The Imperial Hunter

Chapter 29: August's Rows of Trees (2)

“Physically, there are no issues.”

A truly functional response.

“I know that.”

Because I’d adjusted it, and I’d been checking the results every day.

“I was wondering if there’s any discomfort in your daily life.”

Suyeon, who had been lost in thought for a moment, nodded faintly.

“Of course, there’s no problem.”

“That’s good.”

I observed Suyeon’s breathing. Except when speaking, she was taking very slow breaths.

It was because her breathing efficiency had increased thanks to the adjustment of the magical power to the appropriate level.

Now that the initial work of stabilizing my magical circuits had achieved some results, I began to open the circuits for the most critical individuals: Kyung-tae, Suyeon, the security team, the international operations department, the special forces, and other high-ranking personnel stationed at headquarters, all of whom might be exposed to high-intensity combat in the event of a sudden crisis.

The first abilities typically enhanced by a stable magical circuit were those related to basic life functions. However, there was no guarantee that these functions would be improved in a balanced manner.

For example, an overly enhanced immune system could lead to allergies or autoimmune diseases. If skeletal strength remained constant but muscle strength continued to increase, problems could arise. What would happen if the efficiency of gas exchange in the lungs, and the absorption of oxygen, increased too rapidly and caused a drop in carbon dioxide levels in the bloodstream?

‘They’d die. Because the body’s pH level would become fatally alkaline.’

Before that happened, it would be better to regulate breathing, but human respiration was largely habitual, so it could be difficult to anticipate and prepare for it unless you knew in advance.

Enhancements to the human body through natural, spontaneously occurring primitive magic contained numerous risks, unlike my artificially designed magical enhancement formula.

In terms of adaptability to primitive magic, animals were far inferior to plants. Plants could experiment and make mistakes by sacrificing a part of themselves, but animals couldn’t do that because it was impossible.

Humans were no exception.

Therefore, those whose circuits I had opened for enhancement underwent continuous monitoring at the organization’s hospital, and the details were reported directly to me. The circuits I had carefully inscribed were naturally far superior, more sophisticated, and stable in structure compared to naturally opening circuits. However, there was still the law of ‘just in case.’

Due to the trait of circuits that formed their own fields, once a certain level of circuit stabilization occurred, I couldn’t intervene anymore. Their own fields would push out my magical interference. If there were any issues, they needed to be detected early.

Even while I was lost in thought, the announcer’s voice continued to deliver the latest news.

[—As various events’ schedules continue to be delayed, confusion among tourists in Tokyo is worsening. Seiko Hashimoto, in charge of the Olympic Games, held an emergency press conference, stating that they are considering moving up the soccer match schedule, which had been delayed due to the August heat when they decided to postpone the Olympics.]

[In response, the national soccer teams, who were in the midst of adapting to the original schedule, expressed strong dissatisfaction, saying that Hashimoto’s announcement had not been discussed in advance.]

[Japan had sent medical teams and chartered flights to Third World countries still grappling with the aftermath of the coronavirus, just to bring in the national delegations. That’s how high the expectations were for this Olympics. However, a series of unfortunate events, from the extinguishing of the Olympic flame during the relay to the additional costs incurred due to the delayed event, suspicions of manipulation of domestic coronavirus infection statistics by the Ministry of Health and Labor, inappropriate shrine visits by the Prime Minister’s wife amid virus spread, and now doping controversies and event suspensions, have deepened Prime Minister Abe’s concerns.]

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[Next in the news…]

As the news revealed, the cumulative changes in the world over the past six months were now becoming apparent within the scope of human perception. These changes included record-breaking events in seconds, a sharp increase in cancer rates, an increase in fatalities caused by wild animals, and tree roots damaging roads.

‘306,972 trees…’

That was the number of trees on the streets in Seoul. According to the attached weight calculations in the report, even if the original diameter was just 10 centimeters, the weight per tree exceeded one ton. Compared to the awakening probability based on body mass, it was more than 13 times that of an average adult male. Starting from a 30-centimeter diameter, it increased 34 times, from 40 centimeters, 70 times, and from 50 centimeters, over 100 times.

While humanity was experiencing changes at the level of seconds in world records, the trees of August were capable of awakening and undergoing abnormal growth.

I paid attention to one of the countermeasures specified in the report.

“Hmm. National Ecology Institute? Did that strawberry guy have a nephew like this?”

One of the proposals was to give the organization’s executives’ nephew, who was a research specialist in crop bioscience and was working as an assistant professor, a quick Ph.D. and persuade related parties with bribes to get him placed in the National Ecology Institute. The proposal was written by Suyeon.

‘Is that okay?’

The National Ecology Institute was an institution where all kinds of statistics on trees and the results of government research were concentrated. Its status would soon begin to skyrocket. It wasn’t bad to have a means to indirectly influence the direction of research, not just obtain information.

Especially, the latter part of the role was difficult to entrust to someone who couldn’t be trusted. Even if you bought researchers, it was difficult for me to release my knowledge. Even if the research was about plants, knowledge related to magic power and circuits could be applied expansively to animals.

This was a matter I had specifically instructed the secretariat to find a solution to.

‘Even like this, I need to keep Round Table’s dominance in check.’

If the British took the lead in international standards for magical research, wouldn’t Round Table’s influence increase accordingly? I had to prevent the concentration of worldwide related information in London. It wasn’t just about the imbalance of knowledge; there might be clues about me among that information.

While I was lost in these thoughts, I felt Suyeon’s gaze fixedly on me.

“What is it?”

Suyeon spoke with an unusual expression, quite rarely seen.

“Just now… you called Chief Song Heungju ‘strawberry’…”

“…”

This was Kyung-tae’s influence. He kept calling him “strawberry” all the time, and now I made the same mistake.

