WeTried Translations
Translator/Editor: Haruto
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◈ I Became the EX-Rank Pet Maker Hunters Obsess Over ◈
Chapter 87: Urban Development
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After completing thorough examinations in Britain, Cheon Sanha and Haniki were declared completely free of Merfolk Transformation and returned to Korea.
He came to see me first.
“Little Brother Sir, thank you so much. If it hadn't been for you, just thinking about me and Haniki growing fins and getting mixed in with those bastards gives me chills.”
“Chuff, chuff...”
He must have had a terribly difficult time in prison, but I had to give him credit for his mental toughness. How did he not look tired at all?
“You can drop the ‘sir’ part. It sounds kind of weird.”
“Haha! Fine, little brother! But building a new city won't be easy. Even if you build one, there’s no guarantee people will move in.”
“Chuff, chuff...”
I had emailed Cheon Sanha beforehand, so he already knew about my next plan.
My next plan was to build a new city centered around the magical beast research complex prepared in Paju.
Paju already had Unjeong New Town, but that did not really matter.
Because of their nature, magical beast research facilities were usually built in places with barely any homes nearby.
In other words, my magical beast research complex was built in a remote part of Paju with nothing but empty fields and mountains.
“What factors do you think could make a magical beast new city fail, Mr. Cheon Sanha?”
After thinking for a moment, he began to explain.
“First, the most important things for a new city are transportation infrastructure and nearby jobs. To create population demand, you need to meet at least those two conditions. But as you know, there isn't even a normal convenience store near your research complex.”
“...There is one convenience store. It takes weekends off and doesn't open at night, though.”
“...Ahem. Anyway. At the very least! If you can't solve those two problems, a new-city project will never succeed. I can guarantee that much.”
How many new cities had failed in Korea so far? Countless places had become ghost towns, left vacant because population demand had been overestimated.
“And after solving those two problems... what else is there?”
“Pant, pant...”
“Solving those issues is difficult enough, but after that... you could lack development funds. Building a city doesn't end with putting up buildings. On top of the transportation network I mentioned, the costs of constructing water and sewage systems, schools, hospitals, and other facilities are astronomical. And if land sales or housing revenue are lower than expected because there isn't enough demand, building those necessary facilities will be difficult too, right? Just imagining a new-city development project going bankrupt makes my groin shrivel... Ugh...”
“Chuff, chuff...”
It certainly sounded difficult.
Still, I had to do it.
“First of all, we have plenty of money, right?”
“Mm, we extorted plenty from Britain thanks to you... and the revenue from your Jellykkos is enormous... Financial issues are probably almost not an issue at all. And aren't magical beast production inquiries pouring in for you right now? Even if you only take A-rank to S-rank clients, the construction costs themselves shouldn't be a problem.”
“I heard we also need permits from the government and local authorities...”
Cheon Sanha snickered.
“Hey, don't worry. One secret ledger I've built up over the years is enough to keep most of those bastards quiet. And do you know what public support for you is like in Korea? If the government steps in and opposes you building a new city, what happens? You'll just go back to Japan, right? Can't you picture it?”
My standing had indeed risen even higher after resolving the Merfolk incident in Britain.
If the government stepped in to oppose the new city...
‘This time, politicians including Kim Cheongsik won't be able to keep their lives...’
Koreans were a people of madness and battle. Once they caught fire, no one could stop them.
I had roughly identified the first problems that needed solving for the new city’s construction.
“I think I can solve the transportation and job issues you mentioned.”
“Hmm? That won't be easy. Do you know how long it takes just to put in roads or railways? And a few thousand jobs wouldn't even come close.”
“I think I can solve those two problems, so don't worry. I just need to resolve a few other issues later.”
“Pant, pant!”
Since I sounded so confident, Cheon Sanha said he would help with the legal procedures needed to get approval for the new city. As a bonus, we also contracted Cheonseong Group’s construction company to develop the city on favorable terms.
Since speed was extremely important for urban development, we decided to post a job listing first.
“Phew... Cheonseong Group will take care of the rest. I need to get back to making magical beasts now.”
“Pant, pant!”
[ Hm. ]
First, I needed to operate the large magical beast research complex I had been given...
Aside from the bare minimum maintenance staff, it was completely empty.
Still, filling it with people would not be difficult.
First, I called Luise, my deputy director, over from Japan. Then I brought in Researchers A, B, and C and had them temporarily serve as institute director.
“Gasp...! M-me!? The director!?”
“You can go back to the Hermes Research Institute if you don't want to...”
“N-no! I'll do it!”
The Researchers A, B, and C of the Hermes Research Institute had been promoted to Institute Director ABC.
They were still a little inexperienced, but they had watched and learned a great deal of my techniques. Their skills were better than those of most mediocre alchemists.
And when I contacted people I knew from my old research institute days...
[ Team Leader ]: Hey, Hyun... You could've kept in touch more often while you were in Japan...! Ah, I don't mean I dislike it! Anyway, fine! Once I finish this job, I'll switch institutes. Why not?
I filled the key director positions through personal connections, then made up the shortfall with alchemists who had been overlooked in Korea.
Filling the positions was easily resolved.
And the magical beast research complex began operating for a single purpose.
“First, let's make some large magical beasts for land development.”
[ Like that giant marine magical beast? ]
That was right.
First, I would replace the workers and equipment needed to lay roads with magical beasts.
