Translator: Pai_

The [Medicinal Goods] section of the lost-and-found warehouse was littered with far too many potion bottles.

He could have grabbed any of them at random and eventually stumbled upon the Magical Elixir, but Mun Su-ho had a better option.

【One-time 'Deep Investigation Subscription' order complete.】

【30 Subscription Points will be consumed.】

【Thank you for supporting our advertisements!】

【Current Subscription Points: 10】

The very same Deep Investigation subscription pass that had served him so well just last night!

It was a miraculous item that could transform a vague article like "there's treasure somewhere around here" into a far more detailed intelligence report.

【Please select the article you wish to subscribe to via Deep Investigation.】

"The article about the Magical Elixir, obviously."

Tap. Su-ho touched the front-page headline of the Prophecy Newspaper he had brought along.

【Selection complete.】

【The selected article will now be converted to a Deep Investigation!】

Clatter. Clatter-clatter-clack.

The ink on the page squirmed like insects.

Strangely, each time they wriggled, a sound like a typewriter being hammered rang out, and along the trails they left behind, a new Deep Investigation article was written.

『Deep Investigation: The M⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌agical Elixir Hidden in the Warehouse』

「The Celestial Warrior who once owned this Magical Elixir reportedly did not trust his own memory.」

「He therefore twisted two lengths of straw rope around the surface of the bottle to mark it as a prized spoil of war.」

Su-ho immediately bega⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌n searching for a glass bottle matching the description the article had given him.

"This is it!"

Fortunately, the bottle was in the section labeled [900s: Medicinal Goods]. Without needing to venture any deeper, Mun Su-ho successfully obtained the exceedingly rare Magical Elixir.

The Deep Investigation article did not stop there.

「This Magical Elixir is known in the Rou Hua Long Nation as the 'Elixir of Purification'. Though unfamiliar to citizens of the kingdom, it is famous within the Rou Hua Long Nation.」

「The Elixir of Purification has a specific method of administration.」

「Father Mun Geum, unaware of this method, carelessly gulped it down like a beverage, and consequently received less than half of the elixir's original potency.」

"......!"

Mun Su-ho, glass bottle in hand, was stunned.

"Instructions? There was a specific way to take it?"

Honestly, all he had been worried about was randomly swallowing the wrong thing and getting food poisoning, or in the worst case, being fatally poisoned. That was the only reason he had used the Deep Investigation pass.

Who could have guessed that the elixir's method of use itself held a secret!

'Father just drank it straight and still broke through an entire cultivation rank. So how powerful is this thing supposed to be when taken properly?'

Mun Su-ho read the article as though spellbound.

「The Elixir of Purification appears to be a liquid but is in fact a gas. A Rou Hua Long personally gathered its own breath and processed it into liquid form.」

「Therefore, the Elixir of Purification should not be swallowed. Instead, it should be held in the mouth until the liquid vaporizes on its own.」

「During this process, do not attempt to breathe through the mouth or nose. Rather, seal the airways shut like a locked gate, ensuring not even a wisp of the dragon's breath escapes.」

'So its real name was the Elixir of Purification!'

'But from now on, you're the Potion of Loyalty.'

Su-ho furrowed his brow.

'But don't breathe? Is that even possible?'

It was somewhat dubious, but he decided to try it as the article instructed. He tipped the contents into his mouth in one go and rolled the liquid around, as if gargling with mouthwash.

Then, hnngh! He held his breath.

"......, ......."

Right around the time his face was turning red and he was starting to run out of air...

Hissss, the elixir began to vaporize on its own between his teeth.

"......!?"

Steam suddenly came pouring out, and his lips nearly parted.

Su-ho frantically clamped both hands over his mouth and nose.

Born as an illegitimate child of the Gatekeeper Clan, this was the first Magical Elixir he had encountered in nearly twenty years of life.

As if he would waste even a single wisp!

Shaaaa... Sha, shaaaa...

With no exit to be found, the Dragon Breath, the vaporized breath of a dragon, turned its head and sought another escape route. It soon found one: the airway through which a person's breath flows in and out.

At once, Mun Su-ho's complexion visibly stabilized.

'I... I actually feel as comfortable as if I'm breathing.'

'It's supplying air on its own even though I'm just sitting here?'

The Dragon Breath swept through his airway and circled his lungs in an instant. And it did not stop at the respiratory passages alone; it made a full circuit through the blood vessels that branched to every corner of the human body.

