Chapter 9. Back Alley
“How was it?”
Gid cut straight to the chase, blurting it out to his boss as the man slurped down his soup. Ji-hyuk lifted his eyes and shot him a glance. Of course, he knew exactly what the bald bastard was getting at. But for now, he played dumb.
“What?”
“C'mon, you know.” Gid clicked his tongue with a sharp tch.
Ji-hyuk's eyes narrowed slightly.
“Don't make me out to be the bad guy.”
“Who said anything about making you the bad guy? I'm just curious, that's all.”
“There were unavoidable circumstances.”
“Nah, not that. The feeling. How'd it feel?” Gid rapped his knuckles lightly on the table in frustration.
Ji-hyuk finally indulged the bald guy's wish and shared his impressions from last night.
“It was good. Happy now?”
“Fuckin' hell, lucky bastard.” The bald prick chuckled slyly, his eyes screaming I knew it.
A man and woman sharing a room—fire not sparking would've been the real surprise. Ji-hyuk tuned him out completely. Mercenaries cracking wise wasn't exactly a new phenomenon.
The lizardman Kayak, who'd been listening quietly, asked about their next move.
“What's the plan now, boss?”
Ji-hyuk tapped his iron bowl lightly with the spoon he'd been using for his soup. He thought for a moment before replying.
“We'll leave as soon as Yael recovers. We've only covered half the distance so far.”
That's when Gid piped up again. Having traveled far and wide across the continent, he knew geography better than most.
“But... there's two paths from here, right? North-west or south-west. Which one?”
A massive mountain loomed in the middle, forcing them to skirt either north or south around the range. No passes or gorges to cut through. Just two routes: northwest or southwest. Seemed simple enough, but hilariously, the environments couldn't have been more different. North meant snowfields; south meant desert. Choice mattered. Pick wrong, and you'd suffer.
“Perfect timing—I was just about to ask for opinions. ...You guys prefer cold or heat?”
“Heat's better—! Fuck cold, I hate that shit.” Gid flailed his hands emphatically.
Grendal and Kayak agreed they'd take sweltering over freezing any day.
“Might mean trekking through desert. ...Won't be too long, though.”
“Still beats the cold. ...You ever seen snow, boss? Your feet sink in deep, toes go numb. Might have to chop 'em off if you're unlucky.”
Grendal, who'd never seen snow in his life, eyed it with curiosity—but still hated the idea.
Kayak cut through the chit-chat, urging the boss to decide.
“Anyway... it's your call, boss. Which way?”
Ultimately, it was the leader's choice. Even if he ignored them and picked north, they'd follow without complaint.
“Everyone's voting heat, so... south it is.”
“Sweet.” Gid grinned slyly, clearly scheming something.
“Desert girls are all stunners. Might get a taste of dancer pussy. Couldn't afford it back in the day.”
“Hey now, after that ass-kicking in the gorge, you still haven't learned? Drop the lust, find true happiness.”
The orc Grendal preached like some bald monk. Gid recoiled in horror.
“Fuck that, I'd rather die. Pussy's the whole point of being male, you orc.”
Ji-hyuk and Kayak burst out laughing. Grendal shook his head at the hopeless perv.
“Anyway, that's settled. Gear up properly, everyone. We still got cash, right?”
“Uh, boss...”
The bald bastard scratched his shiny dome and chuckled sheepishly.
“Can I get a bit more for supplies?”
“You blew it all?”
“Shit here's expensive. A few rounds with the whores emptied my pockets.”
Ji-hyuk eyed him steadily, then pulled two gold coins from his inner pocket and set them on the table.
“Last time. No more bullshit spending.”
“Wouldn't dream of it, boss.” The prick grinned, yellow teeth flashing, and swept up the coins.
“Alright, meal's over. Dismissed.”
And with that, the four scattered to handle their business.
Two days later, early dawn.
Ji-hyuk's crew left the great city of Palahino, riding a carriage southwest.
Yael had been silent since boarding. For some reason, facing her teammates felt mortifying. After screaming like that all night, they had to know something went down.
Dawn crept in slowly. Sunlight crept over Palahino's towering walls from the top down, bringing the city back to life. Spectacular.
Ji-hyuk gazed back at the rumbling carriage, drinking in the sight for a long while.
The carriage pressed on without pause. Hours later, after the sun fully rose, they stopped for a break. Everyone who'd been cooped up stretched out their stiff limbs.
Ji-hyuk and Yael hopped down too. Time for a piss and a drink.
