M 21

Feeling better, Lieutenant Kim rummaged through his wallet. He was thinking of giving Lee Sehwa some tips.​

​The reason Lee Sehwa became famous was because of his honesty. Those looking for drugs provided by others relished the act itself, which was similar to gambling. It was thrilling, and no matter what they got, it made them feel good. So, even if they had no idea what drugs were being given to them, they would accept them as if they were treasures.

​Lee Sehwa was a trustworthy business partner in this sense. He showed what kind of drugs he had and how to use them every time. He even made fresh batches according to the customers’ requests. Sehwa was exceptionally skilled at mixing and matching to provide the desired effects. There was never a single missing item after the drug effect wore off and he came to his senses. His wallet was sometimes empty, but he could pass it as an endearing gesture. But when he saw him with a solemn expression as if he had committed a great crime… Honestly, it looked cute. He even said he had spent the money on buying and feeding the children who worked in the House.

​So Lieutenant Kim thought that was a bit of a bluff, but his business skills weren’t bad either. He also heard that customers who wanted more than just the drugs would be directed to the House’s prostitutes, and Sehwa would gently persuade them. He focused on manufacturing and let more skilled people handle the other part, thinking it was more profitable. And when a deal was made, he would receive a certain amount as a commission from the people selling their bodies.

The money-obsessed boss had a reason for treating Lee Sehwa as the star player. It seemed like the young man could succeed in transferring from 4-Hwan.

‘Speaking of that, customer, the friend you introduced earlier, well, he died just a little while ago.’

​Lieutenant Kim, who was rummaging through his wallet and trying to take out money, was surprised by Lee Sehwa’s story that followed and was left speechless.​

‘He was causing a ruckus, demanding the formula for the drug I’m about to give you.’

‘…You? You killed someone?’

‘Not exactly me, but the drug I made, right?’

Why was he telling him that? Was he trying to say that he would kill him too? The flustered Lieutenant Kim fiddled with the watch distributed by the military. He intended to press the emergency button if necessary.

​‘<Monkey Flower Shoes> is about a badger taming a monkey that used to live barefoot by giving it flower shoes for free, and then working the monkey like a slave while paying a high price for the shoes.’​

‘Why are you telling me that?’

​‘You can get the items you’ve been looking for through other drug dealers. You might find it a little more boring than what I’m putting out here. But what I’m about to give you now is different. I’m the only one who can make it. Is that okay with you?’​

Lee Sehwa, who is both kind and a little naive, was warning him in his own way. He could go insane from the drugs and become dependent on him like a stupid monkey.​

‘What else can I say?’

Lieutenant Kim’s chest, which had been greatly swollen due to tension, sank down. Lee Sehwa smiled a little when Lieutenant Kim rolled up his sleeve and urged him to hurry and inject the drug.

‘Well. The customer seems to have a lot of money, so I’m not really worried.’​

That young face, wearing a plain t-shirt and faded jeans and smiling shyly, was beautiful. And so, Lieutenant Kim made a decision a few days before Christmas. He wouldn’t let Lee Sehwa be taken by someone else. He had to keep him for himself.

​But there was no way the elders in the family would accept someone who came from the House of 4-Hwan. Even Lieutenant Kim thought Lee Sehwa had too many flaws to be his wife. But making him a concubine would be just right… except there was no justification for it. If Lee Sehwa were capable of becoming pregnant, he would have impregnated him and lived with him.

As he thought about it, a proposal that had been discussed and subsequently discarded came to mind. Although the security clearance was high, the documents were left unattended, and people could easily access the information. Lieutenant Kim secretly checked the contents of the document with his researchers back home and got some confirmation.

It was even easier to manipulate Lee Sehwa. He suspected that Lee Sehwa had some feelings for him since he willingly followed him all the way to the checkpoint. He wanted a 1-star resident ID more than money. If it was money, he would have given it as much as Sehwa asked, but it was clear that he was just saying such naive things because Sehwa had feelings for him. It was easy. It wasn’t a 5-star resident ID, but Lieutenant Kim could easily raise him to 1-star in the family if he confirmed that he was the biological father of the child.

Almost two years passed like that. The ‘Harvest’ project, which was put in place by Captain Oh, has received a better response than expected. Of course, the amount of money spent on Captain Oh Seon-ran was quite a lot, but the family was pleased because they were able to recruit Captain-level personnel and several companies. All that was left was to prepare Lee Sehwa’s body. Lieutenant Kim hoped that because Sehwa was taking the drug on a regular basis, his body would gradually become capable of conceiving. However,​

“Anyway, Ki Tae-jeong, this bastard isn’t helping.”

