Chapter 101
“Is that you, the welcome face Han Jaemin mentioned?”
Dr. Jeon Jeongwoo greeted me with his hands in his lab coat pockets. The face I hadn’t seen in a long time remained unchanged. From his somewhat rigid hairstyle to the plain shirt and pants beneath his lab coat.
“I suppose so. I didn’t expect to see you again like this either.”
“So you’ve chosen money over the country now?”
“Why so extreme? You could just think of it as a common career move, simply changing workplaces.”
“Ah, yes. I suppose so.”
I shrugged my shoulders as if it didn’t matter.
“You’ve been quite reclusive these days. After claiming that your Gate expeditions were all for show, now I hear you rushed into an S-class Gate bare-handed. Has the mana affected your mental state by any chance?”
“Why are you so interested in me?”
“You’re asking if this is too much interest? Do you know what I’ve been doing for the past month since transferring to Hansung Hospital Research Center?”
“What?”
“Studying all of Yu Chanhee’s biological data. Meaningful analysis of various psychological test results and periodic examinations. Patterns. I’ve diagrammed everything and even set the future research direction.”
“Wow, that’s fucking creepy.”
“Yes. And I’m only meeting you now because until recently, my transfer here was a secret I couldn’t tell anyone.”
“Why?”
“Well, Yu Chanhee’s body itself is quite mysterious.”
“You realize that expression was really disgusting, right?”
“It was merely an academic description.”
Despite meeting him after several years, I was already tired of his rigid way of speaking. Whether Dr. Jeon came here simply for money or because he agreed with Han Jaemin’s ideology, his actions toward me would be the same. Researching and analyzing me. And finding what was “different” about me. Han Jaemin’s purpose in stabilizing my mana is absolutely not a sacrificial reason to save me. It’s solely to build his own power. And Han Jaemin’s ultimate goal is still—
“What happens if the National Mana Research Institute discovers you’ve come here?”
“Well, since it’s a simple job transfer, they can’t really impose any sanctions.”
“Is it for the money?”
“You’re quite direct. Typically, employees change jobs for various complex reasons. It can’t be explained by money alone.”
“Then is it because you sympathize with Han Jaemin’s ideology?”
“Ideology?”
Dr. Jeon frowned. His expression seemed to be trying to decipher the intention behind my words. I carefully continued.
“Han Jaemin’s—”
“…”
“—ultimate goal, I mean.”
One of Dr. Jeon’s eyebrows rose high.
“Domination, possession. Or perhaps absolute power.”
“Those are emotions typically harbored by people in positions like his.”
“But Han Jaemin is different, isn’t he?”
“…”
“At least in this country, he wants no one above him, right?”
“…”
“You know it, don’t you?”
Dr. Jeon slowly removed his hands from his lab coat pockets. His face suggested he roughly knew what I was trying to say.
“Your presence here can only be interpreted in one way.”
“That’s a hasty assumption.”
“You’re not that stupid, are you? You came here because you thought someone of your caliber could control this cursed mana flow that even the Hansung Hospital researchers couldn’t manage for two years. I sensed that level of confidence from you.”
Dr. Jeon sighed and looked out the window. Though he still wore the same white lab coat as before, the logo on his chest was definitely different.
“So, what if I say yes, and what if I say no?”
“I don’t know.”
“Excuse me?”
“It depends on your answer.”
Dr. Jeon frowned at my absurd response.
“What does my choice have to do with your actions? I just need to research you and help circulate the flow of mana.”
“I told you. Han Jaemin wants more power than he has now.”
“…”
“And I’m the one who can make that happen.”
“…Even if it’s not necessarily Chanhee—”
“No. You can’t. That’s why he can’t say anything when I suddenly charge into an S-class Gate or deliberately provoke him. Because no one but me can do it.”
“…”
“But what if you could extract from my body what Han Jaemin wants?”
“…”
“If you could safely transfer Yu Dohyun’s mana from my body to a different host? Would he need me then?”
“That’s impossible.”
“You never even asked why Yu Dohyun’s power entered my body in the first place.”
Dr. Jeon’s expression hardened.
“You know everything, don’t you? How I came to possess this ridiculous mana. And why I can’t merge it with my own power.”
“That’s merely information for me as a researcher, not because I agree with any ideology.”
“Right. That researcher’s pride must be very important to you. I’ve always sensed it. Your ambition.”
“…You did?”
“Of course. If even a seventeen-year-old like me could feel it, don’t you think Han Jaemin did too? I’m making you an offer. Before speaking to Han Jaemin, to you, very specially. As a premium service.”
“Why?”
“Because I need you.”
“You want to live now?”
“Yes.”
“Then rather than this, it would be much safer to merge the mana and live under Director Han Jaemin…”
“I said I want to live.”
Dr. Jeon’s expression became uncomfortable.
“But that would be death for me.”
“…”
“I don’t want to die. So I’m making a deal to live. I’ll give you this body I possess, and Dr. Jeon will save me.”
“Why are you going this far?”
“Do I have to explain?”
“Yes. I need a valid reason that I can accept.”
“I just want to live an ordinary life.”
Dr. Jeon was about to answer but closed his mouth. He seemed lost for words at my honest response. Or perhaps he was gauging whether this was genuine. I knew it was reckless and improbable to propose a deal to a researcher who might run to Han Jaemin and report Yu Chanhee’s actions at any moment. Nevertheless, I needed Dr. Jeon’s help. Because I felt that only if the dirty blood containing Yu Dohyun’s power, memories, actions, and habits was drained from my body could I escape this wretched system and the quagmire of regression.
“The fusion has already begun, so it’s impossible to completely separate and extract it.”
“Then just take it all out.”
“What?”
“Take out everything, not just Yu Dohyun’s mana but mine too. That’s also a problem.”
“…Are you saying you’re giving up your life as a Ranker?”
“What’s so great about that? I’ll give it up.”
“…You’ve changed a lot.”
“I’m the same. I just know more now. It’s the same for you, isn’t it? As you’ve gotten older, you’ve gained more knowledge and needs, which is why you came here, right?”
“You understand well. The truth is, I have discussed this matter with Director Han. However, we anticipated that Yu Chanhee himself would strongly oppose such a procedure, and the risk was too great…”
“He still doesn’t know me.”
As I smiled faintly, Dr. Jeon placed his hands on his waist and sighed.
“That’s why I still don’t like him.”
*
The administration of mana fusion supplements that I always received at the hospital was discontinued. Technically, extracting mana from a human body wasn’t as difficult as one might think. Research had already progressed significantly, and there were many cases where humans in brain-dead states donated mana for research or practical use, just like organ donation. The problem was that “extracting mana” was a highly dangerous procedure typically only performed on brain-dead humans—people confirmed to be dying. As such, mana extraction was classified as a type of surgery, and I was naturally not a candidate for it.
“So that’s why broke people illegally extract and sell mana.”
I muttered to myself while diligently searching for information. The mana of a first-grade Ranker is more precious than diamonds. Especially the mana of top Ranker Yu Dohyun, and though slightly inferior, still “that” Yu Chanhee’s mana. The surgery had to be conducted with utmost care. If I died, the mana would cease flowing, and if the mana wasn’t properly extracted and became unusable, the situation would deteriorate either way. Dr. Jeon asked me for time. I knew this meant negotiations with Han Jaemin.
[86% toward goal, 14% remaining until achievement.]
I stared at the System Window that appeared before my eyes whether I wanted it or not. This percentage that kept rising even though I did nothing seemed to confirm that time was not on my side. Now, truly, not much time remained.
