novelraw Chapter 57 : Chapter 57
Chapter 57 : Chapter 57
Chapter 57. Tracker of the Mountain Sea (1)
‘Doban Brewery.’
It was a place that perfectly fit the conditions above.
It was even a place where drugs had actually been made.
Of course, it was a very different type of drug, though.
On top of that, the current owner, Ha Myeong-yeol, had declared that he would no longer make liquor.
If I played this right, I felt I could easily acquire a facility optimized for pharmaceutical manufacturing.
Riman said to Ji Byeong-seo.
“You're making all the ordered medicines in this house right now, aren't you?”
“Yes? Ah, that’s right. Since there isn't exactly any other place.”
“How about getting a separate workshop?”
“Well, it’s not that I can’t find one, but a place suitable to bring in the equipment I’m thinking of is…….”
“There is one.”
“Yes?”
“It’s not confirmed, but it’s worth negotiating.”
If we set up a workshop at Doban Brewery, both the production speed and the variety of medicines that can be made would increase significantly.
Then, naturally, the medicines Riman would need in the future could also be produced faster and with higher quality.
Considering the importance of elixirs in becoming stronger, this negotiation was well worth doing.
‘Let’s go there personally.’
Riman stood up from his seat and said.
“Saya, let's go.”
At those words, Saya, who was coiled up and dozing in the corner, quickly wound around Riman.
Watching that, Ji Byeong-seo asked.
“Come to think of it, what does Saya eat to live?”
“First, liquor and…….”
“Liquor?”
“And I keep feeding him mana. Refined mana.”
Dragons basically consume mana in the air to maintain their lives.
However, Riman additionally supplied Saya with mana refined by his own body.
Extremely pure mana, that is.
Because using this method could accelerate the dragon's growth.
Anyway.
Riman intended to go to Doban Brewery personally and talk to Ha Myeong-yeol.
Of course, it didn't seem like Ha Myeong-yeol would accept easily.
Since he was requesting to make drugs again in the place where his brother used to make addictive drugs.
Still……
‘I won't know until I try speaking to him.’
Riman got on the motorcycle and started the engine, heading towards Doban Brewery.
* * *
“That’s good.”
Ha Myeong-yeol accepted Riman's proposal surprisingly coolly.
Things worked out so easily without much persuasion that Riman was rather taken aback.
“Re, really?”
“You say you’ll even pay rent, so I have no reason to refuse. I don't intend to make more liquor here anyway.”
“Are you planning… to quit the brewing business?”
Ha Myeong-yeol let out a low sigh and said.
“…Because I couldn't learn everything to be learned from Father. And now I can't learn anymore.”
“…….”
“But you could have just told me this kind of business over the phone.”
“I thought a long persuasion would be needed. Since it’s a story related to drugs again.”
“What sin does the medicine have. It's the human bas— no, the person who makes it who is sinful.”
Riman felt he knew who the ‘human bastard’ he just mentioned was referring to.
“And you said he is a pharmacist officially licensed by the Pharmacist Association. If he’s such a person, he’s trustworthy.”
“Thank you.”
“Not at all. Rather, I think that person named Ji Byeong-seo should be thanking you, Mr. Leman.”
No, I have many things to thank that friend for in the future.
“Anyway, since you're here, want to take a look before you go?”
Ha Myeong-yeol guided Riman to his father's old laboratory.
The place where pharmaceutical work would be done if Ji Byeong-seo leased this place.
It was located far from the main building, in the corner of the site.
“Oh…….”
The inside of the laboratory was quite spacious.
Even conservatively estimated, it was ten times larger than Ji Byeong-seo's current apartment.
Furthermore, various facilities including distillers and extractors were installed in quite large numbers.
‘…With this level of facility, I can make the necessary medicines much faster.’
Including the medicines Riman needed, that is.
Moreover, among Ji Byeong-seo's medicines in the game, the ones called so-called ‘masterpieces’ were born in a place equipped with such formal facilities, not in a small room.