​Ki Tae-jeong was acting suspicious again. Lieutenant Kim grumbled, not even thinking about the fact that he had first approached Ki Tae-jeong, hoping that he would perform his role well as the military’s latest weapon and stallion.​

​“This is the first time that Lieutenant Park Yeon-joong has directly mentioned the matter, so we should be careful too. The truth is, provoking foreign media could be a big problem…”

“Well, if it comes to that, we can just cut off the tail, right? That’s why I put money into the House in 4-Hwan. Above all, I played some golf with the Minister of Land, Infrastructure, and Transport yesterday, right? Do you know what that person said?”

Lieutenant Kim chuckled and extinguished the finished cigarette.​

​“If it was really possible for him to unite his child with Ki Tae-jeong, he said he would adopt him right away. It’s no different just because it’s a foreign country. He might talk big in front, but behind, he’ll come looking for the drug, waving a lot of money.”

It wasn’t difficult to pre-select those with superior physical traits. Bring a promising orphan, feed them the drug to make them capable of pregnancy, and obtain seeds(sperm) from stallions like Ki Tae-jeong. That’s how the military reproduces its dogs.

​“It’s the best method for those who want to somehow bring their own people into the military. The military can also earn some money thanks to this.

Even his family, who were constantly putting him down, would eventually acknowledge him. Lee Sehwa will also follow him as a bonus. Staying out of this was foolish because the profit was guaranteed and the risk of loss was minimal.

Those who opposed the project did so because they were unaware of the power of genetics. Wasn’t there a monster in front of them, Ki Tae-jeong, who had inherited physical superiority through his lineage? That’s why Lieutenant Kim had been spreading information about the “Harvest” project here and there. People who wanted to start a relationship with the military were waiting for Lieutenant Kim with boxes full of money.​

“A bastard like Ki Tae-jeong has to live like that for the rest of his life.”

​When he found out that Colonel Yoo, who had been silent until now, was subtly expressing his intention to stand by Ki Tae-jeong’s side, his stomach churned. Even though Ki Tae-jeong had no inferior lineage or wealth compared to him, marrying a lowly orphan like him was beyond belief. To make someone who had been confined to an institution and trained like a mental patient throughout his childhood into a family member. Except for his somewhat mixed facial features, what did that bastard Ki Tae-jeong have to offer…?!

​“Get some stuff out of the warehouse in 2-Hwan. They’re almost like finished products. Also, find some promising guys among the recent recruits—those who are physically capable.”

“Sir, are you saying…”

“We need to marry off Ki Tae-jeong before it’s too late. Ah, do animals use the term ‘marriage’ when they mate?”

Lieutenant Kim chuckled and lit a cigarette. As expected, hemp was not enough. Lee Sehwa is needed. He had been refraining from visiting the House in 4-Hwan in order to secure the “Harvest” project, but he couldn’t wait any longer.

“By the way. Call the boss of the House and ask him how he’s been getting his commission from Lee Sehwa. Make him understand what I mean, and he’ll ensure that Lee Sehwa is taken care of.”

Lieutenant Kim was Lee Sehwa’s only major trading partner until recently. It meant that only Lieutenant Kim could provide Sehwa with the money he needed. If the House’s boss insisted on higher commissions, Sehwa had no choice but to rely on him. He was considering pretending he couldn’t win and bringing this up at the time. He couldn’t register Sehwa as a wife on the resident register, but if he bore his child and played the role of a concubine, he would look after him and their family as if he were his legal wife. A life of stability without financial worries. Wasn’t that the peace Lee Sehwa had longed for?

Lieutenant Kim twitched his nostrils and imagined the happy future that would soon come. He pictured himself with a beautiful concubine by his side while mocking the pitiful Ki Tae-jeong who had become listless due to constant inbreeding. It was a satisfying daydream.

​***​

​It has been a little over a week since Ki Tae-jeong was away. No, it felt like almost two weeks. Sehwa still couldn’t take a single step out of his office. Even his attire was restricted; he was always naked in a gown.

Even as Sehwa practiced filling syringes as instructed by Ki Tae-jeong, he suddenly felt anxious. He had never been off work for this long. It seemed like other players and senior managers were going to barge in at any moment, asking why he was idling around after wasting food. Surprisingly, each time he sank into depression, Ki Tae-jeong sent him peculiar items. It was truly ghostly timing as to how he could sense Sehwa’s mood.​