Chapter 46
Chapter 46
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 46
Chapter Title: Employee Benefits and Molts
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Tap tap.
As I headed down to the second floor, I sent a message to Seojin.
We'd already exchanged numbers ages ago. I usually went for texts, but since he never checked them, messaging was the only option.
Truth be told, messaging was way more convenient anyway. With nicknames involved, it felt okay to drop the formalities.
[DragonBreeder : Heard your spine got crushed?]
[SoloFanatic : ? How'd you know?]
[DragonBreeder : Dude, you ignore texts but check messages instantly?]
[DragonBreeder : (Teehee~ emoticon)]
[SoloFanatic : Lol yeah;; I'm lying down scrolling Solo Gallery]
This guy was unbelievable...
Shouldn't you pick up when the boss calls? Instead, he's browsing the community?
...Though honestly, lying down and scrolling the gallery is irresistible.
It's like a drug. One slip, and hours vanish like magic.
I peeked into Solo Gallery, and his post about his broken spine had hit the hot posts.
So that's what happened—showing off about taking down an A+ monster and karma bit him in the ass.
And posting it straight to the community like that.
Classic true community user behavior.
Tap tap.
[DragonBreeder : Why didn't you say you got hurt?]
[SoloFanatic : It wasn't a big deal...?]
Not a big deal?
How many times has this guy's spine snapped by now?
Even with healing, how is it still functioning properly?
There's that nonsense about elbows getting stronger with use... Does that apply to spines too?
[DragonBreeder : But how'd you get out of the gate? Shouldn't a crushed spine mean you can't move?]
[SoloFanatic : Used my last Ejector lol]
[SoloFanatic : For real, nearly died lmao]
The Forced Ejector, aka "Ejector."
A hunter's last resort, usable only inside gates—a munchkin tool that warps you instantly back to your registered outpost.
Usually registered to the gate entrance, hence the escape device name.
Cost about 100 million won each, right?
Quant sells them exclusively, but they're so pricey I've never bought one.
[DragonBreeder : Anyway, be careful next time. Who else is gonna test our new products without you?]
[SoloFanatic : Lol yeah;]
[DragonBreeder : Send your account.]
[SoloFanatic : ?]
[DragonBreeder : Sending medical funds.]
[SoloFanatic : Nah it's fine]
[DragonBreeder : Account]
[SoloFanatic : Nah]
Seojin refused flat out, but this was money I had to give him.
That's the duty and propriety of being the boss.
We didn't have an explicit salaried contract, but Seojin was my employee regardless.
And not just any employee.
He was a founding hero and the honorable first MolMol member.
Tap tap.
[DragonBreeder : Account]
[SoloFanatic : ;;;;]
Unlike Hayoung or Jina, Seojin didn't take separate pay from me.
He was content just with steady MolMol supplies.
So from my position, I wanted to provide some welfare benefits.
I'd invested heavily in welfare for the monsters—couldn't skimp on a human.
I do have a conscience.
Ding!
[SoloFanatic : Too much money, feels weird;]
[SoloFanatic : (Healer receipt: 212,000,000 won)]
Two hundred million for real.
No wonder high-rank healers are the worst black hole profession.
Heard A-rank+ healers don't even enter gates anymore.
Just click-heal and fix everything.
Tap tap.
[DragonBreeder : Account. Or no more work with you from now on.]
Two hundred million is huge. Insanely huge.
Back when I was rice-munching poor, it'd take years to save.
But it's fine.
For SoloFanatic, it's a price I'm happy to pay.
[Current Balance: 1,721,012,301 won]
Plenty in the bank.
Already paid off the loan from buying this building.
Ding!
[SoloFanatic : (Bank Account Number)]
Got the account, finger on the transfer button.
But is it okay to just gift this much tax-free?
No clue, but probably fine.
Ever since that loan day, I'd somehow become a bank VIP.
VIP perks include asset and tax management...
They'll handle it. Warn me if issues arise.
Worst case, ask Baegya for help. That's why I contracted her.
[Transfer complete.]
Ding!
[SoloFanatic : Whoa you actually sent it..]
[SoloFanatic : Thank you. I'll bury my bones for you.]
[DragonBreeder : Just get better quick. Need a tester soon for a new product.]
[SoloFanatic : Okokokok]
Okay.
Employee care done for now. Next up...
“Ugh.”
The moment my foot hit the second floor with sluggish steps, a sigh escaped.
“Total mess... I specifically said not to shed anywhere.”
The hallway, spotless from yesterday's mopping, was littered with plastic-like scraps like fallen leaves.
More precisely, not plastic—molts.
Thud!
“...Gah!”
Unexpected agony brought tears to my eyes.
I'd tried sweeping the molts with my foot, but used my bare toes instead of slippers.
My dainty white pinky toe swelled bright red.
Even a tough guy can't endure this. Guan Yu reincarnated couldn't.
It took ten minutes to stand again, groaning in pain.
“Groan...”
...Insanely tough.
I picked up a molt by hand. Light like snake skin, but its strength put steel to shame.
From no one else but the mini golems.
“Whew. So much shedding.”
Ten mini-mini golems, excluding Mini.
Those puberty brats shed weekly at fastest.
No clue why. Scoured papers, no similar cases.
Guess: new sand forms inside, shedding the old.
Does size increase?
'Nope.'
Checked every five days, no growth.
Shedding benefit? Surface gets clean.
That's it.
Anyway.
Molts are organic matter of golem sand, mana, and moonshadow stones intertwined.
Especially since golems are those monsters!
Defense off the charts, withstand dragon fangs briefly.
No wonder you target the core against golems.
...Ow, toe still throbs.
Swish.
Picked up the molts one by one amid the sting. Dumped them all in the fourth room on the second floor—the newly useful fourth (third is for the Kendarts).
Room already half-full of golem molts.
Useless keepsake material—pity to toss, no use.
“This amount... plenty for experiments.”
Finally found a use.
'Make armor from the molts.'
Tools with golem defense... thrilling just thinking.
Of course, molts alone won't cut it.
Post-shed, they lose all flexibility.
Hard to process, can't fit my 'custom' vision.
Enter slime again.
Our universal key, pudding slime!
Byproducts not yet MolMol-ified.
The ones used for slime balls—mix those in.
Blend perfectly, get flexible yet tough armor?
“Let's do it.”
I'm Nah Saebyeok, the guy for whom impossibility doesn't exist.
If I want it, I make it happen.
MolMol production fully automated anyway.
Bash head till it works, something'll come out.
Swish.
Dumped all molts into the MolMol machine.
**
“Hisss... Saebyeok, this seems tough.”
Clear skies thunderclap.
Exactly thirty minutes into armor dev, first crisis.
“No way around?”
“Yeah. Look.”
Hayoung touched a molt with her finger. Mana glowed purple at her nail tip.
“This is max output for S-rank mana stone processing?”
Zing!
Mana tried piercing, but molt unmoved.
Stoically maintained integrity.
“No dice. Can't process. Even A-rank craftsman might struggle.”
Damn. Didn't expect this snag.
Plan A: Hayoung shave molts, mix with slime bits and mana grass.
“Feels like steel. Mana-infused steel—human mana can't cut it?”
Steel, steel.
Word swirled in my head.
How do smiths handle steel? Carve with blades?
No.
Heat and hammer, or melt and pour.
Hit that thought, I burst laughing.
No need to agonize.
...Duh.
Just melt them?