Prosecutor Kim Dal-su was appointed nearly two decades ago. A prosecutor is then automatically promoted to ‘chief prosecutor’ around the 13-year-mark after their first appointment. However, not all ‘chief prosecutors’ are the same.

  Chief prosecutors who do not have sufficient backing and abilities would inevitably become ‘hyang-gum’, wandering amongst different branch district offices. Both the hyang-gum and its magistrate counterpart, hyang-pan, are constantly exposed to bribes and ‘hospitality’ from people with influence. (Hyang-pan was legalized and accepted as standard practice in 2004.)

  These are the so-called sponsored prosecutors/magistrates. Unsurprisingly, Kim Dal-su was one of them, and has been acting as one in Daegu’s Eastern Branch District Office for the past seven years.

  *

  Gaomi was a high-class traditional restaurant with a long history. Located in Daegu’s Seongnae-dong, it first opened its doors during the latter era of the Joseon Dynasty.

  Of course, to keep up with the current times, this establishment had to change its status from a classy restaurant to a hostess bar. Fermented rice wines and traditional soju have been replaced with imported liquor and beer, while the old-school playboys and patriots have changed to the nouveau riche and racketeers. Rickshaws were replaced by luxury automobiles, while gisaengs who used to entertain the patrons through song and dance are now replaced with cheap girls selling their bodies.

  After all these years, the only things that haven’t changed were the jaw-dropping price of alcohol and the graceful and elegant building itself.

  It’s been a few days since the last time Eojang-gak hosted guests, as can be heard from the cacophony of laughter reverberating loudly from within. Eojang-gak is the largest private room in Gaomi. It was spacious enough for 20 drunkards to mess around lazily inside with their partners. Although currently only eight people were occupying the space, their salaciousness easily rivaled that of 40 people.

  The sumptuous feast that was laid out on the vast table in the middle of the room has been neglected for some time now. The reddish wall made of Japanese yew, with traces of wear and tear clearly visible, had several wet tissue lumps sticking out here and there. The lady escorts had their hanbok upper garments unbuttoned, with their skirts flipped up to ‘produce’ drinks from their valleys and recesses.

  Their pale-smooth skin reflected the ceiling light, disoriented the eyes. In the meantime, a mixture of loud and soft peals of laughter, as well as a sticky, musky scent filled up the room.

  *

  “Aigoo, you little girl! Take it easy, will you.”


  The main host of today’s gathering, Sin-gu Construction’s President Jo, slapped the butt of his partner as her head still remained buried in his crotch.

  “But you asked me to suck it as hard as I can, didn’t you?” The partner feigned a pout and leered at him coyly from the corner of her eyes.

  “Aigoo~, you cute little thing! I can’t even stand my wife smiling at me, but you pouting at me like this is definitely a sight for sore eyes!” President Jo pressed his large, catfish-like lips on his partner’s, which were already soaking wet.

  “He’s right, you know!”


  “It’s funny, isn’t it? My junior works so well when I’m here, but why does it go limp when I’m back home?”


  “Wahahahaha!”


  “Ohohoho~!”


  Another round of raucous laughter broke out.

  “Gentlemen, shall we go for a round of ‘gaegosaeng’?” President Jo put down his booze-filled cup and began taking out a bundle of ten thousand Wons. Four piles, each worth 200,000 Won, now rested on top of the table. That was the payment for their second round of debauchery. He asked the four ladies to decide if they want to each grab a pile, or to take a risk where one lucky lady can take all four piles.

  As for the ‘gaegosaeng’ that President Jo has brought up, he wasn’t talking about the slang word which is used to refer to the hardships ordinary people go through to put food on their tables. No. In fact, he meant the act of thrusting hard and pounding on a woman’s nether region to make them wet.

  Basically, it was a naughty slang term to denote a ‘game’ where a group of people will engage in acts of fornication in the presence of their peers, thus turning everyone present as joint offenders.

  A mix of greed and shame were showing in the eyes of the lady escorts. Unlike dogs, humans don’t mate whenever and wherever they please. Sex is an act performed by the involved parties in private. Even though they had to sell their bodies for a living, these girls, who are in their early twenties, still found it difficult to open their legs and perform the act with others present.

  Hence, what makes this ‘game’ much more interesting.

  The girl willing to partake in the gaegosaeng would get the piles of money that match the number of men she will service. The other girls would have no choice but to go back empty-handed and still have to take their panties off. Of course, some men would still make sure that their girls get paid in the end. But more often than not, such men would not participate in the gaegosaeng in the first place.

