I looked around.
Ryoo was right.
Just as Dr. Ryoo predicted, the entire area was covered by a sort of coal layer made up of undecayed plants.
It was a shame that the natural resources emerging from the Gate weren’t oil, but there was no helping it. Coal was still quite useful.
I scooped some of the black earth with a shovel.
Without a doubt, it was coal.
“There really is a layer of coal just under the surface. It comes right up with a single scoop.”
The shelling stopped as soon as we discovered the coal.
Even if it was unlikely, there were concerns that an artillery shell could ignite the coal layer beneath the strata.
“That’s why.”
“Doctor Lee. I’m planning to take the Shapshalkae Team and scout the enemy camp. Would you care to come with us?”
“Yes.”
I rode in a military truck with the soldiers from the Shapshalkae Team and headed toward the enemy camp.
After moving for some time, a horrific scene greeted me.
Near the Ruins, everything had turned to ashes.
It looked like a single shell had devastated dozens, maybe hundreds of meters of space in every direction.
Flames were still burning here and there.
“It’s even more powerful than I thought.”
“Within 100 meters of the shell’s explosion radius, everything seems to be completely obliterated. The fires haven’t gone out yet.”
A lot of white phosphorus shells had been used, and considering the higher oxygen concentration in this world, it was questionable whether the flames would die down in a few days.
Our target came into view.
I had wondered why a desert had suddenly formed here, but it looked like the fire caused by the white phosphorus shells burned everything to dust.
That’s why it looked like sand from a distance.
Dozens of shells must have been dropped on this area alone; nothing was left in recognizable shape.
“What’s that?”
“That is… presumed to be the enemy Village. It was the location the artillery unit designated as its highest-priority target.”
I looked around.
Ash was blowing everywhere due to the concentrated shelling, but a pile of stones remained at the heart of the black desert.
An abnormal flow of mana could be felt from that direction.
It was as if something was calling out to me.
I turned my head toward the stack of stones. That meant there must be an Artifact or a high-grade Monster nearby.
“Could we check over there?”
Clack.
The truck stopped, and we were able to examine the pile of stones in detail.
Up close, it was definitely an artificial structure.
It might have once been a Fortress, now completely collapsed by the shelling.
I raised my weapon for caution.
The abnormal mana flow grew stronger.
I began removing the fallen stones one by one.
What was calling me from within the debris?
Clack.
When I removed the last stone, something revealed itself.
There, a Goblin corpse larger than a person lay sprawled.
“Ugh…”
It startled me—turns out it was still breathing.
On reflex, I swung my rifle and smashed the skull of the lying Goblin.
The Monster’s breathing quickly ceased.
I moved the Goblin’s body and examined it more closely.
Judging by its Staff, sword, and Crown, and the fact it had lived in the fortress, it was no ordinary Goblin.
It must have been a noble or even a king among the Goblins.
I used Seeker’s Trait Activation on the Goblin’s corpse.
[Goblin Lord]
[Currently dying.]
“So you’re still not dead, huh.”
I gripped my rifle and slammed the butt into the Goblin Lord’s skull one more time.
Soon, dark red blood soaked the pile.
[You have killed the Goblin Lord.]
[Seeker stat +20.]
[90/100 to Enlightenment Stage 1.]
I finally found it.
The king of the Monsters who caused so much destruction in the last run, died to a stray shell in this one.
I could probably call this a Gate Clear.
Thus, the situation was resolved.
The soldiers had exhausted all the shells and, having completed their fortification, most of them withdrew from the Gate.
***
We thus left behind the world of the first Gate and returned to the Supernatural Science Research Institute.
In the Meeting Room, as before, the four Principal Researchers of the Institute had gathered.
First issue.
I glanced at Dr. Ryoo.
“First agenda. We went beyond the Gate and, as you said, Dr. Ryoo, your theory was correct.”
“What was?”
Dr. Ryoo tilted his head.
“You know the coal-age strata you argued for? I wasn’t sure, to be honest. But there really was a thick coal layer just beneath the surface, because the plants hadn’t decomposed properly.”
“That’s right.”
“We need to devise a way to mine the coal.”
Dr. Ryoo, sitting beside me, nodded proudly.
“We shouldn’t just draw our own conclusions, but send the Geology Team to survey the area again. All we did was dig with a shovel and found black coal.”
“Yes.”
Dr. Kang, next to me, also nodded.
“But… will it really be possible to mine coal beyond the Gate? The environment seems pretty hostile for humans.”
“We’ll have to make it possible. There’s always a way.”
It wasn’t impossible.
Second issue.
“Next. Has there been any result from the molecular biology analysis? The Monster DNA analysis and blood test results.”
Dr. Min raised his hand.
“We did find something unusual.”
“What is it?”
“It’s about cellular respiration. Life forms that grow in a high-oxygen environment might have more vulnerable cellular respiration chains.”
I nodded.
“Yes, that’s plausible.”
“The resistance to drugs that inhibit cellular respiration might differ between Earth life and creatures originating from the Goblin Gate.”
I’d heard this theory in my previous life as well. Back then it was only mentioned in passing. It hadn’t been researched properly due to budget constraints.
“I’m not sure. Goblins seemed to run around just fine in our world, too.”
“I’m not talking about physiological breathing, but the chemical mechanisms inside the mitochondria of their cells might be more fragile.”
