Chemistry

Han Jeong-woo Lido Island, Excelsior Hotel

In contrast to the old and worn areas of Venice, Lido Island exuded a clean and well-kept resort-like atmosphere.

Arriving at the hotel, which had no car parking but a boat dock, Jeong-woo asked Cheon Seung-guk as they walked into the lobby connected directly to the pier.

Doctor, I brought the Drex with us. What do you plan to do with it?

What do you think Ill do?

Jeong-woo could only shake his head in disbelief. Cheon Seung-guk, who had been assigned a room by the receptionist, spoke up.

Everyone go to the bar and wait. Ill finish unpacking and head downstairs.

The bar on the hotels first floor was a charming place with a terrace facing the sea. Sitting at a table with a good view of the outside, Jeong-woo and Yoon Yi-seol ordered orange juice, while Jeremy, seemingly anxious, ordered wine.

Wow, what a view. We should check out the beach later. Ill film it for Yi-seol TV.

Sure, lets do that. I think Ive finished most of my work for today.

Yoon Yi-seol, who had been admiring the beach, turned to Jeong-woo and said.

Dr. Cheon is quite interesting.

Im glad you found it interesting, but

Jeong-woo replied cautiously.

Ill keep observing and making judgments about Dr. Cheon a little longer Huh? Yi-seol?

Yoon Yi-seol, who had been blinking as if drowsy, suddenly leaned her head on his shoulder and fell into what seemed like a deep sleep.

Yi-seol, are you asleep?

He gently shook her shoulder, but there was no response. Jeong-woo was momentarily confused.

It was impossible for someone to fall asleep like this, not even due to fatigue.

Startled, Jeong-woo turned his head and stifled a gasp as he surveyed the scene inside the bar.

Jeremy was also sprawled on the table. The staff who had been preparing drinks and the guests sitting at the corner tables, all of them had their eyes closed and were sound asleep.

What on earth

Jeong-woo cautiously placed Yoon Yi-seol against the chair and approached Jeremy, shaking his shoulder. There was no sign of waking up.

At that moment, a shiver ran down his spine.

With a tinkling sound of bells, the bars door opened, and Cheon Seung-guk entered. He walked directly towards Jeong-woo, ignoring the under maintenance sign at the entrance.

No need to be so surprised. Its because of me.

Well, that part is particularly surprising.

Cheon Seung-guk chuckled at Jeong-woos reaction.

Theyll wake up in about ten minutes. Except for you and me, everyone else is under the influence of a compound that put them to sleep, starting from AF-12. That should give us enough time to talk.

What are you talking about?

Lets start with AF-5.

As Cheon Seung-guk mentioned the protein polymer he brought from Korea, Jeong-woo took out a special container from his pocket.

This was number 5? The one mentioned in the empty research documents?

Yeah, but numbering isnt all that important in the Almighty Factor. I just followed the chromosome number that has the biggest impact.

Almighty Factor. AF.

With an increased understanding of language, it was easy to grasp why the abbreviation was chosen like that.

Cheon Seung-guk placed Jeremys Drex special storage device on the table, took Jeremys fingerprint, and then unlocked the sealed container holding Drex.

Professor, are you planning to steal it while hes asleep?

Huh? Why would I steal something like this? Oh, Jeremy, you ordered good wine. Ill have some of that later too.

A substance of immense value to certain chemical companies was rolling on the table, receiving less attention than a bottle of wine. And then it landed on Professor Jeremys scalp.

Cheon Seung-guks gaze shifted to the bag and the special device brought by Jeremy.

This is really valuable. Its an ultra-compact synthesis device and only a few exist in the world. The Harvard guys are quite skilled.

Jeong-woo chuckled and asked.

You called Professor Jeremy just for this machine? Not to complement Drexs imperfections?

Complement? You can do that yourself.

Well, yes, but

As Jeong-woo looked on with a disappointed expression, Cheon Seung-guk combined the container holding AF-5 into the vacant slot of the special device.

So, how has the lab been for the past two months? Isnt it stifling?

In what way?

When youve already transcended chemical common sense, it can be frustrating to deal with people who are still stuck in it. Will there be proper conversations?

Chemical discussions involving the ability to see molecules often became one-sided. Thats probably what he was referring to regarding the frustration.

Jeong-woo responded with a calm smile.

There was a frustrating aspect to it, but it wasnt that bad.

Hmm, not that bad? Maybe youre naturally suited to be a researcher.

With a beep, Cheon Seung-guk completed the inspection of AF-5 perfectly attached to the special device and took out a small vial from his pocket.

Whats that?

Can you see the molecules inside it?

Jeong-woo focused his gaze and peered into the vial.

Well its similar to G-proteins. There are about a hundred variants.

Compared to the neat structure of Drex, it was horribly complex and chaotic.

Exactly. Its an activation switch that will deliver the components of AF-5 to your nervous system without side effects. It was a challenging combination, and it took about three months.

I see.

As Jeong-woo nodded, he noticed something strange in Cheon Seung-guks words.

What? My nervous system?

Are you going to drink it? Whats the use of extravagance at this age?