‘In other words, I could accelerate the birth of the Medicine King.’
While examining the inside of the laboratory like that, Riman discovered a bookshelf placed in the corner.
A large number of books, static and neatly organized, contrasting with the loud appearance of the equipment.
Ha Myeong-yeol said.
“Those are books Father used to read. They are all academic books and papers related to food engineering or alcohol brewing.”
“Ooh.”
“Father wasn't a craftsman who relied only on instinct and tradition. He examined the trends of academia and the market, and never neglected updating the theoretical parts. these books and documents are the proof.”
“Theory…….”
Theory.
That word struck Riman’s ears particularly hard.
Because it was something the current Riman did not have.
Riman is a Mage.
He actually knows how to use magic, and in some aspects, he is far superior to existing Mages.
But Riman does not have profound ‘theory’ regarding magic.
Because until now, Riman has used magic solely based on the shallow information seen in the game settings book and the instincts of this body.
He had absolutely no information on the theorems, formulas, hypotheses, axioms, etc.,
deriving from it, not to mention the knowledge of the symbol system that makes up magic.
And if such theoretical knowledge is lacking……
‘Someday, a limit to growth will come.’
Practice without theory is empty, but practice without theory has a clear limit.
In this world where power is everything, knotting the limit of growth is too dangerous in itself.
To possess power, to go to a higher place, one had to be fully equipped with theoretical knowledge.
However…….
‘The problem is that there are almost no routes to obtain magic theory books.’
Existing magic theory knowledge was almost monopolized by the Magic Towers.
In other words, there was no proper way to learn magic theory outside the Magic Towers.
Of course, non-official theory books existed, but they weren't officially published items, so they were difficult to obtain as well.
‘If I go to an information exchange later... still, it would be useless.’
Interestingly, one could access magic literature held by the Magic Towers even at the information exchange.
The problem was that to access it, the code of a Mage who graduated from that Magic Tower was required.
For now, there was no way to access it unless he caught a Mage and made them vomit up the code through torture.
‘I didn't think I’d get blocked in a place like this…….’
As he thought that and moved his steps.
Crunch.
Something crushed under Riman's foot.
Lifting his foot, he saw crushed red powder smeared on it.
“Uh, this is……?”
“Ah, I burned it all, but fragments are still floating around.”
It was Red Chips.
“You burned it all?”
“Yes. Since there was quite a bit of stock left in the warehouse, I put it all in the incinerator. But still, my goodness.”
Ha Myeong-yeol brought a broom and swept the Red Chips powder as he spoke.
“Anyway, I’ve disposed of all the Red Chips I had, but I’m worried about the ones that went out into the market.”
“Well, won't that also be exhausted soon?”
“It's a problem even if it runs out. The most problematic part of Red Chips withdrawal symptoms is the increase in aggression.”
“Ah.”
“When the remaining Red Chips supply in the market is exhausted, Red Chips addicts will start to run wild. It's okay if they are ordinary people, but if among them there's a Superhuman or... or…….”
“A Mage?”
“Yes. If there's even a Mage…….”
Ew, Ha Myeong-yeol muttered and shuddered lightly.
Towards him, Riman said.
“Then, I'll come with Mr. Ji Byeong-seo around tomorrow.”
“Yes. See you tomorrow.”
Riman walked out of Doban Brewery like that.
* * *
Evening.
A back alley in an entertainment district.
Two men faced each other there.
Their impressions were very contrasting.
One's appearance was relatively fine, but the other's look was unspeakable.
His cheeks were sunken, his pupils were out of focus, and the whites of his eyes were severely bloodshot and glistening.
On top of that, the sight of him scratching both arms alternately.
It was the typical appearance of a drug addict.
“Where are the Red Chips?”
At the addict's words, the man said.
“Money first.”
“I’m in a hurry……!”
“If you're really in a hurry, take out the money. Don't take out words.”
