Chapter 34

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Translator: penny

Chapter: 34

Chapter Title: Raise

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"Wanna give this a try?"

I handed the notebook over, and Chun-sik tilted his head curiously. He immediately started scanning the contents I'd written down.

1 minute.

2 minutes.

At first, he just skimmed the paper indifferently, but gradually, a spark of understanding lit up in his eyes. Finally, he nodded.

"Record the mana wavelength onto an alchemical substance called a resonance catalyst and amplify it, then use that to implement a tracking spell that follows the residual mana? That right?"

I was momentarily speechless.

I'd struggled for ages to wrap my head around this complicated principle, but the little guy grasped it all in under three minutes. And way more deeply and accurately than I had.

"...Hey, Chun-sik."

"......"

"Wanna handle the magic part?"

Chun-sik just stared at me instead of answering. It wasn't hard to read what that look meant.

"...Fine. Ten minutes on the tablet."

"Thirty minutes."

His voice was firm.

"...Fifteen minutes."

"Thirty minutes."

In the end, I had to be the one to back down. I desperately needed his skills right now.

"...Okay. Thirty minutes."

"Hee."

He beamed and plopped down at the central table in the workshop, notebook in hand. He looked seriously motivated.

I headed straight to my workstation as well.

The residual healer mana wavelength I'd extracted earlier.

Recalling the recipe I'd seen on the Alchemy Gallery, I got to work creating a resonance catalyst that would resonate with and amplify this wavelength.

It was a simple process, really—just adding ingredients to a special solvent and heating it. But at the same time, I had to meticulously draw out the mana wavelength permeating the beaker.

Sizzle—

As I focused on the bubbling solvent, I glanced over at one corner of the workshop.

Chun-sik was wrestling with a small plastic plate and mana stone solution he'd pulled from the storage room.

"...This part goes like this..."

He was dipping a sharp tool into the mana stone solution and etching circuits thinner than a hair.

It was amazing to watch those tiny hands draw such complex, precise circuits without a single error.

'...He's incredible.'

Who was worrying about whom, anyway? I turned away from ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠him and refocused on my alchemy.

How much time passed like that?

"Phew..."

I finally bottled the finished pale green slime-like resonance catalyst in a small glass vial, handling it carefully.

At almost the same moment, Chun-sik stretched and set down his tool.

"All done."

He carefully brought over the plastic plate etched with intricate mana circuits.

There was a shallow groove in the center. I poured the completed catalyst into it.

The moment the pale green slime touched the mana circuits on the plate.

Pop.

With a faint sound, the circuits on the plate began to glow with a dim blue light.

"It worked..."

The blue light flickered unsteadily for a moment before forming a slender needle of light at the center of the catalyst.

The needle pointed toward one corner of the workshop, vibrating faintly. It was in the direction of the workbench holding the White Cell.

Success.

"But the detection range... It's pretty short."

Chun-sik, who'd come over beside me, said flatly.

"Gotta take it close to get a reaction."

"Close?"

"The extracted wavelength's too weak. Amplification's got limits."

In the end, someone would have to carry this compass and comb through areas where victims might be.

And there was really only one person who could take on that dangerous job.

A short while later, Yuna arrived at the workshop with a resolute expression.

"This the mana detector?"

She took the compass. She'd already been briefed by Representative Seo I-hyun on the details of the White Cell and White Tiger Guild.

"Y-yeah. But... the range is short, so..."

"Doesn't matter."

Yuna gripped the small plastic plate, its light faintly pulsing, tightly. Her eyes sharpened.

"I already got the info on the suspected spots from Representative Seo. We'll comb every inch. I'll find them, no matter what."

With that, she set off on the search without hesitation.

"Director, urgent report."

The Strategic Planning Director, a stern-faced middle-aged man, looked up from his documents.

"Speak."

"We've detected Choi Yuna checking and moving toward our guild's idle assets."

"...What?"

The director's brow furrowed instantly.

"She hasn't accessed any specific facility yet. But the abandoned warehouses and old training grounds we're managing... Her path is too systematic. Looks like she's searching for something."

"...You sure?"

"They're shaking our surveillance, but the movements themselves are confirmed."

The man chewed over the name Choi Yuna, twisting his lips.

'Rabbitfoot Company.'

He could clearly see what they were after.

'They figured out the White Cell truth? How?'

It was absurd. But he couldn't think of any other reason.

"......"

He needed time until the bill passed. Getting exposed to Rabbitfoot Company before the public hearing was the worst-case scenario. He had to buy time somehow.

But he couldn't just bury Choi Yuna either. That would spark all-out war with White Night Guild.

Bam—!

He slammed his palm on the table.

"Agent Kim!"

"Yes, Director."

Urgency seeped into the director's voice.

"Divert their attention! Tie their feet down, whatever it takes!"

I was lying on the workshop sofa, trying to catch my breath for a bit.

Vrrr—

My smartphone buzzed. It was Representative Seo I-hyun.

- Rabbitfoot, we've got a problem.

"A-a problem?"

What now? I'd just barely gotten a moment to relax.

- All material supplies have been cut off.

"...What?"

I couldn't believe my ears.

- White Tiger Guild has literally swept up every bit of stock on the market. Suppliers say they can't deliver anymore.

My mind went blank.

This was different from when the Korean Healers' Union pulled this stunt before. Back then, I wasn't making much, so self-sufficiency worked. But with the synchronized synthesis system running now, that was impossible.

Recovery Potion production would have to stop.

"......"

My first thought was 'Why?'

Wasn't this basically White Tiger Guild shooting themselves in the foot?

Rabbitfoot ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠Company had no debts or long-term contracts. We'd just not make money for a while—no potions meant no real issues.

If we held out, White Tiger would keep bleeding cash. I couldn't fathom what reckless thinking led to this.

- They must've confirmed we're looking for victims.

Representative Seo I-hyun cleared up my confusion.

- Feels like they're throwing everything at us to trip us up before the hearing. Probably to distract us.

"Ah."

Not some grand scheme—just a desperate scramble to buy time.

'So what do we do?'

Source materials overseas? Or just take this chance to rest?

All sorts of ideas popped up, but none appealed.

"Hah."

Instead, irritation started bubbling up.

The Healers' Union did it, and now this—always pettily messing with supply chains.

A fundamental way to end this annoying situation for good.

I immediately pulled up the Alchemy Gallery in front of me.

"Why just me."

Why did I end up with a body that's low-IQ, socially avoidant, and overly sensitive for no reason?

Indignation welled up, but regretting the past wouldn't change it.

I scrolled down and checked the rest of the comments.

'Grow your own.'

'Farm.'

'Easy-to-farm magic beast.'

"......"

Farm them.

Magic beasts?

I unconsciously turned my head.

Beyond the workshop, the vast expanse of the gate came into view.