Chapter 102: Slime Land Grand Opening.

There are many people whose lives have been changed by <Slime>.

Especially, family life has changed a lot.

Thanks to <Pillow Slime>, the number of people who can escape from the sofa on weekends due to reduced fatigue has drastically increased.

Now, parents can let their kids go outside without worry.

Kids usually catch colds easily when they play outside on cold winter days, but if they wear the ‘Penguin Set’, that worry is also reduced.

<Boot Slime> holds on tight, so slipping and falling on ice has become rare.

Even after winter safely passed and spring arrived, the warmth of <Slime> continued to embrace people.

When all sorts of pollen flies around in spring, even adults who used to hole up in their rooms could now go out with their kids.

Also, if you wrap your head tightly with <Raincoat Slime> or stick <Pack Slime> on your face, you can be free from yellow dust and fine dust. No matter how hazy the air is, you can send kids outside who want to play.

Everything was good, but the problem was that the space outside was still limited.

The demand for places to play with kids drastically increased, and it’s already been several months.

People who are light on their feet have changed jobs and are enjoying a decent income, but there were still limits to supply.

As more people started taking their kids outside, more stores began refusing entry to children.

It’s already like this on normal days-what kind of hell will unfold on Children’s Day?

Especially since this Children’s Day falls on a Sunday, it was hard to use being busy as an excuse.

While many parents steeled themselves and tried to persuade their kids to just stay home,

news of the Slime Land grand opening spread far and wide.

The look in children’s eyes changed as soon as they heard the news.

Even on normal days, they encountered <Slime> so often, and the video SLimelove showed was just too fantastic.

Even if you wanted to convince them that it was just an April Fools’ video and not real, the kids were completely hooked.

If you said you wouldn’t go to Slime Land, all the kids might transform into the legendary tantrum character Danx.

So, with no choice, you promised to go together-but there was still a worry.

‘Even so, can all these people really fit inside?’

It felt like the whole country was in a frenzy.

There were even stories that all plane tickets were sold out because of tourists coming to Slime Land.

It seemed like hundreds of thousands, even millions, would gather.

No matter how amazing Alchemy Slime’s preparations were, if millions of people gathered, wouldn’t you just get swept up by the crowd, get dragged around, and end up only suffering before returning home?

“Will we even be able to get to Slime Land properly?”

A man, forcing an overly excited child who refused to lie down onto a <Pillow Slime> to put them to sleep, muttered to himself.

He had memories from childhood of being stuck on the road for ten hours during Chuseok because of traffic.

That became a trauma, so he always worried about transportation whenever he went to crowded places.

“Still, they said Alchemy Slime prepared <Tunnel Slimes>.”

His wife eased his worries.

“That tunnel from the video? It looked like an escalator or elevator. Even if it moves a bit faster, wouldn’t you spend all day just waiting to ride it?”

If only they had told us where the <Tunnel Slimes> were, we could have gone out early and waited.

But since they didn’t even tell us that, all we could do was wait quietly at home.

“It looks like an amusement ride, so even just riding that will be satisfying.”

“Yeah… That’s better than coming back without riding anything.”

“Tomorrow will be tough, so let’s get to sleep early.”

The couple rested their heads on the <Pillow Slime>.

The anxiety in their hearts melted away as they fell asleep instantly.

The next day.

“Hurry, hurry!”

Pulled by the impatient child, they headed to the place where <Tunnel Slimes> were.

Just as the man feared, there were a lot of people heading that way.

But surprisingly, their steps never stopped, and no lines formed.

Like when transferring on the subway, the crowd moved forward smoothly without any blockages.

As expected, the video had been staged.

There was no need to wait for automatic doors to open.

Not only the doors, but even the parts where glass windows had been were completely removed, and <Slime> filled the space.

When people touched that place, which looked like a wall made of water, they were sucked right in and disappeared below.

The couple, holding their child’s hands on either side, touched the <Slime>.

Their bodies, gently wrapped by the <Slime>, went down. From the floating sensation, they could tell they were moving quite fast.

Even familiar elevators can feel unsettling when they move quickly, but surprisingly, this <Tunnel Slime> wasn’t scary at all.

As the floating sensation faded, the surroundings grew dark.

They stopped moving for a moment.

The moment they began accelerating forward, the universe unfolded before their eyes.

“Dad! Dad! Amazing! Amazing!”

“Yeah. It’s amazing.”

Stars made of the flames of [Purification], which put your mind at ease just by looking at them.

Their forms began to stretch out longer and longer.

The man’s heart pounded at the sight, like something out of a sci-fi movie.

He’d only come because his child begged, but maybe he’d end up enjoying it way more than expected.

Then suddenly, a screen appeared in front of the man and woman.

It was a waiver form.

The man was the type who always read the terms and conditions carefully when signing up for internet sites. He read this too.

‘Wait, what is this….’

It was a waiver like the ones you sign when skydiving.

No, it was even more extreme.