“Ah damn it……!”
The addict took out a bundle of bills from his inner pocket.
A heavy bundle of bills rolled up round and tightly wrapped with a rubber band.
The man who received it untied the rubber band and started counting the bills.
Seeing that, the addict began to get anxious.
“Count it quickly, you bastard……!”
“Here, done. Take it.”
The man held out a small plastic bag containing red powder.
Red Chips.
As soon as the addict received it, he dashed off somewhere like an arrow.
The man watched his retreating figure and muttered sneeringly.
“You must be desperate, you druggie bastard.”
Now that Ha Do-yeol was dead and the organization annihilated.
Ironically, the lowest-level dealers like this man survived.
Because while the organization was being annihilated, they were scattered all over the country.
Even with a little bit of Red Chips in their possession.
With the sole producer of Red Chips dead, the price of Red Chips in the market was skyrocketing.
Of course, some people switched drugs, but that wasn't easy.
As it was called the worst drug in history, Red Chips did not easily allow a transfer.
In this situation, the lowest-level dealers made a significant profit.
In a situation where the supply was cut off, the guy with the goods became the king.
This man was the same.
He was making quite a salty profit by releasing the Red Chips he had very little by little, with long intervals.
Like that, clutching a thick bundle of bills, the man moved his steps today as well.
And there was someone chasing after such a dealer.
A man wearing a navy blue hood.
Killing his footsteps, the mysterious man chased the dealer.
And the moment he entered deep into the alley.
Click.
The dealer, hiding inside the corner, aimed a pistol at the man's head.
“What are you?”
“…….”
The hooded man slowly turned his head towards the dealer.
Hollow eyes, sunken cheeks, and greyish-white hair that looked like it hadn't been washed for days.
The hooded man said.
“…Oh dear, did I get caught even though I completely killed my footsteps?”
“Do you think there’s only one or two guys like you?”
“Hmm.”
“What are you? Why are you chasing me?”
“No, I ask the questions.”
“What?”
At that moment, words flowed from the hooded man's mouth.
“Fallen fruit, satellite, sealed library.”
Unlike the sentences recited earlier, a bizarre tremor emanated from these words.
The mana in the air vibrates.
Precisely organized mana twists and pulls down the power of nature.
Magic activates.
“[Weight].”
Massive gravity pressed down on the dealer's body.
Thud!
“Kueok……!”
The dealer fell flat on the ground without even being able to use his hands properly.
He couldn't move any of his limbs properly.
“Argh……! You bastard, were you a Superhuman?”
“Superhuman? How dare you compare me to such inferior things?”
Tak!
The hooded man kicked the pistol the dealer was holding far away.
And squatting down, he asked.
“So, by any chance, do you have any remaining stock of Red Chips?”
“I, I do! But I don't have it now! M-Money, if you just bring money, I'll bring it to you right away!!”
“Good. Then the next question.”
“F, First, can’t you release this and talk……?”
“Mmm, hmm. No. I was told not to trust human scum.”
At those words, the dealer asked in disbelief.
“I can trust you, and……?”
“You don't need to trust me either. You just need to talk. Now next, where is the producer of Red Chips right now?”
“Pfft.”
The dealer suddenly started giggling.
“Why are you laughing? Should I tear your mouth a bit to make it easier to laugh?”
“The producer is dead. Our production organization itself was annihilated!”
“Hmm, this is troubling. There was nothing as effective as Red Chips.”
The hooded man scratched his head and said.
“No, wait. There must still be some stock left at the organization's base, right? Yes, I should get my hands on that first. Good, tell me.”
“What……?”
“Where the producer of Red Chips was located, where the organization's location is.”
The dealer immediately spilled the address of Doban Brewery.
The hooded man repeated the address with his mouth a few times and stood up from his seat.
Seeing that, the dealer asked.
“Th, then you're letting me go now, right?”
“No.”
“What?!”
“I have to verify. If your words are true.”