Chapter : 108
“Th-this place…”
Kim Chang-sik’s reaction was exactly what one would expect. He stood at the front gate for a while, tilting his head back as he took in the mansion.
“What? You’re not going in?”
“W-wow…”
“I’ll carry your luggage for you.”
A servant from the villa came out to greet them, and Kim Chang-sik’s mouth dropped even further.
“Don’t make that face—it makes you look like a country bumpkin.”
“Team leader, don’t you feel anything looking at this?”
“What should I feel?”
“If I were a man, I’d see a mansion like this, set up so grandly, and imagine hosting dozens of beautiful women…”
Soo-hyun lightly tapped the back of Kim Chang-sik’s head.
“Think about that ten years from now.”
“You need a concrete goal to get motivated. Besides, in ten years, how old will I be…”
“If you want to live like that, save up for ten more years. Even then, it’s still risky. Just live modestly and be content.”
Kim Chang-sik scratched his head. He knew he was receiving treatment far beyond his abilities. It was luck that would have been impossible without Uncle Joe’s company and Soo-hyun. Yet, he still had a long way to go.
“Rich people really are something else…”
“Stop talking nonsense and keep your mouth shut. I’m going to meet the chairman.”
“Safe travels!”
The chairman’s face was full of satisfaction. He put a red pig mushroom from the silver platter into his mouth and spoke. His personal chef had praised it as the finest of the finest. That praise clearly put him in a good mood.
“Honestly, I didn’t expect you to find something I liked so quickly, even though I said what I did.”
“I came urgently because I have a request.”
Soo-hyun spoke bluntly, without beating around the bush. The chairman, hearing that she had brought something he would like specifically because she had a request, reacted like a delighted child.
“Oh? What is it?”
“I understand, chairman, that you also have deep expertise in Cameron research.”
“It’s not that I’m deep; it’s that I have a lot of deep experts with me. Are you looking for someone like that? As far as I know…”
“Yes. The Korean government’s research team is competent, but it takes time and is picky. And if it’s Chinese new technology, they won’t hand it over until it’s absolutely certain.”
“Chinese new technology?”
The chairman, who had been reclining lazily, suddenly sat up. Soo-hyun’s words had piqued his interest. Americans were proud that the US led global research, but that didn’t mean they had all the technology. Especially technology developed by a major power like China was naturally intriguing.
“Can you tell me this?”
“Well, I trust you, chairman.”
“You don’t look very trusting. But fine, let’s say I do. I’m curious too. So, what technology is it?”
“It seems to be technology for artificially inducing monsters.”
“Oh, the Chinese. They’re doing interesting things.”
The chairman was not particularly surprised. Considering his age and the information he picked up through his connections, it would be hard to shock him.
“I’m not interested in the principles, analysis, or further applications of this device… Just make it usable in the field as soon as possible.”
“No curiosity, huh? I get it, but you’re a frontline mercenary. Being able to induce monsters could also mean controlling them, right?”
‘He’s acting this way because he knows it’s impossible.’
“I’ll be interested once the technology becomes practical. For now, I’m only concerned with what can be used.”
“Hmm, curious.”
“?”
“Seeing you act like this, it seems the Korean government has withheld other new tech before. I wonder what kind it was.”
“…!”
“No, no. I’m not asking you to tell me. I’m just curious. Even if I found out, what would I do with it? Just an old man’s curiosity… Artificial artifacts, nullifying psychic powers, artificial psychics… That’s all I know.”
Soo-hyun was surprised. The man, who seemed to spend his time idle at the villa, knew as much as Soo-hyun, who was out gathering information himself.
‘The psychic nullification device must be from the Dragon Slayer Project.’
Since it had been used in front of so many people, everyone probably guessed.
“You look surprised. Surprised by what?”
“Artificial artifacts.”
“Is there anything to be surprised about? That’s research everyone is doing.”
Creating psychics artificially and creating artifacts artificially had been a long-standing human dream. Of course, nothing had been accomplished yet.
“China is doing it, we are doing it… I’m curious how far China has progressed. I believe they are behind us.”
“How far have you gone, chairman?”
“Ah, hmm… Artificial psychics are still a long way off, but we’ve figured out almost how to create artifacts artificially. Though the method is meaningless, which is a problem.”
“!”
The chairman mumbled while chewing his mushroom.
“Curious, huh? Since you brought something interesting, I’ll explain. Artificial artifacts sound impressive, but they aren’t really. Where do you think the artifacts we have came from? Someone made them too.”
“True.”
“How they were made… Approaching it that way, it was easy to figure out. Artifacts are basically cores. The cores that produce psychic powers. If you can artificially make those cores, you can mass-produce artifacts, but unfortunately, there’s no solution for that yet… The current method is very primitive.”
Soo-hyun already knew, but she exaggerated her surprise for the chairman. Encouraged, he continued.
‘American tech really is incredible. They already knew this back then.’
“You extract the core from a psychic’s body. Conditions are strict, but the fact that it’s possible is significant, isn’t it?”
“Right.”
