The Northward March of BEM-C04
The Northward Advance of Identification Number BEM-C04
Immortal Realm.
The trashy morning drama had already churned out thirty episodes.
Even Cheonseon Jongri Seonin had snagged a seat, crying and laughing alongside Geomseon as they watched.
The investigation into the Peach Garden fairy theft?
What was that?
Did something happen?
One change since the dramas started screening.
"That crazy bitch! I'll kill her right now!"
"Fuck! Just killing her would be mercy. She needs to sizzle in hellfire!"
"In my eyes, that chairman bastard's the worst."
The swearing had ramped up.
Of course, they still watched while cursing.
"No, that woman who died and came back to life—I get that much, but why doesn't anyone recognize her?"
"Look at her face. Can't you see the mole on her cheek?"
"Damn! This makes no sense, but... it's still fun."
"If it's fun, that's enough. What more do you want?"
They occasionally ran special screenings of movies too.
Movies from Earth, made three hundred years ago.
And damn, were they entertaining.
For that reason, interest in Earth's culture from films and dramas had skyrocketed.
If they hadn't known, ignorance would be bliss—but now that they did, the craving for Earth goods only grew stronger, and there was no stopping it.
Was just watching enough?
They wanted to own it.
To taste it themselves.
To use it themselves.
Right then!
A sharp zzzing signal pierced Dokseon Dang Gunak's mind.
"It's here!!!"
Dang Gunak's booming shout.
The immortals watching the drama jumped in shock and swarmed over.
"I-It arrived?"
"It came! It's here!"
"Really? Haha, perfect."
"What? Pull it out already."
"Man, I'm dying to know. I've waited so long."
"Popcorn? How much chocolate?"
"Valentine's and Dom Pérignon would be nice too."
The drama screening halted immediately.
Stuff had arrived from over there— who had time for drama?
Dang Gunak stayed calm amid the immortals' clamor.
First, he cleared out the shared warehouse, moving everything to another area.
'Packed to the brim again, huh.'
But the shared warehouse seemed bigger.
No, it definitely was.
'Hahaha, bigger the better. Very promising.'
Dang Gunak slipped in a hundred prepared protective talismans from Danju Seonin and a single divine spirit flying dagger from Cheoljang Seonin.
The rest of the space? Crammed full of fairy peaches!
Then, he pulled out the letter first.
"Ah!"
"Ahem."
"Tch."
"Aigoo."
"Aw, man!"
The immortals, buzzing with anticipation, sighed in unison as a single sheet of paper emerged from Dang Gunak's hand.
Ignoring them, Dang Gunak swiftly scanned the letter.
He had to reply before the glow faded.
Quick feedback was key.
The fairies ate well.
Are the dramas and movies okay?
I'm worried the stimulating content might unsettle you noble immortals.
I prepped game consoles but held off this time.
Send word if you want them.
Sent more wristwatches too.
Cheaper than the last batch, but performance is top-notch.
Gift them to fellow immortals if they want.
Dang Gunak chuckled dryly.
Noble immortals, my ass.
Thieves who raided Peach Garden and spewed curses at dramas.
Gifts? No chance in hell.
Done reading—he dashed off a reply on prepared paper with brush and ink.
Deeply grateful.
Movies and dramas are a huge hit with the immortals.
Send the game consoles—they'll love them.
Enclosed some useful talismans—use freely.
Need more? Just ask.
He folded it neatly and tucked it into the shared warehouse.
Moments later, ping! The sparkling light faded.
Time to check the goods.
The immortals huddled in a circle around Dang Gunak, squatting with wide-eyed anticipation.
What would come out?
First, the popcorn.
"Popcorn!!!"
"It's here!!!"
"Caramel too?"
"Cheese is the best!"
The immortals went wild.
Popcorn back in—next,
"Cola!"
"Whoa, that fizz."
"This is what I waited for."
Pulled out a few bottles of whiskey,
"Macallan!!! Finally!"
"...Valentine's?"
Chocolate, mixed coffee, snacks, butter-grilled squid, Spam... The expanded warehouse yielded a flood of variety.
Cheers erupted each time.
Amid it, Geomseon and the fairy thieves pressed,
"Dokseon, sell quick—plenty of fairies for it, so..."
But Dang Gunak shook his head firmly.
"Changing sales method."
"Wh-What?"
"Lottery system. Everyone gets a number ticket—winner buys."
"...Huh."
"Monopolizing with fairy hordes? Pointless."
Geomseon and the thieves looked flustered.
This was bad for them.
But immortals short on fairies cheered Dang Gunak's call.
"Dokseon's the man."
"True sage!"
"Equal opportunity—that's fairness!"
"Watch for spell-cheaters in the draw."
"Caught faking? Off with their hands."
"Especially Geomseon—hands faster than eyes."
"...Writing scripts already? Think I'm some hotpants pushover?"
Dang Gunak raised his hand high.
"But,"
The immortals fell silent instantly.
"Some items sold direct—no lottery."
Dang Gunak pulled a neatly packaged small box from his infinite space.
What now?
The box screamed luxury.
Lid open.
"Ah!"
"Oh!"
"My god."
"Th-That... I gotta buy it!!!"
A radiant, mesmerizing item gleamed inside.
"Wristwatch..."
"Beautiful."
"Mine—hands off."
One wristwatch made you Immortal Realm elite.
Every immortal would look up to you.
"5,000 fairies!!!"
Geomseon bid max.
But Dang Gunak,
"No fairies. One-for-one trade—watch for talisman."
