“All installations are complete.”
After a modest salute, the people under his command retreated. When Ki Tae-jeong tapped the tablet grimly, a hologram floated up. It was a three-dimensional plan that allowed one to look into not only the current office but also the major passageways inside the house.
“Even if it’s a bit late, the installation of the surveillance devices should be finished by tomorrow evening.”
“Should be finished?”
“…It will be. I’ll make sure.”
“Pull yourself together, Lieutenant Park. Just because we’re imitating those thugs right now, don’t forget your duty.”
“I will keep it in mind.”
Ki Tae-jeong clicked his tongue and snapped his fingers. When the image was enlarged, the scenery inside became more visible. The people who were moving looked like toy soldiers on the small screen. This appeared to be the office of the boss. If so, the person sitting in the office chair must be the boss, petting his newly made nameplate… Because this was the House, those who diligently play with their hands must be the players. Then the individuals lingering hesitantly in the back, retreating intermittently, were they the operatives in the midst of a mission?
“They seem to be moving too obviously.”
“We thought it might be better to move decisively as guests will be arriving soon. If the hired guys waver in front of the guests, the surveillance team might find them suspicious.”
The disguising soldiers began to leave the exit in perfect order. Inside the twin buildings, from the 7th basement floor to the 7th above ground, the interior of this towering vertical city was as intricate as an anthill. While the main attraction was a gambling parlor revolving around playing cards, there were also floors with casino games complete with dealers and places with several large rings laid out. In other rooms structured similarly to offices, regular patrons were being entertained by hostesses, while in the underground workshop, the debtors were being ripped alive.
“Even though they’re just a bunch of thugs, but… There’s nothing wrong with being careful. A mission that’s overly straightforward and visible tends to have the highest chance of failure.”
“Yes. So, how do we deal with Lee Sehwa?”
“Lee Sehwa…”
Lee Sehwa, Lee Sehwa… Ki Tae-jeong buried himself deep into the sofa’s backrest and muttered the unfamiliar name in his mouth.
“How long has it been since the patch was attached?”
“Over forty minutes.”
“He must have flipped over, unable to withstand the intense heat.”
Sehwa looked like he was about to cry and was dragged to the bathroom. At first, it sounded like he was shouting something, but now he was quiet. Come to think of it, it had been a while since the sound of water had stopped. Did he manage to wash off that strange smell? Even if he tried to use tanning spray, it was probably a cheap product, so it would have easily come off.
“He must have some skills if he could manage that. But he’s been living like this until now.”
When Ki Tae-jeong snapped his fingers, the youthful face in the hologram shook slightly. Just like crying.
To forge official documents requires a considerable amount of money. Moving residence wasn’t any different. A place where residents outside of the Castle can easily come up with a large sum of money? It was obvious. Did that guy, who had nothing but his own body, have enough money to solve both problems? Above all…
“Well, let’s say he got the money somehow. But if that was the case, Lee Sehwa wouldn’t be alive like that.”
To Ki Tae-jeong, Lee Sehwa’s face wasn’t bad at all. Even if he were a loan shark, and a guy like Sehwa came to him on his own while exposing all his weaknesses, he would never have behaved calmly. He must have kept squeezing out profit until the customer was no longer useful, and then he probably disassembled and sold off the body piece by piece, just like the debtors struggling and dissecting internal organs in the underground workshop a while ago.
“Then, it seems Lieutenant Kim succeeded? Could such a drug really exist…”
Ki Tae-jeong blew out a long smoke without saying anything. It was an unspoken affirmation.
The form of war had evolved in various ways. However, no matter what advanced weaponry was developed, humans were still the ones making crucial judgments. Whether in command, infiltration operations, large-scale sieges, or whatever it may be, human actions determine the beginning and end.
Considering all the possible weapons that could have emerged, the military had decided to focus on cultivating specialists for warfare. They sought individuals with outstanding physical abilities, combat-oriented judgment, and a disposition loyal to survival and obedience—more like obedient beasts than humans.
Ki Tae-jeong was the initial subject of this project, one of the few survivors. Initially, his destined family name was not Ki but Ga. He belonged to the ‘Ga’ group among those divided from the ‘Ga’ to ‘Ha’ family names.
