Translator: Nox
Chapter: Chapter 39
Research Lab Friend
Nam Ki-seok sat blankly in front of the cabin.
Was this what they called lovesickness?
It pained him that Yoo Ji-ah's tastes were a million light-years away from his, but there was a bigger problem.
They were different species.
Nam Ki-seok, thinking of her as a Humanoid Monster, sighed in dismay.
Kim Nari, who was sitting next to him, looked at Nam Ki-seok.
"Uncle seems to have a lot on his mind."
"I do. You don't look too bright either. What's bothering you?"
"There is something."
"What is it?"
"Well... I'm from the Coconut Tribe. I left there. I think they're going to send people to catch me."
Was it about the lab? Nam Ki-seok nodded, pretending not to know.
Once, he had been a Hunter who came to catch Kim Nari, so he cleared his throat awkwardly.
"If I stay here, Big Bro will be in danger too. So I have to go far away."
Big Bro being in danger? That seemed impossible. Nam Ki-seok smiled at the thought.
'She's thinking of leaving... Well, Big Bro seems to know what Kim Nari is thinking. I don't need to stop her.'
Nam Ki-seok looked at the pile of Yellow Ore in front of the garden.
[Kim Nari. Move all of those to the front of the house. Wipe them one by one with a dry towel.]
Cheon Dowoon had her move the ore from the waterfall valley to the front of the house. He even gave the strange instruction to wipe the stones.
After all, if they were cut into a round shape, the surface would be shaved off and disappear. Wiping them was a pointless task. Yet, there was a reason he ordered it.
'He's giving her work to do so she can't leave.'
Once she had a task, Kim Nari wouldn't leave until it was completed.
Cheon Dowoon, having figured out that trait, had easily tied Kim Nari down.
'By the way, should I ask Kim Nari for some hair? I heard hair grows when you're covered in Liquid metal...'
Nam Ki-seok, recalling something he saw on TV, shook his head.
Even if it looked like hair, it was actually a part of her transformed body.
Asking her to cut that off would be like asking a person to cut off their arm. The thought made him unable to speak.
'And she's hiding the fact that she's a Mechanical Creature.'
He couldn't just ask a child who was desperately hiding her nature if she could share her Liquid metal. So there was only one way.
"Nari-ya. Uncle's going to visit Big Bro for a bit. Can you handle this by yourself?"
"I can. I'm very good at wiping."
Kim Nari said, scrubbing the Yellow Ore.
"Okay. Then keep at it. Uncle will be back soon."
He headed towards the waterfall valley where Cheon Dowoon was.
'Someone like Big Bro must have a wide network. Maybe he knows someone capable of making hair loss medicine.'
Big Bro could solve this problem for him.
Nam Ki-seok went to find Cheon Dowoon with unfounded confidence.
* * *
Cheon Dowoon looked at the siblings in front of the waterfall valley.
The sound of the waterfall was loud enough here to avoid Kim Nari's auditory sensors.
For that reason, Cheon Dowoon brought the siblings here and opened his mouth.
"Sorry, but I have one more favor to ask. Stay here and watch Kim Nari until I get back. I've given her some chores, so she won't leave... But there's always a chance."
"We have plenty of time, so it doesn't matter. You're going to raid the lab that created Kim Nari, right?"
The quick-witted siblings realized where Cheon Dowoon was going.
"Do you know the location of the lab?"
"I have to find it. That's why I'm taking that guy with me."
Cheon Dowoon looked at the Parrot Poison Bird sitting in the corner.
The siblings laughed at the idea of riding an 8-meter bird. They were amused by imagining what would happen.
"Then wear this. It will be helpful."
Yoo Ji-ah took off the Bone Helmet she was wearing and handed it over.
If a commotion arose and her face became known, it would be troublesome. It was for the purpose of preventing that.
Cheon Dowoon accepted the skull without refusing and put it on.
"Oh, right. Can you pluck a few of your feathers? I'll give them to the Alchemist while I'm there."
At those words, the siblings each plucked three feathers and handed them over.
"Is that Alchemist trustworthy?"
