When we finally stepped outside, there were even more police officers waiting. 

 

About 15 of them, all heavily armed with machine guns, and two police vans, fully equipped. 

 

Anyone watching would think we were heading into a war zone.

 

Im Soo-ah signaled to her team, and they all climbed into the vans. 

 

She then approached me directly.

 

“I noticed you don’t have a driver. Would you like me to drive for you?”

 

“The police are being unusually kind today.”

 

“A public servant should always be kind.”

 

“Alright, then.”

 

“Leave it to me.”

 

Im Soo-ah playfully saluted before getting into the driver’s seat.

 

——-

 

The first destination was a remote area in the Namdong Industrial Complex. 

 

Although it was technically an industrial zone, it had devolved into a slum overrun by gangs. 

 

Despite being not far from the luxurious Sondo Future City, where the upper class resided, it was one of the most chaotic places in Incheon.

 

Even Im Soo-ah, who had been chattering nonstop during the drive, became serious and alert as we entered the area.

 

“Sir, you know this is a place where one wrong move could get us killed, right? Are you sure we’re in the right spot?”

 

“Yeah. Turn right up there.”

 

“Sheesh, better be careful. We don’t want to stir up a hornet’s nest.”

 

As the luxury car and police vans rolled through the heart of Namdong, curious onlookers emerged from their homes to see what was happening. 

 

None of them looked particularly friendly. 

 

Many had limbs replaced by mechanical parts, which was standard around here, but some had even gone as far as replacing their heads with robotic ones.

 

The one thing they all had in common was that they were armed. 

 

If I had come alone, I’d probably already be riddled with bullets or grenades by now. 

 

Even with hotel security, they might have taken a shot. 

 

But with two fully armed police vans, they were content to just watch. 

 

After all, there was no benefit in getting mowed down by machine guns.

 

“Over there, in front of that abandoned warehouse.”

 

We finally arrived at our destination, a place where I could find the ‘Ninelord’ and several other items I needed to cure my addiction.

 

Im Soo-ah received a message over the radio.

 

“Don’t come inside, block the entrance with the vans. If anyone approaches, warn them. If they keep coming, shoot.”

 

– “Roger.”

 

She expertly parked the car. 

 

As we stepped outside, the scorching sun greeted us. 

 

No exaggeration, the heat felt like it could burn right through my scalp. 

 

This world had suffered significant global warming and ozone depletion.

 

“So, what exactly are we here for? Is there something valuable hidden in this dump?”

 

Im Soo-ah kept a hand on her gun, scanning the area cautiously. 

 

There wasn’t anything valuable in the visible part of the abandoned warehouse. 

 

The real treasure was hidden in the basement, and that’s what I was looking for.

 

I led her around the warehouse’s perimeter.

 

“Here. It’s underneath this.”

 

I tapped the ground with my foot. 

 

The surface was thickly covered in dirt, blending in with its surroundings, but I recognized it immediately.

 

This was the spot.

 

I crouched down and tried to dig, but the ground was hard. I needed tools.

 

“In the game, this was easy.”

 

Then I remembered.

 

In the game, I played as a stat-boosted protagonist. 

 

Here, I was just Go Mu-yeol, with the physical abilities of a middle schooler.

 

“Is there any place around here where we could get a shovel?”

 

“A shovel? I’m not sure…”

 

Im Soo-ah looked around cautiously, then called over one of the officers on the radio.

 

“You called?”

 

A massive man, about 2 meters tall with both arms replaced by mechanical parts, approached.

 

“He says there’s something buried here. Dig it up.”

 

“Hmm.”

 

As expected.

 

The massive man quickly dug where I pointed, and soon uncovered a steel door. 

 

He glanced at me, realizing it required a password to open.

 

“Step aside.”

 

Of course, I knew the password.

 

Beep. Beep. Beep. Beep.

 

Click. 

 

Thud.

 

The door opened, revealing a long-neglected staircase, likely untouched for a decade.

 

“How do you know the password?” Im Soo-ah asked, looking suspicious.

 

“That’s a secret.”

 

“…”

 

As I entered, Im Soo-ah ordered the giant to stand guard and followed me inside.

 

‘Should I stop her from coming in?’ 

 

The thought crossed my mind for a moment, but I shook it off.

 

“It’s deeper and darker than I thought… Should I go first?” 

 

“It’s fine. Nothing dangerous.”

 

“Is this your secret vault or something? I mean, why would anyone build a vault in a place like this?”

 

‘Man, she talks a lot. Just like in the car.’

 

‘Maybe I should shut her up… using my body would probably be the most effective.’

 

——-

 

That thought alone started to get me aroused. 

 

Despite her somewhat loud and quirky personality, Im Soo-ah was undeniably attractive, with a perfect body. 

 

She was definitely someone worth indulging in.

 

‘Damn it.’

 

My thoughts spiraled, and suddenly, in my mind, she was already stripped bare, bending over, her pale skin gleaming as I pounded into her. 

 

Desire surged.

 

‘Is this my sex addiction acting up? This is not easy.’

 

I restrained myself. 

 

Fortunately, sex addiction was easier to suppress compared to my drug addiction. 

 

Still challenging, but manageable.

 

I pulled out a cigarette, lit it, and took a long drag. 

 

The haze from the nicotine dulled my thoughts, and the sexual images faded somewhat.

 

“Whew…”

 

As I stood there, smoking and collecting myself, Im Soo-ah looked around the abandoned facility. 

 

The rusty, decayed space was littered with the carcasses of rats and insects, while various items were haphazardly scattered about. 

