Chapter 94: Halo (12)
The drug lord, who had been crying for a long time, even made a gesture as if wiping his tears with the back of his hand.
It seemed like the synchronization between the pink giant and the drug lord's real body was in effect.
After a long stretch of laughter that gradually subsided, the drug lord nodded and spoke.
[So even that kind of anger and fear can become the driving force for life. However...]
The drug lord paused for a moment before continuing.
[That doesn't mean I'm wrong. When unavoidable fear and destruction come, I can at least be a refuge to lessen that pain. Even if it's euthanasia, as the boy says.]
Rationally speaking, it was hard to outright condemn the drug lord as being wrong.
When the countdown to the end begins, uncontrollable chaos will sweep across the world.
In that situation, at least those who had entrusted themselves to the drug lord would be able to face a peaceful death.
[Boy. There are many things in this world that can't be done through sheer will alone. It's not for no reason that I, along with other top rankers, gave up resisting.]
"So, you're just going to lay down and prepare to die without any resistance?"
The drug lord shrugged again and continued.
[It seems our perspectives won't be reconciled. But then again, that wasn’t the purpose of this meeting to begin with...]
The drug lord gently placed his right hand on his left chest, feeling his heartbeat.
[It’s a pain I haven’t felt in a long time. It was a nightmare I never wanted to relive. But perhaps because time has passed, now there's more of a wistful longing than suffering.]
When a person loses their parents, they are called an orphan.
When a person loses their spouse, they are called a widow.
But there is no word for a parent who loses their child.
Because no words can truly capture the depth of that sorrow.
The reason the drug lord tried to create a fake paradise to escape all the pain wasn't because of the Death Star, but because he wanted to escape the death of his daughter.
A feat that required using a power of level 10.
But even the drug lord failed in completely erasing every trace of that pain.
[At any rate, thanks to you all, I’ve come to realize that my paradise wasn’t perfect. And for that, I am grateful.]
As the drug lord said this, he snapped his fingers, and a small pink object floated towards Tatiana.
When the surprised Tatiana held out her palm, the object settled gently, like a well-behaved butterfly.
When she widened her eyes in question, the drug lord replied casually.
[It’s a drug I recently invented. If you're an alchemist like me, it might come in handy.]
A new drug from none other than the drug lord.
If it was created by an EX-class alchemist, there would be countless ways to use it besides making drugs.
Perhaps it could even be the key to reviving Vladivostok.
Realizing this, Tatiana grasped it tightly in her trembling hand.
[Now it’s the boy’s turn. But what should I give?]
The drug lord stroked his chin in thought.
Of course, Hyun Suho didn’t orchestrate all this just to get something from the drug lord.
Still, there was no reason to refuse a reward if it was being offered.
[Even if the person in front of me was talking smack just a moment ago.]
Ahem! It wasn’t really talking smack.
Honestly, they were the ones who attacked first.
In any case, as Hyun Suho waited, the drug lord clapped his hands with a snap!
[That will do.]
When he snapped his fingers, a small pink particle buzzed like a bee and flew towards Hyun Suho.
It stopped right in front of Hyun Suho’s eyes, as if it were alive.
While he was still trying to figure out what it was, the drug lord spoke again.
[Open your mouth, boy.]
Reflexively, Hyun Suho opened his mouth just a little, and in that moment, the particle slipped into his mouth before he could react.
Shocked, Hyun Suho instinctively tried to spit it out, but it was too late.
Gulp!
The substance had already gone deep into his mouth.
As Hyun Soo-ho looked bewildered, the drug lord spoke nonchalantly.
[It’s a healthy medicine, boy. At the very least, it’ll keep you from catching a cold for the next 200 years. Though, it seems a bit excessive for a world with only 10 years left. Hahaha!]
Was this some kind of miraculous medicine?
If this was really a potion made by the drug lord, it might be as valuable as the Elixir of Pure Clarity that Hyun Suho had obtained in the martial arts world.
As soon as he thought that, an unbearable pain erupted from his stomach.
“Ugh!”
Was this what it felt like to swallow lava?
The medicine exploded like a volcano, burning his insides from the gut out.
Even Hyun Suho, who was used to pain, couldn't help but roll on the floor in agony.
“You crazy bastard!!”
