By Zephyria 
Mu-hae managed to complete a plausible profile despite all the interruptions.
Name: Lee Haemu. Age: 32. Formerly researched Aberrant habits but is on long-term leave due to political issues.
His interests naturally lie in Crystal Blue and Blue Energy, which are related to the creation of Aberrants.
Teacher Jung always explained various information in simple terms, but even the simplest theories were approached with an elite’s academic rigor.
Thanks to this, Mu-hae indirectly understood how their conversations flowed. If he memorized the technical terms through Teacher Jung and refrained from speaking, he could avoid making obvious mistakes.
“The real Mu-hae would choose that.”
“What?”
“You could just write ‘mercenary’.”
Joo-oh was talking nonsense again. He seemed to think this was a normal self-introduction.
Even the introduction he posted to get commissions was full of exaggerated and miscellaneous details. Would there really be someone so foolish as to ask to be admitted to a secret society while talking about being a mercenary?
“Well, it does raise the difficulty.”
Forcing down the words that his life’s difficulty was rising because of Joo-oh’s strange behavior, Mu-hae opened the confidentiality agreement file that the NPS had enclosed.
They really were demanding signatures on all sorts of items. Not a single vague or ambiguous expression like reverence or truth, as they had used when introducing the society, was included.
Mu-hae scrolled down the agreement, which he had no intention of keeping anyway, and signed it with his fingertip.
Since Dmitri’s name perfectly guaranteed his identity, which was his biggest concern, there was no need to hesitate and waste time.
Now, all he had to do was go to the Company’s abandoned department for the next few days until an answer came back, and everything would be over.
Jin Mu-hae loosened one of the buttons at the top of his shirt, exhaled, and leaned back in his chair.
“Head of section, we have to go to the factory soon.”
“I know, so please don’t smack your lips there.”
“Your glasses look good on you.”
“Stop taking pictures too. If I catch you taking pictures one more time, I’ll make you take a hundred pictures of your food before you eat.”
Hmph. Joo-oh snorted and hid his wrist behind his back. It was his fault for having the Link Watch modified with a cheap model after he had put in the work.
Ever since he discovered the simple photography function, he kept taking pictures of Mu-hae. He kept diligently collecting the same images, as if he would do something with them.
“You haven’t forgotten what you memorized yesterday, have you?”
“Yeah. Pretend to explain the five main products to the Head of section.”
“I’ll give you meat when we get home, so don’t do anything weird when you see the food.”
“I can hold it in.”
Joo-oh nodded with a determined expression. He was still unreliable, but the Joo-oh of the past, who drooled because he was hungry, and the Joo-oh of now were worlds apart.
If he could do it, he could do it. Mu-hae took out a small tin case from his bag with a small trust.
“But if you still feel like eating something, bite on this instead.”
When he slid the lid open, candies the size of his index fingernail were revealed. They were round and red, just like Joo-oh’s eyes, but he didn’t mention that he had specifically bought cherry flavor.
That was because Joo-oh’s eyes were already sparkling enough with just a can of candy. Mu-hae looked away, pretending not to notice, as if he was about to hug and cling to him any second.
Beep-.
It seemed like it was time to inspect the factory, as he heard someone calling Joo-oh from outside.
“Head of section, you’re leaving soon.”
Joo-oh quickly got up and reached out to Mu-hae. He flinched for a moment, but Joo-oh only neatly buttoned up the top button of his loosened shirt.
He looked quite presentable with a bag that only contained a pad in one hand.
“Let’s go.”
The voice tickling his ear made him feel strange for some reason. Who cares about whose clothes?
Mu-hae needlessly straightened his already impeccable attire as he walked out the door.
Wee-ing-.
The nearly empty factory was filled only with the sound of machines running. All processes, from boiling, steaming, frying, transferring, and sealing, were nearly fully automated.
That was because their products themselves were simple and clear. Sauces and pasta made with food flavorings, beans, fried meat… There was no food that required delicate hands in the process, as it had an honest and clear taste.
“The speed isn’t very fast.”
“But there’s less chance of production disruptions. Outsourcing costs are also reasonable.”
While watching the canned goods being stacked into containers, Mu-hae handed the pad to the person next to him.
Certainly, the sales volume of this line itself was decent. The only competitive edge was that the already low price was further reduced with the support of Central.
