Chapter 40
Chapter 40
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 40
Chapter Title: Overdose
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“A drug? I think I saw them take something.”
“You live here, so you know what’s been happening lately, right? It seems to be a short-term Awakening stimulant.”
“The ones we’ve seen so far were all focused on physical enhancement. Getting faster or stronger. And since it’s still unstable, the side effects are severe. Their muscles swell up excessively, and they get dizzy.”
At River’s comment, Juyeol recalled the fight at the restaurant. The guys he faced today were faster than the ones from District 4 he’d seen back then.
Remembering the recent string of rampages by Awakeners in the news, he had a hunch.
“‘Still’ implies that its refinement is gradually improving, doesn’t it?”
“That’s right. The ability wears off over time, so the incidents are suppressed quickly relative to their scale, but the duration is getting longer by the day. We suspect it first spread among the District 4 gangs.”
“Next was District 2, and now it’s spread to District 5, where you are. We’ll probably have to talk to the gang bosses.”
Juyeol looked puzzled.
Neither of them was an Awakener with useful combat abilities, and even their basic fighting skills weren’t high among Heroes.
“If that’s the case, why were you two teamed up?”
“Everyone else went to stop Nova from blowing up a building. So, the original plan was just to patrol along the river.”
“Then we spotted some suspicious guys and ended up in the old town.”
Juyeol nodded in understanding at their answer.
Chaser, who could see afterimages of events from a minute ago, was a Hero specialized in investigation and tracking, while River, who could breathe underwater, specialized in aquatic rescue and searches.
Just like Juyeol’s own ability was specialized for stealth and surprise attacks, every Hero had their own strengths.
“Still, I’m glad you seem to be doing well.”
“What?”
He was about to drink his cola when he looked up at River’s unexpected words.
River pointed at him with a french fry she was eating.
“Because you looked terrible when Gowon was imprisoned. But you seem better than I expected, so that’s a relief.”
“...”
An image of a certain face flashed through Juyeol’s mind. He glanced at the sofa and frowned.
As he pointlessly crumpled the innocent hamburger wrapper, Chaser, who had been darting his eyes around distractedly, started to get on his nerves.
“Hey. Stop looking around.”
“Oh, no. I was just wondering if... that person was here.”
Chaser stammered, startled, and River tilted her head.
“That person? Who?”
“That...”
Quick-witted, she glanced between the overly anxious Chaser and the silent Juyeol, a ridiculous name popping into her head. She was half in disbelief.
“You’re not... living with Dr. Eun, are you? No way, right?”
“Stop talking nonsense and mind your own business.”
River was horrified by Juyeol’s fierce reaction.
“Are you crazy? I thought it was weird when Dr. Eun was clinging to you when we went to catch Gowon!”
“How can I mind my own business!”
Chaser shot up, raising his voice.
“I came here to ask you about this case, and I find out Dr. Eun went grocery shopping and you cooked for her!”
“Who cooked for who? No, more importantly, you reported to Headquarters that you couldn’t find Ghost!”
“If your suspension gets extended, you’ll just have more time to spend together! Dr. Eun didn’t even go home that day!”
“What? Ghost, you’ve really lost it!”
“Why the hell were you creepily spying on me?”
“So I’m supposed to just let it be?”
So that was the real reason they came on Headquarters’ business. Juyeol rubbed his ringing ears and clicked his tongue.
“Why are you looking for someone who’s suspended? They can handle their own problems.”
“You’ve been cooped up in the old town this whole time. You must have seen something.”
River looked him up and down, still in disbelief, and added.
“And whatever you do, don’t get close to Dr. Eun. You’d be better off grinding your teeth and vowing to kill her like you used to.”
“Close, my ass. What the hell do you want? First, you tell me not to kill her, now you’re telling me to kill her.”
“I don’t mean literally kill her!”
“Mind your own business!”
As Juyeol slammed his hand on the table and shouted irritably, Chaser spoke with a serious expression.
“This isn’t just talk. Headquarters suspects Dr. Eun is the one who created the short-term Awakening stimulant.”
“...What the hell are you talking about now?”
“A few days ago, she was spotted observing the condition of Villains who had taken the short-term Awakening stimulant.”
* * *
Lying dazedly on the floor of the Dimension Gate lab, Haon ran her fingers through her hair.
“How in the world did they make this...!”
It was the fifth day since she had locked herself in the lab after collecting Nova’s blood and hair.
