At last, the manufacturing method for the hair-growth agent—in other words, the hair-loss treatment— had been fully decrypted.
The contents were as follows.
[Hair Growth Agent] (Tier 1)
Description:Causes hair to grow in the area where it is applied.(Also effective for treating hair loss.)
Ingredients:
Skin Regeneration Agent
Keratin
Vitamin B12
Luktic Basic Catalyst Stone
Add Keratin (1) and Vitamin B12 (0.5) to Skin Regeneration Agent (100) and mix thoroughly.
Once mixing is complete, add the Luktic Basic Catalyst Stone.
The mixture will emit intense heat—approximately 150°C—and boil violently for three hours.Once it has completely cooled, the hair-growth agent is complete.
* The numbers in parentheses indicate mixing ratios.** After applying for 10 minutes and washing it off, the effects begin to appear after one night of sleep.*** Any hair-growth agent left on the skin for more than 10 minutes will lose its effectiveness and cannot be reused.**** If an effective hair-growth agent comes into contact with unintended areas of skin, unwanted hair growth may occur. Use with caution.
It was a manufacturing method unlike anything I'd seen before.
Rather than combining entirely new raw materials,the process involved taking the already-completed skin regeneration agent,adding keratin and vitamin B12,then synthesizing everything together using the Luktic Basic Catalyst Stone.
So this kind of manufacturing approach existed as well.
When I thought about it, it actually made sense.Ordinary skin and the scalp were both skin, after all—so creating a hair-loss treatment using the skin regeneration agent as its basewas, in a way, only natural.
Keratin was well known as a primary structural component of hair and body hair,and vitamin B12 was widely recognized as a nutrient that greatly supported follicle health.
By synthesizing those ingredients with the skin regeneration agent,was it really possible to create the long-dreamed-of miracle medicine—one that could make hair sprout from a smooth, barren scalp?
Then, suddenly, a thought struck me.
With this manufacturing method,obtaining sales approval might be far easier than I had expected.
Back when I had meetings with senior officials in Sejong Cityregarding the approval process for new drugs,I had studied the relevant regulatory systems in detail.
According to what I'd learned back then,there was a concept called "Modified New Drug Recognition."
If a drug submitted for approval used the active ingredients of an already approved medication,the approval process could be greatly simplified.
And this hair-loss treatment directly used the skin regeneration agent,which was already undergoing the approval process, as its core component.The only additions were keratin and vitamin B12.
In other words,this hair-loss treatment could be classified as a modified new drug—a skin regeneration agent with a few supplementary ingredients added.
I wasn't a legal expert,but recalling the case studies I'd read in the past,it seemed highly likely that this product would qualifyfor modified new drug recognition.
If that happened,once approval for the skin regeneration agent was complete,the approval process for the hair-loss treatment derived from itwould become dramatically simpler.
Only Phase 1 clinical trials would be required—just enough to verify whether there were any harmful side effects in humans.
In short,once the skin regeneration agent received approval,a clear path would opento push the hair-loss treatment through approval at lightning speed.
Things might progress far more smoothly than I'd anticipated.
If so, the next crucial question was obvious:
How effective was this hair-loss treatment, really?
I decided to manufacture it myself firstand test its effects directly.
***
President Kim Sang-hyun sat in his office,deep in thought about the current political landscape.
"Mr. President, both the government approval rating and the ruling party's approval rating are declining simultaneously.At this rate, the general election—now just one year and ten months away—could be at risk."
One year and ten months until the general election.
There was still time.
And yet, that was precisely the problem.
In most cases,a newly inaugurated administration's approval ratingstended to trend downward over time—rarely upward.
And yet,barely half a year after taking office,the government was already showing signs of weakness.
No wonder the general election was already a concern.
To be honest,President Kim felt somewhat wronged by the situation.
