Gaia Food -1-
Gaia Food -1-
Max meticulously checked the data inside the vehicle.
After reading through all the documents, they looked away and stared out the window.
"Hmm...."
The vehicle sent by the Association was heading toward District 56.
It was an area called the 'Gray Ditch' because a wide concrete drainage canal ran through its center.
'District 56, huh.'
It was a place not far from the studio apartment where Max had lived before moving their office.
'Memories.'
It was also the district Max had visited to find work back when they first started living on their own.
It was a cluster of factories responsible for producing various food and drinking water for the lower districts.
Following that, looking for points of interest from Max's current perspective...
It was interesting that Gaia Food, which they had found a connection to through Ghost Logic, was located in District 56.
'If I were to substitute this with a game, it feels like a connected quest.'
It wasn't just that Gaia Food existed; it was also Max's destination.
To resolve the request, they had to enter the interior of Gaia Food.
'It's too precise a coincidence to be just a fluke.'
It was reasonable to assume the client was the same as last time.
"Max-nim. This is the device you will be using. As you saw in the data, you can think of it as a USB."
"Oho."
"Please open the box only after you are completely inside. Even after the download is finished, you must put it back in here before coming out."
"Understood."
Max received the object the client had handed over to the Association.
The size was about two finger joints? It was much smaller and harder than the box that had previously contained the Neon Shade. They weren't sure what material it was made of.
"...."
Having secured the item, Max remained silent while organizing the data piled in their head.
The vehicle drove quietly for another 30 minutes before coming to a halt.
"Max-nim. We have arrived."
"Good work."
"I have a map made of materials allowed inside. Do you need it?"
"I'm fine. My memory is my only merit, and it's important to keep my hands free."
"Understood. I will be waiting under this bridge."
"Just please contact the Association. I'll be back when it's over."
Max sent a message to Ellen telling her not to come to work tomorrow and to rest.
Then, they put on the sanitary work clothes provided by the Association over their own clothes.
They left their outer coat, containing their smartphone, in the back seat of the vehicle.
To infiltrate Gaia Food and achieve the goal, electronic devices could not be taken inside.
It was for the same reason that a body mixed with machinery was not allowed.
"And when you return, depending on your condition, we will immediately transport you to a hospital affiliated with the Association."
In other words, if they came back looking like they were about to die, they would try to save them.
It was a truly grateful kindness.
..
..
Moving through the darkness, Max spotted a digital clock hanging inside a factory they were passing.
They sucked on an energy jelly while checking the time.
'Current time 23:56.'
The factories in District 56 were working hard even at this late hour.
There was no place resting.
'Unhappy Jelly Factory. Turn left here.'
Following the path, they occasionally saw figures in work clothes smoking cigarettes.
In the dark, the cigarette embers flickered and their voices could be heard, making them easy to identify.
'Now, what's today's fortune?'
Max finished the energy jelly and took out a lollipop.
Coconut flavor.
It wasn't a flavor they liked because it lacked sweetness. In terms of fortune, would this be 'bad luck'?
'I guess it's better than a salt candy.'
And so, they arrived at Gaia Food.
Since Max didn't have an employee ID, they had no intention of entering through the entrance, so they moved their feet.
They looked for a bathroom window.
'Here it is.'
The bathroom windows used by the lower-tier employees adhered to an archaic security method involving a latch.
They turned it with Psychokinesis.
Cheol-keok!
The window opened with a refreshing sound.
'Good.'
Since they had seen the digital clock on the way, they weren't worried about anyone being inside.
In the lower district factories, you couldn't go to the bathroom unless it was a designated time. The moment you left your post, your wages would be drastically cut or you'd be kicked out of the factory.
Gaia Food employees got a 10-minute break once every 8 hours. On average, they worked 16 hours and rested for 20 minutes.
There was no separate mealtime either. They had to handle it themselves within 10 minutes.
Because their livelihoods were at stake, everyone desperately guarded their positions.
'Ugh, it's cramped.'
Max entered through the bathroom window.
Naturally, there was no one there.
Following the blueprint drawn in their head, they stepped out into the hallway. Wearing the sanitary work clothes and a mask, they walked confidently.
'My current role is something like Laborer 1 who has given up on their wages?'
They boldly crossed the factory where night shifts were in progress. They didn't encounter anyone.
As they walked, they saw a cart piled with boxes of shredded paper. They grabbed a bundle and held it to their chest as if it were an important document.
