Please consider leaving a good rating and review of I’m a Max-Level Regressor, But…? to show your support if you like the series. It will encourage me to work on more chapters and increase release rate.
Chapter 34
“There, not to mention the Transcendence Flower, you can also obtain Stimulus materials?”
It was truly an appropriate suggestion.
I had been thinking about Stimulus as my next creation following the highest-grade magic potion.
Awakeners often called it by the abbreviation ‘Steam Pack’, a combat power enhancement potion that would appear two years later.
Its material combination was unique, and there was virtually no correlation between the ingredients.
It was a reinforcement potion that was difficult to develop due to its lack of side effects.
“I’ve easily obtained an opportunity to farm materials. I was just wondering how to obtain the dungeon clearing license.”
Things seemed to be falling into place smoothly.
If my memory was correct, the K-1004 dungeon was currently an A+ ranked dungeon.
Commonly known as a growth-type dungeon, it was also a dungeon that would repeatedly grow to become an SS- ranked dungeon in the future.
“The Transcendence Flower is an essential element before attempting brain transformation.”
Transcendence Flower.
A flower that enhances brain function.
Simply looking at the flower’s effects.
It’s a flower that elevates intelligence from an average level to that of a Mensa member, meaning the top 2% of human intelligence.
But this is just the tip of the iceberg.
When the brain is transformed later, the flower’s ‘transcendent talent’ would essentially be established in the brain like a supercomputer.
A kind of core, so to speak.
In my previous life, around 2029, Nicholas had directly obtained the flower from the dungeon and brought it to me.
While I was yawning, he suddenly dropped the flower into my mouth, saying,
‘Kang Shin-hwa, I’m not sure about this flower. Let’s do a side effect test. Sorry?’
At that time.
I remember having all sorts of fantasies about whether it was a toxic flower or a flower that would cause me to lose reproductive ability in exchange for talent.
“There are probably only about seven of these flowers worldwide. This is good. But has it not been cleared yet?”
Typically, flowers containing talent are obtained when first defeating a boss monster.
Like when I defeated Magos previously.
Once a boss monster is cleared, even if it’s revived, it no longer possesses its primordial energy.
I immediately turned on my laptop.
And searched for the dungeon on Yanghwa Net, an internal information network only guild members could use.
[K-1004 Dungeon]
[Location: Guro Station]
[Ownership: Guild Owned]
[Clearing Status: All Clear except Final Boss Monster Vaxart]
“They couldn’t catch it. Since it’s a guild-owned dungeon, they probably didn’t want to mobilize external personnel. Well, they must be relaxed.”
The boss monster hasn’t been caught.
Which means the Transcendence Flower is still alive somewhere inside its body. A chance to obtain talent.
Of course, the reason Yanghwa Guild couldn’t catch Vaxart is simple.
Vaxart’s rank would be SS- rank.
Seo Ye-hee, the highest-ranked Awakener in Yanghwa guild, is currently S+ rank.
Even if five Awakener like Seo Ye-hee existed, defeating Vaxart would be difficult. They wouldn’t even know the strategy.
“I must definitely participate in this clearing to obtain Stimulus materials as well. There’s also a clause to participate in at least two guild dungeon clearings per month.”
There are still 13 hours left until the promised assembly time of 8:30 PM.
I have some things to do today.
I need to open a securities account to buy Gorim Chemical stocks, and I plan to look around the Jije Station area.
“I’ll be busy all day today.”
A deep sigh escaped me.
Annoying, but unavoidable.
If my future self is to retire even a day earlier, today’s me must run diligently!
* * *
Account opening was quick.
Although it could be done non-face-to-face, I felt more trust in doing it face-to-face.
Moments like these make me think that while my body is 24, my thoughts are undeniably middle-aged.
I used the interval on the Line 1 express train to Jije Station to search a few things on my smartphone.
[Nicholas Hagan]
[Nicolas Hagan]
The subject of my search was Nicholas.
Numerous pieces of information began loading, filling the screen.
‘Why are there so many Nicholas?’
More namesakes than I expected, and far too many.
The one occupying the most space was the singer Nicholas Hagan.
A troublemaker famous for spreading all sorts of rumors, a notorious troublemaker.
‘Was Nicholas not an Awakener being in this era? It seems certain he did not return.’
If Nicholas had returned, he would have clearly stood out from the beginning.
Just like how I immediately proceeded with transformation and rose to fame by raising my talents after returning.
But even after checking to the end of the search pages, I couldn’t find the image of the Nicholas I knew.
I searched in American public Awakener being communities, but there was no mention of Nicholas at all.
‘If Nicholas were here, at least I’d have a certain insurance.’
It left a bitter taste in my mouth.
Having a ‘worker’ who would specifically mark the great disaster would ease my burden about the future.
But there was no news of him.
Even if I tried to find Nicholas in a situation like now, it would be of no help.
He would probably argue if he hadn’t returned, saying ‘What nonsense are you talking about?’