As Hyun Suho writhed in pain on the ground, the drug lord’s voice rang out as if mocking him.
[It’s the pain and suffering you love so much, boy. Enjoy it to your heart’s content. Hahaha!]
With those words, the pink current vanished completely.
* * *
It was about an hour later that Hyun Suho finally escaped the pain.
He was drenched in sweat from the unbearable agony, his entire body soaked.
“Damn it. It still stings.”
Despite the pain, the drug lord's words about it being a healthy medicine were true.
It felt as though all the impurities accumulated in his organs, energy channels, and blood vessels had been completely flushed out.
Naturally, his health had improved, and he could feel the flow of mana becoming much smoother.
[Not only that, Master’s overall stats have increased by over 25%.]
“25%? Isn’t that just a temporary buff?”
[No, it’s a permanent effect.]
Even if the drug lord was an EX-class alchemist, there couldn’t be many potions that increased all stats by 25%.
It seemed like a trivial gift, but in reality, it was probably a secret invention.
“...I feel kind of bad.”
He hadn’t expected to receive such a precious gift after forcing the drug lord to recall painful memories of his deceased child.
As Hyun Suho was recovering, the people who had been watching his condition for the past hour approached him.
“Are you feeling better now?”
“Tatiana, or should I call you General?”
The clumsy little girl he had first seen was nowhere to be found.
She now stood firmly, protected by Bayets and Alexander like a formidable bodyguard.
It felt like seeing a big brother and a father protecting their precious youngest daughter.
He was curious about their situation, but now wasn’t the time to dwell on that.
“I am the Light Bringer.”
Hyun Suho decided to formally introduce himself first.
But they tilted their heads in confusion.
“Light... what?”
Though it was a well-known nickname in Korea, they seemed unfamiliar with it.
Then again, they wouldn’t know the nickname of someone who wasn’t even a formal ranker.
Feeling embarrassed, Hyun Suho cleared his throat awkwardly.
“Ahem! The nickname isn’t important.”
He quickly explained his nickname and the reasons for being there.
“So, it’s because of a request from the Hunter Association.”
“They said the drug from Halo was spreading across Korea. At first, when I came here, I intended to find and blow up the factory.”
At those words, Tatiana flinched.
Sensing something, Hyun Suho questioned her.
“There is a factory, isn’t there?”
“...Hehe! It's more of a reprocessing facility than a factory.”
It made sense. Halo was said to be made by reprocessing incoming raw materials.
Even if it wasn’t the massive factory he had initially imagined, there was still a small processing facility.
“You’re not thinking of making more drugs, are you?”
“Of course not. Besides, we can't get the raw materials anymore. Once the remaining materials are used up…”
“No more drugs. Dump everything!”
When Hyun Suho yelled, Tatiana flinched again but replied in a small, crawling voice.
“...Winter is coming soon. If we don’t sell that, the people will starve.”
The only advantage this harsh city had was its port.
All sorts of illegal goods came in from inland Russia and China, only to be sold elsewhere.
Without that business, people might not starve to death immediately, but poverty would certainly follow.
But allowing drugs to continue circulating so close to Korea wasn’t an option either.
“That’s why I have a proposal.”
“A proposal?”
“Join my guild.”
It was a plan that Nova had come up with while Hyun Suho was writhing in pain.
The idea was to incorporate the entire city of Vladivostok into the Ex Machina Guild.
“Join... the guild?”
“Yes. You see these forces?”
Hyun Suho pointed to the Bipos, who stood armed and ready, and they waved cheerfully in response.
“Beep! Boop!”
“Yeah, yeah. Thanks for saving me.”
“Beep! Boop!”
As Tatiana looked around at them, she frowned and asked.
“These... they’re not human, are they?”
It was something she had been curious about since they had crashed into the plane in their flying form.
With a snap of Hyun Suho’s fingers...
Snap!
All the Bipos transformed into round, ball-like forms.
(‘. • ᵕ •. `)
[Beep! Boop!]
The Bipos bounced on the ground like basketballs.
Startled by the sudden change, they gaped in astonishment.
With a playful smile, Hyun Suho said, as if he had expected their reaction.
“As you can see, they’re my summons.”
“All of these are summons? What kind of class do you even have...?”