Regarding the recent additional drop in approval ratings,the Presidential Policy Research Office had delivered the following analysis:
"Public outrage over the attempted cover-up of industrial accidents by Shinjeon Chemicalappears to have triggered broader social distrust and dissatisfaction,which in turn has had a significant negative impact on government approval ratings."
Logically, it didn't quite add up.
But when had the world ever moved purely on logic?
After decades in politics,President Kim had witnessed countless examplesof such tangled and irrational socio-political dynamics.
Pressing both hands firmly against his face,he could only accept reality.
Frankly, it felt unfair.
He had personally summoned Chairman Ji Heon-cheol of Shinjeon Group to the presidential residenceand forced him—through near threats—to halt his attacks on Luktic.
Yet according to the Policy Research Office's analysis,the President himself was now effectively being lumped together with Ji Heon-cheol,suffering approval losses fueled by public anger.
As a sense of gloom settled over him,the intercom rang.
He refocused and picked up the receiver.
"Mr. President, the MFDS Commissioner has arrived."
"Ah, please let him in."
As expected,the MFDS Commissioner reported on the Phase 1 clinical trial resultsfor the two new drugs Luktic had applied to approve:the skin regeneration agent and Elixir.
Both showed zero side effects in test subjects,and during the trial period were effectively indistinguishable from waterin terms of harm to the human body.
After hearing the report,the President made a decision.
He would use thisto reverse the dangerously low approval ratings before the general election.
"Commissioner," President Kim said,"I recently instructed the relevant ministries to look into this,and it seems that if I issue a special directive,Luktic's new drugs could receive sales approvalimmediately after passing Phase 2."
The Commissioner flinched in surprise.
"Y-Yes… of course.Fast-track procedures do exist for effective treatmentsfor rare diseases or cancer."
"You said Luktic's new drugs all have astonishing efficacy, correct?I was previously briefed that the skin regeneration agentcan perfectly restore scars in severe burn patients,and that Elixir is effective against a wide range of diseases."
"Yes, exactly as you said, Mr. President."
"I believe I already instructed you to test Elixir's effectiveness against cancer in Phase 2.Do the same for the skin regeneration agent—test its effect on skin cancer."
"Ah—yes.Then if both drugs are judged effective against cancer…should we grant immediate sales approval through the fast-track processright after Phase 2?"
President Kim nodded.
"That's correct.I'll take full responsibility and push it through.The legal framework already exists,so no additional legislation will be necessary."
The Commissioner hesitated, then spoke carefully.
"Mr. President…I may be overstepping, but if Phase 3 is skippedand large-scale sales begin,and unforeseen side effects later emerge…public opinion could hold the government heavily responsible."
The President fell silent for a moment, then asked,
"I heard that Luktic Cream and Luktic Drink currently on the marketwere developed by applying the technologies of the skin regeneration agent and Elixir.Is that correct?"
"Yes.That is also our understanding at the MFDS."
"They've been sold widely for months now.Have there been any reports of side effects?"
"…Not a single case."
"Good.Then I'll place my bet on Luktic's technology."
The President had his reasons for making such a gamble.
No matter how he looked at it,nothing else offered a realistic chanceto reverse approval ratings before the general election.
The economic outlook was bleak.Global trade was contracting due to worsening international tensions,and South Korea's macroeconomy was freezing under the weight of low birth rates.
Domestic politics offered no relief either—the atmosphere remained tense due to the massive cyberattacksand the Shinjeon Chemical industrial accident scandal.
Diplomatic achievements were equally difficult.In the era of a new Cold War,relations with North Korea, China, and Russia were all deteriorating,and even the United States—Korea's traditional ally—was taking a far more confrontational stance under its newly elected president.
Surrounded by difficulties both at home and abroad,the only card President Kim could play in the near futurewas the success of Luktic—improving public health and elevating national prestige.
The Commissioner bowed.
"As you instructed,we will verify the cancer treatment effects of Luktic's new drugs in Phase 2,and if the results are positive, grant immediate approval."
"Yes. Please proceed."
To be honest,the President knew full well that the possibility of severe side effectscould never be reduced to absolute zero.
