Chapter 18
Chapter 18
“I’m not planning on moving.”
Naturally, there was no way the Gate Management Team 3 would ever be officially part of the research team.
Lan crossed her legs, cutting off Doice’s words. Even with an emergency happening, she radiated calm confidence.
“Shouldn’t we at least take care of the Frost Gnomes first?”
“They’re just E-rank monsters. Support should be here soon, right?”
The research lab was the company’s most important facility. Reinforcements were always on standby, and emergencies occurred about once a week.
So a mere E-rank monster appearance wasn’t cause for alarm. Even if the research team wasn’t exactly “normal,” there was a reason Doice personally scouted them.
“We’ll handle it ourselves.”
“Huh? Team 3?”
Lan casually started the negotiation.
“No, not Team 3. Just me and Aren. We’re the only ones available right now, right?”
Aren shot her a look that clearly said: If you’re going to wait for reinforcements, then wait. If you’re going to go, just go. Why the sudden negotiation?
Lan let out a light sigh and whispered into Aren’s ear.
“I’m doing this for you.”
Aren whispered back.
“What do you mean?”
“You need to get some rewards while things are peaceful. Look at your current weapon.”
Lan tapped the supply-grade sword at Aren’s waist.
“It’s pathetic. What if something really dangerous happens?”
“So, you mean we settle this mission in exchange for better gear?”
“Exactly. Better equipment means faster results and faster promotions, right?”
She wasn’t wrong. Eric and Lua might think highly of Aren, but he was weak enough that he’d be flattened by Lan in hand-to-hand combat.
If your skill isn’t enough, you rely on equipment. Aren’s current sword wasn’t even his original weapon.
Lan ran her hand down Aren’s back—where a greatsword used to be.
“I want to see you wield something big and impressive again.”
“Don’t word it in a way that can be misunderstood,” Aren frowned, feeling uneasy because she wasn’t exactly wrong.
“Anyway!”
Lan smiled and turned to Doice.
“We want compensation. Support fees or rewards should be provided by the research team, right?”
The Gate Management Team had a system for receiving proper compensation when supporting other teams. The company had many flaws, but this was a decent part of the system.
“Yes… of course. What would you like?”
Doice knew exactly what they would ask. Usually it would be extra pay, but…
“Contact the head of the equipment supply team.”
“Pardon?”
“Have them make a weapon for our Aren agent.”
“Excuse me??”
Lan tapped Aren’s shoulder and smiled mischievously.
“Well… Team 3 leader, that’s not my jurisdiction…”
“Just contact them. Aren can handle the rest, right?”
Lan placed infinite trust in Aren.
“That’s correct,” Aren said. He wasn’t unconfident. The difficult part was approaching the head of the equipment team directly, but with an introduction from the lab director, he could get the request taken seriously.
“If that’s the case… but is it really okay?”
“Of course it is. You’re friends with Marthon… or rather, the head of the equipment team.”
“How did you know that?”
“Oh.”
Lan answered excitedly, almost revealing her future knowledge. Aren had to smooth things over at the end.
“I’ll take that as your acceptance. Let’s go then.”
Aren jumped up and left the lab director’s office. Lan hurried after him, smiling awkwardly.
Laboratory 27 was a mess.
“Kyaaaah!”
Children slid down a slide—at first glance, a cute sight.
“Ah! Watch out for the car!”
But these weren’t children—they were Frost Gnomes scattering ice. The slide was actually a wriggling, moving vine, and chaos reigned.
“Ah! Stop breaking everything, you idiots!”
If not for the Frost Gnomes destroying the lab, it could almost look adorable.
Research team members reacted differently.
“When will the reinforcements arrive…!”
Some screamed as their frozen projects were ruined, while others had their hands frozen by touching the Gnomes.
Most of them, however:
“Wow… it’s the first time a monster was born from a frost flower, senior.”
“Record it quickly before support arrives. The Gate Management Team will just crush them indiscriminately.”
Regardless of the chaos, everyone carried tablets and meticulously recorded the events.
The lab might be a disaster, but this was normal for Zenith’s research team. They only cared about their projects; everything else was just observation and analysis.
Lan chuckled. How could it be this chaotic? Half the researchers were panicking over approaching the Frost Gnomes, half were recording every new phenomenon. This was only possible because it was a low-threat E-rank monster.
“Quite a few have appeared already.”
“Looks like they have good synergy with the frost flower.”
Aren and Lan held back, observing rather than intervening. If these monsters were mana predators that could kill by draining mana, immediate elimination would be necessary.
“Ah! My foot!”