Soo-hyun figured the cores from monsters and psychics likely worked on similar principles.
“Weren’t you surprised by psychic nullification or artificial psychics?”
“One I already knew, the other was too absurd to care about.”
“You, being connected to the Korean government, might know about nullification. Artificial psychic projects… absurd. Just money-sinks. Oh, and there were rumors following you.”
“?”
“That you know—or at least can figure out—how to awaken psychics.”
“Exaggerated rumors. I was just lucky.”
Soo-hyun grumbled internally at how meticulously he had investigated. With money and power, the elite could conduct investigations on a whole other level.
“Is that so?”
The chairman seemed to dismiss it as nonsense and didn’t press further.
“So, you just need to make this usable. Got it. I’ll have my people whip it up in a week. I know you’re busy.”
He didn’t mince words either. They understood each other, so conversation was fast.
“Oh, are there any rumors about Cameron lately?”
“What rumors?”
“Anything that would attract government attention.”
“If that’s the case…”
Bang!
“?!”
The door burst open. Soo-hyun immediately stepped in front of Charles and prepared her psychic powers.
But it was just Kim Chang-sik, with a young woman with short brown hair holding his ear. Charles spoke from behind.
“Thanks for stepping up for me, but it’s not dangerous. She’s my distant relative’s daughter.”
“Is that so?”
Soo-hyun lowered her arms. Seeing this, Kim Chang-sik groaned.
“Team leader, don’t you see my ear?”
“I’ll heal it if it falls. Can’t hit the chairman’s relative, right?”
“Maria, stop and let go.”
“Yes.”
“By the way, does the chairman have children? On Earth?”
“No children. I’ve married many times, though.”
“How many times?”
“I stopped counting after ten… If curious, call the butler.”
“Never mind.”
Hearing this, Kim Chang-sik looked at Charles with respect.
“Are you his subordinate?”
“Yes.”
“You don’t seem that impressive.”
“I have my uses, even if I look like this.”
“Anyway, thanks for stepping up. I’d love to keep you as a guard, but you wouldn’t accept. It shouldn’t be boring, though.”
“What weak words. Besides, you already have guards. No need to offend anyone.”
“!”
Charles didn’t show it, but he was genuinely surprised. In hidden spaces around his room, psychics were waiting, ready to spring into action. Their pay exceeded most mercenaries.
Of course, visitors mustn’t see them. But Soo-hyun already knew.
‘The more I see him, the more impressive he is.’
Meanwhile, Maria kept talking to Kim Chang-sik, who was slowly backing away, wary of having his ear grabbed again.
“Maria, I told you to stop.”
“How did you two get so close?”
“She’s curious, like me. And she probably wondered about mercenaries.”
“Team leader, help me…”
“And what you asked earlier…”
“?”
“About rumors at Cameron.”
“Oh, yes.”
“Whatever you want, the Russian government is making a bit of noise.”
“For what reason?”
“Something’s happening, but I didn’t check details. But it definitely requires manpower. I sent letters to famous US teams asking for reinforcements. Did that help?”
Soo-hyun smiled.
“It seems so.”
“Good to hear. Thanks again for the gift. We’ll replicate the device and send it as quickly as possible.”
“Ugh… my ear still…”
“What did you talk about?”
“I was sitting quietly outside, they asked who I was, I said a mercenary guest, they asked what I did, I explained, and they wanted more details, so…”
“Why did it turn into grabbing your ear?”
“They asked why I’m a mercenary. I told them my goal, like I told the team leader. They hated it, so I said the women I want aren’t their type, no need to worry…”
“…”
“I was polite!”
“Maybe redefine your idea of politeness.”
“More importantly, why did you come here?”
“To exchange a gift.”
“Oh, the box you carried in the back?”
“Yes.”
“What’s inside?”
“Red pig mushrooms.”
Screeeeetch—
The car screeched to a halt. Roads outside Cameron’s city were famous for their open, unrestricted expanses. Even sudden stops didn’t cause accidents.
“Do you have a grudge against me?”
“No, it was red pig mushrooms?! From the warehouse?!”
“So you thought it might have drugs inside?”
“If that’s the case, why not just tell me?”
“?”
“I wanted to buy some, but it was sold out! If something this good exists, shouldn’t you tell the team first? It’s like a premium perk! I have money too!”
“More than the chairman?”
“N-no.”
“Don’t worry. The warehouse is full of red pig mushrooms. Eat as much as you like.”
Kim Chang-sik’s face lit up.
“By the way, why are red pig mushrooms so sought after?”
“They’re good for stamina. Wait—team leader, did you know and give them as a gift?”
“No, I knew the chairman liked them.”
“Ha. Rich people really… I’m jealous, jealous. Oh, look at this. Sold out now, though.”
Kim Chang-sik handed over his phone, showing an ad of a muscular orc performing dynamic moves. The over-the-top slogans were just extra.
-Order now! Red pig mushroom extract for just…
Soo-hyun turned off the ad and tossed the phone, shaking her head.
“Even seeing it a second time, it’s ridiculous.”
