Chapter 60: Recommendation.

[Me: Here comes a new challenger.

Makina: lol.

Me: If you keep laughing like that, you’re going to be in for a rude awakening.

Me: Today’s me is not the me from before.

Makina: lol.]

Let’s see how long you can keep laughing.

Today’s game is a fighting game.

A genre where reaction speed is key.

If I use the [Accelerate] skill, I can beat Makina!

PERFECT

Hehehe.

[Makina: lol.]

Hehehe….

I got absolutely destroyed.

Tried to poke with a jab to keep her in check, but she countered and kept smacking me, and in no time I was cornered. Tried to fight back, got hit again, got launched into the air. If this had happened in a tournament, it would be a legendary full combo and KO.

[Me: Stop making a mad movie out of me.]

[Makina: K.]

I won’t lose so easily this time.

Wait. Isn’t my thinking a bit weird?

Why am I already giving in to defeatism?

PERFECT

[Me: Aaaargh!

Me: You play so dirty!

Makina: lol.]

All she did was spam long-range attacks, and whenever I got close, she’d knock me back with a strong hit.

Then, back to infinite long-range attacks.

Even when there was a chance to combo, it was just endless long-range attacks.

[Me: Rematch!

Makina: K.]

This time, I picked a character with strong long-range attacks too!

Wait, what is this. Why can’t I block anything?

Up, down, down, up.

Makina just keeps repeating light attacks, but I can’t block any of them.

PERFECT

[Me: Are you a spoon serial killer or something!

Makina: lol.]

Up, down, down, up.

Heavy attack. Heavy attack. Heavy attack. Heavy attack.

That’s not what I meant by using heavy attacks!

K.O.

I did manage to land a hit.

But it felt like I didn’t hit with my own skill, but that she just let herself get hit.

[Me: Forget it. Let’s play something else.]

This time, an FPS.

It’s a game where you fight on a massive battlefield without item farming.

My aim isn’t bad, so if I spot her first and shoot, I can win.

Let’s go~!

-Deus [DZR-1] SL1me

Wait, where is she shooting from?

-Deus [DZR-1] SL1me

Seriously, where is she shooting from?

-Deus [DZR-1] SL1me

I keep changing my respawn location, but why does she keep finding me!

I can’t even stick my head out!

If I mix crouching, jumping, running, and walking at random and dash out, maybe I can dodge a headshot!

Hyaaah~!

I survived!

Roll, roll, roll.

Uh… Hello?

Um, could you calm down and just stay still for a sec?

I’d really appreciate it if you gave me a moment to run away.

Wow… Thanks to [Accelerate] skill, I have plenty of time to think.

-Deus [Fragment Grenade] SL1me

Even after that, I tried all sorts of games, but lost every single one.

[Accelerate] skill is useless!

Come to think of it, even if my reaction speed is faster with [Accelerate] skill, it doesn’t matter.

Even if my reaction speed doubles, the character’s movement speed stays the same.

Even if I can press the buttons twice as fast, the character’s speed is unchanged.

Even without [Accelerate] skill, my reaction speed wasn’t bad.

So, whether I have [Accelerate] skill or not, the reality that Makina wipes the floor with me doesn’t change.

Let’s just go back to playing RPGs together and having a chat like the old days.

[Me: Oh right. Can I ask you a favor?

Makina: K.

Me: I want to build an amusement park-do you have any people or companies you’d recommend?]

No matter how many times I think about it, trying to build an amusement park on my own is impossible.

Since I don’t have anyone I can trust, I decided to get recommendations through someone I do trust.

I don’t care what nationality the person Makina recommends is.

People say No!?

There’s no one willing to work?

That just means the salary isn’t high enough.

I just have to offer an amount that would make someone want to live in Korea.

If I offer my weekly income as an annual salary, I could hire almost anyone.

[Makina: This person?]

Makina sent me an email with the person’s information.

I didn’t mean for her to tell me right away.

Just how fast does she gather information?

Or did she predict I’d ask and prepare the info ahead of time?

Hans Obesen.

That’s a pretty impressive resume.

Hmm… Oh? He’s worked at Sole Alchemy for quite a long time.

[Me: Why this person?

Makina: He’s outstanding, but his health is a mess.