  As a hostess, she has to sell her fake smiles, damage her own body will all the booze, and has to accept seeds of men whom she didn’t even care for. Of course, each of them has their own reasons, but none of these women were working as hostesses simply because they love the job. The gaegosaeng is a nasty and perverse ‘game’ that is meant to use money to turn a helpless woman into a figurative dog.

  *

  The girls scanned each other warily while trying to read the men’s moods. Of course, whoever steps forward now would be able to snatch up the whole 800 grand, but there was the matter of loyalty amongst co-workers to consider as well. At the same time, they have to be mindful of the men’s moods as well.

  “No volunteers, huh? We are not in the Military Manpower Administration, so why are you all so hesitant tonight? Eh? Uh-huh! Looks like the waters of Gaomi have become a lot muddier, I see. Very well! Why don’t I make it an even million, then!” President Jo pulled out another bundle worth 200,000 Won, then scanned the girls with his eyes burning bright.

  “I’ll do it!”


  President Jo’s partner quickly raised her head from his crotch, then wiped off all the liquid from lips with tissues.

  “Aigoo, you’re betraying me! You cheap whore, is money so much better than my pecker? Fine. Go ahead!”


  “Wahahaha!”


  “Hohoho~!”


  President Jo was like a silent film narrator, as he imitated Kim Jung-bae (South Korean media personality), which prompted another raucous round of laughter. In the meantime, his partner threw off her clothes and laid down neatly on the boryo (traditional Korean mattress) that was previously placed on the floor by her colleague. Her nipples stood erect from nervousness.

  Her elegantly-flowing cleavage, silky-smooth skin, cute belly button, and protruding dark bush are enough to disorient the onlookers’ eyes. Judging from her stunning figure, this hostess’s confidence was not misplaced.

  The men’s eyes were burning with lust, while the women scanned their colleague’s figure with curiosity.

  “Why don’t you have a go, fella?” Kim Dal-su asked the third-grade prosecutor sitting next to him. He was leaning comfortably against a hostess’s embrace. After three, maybe four shots of strong liquor, his complexion had become quite ruddy.

  The young prosecutor who was sitting there, sipping demurely at his shot flinched noticeably. “I, uh…… I’ve never done this before, so…… Well, this is embarrassing!”


  The young prosecutor, Yeo Yun-dong, was at a loss for words. The Eastern Branch was his very first post. The veteran prosecutors already warned him many times before about what usually happens in these get-togethers, but he still wasn’t prepared.

  So far, he could tolerate the excessive drinking and the salacious nature of this gathering. He can even manage to turn a blind eye on a second round. But this gaegosaeng thing? It just wasn’t right. You’re expected to perform a sexual act with a woman you didn’t even know, with everyone watching? This is not what an average person should be doing.

  And if by any chance this gets out…… the faces of his beloved wife and his enraged father-in-law flitted through Yeo Yun-dong’s mind. His once erect member instantly lost motivation and shrunk back like a deflated balloon. Of course, he might end up just as corrupt as everyone else given time, but for now, he didn’t wish to live like this just yet.

  “Ahahaha! Our young gentleman here hasn’t gotten over his honeymoon period yet, has he! So let’s just leave him out of this one, shall we?” President Jo, a veteran who has experienced all sorts of things in his life, quickly intervened.

  The purpose of today’s gathering was for the chief prosecutor to introduce the newbie. So if the person in question became unhappy for some reason, then this whole thing would have been a waste of time.

  “Well, everyone here knows that my junior isn’t so cooperative these days, so…… which means Chief Kim, you should put your excellent tool to good use, then.” Jang Chul-su paused from sucking on his partner’s breast to offer his opinion. His partner quickly hid her exposed chest with the hem of her hanbok.

  “This little girl! Everyone should appreciate a pretty thing, you hear?” Jang Chul-su threw open her hanbok top.

  “Goodness me!”


  Jang Chul-su’s partner grinned lazily but didn’t try to cover herself up again.

  ‘Dammit, because of money, I……’


  Yeo Yun-dong sighed under his breath. His chest felt tight.

  “But you’re still in your prime, Vice Governor, so it won’t do for you to back out like this. Besides, I’m also not feeling as motivated these days, you see. Of course, it’s about time I pay a visit to Bokji-gwan, but…… Tsk!”


