Chapter 160: When Mother ascended to the sky, the world fell silent.

It’s an animal’s instinct to attack when an enemy invades its territory.

More people began to antagonize Alchemy Slime.

They chose the method that had proven most effective in their experience.

Without thinking deeply about how effective that would actually be in the current situation.

“You can fudge things a little, but do you have to reveal everything?”

Companies exposed for corruption banded together.

There were certainly many people saved by <Slime>, but there were also quite a few whose lives became harder because of <Slime>.

There were those who, despite their complaints, lacked the numbers and power to make their voices heard.

But recently, the number of people holding a grudge against Alchemy Slime has sharply increased due to the <Origin Verification Slime>.

To this, companies wielding power and capital joined forces.

While the anti-<Slime> alliance was steadily gathering ways to attack Alchemy Slime, a bombshell hit the alchemy world.

Alchemists joined the anti-<Slime> alliance.

Judging that they had amassed enough strength, the anti-<Slime> alliance took action.

The alchemist who operated Korea’s largest alchemy workshop went to see a lawmaker he was friendly with.

“Assemblyman! Are you just going to stand by and watch?”

“What do you expect me to do?”

“At this rate, we’ll all be ruined!”

“Then maybe you shouldn’t have gone so far.”

The lawmaker tried to wriggle out of it like a snake, but the alchemist had come with a firm resolve.

“Assemblyman. After all you’ve received, you can’t just do this.”

“Are you threatening me right now?”

“Either way, we won’t be able to live in Korea anymore. If I’m going down, I’m not going down alone.”

“What exactly do you expect me to do! Look at the power that person wields! Even if I raise my voice, I’ll just end up dead and that’ll be it!”

“There are more assemblymen willing to join in.”

The alchemist handed over a list.

“Is this for real?”

“Alchemy Slime has made too many enemies.”

“…Is this really something we can handle? What if Alchemy Slime gives up on Korea and goes overseas?”

“The core of AlchemySlime Company, Slime Land and <Tunnel Slimes>, are in Korea. Their foundation is here, so what can they do?”

The anti-<Slime> alliance reached out everywhere.

“Guild Leader. If you want to keep getting potions at cheap prices, you need to act now.”

“You’ll need to prepare sufficient payment as well.”

“I’ve included enough so you won’t feel slighted.”

The owners of alchemy workshops visited the guilds with whom they had close ties.

“Alchemy Slime is trying to turn Korea into a Slime Kingdom! He plans to conquer it and rule it himself!”

Even Mike, who believed that any attention was good attention-even if it was negative-was mobilized.

“Right now, Slime Land is making things boom. But do you really think that’ll last once <Tunnel Slimes> spread further around the world?”

They also brought in companies that, while not yet harmed, would soon have to compete with AlchemySlime Company.

[Professor Kim Kangkim: “A lifestyle overly dependent on <Slime> could be dangerous.”]

[Medical field: “Because of <Slime>, medical technology is regressing. Soon we might not even need doctors.”]

[Students growing lazy. Serious academic decline over the past year.]

[Alchemy Slime worshipped. Signs of a doomsday cult emerging.]

So-called educated people began to criticize <Slime>.

Swept up by the mood, many people joined them.

The anti-<Slime> alliance swelled in size.

[Anti-<Slime> alliance. Large-scale protest for ‘<Slime> regulation’ announced.]

-What kind of insane talk is this?

└It’s common knowledge that Alchemy Slime controls the media. That’s why it hasn’t surfaced, but there are actually a lot of victims under the surface.

└Things changed this fast just because a bombshell hit the alchemy world? Seems suspicious.

└Just means there was that much bad karma built up.

└After everything Yeonseul did for them, they’re so ungrateful.

└Doing good deeds doesn’t erase your mistakes.

(See more)

The anti-<Slime> alliance had grown powerful enough.

They began to act even more boldly.

[Assemblyman Namgung Takguk and 12 others. ‘<Slime> Regulation Act’ proposed.]

Laws were introduced to block AlchemySlime Company’s business expansion and limit production and sales volume.

-We just finally got to buy <Slime> easily, and now they want to limit sales?

└It’s obviously an attempt to monopolize the market. They’re flooding the market with cheap goods, killing off other industries, and then they’ll jack up the prices. We have to stop them before that happens.

-Inside Slime Land, you can even kill people and not be held responsible. Do you think that makes sense? If things keep going like this, all of Korea will be like that. We have to stop it before that happens.

└I do like Alchemy Slime, but ignoring the law is a bit much…

The mood was shifting in a worrying direction.

In response, AlchemySlime Company gave a very simple answer.

Slime Land ascended.

Aside from its location, nothing changed.

It was still connected to the ground by lines, so <Tunnel Slimes> could be used without any problem.

There was no change inside Slime Land either.

It simply floated in the sky for 24 hours and then descended.

Those who saw the scene with their own eyes stood around, dazed, talking to each other.

“Could Slime Land really leave Korea?”

“If it flew around for 24 hours, probably.”

“It has somewhere to go, right?”

“Yeah. There’s territory in the sea, and they could even go to Chile.”

