<Episode 100>
“So it turns out NP Investment Partners planted a spy in our research lab and stole our technology wholesale. Then, as if they had coordinated it beforehand, the investors all pulled out…”
Juwon spoke in a strained voice, as though he were forcibly dragging up painful memories.
A heavy silence flowed through the receiver.
To think NP Investment Partners and Juwon had been tied together through such a bitter history.
Not knowing what kind of comfort I could offer, I merely parted my lips without saying anything.
“As you know, Nutrafill is currently the only meal-replacement supplement distributed in the domestic Hunter market. Imported foreign products and new drugs from other pharmaceutical companies are blocked by cleverly crafted legal regulations and can’t even set foot in the domestic market. The reason such a perfect monopoly system was established is because of powerful political intervention.”
“…You’re talking about Vice Director Park Seongcheol.”
“That’s right. He used to be a member of the National Assembly. Even though he’s left politics, his influence remains. That’s why most pharmaceutical companies and media outlets won’t touch Nutrafill. If they make the wrong move, they could end up shutting down their business.”
After pausing briefly to gather himself, Juwon continued in a firm voice.
“But I’m different from them. I’ve experienced having something taken from me. And… I can’t tolerate people tampering with pharmaceutical ingredients. I’ll personally find out what’s really in Nutrafill.”
“Thank you, Juwon.”
The moment I ended the call, I let out a sigh of relief.
‘Without Juwon, investigating the ingredients would’ve been impossible.’
Any ordinary pharmaceutical company would have refused immediately rather than get involved with political powers.
Feeling slightly more at ease, I lay down on my bed.
‘…It would’ve been nice if my SS-rank abilities included ingredient analysis.’
I narrowed my eyes and held a Nutrafill capsule up toward the light.
Unfortunately, staring at it wasn’t going to reveal its contents.
“You’re doing something weird again, nya.”
“…I was analyzing it in my own way.”
“Hmph. It’s a pointless waste of effort, nya.”
Painfully enough, Hanyang was completely right.
I placed the Nutrafill on top of the dresser and quietly pulled my blanket over myself.
If I wanted to open the shop tomorrow, I needed to force myself to get some sleep.
“Good night, Hanyang.”
“May you have pleasant dreams, nya.”
But for some reason, a vague feeling of unease lingered in my chest, making it difficult to fall asleep.
I tossed and turned until dawn before finally managing to drift off.
***
“Ari, I’m going to take out the trash.”
“Okay, unnie! Have a safe trip!”
Struggling with a garbage bag nearly as large as my torso, I headed out through the back door.
The weather had already begun entering early summer.
The wind carried a sticky warmth.
“The weather is terrible, nya.”
“Summer hasn’t even properly started yet.”
Perhaps Hanyang was particularly sensitive to heat, because he was already panting with his tongue hanging out.
I glanced down at his thick, round belly.
Somehow, it seemed to get bigger every day.
“Starting today, we’re cutting back on Churu treats. You seriously need to go on a diet.”
“That’s not true, nya! I’m at a perfectly normal weight!”
“Normal weight? The first thing we’re doing when we get home is checking the scale.”
Maybe this was because Hyunwoo kept bringing home all sorts of premium treats in an effort to win his affection.
From now on, I’d have to put my foot down.
“You’re so cruel, nya!”
“The cruel one isn’t me–it’s your belly fat!”
After throwing away the trash and bickering with Hanyang as we walked back, I spotted a familiar face near the entrance of a distant alley.
It was Hunter Seon Daeun, one of our regular customers.
Glancing around cautiously, she hurriedly dumped something into her mouth before disappearing as if she were being chased.
‘…What was that?’
After she vanished, I peeked into the trash can nearby.
An empty Nutrafill package lay discarded inside.
‘Come to think of it… Daeun hasn’t been visiting the shop lately either. I thought she’d stopped coming because she no longer suffered from side effects.’
A chill crawled up my spine.
I slowly looked around.
Only then did the scenery around me truly register.
Benches.
Side streets.
Smoking areas.
