The knowledge and technologies registered in the Akashic Records are divided into seven tiers, according to their level and difficulty.
The alchemy that could transform crude metal into gold overnight sat at the very bottom of Tier 1.
Which meant—
What kind of mysteries and miracles existed above it?
If that was the case… then perhaps there truly was a technology capable of curing my father.
With that thought in mind, I stared at the Akashic Records interface.
At that moment, two square panels at the bottom—previously filled with question marks—began to glow.
The unreadable symbols shifted into recognizable text.
New knowledge was unlocking.
[Skin Regeneration Agent] – Tier 1
Accelerates skin regeneration.Stimulates cell division in the epidermis and dermis, replacing damaged skin with completely new tissue.The strength of the effect can be adjusted according to the recipe.
[Knowledge About the Akashic Records I] – Tier 1
Foundational information about the Akashic Records.Compiled for the owner of the quantum computer.Contains only knowledge permitted at the Tier 1 level.
Two pieces of knowledge unlocked at once.
It seemed that once previously unlocked knowledge was fully decrypted and implemented in reality, new knowledge became accessible.
Unfortunately, neither of these directly addressed my father's condition.
I turned toward the quantum computer and asked,
"This skin regeneration agent… does it actually work on human skin?"
[System Message: Yes.It is effective on the human body.]
"I asked this before, but I still don't understand.How can an archive of galactic knowledge conveniently contain technology that works specifically on humans?"
[System Message: If you continue decrypting the Akashic Records, you will eventually understand the reason.]
"…I see. Fine."
Either way, this was good news.
It confirmed that medical technologies applicable to the human body did exist within the Akashic Records.
Which meant—
The possibility that knowledge capable of curing my father also existed had increased significantly.
Good.
Then I just needed to keep decrypting and implementing knowledge until I found it.
Until I found something that could save him.
First, I needed to understand what the Akashic Records truly were.
I clicked on [Knowledge About the Akashic Records I].
[Would you like to begin decryption of this knowledge?]▶ Yes No
Click.
[Time remaining: 7 hours 59 minutes 59 seconds]
So Tier 1 knowledge took roughly eight hours to decrypt.
While waiting, my thoughts drifted to the Skin Regeneration Agent.
Alchemy had already proven capable of overturning common sense.
If that was the case, this medicine could easily surpass modern dermatology.
Perhaps it could restore aged skin to a youthful state.
Or completely remove burn scars.
If that were true…
Would it be better to enter pharmaceuticals or cosmetics rather than sell gold little by little?
The potential profit might be far greater.
Just then—
Ding-dong.
The doorbell rang.
A visitor.
I frowned.
There was no one I was expecting.
Loan sharks…?
I immediately turned off the quantum computer.
Thankfully, it produced no sound or heat when operating. There was no risk of being discovered.
I walked to the front door and cautiously peeked through the peephole.
Then—
A familiar, welcome face came into view.
"…Dong-sik?"
I opened the door.
Standing there was a solid-looking young man in his twenties, with a kind and honest face.
My childhood friend, Kim Dong-sik.
I hadn't seen him in a while, and his atmosphere felt a little different.
"Si-woo. I was back in my hometown, so I thought I'd come see you.How have you been?"
His tone was unusually careful and restrained.
Of course it was.
He knew everything about my situation.
Saying I'd been doing well would have been a lie.
But there was no need to take a greeting too seriously.
I smiled lightly and replied,
"Yeah, I've been fine.What about you? I almost forgot what you looked like."
At my response, Dong-sik's expression softened a little.
At least he didn't look gloomy or exhausted—maybe that eased his worries.
"Things have been busy in Seoul.Sorry I couldn't come by sooner.I heard things have been tough lately… Is there anything I can help with?I want to help somehow."
Straight to the point.
That was always how he was.
And he'd already done more than enough for my family.
When my father was first diagnosed with kidney cancer, Dong-sik and his family had taken the lead in helping—caregiving, paperwork, everything.
Last year, his parents had even lent us tens of millions of won, despite being under financial pressure themselves.
Pay it back slowly when things get better, they'd said.
At that point, gratitude alone wasn't enough—it bordered on guilt.
"Help?Thanks to you and your parents, my dad and I have managed to hold on so far.I don't even know how I'll ever repay what I've already received."
Dong-sik scratched his cheek awkwardly.
"Come on.We grew up in the same neighborhood. That's just how it is.If our family were in the same situation, you and your dad would've done the same."
"…Yeah."
He really was a good guy.
I'd known that my whole life.
Then—
I suddenly remembered the gold.
A large amount of it.
How was I supposed to sell gold that wasn't shaped into bars or jewelry?
Thinking about it, Dong-sik had a wide network.
Many of his relatives were involved in business.
Maybe I could ask him.
"Hey, Dong-sik."
"Hm?"
"I was cleaning out a wardrobe and found some gold.Do I just take something like that to a gold shop?"
"Well, if it's regular stuff—rings, utensils—you can just sell it.If it's mixed with other metals or gems, valuation gets tricky, but they'll handle it.Just be careful. Different shops can quote wildly different prices."
I nodded.
So even gold wasn't just gold.
"Still, that's great.That should help you a lot financially."
I smiled and added,
"But it's not jewelry or bars.It's just… chunks of gold."
"Chunks?"Dong-sik blinked."That's rare. Can I see it? I'll know better if I look."
I hesitated briefly.
Showing that much gold to someone wasn't wise.
But Dong-sik was the one person I trusted completely.
I led him to where the gold was stored.
The moment he saw it, his eyes widened.
"Whoa…Is all of that pure gold?"
"I think so.I had no idea it was even there."
"How much does this weigh?This is worth a fortune…"
I felt a flicker of concern.
About 2.5 kilograms of gold.
Anyone would know what that meant.
Enough money to tempt even decent people.
But—
There was nothing but genuine happiness on Dong-sik's face.
"This is incredible, Si-woo.With this much, things are really going to turn around.They say heaven rewards good people… maybe that's true."
He pulled out his phone and started searching.
"Wait a second.My uncle knows someone who specializes in gold purchasing.I'll make sure you get a good price."
I hadn't even asked yet.
He was already helping.
Same as always.
"Thanks, Dong-sik.Really. For everything."
"Found him. President Park.If you bring this much at once, he'll be thrilled.When do you want to go? We should call ahead."
We decided to visit the jewelry purchasing shop two days later.
Those two days passed quickly.
Dong-sik noticed the old-fashioned computer in the living room, but I brushed it off as an antique PC my father used long ago.
There was no way I could explain quantum computers or the Akashic Records.
He'd probably think I'd finally cracked under the pressure and recommend psychiatric counseling.
The excuse was flimsy, but he accepted it easily—commenting that it looked stylishly retro.
I carefully packed the gold chunks into zip bags.
President Park had already seen photos and said he'd prepare the cash in advance.
The plan was simple: verify purity, weigh it, pay in cash.
Dong-sik and I took a taxi to the nearby city where the shop was located.
I didn't know it yet—
But an unidentified vehicle was quietly following the taxi we were riding in.