After finding all the cleverly omitted sections in the forced Awakening research records and inputting Nova’s genetic sequence, she had come to the conclusion that a temporary Awakening stimulant could be created.
The problem was, she had also discovered that the formula allowed for no margin of error.
‘Did they somehow master Mana Engineering?’
The existing science, technology, and knowledge of this dimension, plus ‘Eun Haon’s’ brain.
Could all of that combined lead to an understanding of mana in a place with no fundamental theory of it?
‘Mana Engineering is a science. A complete understanding of the microscopic structure of mana particles is fundamental, as is a complete understanding of the structure of the substance you want to combine with it.’
Haon’s gaze fell on Blue. The bluebird’s form itself was created by combining mana with radio waves.
The Mana Engineering app also activates using radio waves. When mana is combined with something, its very mechanism changes, no matter what it is.
It hadn’t been long since she’d crudely separated mana from an Awakening Sphere, and the idea of understanding it well enough to intentionally create a specific drug seemed impossible, no matter how she thought about it.
‘Then does that mean they actually succeeded by chance after conducting random human experiments?’
It was absurd that this was currently the most plausible theory.
She rubbed her dry eyes and stood before a glass tube where a dark blue potion was bubbling.
She had acquired this short-term Awakening stimulant, called a ‘Potion,’ four days ago.
In District 2 of the old town, she had found Villains who had passed out while suffering from the side effects of forced Awakening, just like Checker. In one of their pockets, she found a vial containing the mana-infused drug.
Whether the stimulant itself was addictive, or they were addicted to the pleasure of the brief moment of superhuman strength, the Villains seemed desperate to get more.
‘They’re asking for trouble.’
A sense of unease filled Haon’s eyes as she stared at the Potion.
A single dose resulted in only minor side effects, but repeated use could be fatal.
Some might ask what the problem was with Villains dying after messing with a dangerous drug, but of course, it was a problem.
It had spread through unknown channels to reach the hands of Villains, which meant there was no telling how it might reach civilians.
‘It’s already spread everywhere, but even the Villains didn’t seem to know for sure where to get the Potions.’
Haon thought of the most likely source of the stimulant.
Someone who knew ‘Eun Haon’ had been secretly conducting forced Awakening research, and who had directly funded it.
The ‘order’ among Villains that tolerated the spread of this new drug.
It was Halo.
‘And the one who killed ‘Eun Haon’ was probably...’
Circumstantially, it seemed ‘Eun Haon’ and Halo had planned to start a business selling the short-term Awakening stimulant.
Pushing out a partner to monopolize a business is a common occurrence in any field.
But to be targeted by the one who maintained order among the Villains...
That was more terrifying than the fact that many Villains wanted ‘Eun Haon’ dead.
‘It’s a good thing I pretended to have amnesia. The rumor that I’ve lost my mind must have spread, which is probably why Halo is leaving me alone.’
Haon sighed in relief. Since falling into this dimension, Halo had never once targeted her.
Juggling the excavation of Awakening Spheres, Dimension Gate research, and Potion research all at once, she was incredibly busy.
If she’d had to deal with Halo on top of all that, she might have died from overwork first.
For days, she hadn’t had a proper meal, surviving on energy bars.
She missed Juyeol’s cooking, but this wasn’t the time to be leisurely visiting his safe house.
‘The scarcity of Awakening Spheres is probably because they’re being mined to make Potions. At this rate, I might not be able to gather enough for the Dimension Gate.’
The best solution was to join hands with Hero Headquarters and stop the production of the Potion.
It was a way to avoid confronting Halo directly and also reduce the Heroes’ animosity toward her, but it was only possible if they were willing to accept her.
‘They won’t believe me if I suddenly offer to cooperate, will they? I need to create a way to neutralize the Potion’s effects first.’
Just then, Blue flew into the air and announced.
[Haon. Bani is here with Chacha. She says it’s urgent!]
Sensing that something serious had happened, she hurried down to the cafe, where Bani called out urgently.
“Haon! Quick! Something’s wrong with Chacha!”
“Haa... keuk...!”
Chacha gasped for breath in agony, clutching Bani’s clothes. She didn’t look well.
“Chacha? What’s wrong...!”
Haon froze as she was laying her down flat.
Her bizarrely swollen forearms and shoulders.
The dark blue veins covering the corner of one eye.
Her head clutched as if in pain.
The corners of her mouth stained red, as if she had coughed up blood.
The mana churning inside her, as if squeezing her brain and heart.
It was the side effect of a Potion overdose.