A refreshing energy soaked through his entire being.

'Ah......'

Mun Su-ho savored the Dragon Breath, momentarily forgetting he was even holding his breath. He thought he could faintly detect the scent of ink.

And then, trickle. Something suddenly began flowing from his nostrils.

At first he thought it was a noseblee⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌d, but when he touched it with his palm, what had come out was pitch-black, gritty filth.

"Hnngh......?!"

Mun Su-ho was so startled he nearly opened his mouth. He barely stopped himself in time and looked back down at the Deep Investigation article, where additional text was being printed.

「When the Elixir of Purification is taken using the correct method, bodily waste accumulated in the system may occasionally be expelled.」

「Had the individual trained in magic or Gang Qi from childhood, this would not occur at all. The less experience one has with such training, the greater the volume of waste produced.」

「However, this is closer to the body being redesigned for Gang Qi cultivation, so there is no cause for alarm.」

Ah, so that's why the original name was "Elixir of Purification".

Mun Su-ho reached this understanding and clamped his mouth firmly shut.

"Gkh, grrk....... Kaghk."

The filth that had been flowing only from his nostrils was now seeping out, little by little, from his ears and the corners of his eyes as well.

It was bleeding from all seven orifices, in the most literal sense. If any family member, be it Mun Geum or Si-ah, had witnessed this scene, they would have been horrified.

And if the kingdom's upper class, who fancied themselves dabbling in magic or Gang Qi, had seen it, they would have been even more horrified.

From Mun Su-ho's perspective, having never once in his life encountered a proper Magical Elixir, all he could do was steel himself: 'I'm finally having a real fantasy-world fantasy experience!' 'It hurts, but just hold on a little longer!' But for the actual inhabitants of this fantasy world, this was something utterly unheard of.

Because elixirs made in the Dragon Empire were essentially no different from poison!

In this world, humans could barely escape their status as a weak and minor race the moment they crossed the kingdom's borders. And dragons had no concept of "accommodating the vulnerable".

This meant that when crafting medicines, they gave absolutely zero consideration to the human body.

Having your flesh and bones melt after reckless consumption was the most basic of basics. There were even elixirs that detonated inside the body.

And yet here was one that only required holding your breath for a little while?

What an extraordinarily human-friendly elixir!

Even the Celestial Warrior who had originally obtained the Elixir of Purification from the Void had not known any of this.

Had he known, he would not have beaten his unfortunate disciple to death. He would have come sprinting back, even if it meant razing South Gate to the ground, screaming, "Give me back my property!"

"Pfhh, hnngh......! Haaah......."

But the culprit had already swallowed the elixir without leaving a shred of evidence.

After about two hours, the Dragon Breath fully subsided. Having been reduced to the role of a janitor, the Dragon Breath itself had been through quite an ordeal. Because the body of the human who had consumed it was, well... if not an actual garbage dump, then the state of it was just...

It seriously wondered whether a being of its noble birth should even be cleaning a trash heap of a body like this.

Still, without a single word of complaint, it soldiered on like a seasoned professional maid, dutifully completing the deep clean. It cleared out the waste, sorted it for disposal, and expelled it from the body. Truly, a Magical Elixir noble by birth was something else entirely.

As a result:

"Oh?"

A little hop off the warehouse floor. Light as a feather.

"Oh-oh?"

He swung his spear as a test, and whoosh! The force with which it cut through the air was, well, no joke. His neck and waist felt softer and more supple than they had ever bee⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌n in his entire life. Oh, wow.

"I really did break through!"

He was right.

Though he had not yet consciously realized it, he had felt Qi Sense following the flow of the Dragon Breath.

Among the kingdom's nobility, this was considered the entry stage on the path to becoming a mage or warrior, commonly known as Lower Stream.

Translated into the fantasy grammar Su-ho was familiar with from his previous life, he was on the verge of becoming an Aura user. In more traditional terms, he was at the threshold of Mana Circle One.

'So this would be, what, Qi Refining Level 1 or something?'

The problem was that the last genre Su-ho had consumed before dying in his previous life happened to be xianxia, and his memories had grown so hazy that he had resorted to measuring xianxia cultivation stages in "levels".

And so, by his own reckoning: Qi Refining Level 1. Achieved!

This was entirely the fault of Mun Su-ho, who, despite being a reincarnator, had been born without the gift of perfect memory. Sadly, there was not a single person in this world who could correct his utterly baseless cultivation system.

