The night rain felt especially deep, casting a hazy, somber glow over the city's blurred lights, which diffused through the dense fog. Beyond that veil, neon lights shone brightly, as if to showcase the pride of Incheon in this eraâan official population of 30 million, a massive metropolis, and the world's wealthiest economic zone.
Towering skyscrapers, piercing the sky, dotted the cityscape as cars moved among them, resembling molten metal streaming down a furnace. The relentless passion and ambition of tens of millions kept this city alive.
Police Chief Jang Kyung-soo enjoyed the view of the city's nightscape, especially when it rained. It felt like a scene from a movie, and he relished being the protagonist within it.
"One trillion?"
The man he spoke to was nearly 2.3 meters tall, with his left side entirely mechanized. His hulking figure, with an uneven balance from his human right side, made him appear almost grotesque, though he attempted to hide it with a tailored suit.
With a deep, rumbling laugh, he moved his massive body.
"Since when was one trillion anyone's dog's name?"
He weighed at least 180 kilograms. He waddled over to a chair attached to a solid oak desk and opened a drawer, retrieving an intricately crafted cigar box. The moment the box was fully open, a rich blend of wood and cigar scent filled the room.
With surprising delicacy, he picked up a cigar, cut the end, and placed it between his lips.
"You brought this amount to me because you couldnât handle it yourself, isnât that right?"
Lighting the cigar, he let its dense aroma fill the air, relaxing his mind. Yet, he pushed back against that relaxation, letting himself enjoy it without succumbing.
"In that case, you should listen to my terms."
"I'm sorry, sir, but they refuse to back down at all."
He gestured at the subordinate who bowed low before him, pointing with his cigar.
"Drugs are all about distribution. If you can't sell them, theyâre as good as trash. To sell in Incheon, you have to go through me. Or you can be like those street thugs, peddling scraps they find on the roadside."
In this hellish city with 30 million registered citizens and an estimated 20 million more undocumented residents, there were countless people ready to sell drugs. However, anyone seeking large-scale distribution would eventually encounter Jang Kyung-soo.
As the chief of the city's police force and a kingpin in the underworld drug trade, he controlled the flow.
"Did you find out the identity of the one who proposed this deal?"
"Weâre still in the dark. No one knows where it came from. Acquiring that amount of high-purity drugs alone is difficult in this city, and even if they manufactured it themselves, every chemical facility capable of producing such high-grade substances is already registered in our database."
"Exactly. If this had been produced locally, I would have known."
"Yes, sir. Weâre currently investigating whether they might have crossed from the mainland."
"Keep an eye on the Shanghai side. With all the economic merger talk and pressure, tensions there are high, and even the drug dealers are affected. Those bastards might come here, just like how the Japanese once poked around Korea."
"Understood, boss. Then, what shall we do about the deal?"
Jang Kyung-soo fell silent. A few days prior, a mysterious figure had approached him, offering an unheard-of new drug.
Tests showed that the drug's effects were incomparable to anything on the market, a paradigm-shifting substance with relatively mild side effects.
âIf that drug hits the market, itâs bad news. I either need to control it or eliminate itâthereâs no other option.â@@novelbin@@
Given that, the drugâs value far exceeded a trillion won. Based on a stable supply, projected profits could reach 1.5 trillion won. Even accounting for storage and distribution costs, it was clear he could expect over a trillion in profits.
"Tell them Iâll settle at 500 billion."
"And if they still refuse?"
Jang Kyung-soo quietly extinguished his cigar.
"Thereâs only one player for drugs in this city, and thatâs me."
"Understood, boss."
As his subordinate exited, another person entered. Unlike the previous subordinateâs shadowy demeanor, this newcomer wore a brighter, more formal uniform.
"Chief, hereâs the report you requested."
Reaching out without a word, Jang Kyung-soo took the document and slowly flipped through the pages.
"Sigh... Our young master is... quite energetic."
The unexhaled smoke from his cigar spilled out.
"Heâs on a mission to completely take over the entertainment industry. And heâs openly banning illicit favors, so our lower ranks are becoming increasingly frustrated. At this rate..."
If things continued, the high-end nightlife scene could collapse. Entertainment agencies used to secretly supply celebrities, unsuccessful actors, and trainees, who then flowed into their network, supplying a steady stream of desirable women. Now that path was at risk.
Naturally, this wasnât favorable to Jang Kyung-soo.
"What about the Go-Ryeo Group? Are they helping us out?"
"Not directly. They appear to follow basic support or orders, but their key operations are managed by Go-Ryeo Entertainment's personnel and some aides."
"Hmm."
Jang Kyung-soo recalled Go Muyeolâs first arrival in the city. Heâd entered Incheon alone, without any escort. Had it not been for a tip-off, even the cityâs police chief might not have known he was here.
They assigned low-level subordinates to guard him, but since then, heâd stirred up trouble everywhere he went.
"You have a son, donât you?"
"Yes, heâs eight."
