78. A sticky lump inside the body...
78. A sticky lump inside the body...
The streets overflowing with the drunken shouts of revelers.
The back alleys echoing with sounds like drug addicts heaving up their guts.
The southern streets where gamblers' wails should've been ringing out.
All of it vanished dead silent with one ahem! from Gongnyeo.
The alcoholics simply had one drink and headed home to look after their families.
The gamblers fiddled with dice at home.
Thus, the south lost its vibe(?).
No, wait—what about the drug addicts?
"......"
"...... I'm gonna die."
What else is there to do... Sitting in the back alleys, blankly staring at the Duke's knights whooshing past.
If it were sheep, they'd at least fall asleep... What a pity, such a pity.
Right here, two women who might as well die without drugs... or feel like they're dying.
"Monis..."
"Dang-baek..."
"No..."
"Yeah..."
They were none other than Monis and So Dang-baek.
Inseparable drug buddies and true friends who even share their dope!
Sure, sometimes they lose it and sock each other in the jaw... but anyway!
Regulars at the drug organization Hedon, eldest daughters who've tanked their families.
Nothing special about 'em.
A drug addict's basic MO is ruining the household, so these ladies are pros at their craft.
The once wild So Dang-baek.
She killed time fantasizing about jacking a Duke's carriage.
The once young Monis.
She clutched her gut as the cramps started kicking in.
Monis felt her organs withering away, tears pouring down.
"Ah... I hate this..."
So Dang-baek, who'd started drugs later, squeezed her eyes shut and turned away.
'Cause with a body wrecked by withdrawal and wheezing away, there's jack shit she could do.
Monis fiddled gingerly with the inside of her panties holding a few gold coins.
-Clink...
"I've got money..."
So Dang-baek clenched her sphincter a tad to check the gold coin she'd shoved up there.
-Clunk...
"Eek... Me too..."
"... Fuck. I told you not to stash it there."
"This hole's totally hand-proof..."
"... Yeah, fuck."
Normally, they'd be spitting and cackling like hyenas...
But they were too fucking pissed.
Money in hand, but can't score any drugs.
Like a feast laid out with your mouth sewn shut.
Like flailing pointlessly in dark water.
Someone... anyone, please just give us some drugs... or sell us some.
To the two shedding empty tears, a blatantly shady figure approached.
A woman cloaked in a massive black robe.
Even with the baggy robe, her chest pressed out just enough to show...
'Fuckin' bitch, those tits are huge.'
Even on the brink of death, instinctively sizing her up—guess that's fate.
The woman rummaged in her bosom and pulled out what looked like sticky clay pellets.
"Wanna give it a try?"
Who the hell would pop some rabbit shit from a sketchy stranger?
Turns out, someone right here.
'Cause the chick screamed "textbook drug dealer" from a mile away.
"Could it be... what I'm thinking?"
"Effects are even better?"
So Dang-baek freaked and tried prying her one friend away.
"Monis... don't..."
But Monis, terrified of the agony about to hit.
She snatched the drug with trembling hands in the end.
Dumped it straight in her mouth...
-Gulp!
"...? What... is this..."
"It's called Cheongongdan... keh heh heh heh!"
"You fuckin' bitch... what'd you do to Monis..."
The shady woman raised a finger and counted down.
"Shh! Three... two... one..."
Perfect timing—Monis let out a dumbass noise.
"Huh?"
"Monis...?"
Monis slowly lolled her head, scraping sticky phlegm from her parched mouth.
"Cough cough! Hack~ Ptui! Whew! I'm alive... Huh? Wait, what the hell?"
"Cheongongdan, dumbass."
"...???"
Seeing her buddy perk up in seconds, So Dang-baek blinked...
"W-Wait... Gimme one too..."
The robed woman grinned all refreshed.
"Two gold coins, honored customer~!"
"Cheongongdan! No... pain's all gone, and I feel pumped..."
"Mind keeping it down? Knights'll swarm."
"Ah... Hey... So Dang-baek! Hide quick..."
No clue where she got it or what it is, but whatever...
"Discount for two?"
"Buy four, get three for the price~"
Sa Ma-yeon, wrapping up a killer deal, slipped deep into the alley and started counting the gold coins stashed in her chest.
-Jingle! Jingle!
"Uh huh huh huh! Look at all this dough!!! "
Folks yapping about the south's power balance crumbling. Not the old south anymore. Dangerous this, that...
Commoner bullshit. To Sa Ma-yeon, the south was opportunity central.
"Dumb fucks... Quick bitch gets it all... heh heh heh heh!!"