  Kim Dal-su licked his lips bitterly. As recommended by President Jo, transfusing fresh, young blood into his body proved to be a turning point in his life. Once every three to four-months, he would visit Bokji-gwan to get all of his blood replaced, which in turn revitalized his youthfulness. But no thanks to some stinking bastard, Bokji-gwan was shut down, eventually ending this extraordinary period of life for Kim Dal-su.

  An aged body can only produce aged blood. Even if fresh, young blood is used to replace the old, one can only enjoy the revitalized body for around a month before things slowly revert back to how it was. According to Bokji-gwan’s doctor, this process is inevitable, unless one chooses to replace one’s spine, ribs, sternum, skull, and pelvis, among others.

  Kim Dal-su sought out every reputable tonic that could possibly revitalize him, but hadn’t seen much results so far.

  “Chief Kim, has there been any progress on that front?” Jang Chul-su asked out of curiosity.

  “Unfortunately, our side had to let this one go because the people from Apsan decided to take over the investigation. Bokji-gwan’s effectiveness was undeniable, but now…… Dammit!” (Apsan: a mountain in Daegu city, home to the National Security Agency branch.)

  Kim Dal-su was genuinely unhappy. But he lived in an era where the National Security Agency is king. Even the prosecuting authority with

  jurisdiction had to give in if those Nat-Sec boys decided to take over. Kim Dal-su was planning to make use of this investigation to worm his way into the capital, but that dream was as good as shattered now.

  And yet, his dream was one thing, but his manhood was the more pressing concern right now.

  “Gentlemen, you can rest assured. I heard that there is another Bokji-gwan in Busan’s Seomyeon.”


  “Is that so?”


  Both Kim Dal-su and Jang Chul-su perked up instantly.

  ‘So, there’s another one of those abominable places in Busan?’


  A bright light briefly flashed in the distant corner wall of the room.

  “Yes, sirs. You see, a successful construction company possesses a good and fast information network. I can assure you, this info is reliable.”


  Kim Dal-su shot up to his feet at President Jo’s assurance. “Yoshi! Then there is no need to worry about firewood when there’s a verdant mountain nearby.”


  He tarnished what’s supposed to be a squeaky-clean proverb, then quickly undid his belt. Despite being in his early fifties, his physique was still surprisingly firm and youthful. As for his manhood, it was already prepared for action, judging from how it swayed as he moved around.

  “Wow, a horse might cry in jealousy there, Chief Kim!”


  “Oh, my goodness me!”


  Even though Kim Dal-su’s package was nothing impressive, President Jo still sucked up to him with a flattering comment. Even the girls pretended to cover their eyes demurely.

  Kim Dal-su triumphantly mounted the naked woman. The Eojang-gak was soon filled with impressed gasps and laughter, lewd moans, and a sticky stench.

  *

  ‘What a contemptible sight……!’


  Mu Ssang, having slipped into Eojang-gak by using the One with Nature technique, couldn’t help but be dismayed with what he saw.

  He heard that corrupted prosecutors often mingled with local businessmen and engaged in all sorts of disgusting depravity, but even he hadn’t anticipated things to be this bad. But, seriously now, these men were supposed to be the heads of their own families!

  The small sense of hesitation that Mu Ssang felt earlier evaporated in an instant.

  ‘Except for that young guy, should I just beat up the others like dogs and drag them away now? Or should I just be patient and wait until they leave this bar and then drag them away without leaving any trace?’


  While Mu Ssang was pondering his options, an incident was about to unfold in Eungsim-je.

  *-

  The target’s Citro?n has left the access road. Confirmed, ‘Target 3’ sighted in the vehicle.

  “Do we have the phone line?”
-

  Yes, sir.

  “Then…… let’s begin!”
-

  Roger that.

  A dark shadowy figure slid down the utility pole that was located near the village’s entrance.

  Poof-!

  Eungsim-je was suddenly enveloped in darkness.

  “Goodness! What’s going on?” Jin-soon who was using the oven in the kitchen, cried out in surprise.

  She was in the middle of preparing a midnight snack so that Mu Ssang would have something to eat after returning from his vacation, but this unexpected trouble halted her progress.

  Gye-soon lit a candle and came out of her room.

  “There wasn’t any notification about a blackout, though…… Gye-soon-ah, does the village across the road have electricity?”


  “They do. Everything looks normal over there. What should we do? Even Uncle Geuk-do went out with Oppa, too.”


  “Can you go check the fuse box?”


  Gye-soon checked the fuse box located outside the main hall, then shouted back at her older sister. “Sis, fuse box looks okay to me.”


  “Oh, no. I’ll have to throw away the chicken in the oven at this rate. What will I do about Oppa’s snack?”


