Chapter 12
Chapter 12
Republic of Korea, Hannam-dong.
Two people were facing each other at a Samgyetang (Ginseng Chicken Soup) restaurant near the Management Bureau.
“It’s been a long time, Assemblyman Yang.”
“Haha, seeing you after a while. Director.”
Yang Pan-seo, who sat down, asked carefully.
“By the way, what brings you...?”
“Haha, your personality is hasty too. Let’s have the meal first. You must be hungry.”
When Director Kim Han-soo’s words ended, a while later, all kinds of food were set on the table consecutively.
Not stopping simply at one Samgyetang, but boiled chicken slices to fresh chicken sashimi.
Even before food boasting covetable gloss, Assemblyman Yang couldn't swallow food down his throat at all.
Kim Han-soo, Awakened Management Bureau Director.
The head of a power group enjoying unprecedented power since the history of the Republic of Korea.
To Assemblyman Yang Pan-seo, who didn't show particular opinion at the time of the Special Medicine Law proposal, he couldn't guess the reason this person called him at all.
Like that, quite a while of eating without knowing if the rice goes into the nose or the mouth.
“Would you like a drink?”
“Sounds good.”
Jjoruruk.
Simultaneous with alcohol being filled in the cup, the main subject he waited for was heard.
“About the Special Medicine Law.”
Ah, as expected.
Was it because of this?
“I’m thinking of overhauling it soon.”
“Overhauling it?”
“Isn't it a law with many problems.”
Awakened Special Medicine Law.
Commonly called Special Medicine Law.
Targeting medicines used by Awakened, a law named so that sales are possible only after passing a certain level or higher, such as quality management and hygiene matters.
At a glance, it feels natural, but a massive problem existed in this law.
“That, isn't it a law that came out to fill Hanshin Group’s belly?”
“Kuhum!! Look, no matter if it is Director Kim, such words are not to be said so easily.”
Actually, it was what Assemblyman Yang Pan-seo also agreed with.
The fact that the Special Medicine Law itself is a new bill created by Hanshin Group through all kinds of lobbying and solicitation.
Standards as they please, qualifications as they please.
It said it all in the point that GPMP (Good Potion Manufacturing Practice), which becomes the most basic, can also be adjusted thoroughly to Hanshin Group’s taste.
In the first place, it was a law created after winning the exclusive supply contract right for potions of US company Glorio.
The biggest reason the Republic of Korea’s potion industry couldn't develop was exactly due to the existence of the Special Medicine Law.
“Isn't it funny in the first place? Even the personnel inspecting the standards are people related to Hanshin Group.”
“Th-That is...”
“At the time of proposing the bill initially, we passed it over. Towers, Awakened, problems to handle were a mountain, so we had no leisure to pay attention to this side.”
Gulp.
Feeling his throat burning dry even though he did nothing wrong.
Knowing such a heart or not, Director Kim Han-soo continued speaking leisurely.
“On top of that, the only medicine satisfying the standards of the Special Medicine Law is potion.”
“...”
“But how is that potion now? Hanshin is monopolizing the Republic of Korea’s potions, and aren't problems caused by that ceaseless?”
“...Are you saying let’s abolish the law because of that?”
“Haha, who said let’s abolish the law? I said overhaul.”
Isn't that saying the same thing?
Yang Pan-seo looked at Kim Han-soo wondering.
“Pharmacy College, GPMP, Special Medicine Dispensing Manager... Aren't these all intentions to continue dictatorship for a long time by raising the entry barrier? This Kim Han-soo thinks so; what do you think?”
“Then are you saying qualifications are not needed to make medicines?”
“That is not it. Naturally, qualifications are needed to make general medicines.”
“Then?”
Kim Han-soo continued speaking while pouring alcohol into the cup.
“However, potion is not a general medicine, is it? From the making method to the manufacturing method, everything is different from existing medicines.”
“...Still, the necessity of clear standards themselves-”
“Of course I know. I am not denying that. However, if an Awakened who can create potions themselves exists, wouldn't the story change?”
“What does that...?”
“But if that Awakened cannot sell even though it is a potion with much better quality blocked by the Special Medicine Law, where would there be a more unfair thing than that.”
“S-Surely...!!!”
At Yang Pan-seo’s shock, Director Kim Han-soo laughed Hoho and spoke.
“My words are, shouldn't we raise the market’s competitiveness so good quality goods also come out and such.”
“...”
“How is it, do you agree with this Kim Han-soo’s thought?”
Kim Han-soo lifted the alcohol cup silently.
And soon.
The pleasant sound of cups clashing echoed in the room.
“Did you finish the talk well?”
“Yeah.”
Team Leader Choi In-woo sitting in the driver’s seat nodded as if he knew it would be so.
“Assemblyman Yang Pan-seo isn't a person who would move that easily, but since there was a certain card, it must have been unavoidable.”
“Tsk, old fox-like gentleman. I had no choice but to leak about Hunter Yoo Ji-soo implicitly.”
“Hahaha, still, isn't Assemblyman Yang necessary to amend the Special Medicine Law? He isn't called an old monster for nothing.”
“Tsk...”
Vroom.
Kim Han-soo, who was looking at the city lights passing by outside the window, asked.
“Rather than that, today too as expected?”
“Yes.”
“Haaa... How is it that we can't even catch a clue.”
It was the Management Bureau’s most major task recently.
Identity identification regarding the EX-Rank conqueror.
“Is this the 10th day?”
“Since what was announced a moment ago was the 10th floor, that is correct.”
“Can't even guess who on earth it is.”
“Haha...”
Until now, the public opinion is an atmosphere believing the fact the Management Bureau announced.