‘Still, the Ki family might have received less mockery than the Ga family, right? Changing it to Kim would be too obvious, but Ki should be fine; I can just say I made a mistake…’
At the time, the person in charge of handling the registration documents changed the surnames of the children who belonged to ‘Ga’ group to ‘Ki’ after much consideration. ‘Tae-jeong(a place name)’ was the location of his first successful operation. The names of other kids followed the same pattern. Tan-hwan(bullets), Taeng-keu(tanks), Ji-loe (mines)… there were even guys who received such names, but ‘Tae-jeong’ was relatively acceptable.
He was grateful for the consideration of the person in charge who cared about him, but at that time and even now, Ki Tae-jeong had no other thoughts. He was an orphan before joining the military, and he was a test subject for ‘Ga’ family when he was confined in a concentration camp, then after he was commissioned, he was called the final weapon. Nobody ever called him by his first name, and there would never be one in the future. He survived to an almost absurd degree. He somehow managed to survive and was promoted to Brigadier General. Talking about his last or first name and sinking into regrets seemed as far away as the sky beneath his feet.
“However, to say that Lee Sehwa became pregnant with the medicine made by Lieutenant Kim…”
“Lieutenant Kim is Captain Oh Seon-ran. I heard they’ve been getting closer for a few years now as they seem to be on the same side?”
“Yes. It is known that Captain Oh is more opposed to ‘Harvest’ than anyone else.”
Realizing how convenient monsters like Ki Tae-jeong were, the military wanted to produce more similar human weapons. However, all the similar experiments that followed were complete failures.
The discouraged researchers eventually came up with the idea of inheriting genes. They argued that when excellent soldiers mate, the likelihood of producing an equally amazing killing machine increases. Now, they were spouting nonsensical rhetoric about the greatness of nature or the instincts of reproduction, even though it was all rubbish. Naturally, the best candidate for the program was Ki Tae-jeong.
At first, he thought it was nonsense. There were clearly men born with bodies capable of pregnancy, yet they insisted on manipulating an impossible physique. It was both troublesome and, above all, there was no guarantee that the physical characteristics of the child made in this way would be exceptional. Yet, some officials thought it was a great idea and proceeded with the project, even giving it the name ‘Harvest’. It was evident that they were motivated by the thought of receiving bribes from various pharmaceutical companies.
“I don’t know if it was an order from Oh Seon-ran, or whether that quack Lieutenant Kim staged alone… we need to uproot all of this.”
That way, even the scumbags who wanted him to have a baby would slowly disappear.
Even if it weren’t for the ‘Harvest’ project, a number of officials wished to receive a child, or rather an heir, from Ki Tae-jeong. It was a time when rank badges were the ultimate privilege. Regardless of what Ki Tae-jeong thought, he was the youngest Brigadier General, so the child he bore could remain on active duty until the child was commissioned. Furthermore, as an orphan with an unknown past, they calculated that they could fully claim Ki Tae-jeong’s lineage with the only legal bloodline and parental rights available.
So, those bastards who were captivated by wealth and prestige began to chase after Ki Tae-jeong and fall into the murky water. Kidnapping, intentional estrus, blackmail… Of course, it never worked on him, but it was still a damn nuisance. Ki Tae-jeong felt angry, especially if it involved drugs and children.
“Isn’t it getting more interesting than you thought? There must be a reason why Lieutenant Kim pretended to object to ‘Harvest’ in front of Oh Seon-ran.”
Well, in truth, the reason was obvious. He had something to hide from others, probably related to money issues, given his experiences so far. Bribes, illegal funds, tax evasion… Those sorts of things. It could be all of them.
“It seems… Lieutenant Kim might have wanted to appear unrelated to the bribes and kickbacks he received from pharmaceutical companies, right?”
“I was thinking of messing with Lieutenant Kim, so I tried to soak my feet in it… But at this rate, I might earn enough accomplishments to retire.”
Lieutenant Kim was the eldest son of a long-standing medical field and the key figure in the ‘Harvest’ project. Most likely, over half of the drugs that people secretly tried to use on Ki Tae-jeong came from his pockets.
