Chapter 156

In the basement of a cheap inn in Posan County…

“Den of iniquity…?”

It was the inadvertent mutter of a middle-aged man witnessing the drug addicts sprawled around in a space where ventilation was already poor.

There were many people around, yet no one contradicted the term “den of iniquity.”

They each expressed their shock in their own ways.

“No, this isn’t right…”

A noblewoman covered her mouth and sobbed.

“What can we possibly do about this? We have to report this to the Inspector at the very least.”

“What? How dare these bastards…! Are they trying to ruin my son’s chances?”

“Sir, why are you cursing all of a sudden?”

“It’s nothing! My son just got a little carried away after studying and indulged in revelry… yes, revelry! He passed the provincial exams at twenty years old; there’s no way he could succumb to such weakness! I’ll take care of the matter myself, so please, keep this quiet!”

“Hmm. But even so…”

An argument between the county magistrate and a former official about reporting this information to higher-ups.

“First, we need to determine responsibility clearly. …My disciple has never touched alcohol or cigarettes; he was innocent. Someone must have tricked him into this… We will identify the responsible party and ensure they pay the proper price. To think someone could corrupt a youth who was soon to represent Yongbongzhui!”

Suddenly, the leader of a martial arts sect vowed revenge.

Parents and masters who wandered here seeking their children and disciples had gathered here.

While their reactions differed, they shared one thing in common.

They couldn’t tear their eyes away from the pitiful state of their sons, daughters, and disciples. And they were flustered by the sudden catastrophe.

It was truly an unprecedented situation.

Even for those considered pillars of the community—it was the first time they had seen such a scene.

In the not-so-large underground space…

Evidence of relentless drug use remained scattered everywhere.

Charred tobacco pipes, brass plates suitable for morphine use with silver straws, and liquor with traces of crushed morphine or cocaine tablets were everywhere.

“What in the world have you done here?!”

The anguished cry of one of the middle-aged men echoed.

But the addicts did not respond.

Those who were in slightly better condition might have muttered something while sizing up their surroundings, but the more severely damaged ones simply stared at the ceiling with constricted pupils, oblivious to the adults’ scolding.

As for those in an even worse state, they had long since been carried away by their parents to be taken to the doctor.

Parents cried and moaned.

Their children wheezed and groaned.

At that moment, one of the addicts, Mo Kyeong-chung, a scholar-candidate, got up unsteadily.

He shuffled around and pulled out some silver coins from his sleeve, shoving them towards the county magistrate. Then he grinned sheepishly.

“Two silver taels’ worth more.”

“Huh? Wait, this isn’t two taels, it’s two coins.”

“The rest I can borrow from my older brother. He’s an accountant in the Guanglu Office and has a good salary; money flows easily to him. I mentioned it before, right? Just note it down in the ledger for now… We can settle it later.”

“…”

“Give me the goods first. My parents are watching, so let’s do it secretly.”

Mo Kyeong-chung mistook the magistrate for a drug dealer and forcefully handed over the money.

The magistrate stared in despair at the money in his hands, while Mo Kyeong-chung’s parents watched their son, trembling with their hands.

The same went for the other adults. They were astonished by the fall of a prodigy who had passed the provincial exams before reaching adulthood.

Not long after, the adults began to reach a consensus.

Having been brought together by the shocking scene, they formed a general agreement.

If the extent to which these children had been ruined became public, it could ruin their futures.

After a brief discussion, the verdict was simple.

“For now, let’s keep it quiet.”

“Yes.”

Immediately, the decision to cover up the matter was made.

Once decided, suggestions to rationalize the cover-up flew fast and furious.

“It’s better than drinking. At least they still recognize their parents.”

“Yes. If this gets out, our children might be treated as lunatics.”

“How about imprisoning them at home and supervising them individually? And we’ll catch the drug dealers ourselves!”

In any case, they would guard the children’s futures.

Once the agreement was reached, the parents or mentors quickly retrieved their children, reminding each other to keep their mouths shut.

The drug dealers, however, were not caught.

…

The next day.

“…Son, as a scholar, you must come to know the shame of dishonor. It is as natural as having arms and legs, and a person lacking this is not only unfit to serve the king but also incapable of supporting his own family.”

Mo Kyeong-chung listened to his father’s lecture while shedding tears.

Realizing the embarrassing actions he had taken,

and the pain it had caused his parents,

all while being in a period where he should have been solely focused on studying.

He had consumed two kinds of drugs: one that gave him peace and erased worry for two hours, and another that made his heart race and gave him a thrilling sensation for ten minutes. Of course, he didn’t just smoke—it was consumed in many ways.

Because of the drug, Mo Kyeong-chung had forgotten what truly mattered.

‘What have I done?’

He felt a wave of shame and looked at his father, who nodded with seeming understanding.

