Fifteen Minutes to Disaster

A bolt was loose.

Not just slightly misaligned. Not just a minor mistake.

It wasn't fully connected.

I could see it clear as day, standing out like a flashing red warning light thanks to my skills. A single bolt out of place in the wrong section of the framework. With the amount of weight already pressing down on the bridge, it was only a matter of time before the entire section buckled.

Under normal circumstances, I would've immediately raised the alarm. This wasn't just some minor inconvenience—this was a critical failure point. A mistake like this could cause massive structural instability, delaying the project by days, maybe weeks.

But this time, I didn't say a word.

Because the one who made the mistake was Nathan.

I sensed my heartbeat accelerate—not from fear, but from excitement.

After seven years of tolerating his arrogance, his relentless power moves, and his tendency to make my life and other low-ranking colleagues' lives unbearable, he had ultimately made a mistake. And it wasn't merely a mistake—it was the mistake.

The kind that could ruin him.

If this failure was traced back to Nathan, he wouldn't just get a slap on the wrist. His rank, his reputation, his future opportunities—all of it would take a hit. He wouldn't be untouchable anymore. And when someone at the top loses their footing, the fall is brutal.

I just had to be patient.

The structure was already weighed down. Given the current conditions, I estimated it would take an hour at most before the stress on that single point reached its breaking limit. The bolt would snap, the structure would destabilize, and Nathan would be at the center of the disaster.

I just had to act normal.

So, I did exactly that.

I continued my usual work—coordinating the teams, giving small pointers, lifting materials, and keeping the workflow steady. To anyone watching, I was the same as always—efficient, composed, and focused on the job. I spoke in the same measured tone, moved with the same steady rhythm, and handled every problem that arose with the same quiet precision.

But my mind?

My mind was locked onto one thing.

The mistake.

It was like a burning ember in the back of my thoughts, impossible to ignore. Even as I spoke with the Logistics Team about adjusting supply routes, my eyes flickered toward the bolt. Even as I helped a Structural Assembly worker realign a support beam, my mind was counting the minutes.

And every time I looked, it was still there.

Still wrong. Still waiting.

Through my Team Coordination skill, I could see error mark left by Nathan on the structure. A subtle imbalance. The weight distribution was shifting, ever so slightly, as more materials were added. It was like watching a rope fray strand by strand, knowing that eventually, it would snap.

And yet—no one else noticed.

Not Nathan, who strutted around barking orders. Not the workers following his commands, unaware that the very ground beneath them was compromised. Not even Evelyn, who watched from her observation station with her ever-present clipboard.

Only me.

And I wasn't going to say a damn thing.

Forty-five minutes passed.

It was too late to reverse the mistake now. That section of the bridge was too deep into the construction process. The only way to fix it would be to tear the surrounding framework apart—something no one would dare attempt so close to completion.

I allowed myself a small, satisfied breath.

It was done.

Nathan was going to take the fall.

I turned away, ready to let the final moments play out.

And then—

"Will you fix it?"

I froze.

A chill ran down my spine.

Slowly, I turned my head—

—Evelyn was standing right behind me.

Her gaze was locked onto mine, completely unreadable.

How?

She shouldn't have known. No one had noticed. No one had seen the mistake—except for me.

But then I remembered.

Her Psychological Insight skill.

She had been watching me. Not just today, but since the meeting. Reading my body language, my reactions, my focus. She must've noticed my subtle glances toward the structure, the way my attention always drifted back to that one spot.

She didn't need a Scan. She didn't need evidence.

She had already figured it out.

I opened my mouth to respond, but I stopped myself.

Think.

Denial was pointless. She wouldn't have confronted me unless she was sure.

If I made excuses, she'd see right through them.

So instead, I met her gaze and said nothing.

Evelyn remained silent for a few seconds before exhaling softly, then reaching into her coat pocket.

She pulled out a stopwatch.

Click.

The timer started.

"You have fifteen minutes," she said simply.

I clenched my jaw.

She wasn't telling me to fix it because she cared about safety. She wasn't doing this because of some moral obligation.

She was doing this because now, thanks to both me and Nathan, the work was at risk of being delayed.

Which meant the fault would be shared.

If I didn't fix it, she would make sure I took just as much of the blame as Nathan.

I felt my teeth grind together, frustration bubbling up—before I forced it down.

This wasn't the time to be angry.

This was the time to move.

I turned on my heel and sprinted toward the unstable section, my Strategist skill flaring to life.

Every possible solution, every potential risk, every tool I could use—my mind calculated all of it at once.

Fifteen minutes.

That was all I had.

And if I failed—

Then I was going down with Nathan.

[SYSTEM INTERFACE]

Name: Reynard Vale

Job Title: Jobmaster (Rank SSS)

Job Skills:

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

Jobs:

Unskilled Laborer (F) → [Rank-Up Quest Available]

Special Skill:

Scan, Absorb, Destroy

Cooldown:

Skill Copy (Ready for Use)