I was hired to assist with KG Chemistrys research project.

I know.

At that moment, Jeong-woo realized what the real work Cheon Seung-guk had mentioned before coming to Venice was.

The clinical trial. It hasnt finished yet, right?

Its ongoing all year round. We need to see how versatile you can be with the Almighty Factor.

Still, this is so sudden

You signed the contract, not me. Now, the penalty youd have to ask about for breaking it would be quite substantial, right?

As the contents of the small vial were transferred into a tube and the switch was pressed, AF-5 began to synthesize.

The jelly-like green masses floating in the liquid gradually gathered together.

Was there such a clause in the contract?

I dont know. I was only instructed to write many confusing terms in a reasonable way.

This statement was slightly shocking. Jeong-woo had trusted Dr. Moon like a rock.

Alright, its done. I couldnt make it in a more convenient capsule form.

Cheon Seung-guk took a syringe from his front pocket. After opening the syringe cap and inserting the needle into the top part of the vial, the green jelly remained intact.

Buttocks? Or the arm?

Thats um

An irreversible decision at this point. After swallowing his saliva, Jeong-woo asked.

Is there a machine that can do it all at once into the neck?

Youve watched too many movies. Injecting like that with a syringe gun risks infection, you know? The arm will do. The buttocks might be sore, and you wont be able to walk properly for a while.

Cheon Seung-guk immediately grabbed Jeong-woos forearm and pushed the needle in. He slowly began injecting AF-5.

Ouch, that stings. What kind of medicine is this?

Its better for you to check it yourself than for me to explain a hundred words. It needs to remain in your system until evening for absorption to complete. If you faint here, itll be a hassle to carry you, so go to your room and lie down. Well talk more afterward.

As the green liquid flowed into his body through his arm, Jeong-woos mind gradually became more hazy with each fiery sensation.

What about Yi-seol?

In the midst of this, youre going to take care of your female friend? How tender yet pitiful.

Well, I sort of ended up being her day manager. Is that okay?

Up to you. Ill let her know. Heres the key. Oh, and on your way out, please turn the sign at the entrance. Its almost over in 10 minutes.

Jeong-woo left the bar with his left arm held and went up to the second floor. He entered the room Cheon Seung-guk had reserved and collapsed onto the bed.

Yoon Yi-seol, Han Jeong-woo Excelsior Hotel, Room 2013

[I heard its dangerous to travel on the island after sunset. Ill take a water taxi around 8:00 and wait at the hotel dock. Dont bother Jeong-woo too much and just wait for a bit.]

A few hours ago, Yoon Yi-seol rechecked the message from her director and let out a sigh.

It was currently 6:00. Her plan to walk along the beach and film the final episode of Yi-seol TV, where she had intended to confess her feelings, was now in jeopardy due to Jeong-woo suddenly falling asleep.

He got soaked in the rain with a cold.

With a worried look, Yoon Yi-seol gently placed her palm on Jeong-woos cheek. He still felt warm, and she hesitated whether she needed to take him to the hospital.

After changing the towel on his forehead one more time, about five minutes had passed.

Uh.

Jeong-woo, who had been tossing and turning, opened his eyes and murmured.

Yi-seol?

Yes, its me. Are you okay? You still have a high fever. Should I call a doctor?

Wheres Dr. Cheon right now?

I heard Professor Jeremy and he went to the restaurant.

Im sorry, but can you call him? Right now?

Feeling that it was something quite important, Yoon Yi-seol nodded and got up. She walked out of the bedroom, and as she headed toward the living room, she heard Jeong-woos voice again.

Be careful of the bag in front of your feet. Dont trip.

Oh my, thank you.

Yoon Yi-seol raised her hand to the doorknob and glanced back at the bedroom. She thought she saw Jeong-woo with his eyes closed just now.

He must be half asleep.

Heading down the corridor, she hurriedly made her way to the first floor of the hotel where the restaurant was located.

Jeong-woo was struggling to regain his composure amidst the cacophony that echoed from all directions like an endless series of echoes.

Dozens of high-performance speakers were placed near both ears, playing all the radio channels at once, creating a cacophony of countless noises that assaulted his eardrums.

He could hear every single sound.

Even the urgent sound of Yoon Yi-seols footsteps echoed out, and the noise of her colliding with the bag placed in front of the living room and the resulting reverberations against the wall could be distinguished.

However, compared to the upcoming problem, this noise pollution was not even at a serious level.

The shock of what he witnessed as soon as he slightly opened his eyes was beyond anything Jeong-woo could accept calmly.

Humans can only see the visible light spectrum, which is transmitted through the differentiation of light into the three primary colors and variations in brightness.

Jeong-woo had just encountered a new world that extended beyond that. It seemed to be in the realm of gamma rays, infrared, and microwaves, but it was a strange dimension where wavelengths beyond that intertwined.

The world seen through molecular vision was quaint. I almost screamed next to Yi-seol.

Two months ago, when his perspective on the world changed with AF-12, it wasnt as shocking as this. He had not prepared himself to accept a world in this manner, which was not terrible but perhaps somewhat unsettling.