 

It would take time to go through everything.

 

“This place looks like it’s been abandoned for ages. What’s here?”

 

“Who knows.”

 

I stubbed out my cigarette and began searching for the Ninelord.

 

“Look for something that looks like an ampoule, filled with a clear liquid.”

 

“Is it okay for me to touch everything here?”

 

“Yeah.”

 

“Alright…”

 

There wasn’t much of importance other than the Ninelord. 

 

If I had come here as the protagonist instead of Go Mu-yeol, I would’ve found a lot more valuable items. 

 

For example, there was an unreleased drug hidden here, a new type of narcotic that offered extreme effects with minimal side effects. 

 

It was like a cheat code for making fast money and setting up your own operations early in the game.

 

But I was a chaebol. I didn’t need that stuff.

 

I already owned a company, so there was no need to overexert myself trying to micromanage things. 

 

It was better to quietly run the business and let others handle the dirty work.

 

‘Still, it feels wasteful to just leave this behind… Should I let her handle it?’

 

With her sweaty blonde hair pushed back and that pretty face of hers, she was the perfect example of a corrupt cop. 

 

If I could make her the ruler of Incheon’s underworld and control her as my pawn, it would be a win.

 

‘Being in the spotlight doesn’t mean I have to abandon the shadows.’

 

Loyalty can be bought, whether with money or other means. I accessed Im Soo-ah’s information:

 

[Im Soo-ah]  

 

Age: 31  

 

Affiliation: Incheon Autonomous Police, Songdo Innovation City, 3rd Civil Support Team  

 

Species: Human  

 

Level: 84  

 

Strength: 69  

 

Willpower: 77  

 

Tech: 91  

 

Leadership: 92  

 

Charm: 89  

 

<Traits>  

 

Corrupt Cop, Patience, Greed  

 

A model example of a corrupt cop, just like her trait says. 

 

She was perfect for manipulation — the type to do anything for the right price. 

 

Although her stats and age were lower than the National Intelligence Service spy Ha Eun-young (aka Seo Eun-mi), that woman was an anomaly. 

 

In reality, Im Soo-ah was more than competent.

 

Just then, I heard a scream.  

 

“Ahhh!”

 

Im Soo-ah had opened one of the doors and let out a shriek. 

 

Did she find something?

 

I walked over to see what happened. She had knocked over a box and was standing there, frozen.

 

“This… This is…”

 

It was drugs. 

 

A massive amount of them.

 

One box alone could easily be worth billions, and this entire room was packed with those boxes. 

 

If sold correctly, the wealth gained would be unimaginable.

 

Im Soo-ah gulped hard, her hand reaching for one of the spilled packages.

 

 The thick, transparent bag was filled with a powder that looked like salt.

 

“… I’d need to test it to be sure, but—”

 

“It’s drugs.”

 

“… You already knew? Well, of course, you did… You even knew the code… And you used to—oh! I’m sorry!!”

 

She hastily bowed over and over, clearly panicking from her slip of the tongue. 

 

I waved it off, letting her stand back up. 

 

Still, she couldn’t resist touching the bag, her fingers playing with it. 

 

Greed flashed in her eyes.

 

She bit her lower lip with a seriousness I hadn’t seen before, and it was quite the sight.

 

‘She’s definitely torn.’

 

Even just taking one box would provide her with enough money to last a lifetime. 

 

This new drug was worth that much. 

 

The problem was… I was here.

 

Killing me wasn’t an option—my status was way too high for that. 

 

She might consider confiscating the drugs to boost her police career, but honestly, what’s more appealing? 

 

A little career boost, or the massive wealth she could gain from selling the drugs? 

 

Especially for someone as corrupt as her.

 

“You planning to turn me in with that?”

 

“N-no… Of course not…”

 

She mumbled, shoving the bag back into the box with the rest, even trying to tape it back up like it hadn’t been opened. 

 

It was clear she was considering covering it all up unless I said otherwise.

 

“You think you can sell it?”

 

“Excuse me?”

 

“Do you think you can sell that without getting caught?”

 

She froze mid-action.

 

“Isn’t it a waste to just leave it? If we don’t take it, the people watching us are going to swoop in and take it themselves.”

 

The only reason they hadn’t acted yet was because of the police presence. 

 

But once we left, they’d come in and see what was hidden here. 

 

Everything in this room would be gone if we didn’t take it now.

 

“W-what are you saying…?”

 

“You’re a cop, and I’m the grandson of the head of the Go-ryeo Group.”

 

“…”

 

“I’m getting a house in Songdo. Move everything there. We’ll talk more later.”

 

“!!”

 

Her eyes widened in shock. 

 

After a moment, she gulped hard and slowly set the box down.

 

“Y-yes…”

 

Then, she quickly radioed her team.

 

———-

 

[NINELORD]  

 

A drug that normalized abnormalities.  

 

Occasionally, it might cause normal to become abnormal.  

 

Effect: Can delete one trait.

 

I returned to the car and immediately downed the Ninelord. 

 

The item description was a bit vague, but to put it simply, it allowed one to erase one trait of their choice. 

 

The downside was that it could also erase good traits, which was why there was a warning about potential side effects. 

 

However, if used correctly, it was an incredibly useful item.

 

Part of me wanted to erase all the bad traits, but unfortunately, I only had one dose, so I used it to get rid of the drug addiction. 

 

Still, that was a huge win. I finally broke free from being an addict.

 

[The trait <Drug Addiction> has been deleted.]

 

A message window popped up, and my mind felt clearer. 

 

Finally, I could breathe again.