"He's not one to betray trust. His stats are good too. If you manage him well, he'll become an S-Class Hunter."
"Is that really true, Big Bro?"
Nam Ki-seok's voice cut in from the side. He had just emerged from the path and looked at Cheon Dowoon with an excited expression.
"Ah, I didn't mean to eavesdrop! I'm sorry. I heard you on the way... But do you really know an S-Class Alchemist?"
"He's not S-Class yet. It's just that he has the potential to be."
That was enough.
There were hardly any high-level Hunters in the Alchemy field.
If someone grew to S-Class, they would be the first in the world to hold that title in the Alchemy industry.
Someone like that might be able to make the perfect medicine he wanted. Nam Ki-seok clenched his fist.
"Big Bro, please take me with you. Please introduce me to that Alchemist."
"There's a place we need to stop by before going there. Is that okay?"
"It's okay!"
"Then cover your face. It's not good to be recognized."
Nam Ki-seok immediately took off his outer garment and tore it. He wrapped it around his head, covering everything except his eyes.
With that, he was ready. Cheon Dowoon broke the Return Stone.
"Then I'll be back."
Cheon Dowoon took Nam Ki-seok and the Parrot Poison Bird and entered the Gate.
* * *
A slum square. A blue Gate opened there.
As it was a place where D-Class Hunters lived, a Gate opening on the street was not a special event.
But something was different now.
"What's with that huge Gate?"
People stopped in their tracks as a large Gate, about 10 meters in size, opened.
"Crazy. That size is comparable to a Naturally Occurring Gate where monsters come out?"
"The Gate is blue. That's a Gate opened with a Return Stone."
Amidst the people's murmurs, a huge bird poked its head out.
What came out of the Gate was an 8-meter-tall bird. The onlookers turned pale and stepped back.
"A, a Parrot Poison Bird...! It's a Parrot Poison Bird!"
"It's a blue Gate! Why is a monster coming out!"
The D-Class Hunters and slum residents were paralyzed with fear in the face of the Parrot Poison Bird's intimidation. One of them spotted Cheon Dowoon and pointed.
"T, there's a person there too!"
"Why is that a person! His head is a monster!"
"No, look closely. He's just wearing something like a helmet. It's a person!"
"Who cares. It's a Parrot Poison Bird. Run away quickly!"
Panicked shouts rang out from all directions. Cheon Dowoon, unconcerned, turned to Nam Ki-seok.
"What's the name of the lab that made the Mechanical Creatures?"
"It's Hanbit Laboratory."
"The location?"
"Haebong Mountain. It's on the mountainside. I've been there when I received a request, so I'll guide you."
At Nam Ki-seok's words, Cheon Dowoon jumped onto the Parrot Poison Bird. Nam Ki-seok followed and climbed on.
"Let's go."
At Cheon Dowoon's words, the Parrot Poison Bird spread its wings.
It didn't understand human speech. It only took off and flew by sensing the upward pull of its feathers.
The bird ascended vertically with its leap. The gust of wind caused people to roll and fall to the ground.
The people who barely managed to stand up looked up at the flying bird with blank faces.
"What did I just see... A person rode a monster. Is that right?"
No one answered.
The people stared blankly at the receding bird.
* * *
Hanbit Laboratory in the mountains.
The researchers sitting around the table did not look happy. In front of them was a notice of failed request.
They had entrusted the request to skilled A-Class Hunters, but it was a waste. In addition, they lost the Liquid Metal Mandrake.
"This is a big problem. How are we going to find the Mechanical Creatures now?"
"Let's go to Plan B. We must retrieve them. If we don't find them within this year, the budget to be paid by the government next year..."
"Wait! What is that?"
One researcher pointed out the window. A bird was flying towards the lab.
If that was all, it would be a common sight in the mountains.
But the researchers' mouths dropped open at the bird's enormous size, which seemed to ignore perspective.
"W, what is that? What kind of bird is that big as a dinosaur!"
"It's going to crash! Duck!"
Bang. With a roar, the lab shook as if there was an earthquake.
The head of the giant bird broke through the wall. The impact caused half of the building to collapse, revealing the outside.