Looked easy, but one slip and the Duke's knights'd strip her bare.
Gotta admire those balls, though.
Sa Ma-yeon puffed up with glee and hunted for her next repeat customer.
"I... will rule the south's skies. Ah ha ha ha ha!!!"
Future drug lord comin' through—make way.
"Good night."
"Snooore..."
I tucked the blanket over my sprawled-out Master and headed to the yard.
"Time... head out soon?"
The day to hit Gongnyeo-nim's villa had snuck up.
Today was finally Treasure Vault day.
Got a vague heads-up something's there, but I'd scope it inside.
"Wonder what's inside?"
Excitement had me up early—time dragging now.
Bored? Gacha it is.
I pulled out the sack of mimic corpses.
Dumped 'em into my Inventory.
10 slots went pitch black in a flash.
"... No bonus or anything?"
Back in my convenience store game days, every 10th was buy-10-get-1-free...
"Tch..."
Inventory unchanged, so I nodded.
Too greedy and shit hits the fan.
I scattered all 10 gacha tickets on the ground.
One started quivering like crazy.
-Humm!
"Huh?"
Then it glowed, cracks spiderwebbing...
-Crack! Flash!
"Ugh..."
Blinded by the dazzling light.
"What? Jackpot? Special prize?"
That glow screamed legendary.
Eased open my stinging eyes—amid scattered magic stones, a black blob.
"What's this?"
Curious, I picked it up.
-Streeeetch~
"...?"
Slime stretching like taffy.
Oily black, squishier than dough.
Held the stretchy goop, shook it up and down.
-Boing! Boing!
Yo-yo on a string.
"...?"
No doubt—something special.
Brighter shine than essence.
But fuck if I knew what for.
First discovery? Transmigrator title would've popped.
Anyone know?
"Or edible? Ultimate elixir? Sniff sniff!"
No smell.
Looked straight-up "do not swallow."
Like oiled-up tumor clumps.
"... Not some stress ball."
-Squish squish...
Before waking Master, I focused my Ki Sense on it.
-Humm...
Suddenly, it started boiling over.
-Bubble bubble...
"W-What the!!"
Hurled it quick.
-Whoosh! Boing~
But it clung to my hand, no letting go.
Grew bigger, slithered up my body.
-Bubble bubble bubble!!!
"Crazy shit!!"
Revved both internal energies for a shockwave.
-Hummm!
-Shudder shudder!!!
Palm about to smack down...
-Sloooorp~
-Ding!
[Transmigrator title activated! Agility +3]
"Huh...?"
Black goo soaked into my skin, Transmigrator triggered.
"???????"
Dropped into lotus pose, scanned my body.
-Humm
'...? What's changed? Transmigrator? Outta nowhere?'
Scoured every inch—no diff.
Circulated both energies, spun the circle.
-Whirrrrr!
-Rattle!
"Haa... Dear...? Weren't we headed to the Duchy?"
Master must've sensed the energy flow and woken.
I went to her, grabbed her hand.
-Squeeze...
"Master. Check my body..."
"One last romp before you go?"
"........."
"???"
I explained calmly to Master.
"So..."
Her eyes sharpened as she listened.
"Sit."
"Yes."
Long-ass check later...
-Sprang!
Couldn't be helped.
Master was used to it by now.
Eyes open post-scan, she tilted her head.
"Smack... Looks fine to me."
"Really?"
"Dantian at two circles, one circle. All good. Wait, good? Hm... Anyway, same as always."
Transmigrator never flopped before.
Just felt grimy, that's the issue.
Body seemed solid for now.
"I'll poke around too."
"Unsettled? Hit the Temple?"
"It's cool, Master. I'll ask the Ducal clinic."
"Hm... Solid choice."
Master fretted, gently stroking my cheek.
"I'll dig too—don't stress."
"Yeah. Heading out."
Master puckered up on habit.
"Mmm~"
"... Dear. I just got it down."
"Down it one more time. Can't live without."
"... O-Okay."
"Mmm~ Chu!"
-Sprang!
"Kuk! Tough it out! ♥"
I staggered outside.
Control felt better, at least.
"Phew... Off we go?"
We'd set the meet near what's left of Chwihyangru at Hilda's place.
Knight and coachman there greeted me.
"Hello, Jang Ryu-o-nim. We'll escort you."
Knight opened the door, offered his hand.
"...?"
I just stepped up—knight flushed, cleared his throat.
"Ahem!"
'Take the hand, huh?'
Gotta learn etiquette...
Inside the carriage...
"Magna?"
"Nice to see you, male."
Magna sat bolt upright.
Huh? When'd he hop on?