Following Dr. Riley's comment, Kieran stared at her blankly before minutely shifting his gaze to the refrigerated cabinet behind her. The way she stood before the cabinet with body language that made one's eyes casually switch towards it, the cabinet was without a doubt the reason for her excitement.
"I've been amassing a stockpile, but no one really comes here because of well… my reputation, eh heh," Dr. Riley chuckled sheepishly before dropping her arms. Before working in the Private Sector, she was once a renowned doctor. However, she was also known to suggest experimental surgery to further her knowledge rather than offer the best option for her patient.
As a result, the medical board revoked her license, forcing her to seek employment elsewhere with the help of some of her earlier relationships forged during her time spent in hospitals.
"Let me guess; you must have experimented on people. That would make you something like a modern-day mad scientist!" Kieran commented.
"I am not mad! I was looking for answers, damn you. Don't judge me. I don't judge you for playing games, now do I?!" Dr. Riley retorted. Once Kieran mentioned experiments, she immediately became defensive because it was a somewhat sore topic.
"Tomato, to-mah-to. The truth is the truth. So, what am I looking at here?"
"It's something called X-hancers, and it is your remedy," Dr. Riley answered after regaining her composure.
When she removed one of the vials from the cabinet and handed it to Kieran, he noticed a strange series of numbers on the label, "What does X-001 mean?"
"That's the strength of the X-hancer, of course. It means that this particular X-hancer is at 1% strength compared to the best of the serum that has been created.
"Wait a minute… so you mean the miraculous solution to my problem is steroids?!"
"Well, when you put it like that, yes… but really no because it's not that simple. It's more so a stimulant. Like, a stimulant steroid put on steroids," Dr. Riley said while presenting an expression that didn't seem too sure.
"Anyhow, based on what I've collected, your sickness is one where your mind overpowers your body and begins siphoning vital energy from your cells to sustain its extremely heightened state. Because of this, while your mind, namely your cognitive functions, maintained an augmented state, your body will gradually decline."
After a short pause, Dr. Riley then continued to explain, "Researchers have found a solution to that issue, and it is these elixirs. For lack of a better explanation, researchers claim that humans are evolving or something but don't have the proper means to complete the process alone. Thus, they have developed these serums of varying strength."
Although Dr. Riley managed to procure a decent amount of these X-hancers, she frankly wasn't aware of the creator. No matter who she asked, the creator of these serums remained a mystery. In her opinion, she felt it was the handiwork of one of the leading governments or an Extreme Magnate Family with the resources to fuel this critical research.
"Take it and tell me how you feel," Dr. Riley insisted, guiding Kieran's hand so that the vial met his lips. This would be the first time she witnessed the effects of the X-hancers firsthand, so she was impatient to record them. She wasn't one of the few afflicted with Kieran's sickness, so she remained unsure if it was safe for ordinary people to take.
Kieran drank the serum like a skeptical guinea pig and was surprised by its viscosity. It wasn't like water or juice; it was more like drinking castor oil. The liquid slipped down his throat, and the moment it touched his stomach, a reaction happened.
Kieran's body grew warm for ten seconds before subsiding entirely. Because of the lackluster result, he looked at Dr. Riley with a questionable gaze.
"So? Tell me, how do you feel? Any different? Rejuvenated? Empowered? Ready to break the world in half? Tell me!" Dr. Riley exclaimed passionately.
"I don't feel any different aside from my fatigue vanishing," Kieran replied.
"Fatigue vanishing? Mm, this is just the beginning. After all, it's the weakest dosage. Let's try the next one," Dr. Riley muttered. Like Kieran, she too was becoming familiar with X-hancers for the first time.
Next, she gave Kieran the 5% X-hancer. This produced a more significant reaction, making Kieran perspire as if he was placed inside a sauna. However, it only persisted for 2 minutes before subsiding as well. In place of this sensation, Kieran felt invigorated, but it wasn't substantial enough to call it a miracle, nor did it approach a superhuman level.
'What the hell?' Dr. Riley inwardly cursed. 'From what the others said, a 5% X-hancer shouldn't be used until the individual has become accustomed to using the 1% one for at least a week to avoid any dangerous side effects. Could the research have been flawed then?'
Dr. Riley's first instincts were to blame the research and not the anomalistic "test subject" sitting before her. Kieran's body was unusually starved due to having already used his sickness twice. Furthermore, Kieran possessed an advanced variant that couldn't be explained by current knowledge compared to others who suffered from the same condition.
