Chapter 26: Experiment
"What the heck is that?"
From a different vantage point, something I'd never noticed before came into view. It was a bit strange, but it was real. What I saw was something invisible when I was just standing on the ground.
"A tree?"
It was a tree. An enormous one. But why hadn't I seen it before when I was just standing there? Something that size should have been obvious.
"Kkamangi, hold up. I'm gonna hop down for a sec."
Kkamangi understood and came to a stop, so I carefully dismounted. And just like that, the tree vanished from sight again.
"Whoa! What the hell?"
It was utterly ridiculous. Invisible on foot, visible from horseback. I tested it several times—same result every time. Totally mind-blowing.
"Is the forest blocking the view?"
It looked like it was smack in the middle of the forest. But even that didn't explain the tree's sheer size.
"Some kind of barrier restriction?"
I pondered it on the way back to base camp, but no answers came. Nyaang! Hoya scolded me for wandering off somewhere. Even while grumbling like that, she'd pop up in a flash if I was in danger. I was counting on it, anyway.
"Hoya, did you see that massive tree in the forest?"
Haaak! Hoya let out a hiss at my words. Was that a warning?
"It's dangerous?"
Nyang!
"Hmm... Well, I doubt I'll ever need to go into that forest anyway. No reason to head there. Don't worry."
Nyang nyang!
"Got it. I won't go. Why would I? No idea what's even in there."
Just like I told Hoya, I had zero plans to venture inside. Maybe later if I turned into some invincible powerhouse with sky-high levels and mastery over magic and combat—but right now? Suicide mission. Especially somewhere Hoya was on high alert about. That'd be throwing my life away.
"But doesn't that thing look like a World Tree from novels?"
Nyaang?
"Oh, right. Sorry. You don't read novels."
The World Tree was a staple in fantasy novels—the elves' ancestral home, their mother. Judging by its appearance, it wouldn't be out of place calling that thing one. Didn't mean I was tempted to check it out, though. I wasn't that crazy.
"Would be cool if there were elves there too."
Nyaang. Hoya sighed. That pitiful look in her eyes.
"If you knew what I had on you, you wouldn't give me that attitude."
Nyaang?
"I've got video of you as a kitten."
I had this one video of Hoya saved. It was her failing a jump onto the desk and looking all embarrassed. Cats don't fail jumps? Bull. They do all the time. And when they flop, they let out that grumpy meow. Gotta be shame. Anyone who's owned a cat knows.
To Hoya, it'd be her ultimate humiliation reel. Haaak! Yep, reaction confirmed.
"Keep ignoring your dad like that, and I'll upload it to NewTube!"
Thwack! Not going stargazing with you... Stars. Whoa, that was a nyang-nyang punch loaded with emotion. Snapped me right back to reality.
"Okay, okay. I'll just keep it for myself."
Nyang!
"No way! This is super rare footage. Caught it by pure luck."
Who anticipates a cat failing a jump to film it on purpose? Total fluke. Prime rare content. Nyang nyang! Nyang nyang nyang!
"Fine, fine. Won't show anyone else."
(Everyone around me who's seen it probably saved it too.) Couldn't say that out loud. I'd be seeing blood.
"How about some island giant crab leg for our Hoya?"
Nyaang?
"Alright, let's grill it up."
We fired up the rest of the island giant crab and dug in. Would've loved to make crab guts or something, but realistically? No container big enough. I prepped firewood for the legs, lit it up, then used Fire Control to boost the flames once they caught. Plenty of wood meant minimal mana drain. I fine-tuned it to envelop the legs evenly, cooking them through without burning.
"Fire Control really shines for this."
Made sure the fire fully wrapped the legs—no uneven spots—and dialed the heat just right. Kinda fun once you got into it. Lost track of time tweaking it, and then—
Fire Control (Active) skill level has risen to 2.
Skill level up. At level 2, Fire Control felt even smoother. Stronger output than level 1, less mana cost.
"Dig in."
Organs were stored in a big tub in the icebox, so plenty of dipping sauce. Gave legs to Hoya, Baekya, and Kkamangi first, then tucked in myself.