It said that even if some terrible accident happened inside, AlchemySlime Company would bear no responsibility.

If you didn’t agree, you should just go back.

‘There’s no way we can go back now.’

The child next to them had eyes sparkling with starlight reflected in their pupils.

If you said you wanted to go back, a thunderstorm would probably break out in an instant.

‘It’s Alchemy Slime’s work, so it should be fine, right?’

Alchemy Slime always supplies good products at cheap prices.

Thinking about how much easier life became thanks to them, you could never thank them enough.

Considering the value of <Slime>, they could have raised prices several times over. In fact, in America, it sells for several times the Korean price.

The only reason they don’t is surely because of Alchemy Slime’s kind heart.

They probably didn’t want to make people sign this kind of waiver, but maybe the law left them no choice.

Judging by the Alchemy Center’s actions on the news, the country’s laws seemed like a total mess.

Swallowing their anxiety, the couple filled in the blanks and signed the waiver.

Then, tentacles descended from above and wrapped around the three’s wrists, turning into bracelets.

This time, a different screen appeared.

It was instructions for using the bracelet.

If you pulled the bracelet toward your elbow, it would stretch out and become a screen you could use like a smartphone.

There were quite a few things you could do, but first, you could choose a course.

-[Slime Course].

-[Scream Course].

-[Adventure Course].

-[Family Course].

-[My Own Story].

[Slime Course] sounded a bit interesting, but since they brought their child, they chose [Family Course].

Next was a navigation system, and there was a full-auto button.

There was a question mark next to it, so they pressed it and a description appeared.

[You can enjoy the whole experience sitting in a kart without ever needing to stand up.]

It was such an attractive option, but he felt a sharp gaze from the side.

The man looked over the other choices as well.

There was also a free mode.

[Please enjoy Slime Land, the land of dreams, tentacles, hope, and slime, on your own two feet.]

“Wouldn’t full-auto be nice today? There are so many people, it feels like we won’t even be able to walk around properly.”

“A lot of people are probably thinking the same as you, so if not today, there might never be another chance to walk around. And since we can switch modes in the middle, let’s just start with free mode.”

As soon as they chose free mode, they could feel the direction shifting slightly.

And before long, they started moving upward and finally came out of the tunnel.

“It’s beautiful….”

Even before the child, the wife murmured.

They found themselves in a field full of grass and flowers made of slime.

The sky wasn’t a real sky, but a blue and transparent slime, with a sun that wasn’t too dazzling hanging above.

Maybe it was because they’d gotten used to all sorts of <Slime> by now.

That scene, which should have felt so alien, looked incredibly magical.

“Dad! Dad! This is amazing! It’s fun!”

The child said, tearing up the grass on the ground.

The man wondered if this was okay, but since there were no signs saying not to enter or not to pick the grass, he decided it was fine.

When he reached out and touched the grass, the texture was surprisingly similar to real grass.

He wondered if this is what it would feel like to step into a world made of graphics.

He adapted quickly.

Even while they paused for a moment, people kept appearing.

Maybe there was no set exit, as people were popping up here and there.

He was suddenly seized by the urge that maybe they should hurry and enjoy as many rides as possible.

At that moment, the child picked up a tiny slime rolling around.

“Dad! Look at this!”

The sight of the child’s beaming face washed away all his worries.

They’d come here for their child, so as long as the child was happy, it didn’t matter if they missed out on the rides.

If they’d arrived after being cramped in a tiny car for hours-

And then spent a lot of money on unlimited passes or entry tickets-

They probably would have rushed around trying not to waste the effort and time they’d invested.

But they’d arrived here so comfortably and pleasantly.

They hadn’t spent a single penny.

Since it wasn’t just today but would be free to use from now on, there was no need to feel rushed.

It was clear that this place was designed so you could just drop by, ride one attraction, and go home with a light heart.

If the crowds had kept growing, maybe he would have felt anxious-

But that wasn’t the case.

The number of people stopped at just enough to feel the lively atmosphere of a theme park, without ever feeling like a hassle.

Before he knew it, the child had started playing with another kid, and his wife had begun chatting with a woman she’d just met.

It was exactly the same atmosphere as when they’d gone to the park near their house before <Slime> appeared.

Somehow, it felt like just staying here and going home would leave them satisfied.

Suddenly, a question crossed the man’s mind.

Given how much buzz Slime Land has generated, there must be thousands, maybe tens of thousands, of people entering this theme park in real time right now.

And yet, the surroundings were peaceful.

If all those people hadn’t shot up into the sky or sunk into the ground, that would mean they were all inside this theme park.

‘Just how big is this place?’

***

Mint Choco senior and Lemon senior became close after witnessing each other eat <Random Jelly Slime (Mild Flavor)> on the day of the college entrance exam. They successfully advanced to Mint Choco freshman and Lemon freshman.

Cheering at their liberation from years of studying, they tried to find romance, but failed spectacularly.

They didn’t even manage a date and ended up coming to the theme park together.