“Why kick a cute Gnome?”
“Can’t you see they’re freezing the whole lab?!”
“Well, the lab director will probably cover the relocation costs.”
The Frost Gnomes only froze the surroundings—nothing more. The real problem was GT-078, a seed taken from the grand garden, which was now producing Gnomes inside the frost flower.
“Hah… wow… you two are fast.”
Doice arrived out of breath. Not a hunter, and with no exercise routine, it was natural he’d be slow.
“Ah! The seed we planted grew that fast? Indeed, monster tree seeds need diverse experimentation…”
Doice’s reaction matched that of the other researchers. Madness ran through the lab, after all.
“Hmm… which gate should I try next…”
Doice was already planning the next experiment, ignoring the Frost Gnomes. Lan and Aren couldn’t believe it.
“Next experiment? You mean planting that seed in other gates?”
“Yes. But don’t worry, only safe F-rank gates.”
Doice tried to reassure them, but anyone who had survived cataclysmic events knew F-rank didn’t mean safe.
Aren shook his head. Gate rankings were just arbitrary human labels. Safe? Don’t make me laugh.
Doice was competent, but here he clearly didn’t know better.
“What if a D-rank or higher monster appears?”
“Hmm? That shouldn’t… I can’t guarantee it. There’s always GT-078’s precedent.”
Exactly. The grand garden was F-rank, yet it produced a D-rank mana predator.
“But it’s okay. The lab is sturdy, as you can see.”
Doice’s confidence wasn’t entirely unfounded. Cold escaped the lab, but the Frost Gnomes—or even small ice fragments—couldn’t. The lab was specially designed.
But only against low-rank monsters, Aren thought. Continuing dangerous experiments in other gates could end badly.
While Aren considered how to stop this mad researcher, Lan intervened.
“Director, have you thought about the incident report?”
“…Incident report?”
Doice’s expression crumpled. Reports were useless and tedious to a busy researcher.
“You need a reason if you let emergencies continue. What if the chairman hears?”
“Oh… what do I say…”
Doice sighed in relief.
“The chairman is busy. A little observation is fine, right?”
“Hmm… really?”
Lan tapped her chin thoughtfully, then caught Aren’s eye. He could tell mischief was coming.
“But what do we do? I’m actually the chairman’s daughter.”
“Haha, really?”
Doice laughed it off, thinking it a joke. The chairman’s daughter couldn’t possibly be the Gate Management Team leader.
“Want me to call now?”
Lan, however, couldn’t laugh when she saw the number labeled [Dad] on her personal device. A number the director had to kowtow to repeatedly.
“You’re serious…?”
“I wouldn’t dare impersonate the chairman’s daughter, director.”
S-rank hunter and head of one of the top three companies, Taechun. Impersonating his child? Impossible.
“Well… then, if you continue dangerous experiments, I’d have to inform him.”
“Eek… please, anything but that…”
“Then just don’t do it.”
“I won’t. Absolutely not.”
Lan smiled at the trembling Doice. Aren was dumbfounded. She’s never done anything like this before…
Lan had never wielded authority before. When she became chairman, the company was already collapsing. Yet here she was, calmly subduing a mad researcher. Leadership ran in her blood.
“Glad that went smoothly. Let’s sort this mess out.”
With a satisfied expression, Lan drew her twin swords.
[Zenith]
Engraved with luxury craftsmanship, a gift from Taechun himself—the only weapons of their kind in the world. Aren looked surprised; he expected to take the lead.
“You’ll handle it yourself?”
“Yes. Why? I have better synergy against Frost Gnomes anyway.”
“That’s true…”
Lan had essentially set the stage for Aren. He’d receive his weapon as a reward.
“Ah, friends shouldn’t fuss over that,” Lan said, laughing and nudging Aren.
“If you’re really grateful, let’s eat tteokbokki afterward.”
“Why is it always late-night food?”
“Can’t help it. There’s always an incident.”
Lan stepped forward, smiling, as they entered Lab 27.
A thin flame ignited along her swords. Activating the ability <Elemental Inspection>, the frozen lab slowly melted.
Heat flowed through the cold air.
“Kyaaaah…?”
The Frost Gnomes hesitated. All eyes turned to Lan. Aren drew his supply-grade sword and followed. Even in the frigid room, standing next to Lan brought a pleasant warmth.
“But you’re buying the tteokbokki, right?”
Lan’s radiant smile made the warmth even more tangible. A C-rank hunter wielding flames and sharing tteokbokki—a small, peaceful moment. Aren could only nod.
“Let’s finish this before the shop closes.”
At least they shared the same goal.