Makina: Without a <Slime>, he can’t live a normal life.]

Ah, I see.

If I go down, this person’s life gets hard too.

I see.

Even if he can’t do a lot of work due to health problems, with a resume like this, he’d still be helpful.

When hiring someone, it’s better to have a trustworthy person even if their abilities are lacking.

Especially since I’m planning to implement all sorts of technology in this amusement park that would make the public hesitate.

[Me: If his health is a mess, doesn’t that mean he won’t want to work?

Me: This guy looks like he has a lot of money too.]

It’s not like the possibility of him squandering it on hospital bills is zero, though.

[Makina: If you try to hire him, he’ll come right away.

Makina: He’s your fan.

Me: Really?

Me: Can you give me his contact info?]

Hans Obeson was delighted when I contacted him and said he’d come for an interview.

He says he’ll fly to Korea immediately.

Looks like the claim about him being my fan is true.

***

“Naaaahhhnnn yaaaahhh.”

The [Accelerate] skill, which was of no help at all when playing games with Makina.

In other places, it had a lot of uses.

First of all, the production speed of <Slime> for me, Gongdori, and Gongsooni increased.

I’m not planning to inflate the production volume of <Slime> right away, but it’s nice to have some leeway.

If I set my mind to it, I could apply the effect of the [Accelerate] skill to the <Slime> I make, making their effects kick in faster.

Besides that, there’s also this.

“Woojoojooeeeen daaadaa.”

I can vibrate my body to produce a voice that sounds like it’s been shredded by a fan.

I could already vibrate using the [Control+] skill, but with the [Accelerate] skill added, I can vibrate even faster.

Thanks to that, the item that came to mind is this.

<Humidifier Slime>

-A slime that absorbs water and disperses it into tiny particles. The senior of <Pack Slime>. Come on down already.

A promising contender aiming for the position of the ever-popular <Pack Slime>.

It operates on a principle closer to a spray than an ultrasonic humidifier.

That’s because this way is far more energy-efficient.

What’s the point of the [Accelerate] skill for this <Humidifier Slime>, you ask?

Well, both start with ‘ga’ in Korean, and the idea came to me with the addition of vibration and winter.

With the [Store+] skill combined with the knowledge of <space expansion bags>, it can store quite a large amount of water. Amazingly, with weight and volume reduced to a tenth!

The reason for this innovation?

Because it’s not just water droplets being dispersed, but also <Water Droplet Slime> mixed in?

It’s fine, it’s fine. You won’t die if you inhale it. It might even be good for your health?

Since it can store about 3L of water at a time, for a room of about 3 pyeong, you won’t need to worry about humidifying for the day.

3 pyeong is too small, right? Should I buy a bunch and decorate with several of them?

Making them all in the same shape seemed boring, so I made them in various forms.

They’re deformed penguin slimes in 2.5-head proportions, striking different poses.

I won’t have time to pick out each <Slime> that sells out in an instant every time.

So, I decided to specially sell them packed in round plastic containers.

When you open the container in half, the <Humidifier Slime> pops out and reveals its face with a peek-a-boo.

Yup. It’s time for a lucky draw!

I can already hear the complaints of the future echoing back to me.

Hey, don’t curse me out.

There’s no difference in performance.

Though if you say appearance is part of performance, I’ve got nothing to say.

I packaged the <Humidifier Slime> and put it out, and then I got a call.

It was about a delivery arriving.

Normally, I receive things non-face-to-face, but this time I have to pick it up in person.

It’s an expensive item, after all.

The delivery workers won’t suddenly turn into kidnappers, right?

Let’s take precautions just in case.

Thankfully, I received the painting without any incidents or accidents.

James Theodore’s <Pandora>.

Since it’s an expensive painting, I hoped it would be delivered securely without theft or damage.

That’s why it took so long.

In front of me are two of those <Pandora>.

It’s a painting drawn on <Towel Slime> with <Coloring Play Slime (for Slime)>.

I can replicate it identically and mass-produce it.

No one will be able to tell if it’s fake or real.

How could they possibly distinguish it?

Carbon dating?

That’s what I thought, but…

I thought no one would notice the difference, but…

“They’re different.”

The feeling the paintings give off is different.

Of course, the materials of both paintings aren’t 100% the same.