  “Eigoo~, the ice cream will melt at this rate……”


  Jin-soon was worried about Mu Ssang’s snacks while Yeon-soon began worrying about snacks for Mina and Young-sook. Finally, the three women stared at each other’s faces.

  “.……Let’s call for an electrician.”


  “But, sis. It’s already past ten in the evening. They must’ve closed for the night, you know?”


  “Well, it can’t be helped if no one’s working anymore, I guess.”


  Jin-soon flipped through the phone book. Everyone was working their butts off these days to make a living. Factories, both big and small, operated all night long, and quite a few electricians were burning the midnight oil as a result.

  However, unbeknownst to her, Jin-soon’s phone call was intercepted by the National Security Agency’s agents.

  *

  “Good evening. We’re from Samyang Electrical.”


  Three men kitted out in overalls and toolboxes entered through the front gate.

  “Thank you for coming so late at night.”


  “Good thing we’re working nightshift today, miss. However, we must bill you separately for this call, as it’s considered overtime.”


  “Of course. Please fix the electricity as soon as possible.”


  “Don’t worry, miss. It shouldn’t take long once we are able to find what caused the short circuit and replace the fuse.”


  The three men, carrying lanterns, scattered to the main house and the sarang-chae (detached house for menfolk in han-ock).

  *

  Back in Gaomi’s Eojang-gak –


  The spectacle has ended, and the hostesses have left the room. President Jo’s secretary entered with an apple box, put it down, and left in silence. Then, it was time to grease palms.

  President Jo pulled out three shopping bags from the box and pushed them towards the three government officials. “It’ll be year-end soon, and I’m sure our valuable nation builders will have many expenditures to worry about. So please take these and put these tokens of my appreciation to good use, gentlemen.”


  “Thank you. It’s all thanks to patriots like our President Jo here that our country can function properly.”


  “Of course, of course. Those beggars only know how to pay lip service but have nothing else to speak of.”


  Both Jang Chul-su and Kim Dal-su accepted the shopping bags without hesitation. But Yeo Yun-dong stared at with complicated feelings. None of them were aware of the grim reaper’s glare that was locked onto the backs of their heads at that very moment.

  “Oh, and here. I know it’s a bit early, but still, allow me to present you my gifts for the upcoming holidays, gentlemen.” President Jo pulled out three jewelry cases.

  Kim Dal-su opened his case first. “Oh, pure gold buttons!”


  He was genuinely impressed. Two large buttons for magoja (hanbok outer coat for men) were shining brilliantly within the case. Even at a glance, one could tell they must be worth ten ‘nyangs.’ (Each nyang equals 37.5g of gold.)

  Jang Chul-su was also visibly excited. Only Prosecutor Yeo maintained an unreadable expression as he stared at the case. He has heard of sponsors who would hand out a gold key as a parting gift, but gold magoja buttons? He has never heard of that before. Then again, something this unique was bound to be memorable.

  “Is there anything troubling you lately, President Jo?” Jang Chul-su asked, while pocketing the case.

  “Thanks to you, things are going well, Vice Governor. Although, we do have plans to develop a members-only, 18-hole golf course at Gyeongsan. I shall submit a business plan to you next week.”


  “Since it’s President Jo’s business venture, I’m only happy to be of assistance.” Jang Chul-su smiled brightly. Once President Jo completes the golf course, a membership to this exclusive club would automatically roll onto his lap.

  “I’m grateful, sir.” President Jo bowed his head.

  This is the true power of the sponsors. The construction of a golf course was a challenging business venture, where getting the permit alone was already complex enough. However, it will be a proverbial gold mine once the construction is completed. Fair competition between bidders? Resolving civil complaints? Assessing environmental impacts? All of these issues can be resolved as long as you grease the right palms. So why would anyone waste their valuable time worrying about such things as permits?

  “Is there anything else I can help you with?” Kim Dal-su asked this time.

  “The Seocheon Night is one of my other businesses.”


  “Is that so? Mm, there is an ongoing case which involved the selling of methamphetamine and the counterfeiting of imported liquor that was forwarded to us by the police. Prosecutor Yeo, you’re in charge of that case, I believe?” Kim Dal-su locked his eyes on Yeo Yun-dong.

  “Yes, Chief Prosecutor!”


  “Make it go away quietly.”


  “That…… will be difficult, sir. Of course, I can turn a blind eye on the counterfeit liquor case, but the drug-dealing case will be difficult to overlook.” Yeo Yun-dong replied curtly.