Chapter 86
Chapter 86
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 86
Chapter Title: Geon-woo's Business, Physical Enhancement Clinic
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Forming a group is an unparalleled means for growth and development.
Families, tribes, villages, territories, nations, guilds, secret societies, and so on.
The forms of groups are countless in variety.
But naturally, such groups come with a certain degree of constraints.
No matter how much one might be the owner or leader of the group, it's hard to be completely free from the rules set by the group itself.
As a result, people who refuse to belong to any group inevitably emerge, and those with such tendencies often end up ostracized.
"That's where those kinds of guys gather—Crassus, right?"
Pang glanced at Geon-woo while swirling the glass in front of him with his spoon.
Crassus was the broad term for the area where Geon-woo's group currently was.
For example, it was on the level of saying the demon tribe's territory bordered the Crassus region.
"But in the end, Crassus has plenty of groups too, doesn't it? Request guilds, corporations, bounty hunters, and all that."
This time, Muhammad jumped into the conversation.
"It's inevitable. When people gather, factions form naturally. But there's one thing."
"What's that, Leader?"
Ivan set down his glass and asked.
"The Crassus region has a lot of rebellious types in this dimension. And unless it's a special case, it's a pretty free place."
"Free? Are you joking, Leader?"
Ivan gave him a look like that was the most ridiculous thing he'd heard in response to Geon-woo's words.
This Crassus was practically a lawless zone.
Here, bounties were essentially just slapped on anyone you didn't like, not because they'd done something evil.
It would be more accurate to call bounties the easiest form of private sanction.
That's what Crassus was like.
So Ivan reacted that way to Geon-woo's statement.
"For starters, there are groups here, but even those groups aren't solid. They're barely held together, like they could shatter into pieces at any moment. That's why there's no real cohesion. And that's to our advantage."
"So you're saying they won't band together in a mob and come charging at us?"
"Exactly. And even if we grow to a certain extent, that won't change. There aren't many who'd conspire to pull down someone on the rise."
"Ah, I get it. It's a place packed with mediocrities, so we can climb without watching our backs too much, right?"
Pang nodded as if he'd caught on to Geon-woo's point.
"Um, so what do we do now?"
At that moment, Jumper glanced at Geon-woo cautiously and asked.
"Do what?"
Tucker stared at Jumper like he had no idea what he was talking about.
"Well, we can scrape by hunting magical beasts and such for food and survival, but planning a future on that seems tough, doesn't it?"
Jumper met Tucker's gaze but didn't hold back his true thoughts as he looked at Geon-woo.
The other companions, though silent, seemed to share the sentiment, subtly watching Geon-woo's reaction.
"Yeah, honestly, this is a land of opportunity, but without something solid in hand, our options are limited."
Geon-woo nodded and made eye contact with everyone in the group.
And then.
"I've thought it over, and in the end, if we're not taking from others, the only way is to sell what we have."
He laid out the solution he'd come up with.
"What we have? Like what? You aren't thinking of making jiangshi and selling them, are you?"
Pang asked in surprise at his words.
"That'd be great if we could, but controlling and moving jiangshi is my unique ability, so I can't sell them even if I wanted to."
But Geon-woo shook his head.
To be precise, if he taught the Heavenly Brain Multi-Heart Sub-Spirit Control Technique, others could handle jiangshi too.
But no matter how urgent things got, he couldn't sell the core technique that had made him who he was.
"Then what are you going to sell?"
Muhammad asked with a puzzled expression upon hearing Geon-woo couldn't sell jiangshi.
His face said he had no idea what else held value.
But at that moment, Pang clapped his hands as if he'd figured it out.
"Ah! I get it!"
Clap!
"What do you get? Did you actually understand?"
Cheon Su-wan asked Pang.
Pang spun his index finger toward himself and shouted.
"Me! I forgot about me!"
"What? You? You're gonna sell yourself?"
"What kind of nonsense is that? How much do you think a guy like you would even fetch?"
"Well, you're not totally useless, but prepping for the future by selling just one Pang? No way."
"Then are we all selling ourselves too? If we throw in with you, Leader might have enough funds to move for a while."
"Hmm, knight-class to low noble-level slaves..."
"Who's calling us slaves! Leader, you're really going to sell us?"
Ivan yelled in disbelief and turned to Geon-woo.
"Kyahahahaha! What are you all talking about? Why would Geon-woo sell us?"
Pang doubled over laughing, pounding the table.
"You said we have something to sell, and that something is you, Pang. So what's this now...?"
"It's not about selling me—it's about my connection to me. You think Geon-woo would sell us or something?!"
Pang shot up with an incredulous look and bellowed at Cheon Su-wan.
"Quiet!"
Geon-woo, who'd been watching the commotion for a bit, barked at everyone.
The group fell silent at his sharp tone, all eyes turning to him.
