Sweet Ranch's Happy Milk Cows - 4
"Make sure your gear is ready. Don't fire first. Follow my orders."
"Understood!"
Captain Shin Serin and my guard unit finished their preparations.
I could handle this myself if it came down to brute force, but right now, I needed people on the ground. There might be slaves trapped inside the facility, and in the worst case, they could try to 'dispose' of them before I even laid eyes on anyone.
'I hope it's nothing serious.'
It was hard to stay optimistic. The company's name was blatantly Sweet Ranch. According to their official YouTube channel, they were openly selling breast milk produced by humans. The videos showed a cheerful atmosphere during milking, but given the facility's scale, those could easily be staged.
Above all, the company's finances were highly suspicious.
'At this rate, they'd go bankrupt in months. Someone as smart as Yu Gayeon doing something this stupid?'
No matter how I looked at it, anyone running a business like this fell into one of two categories. Either they weren't in it for the money from the start, or they were making it through some hidden means.
'Whatever the method...'
Either way, it was fishy. I had to uncover the truth.
I climbed into the vehicle with my escort soldiers. Heading to raid Sweet Ranch.
Moments later, I arrived at Sweet Ranch.
"Looks like our intel didn't leak."
If they'd known a member of the Superior Race was coming, there would've been someone to greet us. They weren't prepared yet.
I took a deep breath and strode straight into the building.
"...No one's here?"
The building seemed quite spacious, but there were hardly any people milling about.
'It's not an abandoned facility. Did they spot me coming and hide? That could complicate things.'
They might have underground areas stashed away, with all the relevant personnel evacuated.
"Hmm..."
I held my breath for a moment, focusing my mind. I tuned my ears to the sounds around me.
"Sounds like a crowd that way. Hold position. I'll move first—follow behind."
"Yes, sir!"
Whether fortunate or not, I could hear voices. People.
"This must be... the milking room."
I dashed over and flung open the door.
"...Huh?"
The scene unfolding before me was a far cry from what I'd expected.
Dozens of women with enormous breasts lay reclined. Milking machines were attached to their nipples, drawing out the milk. But their expressions weren't dark or distressed at all. No one forced into this would look so content. Some wore headsets, listening to music; others scrolled on phones or read books.
"Th-the Superior Race! A Superior Race male is here!"
Someone spotted me and shouted. The entire milking room erupted.
"What? Who's spouting nonsense? Why would a man come here? No way... Oh my god, it's real!"
"Rishian-nim! We've missed you! Want to try our milk?"
A nearby woman pressed a button. The restraints holding her released with a click.
"What in the world..."
Watching them approach me, their massive breasts jiggling hypnotically, made my head spin. Those huge tits swayed so enticingly that my eyes couldn't help but follow—and from their tips, lewd droplets of milk dripped steadily. Impossible not to stare.
"How'd you find us here?"
"Did someone recommend our milk? Or did you see our YouTube videos?"
Even the soldiers who'd followed me wore awkward smiles as they watched. I had nothing to say. I didn't understand this any better than they did.
"R-Rishian-nim!"
A voice called from behind me. A purple-haired woman with enormous breasts gazed at me with trembling eyes.
"Y-You should've told us you were coming... We could've prepared something..."
It was Yu Gayeon. She looked exactly like her photo.
'Her eyes... so gentle. A bit tired, maybe.'
No matter how I scrutinized her, she didn't strike me as some villain kidnapping people to forcibly extract milk. She was just a researcher.
"You're the one in charge, right? Mind if we talk for a bit?"
"Of course!"
Time to get some answers about this place.
/////
"Is this everything...?"
"Yes. I handle most of the paperwork myself, so it might be incomplete in places..."
"It's fine. This is more than enough."
I'd entered Yu Gayeon's office to verify how Sweet Ranch really operated. The results were shocking.
'Everyone involved in milk production is here voluntarily, they get proper salaries, flexible hours, and full welfare facilities?'
