Whoa! Redhead Acquired!
Whoa! Redhead get! "Huh? What the hell are you~?!"
Turning her head, she saw an unfamiliar man gripping her wrist. With his blond hair and tanned skin, he screamed lowlife thug at first glance, so Jeon So-young yelled and tried to shake him off—but Geum Taeyang held her wrist tight, refusing to let go. No, he was gripping hard, but with her mana suppressed from all the booze, Jeon So-young's strength had weakened more than his.
Geum Taeyang, who had grabbed Jeon So-young's wrist, looked at her face and grinned like he'd hit the jackpot.
"Whoa! Total redhead get. This bitch is completely smashed."
"Can't you drop that retarded shit?"
"Come on, blond and tan means I have to say it."
"Quit the community meme crap, seriously."
There were more lowlifes besides Geum Taeyang. A tall, skinny thug and a fat one who at least dressed somewhat normally grumbled at Geum Taeyang's speech as they stepped out.
The fat thug eyed Jeon So-young's state and said, "No need for any prep work? Just drag her out? Or right here?"
"What if we get caught on CCTV dragging her? It's a bit filthy, but let's do it here. Think of it as outdoor play—way more thrilling, right?"
"Fucking pervert."
Jeon So-young listened quietly, piecing it together. Three guys talking shit about her. Looking around, she'd taken a wrong turn into a dark alley between buildings, no streetlights in sight. Her booze-soaked brain churned to grasp the situation, and she blurted out in disbelief,
"Whoa~ You guys trying to rape me?"
It was so absurd she almost laughed. They didn't even seem to have mana—regular civilians. Sure, she was drunk, but trying to rape an awakener? They probably had no clue she was one, but they'd picked the wrong target.
The three thugs snickered among themselves, oblivious or not.
"Still got enough wits to clock her surroundings?"
"She remembering our faces?"
"One smack to the head and she won't remember shit anyway."
"Fuck, this stuff's expensive."
"For a taste of a chick like this? Cheap as hell, man. Hand it over quick."
The fat thug pulled a metal case from his pocket. At first she thought it was a cigarette case, but inside were syringes secured with leather straps to keep them from rattling. The moment Jeon So-young saw them, her mind snapped alert—this could be real trouble.
She yanked free from the blond thug's grip and activated her ability.
"You crazy fuckers...!"
Ignition
Roiling red flames surged from her fingertips.
Unlike the impulsive burst at Han Yeoul earlier, this time she meant to kill. Whether using her ability in self-defense would hold up legally didn't matter—she was about to get raped, who gave a shit?
The heat alone scorched her clothes, making the three thugs jump back in panic.
"Fuck! She's an awakener?!"
"That's why I said let's just hit the club!"
"Shit! Who the hell expects an awakener to get blackout drunk alone?!"
Seeing them panic and turn on each other at the sight of the flames, Jeon So-young figured they might run without her firing. She smirked at them.
"Haha, you losers~ Uh...?"
Stagger—
The moment she tried to mock them, her vision warped, the world spinning. The flames fizzled out as her ability canceled. Unbeknownst to Jeon So-young, activating mana amid high alcohol levels had sped up her metabolism, plunging her into acute alcohol poisoning.
For an awakener, alcohol poisoning was just a temporary debuff recoverable with time—but right now, it left her unable to use her powers.
The thugs, who had started fleeing, saw her wobble against the wall and regained their confidence, creeping back.
"She was so drunk she couldn't even control her ability properly? Fuck, we freaked for nothing."
"Hurry up and jab her before she flips out again."
"Man~ First awakener pussy for me, I'm hyped."
"You too? Me too!"
"Shut up, heh."
Poke—
The blond thug who'd grabbed her wrist plunged the syringe into the staggering Jeon So-young's arm without hesitation.
"Ngh, what..."
Jeon So-young felt the cold rush of the drug through the needle. Then her whole body ignited unbearably hot, her mind going hazy.
Fuck... I'm really screwed.
Even in crisis, euphoria hijacked her. Dopamine flooded her brain—nothing but good vibes. Like floating on clouds, she realized it was over for real.
A drug that worked on awakeners. Had to be dungeon-sourced, but she lacked the wits to deduce it.
"Ngh..."
Clinging to fading consciousness, leaning on the wall was her best effort. Geum Taeyang, who'd injected her, suddenly looked spooked and asked the fat thug,
"First time using a full dose—is this dangerous?"
"Relax. Made from dungeon stuff, evades standard drug tests, volatile so addiction and memories vanish together. High-end shit. Begged my dad for these—took forever."
"Whoa, it really works on awakeners too? Thought they had magic resistance or whatever?"
"Booze helped, but this aphrodisiac's that potent. You'd shit bricks at the price per hit."
While Geum Taeyang and the fat thug chatted, the skinny one reached for Jeon So-young's chest.
"Enough yapping? Let's cop a feel. ...Huh? Still got fight left?"
"Ngh... Get lost..."
Hazy from the drug, Jeon So-young still rejected the touch, twisting away from the skinny thug's hand. But drugged, her resistance came off seductive. Burned clothes from her uncontrolled Ignition exposed pale skin in patches. Alcohol and drugs flushed her body, pumping out pheromones that lured men regardless of her will.
The thugs gulped in unison. The fat one, who'd brought the drugs, especially riled, snorting as he undid his belt.
"Move. I go first? You know you wouldn't have a shot without my stash."
"Tch, fine—but no creampie. Think of the lineup."
"Heh, got it. One round each for a taste, then grab a room and go wild."
Geum Taeyang suddenly worried,
"What if she snaps out mid-way?"
"More drugs."
Trash talk ignoring overdose risks—but guys who'd care wouldn't pull this stunt.
"Hey, chin up."
The fat thug lifted Jeon So-young's barely-standing face. Seeing defiance in her eyes, he smirked, leaning for a kiss like always.
As his face neared, Jeon So-young grimaced and muttered,
"Fuck... you stink..."
"Hahaha! Shoulda showered, huh?"
The skinny thug watching laughed. The fat one, pissed, slapped her cheek.
"Ngh."
Even drugged, an awakener's durability held—his palm stung more. "Don't touch the face."
"This bitch is pissing me off."
"Don't rage at a zoned-out slut—pound and dump quick."
"Fuck, wanted to savor it."
Grumbling, the fat thug hoisted Jeon So-young onto the AC unit in a bent-over pose. Pants on, her ass still popped.
"Ooh, check that ass. Perfect for pounding."
"Nngh..."
Instinct drove her to resist touches, but it was futile. The drug intensified; thugs' voices cut in and out.
"Time to peek at some awakener pussy?"
She felt his hand approach. What came next was obvious, so inwardly she thought,
Yeoul, save me.
No reason for him to be here, but that's what crossed her mind as consciousness faded.
And that instant,
"What the hell are you doing?"
He appeared.