Deciding that, at this point, they’d just enjoy themselves until they died, they made a foolish choice.

They picked the never-ending full-auto on the [Scream Course].

[This course is not recommended for those who are weak of heart or easily frightened.]

[Are you sure you want to choose the never-ending full-auto?]

“Scared?”

“Don’t you be scared.”

[You can quit at any time by shouting ‘give up’.]

[If you feel you can’t take it anymore, please give up.]

“Whoever gives up first has to do a penalty game.”

“I’ll even let you pick the penalty yourself. Not that it matters, since I’m going to win anyway.”

They dug their own graves.

So when a waiver with even more terrifying text appeared, they couldn’t back down.

[Please eat this.]

When the medicine fell from the sky, things started to get genuinely scary, but they swallowed it anyway because of their friend’s watchful eyes.

The taste was about half as good as the <Random Jelly Slime (Extremely Spicy Flavor)>, which is said to be fantastic if you get lucky.

It felt even more ominous, like a last supper.

Something passed by them from behind.

Two long sticks, leaving tentacles in their wake.

Something tapped the backs of the two, who still hadn’t figured out what was happening.

Only then did they realize they’d become like stones loaded into a slingshot.

[Enjoy your scream.]

“Aaaaaaah!”

They soared through the sky and crashed into a deep lake.

There wasn’t much impact, but in the midst of utter confusion, they reflexively covered their mouths with both hands and held their breath.

“!!!”

A massive slime shark swallowed them whole.

The shark dove to the depths of the lake at a terrifying speed.

A giant snake shot up from the bottom of the lake and devoured the shark. The snake rampaged around the lake, eating all the sharks it found.

Then, like a dragon ascending to the heavens, it soared skyward and burst into countless droplets.

“Puhah!!!”

Lemon freshman and Mint Choco freshman gasped for air.

Then they realized they were suddenly sitting on a roller coaster train, securely fastened by safety bars.

And right in front of them was a rail bent at more than a 90-degree angle.

Drop.

“Aaaaah!”

Time passed in a whirl-sky spinning, ground spinning, themselves spinning-and they were sucked into the inside of a massive sphere.

The long train broke apart by car and ran along different rails.

“Aaaaah!”

Carts spinning past each other without ever colliding.

After experiencing a nightmare like dozens of grim reapers spinning around them-

The carts merged back into a single train and emerged from the sphere.

The train slowed down and finally stopped.

“S-see, it was nothing.”

Lemon freshman tried to act tough.

“I didn’t even scream, you know?”

“Me neither, you know?”

The two of them childishly tried to save face.

Then, as if someone had pressed an emergency escape button, each car of the train was launched into the sky.

“Aaaaah!”

The never-ending full-auto of the [Scream Course] doesn’t stop unless you give up.

***

Everyone seemed to be having a great time.

Those who came with family were spending a peaceful time on the [Family Course], with Uh Byungwook at the center.

The thrill seekers had become screaming machines, trapped in the endless swamp created by Lee Doa.

People whose brains seem to be overtaken by Slime chose the Slime Course I designed.

The Adventure Course isn’t very popular yet.

This one doesn’t quite match the Korean sentiment of liking to move quickly.

For now, many people prefer reaching their destination fast over wandering around and sightseeing.

My Own Story is extremely popular.

For fans of each work, it must be something they’ve been waiting for more than anything.

Unfortunately, I can’t change every part of each creative work yet.

Only the scenes selected and processed by the author can be entered and played with.

Still, as an author, I know which parts most stirred people’s emotions.

So far, no one has expressed significant regret.

And I can keep updating it in the future.

Quite a few people worry about not being able to properly enjoy Slime Land due to overcrowding, but there’s no need for such concern.

There’s plenty of space.

The land I received is 30,000-pyeong.

Mother’s floor area alone is 30,000-pyeong.

The height rising above ground is 300 meters.

And it goes down 1 kilometer underground.

Moreover, since it’s inside Mother, the concept of floors doesn’t apply.

It’s filled like 3D Tetris, so space can be utilized without any waste.

If you calculate the volume of usable space,

even if you gave every human in the world a 5-pyeong studio, there’d still be tons of space left.

Well, I have no plans to reveal the underground, so the space usable for Slime Land isn’t that vast, but still.

Mother is still growing in size both upward and downward, so there’s no chance of running out of space.

“What are you thinking about?”

Ash, who I was guiding through Slime Land, asked.

“I checked to see if everyone is doing well.”

“As expected, this deepest part of the space is practically under your control, isn’t it?”

“Not mine, it’s under Mother’s tentacles.”

Ash looked around.

“To create a place like this. You really are a true Alchemist.”

“If not an Alchemist, what did you think I was?”

At my words, Ash looked at me.

“I don’t mean the job of an Alchemist.”

He said, looking straight at me with eyes that seemed to see through everything.

“Did you think I wouldn’t know that the alchemy products you made don’t use alchemy?”