The next morning, porridge, braised beef, spicy cod roe, and water kimchi were served for breakfast. It looked quite fancy, but…
Hospital food is usually tasteless. No matter how much effort is put in, it's hard to make it truly delicious. After all, it's not food meant to be enjoyed for its flavor.
Actually, if it were tasty, that would just mean it's heavily seasoned and rich in flavor—and such foods aren't really handled in hospitals anyway.
After finishing the meal, as if on cue, there was a knock at the door.
"Nice to meet you. I'm Jasujung from the Embargo Tower Secretariat."
I took her business card—it really said Jasujung. Perhaps she liked her own name, because she said,
"Apparently, there are some people in Korea with the surname Ja?"
She nodded at my comment.
"I hear that a lot. It's easy to remember, right?"
It's certainly a name that's hard to forget, even if not as striking as Mr. Phone. And as for her appearance… well, she does stand out.
I could feel Embargo Tower's intention clearly—they wanted to test me. I kept glancing at Jasujung as the conversation continued.
I was only pretending to be interested in women; I wasn't going to suddenly ask something ridiculous like, "What color are your underwear today?" or act like a fool who nosebleeds at the sight of a woman.
"Oh, it's a bit strange to call it a gift, but I brought some cake."
She took out a cake with the brand logo of the cabin bakery on it.
"You didn't have to go to such trouble."
"Even if it's a special room, hospital food isn't great, right? This is just to make sure we're treated well. It can't really compare to the main store's cake, but it's still tasty."
As the conversation went on, Jasujung kept watching me carefully. She must have been given some instructions from the company. Making a living is always hard, after all.
"I can prepare it if you like."
"Being asked to do such menial tasks when the company values you so highly… I might even get fired?"
She answered, then immediately served the drinks and cake.
"Ah, we should get down to business."
Jasujung visibly tensed, exhaled slowly, and took off her suit coat before sitting down. Once the coat was off, her tight white turtleneck caught my attention.
"Following Mr. Yuchanseok's suggestion, Embargo Tower is considering dispatching the Third Team."
"Really? I thought it might have been too much to ask. Besides, Iseun, the Hunter, is a busy person."
When I spoke as if I'd completely lost interest, Jasujung responded.
"In conclusion, it seems possible. The Jannabi Fifth Team is returning from France at the end of this month."
So they're swapping the Third Team out for the Fifth Team in Cheorwon? Wait—does that mean Iseun is really coming? That's a bit daunting.
"The Jannabi Third Team leader is also considering it positively."
The Jannabi Third Team had been stuck in Cheorwon for almost a year. By that point, they should have been ready to step back. I opened the documents she placed on the table.
It was about transporting cargo prepared at the Vladivostok port by train.
The train carrying the cargo had already secured permission from each national hunter association, so it would run nonstop for five days, arriving in Amsterdam.
"So it's a logistics job. I'm curious what exactly we're transporting."
If it were luxury goods like the Chinese client's request earlier, I wouldn't be keen to handle it. Jasujung handed me another document.
"It's a prototype of a shield generator that uses magic, developed in the U.S."
I made a small "Hmm?" sound at that. Part of me wanted to take a look at the design myself.
"I'm not sure how developed it is, but it's promising."
She nodded at my comment.
"This is essentially a test deployment."
Once the shield generator reaches the Netherlands, it would be flown by helicopter to Dover, UK, for trial operation.
"Europe is extremely dangerous because of the Erosion Origin Ristorante."
A place in Naples, Italy, known as the Erosion Origin.
"I've heard the situation in Europe is pretty bad because of that."
Florence is located in the southern part of Europe, but that single erosion origin has left Europe and North Africa devastated by monsters.
"The safe places are mostly the UK, protected somewhat by the surrounding sea."
"Even Epping Forest has been logged extensively."
A famous forest northeast of London. But as Europe was devastated and the economy collapsed, people couldn't afford gas or oil, so they illegally cut down the forest for firewood, and almost all wildlife was hunted.
"The life of the poor is even more miserable."
Recently, a wife succeeded in getting rations, but she died, and her husband and child fought over the rice porridge they received, ending with the father killing the child.
"Wow…"
Events like that would normally happen in places like Somalia, not Europe.
"You don't seem very shocked."
"I'm shocked, extremely so."
I've seen how starvation ruins human lives, both physically and mentally. Not only cases like this but also ones where parents swapped their children for food—a true horror.
"Well-off people will still manage to live comfortably, I suppose."
"Yes… that's true."
It's not that people can't live in mainland Europe at all. The political system is just broken. Since the government failed to act, hunter companies effectively became warlords.
"There could be friction during transport."
If the shield generator is intercepted, it could be used as leverage. It's similar to a train heist.
"Isn't that what we're hired to handle?"
To deal with any potential threats during transport.
"Not just the shield generator; we'll also be transporting relief supplies at the request of international organizations."
"So we have to watch out for more than just warlords."