That is fortunate, but if revealed later, it is quite troubling.
“It really isn't Hunter Yoo Ji-soo, right?”
“Didn't you say he said so with his own mouth? That it is a trait irrelevant to combat.”
Is it really not him?
It feels like there is something that cannot be expressed in words though.
As he was looking out the window silently with a complicated mind, Team Leader Choi In-woo spat out a random sound.
“At this rate, I wonder if the Republic of Korea’s Ranker ranking will be overturned.”
“Is it only the Republic of Korea? The whole world’s Ranker ranking is being overturned.”
EX-Rank.
The ripple effect that gives was truly massive.
“How far do you think they can go up, Director?”
“Wouldn't you know that better than me?”
Team Leader Choi In-woo.
He was a public servant working at the Management Bureau and possessed two jobs as a Hunter belonging to the Management Bureau.
“Since Tower conquest starts in earnest from the 11th floor... I think up to the 20th floor is possible somehow, but beyond that is difficult.”
“Certainly...”
From 11th floor to 20th floor.
The Newbie Death Zone commonly spoken of.
There are not just one or two Hunters parking in this section and running only repetitive missions.
Because the 20th floor was literally a kind of gateway.
It is a place where even America’s Liam Crison had a hard time on the first conquest.
Though the condition became a little better due to videos and various items released afterward.
“It is somewhat scary that only too good things are exploding recently.”
“Useless words.”
“Haha, I apologize. Still, isn't the Director the same in feeling good recently?”
It was so.
Actually, the future of the Republic of Korea is bright just with the potion Hunter Yoo Ji-soo makes alone.
Added to that, an EX-Rank conqueror.
The sole single Hunter in the whole world.
Among numerous countries existing in the world, it is a situation where such happy events exploded consecutively in the Republic of Korea of all places.
“It cannot not be good.”
However, along with that, various inquiries started pouring in from surrounding countries.
China and Japan attached right next door are natural, and it seems news entered the US, Russia, and further to various countries in Europe and the Middle East too.
We must grasp the identity as soon as possible to do security or something...
We must find the EX-Rank conqueror before other countries somehow.
If we happen to be snatched by another country.
Because the future of the Republic of Korea might end on that day.
Lightning Strike Herb.
Newly obtained combat plant.
As can be known from the explanation written in the book, it seems to handle lightning...
“Can I raise this at home...?”
Won't the house become a mess?
Raise it outside?
But where?
“Haa...”
While I was just worrying unable to do this or that, Spiky who finished the meal before I knew it approached.
Poke poke.
“Hm? Asking what I’m doing?”
The fellow nodding its head.
At this, I lifted Spiky carefully.
“Heave-ho. I was thinking for a moment.”
Sururuk.
Now it enters the pocket on its own.
Geez, fascinating every time I see it.
Right, let’s worry later.
I plan to raise it anyway.
Isn't it the new combat plant I wanted so much?
I can probably raise it adjusting well.
It’s me who raised plants only for nearly 20 years.
Therefore, I had confidence to raise most decent plants successfully.
“Then shall we go?”
Even if I obtained a new seed, I shouldn't skip.
Checking if there is any new fellow while looking around the 10th floor without fail.
Naturally, I couldn't discover new plants.
However, I discovered something else.
“That is...?”
Light clusters twinkling in the distance.
I spotted something flying hwik hwik in the air.
“Is it a firefly?”
A fellow whose twinkling appearance is very similar to a firefly.
To observe a little closer, I killed my breath and approached carefully.
- !!
The fellow also noticed my approach.
However, unlike my expectation thinking it would run away immediately.
Sururu.
It was a fellow approaching me leaving a trail of light.
A size about one finger joint, it looks at me flapping its wings softly.
Is it observing?
Quite a while of peeking around me.
It sat down gently on my shoulder.
At this, eyes met with the fellow.
Simultaneously, a system message blocking the front of my eyes.
“...Spirit you say?”
Scary fast as my words ended, a system window floated up.
A mysterious existence revealing its appearance only to the partner it wants. Due to that picky personality, it is very difficult to find someone who faced its existence even in the Tower.
However, what enters my eyes was one line of sentence written at the end of the explanation.
A fellow equipped with the ability to relieve the worry I am having recently perfectly.
Green light rising from the whole body.
To think a fellow looking like a small squirrel is a Spirit.
Come to think of it, is it understandable?
Classically, isn't it a national rule that Spirits take the shape of animals?
That what was it, Salamander?
Isn't the fellow appearing in various media also a Fire Spirit taking the appearance of a lizard?
When I looked thinking such thoughts, the fellow started rubbing its cheek on my cheek.
“Hahaha, that tickles.”
Are Spirits all docile like this?
They said picky personality but it’s just cute.
On top of that, it’s Vegetation.
Classically, Spirits have a relationship inseparable from nature.
Just in time, the fellow also said it likes me.
“You, want to go with me?”
To the words thrown just in case, a reaction came immediately.
The fellow circling around me drawing a trail of green light.
“You mean yes?”
At this, the fellow sat down gently on the back of my hand.
At this, I accepted immediately without an inch of worry.
Because, if I have the fellow’s ability, I can receive massive help in the part I was worrying about, right?
It is even a Spirit.
Looking at the reaction of Spiky who is peeking its head out before I knew it, seems the kids will like it too.
Looking this way or that way, there is not a single reason to refuse.
“Contract.”
Afterward, a light flashed once on the back of the hand and a small pattern was created.
[Now you can summon the contracted Spirit anywhere.]
“That means...?”
I picked up a new worker.
And a very capable one at that.
(End of Chapter)
— Translated by Prime Works —