In a world where supernatural abilities existed, it was physically possible to finish urban development within a few months if we put our minds to it!
As for the Charybdis Alpha Model... it was hibernating in the depths of the sea.
It had entered a dormant state to conserve energy.
A colossal beast sleeping in the deep sea... It sounded like the beginning of an urban legend, but what could I do?
Unless Merfolk Island Season 2 happened, I would have no reason to use it.
Still, it was a magical beast that could be developed for many purposes. If things worked out, I might even be able to modify it into a mobile offshore fortress.
I would think about that later.
“Jelly-polis Project, launch!”
“Pant, pant!”
* * *
Hundreds of workers stood blankly in an empty field.
“Seriously... This is a fucking backwater.”
“They paid well, so I came for this new-city thing, but... how are they supposed to develop this place? There's really nothing here.”
“No subway, barely any buses... Fuck, there are just roads. Even moving materials won't be easy.”
“Even the taxi fare to get here was insane... I wouldn't have considered it without transportation support.”
It was more remote than they had imagined.
The workers felt the bleakness of being pioneers.
Then someone from Cheonseong Construction came out and drew everyone’s attention.
“Starting today, we will finally begin the Jelly-polis Magical Beast New City Project. Once you are assigned to a designated area, please follow the instructions given there.”
The workers were bewildered by the overly brief explanation.
“That’s it for the explanation?”
“Yes. There are many things we are attempting for the first time with this new-city development, so there is a chance things may not proceed as planned. Please respond flexibly according to on-site conditions.”
...They did not even seem to have a proper system in place. This project already looked doomed.
“Do they not even know what they're building or something?”
“Boss, whether it fails or not, we just need to get paid.”
“That’s true...”
Still, this was ridiculous.
Cheonseong Construction was developing an empty field like this without even a proper vision?
The Cheonseong Construction representative picked up a microphone to calm the growing commotion.
“Before work begins, we will take a few questions.”
Someone raised a hand.
“You must at least have a blueprint. There has to be a basic outline, right? Like how many years you're planning for.”
“For now, our goal is to finish the basic urban development within six months. Expansion will proceed gradually afterward.”
“Yes, six months... Wait, six months?”
Question marks appeared over the workers’ heads.
“You mean six months, not six years?”
The Cheonseong Construction representative gave the same answer despite their questioning.
“Yes, six months.”
“...”
“Uh...”
“Mm...”
Were they out of their minds? Even someone who did not work in construction would know this was absurd.
“I understand your reaction. But as you all know, humanity's technology has advanced continuously since Gates began appearing. Just look at neighboring Japan. They constructed an artificial island at an incredible pace.”
“...Still, there are limits. Do you really think six months makes sense? Just compacting the ground takes not six months, but two or three years...”
Rumbleeeee!
The worker stopped speaking at the enormous vibration.
Then someone pointed toward the source of the tremor and shouted.
“O-over there!”
“What is that? It looks like it's coming this way...”
“Uhh?”
Rumble!
Beyond the horizon, something like an armadillo was rolling around at incredible speed, pushing down the earth.
But... it was far too large.
As it came closer, it filled their entire field of vision. They could not even tell where they should run.
Just as the workers, pale-faced, fell backward or tried to turn their backs...
“C-crazy! Everyone, ru...”
“Oh, that’s a Rollerdon. It’s a magical beast that compacts the ground. Don't worry. It doesn't attack people.”
It came nearby, then turned around and rolled back the way it had come.
Rumble!
Once it had moved away, the workers spoke, breaking out in a cold sweat.
“A-a magical beast...? That thing...?”
“Fuck... It’s huge.”
They had thought a building was rolling around. At that size, it certainly looked capable of compacting the ground with no problem.
“No, even so, six months is impossible... Fine, ground compaction is one thing, but how are you going to build roads...”
Rumble!
“It’s coming again!”
“Fuck!”
This time, something similar to the previous creature rolled nearby, but it was blacker and smaller. There were three of them.
One strange thing was that when they passed by, the air became intensely hot, and black material was laid over the ground behind them.
The workers immediately recognized it.
“...Asphalt?”
“Oh, those are Rollerdons that secrete high-temperature asphalt mucus through gaps in their shells. As you can see, they are magical beasts made for road construction. The three each have distinct roles.”
“...?”
The workers were beginning to realize that something was happening.
However, one worker who was dissatisfied with the process crossed their arms.
“No... Building roads is fine, but before you completely cover them, you need to bury the pipes underground first...”
Thudududung! Fwoosh!
A little distance away, a magical beast that looked like a giant earthworm burst through the ground and raised its head.
“Oh, that's a Drillworm, a magical beast designed to dig underground passages. It completely compresses earth and sand inside its body, then secretes bodily fluids to harden the walls and prevent them from collapsing.”
“No, but... given the terrain of this country, you'll inevitably have to cut through mountains or bedrock...”
Crunch. Crunch.
...Nearby, they spotted a gigantic turtle-like magical beast. Its six legs were particularly noticeable.
It was eating a mountain.
“Oh, that's Gran-Du. It eats mountains and bedrock, produces civil-engineering materials inside its body, then expels them.”
...?
What was this supposed to be?
The workers blinked for a long time before speaking.
“What the fuck is this...?”
“D-don't say anything carelessly...”
“Something... Something is happening.”
“...I know what this is. It's some kind of illusion.”
They were slowly beginning to fear this unknown situation.
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