“Who says I haven’t strayed? Once, when I was a low-ranking scrivener, I lost three months’ salary on cockfighting. But I came to my senses and faithfully performed my duties. You’re a bright lad; I’m sure you can overcome this.”

“Father.”

“Quietly, compose yourself. You can do it.”

Instead of scolding, his father consoled him. It was embarrassing.

It wasn’t just shame that overwhelmed him.

Severe abdominal pain set in, and his arms and legs itched unbearably.

The itching was so intense—it felt like his skin and joints were on fire, leaving his mind in chaos.

And then there was an inexplicable sense of unease.

‘I must endure; I have to.’

Seeing his father’s tears, his heart ached.

He deeply regretted wasting his father’s money and time on drugs.

When consuming the drugs, yes, he’d been happy.

But upon reflection, it was cheap happiness.

It was like a seemingly kind loan shark smiling and letting you take a loan interest-free and repay slowly, only to beat you up and seize everything during debt collection.

‘If I consume it again knowing its harm, I’m no longer human; I’m an animal.’

Mo Kyeong-chung vowed to himself, eyes firmly shut.

He had to endure, and he believed he could.

The first time he encountered it, he hadn’t realized the harm, stumbling into this pit, but now he had experienced it and understood. The last time he hadn’t known what was lurking, but now, he was confident he could reject it.

“I was wrong… Father.”

“Yes, as long as you understand.”

“I will never touch the drugs again.”

Mo Kyeong-chung firmly resolved not to touch drugs ever again, and his parents, relieved, nodded.

A promise to quit drugs, sworn by father and son.

Unfortunately, that resolution didn’t last long.

Two days later, unable to endure the withdrawal symptoms, Mo Kyeong-chung sought out more drugs.

The drug dealers had already disappeared to avoid detection by the local notables.

But another addict, now a minion of the drug dealers, sold him the drugs.

At a terribly high price. Though he managed to buy it despite his anxiety, Mo Kyeong-chung was still uneasy. The stomach pain and itching would disappear after consuming it, but he worried about what would come next.

Now worried that it wouldn’t be possible to obtain the drugs.

Fortunately, this concern was soon lifted.

When the minion informed him that the drug dealer was trying hard to get “new items” from merchant vessels. Though finding relief in such news was a pitiful thing, Mo Kyeong-chong felt relief more than anything. He even hoped the new items would arrive quickly.

‘I am no longer human, but an animal.’

Mo Kyeong-chong put the drugs in his mouth with a look of sadness.

**

Reports were relayed that narcotics had spread throughout Chinguk.

It was not just conjecture on my part but based on actual reports.

The ease of communication was poor.

After all, the use of magical communication was highly inaccessible by the general public. Intercontinental magical communication was beyond the means of even wealthy individuals. Only an extremely limited number of wizards or sorcerers could perform such an act.

But the one reporting to me was no ordinary person.

– All our supplies have been exhausted. Per Lady Siena’s initial orders, customers with government connections have been identified separately: the younger brother of an official in the Guanglu Office, the concubine of a commandery’s military chief, a former instructor at the Inner Study Hall who trains palace eunuchs…

These reports came from a close associate of one of the princes of Chinguk.

An embezzling merchant who had fled while working in Chinguk had been forcibly retrained by Siena.

Though it was a nation with dozens of dukes, being a prince still carried considerable weight. The vastness of the nation allowed a single prince to command hundreds of underlings.

Siena happened to recruit this close associate, who would represent Chinguk and serve as intermediary.

‘This isn’t something they’re doing voluntarily.’

In truth, they all worked for me out of coercion.

Siena had arranged it so that if they refused to cooperate, a petition accusing them of treason would be sent to Chinguk’s court along with evidence.

Selling the nation for mere profit was no easy sell; merely showing them the taste of money wouldn’t have been sufficient to ensure betrayal.

But in the world of the narcotics trade, voluntariness didn’t matter much.

Most of the time, the drug distributors entered the business involuntarily.

They would stumble into it by accident, marvel at the massive profits, and get more and more involved.

Starting involuntarily didn’t mean they would be less effective, nor did starting voluntarily mean they would work harder.

‘The latter might actually work more smoothly.’

An excuse of being coerced after one’s weakness was exposed would alleviate guilt.

I was no exception; a person could be cruel to others for their own survival.

The two directives I gave were simple:

Avoid the capital of Chinguk or primary cities of provinces at all costs.

Identify all customers with government connections and create a list.

Even with these measures, there was a possibility that Chinguk’s royal court might catch on.

‘Or they might already know.’

Still, it didn’t matter.

Because I was already onto the next phase.

Whatever they were attempting, it wouldn’t be as painful as my plan.

Considering I was planning to introduce fentanyl soon.

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