"Mo, monster... It's a Parrot Poison Bird!"
A dangerous species of monster listed in the bestiary. The researchers stumbled back and sat down. Some screamed and ran outside.
Amidst the chaos, Cheon Dowoon jumped down calmly.
Looking around, he gestured to Nam Ki-seok, who followed him down.
"Go around the building and set fire to each room. Don't leave any of the data here, burn it all. Don't answer."
Nam Ki-seok had visited this place to receive a request.
To prevent anyone from recognizing his voice, Cheon Dowoon ordered him to remain silent.
Nam Ki-seok nodded and created fireballs in both hands.
"W, wait a minute. What are you doing... Who are you! What are you trying to do!"
The researchers were horrified, but the fireballs turned into a whirlwind and were scattered everywhere.
As it quickly turned into a sea of fire, they screamed and ran out.
Cheon Dowoon passed through the lobby and went up to the second floor.
The sound that had bothered him since he entered this place. He arrived in front of the room where the source was.
The door was locked, but he easily opened it by kicking it.
"I knew it. I didn't mishear."
Inside, Chimera Test Subjects were trapped.
As it was a legal lab, there was no trace of using humans as test subjects. All were in the form of animals or plants.
'Their physical condition... They've maximized their resistance to Magical energy. Were they trying to have them search for Kim Nari?'
Whatever it was, their bodies were at a level where they wouldn't die even if they crossed the Gate.
Cheon Dowoon broke the Return Stone.
He put his hand into the Gate and set the destination to be in front of his house.
"Get in."
At Cheon Dowoon's words, the Chimeras tilted their heads. They didn't seem to have the intelligence to understand human speech.
When Cheon Dowoon approached, the Chimeras ran to the corner of the room and curled up.
Their trembling appearance clearly showed that they were afraid of people.
Even in a legal lab, the treatment of test subjects was the same everywhere. Cheon Dowoon looked at the Chimeras and put them into the Gate one by one.
A 30-centimeter tree that was wriggling, an ant the size of a palm, a walking fish.
None of them were normal, but Cheon Dowoon, who grew up in a lab, didn't feel any revulsion.
-Y, you who?
When he picked up the fox last, he heard a human voice.
-Who are you? If we go in there. What. What is there?
An individual with human intelligence.
It seemed unfamiliar with speaking, as it was fragmented, but communication was possible.
-Wh, who are you.
"Kim Nari's guardian."
-Kim Nari? Th, that who?
"She's inside there. You'll know if you go."
As he knew that Kim Nari's name was a pseudonym, he didn't bother to explain.
'Come to think of it, Kim Nari said she was betrayed by her friends in the Ranked Match.'
Kim Nari, surrounded by these small animals and plants, being patted and beaten.
There was no way Kim Nari wouldn't have stopped it.
Still, he thought that she must have just crouched down and been beaten at the betrayal of her friends.
"Go and apologize. She cried a lot because of you."
-Who. Who is Kim Nari...
"A friend who ate from the same pot as you. A Metal Creature."
At Cheon Dowoon's words, the fox froze. Its eyes widened as if surprised, and tears slowly welled up in its black eyes.
-D, does you know that child?
"I know."
-Cried a lot, cried?
"She cried."
The tears that had filled up could no longer be contained and fell.
-I, I was scared. The researchers. If we can't, can't raise rank. They said it would hurt.
"Okay. I understand."
-I bit that child. I, I have to say I'm sorry... But she's not there. She's gone. I, because of me. I couldn't say I'm sorry. She left.
The fox curled up, shedding tears.
-I miss that child. I want to see her every day. So...
"Okay. Go and apologize. That's all you have to do."
Cheon Dowoon put the fox down in front of the Gate. He patted its butt once, and the fox turned to Cheon Dowoon.
It moved its mouth as if it wanted to say something, but no words came out.
"Go."
With just one word of encouragement, the fox gained courage and jumped into the Gate.
Say I'm sorry. Say stroke me like old times. Apologize and lick my hand.
If I keep her warm with my fur when she sleeps, won't she forgive me?
Kim Nari's colleague, the little fox, entered the Gate with hope.