"Apologies for the comparison, but imagine your son becomes an addict. Youâve tried everything, but thereâs no answerâaddicts are rarely redeemable."
"..."
"So, you settle with providing him a rented room and a small allowance, but then he starts causing trouble everywhere he goes."
"...You're talking about Go Muyeol."
"And then someone decides to stab your addict son. What would you do?"
"..."
After a long pause, the subordinate answered.
"Since heâs my son, Iâd probably hunt down whoever did it and kill them."
"Right. Makes sense."
Jang Kyung-soo closed the report.
"Go Muyeol is the discarded grandson. They threw him into this harsh city without a single guard."
"But... isnât he still part of the Go-Ryeo Group?"
"Exactly. So we need to handle him carefully. Politely, with a smile, âYoung master~. You shouldnât be doing this here~.â"
"Will that work?"
"What was her name? The one assigned as his escort."
"Ah, Senior Inspector Lim Soo-ah from the Songdo Civil Support Team, Team 3."
"Sheâs at his place every day?"
"Theyâre actually living together."
"Weâll need a pretext to summon her back here."
Jang Kyung-soo hefted his large frame, once more gazing out at the cityscape.
"Call Inspector Lim Soo-ah to headquarters. Sheâs getting a special promotion to Chief Superintendent."
Chapter 09: Military Tech
The night rain felt especially deep, casting a hazy, somber glow over the city's blurred lights, which diffused through the dense fog. Beyond that veil, neon lights shone brightly, as if to showcase the pride of Incheon in this eraâan official population of 30 million, a massive metropolis, and the world's wealthiest economic zone.
Towering skyscrapers, piercing the sky, dotted the cityscape as cars moved among them, resembling molten metal streaming down a furnace. The relentless passion and ambition of tens of millions kept this city alive.
Police Chief Jang Kyung-soo enjoyed the view of the city's nightscape, especially when it rained. It felt like a scene from a movie, and he relished being the protagonist within it.
"One trillion?"
The man he spoke to was nearly 2.3 meters tall, with his left side entirely mechanized. His hulking figure, with an uneven balance from his human right side, made him appear almost grotesque, though he attempted to hide it with a tailored suit.
With a deep, rumbling laugh, he moved his massive body.
"Since when was one trillion anyone's dog's name?"
He weighed at least 180 kilograms. He waddled over to a chair attached to a solid oak desk and opened a drawer, retrieving an intricately crafted cigar box. The moment the box was fully open, a rich blend of wood and cigar scent filled the room.
With surprising delicacy, he picked up a cigar, cut the end, and placed it between his lips.
"You brought this amount to me because you couldnât handle it yourself, isnât that right?"
Lighting the cigar, he let its dense aroma fill the air, relaxing his mind. Yet, he pushed back against that relaxation, letting himself enjoy it without succumbing.
"In that case, you should listen to my terms."
"I'm sorry, sir, but they refuse to back down at all."
He gestured at the subordinate who bowed low before him, pointing with his cigar.
"Drugs are all about distribution. If you can't sell them, theyâre as good as trash. To sell in Incheon, you have to go through me. Or you can be like those street thugs, peddling scraps they find on the roadside."
In this hellish city with 30 million registered citizens and an estimated 20 million more undocumented residents, there were countless people ready to sell drugs. However, anyone seeking large-scale distribution would eventually encounter Jang Kyung-soo.
As the chief of the city's police force and a kingpin in the underworld drug trade, he controlled the flow.
"Did you find out the identity of the one who proposed this deal?"
"Weâre still in the dark. No one knows where it came from. Acquiring that amount of high-purity drugs alone is difficult in this city, and even if they manufactured it themselves, every chemical facility capable of producing such high-grade substances is already registered in our database."
"Exactly. If this had been produced locally, I would have known."
"Yes, sir. Weâre currently investigating whether they might have crossed from the mainland."
"Keep an eye on the Shanghai side. With all the economic merger talk and pressure, tensions there are high, and even the drug dealers are affected. Those bastards might come here, just like how the Japanese once poked around Korea."
"Understood, boss. Then, what shall we do about the deal?"
Jang Kyung-soo fell silent. A few days prior, a mysterious figure had approached him, offering an unheard-of new drug.
Tests showed that the drug's effects were incomparable to anything on the market, a paradigm-shifting substance with relatively mild side effects.
âIf that drug hits the market, itâs bad news. I either need to control it or eliminate itâthereâs no other option.â
Given that, the drugâs value far exceeded a trillion won. Based on a stable supply, projected profits could reach 1.5 trillion won. Even accounting for storage and distribution costs, it was clear he could expect over a trillion in profits.
"Tell them Iâll settle at 500 billion."
"And if they still refuse?"
Jang Kyung-soo quietly extinguished his cigar.
"Thereâs only one player for drugs in this city, and thatâs me."
"Understood, boss."
As his subordinate exited, another person entered. Unlike the previous subordinateâs shadowy demeanor, this newcomer wore a brighter, more formal uniform.
"Chief, hereâs the report you requested."