“Hey… This is really not the time for us to just stand around.”

—

[Countries sending love calls to Slime Land.]

They collected posts from SNS calling for Slime Land to be brought to their own countries.

There must be even more companies contacting AlchemySlime Company directly.

-Wow… That lineup is insane.

└It’s the world’s greatest theme park and the world’s biggest <Slime> store, so of course. I heard every tourist who comes to Korea visits Slime Land. Thanks to <Tunnel Slimes> being everywhere, it’s also easy to get around.

-Surely they won’t actually leave, right?

└Who knows. It’s amazing they held out this long, but now there’s even a <Slime> regulation law. They might be thinking of giving up on Korea.

—

Alchemy Slime could take Slime Land and leave Korea at any time.

That fact became crystal clear.

The mood flipped completely.

“Are you out of your mind? If Slime Land leaves Korea, what are you going to do! Withdraw the bill and hold a public apology press conference right now!”

The proposed bill was withdrawn.

-We’re pulling out.

“Pulling out? Do you really think that guy will provide medicine as cheaply as we did?”

-Shit.

“What, what? Shit?”

-The whole guild is about to get wiped out, and you think that even matters? Don’t contact me again. I warned you.

Click.

The guilds instigated by the alchemists also pulled out.

[Professor Kim Kangkim only thinks about going on TV, leaving classes to TAs and research to graduate students.” Followed by more exposés from graduate students.]

[A doctor’s brave opinion. “It’s true the number of patients has decreased. That’s something to celebrate, not see as a negative.”]

[“People aren’t computers.” The current education system’s problem of evaluating students only by their ability to solve test questions.]

The voices criticizing Alchemy Slime vanished without a trace.

If you didn’t go in on your own, you were forced to go in anyway.

Instead, voices praising Alchemy Slime’s achievements popped up everywhere.

People finally realized.

That Alchemy Slime’s goodwill wasn’t unconditional.

“Let’s just maintain the status quo, just the status quo.”

Korea was already under Alchemy Slime’s control, but it wasn’t necessarily a bad thing.

***

When Mother rose into the sky, the world fell silent.

It really looked like a scene from mythology.

An anti-<Slime> alliance briefly formed, but as soon as Mother floated for a day, they immediately shut up.

For a last desperate struggle, it was pretty pointless.

Since competition in the market was hopeless, they tried to suppress me with political power.

I wondered if they were out of their minds.

I know why they tried.

Because it was a method that had worked countless times until now.

But it doesn’t work on me.

What kind of existence is an S-rank alchemist, anyway?

Koreans still lack the proper perception.

If I were desperate to stay in Korea, it might have worked.

If I were a Grade B alchemist, it would have been quite threatening.

But right now, I’m an S-rank alchemist and a king with my own territory.

There’s no need for me to be tied down to Korea.

In the past, not being able to fly was a problem.

Now, with Tunnel Slimes, I can go overseas.

If you don’t like the temple, the monk just leaves.

If Korea tries to reject me, I can just leave.

I have the ability to do that now.

I showed the world that fact.

There’s no need to explain at length how important Slime Land and I are to Korea.

Korea can never let me go.

The anti-<Slime> alliance only poked its head out briefly before ending quickly, but it definitely happened.

It happened while negotiations with Hans were still ongoing.

One more strong card was added to our hand.

The Korean government and Alchemy Center will probably try to cut off the tail, saying it was just a few people acting on their own.

Depending on the situation, it might just be a tail, but now it’s different.

Even now, with so much already on the table, they had to give up even the tail.

If it’s Hans, he’ll make good use of this opportunity.

But with the situation changing, it’s true we need more time to coordinate.

Can’t be helped.

We’ll just have to do it without Hans.

Today is the day to evaluate the alchemists who left the workshop and came to AlchemySlime Company.

“Shall we go?”

“Yes.”

I am a child with the world in my eyes.

I went to the judge’s table with Veronica.

At first, I hadn’t planned to have this child judge people.

Because that’s what she was doing when she was captured by the doomsday cult.

I did ask Gisu for help in an emergency, but I thought it wasn’t good to make her do this kind of work too often.

-Lime. It’s okay.

But Hans also recommended it.

-Are you really okay?

-Yes. I want to do what I can.

Veronica also said she wanted to do it.

So whenever there was someone to judge, I left it to her.

Of course, I’m observing child labor laws.

Today’s event is ‘Slime Land’s Got Talent.’

It’s time to watch the alchemists on stage show off their talents.

Just like I did with Kim Suhyeon, I tossed the alchemists into a room full of various materials and alchemy tools, assigned them a Helper Slime, and gave them time.

After announcing that this was how they’d be evaluated, I gave them plenty of time to try different things.

Why do it as a show?

To let them taste the atmosphere of Slime Land.

Normally, Hans would sit in this seat, but I put DoveRhyme there instead.

That means I have two votes.

Still, I plan to focus on different aspects with each self.

As Penguin, I’m mainly judging their current ability.

As Dove, I’ll focus on fun and individuality.

Even if Penguin me passes someone, Dove me might oppose.

That’s possible too.

Veronica’s role is to judge talent and character.