I hadn't personally inspected the welfare areas yet, but that was easy enough to check in minutes—no reason to lie to my face. The ledgers backed up her claims about pay, too. It all checked out.
'Why didn't I consider this possibility...?'
Simple, really. I'd thought, 'Who runs a ranch like this? They'd go bankrupt!' Pure common sense on my part. That's why her company was doomed to fail in a few months—normal business logic.
'Well then...'
Those who'd defended her weren't just biased by money or connections; they genuinely believed she wasn't the type. And they were right.
'In a different way, coming here myself was the right call.'
This world's loyalty could be overzealous. If I'd ordered someone else to 'check this suspicious owner for wrongdoing,' they'd have fabricated charges to arrest her. But no matter how I sliced it, Yu Gayeon was innocent here. I had to admit it—my suspicions were wrong.
"Um..."
"Yes, Rishian-nim! Anything you need!"
She replied with a slightly tense expression. Nervous, sure—but only because I'd shown up unannounced demanding documents on Sweet Ranch. Not guilt.
No room for doubt.
"...I owe you an apology. Sorry."
"Pardon?"
"You know about the recent incidents, right? It's been all over the news."
"Th-the kidnappings and stuff?"
"Yeah. I thought this place was something similar. My mistake."
Body modification, forced milking—on paper, horrific crimes. But I couldn't picture her imprisoning anyone against their will.
"I'm sorry. If you want, I can offer compensation. It won't make or break your company, but..."
"N-No, that's okay!"
"Don't hold back."
In this world, people treated the Superior Race as infallible. An apology from one was borderline blasphemy. But that was their hang-up, not mine. I could be wrong sometimes.
"W-Well, instead... Could you try our milk?"
"Milk?"
"Yes! It's what our staff worked so hard to produce! I-It might not suit a Superior Race palate... but it's the best on Earth!"
"Sure, I'll give it a shot."
After barging in and turning the place upside down, a small request like this was the least I could do. Offering food to a Superior Race member wasn't exactly 'small,' though. I rarely ate specific brands publicly—outside of army rations or school lunches. My influence dwarfed any mukbang YouTuber; one endorsement could skyrocket sales.
'But...'
Even if she was angling for publicity, after what I'd put her through, I could let it slide.
"Alright, hit me with it."
"J-Just a sec! If I'd known, I'd have saved the best batch... This is embarrassing..."
"No need to stress."
"No way! Our milk is the best! It's still a work in progress, but you'll love it!"
Truth be told, I wasn't expecting much. My usual milk was plenty good—nothing special, just standard stuff everyone drank daily here.
No helping it. The tech gap was massive. Modern Earthlings couldn't touch Arken computers for VR games, commute via their vehicles (not that I used them), or rely on their AI android assistants. But human ingredients benefited from Arken tech. What was once luxury fare for the ultra-rich—prime meats, milk, fruits—was now accessible to all for a modest price.
With that in mind, I picked up the glass of milk. Fresh from the fridge, it carried a pleasant chill.
'Huh?'
Something was off. Milk wasn't known for strong aromas. It had a subtle scent, sure, but not like coffee or tea where you savored the fragrance.
Yet this milk had one. Sweet, nutty—not off-putting, but inviting. Just inhaling it felt like tasting milk already.
'Hmm...'
Expectations rising, I took a sip.
'Oh?'
Delicious. Yu Gayeon hadn't lied. Better than any Earth milk I'd tried. Sure, compared to drinks from Arken homeworlds, it might not stack up—but those tasted entirely different anyway.
Judged against Earth stuff? Only one verdict.
"Good, right?"
The best.
Indescribably perfect.
"You really like it?"
Yu Gayeon beamed innocently.
'Whoa...'
She'd looked a tad worn out earlier, like the job was grinding her down. One compliment, and she lit up like a new person.
"That milk... There's actually a way to enjoy it even more. Want to try?"
"Really?"
Now this I couldn't pass up.