Reaching out without a word, Jang Kyung-soo took the document and slowly flipped through the pages.
"Sigh... Our young master is... quite energetic."
The unexhaled smoke from his cigar spilled out.
"Heâs on a mission to completely take over the entertainment industry. And heâs openly banning illicit favors, so our lower ranks are becoming increasingly frustrated. At this rate..."
If things continued, the high-end nightlife scene could collapse. Entertainment agencies used to secretly supply celebrities, unsuccessful actors, and trainees, who then flowed into their network, supplying a steady stream of desirable women. Now that path was at risk.
Naturally, this wasnât favorable to Jang Kyung-soo.
"What about the Go-Ryeo Group? Are they helping us out?"
"Not directly. They appear to follow basic support or orders, but their key operations are managed by Go-Ryeo Entertainment's personnel and some aides."
"Hmm."
Jang Kyung-soo recalled Go Muyeolâs first arrival in the city. Heâd entered Incheon alone, without any escort. Had it not been for a tip-off, even the cityâs police chief might not have known he was here.
They assigned low-level subordinates to guard him, but since then, heâd stirred up trouble everywhere he went.
"You have a son, donât you?"
"Yes, heâs eight."
"Apologies for the comparison, but imagine your son becomes an addict. Youâve tried everything, but thereâs no answerâaddicts are rarely redeemable."
"..."
"So, you settle with providing him a rented room and a small allowance, but then he starts causing trouble everywhere he goes."
"...You're talking about Go Muyeol."
"And then someone decides to stab your addict son. What would you do?"
"..."
After a long pause, the subordinate answered.
"Since heâs my son, Iâd probably hunt down whoever did it and kill them."
"Right. Makes sense."
Jang Kyung-soo closed the report.
"Go Muyeol is the discarded grandson. They threw him into this harsh city without a single guard."
"But... isnât he still part of the Go-Ryeo Group?"
"Exactly. So we need to handle him carefully. Politely, with a smile, âYoung master~. You shouldnât be doing this here~.â"
"Will that work?"
"What was her name? The one assigned as his escort."
"Ah, Senior Inspector Lim Soo-ah from the Songdo Civil Support Team, Team 3."
"Sheâs at his place every day?"
"Theyâre actually living together."
"Weâll need a pretext to summon her back here."
Jang Kyung-soo hefted his large frame, once more gazing out at the cityscape.
"Call Inspector Lim Soo-ah to headquarters. Sheâs getting a special promotion to Chief Superintendent."
"Ugh... ngh!"
"Keep going! Just a bit more!"
"Argh!"
"More⦠more⦠just a little more."
"Ugh!"
"A little moreâthere! Fourteen!"
"Hah."
"Don't lower it abruptly. Hold it. Keep pushing."
"..."
"One more, let's go."
What the hell...
"Just one more. Raise your arms. Thatâs it."
"Urgh...!"
"Hold your breath! Thatâs it! Just a bit higher! You can do it, Master!"
You crazy...
"Just a bit higher! Three more centimeters! Three more!"
"Gah..."
"Donât drop it. Hold steady. Keep pushing."
"..."
With an almost nauseating effort, he lowered the metal bar. It felt like having gone ten rounds straight. Dizzy, his stomach churned.
"No more... I canât do more..."
Soo-ah, cheering from the side, gave him a faint, mocking smile, raising only one side of her mouth.
"Master~, that was just one set~."
"..."
"And with an empty bar~."
"I'm a beginner."
"..."
"I'm in rehab!"
"...True. But one set is hardly enough. Letâs rest for 30 seconds and start the second set."
Go Muyeol
Age: 20
Affiliation: Go-Ryeo Entertainment
Strength: 44
Will: 41
Technique: 23
Leadership: 76
Charm: 23
Stamina: 19
If I push myself beyond my limits, my stats increase. I had a vague suspicion this would work, but I confirmed it thanks to my Stamina stat.
âApproximately for every 10 points in Stamina, the maximum daily count increases by one, and pushing beyond that boundary raises the Stamina stat...â
It was a revelation gleaned through a lot of rigorous practice.
Before I unlocked the Stamina stat, my maximum was around eight times in one dayâten on a really good day. Even then, it wasnât pleasurable. Just a matter of hitting my limit.
Around five rounds in, the experience became less enjoyable and more painful, with true enjoyment only coming in the first three or four rounds.
But with plenty of beauties around, I could push to my limits, and over the course of a week, my Stamina stat rose by nine points, nearly one point per day.
Now, I can enjoy myself four to five times a day with real pleasure.
With this in mind, I decided to test my boundaries further. Strength seemed the easiest stat to tackle.
So here I am, smashing through workouts.
But damn, it's tough.
"I have a good idea."
"...?"
"Instead of wasting energy on willpower, letâs just work out regularly. Iâll wear sandbags on my arms in daily life, even during... you know."
"..."
"And add weights around my waist during... activities. Wouldnât that be easier?"
"Alright, Master, letâs start the second set. Grab the bar."
Bitch.