Everywhere my eyes landed, people were hurriedly swallowing Nutrafill as though possessed.
“Hey! That’s my last packet! Give it back right now!”
“Come on, I was just joking… why are you acting like this…?”
Shouting erupted near a vending machine.
A man whose Nutrafill had been taken lunged at another person with bloodshot eyes.
Watching people grab each other by the collar over a single pill was disturbingly unnatural.
“…This isn’t normal.”
With fearful eyes, I slowly scanned the surroundings.
Without me even realizing it, Hunters had already become addicted to Nutrafill.
***
Fortunately, before even three days had passed since I requested the analysis, Juwon personally came to Seoul with the results.
For security reasons, we met at Hyunwoo’s official residence.
“Just in case, I brought the documents myself. Please take a look.”
Juwon pushed a thick stack of papers toward us.
As I slowly flipped through them, complicated chemical formulas filled the pages.
Several sections had been circled in red pen.
“To give you the conclusion first, the ingredients themselves aren’t very different from ordinary meal-replacement supplements sold overseas. However…”
He pointed at one of the red-circled entries.
“L-294 Variant. This appears to be the core of the renewed formula.”
“What exactly is that ingredient?”
“It disrupts the flow of mana circuits, creating the illusion that someone can taste food or that pain has disappeared.”
He paused.
“It’s a hallucinogen. In other words, a narcotic-grade hallucinogenic drug designed for Hunters.”
A hallucinogen.
The exact word I’d been dreading.
I bit my lip anxiously.
“The real problem is its addictive nature. Since it directly stimulates the brain, its dependency rate is beyond imagination. Its addictive potential is at least two hundred times greater than heroin.”
“Tw-two hundred times?”
I covered my mouth.
“In the United States and Europe, it’s already classified as a dangerous substance, and its manufacture and sale are prohibited.”
The room grew heavy with silence.
I suddenly recalled the criminals who had gone berserk recently.
‘Could they have consumed this substance?’
Hyunwoo, who had been listening quietly, asked with a grave expression:
“This situation is even worse than expected. Then how much of the renewed Nutrafill would someone need to consume before becoming addicted?”
Juwon hesitated before answering.
“If we’re talking about Hunters ranked C-class or lower…”
He slowly opened his mouth.
“…a single pill would be enough to qualify as addiction.”
***
Hyunwoo and I immediately rushed toward the Director’s office.
“Director!”
The Director, who had been approving documents, looked up in surprise.
“Oh my, Hunter Haneul? Hunter Lee Hyunwoo is here too. What’s going on? You didn’t even call beforehand…”
“We need to stop it immediately!”
“Huh? Stop what? Did something happen at the center? A machine malfunction?”
“It’s not that! Nutrafill!”
Breathing heavily, I hurried to her desk.
“The renewed Nutrafill currently on the market needs to be banned immediately! Every single unit must be recalled!”
“Nutrafill? And suddenly halt sales? What exactly are you talking about…?”
I practically slammed Juwon’s analysis report onto her desk.
“Nutrafill contains hallucinogenic substances. And at nearly lethal levels!”
“Hallucinogenic substances…?”
The Director’s eyes widened as she scanned the report.
The color immediately drained from her face as she grasped the severity of the situation.
“Th-That’s impossible. An L-294 Variant? How could this ingredient possibly…”
At that moment…
The secretary burst into the office.
“Director! Something terrible has happened!”
The secretary’s face was pale with terror, as though he had just encountered a monster emerging from a Gate.
“Hunters deployed in the field have suddenly started convulsing and collapsing!”
“Not just one Hunter…? Hunters, plural?”
“We’re still trying to confirm the exact number. For now, all collapsed Hunters are being rushed to the infirmary.”
“Could this possibly be…?”
The Director turned toward the window blinds with a deathly pale face.
Following her gaze, I looked outside.
Dozens of ambulances were pouring into the Management Bureau grounds, their red emergency lights flashing wildly.
WEE-OOO, WEE-OOO.
The chilling scream of sirens pounded against my ears.
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