So far, what had been provenwas only the absence of short-term side effects.
Whether long-term side effects existedremained completely unverified.
That was precisely why Phase 3 trials existed.
And yet, the President was now ordering them to be skipped entirely.
He thought to himself:
Even if problems arise far in the future…a president only serves one term anyway.What matters is winning the next general election.
With a complicated expression,President Kim quietly watchedthe MFDS Commissioner's retreating back.
***
Meanwhile, Howard, Head of Overseas Product Planningat U.S. retail giant Target,was practically brimming with excitement.
His communications with the Korean company Lukticwere progressing smoothly and positively.
Amazingly,Luktic's CEO Hyun Si-woo was personally replying to his emails.
Through those emails,they coordinated a meeting scheduleand agreed to meet at 11:00 a.m. next Saturday (Korean time)at Luktic's factory site.
"Wow…I didn't expect to visit the factory itself.This is exciting."
Within Target's planning department,there was still some skepticismabout importing products from a startupless than a year old.
Many believed it would be far safer and more profitableto import additional frozen foods or seasoningsfrom established Korean conglomerates instead.
But Howard was confident.
If he brought product samples from Lukticand let his colleagues and superiors try them personally,they would inevitably agreeto actively pursue importing Luktic's products.
Securing early import rightsfor such outstanding productswould be a huge win for Target.
Howard also felt a strange affinitytoward the young CEO, Hyun Si-woo.
A man who researched technology to treat his sick father,then founded a company to help even more people…That's admirable. Truly admirable.
A man who cherished his family above all else,then went further—launching a business to challenge the harsh world.
It was exactly the kind of story Americans loved.
Smiling, Howard booked a flightfrom Minneapolis–Saint Paul International Airportto Incheon International Airport.
"My first trip to Korea…I'm really looking forward to it."
***
[Hair Growth Agent] (Tier 1)Progress toward next knowledge: [0 / 1000]
As always,the quantum computer now displayed a progress gauge.
To unlock the next knowledge,I would need to manufacture hair-loss treatmentsuntil the gauge was filled.
Following the manufacturing method,I mixed 1 g of keratin and 0.1 g of vitamin B12into 100 g of skin regeneration agent,then added the Luktic Basic Catalyst Stone.
Just as described,the mixture began to boil violently,emitting intense heat.
So it really did heat up to around 150°Cfor three hours.
A viscous cream boiling at such a temperature—if it touched the human body,it could cause severe injury.
Thinking about it,one of the skin regeneration agent's main effectswas restoring skin damaged by burns.
I briefly wondered what would happenif skin came into contact with skin regeneration agentboiling at 150°C—
But I wasn't reckless enough to test that.
After about three hours,the heat stopped as if it had never existed,and the mixture began to cool.
The skin regeneration agent,originally a white cream,had turned into a black cream.
Every time I witnessed the chemical reactionscaused by the Luktic Basic Catalyst Stone,I was filled with awe.
How could such relatively ordinary materialsbe combined to synthesizethese astonishing medicinesin just a few hours?
Perhaps soon,Luktic's research organization—to be led by CTO Kang Joo-tae—would uncover a clue to that mystery.
If we could peel back even a single layer of that secret,Luktic could go beyond being a pharmaceutical or cosmetics companyand become the world's leading technology enterprise,driving global technological progress itself.
Resolving to fully support Luktic's R&D division in the future,I picked up the completed hair-loss treatment.
Either way,it was time to test it.
"Where should I try this first…?Using it on someone else right away feels a bit wrong…"
Come to think of it,before obtaining the quantum computer,I myself had endured years of stress,and my hairline had receded noticeably.
It wasn't obvious at a glance,but when I lifted my bangs,the blurred M-shaped hairlinehad clearly retreated.
"…Should I try it here?"
Dipping a thin brush into the black hair-loss treatment cream,I carefully applied a thin layerto both sides of my frontal hairline.