"Is that it? Should we try moving up to the 10%? I'm not feeling any long-lasting effects. Or, is it something with a delayed effect?" Kieran asked when he saw Dr. Riley standing there in blank thought.
Soon enough, Dr. Riley snapped out of her daze and stared at Kieran as if he was some kind of freak. "After 5%, it's advised to only increase in 1% increments to maintain a safe exposure. Besides, I only have a handful of 10%, and they're amongst the strongest serums I've gotten my hands on. Just a single one was more than $50,000. It's not something to just squander away."
"$50,000? That's it? Considering that you work for the Private Sector, is that really worth mentioning?"
Rather than respond, Dr. Riley merely blinked in silence. An urge to slap Kieran welled up inside her, but she suppressed it. "You buffoon, the numbers quickly add up when order tens of them. I've spent more than $50,000,000 on this collection all together. Do you still think that isn't much? Speaking of which, you've just downed $15,000."
"Oh," Kieran muttered in a relatively meek voice. Fifty million was by no means a small amount. Even he couldn't ignore than lumpsum.
"However, we'll let you take one of them to see its effects for scientific purposes."
"Wait!" Kieran hurriedly exclaimed. Dr. Riley was far too willing for him not to get an uneasy feeling.
"Too late. Shut up and drink. It was your suggestion anyway," Dr. Riley said while grabbing Kieran's face so that his face rested against her chest. She tilted his head back and poured the serum, which was slightly more runny than the prior versions.
It left a bitter taste in Kieran's mouth as he swallowed, robbing him of the chance to relish in the pleasant softness he was currently experiencing. Once she confirmed that Kieran had swallowed the X-hancer, Dr. Riley took a step back in anticipation.
Kieran's stomach instantly gurgled as light steam exited from his pores. His sweat had become so hot that it evaporated into mist upon contact with the cool temperature in the room.
Kieran clutched the bed and controlled his breathing. Compared to the Elixir of Destructive Renewal, the effects of this X-hancer were mild. However, this wasn't a game where he could admittedly revive. Kieran wasn't sure what caused his reincarnation but didn't want to test to see if it could happen again.
The serum rapidly took effect, causing his muscle to contract and expand on their own, as if they were breathing. Contrary to what Dr. Riley expected, the boy didn't explode in a mess of human flesh. Instead, he handled it remarkably.
'This boy is a monster! Immediately jumping to a 10% concentration that should take at least a month to reach is the farthest thing from normal. This ordeal should unquestionably be kept secret lest those supreme powers make their moves. Even the Halls backing me won't be able to handle that type of opponent,' Dr. Riley thought.
"I think we've found your sweet spot. You'll need to frequently take the 10% X-hancer to prevent your condition from deteriorating your body.
"Hoo… Doc, what's this energy inside the X-hancer that has such an otherworldly effect?"
"I couldn't begin to tell you. By the way, considering that I'll have to supply you with at least a week's worth of these X-hancers, you owe me $725,000."
Kieran's heart clenched when he heard that number. He felt that as soon his bank account had become plentiful, it returned to being pitiful. However, given that this was for his health, Kieran had no regrets about spending this type of money.
"I'll prepare a room for you. I'll monitor your body as you return to playing that game of yours. And before you ask, no, I didn't spy on you. I saw the VR Helmet in your belongings. It was easy to put two and two together with the rampant going on," Dr. Riley clarified.
"Don't worry, doc. Pretty ladies can't be stalkers, right?" Kieran joked. However, Dr. Riley fell silent for a moment as she swiped a few strands of stray hair behind her ear.
"Right," Dr. Riley muttered. Meanwhile, she was thinking something much different. 'Did he just call me pretty? What is he—some type of flirt? Or is he just regularly lighthearted?
"Wait, doc, how often can you acquire this stuff? Is it possible to put in a bulk order? If so, I should be able to pool together more funds."
"Err… to be honest, no. My supply comes from the Hall Family's connection."
"Hall Family? As in the Hall Magnate Family? The pharmaceutical goliath?!" Kieran muttered.
"Yeah, that's the one," Dr. Riley nodded. Although the family wasn't at the pinnacle of wealth, they weren't far from it. Less than ten families could claim to surpass them in wealth or connections. While Kieran had a feeling that a large family backed Dr. Riley's facility, he didn't expect it to be one of the greats!
Somehow, Kieran felt he was walking dangerously close to a world with nothing good to offer. 'On the bright side, at least the testing is over. I might have lost a day, but the gains were worth it.'