"...T-Talisman?"
"Want in? Bring your talisman quietly. I'll judge."
Chaos erupted.
Immortals waved their talismans in Dang Gunak's face.
Taktop and Jongri Seonin no exception.
"Look here! Look!"
"Check this—Peach Heaven club from celestial peaches!!!"
"High-proof fairy brew."
"Flying sword—auto swordplay technique!"
"Heard of Jo Yo-gyeong?"
Dang Gunak's wicked grin.
Immortal talismans for Earth watches.
Value-wise, one-for-one was blatant scam—but hey? Victims lined up willingly.
'Trade watches for talismans, send back to Taeju.'
Final New Seoul errand.
Taeju headed to meet Baekdu Group's Chairman Jeong Ukcheol.
Baekdu had a bio-pharma subsidiary too.
Jeong Ukcheol's ambitious brainchild: Baekdu Bio Science.
Massive facility investments—likely the Empire's top drug factory for output.
But years back, Baekdu's bio ops tanked hard from some incident.
Still recovering.
The research director and ten-odd researchers vanished with all data on late-stage new drugs—some patent-ready.
Untraceable.
Soon after, those drugs hit market as Mirinae Pharma's patents.
Backstabbed clean.
Now, Baekdu Bio Science shunned new drug dev.
Just CMO for others.
Even that dried up—factories idle.
Rumors swirled of selling the sub.
Jeong Ukcheol downed the Taehong Vitality Surge tonic Taeju offered.
Patented, but sales permit pending.
"How is it?"
"Tastes good. Taehong name sells. But..."
Jeong Ukcheol hesitated.
Taeju's CMO contract was absurd.
Volumes insane.
Vitality Surge and Fresh Flesh Growth demand—Baekdu couldn't meet even running 24/7 year-round.
Forget permits—could market absorb it?
"What's the issue?"
"You know fatigue drinks are split by Mirinae Pharma, Fuji Pharma, Balthae Bio. Saturated."
"True."
"Mid-tier effects won't penetrate. And 5,000 won per bottle? Double others?"
"Premium ingredients—no choice. Mid-tier? Hardly."
Taeju grinned.
"Not feeling it yet?"
"...Feeling what?"
"Hm, you're healthy then. No fatigue to fix—good problem."
"What? Think chairmen loaf? No rest—neck stiff, eyes blurry... Huh?"
It hit.
Always did.
He shot up.
"Wha... My god!"
Tonics worked fine—but feeling it? Chair flies, eyes bulge in awe.
"No...?"
"Zero narcotics."
Jeong Ukcheol signed on sitting down.
"Max volume."
"Dispatch mid-managers to our factory. Teach production."
"Immediately. ...Fresh Flesh same?"
"Existing wound meds? Obsolete."
"More new drugs brewing?"
"Plenty."
"Haha!"
Jeong Ukcheol marveled.
Samhan Empire pharma got a monster.
World-conquering.
Tonics and ointments not just Empire-bound.
Exports too.
"Market 'em fast."
"Procedures take time. Stockpile meantime."
"Hm, like your antidotes as munitions? Speeds permits."
"Haha, needs sales permit first. Unless war."
"Fair."
Deal done.
Taeju shook hands, rose.
"Other adds? Tell New Seoul branch manager Choi Dongil."
"Huh? Where you off?"
"Gurye. Away too long."
"Tsk, my granddaughter's dying to meet you."
"Next time. Sales start, back here anyway."
Baekdu CMO sealed—New Seoul wrapped.
Taeju, Baek Seoyeonn, and awakener escorts boarded train to Gurye City.
Beijing outpost city.
About sixty years since Beyond elites claimed south.
But monster waves? Negligible risk.
Monsters fought turf wars constantly.
Causing waves sometimes.
China vast.
Waves resolved internally.
Tidal surges dying midway, never reaching Beijing.
Still, surveillance constant.
Drones or high-altitude recon planes.
Satellites? Tricky.
Three centuries back, mana invasion crashed orbits—collisions wrecked most.
Few comms sats left, plus US/EU ones. Relaunch? Tech and cash short.
Beijing recon officer scanned drone feed.
'Hm, monsters multiplying.'
Prime watch: Great Wall south to 30km—civvy raid prime hunting.
'Wave brewing?'
Likely.
Southern wave pushing stragglers north.
'...Alert?'
Debated, but watched one more day.
Next day.
Monsters visibly surged.
Caution level.
Report up—civvy raids got monster advisory.
"Numbers rising—careful."
Day after.
"Fuck! What the hell?"
Screen: Common monsters blanketing 30km south of Wall, civvy raids scrambling retreat.
First since Wall built.
Monster alarm—raid ban.
Beijing garrison: Six divisions Jindo dog alert.
Another day passed.
"Huh? That one's... Elite, right?"
"Yep. Climbing."
"Wave this far?"
"We're screwed."
Elites followed commons.
High-alt recon airborne.
Troops massed at Wall.
Later, recon footage.
Cause found.
500km south of Beijing.
Slow-climbing croc-like behemoth: Beyond elite monster.
"Aaaah..."
"Insane!"
"Why move?"
Nuke-proof Beyond elite marching north.
Its push herding commons and elites up.
All Beyond elites numbered.
This one's ID: BEM-C04.
Would it push to end? Stop midway? Veer west/east? Unknown—but effects hit real-time.
If nonstop to top?
Samhan Empire doomed.
The Northward Advance of Identification Number BEM-C04 End
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