Even though the drug didn’t do any serious damage, it was annoying and irritating, and Ki Tae-jeong was determined to kill that bastard someday. He caught the situation that the guy was going out of the castle suspiciously. Lieutenant Kim was a drug addict. It was a known fact, so everyone didn’t seem to care, but Ki Tae-jeong at the time was in the mood for trouble. It was right after he returned from destroying a small country by himself. He wanted to break something, do something reckless; every fiber of his being was trembling with anticipation. So, he attached someone to Lieutenant Kim. Ki Tae-jeong wanted to catch him in the act and kill him for real this time.
But then, lo and behold, this wasn’t just the actions of a simple addict. There was something more. It seemed clear that he was distributing drugs, at least on a fairly large scale. Even if there was an inkling of trust, it was a matter that couldn’t be brushed off lightly. Actually, this was enough. However… Thanks to Lee Sehwa, it seemed that he would be able to reap unexpected harvests. ‘Harvest’… It was a term he wanted to use on this side.
“If we present this to the Oh family or to those opposing figures related to Lieutenant Kim’s family… I think you can be discharged within a year, Brigadier General. Captain Oh Seon-ran is a person who works at his will on the side of the enemy, so he has had his share of dissatisfaction from the elders, and… Not to mention Lieutenant Kim’s family.”
Ki Tae-jeong let out a scoff. Boys who enlisted around the age of ten or twelve had to be tied to the military for at least forty years. However, if they achieved exceptional accomplishments, their mandatory service could be shortened. As a result, a few who survived would often dive into dangerous missions. So the few who survived would jump into dangerous missions like moths. Although they were treated badly, they were able to accumulate a lot of money in the military, and they naively dreamed of getting out of the army as soon as possible and living a normal life with this money.
Ki Tae-jeong didn’t have such a cute hope. He had just piled up accomplishments to ward off those bastards who were trying to manipulate him. Because of the huge feat he achieved by single-handedly defeating an enemy country, he had five more years left in the service. If this matter was properly dug up, it seemed that, as Lieutenant Park said, he could be discharged within a year. It made him feel excited to think that the faces of the old folks who had tried to tie him down in the military would be pleasantly distorted.
“Brigadier General, as you probably know, the incident itself doesn’t seem too difficult. However…”
“I know. It’s a matter of how much evidence we have.”
Avoiding Lieutenant Kim’s watchful eyes, making contact with the House leader, and not showing one’s face was challenging. Even though it wasn’t openly discussed, if someone paid attention and delved into it, anyone could have guessed the suspicion surrounding Lieutenant Kim.
The use of the name “Harvest” for an unofficial and unauthorized project, especially one involving human experimentation outside of the military and even using drug smuggling routes, was undoubtedly a serious problem. Although the drug that allegedly allows pregnancy is unlikely to be made entirely of narcotics, it was clear that it contained dangerous substances that had not been formally approved.
This year marks the 15th anniversary of the Treaty on the prohibition of human experimentation. Of course, everyone would engage in illicit activities behind the scenes, but the fact remains that nations all over the world agreed to this treaty due to their discontent with seeing others succeed. If anyone were to be caught, the entire world would be able to condemn and scrutinize them.
Still, the reason Lieutenant Kim behaves so carefree must be because he has a corner to believe in. He likely planned to shift the blame for the manufacturing process and drug distribution to Lee Sehwa. It would be framed as the criminal activities of an illegal house, and he was investigating during an undercover operation. If they provided criminals’ identities, even if the world doubted it, it would be challenging for other countries to make any further accusations.
“Even if it wasn’t me, there must have been individuals interested in this matter. Nevertheless, the fact that Lieutenant Kim’s business has been going well so far without any problems…”
Frankly, it was probably because it was bothersome. Handling an open and obvious situation where everything was on display was sometimes more challenging than clandestine missions shrouded in secrecy. Furthermore, other officers weren’t directly involved in ‘Harvest’ like Ki Tae-jeong. So, they would’ve taken a glimpse and quickly backed away. They probably wanted to avoid getting entangled and decided to wait for someone else to uncover the truth.
“First of all, let’s organize the people who will welcome the weakness of Lieutenant Kim’s family. Of course, including Captain Oh. If we approach it from the angle that the enemy of our enemy is our ally, we might be able to establish cooperation.”