This is literally a job where anything could happen. Starvation weakens the body and erodes reason. She nodded at my comment.
"You haven't been abroad before, have you?"
"No, I haven't."
To be precise, in this world, I've never been abroad.
"You'll likely face many horrific situations together."
"Together?"
I nodded in response.
"Yes. For this assignment, Embargo Tower is in charge of data collection and analysis. They need personnel to be dispatched, and I'm probably going to be one of them."
"Is that so? It's nice to have one more familiar face around."
Jasujung smiled as she continued.
"Likewise. It's an honor to be working together."
It had become so natural, as if my participation in this mission was a given. Embargo Tower had accomplished their purpose by sending Jasujung, and I, in turn, had succeeded in fabricating a non-existent weakness of mine—so we were both meeting our objectives.
"Oh, and one more thing."
At my words, Jasujung looked me in the eye.
"Yes?"
"I'd like Han Sang-ah, the Hunter, to accompany us as well."
I said Han Sang-ah's name, and she repeated it quietly to herself before going, "Ah."
"You mean the woman who accompanied us to Tsushima this time?"
"I made a promise. To keep it, I have to go together."
I had promised to teach her how to fight, and Han Sang-ah had promised a fee in return. If she wanted lessons for free, I could have ignored it—but since she had agreed to pay, I wasn't going to let it slip.
After finishing that conversation, I stood and said immediately:
"Since we'll probably be working together for a while, can I have your phone number?"
Jasujung's face lit up noticeably, and she answered right away.
"Of course!"
I had to get something from this as well. She would need to report back to her superior, so exchanging numbers was done in no time.
"Since we're at a hospital anyway…"
After Jasujung left, I sat on the bed. A nurse came by to check my health and left, and I took a deep breath.
I really didn't want to do this. I probably wouldn't be able to move for about an hour—but it was necessary. I asked the nurse to restrict entry until I spoke, then sat cross-legged on the bed.
"I need to rewire my nerves a bit."
The flow of mana through the blood vessels in my body had finally reached the level necessary to actually rewire my nerves.
The goal was simple: to increase reaction speed.
For example, a person's reaction time to auditory stimuli can never be faster than 0.1 seconds. That's the limit imposed by human neural structure.
In track and field, if an athlete reacts faster than 0.1 seconds after the starting gun, it's immediately considered a false start.
"If I could reduce my reaction time by just 0.02 seconds…"
Sprinters in the 100-meter dash move at roughly 10 meters per second. If a person can react just 0.01 seconds faster than others, that means they can gain a 10 cm lead.
"In combat, moving 10 cm first…"
It means avoiding the opponent's blade while your own strikes their body.
And that's without using mana to enhance the body.
Hunters who enhance their physical abilities with mana can obviously move farther in a second. Therefore, the distance they can gain as an advantage is even greater.
"I really hate this."
The problem is the excruciating pain, and the fact that a single mistake could leave me in a vegetative state. Rewiring the nervous system is inherently risky.
I bit down on a makeshift gag. Otherwise, I'd probably shatter my teeth.
"Ughh."
A pain like my nerves being seared with a heated poker spread through my body. It had just begun. I absorbed the mana flowing into my body amidst the pain, then manipulated it to rewire my nerves.
The suffering and difficulty of this process doesn't need elaborate description. It's similar to going to work while enduring the pain of kidney stones throughout your whole body.
"…."
I could only keep my mouth open, unable to speak. When someone is in too much pain, no cries escape. The mind just turns blank, like an over-bleeding sheet of paper.
But if I truly stopped thinking, total paralysis would set in.
With my mouth gagged, I collapsed silently, struggling like a mosquito that touched insecticide. My hospital gown was soaked in sweat, and my fingernails dug into my skin, leaving raw scratches.
"This is the second time. I can do this. I can do this. Fuck, I can't do it. No, I really can't… Second time or not, this isn't something I can adapt to. Stop whining and endure it, damn it."
The fleeting urge to give up and the will to endure flickered like sparks on a scrap of paper, appearing and disappearing in an instant.
Eventually, the long, lonely struggle I fought alone came to an end. My hospital gown was soaked with sweat and blood. I looked utterly pale and miserable, and it wouldn't have been surprising if I collapsed immediately.
Even while checking my body, I could manage a smile.
"Experience really matters."
This time it was even better than before. No wonder workplaces prefer people with experience. My goal had been a 0.02-second improvement, but the result was far better.
The reduction in reaction time: 0.05 seconds. More than double the original target. I couldn't help but laugh.
"Argh… Are you okay? Just a moment!"
I called for the nurse. When she saw my condition, she immediately summoned reinforcements and provided the necessary care.
The procedure was over in an instant. Lying back on the bed, I clicked my tongue.
"When I succeeded at this in the other world, people screamed 'Kyaaahhh!'"
Medical professionals really are different. Instead of screaming, they take action immediately. Completely unlike the staff at an inn.