“Strawberry” originated from the nickname given to the organization by the police. The Ansan Strawberry Faction. This was a team that, if necessary, was dispatched without regard to location and left traces in Ansan by sheer chance. For the police, it remained an organization of uncertain substance. They even spent money to keep it that way.

Suyeon wiped away her expression and returned to the original topic.

“We are pursuing similar plans for other related facilities, but it’s difficult to find suitable individuals. It’s even more challenging with foreign institutions.”

“None of your fellow alumni seem suitable?”

“Yes.”

“That’s a shame.”

“I apologize.”

“Stop apologizing. I was amazed that you managed to recruit even a few people from there.”

“…Yes.”

This girl had always been academically inclined. I gave her a scholarship while thinking about how far she could go, and she managed to get her Ph.D. in just two and a half years. This girl, who had graduated from high school through the GED exam, achieved this at the well-regarded Emerson University in the United States.

‘It was because she wanted to join the organization as soon as possible.’

Even during her fierce studies, she had managed to attract and recruit three high school students as local collaborators and organization scholarship students while maintaining her connections. I still vividly remembered my astonishment when I received the email explaining the situation and requesting permission and support.

“I know you might not like hearing this, but…”

Suyeon carefully chose her words.

“The situation has changed from before, so shouldn’t our approach to recruiting organization members change as well?”

“How do you mean, changing our approach?”

“Instead of searching for people who are at the point of owing their lives and then selecting the necessary talents, shouldn’t we also consider making the necessary talents owe their lives?”

“You mean by setting traps?”

“Yes.”

I furrowed my brow deeply.

“You’re talking about this now?”

Suyeon maintained her characteristic calmness even in the face of my expressed reluctance.

“What’s certain is that scholarly achievements that counteract Round Table’s imperialism should not only come from Korea. My one and only absolute goal is your ultimate victory, and everything else is just a tool to achieve that goal.”

“Is that even the identity that forms the foundation of the organization?”

“In extreme situations, extreme responses are sometimes required. Regardless of what orders you give, my loyalty won’t change, and secrets will be kept until the end. If the personnel performing the operation are fragmented and do not know the full scope of the operation, that’s enough.”

“…”

I couldn’t bring myself to say that I couldn’t completely trust her in this regard. However, Suyeon’s proposal contained the potential risk of collapsing the entire organization.

Let’s say we actually implement Suyeon’s scheme. And imagine that somehow the fact of it being put into action leaked within the organization. What would happen then?

‘The people who owe me favors will start to harbor doubts, won’t they?’ 

Perhaps even me? Doubts like, ‘What if I owe something?’ In a situation where there was absolutely no room for suspicion, even those who had received my help would inevitably begin to question. The blind trust in the savior would be replaced by dry loyalty to a flawed human being. An organization that constantly grumbles was never going to be a weapon against the Round Table.

Suyeon understood my point. She had an expression of momentary regret as she accepted it.

“It’s not possible.”

I emphasized repeatedly.

“Absolutely not.”

“I understand.”

In Suyeon’s accepting face, there was a momentary sense of regret.

“As an alternative, there is a way to indirectly support researchers who are progressing in the right direction. However, this method will be significantly less efficient since it won’t directly transmit your knowledge.”

“I’ll have to accept that.”

“If you’re willing to take on some risk, there is another alternative.”

“Tell me.”

“London.”

“…?”

When I looked at her with suspicion, Suyeon calmly explained her plan.

“If ‘The Round Table of Light and Truth’ intends to lead the world in the field of magic someday, there’s a high probability that they are already sharing related information with influential figures in the British government or politics at this point. But the British government might be one thing, but Round Table mages are masters of magic, not experts in electronic security. At best, they probably use outsourcing for cybersecurity. Moreover, the relationship between the British government and the Round Table is unlikely to be so harmonious, don’t you think?”

Yeah.

Really, this girl’s mind was working well. Even before severing ties with the government, the Round Table had always been an isolated and exclusive group. They had never fully shared their secret knowledge with the government, even for a moment. Could those guys readily accept the government’s security as it was? Ultimately, they thought they should stand above the government themselves.

“Assuming that’s true, what’s next?”

“Next, you know the inner workings of Round Table well enough to infer the connections.” 

She was talking about the knowledge of my deceased master. Even though it was knowledge from decades ago, the human relationships of the masters, captivated by a sense of religious chosenness, tend to be ‘aristocratic.’

“And the secretive information in London always draws the interest of other countries, especially China and Russia. If they detect any indication that the UK is pursuing something unusual, they’ll do the rest themselves.”

“Indeed…”

“What we need to do is just give them a little push.”

Pushing them a little – making them smell something was not an easy task, but it was worth trying. If knowledge that could provide a starting point for magical research spread secretly throughout major countries, indirect checks on the Round Table’s influence would become significantly more efficient. Suyeon, who was waiting with her hands folded, looked pretty in her eagerness as I gave permission.

“Work out the specific plan.”

I gave my approval while tapping the report.

“You can use as much money and manpower as you need.”

“Yes.”

Suyeon nodded slightly.

Disclaimer:

This novel is a work of fiction! While it may incorporate elements inspired by our "real" historical world, including historical events, settings, and cultures, it is important to note that the story and characters are entirely products of the author's imagination. Any resemblance to real persons, living or deceased, or actual events is purely coincidental. This work should be enjoyed and interpreted as a work of fiction and not as a representation of historical facts or reality.

Also, if you find some error in translation please do let me know by tagging me (@_dawn24) in our Discord server. Since this series is kinda hard to translate. But I'll try my best to make it at least readable :)

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