“Have you secured the evidence of Lieutenant Kim transporting drugs and experimenting through Lee Sehwa?”
“Yes, we have the oral testimony of other smugglers.”
“Is that all?”
“Well, it is, but we’ve secured the CCTV footage along the smuggling route based on their testimonies. Lieutenant Kim and Lee Sehwa are going to make contact several more times in the future, so if we record holographic images of Lee sehwa at that time…”
“No. That’s not enough.”
Ki Tae-jeong tapped his temple rhythmically with his fingertips. It was a habit that emerged whenever he was deep in thought.
“The crucial hypothesis now is that Lee sehwa became capable of pregnancy due to Lieutenant Kim’s drug, right? It’s about using the illicit production method stolen from an unauthorized project and conducting human experiments on the legally unprotected lower classes. Moreover, it will be the focus of the trial that during this process, even high-ranking officers received money under the table.”
“Yes, but…”
“Did you say that Lieutenant Kim and Lee Sehwa were going to contact each other?”
“Yes. The remaining drugs will have to be taken care of, and above all, if it is true that Lee Sehwa’s constitution has changed that way, Lieutenant Kim will definitely reach out. Until then, if we can manipulate Lee sehwa well enough and orchestrate a scenario where he can discuss the drugs Lieutenant Kim manufactured, it would be a flawless strategy.”
“Hmm…”
“I will do my best so that the Brigadier General will not be bothered by this matter.”
“Then, on top of that, wouldn’t the game be over if Lee Sehwa really got pregnant?”
“All installations are complete.”
After a modest salute, the people under his command retreated. When Ki Tae-jeong tapped the tablet grimly, a hologram floated up. It was a three-dimensional plan that allowed one to look into not only the current office but also the major passageways inside the house.
“Even if it’s a bit late, the installation of the surveillance devices should be finished by tomorrow evening.”
“Should be finished?”
“…It will be. I’ll make sure.”
“Pull yourself together, Lieutenant Park. Just because we’re imitating those thugs right now, don’t forget your duty.”
“I will keep it in mind.”
Ki Tae-jeong clicked his tongue and snapped his fingers. When the image was enlarged, the scenery inside became more visible. The people who were moving looked like toy soldiers on the small screen. This appeared to be the office of the boss. If so, the person sitting in the office chair must be the boss, petting his newly made nameplate… Because this was the House, those who diligently play with their hands must be the players. Then the individuals lingering hesitantly in the back, retreating intermittently, were they the operatives in the midst of a mission?
“They seem to be moving too obviously.”
“We thought it might be better to move decisively as guests will be arriving soon. If the hired guys waver in front of the guests, the surveillance team might find them suspicious.”
The disguising soldiers began to leave the exit in perfect order. Inside the twin buildings, from the 7th basement floor to the 7th above ground, the interior of this towering vertical city was as intricate as an anthill. While the main attraction was a gambling parlor revolving around playing cards, there were also floors with casino games complete with dealers and places with several large rings laid out. In other rooms structured similarly to offices, regular patrons were being entertained by hostesses, while in the underground workshop, the debtors were being ripped alive.
“Even though they’re just a bunch of thugs, but… There’s nothing wrong with being careful. A mission that’s overly straightforward and visible tends to have the highest chance of failure.”
“Yes. So, how do we deal with Lee Sehwa?”
“Lee Sehwa…”
Lee Sehwa, Lee Sehwa… Ki Tae-jeong buried himself deep into the sofa’s backrest and muttered the unfamiliar name in his mouth.
“How long has it been since the patch was attached?”
“Over forty minutes.”
“He must have flipped over, unable to withstand the intense heat.”
Sehwa looked like he was about to cry and was dragged to the bathroom. At first, it sounded like he was shouting something, but now he was quiet. Come to think of it, it had been a while since the sound of water had stopped. Did he manage to wash off that strange smell? Even if he tried to use tanning spray, it was probably a cheap product, so it would have easily come off.
“He must have some skills if he could manage that. But he’s been living like this until now.”
When Ki Tae-jeong snapped his fingers, the youthful face in the hologram shook slightly. Just like crying.