Using the conveyor belts where employees stood with their backs turned as a path, they entered the next area.
Wooooong! Wooooong!
The sound of machinery could be heard at regular intervals.
'Based on the location, is it that machine in question?'
Gaia Food used a Self-Resonance Sterilizer.
It was a sterilization technology that used strong magnetic fields to treat bacteria and microorganisms without using chemicals.
The entire long, connected space was exposed to the magnetic field emitted by the Self-Resonance Sterilizer.
Unless you were an executive of Gaia Food who could use a separate entrance, you had no choice but to pass through here.
'Strong magnetism is fatal to machinery.'
This was the first reason why it was said that cyborg mercenaries wouldn't work.
If it were a high-end model made by a reputable company, it would laugh it off and endure, but the prosthetic arms or legs worn by ordinary mercenaries had a high probability of malfunctioning in this environment.
'Turn right after passing here, and it's the office.'
Max threw off the sanitary work clothes. Now moving in comfortable clothes with only a mask on.
The office doors were all tightly shut. They could hear sounds and feel the presence of people inside, so it seemed someone was there.
Max searched for the 'New Product Development Team' located deep inside.
'Okay.'
They cut the lock with magic and boldly opened the door. The computers were off, and no one was there.
Closing the door, they approached the computer sitting at the head desk.
Click!
They took out the device trapped in the small container and plugged it into the main body.
The computer turned on automatically, the security was bypassed, and the desktop appeared.
[Downloading...]
It immediately began receiving the data.
'The security bypass is fast. Who made this thing?'
While waiting for the download to finish, Max discovered data with a conspicuous name.
Feeling an unknown certainty that it would satisfy their curiosity, they opened the file.
[Project Code: White Harvest]
[The current low purchasing power and irregular eating habits of the lower district citizens are becoming a stumbling block to the long-term profit structure. To overcome this, a new food lineup aimed at the forced consumption of products is planned.]
※ Market Analysis
▷ Indicator: The average income of the indicated lower district residents is less than 12% compared to the Heize standard.
▷ Problem: Due to the labor cycle, food purchases are irregular, and they subsist on low-cost synthetic foods. This acts as a barrier to entry for our products.
▷ Solution: A plan to improve the market constitution of the lower districts is needed. Transition from consumption based on preference to a forced consumption system.
※ Core Ingredient Formulation
▷ Core Ingredient Name: WR-09
▷ This ingredient is an addictive substance extracted and refined from White Rampage. It achieves nervous system fixation in bodies that do not possess magic, causing the brain to trigger a rejection response when consuming ordinary food ingredients.
▷ Since it induces a pure biological reaction, change the ingredient to a general amino acid during food permit inspections. Consultation with the Food Permit Department is required.
※ Profit Simulation and Expected Effects ───.
'So this was the secret to the new product's success. No wonder they only sold it in the lower districts.'
Max let out a faint smirk as they scrolled down the data.
They also gained confirmation that the truck at Ghost Logic was indeed intended to head toward Gaia Food.
'If it goes on like this, isn't the standard plot that the launch of Gaia Food's new product gets blocked? Before the regression, it was launched normally....'
If they were to make the most likely guess, it meant that before the regression, the person sent by the Bohemian Mercenary Association had failed this request.
'They did say it didn't matter if I refused.'
A possibility that leads to the root here.
The betrayal or genuine failure of the mercenary sent by the Association.
[Download Complete]
They pulled out the device and put it in the hard box.
And then, they faced a person entering the office.
Kiii-ik!
It was a middle-aged man in a suit with his hair slicked back.
There were many scars on his face.
The man who entered the office did not look surprised, as if he had known of Max's presence.
He pressed a button to lock the door and spoke.
"The soundproofing in this office is certainly reliable. The walls are sturdy, too."
"Is that so? That's good."
"Was the project content interesting? It hasn't received an external evaluation yet, so everyone was curious."
"It reeks of money. If you launch it, it's a guaranteed success."
Regardless of how the future might turn out, that was how the past had actually flowed.
"Thank you. I've gained confidence thanks to you. It's a shame I can't let you leave peacefully."
"I also wanted to leave quietly, so that is a shame."
Max knew who the man in front of them was.
He was a person they had identified in advance through the data.
The second reason why using cyborg mercenaries was problematic.
'Gaia Food executive, Misumi Renya.'
One of the individuals to be dealt with depending on the situation.
A Rank 3 fighter who was called the 'Collector' in the District 50 Scrap Forest.