"Pang seems to have guessed it already, but for your sakes, I'll explain."
Geon-woo opened up and described the business he'd devised.
* * *
Crassus is vast.
And within the Crassus territory, there were countless cities and villages too numerous to count.
Among them, a strange rumor began circulating in the eastern Crassus region.
"They say it boosts physical abilities by about 30%."
"No side effects, but you have to take supplementary agents regularly."
"If you stop the supplements, most of the gained physical boost disappears. Some call it a long-term buff."
"That's nonsense. Even if you quit, about 20% of the increase sticks around. That's roughly 6% of your original physical ability permanently. How's that a buff? Ridiculous."
"It's pricey, sure, but since it enhances physical abilities without side effects, it's causing a huge stir."
"Still, it's only useful for knight-class or low nobles. They say it has nothing to do with willpower use at viscount level or above."
"What nonsense! Even without willpower involvement, high nobles get the same physical boost. Don't you get what it means for a viscount-level expert to suddenly have way more physical power?"
"Really? That's insane. It works on upper nobles too?"
"That's why it's blowing up. I hear Bantenni's atmosphere is tense because of that drug lately."
"Bantenni? They're in Bantenni?"
"Seems they moved west bit by bit and settled in Bantenni now."
Bantenni was one of the major cities in the eastern Crassus region.
"Guess I'll check it out. No harm in trying it once, right?"
"Sure, but one dose won't do much."
"Nah, if you're lucky and compatible with the supplement, you might get double or more the effect right away. Happens sometimes, especially for rigid body technique practitioners."
"What? For real? Rigid body? That's me! I practice rigid body techniques!"
"Then what are you waiting for? They say it's absolutely worth the gamble for physical enhancement types, even if not for others."
"Uwaaaah! I'm going to Bantenni! Bantenniiii!"
In a central Crassus metropolis.
The tavern frequented by hunters, mercenaries, and fixers was abuzz with the new rumor from the east.
And in one dim corner of the noisy hall, away from prying eyes, two people performing a simple ritual with their glasses exchanged knowing glances.
"The rumors have spread here already?"
"Indeed."
"We'd better hurry. Think we can meet them in Bantenni?"
"Intel says they've set up base there this time. No need to worry."
"Good."
"And with their abilities, it'll surely help milady too."
"I hope so. If only I could shore up this frail body of mine..."
The two, cloaked in robes with hoods obscuring their identities, conversed like this.
Soon after, deeming there was nothing more to hear, they swiftly left the tavern and exited the city.
Right outside, they summoned a massive flying magical beast from thin air and took off eastward without delay.
* * *
[Physical Enhancement Clinic Using the Secrets of Gangsigong and Jiangshi Refining.]
This was the business Geon-woo had devised to establish himself in the higher dimension.
In the process of creating Multi Jiangshi, his jiangshi refining arts had advanced tremendously.
They had long surpassed the level of jiangshi made in Ungajang's forge, which Ilryeong had called legendary.
Especially the Multi raw jiangshi—they were in no way inferior to Ungajang's pinnacle creations, by Ilryeong's account.
With the ability to craft such jiangshi, physical enhancement via jiangshi refining was viable even in this higher dimension, superior to Earth or Onbiroad.
"Good work, Ilryeong."
= I merely sourced the refining materials. You did the processing and blending, my lord.
"The materials needed for jiangshi changed a lot coming to this dimension. Solving that issue was no small feat. It would've been impossible without you."
The materials from Ilryeong's world had already differed greatly from those on Earth and Onbiroad.
And upon arriving here, they changed yet again, naturally putting Ilryeong through great hardship.
Geon-woo was praising her for it.
= Thank you, my lord.
"And that's not all. Thanks to you, we've found a way to break through the realm limit of the Heavenly Brain Multi-Heart Sub-Spirit Control Gangsi Technique. You truly are my treasure, Ilryeong."
= Am I not always your most loyal vassal, my lord? Hohoho.
Ilryeong burst into a pleased laugh at Geon-woo's praise.
"If the Heavenly Brain Multi-Heart Sub-Spirit Control Gangsi Technique advances another step, we can greatly evolve the raw jiangshi. Then..."
= You shall become a great lord, my lord. With vassals under you.
"Yeah. And at that point, I can seek out Shepalt of the demon tribe Helparis. Still a long way off, though."
= You will achieve your desires soon enough, my lord. This Ilryeong will always give her all for you.
"Don't overdo it."
= The work is done by the jiangshi, after all. I merely manage them.
"Even so, with you handling all the clinic's supplements, it feels like too much, and I'm worried."
= It's truly fine. Now, what about this new request that came in?
Ilryeong changed the subject, as if to deflect.
Geon-woo's face clouded with contemplation.
"The reward's tempting, but..."
He glanced toward the annex where the client was staying, hesitating.