To forge official documents requires a considerable amount of money. Moving residence wasn’t any different. A place where residents outside of the Castle can easily come up with a large sum of money? It was obvious. Did that guy, who had nothing but his own body, have enough money to solve both problems? Above all…
“Well, let’s say he got the money somehow. But if that was the case, Lee Sehwa wouldn’t be alive like that.”
To Ki Tae-jeong, Lee Sehwa’s face wasn’t bad at all. Even if he were a loan shark, and a guy like Sehwa came to him on his own while exposing all his weaknesses, he would never have behaved calmly. He must have kept squeezing out profit until the customer was no longer useful, and then he probably disassembled and sold off the body piece by piece, just like the debtors struggling and dissecting internal organs in the underground workshop a while ago.
“Then, it seems Lieutenant Kim succeeded? Could such a drug really exist…”
Ki Tae-jeong blew out a long smoke without saying anything. It was an unspoken affirmation.
The form of war had evolved in various ways. However, no matter what advanced weaponry was developed, humans were still the ones making crucial judgments. Whether in command, infiltration operations, large-scale sieges, or whatever it may be, human actions determine the beginning and end.
Considering all the possible weapons that could have emerged, the military had decided to focus on cultivating specialists for warfare. They sought individuals with outstanding physical abilities, combat-oriented judgment, and a disposition loyal to survival and obedience—more like obedient beasts than humans.
Ki Tae-jeong was the initial subject of this project, one of the few survivors. Initially, his destined family name was not Ki but Ga. He belonged to the ‘Ga’ group among those divided from the ‘Ga’ to ‘Ha’ family names.
‘Still, the Ki family might have received less mockery than the Ga family, right? Changing it to Kim would be too obvious, but Ki should be fine; I can just say I made a mistake…’
At the time, the person in charge of handling the registration documents changed the surnames of the children who belonged to ‘Ga’ group to ‘Ki’ after much consideration. ‘Tae-jeong(a place name)’ was the location of his first successful operation. The names of other kids followed the same pattern. Tan-hwan(bullets), Taeng-keu(tanks), Ji-loe (mines)… there were even guys who received such names, but ‘Tae-jeong’ was relatively acceptable.
He was grateful for the consideration of the person in charge who cared about him, but at that time and even now, Ki Tae-jeong had no other thoughts. He was an orphan before joining the military, and he was a test subject for ‘Ga’ family when he was confined in a concentration camp, then after he was commissioned, he was called the final weapon. Nobody ever called him by his first name, and there would never be one in the future. He survived to an almost absurd degree. He somehow managed to survive and was promoted to Brigadier General. Talking about his last or first name and sinking into regrets seemed as far away as the sky beneath his feet.
“However, to say that Lee Sehwa became pregnant with the medicine made by Lieutenant Kim…”
“Lieutenant Kim is Captain Oh Seon-ran. I heard they’ve been getting closer for a few years now as they seem to be on the same side?”
“Yes. It is known that Captain Oh is more opposed to ‘Harvest’ than anyone else.”
Realizing how convenient monsters like Ki Tae-jeong were, the military wanted to produce more similar human weapons. However, all the similar experiments that followed were complete failures.
The discouraged researchers eventually came up with the idea of inheriting genes. They argued that when excellent soldiers mate, the likelihood of producing an equally amazing killing machine increases. Now, they were spouting nonsensical rhetoric about the greatness of nature or the instincts of reproduction, even though it was all rubbish. Naturally, the best candidate for the program was Ki Tae-jeong.
At first, he thought it was nonsense. There were clearly men born with bodies capable of pregnancy, yet they insisted on manipulating an impossible physique. It was both troublesome and, above all, there was no guarantee that the physical characteristics of the child made in this way would be exceptional. Yet, some officials thought it was a great idea and proceeded with the project, even giving it the name ‘Harvest’. It was evident that they were motivated by the thought of receiving bribes from various pharmaceutical companies.
“I don’t know if it was an order from Oh Seon-ran, or whether that quack Lieutenant Kim staged alone… we need to uproot all of this.”
That way, even the scumbags who wanted him to have a baby would slowly disappear.