Lets stay calm. I can only use molecular vision when I want to. This might be a similar mechanism.

He tried to calm his nerves, taking countless deep breaths and attempting to soothe the expanded senses of vision and hearing.

As the sounds that were assaulting his eardrums lessened to a faint hum, Jeong-woo discreetly opened one eye.

The hotel room, with a ceiling pattern that he couldnt tell if it was Renaissance or Baroque style and curtains swaying in the sea breeze.

Phew.

Jeong-woo patted his chest, relieved to be lying in a physical space.

He propped up his upper body and blinked his eyes.

What kind of harmony is this?

As he pondered, the door on the outside made a clickas it opened, and the ultrasonic wave of that click spread into the living room, creating diffraction as it traveled through the reception area, and reached the bedroom.

Jeong-woo could witness this process with his own eyes and couldnt help but cough, feeling as if his senses were playing tricks on him.

The cough made an ultrasonic wave that echoed again as it collided with the bedroom, then rebounded and exited through the door.

With his head shaking vigorously, Jeong-woo muttered, No, Im not seeing strange things, and right in front of him, Cheon Seung-guk appeared.

Alright. How do you feel about experiencing the world of waves?

Waves?

Cheon Seung-guk flicked his finger, and Jeong-woo watched as the emitted sound waves from Cheon Seung-guks fingertips reached the curtains at the end of the bedroom and disappeared.

You can perceive waves?

To be precise, you could call it a special sense that detects the oscillation of electrons. Sound, light, radio waves. Once you adapt, you should be able to distinguish them in detail. Youll discover better ways to utilize it as you become more familiar with it.

So, thats why he had to experience it firsthand before Cheon Seung-guk could explain it. If he had only heard about it, he wouldnt have understood.

The time when you came here by boat, was that also one of the applications of waves?

Its similar but not exactly.

Jeong-woo, who was briefly at a loss for words, asked.

Are you saying this clinical trial will make me some kind of superhuman?

What?

Cheon Seung-guk laughed for a long time.

If you want to become one, go ahead. I wont stop you. But do you know the Second Law of Thermodynamics?

Somewhat.

The law that heat flows from hot to cold places.

Objects left undisturbed in a confined space will never spontaneously become hotter on one side and colder on the other for no reason.

Lets try sensing this.

Cheon Seung-guk raised both hands and gathered all the free electrons in the room. Along with them, air molecules came together in his left and right hands in a similar scale. Since they were active gas molecules, they collided and moved around wildly within a certain range.

When explaining the Second Law, theres a thought experiment that points out a paradox.

Cheon Seung-guk quickly explained that if there were an all-powerful being who stood in the middle of an object, opened and closed a door, allowing only hot molecules to pass through in one direction and cold molecules to pass through in the other direction, one side would become hotter, and the other side wouldnt get colder.

This being is called Maxwells Demon, defying the order of the universe.

A strange wave extending from Cheon Seung-guks right hand swept away the cold molecules that were on top of it, sending them to the left. In contrast, from his left hand, he sent the hot molecules towards the right.

The left hand is for the dull ones, and the right hand is for the lively ones.

As Cheon Seung-guk dispersed the air molecules from his left hand, Jeong-woo felt a refreshing sensation, and as he dispersed the air molecules from his right hand, a warm sensation brushed against his cheek.

Ordinary people would probably call me a demon if they saw me. But youre seeing it, right? This process that has been manifested through the simple sense of perceiving waves.

Its still fascinating, though.

Use your innate researchers disposition and this fascinating sense to tackle the remaining tasks thoroughly. And make sure to report to Dr. Moon regularly.

With that, Cheon Seung-guk concluded the conversation and walked toward the bedroom door.

I almost forgot. Your friend whos not your lover is anxiously waiting in the corridor.

Oh

Jeong-woo got up from the bed. As Cheon Seung-guk walked through the living room, he continued speaking.

And a word of advice, when you return to Korea, help Dr. Moon with her work and so on. Her working style is textbook stubbornness. Shes quite ignorant.

Ill do my best.

Jeong-woo recalled the note pinned to an empty file folder he had seen in Cheon Seung-guks private research lab.

[The production of organic compounds using AF-5 must proceed carefully. Even a partial triggering of the revolutionary chemical reaction could cause a shake in the foundations of society]

Jeong-woo raised his palm to gather some specks of dust.

Move!

No response. They just shook their bodies as if dancing among themselves.

Ah, forget about shaking the foundations.

Watching this, Cheon Seung-guk chuckled and opened the door. Following him, Jeong-woo stepped into the corridor, where Yoon Yi-seol, who had been anxiously waiting for him, approached with a skeptical expression.

Mr. Jeong-woo, are you okay?

I am. Since the sun hasnt risen yet, shall we go and shoot some Yi-seol TV?

What about the cold?

Well I slept soundly and its gone.

With a slight smile, Yoon Yi-seol looked at Jeong-woo with suspicion in her eyes. She then placed her hand on his forehead.

Is the fever gone?

Yes

Her eyes widened as she confirmed that the fever had gone down.

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