner, would soar the moment he entered the National Tax Service.
And there was one more reason.
Haedong Mayor Jang Samcheol.
A meteoric figure who started as a county head, became mayor, and then a National Assembly member.
I planned to work as a tax clerk at Haedong City Hall and win Jang Samcheol’s favor.
Because Jang Samcheol was someone who would greatly help me achieve my future goal of becoming the Commissioner of the National Tax Service.
I opened my civil service exam textbook once more.
***
Before I knew it, two months had flown by, and it was civil service exam day.
First period: Korean language.
From the very first question, sighs burst out here and there.
【Which of the following is correctly spelled?】
1. Baekbunryul 2. Naega galkke 3. Chotjeom 4. Lobster
The question that drove all examinees into collective despair in the 2002 local civil service exam appeared as number 1.
Back then, Korean language exams mostly tested memorization-based questions like classical grammar, and rarely tested practical Korean like spelling or spacing.
The moment I saw question 1, I marked number 4 and moved on.
The answer was definitely number 4, Lobster.
The exam went smoothly.
The questions were read quickly, and the answer checks were fast too.
For civil service exams, especially the Grade 9 civil service exam, speed is life.
Because you have to solve all 100 questions within the allotted time.
As I solved the problems, before I knew it I had finished all 100 questions, and the OMR card check was complete too.
I checked the clock.
There were still more than 15 minutes left.
I once again felt the power of Life Round 2 and Memorization LV3.
Even after reviewing a few ambiguous questions, more than 5 minutes remained.
Looking around, the majority of people hadn’t finished marking.
A short while later.
Ding-dong—
Ding-dong—
The bell signaling the end of the exam rang.
“Everyone, stop right there. Everyone, put your hands below your desks. From now on, anyone holding a pen and marking will be considered a cheater.”
The exam proctor blustered in a threatening tone.
Finishing the exam and leaving the testing site, deep sighs could be heard here and there.
“I’m screwed because of the Korean language section this time.”
“Hey, question number 1. What’s the answer to that? Is it baekbunryul or baekbunyuil? I just guessed number 1.”
“Number 4, Lobster... what’s that?”
“What do you mean... It's the lobster, the spiny lobster we eat.”
“Then that’s definitely wrong. Who says ‘Lobster’?”
Listening to their conversation, I was certain I had passed.
In the Grade 9 civil service exam, pass or fail is decided by a 0.5 point difference.
And I had already secured one correct answer in Korean.
***
I did a self-check of my answers at home.
It was an estimated score based on the internet and textbooks, but I was certain of at least an average of 90 points or higher.
“I passed.”
In an era when the cutoff for the local tax officer exam was in the high 80s, scoring above 90 meant you had definitely passed. There was even a high chance of passing with the top score.
My heart pounded at the thought of being able to earn money, and at the thought of obtaining collection rewards while working as a local tax officer.
“Ganghan.”
Around 8 PM.
Mother returned from her shift at the restaurant.
“You finished early today?”
“Yeah. Since my son was taking his exam today, I told the owner and left a bit early. Did you do well on the exam?”
Mother asked cautiously, studying my expression.
“Yes. I did well.”
“Really? That’s a relief... Wasn’t it hard?”
“Thanks to you praying for me all night, a lot of questions came from what I studied. It’s not certain, but I think I can pass if things go well.”
I answered as conservatively as possible to reassure Mother while not seeming overconfident.
“That’s right... Our son... You studied day and night like your life depended on it, so you’ll definitely pass. And with the top score, too.”
A smile finally formed on Mother’s face.
“Son, you must be hungry? I bought samgyeopsal on the way home. Tonight is a samgyeopsal party.”
“Yes, Mom. I’ll wash the lettuce.”
I took the lettuce from Mother’s hands and washed it at the sink.
For the first time in a while, mother and son sat around the table and held a samgyeopsal party.
“Oh my, look at me. I forgot the soju for the samgyeopsal.”
“It’s fine. I’m going to go study early tomorrow morning anyway.”
“Ganghan, since you took the exam today, why don’t you rest for a few days? I’m worried you’ll get sick.”
“Don’t worry, Mom. I’m still fine.”
“All right...”
Mother, who had been wearing a worried expression, turned on the TV to change the subject.
The 9 o’clock news was starting.
【The National Tax Service has reported Chairman Wang Jongseong and other family heads to the prosecution for evading capital gains taxes in the hundreds of billions of won.】
The top economic news was a chaebol group’s ‘tax evasion news.’
“My goodness, hundreds of billions of won in tax evasion? Really, that world deals in hundreds of millions like it’s nothing...”
Mother clicked her tongue as she watched the news.
Watching the news, I steeled my resolve once more.
‘I will definitely enter the National Tax Service and smash the corrupt practice of “leniency for the rich, severity for the poor.’
And the next day.
I got up at the crack of dawn and went to the library.
Ma Seokdo was whispering with some of his police colleagues.
“Wow, that friend Yi Ganghan. He’s a real beast. Yesterday was the local exam day, and he showed up at the library at exactly 5:40.”
“If it were me, I’d be drinking myself silly and resting all week. Seriously, that friend. He’s going to be big no matter what he becomes.”
“Of course. You guys, do you know what that friend Yi Ganghan’s goal is?”
“What?”
“Commissioner of the National Tax Service.”
Ma Seokdo’s voice was especially loud.
“Hey. To become the Commissioner, you have to pass the higher civil service exam first. Who makes a Grade 7 or Grade 9 guy the Commissioner?”
Somebody quibbled with Ma Seokdo’s words, and somebody else nodded at them.
“I don’t know about others, but that friend Yi Ganghan somehow feels like he’ll do it. Commissioner of the National Tax Service.”
Even after taking the local exam, I repeated my studies routinely.
And a few weeks later.
The passers of the 2002 1st Local Public Officials Examination were announced.
“Examinee number 00*****, you have passed the 2002 1st Local Public Officials Examination.”
A few days after the announcement.
I took the interview exam and final-passed the 2002 1st Local Public Officials Recruitment Examination.
Simultaneously, the 【Collection System】 reward notification rang.
【Ding】
【You have completed the “First Step of a Public Official” mission. You are awarded 300 points as a reward.】
【You have completed the “Grade 9 Civil Service Exam Pass” mission. You are awarded 200 points as a reward.】
I had spent 200 points to raise my memorization during the preparation period, but upon passing, I received 500 points in rewards at once.
As life’s second round progressed, my expectations for the ‘Collection System’ grew greater.
And before long, the first day of work for local tax officer Yi Ganghan approached.