Twenty people got up on twenty stages.

I can whip up a Slime in no time, but real alchemy is a skill that takes quite a while.

If we evaluated them one by one, we’d never finish today.

Our time is precious, so we have to save it where we can.

The evaluation began.

“Number 1, 4, 6, 11, and 20. You need to learn how to judge ingredients first. You’re out.”

In less than five minutes, five were eliminated.

Five new alchemists were replenished in their place.

“Number 2, 13, 15, 16, 17. I don’t know what you’re trying to show by making the same alchemy potion you made at your old workshop. You’re out.”

Another five were eliminated.

“Number 3, 4, 12-“

Out. Out. Out.

Even as many were eliminated, there were those who stubbornly survived.

The first person to complete an alchemy product was a young woman.

What she made was a beautifully plated steak.

Dove Lime gave a big thumbs up.

Sure enough, cooking is a fun answer in a place to test alchemy talent.

“Let’s taste it first.”

The steak was sliced smoothly.

After dipping it in sauce, I offered it to Veronica.

The expression on the emotionless child’s face changed ever so slightly.

She looked at me as if to say, don’t treat me like a little kid.

When I didn’t back down, she reluctantly ate it.

Meanwhile, DoveRhyme also tasted it.

“Delicious! I mean it! There’s no way this is just an ordinary person’s skill. The buff effect is definitely there too. The sides are great! You aimed for a synergy of effects. You’ve definitely studied and trained professionally.”

I listened carefully to DoveRhyme’s evaluation.

“Your experience is impressive, huh?”

The woman was a full-fledged chef.

She was born into a family of chefs and even studied abroad.

“If you were so interested in cooking, wouldn’t it have been better to just work as a chef?”

The woman answered with a bitter smile.

“Because I awakened as an alchemist.”

“Even if you awakened as an alchemist, you could have lived as a chef, right?”

“I reported that my colleague was using alchemy to make food.”

“Ah, I see.”

You poked at the gray area.

Is food made by an alchemist really considered an alchemy potion?

Even if an alchemist tries not to use alchemy skills, a bit of the skill’s influence can seep in.

Judging it as an alchemy potion just for that is excessively strict.

“You were unlucky.”

All interpretations of the law are up to humans.

If, for some reason, an Alchemy Center staff member decides that the food made by this woman is an alchemy potion, then it becomes one.

And that judgment becomes the standard.

This woman could no longer stand in a kitchen.

When someone reports her cooking, the Alchemy Center staff will most likely follow precedent.

“Alchemy potions in the form of food could become quite popular, so why did you join a workshop?”

By Hunter standards, the effects are weak.

On the other hand, if made for ordinary people, it’s just right.

Because of distribution issues, she couldn’t sell steak, but things like bread or snacks would have sold well enough. The risk of loss is high due to shelf life, but if you compete with uniqueness and taste, there’s enough competitiveness.

The woman stared at me intently.

I understood her meaning right away.

‘It’s because of you.’

I checked when she awakened.

“Bad timing, huh.”

With Pure Jelsl, Poison Jelsl, and Popcorn Cotton Candy Slime running wild in the market, it would have been hard for alchemy cuisine to break in.

“And after joining the workshop, you lost your freedom.”

“That’s right. They always made me do chores, and even if I made food, they’d ask how they could trust what I made and just throw it away.”

The chef’s eyes were full of deep resentment.

That probably wasn’t the whole story.

“Thank you for sending that human to hell.”

To think I’d get a thank you after hurting someone.

As expected of the Korean alchemy world. The karma runs deep.

“Then let’s vote.”

“I’m in favor. Alchemy chef-or rather, someone who will carve out a unique field as an alchemy cook, of course we should hire her.”

DoveRhyme cast her vote in favor.

Veronica also held up the pass sign.

Since there’s no problem with her skills, even I, the penguin, judged her as passed.

“Congratulations on becoming an AlchemySlime Company employee.”

This isn’t a TV show, so there’s no tournament format. If you pass, you’re hired immediately.

And if you fail?

Since you need to learn, it’s off to Gongsooni Island.

We also found a teacher to teach them alchemy.

Kim Suhyeon thought that, due to a lack of archives, famous alchemists wouldn’t come.

I quite agree with that.

But for teaching the basics, you don’t need anyone that great.

Such people can be hired with money.

Starting with the alchemy cook, those who passed came out one after another.

Even if they weren’t geniuses like Kim Suhyeon or walking their own unique path like the alchemy cook, they were accepted.

The basic standard was whether they had the character to pass Veronica’s scrutiny.

That was the most important thing.

The next standard was whether they made effective use of the time I gave them.

If someone had a guide, and could walk on their own, we hired them.

The rest were those for whom a guide wasn’t enough and who needed knowledge forcibly stuffed into their heads.

Off you go to Gongsooni Island, where the water and air are good.

***

As Halloween was approaching.

The agreement with the government was finally reached.

Hans returned with a bundle full of gifts, and there was something quite special mixed in.

“You brought something interesting.”

“Do you like it?”

“Yes. Very much.”

He brought the right to collect overdue taxes.