Even if he were simply a summoner, his combat power was hard to believe.
However, having witnessed him overwhelm Tang Tianqi, they knew summoning wasn’t all there was to it.
Though they were curious, he wasn’t about to reveal his class because of that.
Instead, he got to the point.
“We’ll provide not only manpower but also equipment. If this city is to truly become self-reliant, nurturing hunters is essential.”
In this barren land, where even a single plot of farming wasn’t possible, there was only one option left aside from illegal transportation.
Monster hunting.
Hyun Suho planned to periodically clear the hunting grounds nearby and earn the necessary funds.
“With my forces, equipment, and your alchemy, it’s entirely doable. And if you research the gift the drug lord gave you, it’ll be even more promising.”
At those words, Tatiana glanced at the material she had received from the drug lord.
Though she didn’t yet know what it could do, its potential was immense.
Her eyes lit up at his words.
“Self-reliance… huh.”
“Exactly. If you don’t want to be at the mercy of outsiders anymore, the city needs strength.”
Tatiana hesitated, but not for long.
She, too, knew how great an opportunity Hyun Suho’s proposal was.
The only question remaining was how much she could trust him. In the end, she decided to trust her instincts.
“Alright. I’ll take it positively for now. How about we return to the city and discuss this in more detail? It’ll be more comfortable than out here, where monsters could appear at any moment.”
“Of course.”
Hyun Suho smiled at Tatiana’s positive response.
This proposal wasn’t only favorable for Vladivostok.
Although the initial investment would be substantial, there were benefits to be gained on his side as well.
A new stronghold, a port, and people to utilize.
The most important asset, though, was Tatiana herself.
An SS-class alchemist.
And someone who had received a valuable alchemical substance from the drug lord.
Jo Mina, who had recently obtained the Phoenix, had been making great strides.
If things went as planned, Tatiana would soon become a vital ally as well.
‘There are many obstacles to face before the Death Star is dealt with.’
The current world was being protected by Lakshmi.
But there was only about a year left.
There was no telling what chaos would ensue after Lakshmi’s death.
Hyun Suho was preparing for that.
Considering all of this, acquiring Tatiana and Vladivostok was a great opportunity.
Everyone’s steps were light as they made their way to the city.
* * *
A few minutes after Hyun Suho and Tatiana’s group disappeared into the city...
Someone appeared at the place where Hyun Suho, Tang Tianqi, and the drug lord had fought.
Those dressed in green martial uniforms, symbolizing the Tang clan, inspected the battlefield closely, deducing what had transpired.
“So, the drug lord was involved, after all?”
“As expected, we must be cautious when dealing with his drugs.”
As they surveyed the area, their eyes fell on Tang Tianqi’s corpse, which had been cut in half.
He had betrayed the Tang clan, attempting a rebellion.
The martial artists’ gazes toward the corpse were cold.
“Fool. Did he really think he could deceive us?”
“He was greedy beyond his means. That’s why we used him in our plan.”
Tang Tianqi had thought the Tang clan was oblivious to his schemes.
He had even plotted to backstab the clan once he secured enough Halo.
But the Tang clan had known everything all along, and they had used him.
They had ignited just a tiny spark of greed in him to see how the drug lord would react if someone used his drugs recklessly.
With just a little temptation, Tang Tianqi’s desires had erupted like a volcano.
The Tang clan martial artists didn’t bother retrieving his corpse as they finished their investigation.
All that was left was to write the report.
One of the martial artists approached the commander and asked.
“What should we do about the hunters who fought Tang Tianqi? We could mobilize a unit and find out more about them within a few days.”
The commander hesitated.
It was strange that everyone had survived, despite both the drug lord and Tang Tianqi running wild.
Investigating might yield more information.
But then his eyes fell on Tang Tianqi’s corpse again.
“Tch!”
They had insulted Tang Tianqi for being a fool, but in truth, they weren’t much different from him.
All of them were branch family members, not direct descendants.
That’s why they had been dispatched to this far corner of the world.
Realizing this, something cold settled in the commander’s chest.
“Our task is to gather information on the drug lord. Leave the rest alone.”
“Understood.”
And so, the Tang clan’s martial artists gathered only information related to the drug lord and then withdrew.
Hyun Suho’s traces vanished into the barren land.