He'd noticed her attitude shift subtly sometime back. Probably fallout from a few days ago.
Having run with heavy drug users back in his alley boss days, he knew personality shifts like the back of his hand. Seen it plenty.
Yael was textbook: acting normal on the surface, but her eyes, her little movements—off, just enough to spot if you were paying attention. And Ji-hyuk always was.
“How's your stamina holding up?”
“Better now.”
She played it cool, but couldn't hide the heat flickering in her gaze. He knew a fire had ignited inside her, one that wouldn't die.
Common trait in all junkies. Before, it'd been a faint ember barely clinging in the ashes. Now? Raging flames.
That night was the trigger, no doubt.
Ji-hyuk wasn't entirely blameless. But mostly, she'd brought it on herself.
Not even that—she chose the path. Junkies called it fate sealed the moment they started. Just a matter of fast or slow.
Truth be told, Ji-hyuk didn't give a shit. Junkie or not, long as she became a top-tier mage, fine by him. Useful? He'd provide dick ten, a hundred times over.
Hell, in some ways, it suited him better. Money ties snap easy; flesh bonds run deeper.
Snag a high-level mage with just his cock? All gain, no loss.
But raising a mage... first time for me.
Mages were smart cookies—tricky to handle. Magic wasn't even his specialty.
Theory? Her domain. But combat? He'd synced with countless mages over loops. Knew how they should fight better than anyone.
Let her handle mana efficiency and power. He'd teach battle tactics.
That was the plan. He'd meant to let her grind experience naturally, but progress stalled. Her role would grow critical soon; couldn't wait forever sucking his thumb.
“Yael.”
“Yes, boss?”
“From now on, train with me whenever we have time.”
“Train...?”
He'd never meddled in her training before, so she looked surprised.
“Not touching theory—that's your wheelhouse, and I suck at it. But you need to learn how to fight properly.”
Truth was, her style lacked structure. Just blindly spamming fire from the rear.
“Got it.”
Of course, she had ulterior motives too. Training one-on-one with the boss? Sparks fly, bodies touch—right?
She was already itching for another taste of boss cock. Like withdrawal kicking in hard.
Every glance made her mouth water, lips dry. Agony.
She'd been a proper lady her whole life—now reduced to a cock-obsessed slut in one night. The whiplash had her lost, suffering.
Holding back bred nasty thoughts. Reason crumbling.
Hold it in. Hold.
Soon, suppressing urges became routine. Then came the fits—impulses nearly leading to bad acts.
Yael was boss-obsessed. Just looking made her heart pound. Filthy fantasies followed.
God, I love him. Want to stay by his side forever. Cock... boss's cock...
Swallowing hard at the thought.
But she had to play the rational, sharp mage. Boss expects that.
They reached a village late afternoon. Pretty spot by a babbling river.
Quick dinner, then rooms. Ji-hyuk and Yael shared again. Natural now.
Her heart hammered like it might burst. Cock. Nothing but cock in her head. Breaking point.
But hold. Hold. Can't look like a slut to boss.
She sat at the table, opened her spellbook. Words blurred. Head full of cock.
Disaster. What do I do? Fuck, seriously.
“Gonna keep reading?”
“Huh? Oh, yeah. I'll read a bit more then sleep.”
“Don't stay up too late. Early start tomorrow.”
“...Okay.”
Ji-hyuk hit the sack first. She slumped over her book under the flickering candle, head bowed.
Aah... Shivering despite the warmth. Wanted to suck cock. That delicious boss cock again.
But no. He'd hate it. Call me a whore. Then no more.
Torment. Wanted her old self back. But how? No clue.
After writhing in agony, she slammed the book shut and stood. Slipped onto the bed beside him.
Haa, haa—
Teaching assistant face? Gone. Just slut now.
Panting, tongue peeking, eyes glazed on his face. Craved those lush lips.
Boss, please, please, me...!
Couldn't do it. Curled up beside him instead, staring endlessly at his sleeping profile.
Body burned uncontrollably. Hands drifted to breasts, crotch. Rubbing started.
Lips clamped, moans swallowed. Harsh breaths whistled.
Boss... boss...
Junkies do bad things. Fingering next to boss? Real bad.
Caught? More than a warning.
But can't stop. Reason, morals—powerless against pleasure.
All her learning? Useless.
Couldn't leave her mouth idle. Switched hand from tits to sucking her own fingers.
Tasteless. Not cock.
Want cock. Fucked by cock. Boss, please, help me...