Chapter 146
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 146
Chapter Title: The Power of Aging
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[Aged Honey Strawberry (★★★+)]
* Classification: Consumable, Material
* Upon consumption, it satisfies hunger and thirst, restores 800(+200) health and mana, and increases all stats by 1 for 60 minutes. (No cooldown / Stacks up to 3 times)
* Effect - Natural Fermentation (Passive): When used as a material for items requiring aging, the aging period of the finished item is significantly reduced.
* Description: A ★★★+ grade Honey Strawberry born from the continuous care of honeybees. Incredibly sweet honey is mixed within, and its sweetness has been amplified through natural aging methods.
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Honey Strawberries, perfectly naturally aged.
And who were the honeybees?
The ones with the cute, plump behinds...
No, among all diligent creatures, they were workaholics second only to ants!
Naturally, while he was away on the expedition to China, they had already been hard at work without needing any orders from Seong-hyeok.
“If I use this right, it could be effective in combat.”
Simply consuming it provided a significant restoration of health and mana, along with a bonus to all stats.
Moreover, there was no cooldown.
If he went into battle with a hefty supply of Honey Strawberries, his survival rate would skyrocket, as long as he didn't take a fatal blow.
But truly great consumables are born at the end of a processing line.
In particular, the effect attached to the Honey Strawberries, aged by the bees themselves, was exceptionally suited for crafting.
“...Reducing the aging period.”
Honey wine or honey preserves.
And Bee Venom Honey Tea or other processed goods with poisonous mushrooms added.
Among Seong-hyeok's many honey products, aging was an unavoidable and frequent part of the process.
In a situation like this, what if the material itself could shorten the aging period?
“This is just broken.”
It could increase the sales turnover on the Exchange or allow for faster consumption of more potent aged products.
This would undoubtedly have a significant impact on Seong-hyeok's finances and the future of the beekeeping farm!
Bzz~
Buzzz- Bzzzz-!!!
As if it didn't matter what Seong-hyeok was imagining.
The little guys buzzed, rubbing their bodies against him, urging him to try the fruit of their labor.
Cuteness and praiseworthiness.
How could anyone hate these honeybees, who possessed both qualities?
“Okay, guys. I'll gladly have one.”
It was only polite to eat at least one, given how hard the little ones had worked.
Although it looked like a haphazardly squashed lump of clay, true quality is always found on the inside, not the outside.
“Ooooh!”
The moment it entered his mouth, the deep, aged flavor and rich aroma spread out, teasing his tongue relentlessly.
“This puts most candies to shame.”
Honey and strawberry.
The true taste of a fruit cultivated by honeybees, a combination that had been one from the very beginning in the bushes.
Of course, one might say it was excessively sweet, but this could be seen as a strength rather than a weakness.
“It would be perfect for making alcohol.”
The sharp tang of bee venom and the sweetness of the honey strawberry.
When the two became one, the resulting liquor would be a truly heavenly delicacy.
* * * * *
The naturally aged Honey Strawberries were an organic byproduct of the honeybees' work.
It was the addition of just one new type of item, but the changes it brought were truly astonishing.
“Whew. Now that the piled-up stock is moving quickly, I can finally breathe.”
“Seriously, managing the warehouse is no easy task.”
The first and most significant change concerned the long storage time inherent to aging.
Unlike other honey products that were listed on the Exchange as soon as they were finished, based on remaining stock, aged goods inherently occupied warehouse space for extended periods.
Some took as little as three to five days, but others boasted aging times ranging from a month to a year. He had been storing them one by one in the warehouse, but things were different now.
[The 'Guardian's Aged Amethyst-dot Bee Venom Strawberry Honey Tea (★★★+)' you listed on the Exchange has been sold.]
[You have acquired 28,500 Coins after a 10% fee.]
[The 'Guardian's Aged Seven-colored Bee Venom Strawberry Soap (★★★+)' you listed on the Exchange has been sold.]
[You have acquired 39,000 Coins after a 10% fee.]
[The 'Guardian's Aged Ruby-dot Honey Strawberry Bush Clover Juice (★★★★-)' you listed on the Exchange has been sold.]
[You have acquired 190,000 Coins after a 10% fee.]
...
Crafted items now aged much faster with the addition of Honey Strawberries.
Thanks to this, the influence of the aged items, which could now be listed more easily on the Exchange, was immense.
Was it because the limited supply had always led to extreme demand?
Even with a steady supply, the global demand didn't decrease; in fact, it was so overloaded that items were sold the moment they were listed!
“This is what you call a virtuous cycle.”
A process where Seong-hyeok earned money and the people of the world could grow more safely.
And was that all?
【Jeongrichung: With the mass appearance of aged products, your recognition is soaring, Honeybee! Would it be alright if I posted about the options on the aged items?】
【Honeybee: Feel free to do as you please. Actually, I'd appreciate it if you did.】
【Jeongrichung: Hahaha! Leave it to me!】
People around the world were growing stronger thanks to the honey products.
For those who had been saved from the brink of death by honey tea or honey wine, Honeybee was nothing short of a lifesaver.
In short, Seong-hyeok was just beekeeping, yet money was flowing in on its own, and he was making a huge contribution to the survival of humanity.
The second advantage was the alpha and omega that had made Seong-hyeok the strongest close-combat fighter he was today.
It was his class specialization, Honeybee Processed Goods Aficionado.