"Leg meat's on another level."
Legs were tastier. No wonder folks go for those. We gorged, checked the farm and coops, boiled some eggs, grilled others. Finished prepping for work, crashed hard, then ported home on schedule.
Clocked into the office, and Manager Kang greeted me warmly. Asked if I could snag more pineapples. Told him yeah, one a week at that price point. Took watermelon orders from the section chief and cafeteria lady.
Selling eggs, pineapples, watermelons gave steady cash, so no more gate goods on the market. Exception: Seon-woo. Hunter like him could handle it no problem.
Then the section chief called me over.
"Ah, this is thanks for the watermelon."
What was he getting at?
"No big deal."
"I pulled some strings. Got a live pair of Brann chickens. Heard your folks run a poultry farm? Cafeteria lady mentioned it."
"Oh, yeah."
(Poultry farm's all me. Inside the gate.)
"So, thought I'd gift 'em to you."
"Really? Thanks."
Was it okay to hand these to just anyone? Fair point—not monsters, really. Still didn't get why Baekya couldn't come out. Toyed with the idea sometimes.
Anyway, Brann chickens in my coop? Crossbreeding with island chickens—what hatchlings? Super intriguing.
(Can I bring critters from other gates into mine?)
Prime experiment right there. If yes, time to hunt seeds from elsewhere. Gates were straight-up cheat codes.
"And tell your folks not to get too bummed if it dies. Not like they're the only ones experimenting."
"Got it."
Figured labs everywhere were trying outside rearing of gate life. No success stories, though. Company dipping in too. Normally no shot for me, but watermelons probably earned some favor.
"Any success cases?"
"Who knows. Even if, would they announce it?"
"True. I'll pass it on no pressure, then."
"Do that. Hell, tell 'em to just eat it if they want."
Great stamina booster. Sounded like he meant it casually. Zero stress. Feed demand kept climbing. Brann chicken fans would spread by word of mouth. Wonder how massive that gate owner's farm was? Kinda envious. But money wasn't my goal anyway. Whatever.
Back at my desk, a female coworker approached.
"Um, Assistant Manager Choi."
"Yeah?"
"That pineapple Manager Kang had."
"Ah, the pineapple?"
"Yeah. Think you could get me one?"
"Dunno if supply allows. I'll let you know if I do."
She grabbed my hand tight. "Please, please make it happen."
"Uh, sure."
This desperate? She was the office "queen"—huge hit with the single guys. Turned 'em all down, hated office romance. Never tried myself. No interest, especially with Hoya missing back then. Drained my bandwidth for women.
She was pretty, though. One flaw: skin looked a tad rough. Probably hit every derm clinic. Her looks were her edge. Fair play. Grooming took discipline and effort—respectable.
Super proactive too. "Please, really, hook me up."
"Yeah, if I get any."
"Want my number?"
"Nah, no need. We're both here at work."
"Oh, right."
Did I just dodge giving out my digits? Whatever. Zero spark. Just wanted work over quick to hit the gate.
"Should I quit the company?"
Holding Hoya at home, the thought hit. Shook it off quick.
"If I drop that too, won't my life be total isolation?"
Social life was just the job. Quitting felt off. Plus, feed company perks—like horse-friendly feed, factory manager consults on Brann chow. Even checked with that gate owner.
"Let's head in."
Nyang! Hoya went first; I followed with the two Brann chickens. They passed through fine. Different rules for people vs. animals? TBD.
Cock-a-doodle-doo.
Released into the coop, tension spiked between island and Brann chickens. Branns bulkier, but outnumbered. Worried about fights, so I said,
"Fight, and you're all forest fodder."
Island chickens welcomed the Branns. Newbies looked flustered but chill—no aggression. They mingled. Satisfied.
"It worked."
Didn't expect it to land, but it did. Bottom-of-food-chain island birds? Forest dump was terror.
Wait—
"They understand me too?"
Vaguely suspected, but damn. For real. That's when the alarm popped up.