Considering his prickly personality, my expectations were not far-fetched.
‘Since it’s been less than a week since I returned, well, he’ll probably come soon. I should search about Nicholas occasionally.’
This was enough for now.
There was no need to rush.
The true great disaster was still 32 years away.
I believe he will come when the time is right within that period.
* * *
Whoosh!
I was the only passenger who got off at Jije Station.
The Byeongjeom Station area was close to a Yellow Zone in the Red Zone, so it was okay during the day.
But Jije Station seemed to be under review for Black Zone status, and there was no human presence around.
“Yaho!”
I saw children, whether juvenile delinquents or not, coolly jumping over the ticket gates without paying.
There were no station staff, no shops, nothing.
The station was so desolate that you could only guess it was once a subway station.
Beep.
After tapping my card at the ticket gate and coming out, a dreary landscape greeted me.
Looking at White Zone areas like Sindorim or Gangnam stations, even in the past, they exuded a bustling city feeling.
There, you could feel the benefits of modern civilization and its current status at a glance, and experience 2020.
But not here.
It felt like an apocalypse.
The great transformation that occurred in 2010.
The landscape seemed completely frozen in that time, and it came across as quite alien.
The old advertisement posters with dates long past said it all.
“It’s serious, seriously serious.”
I shook my head looking at the scene unfolding outside Exit 1.
There was absolutely nothing.
The intersection where many cars used to speed by was now filled with abandoned vehicles and garbage.
What greeted me was not people, but stray cats and dogs living by rummaging through trash piles.
And not far away, I saw a black fog expanding about 5m in a moment and then shrinking repeatedly.
Instant death fog.
In this area, the moment you inhale the air within the fog, you die without being able to do anything.
It has such high toxicity that even my transformed lungs couldn’t withstand it, making internal access completely impossible.
Even exploration robots crafted with high-grade dimension stones become useless inside.
“Hmm…”
I closed my eyes.
I recalled the scene of Jije Station area transformed by the March 1st Outbreak, not as a land of death.
In an instant, the fog completely disappears, revealing a massive dimensional gate at the location where a famous large mart used to be.
Convenience facilities and infrastructure sprouting like mushrooms near the dungeon.
This was the landscape of this place changing from the March 1st of 2020.
I walked a bit more.
Then I saw papers stuck all over a building that seemed to have been closed down early.
<Urgent Sale>
<Urgent sale of 5 lots in the Jije Station intersection area. There are also many other properties, please contact.>
Unlike the old-smelling building and surrounding landscape, the paper seemed to have been posted recently and was brand new.
“Things might work out easily.”
I was wondering if I’d have to find and purchase land from each owner, but it seemed there was a real estate agent.
The land had been abandoned for nearly 10 years, so the owners were likely very exhausted.
Having lost all vitality and energy, they would probably reluctantly hold onto it.
Of course, even if the land had become worthless compared to the past, you can’t buy land for peanuts.
That’s why I had secured a substantial budget early on. I checked my balance using the bank app.
[Daehan Bank: Account Holder Kang Shin-hwa]
[Balance: 48,001,525,200 won]
“With this amount, I can purchase all the surrounding land and easily build buildings later.”
The Jije Station area has long-term prospects.
Without any other variables, it will take the path to prosperity starting from the March 1st Outbreak.
“I’ll secure this area.”
Where high-level dungeons exist, Awakener beings gather, and where Awakener beings gather, a bustling area is created.
When the Outbreak occurs, three D-rank dungeons will be created.
Due to the Awakener Special Law established in 2011, the dungeons themselves become state-owned.
“But the land isn’t.”
All rights except the ownership of newly created dungeons are maintained.
If it’s D- rank, many guilds prefer such dungeons.
Because it’s not as easy as F- rank dungeons, nor as dangerous as B or C- rank dungeons.
In other words, it’s the most manageable.
“Even if I retire early, fixed income is still important.”
Woooong!
Right then.
The instant death fog zone, which was about 50m away, roared and expanded towards me at once.
Several stray cats passed near the fog zone.
Meooow…! Meow…!
With a final cry, they lost their lives in an instant.
This place is still a land of death.
As everything changes unpredictably, it didn’t seem wise to stay long.
“I’ve clarified where I should buy.”
After directly surveying the site, my investment confidence grew.
After all, whether it’s an object or land, it’s important to see it in person.
Beep beep.
I immediately called the real estate agent.
Strike while the iron is hot, right?
I was planning to pre-contract with any landowners willing to sell.
And right at that moment.
“Cough cough. Is…, Is anyone there…?”
A male voice with a dry cough came from between the seemingly empty abandoned buildings.
Hi guys, please check out the second novel I am translating “Not All Heroes From Earth Are Bad“
Hope you enjoyed the chapter! If you would like to support me or read advanced chapters, you can do so by unlocking chapters.
Schedule: [For Now, Everyday]