[The Honeybee Guardian's class specialization, Honeybee Processed Goods Aficionado, is activated.]
[You are freed from the limit on permanent stat increases from 'Guardian's Aged Peridot Dark Indigo Bee Venom Honey Tea (★★★★-)'. 0 / 1 Time remaining: 6 hours]
[You are freed from the limit on permanent stat increases from 'Guardian's Aged Stone-Honey Seven-colored Honey Wine (★★★★★)'. 0 / 1 Time remaining: 6 hours]
...
As a rule, aged honey products had enhanced effects.
Among them, those that permanently increased stats upon consumption now provided a greater boost, which naturally meant the total amount of stats Seong-hyeok gained each day increased.
“As expected, the aged stuff is the real deal.”
Enjoying the rich, mature flavor was also a pleasure in itself.
And finally, there was the third advantage.
It manifested, without a doubt, at mealtimes.
“The food's ready, so come and eat!”
“You workaholics! Fill your stomachs first!”
With faster aging, everything from kimchi, an essential for any Korean, to various salted seafood that whetted the appetite, could be made more quickly.
It became another element that enriched their dining experience.
“Yes, coming right away, ma'am.”
The combination of gukbap and kimchi was enough to make even a true workaholic like Seong-hyeok pause his work for a moment.
Drunk on the sweet aroma, Seong-hyeok and the residents of the beekeeping farm began another hearty meal.
* * * * *
The honeybees were a symbol of abundance and could be called the diligent fairies of the forest.
They were always the first to step up and do what needed to be done.
These tiny creatures, who would charge bravely at any enemy despite their small size, had long since become the mascots of the beekeeping farm.
“Haha. You guys are working hard again today.”
“Thanks for your help last time. I'm counting on you again.”
“Oh, are you cheering for me? Thank you, guys.”
“Hehehe. The bees are so fluffy.”
With their adorable appearance added to the mix, there was simply no reason to dislike the honeybees.
Was it because of this?
The residents living on the beekeeping farm had long ago become captives of the bees.
Well, what could you expect when they had such plump, devilishly charming behinds and even saved your life?
“This is nice.”
And the one most satisfied with this change was Seong-hyeok.
His love for honeybees, which had continued ever since he first fell for them.
Having walked a single path and been born with the karma of a Honeybee Guardian, what Seong-hyeok desired most was the coexistence of humans and bees.
A symbiotic relationship where humans got what they needed from bees, and bees, in turn, got what they needed from humans.
Moreover, in the process, the bees had undergone near-infinite evolution through Seong-hyeok.
[The Honey Liquid Extractor (★★★★-) has been completed.]
[Please charge the Honey Liquid Extractor with honey!]
[You will obtain special, high-purity honey.]
One result of that evolution was a new skill Geonchug-i had acquired.
The Honey Liquid Extractor.
“It's finally complete.”
At a glance, it was a structure that seemed intimately related to honey, the main ingredient in his crafting.
He wanted to check it out immediately, but unlike the aging of the Honey Strawberries, construction required a separate order from Seong-hyeok.
It also needed a not-insignificant 18 hours to complete.
But as they say, good things come to those who wait.
The finally completed Honey Liquid Extractor, built by Geonchug-i with beeswax and propolis, was quite satisfactory.
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[Honey Liquid Extractor (★★★★-)]
※ Built for a specific purpose, it has extremely weak defensive capabilities and durability.
* Classification: Structure
* Capacity: 0%
※ Perfect Honey Refinement: Consumes capacity to extract high-purity honey liquid.
※ Charge Capacity: Capacity is filled after a certain amount of time by adding honey.
* Health: 1,500
* Defense: 15 Magic Resistance: 8
* Description: A ★★★★- grade Honey Liquid Extractor made with a special method. You can obtain high-purity honey liquid after a certain amount of time by adding honey.
※ Caution! During the refinement process, the Honey Liquid Extractor emits an irresistibly sweet scent that stimulates the appetite of nearby monsters. It increases the respawn rate of nearby monsters and attracts them. (This effect grows stronger the longer the refinement process continues.)
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It was literally a structure that put the honey produced by the bees through another stage of refinement.
In terms of upgrading honey, it had similarities to a wild beehive, but strictly speaking, the framework was completely different.
“If I use this properly, it could completely change the current crafting landscape.”
The types of honey Seong-hyeok was currently obtaining numbered as many as eight, including Ruby Gem and Peridot.
Unlike wild honey, which was divided into Stone, Wood, and Earth honey due to its powerful components, each of these honeys boasted its own unique characteristics.
And was that all?
There was also one of Seong-hyeok's skills, Mixed Honey Processing.
If he added this to the equation, he could create a virtually limitless number of variations depending on his intentions.
Well, it might not be as effective as rare wild honey, but that alone was still amazing!
“In fact, looking at the bigger picture, this is more effective.”
It was worth remembering that the beekeeping farm was no longer a space used only by Seong-hyeok.
It was now home to over 10,000 residents and served the billions of people in the world.
Considering the various possibilities, upgrading honey through the extractor would have a massive impact on both his coin earnings and survival.
And above all...
“You did a great job, Geonchug-i.”
Bzzzz~
Wild honey had always been a scarce high-grade ingredient.
If he could now have a plentiful supply of high-grade ingredients that were on par with it, it was excellent news for Seong-hyeok, who was obsessed with researching honey processing.