Joo-oh’s Adam’s apple moved slightly as he watched the bean dish being poured into the red cans. When Mu-hae quietly gestured to his pocket, Joo-oh shook his head slightly. He seemed to be okay so far.
“I’ve read all the reports that came up this morning. There seems to be some difference of opinion with the headquarters.”
“In what area… are you referring to?”
“The statement that it doesn’t generate a large profit but doesn’t incur a loss is only valid when there is some level of profitability. If the operating profit contribution is less than 2 percent, it’s virtually meaningless.”
As he recited Gu-reum’s data, he could understand the Company’s decision. If they were still at this level even after receiving subsidies, it would only be a burden to manage if they were left alone.
At this point, Mu-hae had a question. No matter how he looked at it, the processed food development department was not a place that they desperately kept to make a profit.
Wasn’t he sent as a fake executive for public opinion, since they could get rid of it at any time?
‘But they’ve been holding on to it for quite a while for that.’
That meant there was a use for it beyond simple business. The first thing that came to mind was the cost of living in Goryeo City.
Luxury goods were ridiculously expensive, but basic necessities were relatively cheap. Even workers with relatively low incomes could barely support their families.
Even the Link Watch that Mu-hae was wearing was so cheap that it seemed like they were only charging for the parts for a product with only basic functions.
As long as they followed the system, there was no problem with making a living, so there was little resistance to the extremely different living standards. Even those who had already been branded and fallen behind were able to avoid the eyes of the security forces and scrape by.
“But the sales volume is almost constant… and if there are any noticeable changes, additional support comes in. It’s definitely not a department that’s eating away at the Company.”
Just as he was about to sigh at the words that were desperately trying to package the fact that it was a useless department, Mu-hae’s eyebrows twitched slightly.
‘…Changes.’
A faint thought flashed through his mind. Mu-hae suddenly closed his mouth and took the pad, and the Team leader urgently added an explanation.
“It’s not a large amount, but the additional funds and advantages that are given are non-operating profits from the Company’s perspective…”
The Team leader kept rambling on, as if he thought he had reacted to the fact that free money was coming in. Mu-hae slowly fell into thought, using the machine noise that was running at a constant decibel as white noise.
Just then, Joo-oh was swallowing hard in front of him. If he threw the entire container of products to that glutton, he would be able to open more than ten cans.
However, usually only four or five cans were used for a family meal. Since they ate about the same amount every time, the amount they bought would be similar…
Problems in one or two households would not cause a significant change in sales volume. In other words, the sales trend of this cheap food was a radar for checking the status of a specific class…!
‘Damn it.’
He realized this obvious truth only now. There was not a single word about this in Gu-reum’s data.
Gu-reum had written down everything in the document, from the types of ingredients used to the price of the cans, but she deliberately left out the information that would be the core, information that was not exactly a secret.
He now understood what she was hoping for by putting him in this pit that was about to close down. Mu-hae rubbed his temples and took off his clattering glasses irritably.
“Jin Mu… Head of section. The freshly made ragu sauce looks delicious.”
“Candy.”
Central checks the financial situation and health of the main consumer base through the sales trends of low-priced foods. No matter who receives the advantages they give in return, their purpose is not affected.
So she didn’t lie this time either. Even if Mu-hae just filled this position and left, there would be no major problems with the design they had created.
However, he was curious. Was Jin Mu-hae someone who didn’t know anything, or not?
The way she let him figure it out on his own reminded him of his father’s records, which made him feel strange.
Tsk, Mu-hae put his glasses back on and clicked his tongue softly. He was going to quietly solve the NPS case and disappear, but at this point, he was starting to wonder how much Gu-reum expected of him.
“If we change the can design, when will it be reflected?”
“After we’ve used up all the existing stock, it’ll be about half a year…”
“What if we temporarily change it and print it out right away?”
“I’d have to check to be sure, but it’ll be about a month.”
That was good timing. Ever since he first noticed Buckta’s anomaly, the Company’s list of requests had consistently included exploration of that area.
There was also a Class 1 Aberrant rampage near Seogyeong City a while ago, and it was the season when the external environment’s weather was starting to get rough.
“Put the Company mark in the middle of the can, big.”
“Yes? What about the other parts…”
“Leave them as they are, just make the mark as big as possible. You don’t need to touch anything else.”
Mu-hae cut out the Company mark in the pad and enlarged it greatly.
‘Goryeo City Certified’
The small letters written below the mark increased in volume along with it, clearly revealing their presence.