The <Slime> James used when he painted that picture was made before I acquired the [Accelerate] skill.

There’s a subtle difference in the quality of the <Slime> used.

But there’s a difference in allure that can’t be explained by that alone.

Should I hold an event when I build an amusement park later?

Finding the real one hidden among the fakes.

To me, it’s strange if someone can’t tell the difference, but it might be a unique sense specific to slimes.

If no one can tell them apart, the value of <Pandora> will plummet.

Doesn’t matter.

I wasn’t planning to sell it anyway.

If James Theodore himself comes and protests about me lowering the value of his work, I’m willing to apologize.

***

I rented a suitable meeting room and waited inside.

I’m dressed in layers of clothing.

Because this is outside my house.

After hiring him, I might show him the real form of SLimelove?

Not now, though.

Time passed, and Hans Obeson arrived.

“Nice to meet you. I’m Hans Obeson.”

Hans introduced himself in fluent Korean and extended his hand.

“….”

Seeing his current appearance, I was at a loss for words.

Hans awkwardly withdrew his outstretched hand and touched his head.

“I guess you’re surprised because my appearance has changed a lot.”

I know it’s wrong to judge someone by their appearance.

Since his health was said to be bad, that might be the aftermath.

His muscles might be in poor condition, causing him to limp.

His eyes might be in bad shape, preventing him from opening them properly.

His head might be in poor condition, causing his hair to fall out.

Even so, come on.

A limping, squinting bald guy?

Is it really okay to hire this person?

Hans handed me his passport.

The name written on it is definitely Hans Obeson.

The photo is his current one.

Of course, that makes sense.

He wouldn’t be able to pass immigration checks with an old photo!

I know. I know.

I know you can’t apply novels and movies directly to reality.

But a limping, squinting bald guy?

If he used to have the image of a cold-hearted businessman,

now he looks like a fallen monk hiding Mara under enlightenment!

I’ll hire him.

Talents like this are rare, and Makina recommended him.

This interview was just to meet him in person.

I also wanted to check on his health and hear any requests he might have.

But this is way beyond my expectations.

Is it because my reaction isn’t very enthusiastic?

Hans wore a bitter expression.

“I came here because I really wanted to say this.”

Hans bowed at the waist.

“Thank you. You saved my life.”

Even though he’s not from a culture where people bow like that,

and even though his body is still weak, his arm trembling as he leans on his cane,

Hans kept his head lowered without lifting it.

I closed my eyes for a moment, then opened them.

Hans remained the same.

I approached and helped him up.

“I’m sorry. It took me a while to understand the situation.”

After apologizing in English, I supported him and helped him sit down.

I went to the opposite side, sat down, and continued speaking.

“I’m Alchemy Slime. Feel free to call me Lime.”

“I’m Hans.”

“Hans, I’m glad to hear that I saved you. But it’s not just my achievement alone. I could save you because you did your best to survive.”

“Thank you.”

“Let’s start the interview.”

Hans straightened his back.

“Currently, I’ve bought a 100-hectare landfill from the government. I plan to turn the underground into a waste processing facility and the surface into an amusement park. Please explain what Hans can do in this large-scale project.”

After thinking for a moment, Hans answered fluently.

Honestly, his response wasn’t bad.

Information is limited, and Hans doesn’t know much about my abilities.

“I’ve listened well. I’d like to hire you. Do you have any requests for me?”

“None. Being able to help you with the life you saved is more than enough.”

Why is he so humble? Is he really from America?

Could he be someone else?

If I put hair on him, maybe he’d look like his old self.

Should I try hair loss treatment?

But hair loss treatment is difficult, isn’t it?

In fact, hair loss is a curse the Earth placed on humanity for constantly destroying their hair (nature).

So, it’s hard to overcome with human power.

If hair falls out generation after generation, you can assume one of your ancestors seriously destroyed nature.

Well, this is a joke, of course.

Hair loss treatment is ultimately about reviving dead hair follicles. In other words, reviving a dead organ in the human body, right?

Naturally, it’s difficult.

Difficulty aside, I’m not even sure if it’s something that should be done.

If you walk the path of reviving dead organs, you might end up reaching immortality.

That’s a scary thought.

Let’s just make a wig.

***

Did I just hire an alien?