Su-ho continued testing out his loyal-subject physique, a body reborn purely through devotion to the kingdom, moving it this way and that.

"Wow. The whole world looks different, practically."

He was not exaggerating.

His eyesight had been good to begin with, but now everything appeared even sharper, as if his vision had jumped past 4.0.

And it was not just his sight. The scratching of insects crawling along the warehouse walls. Even the acrid stench of the waste he had just expelled... no, wait, that was a bit much.

"Uurgh."

He hurriedly drew well water and cleaned up. Mercifully, the stench evaporated as quickly as the Dragon Breath had, so a full-blown catastrophe was averted.

While he was at it, he cleared away the remaining bottles that had no medicinal properties whatsoever, and a small bonus came his way.

【Correction of False Report!】

「Prophecy Newspaper, October 17th edition, front page.」

「Regarding the report titled 'Father Mun Geum Encounters a Fortuitous Opportunity and Breaks Through in Martial Cultivation.' We offer our sincerest apologies to our subscribers.」

「Upon investigation, it has been determined that Mun Geum-ssi did not encounter a fortuitous opportunity, nor did he suffer an upset stomach. We hereby issue a correction.」

【Your actions contributed to the correction of this report.】

【A token of gratitude will now be delivered!】

【You prevented food poisoning for Mun Geum, a key source for the 'Family Newsletter': Subscription Points +5】

【Current Subscription Points: 15】

Su-ho's filial devotion, alr⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌eady sky-high, deepened further still.

However, not even this towering filial devotion could replenish Subscription Points.

In just a single day, his points had hit rock bottom like a well in a drought, and Su-ho's conscience was drying up right along with them.

'I wonder if Father might cause another incident?'

A sudden surge of indignation.

'What on earth is the rest of the family doing? While the head of the household is out there falling into canals and getting food poisoning, they just sit around being model citizens without causing a single incident!'

'At this rate, no matter how committed the Prophecy Newspaper is to fair and honest journalism, it won't even get the chance to chase a scoop!'

He had a mission: to upgrade the Family Newsletter to a Clan Newsletter as quickly as possible, and eventually, to the Kingdom Newsletter.

Only then could he obtain more interesting articles... no. The clues that would save the kingdom from destruction.

From his perspective, well-behaved relatives were of absolutely no help. On the contrary, his father, who caused trouble practically every other day, was the perfect family member!

If any other citizen of the kingdom had heard this, they would have thought he was out of his mind, but Mun Su-ho's logic ran in the exact opposite direction. More problems, more articles, more Subscription Points!

"Hmm. Don't tell me I have to start manufacturing events myself? I'm not even sure that would generate a proper article, though......."

A day passed.

By an enormous stroke of luck, his younger sister Si-ah was spared the misfortune of losing their grandmother's keepsake for a second time.

This was thanks to a massive article appearing in the Prophecy Newspaper the very next day.

『Father Mun Geum, Summoned by the Obsidian Baron and Severely Reprimanded!』

"......! Father!"

Once again, it seemed his father had come through. The man was practically a walking Subscription Point vending machine, dispensing without reserve. By now, Su-ho's filial devotion had well and truly reached max level, endgame tier.

'What's more, this time even our liege lord is involved!'

The Obsidian Baron. Lord of the Gatekeeper Clan.

The reason Su-ho stood at the gate being called "Sir" by the common folk, the reason he pocketed a fifty-percent handling fee when disposing of confiscated goods, all of it was subcontracted authority and privilege bestowed by the Baron's house.

A vassal serving the Baron as his lord.

No matter that he was born illegitimate, no matter that he had never once exchanged a word with his own master, Mun Su-ho's allegiance was that clear-cut.

The Obsidian Baron was someone who, unlike a mere gatekeeper, held a position that could directly intervene in the kingdom's politics.

If Su-ho wanted to correct the front-page headline ten years from now, "The Fall of the Kingdom", into a false report, then he absolutely had to win the Baron's favor at this opportunity.

'If I play this right, I might just get on the lord's radar!'

Heart pounding, Mun Su-ho lowered his gaze.

There, the article continued.

「Yesterday morning, an unidentified agitator secretly planted explosives on their own cart. The resulting explosion and fire at the checkpoint killed the perpetrator instantly at the scene.」

「Three free citizens were subsequently killed, and one gatekeeper was left in critical condition, in what has become a devastating incident.」