I thought about it more. In both my previous and current lives, I’d never seen a Goblin fail to breathe in our world.
So it wasn’t a simple matter.
“What kind of drugs can inhibit cellular respiration?”
“The most typical is Chlorine Gas.”
“So, if you feed them Chlorine Gas and they die, that’s their weakness?”
The scientists in the Meeting Room chuckled, but Dr. Min remained serious. Was he about to say something else?
“Think about it. What if there were a drug that could block cellular respiration in living things, but show no immediate toxicity to humans or Earth creatures—?”
A substance that attacked cellular respiration but had no acute toxicity to humans? I pondered for a moment.
Come to think of it, there was such a substance.
***
A very peculiar chemical that disrupts the cellular respiration of most life forms, but does not have direct acute toxicity in humans.
Once called a miracle insecticide…
“DDT.”
Dr. Min and I arrived at the same conclusion almost simultaneously.
DDT.
A type of insecticide whose use in food was banned in the 1970s.
It was more widely known due to the book ‘Silent Spring,’ which described its adverse effects on the ecosystem.
Although its risks from chronic exposure were belatedly revealed and its use partially banned, it was still occasionally employed for pest eradication.
Mainly in developing countries.
If DDT had no acute toxicity to Earth life, but acted as a toxin blocking cellular respiration in extraterrestrial life…
It could be quite useful.
I made a note to consider using DDT.
“Let’s research this. DDT is a simple chemical to manufacture and shouldn’t be difficult to produce industrially.”
Next, the third issue.
“Third agenda. We need to significantly increase recruitment for the Supernatural Science Research Institute. To study all that we’ve found.”
Even if the budget could be raised, figuring out how to actually find the right people was not a simple matter.
The same went for facilities.
This time, Dr. Kang scratched his head.
“In the end, it all depends on how much support we can get from the Government. Who knows how far they’re willing to go?”
I sighed.
That was true, but I couldn’t accept a response that amounted to “just wait for the Government to act.”
“We should also consider hiring Awakened directly at the Supernatural Science Research Institute. If we want to properly understand their power.”
Even if it was hard to find them, we should be able to hire a few, maybe a few dozen Hunters.
“In that case, I’ll compile these demands and send them to Headquarters. There’s another government meeting scheduled for today.”
***
Another Disaster Headquarters meeting was called.
My feelings toward the Headquarters meetings were mixed.
On one hand, it was an opportunity to secure what was needed, but on the other, I wondered why we kept meeting without ever reaching a real conclusion.
The Prime Minister looked like he hadn’t slept in three days.
He wasn’t someone I particularly liked, but I found myself worrying he might just collapse one day.
It was a hassle, but things were looking up this time.
We’d achieved quite a lot over the last few days, so there was plenty to report and plenty to request.
“If it weren’t for you, Doctor Lee, we’d have been in real trouble.”
“Eh.”
I bowed my head.
“Well then. Let me get straight to the report without wasting time.”
“Go ahead.”
“First, the scientists at the Supernatural Science Research Institute analyzed the atmospheric composition beyond Gate No. 1, and predicted the presence of abundant fossil fuels.”
“Yes.”
“As predicted, we discovered fossil fuels. The Government should plan to begin mining operations beyond the Gate.”
“Will it be profitable?”
“Eh.”
I answered briefly.
It would be profitable.
You could dig up coal with just a shovel, and there might be other fossil fuels as well.
“Second discovery. The Supernatural Science Research Institute is searching for a toxin that can selectively kill life forms from Gate No. 1.”
“Is that possible?”
I nodded.
“With enough budget, it is. To explain the principle would be complicated, but it has to do with differences in cellular respiration processes.”
“That’s… truly remarkable.”
Those gathered in the video conference murmured in amazement at these words.
I took my time before speaking the next sentence. I’d saved the most important request for last.
“Third. We need people.”
“People?”
“We need administrative and research personnel at the Institute, and more importantly, we need a method for society to register and manage Awakened.”
The Prime Minister seemed to consider for a moment before speaking, as if delivering a brilliant idea.
“Currently, we’re prioritizing the search for Awakened among the Army, Police, and Public Servants. We should be able to organize a group soon.”
I let out a small sigh.
I understood it was possible, but the approach seemed rather shortsighted.
Better than nothing, but I doubted its effectiveness.
The military, police, and public servants were only a part of the population after all.
The probability might be higher, but there was no guarantee those people would fully cooperate with the Government.
I shook my head.
It wasn’t wrong, but that approach wouldn’t solve the problem.
Such lukewarm measures would only waste time.
“What we really need is the formation of a Hunter group that can maintain social order. There are bound to be countries that fail to achieve that.”
“What do you think is the best approach, Doctor Lee?”
“Tomorrow—before others start coming up with their own ideas, announce the launch of the Hunter Association. Like the Bar Association, it should be a legal organization to protect the rights and interests of Awakened.”
“Hm.”
“Direct government control is unlikely to succeed and may even provoke backlash. As you know.”
Just by listening, it was clear.
A Hunter organization comprised of mainly public servants would obviously have all sorts of problems.
That’s not just speculation—that’s a prediction.
I’d seen it fail in my previous life.
The Prime Minister still seemed unable to come to a decision.
“For now, we’ll increase research personnel as you requested. We’ll also create a Hunter organization mainly from public servants. However… anything related to the Association will require more time.”
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Uhm, why does this government system feel a bit strange?