Even if it weren’t for the ‘Harvest’ project, a number of officials wished to receive a child, or rather an heir, from Ki Tae-jeong. It was a time when rank badges were the ultimate privilege. Regardless of what Ki Tae-jeong thought, he was the youngest Brigadier General, so the child he bore could remain on active duty until the child was commissioned. Furthermore, as an orphan with an unknown past, they calculated that they could fully claim Ki Tae-jeong’s lineage with the only legal bloodline and parental rights available.
So, those bastards who were captivated by wealth and prestige began to chase after Ki Tae-jeong and fall into the murky water. Kidnapping, intentional estrus, blackmail… Of course, it never worked on him, but it was still a damn nuisance. Ki Tae-jeong felt angry, especially if it involved drugs and children.
“Isn’t it getting more interesting than you thought? There must be a reason why Lieutenant Kim pretended to object to ‘Harvest’ in front of Oh Seon-ran.”
Well, in truth, the reason was obvious. He had something to hide from others, probably related to money issues, given his experiences so far. Bribes, illegal funds, tax evasion… Those sorts of things. It could be all of them.
“It seems… Lieutenant Kim might have wanted to appear unrelated to the bribes and kickbacks he received from pharmaceutical companies, right?”
“I was thinking of messing with Lieutenant Kim, so I tried to soak my feet in it… But at this rate, I might earn enough accomplishments to retire.”
Lieutenant Kim was the eldest son of a long-standing medical field and the key figure in the ‘Harvest’ project. Most likely, over half of the drugs that people secretly tried to use on Ki Tae-jeong came from his pockets.
Even though the drug didn’t do any serious damage, it was annoying and irritating, and Ki Tae-jeong was determined to kill that bastard someday. He caught the situation that the guy was going out of the castle suspiciously. Lieutenant Kim was a drug addict. It was a known fact, so everyone didn’t seem to care, but Ki Tae-jeong at the time was in the mood for trouble. It was right after he returned from destroying a small country by himself. He wanted to break something, do something reckless; every fiber of his being was trembling with anticipation. So, he attached someone to Lieutenant Kim. Ki Tae-jeong wanted to catch him in the act and kill him for real this time.
But then, lo and behold, this wasn’t just the actions of a simple addict. There was something more. It seemed clear that he was distributing drugs, at least on a fairly large scale. Even if there was an inkling of trust, it was a matter that couldn’t be brushed off lightly. Actually, this was enough. However… Thanks to Lee Sehwa, it seemed that he would be able to reap unexpected harvests. ‘Harvest’… It was a term he wanted to use on this side.
“If we present this to the Oh family or to those opposing figures related to Lieutenant Kim’s family… I think you can be discharged within a year, Brigadier General. Captain Oh Seon-ran is a person who works at his will on the side of the enemy, so he has had his share of dissatisfaction from the elders, and… Not to mention Lieutenant Kim’s family.”
Ki Tae-jeong let out a scoff. Boys who enlisted around the age of ten or twelve had to be tied to the military for at least forty years. However, if they achieved exceptional accomplishments, their mandatory service could be shortened. As a result, a few who survived would often dive into dangerous missions. So the few who survived would jump into dangerous missions like moths. Although they were treated badly, they were able to accumulate a lot of money in the military, and they naively dreamed of getting out of the army as soon as possible and living a normal life with this money.
Ki Tae-jeong didn’t have such a cute hope. He had just piled up accomplishments to ward off those bastards who were trying to manipulate him. Because of the huge feat he achieved by single-handedly defeating an enemy country, he had five more years left in the service. If this matter was properly dug up, it seemed that, as Lieutenant Park said, he could be discharged within a year. It made him feel excited to think that the faces of the old folks who had tried to tie him down in the military would be pleasantly distorted.
“Brigadier General, as you probably know, the incident itself doesn’t seem too difficult. However…”
“I know. It’s a matter of how much evidence we have.”
Avoiding Lieutenant Kim’s watchful eyes, making contact with the House leader, and not showing one’s face was challenging. Even though it wasn’t openly discussed, if someone paid attention and delved into it, anyone could have guessed the suspicion surrounding Lieutenant Kim.
The use of the name “Harvest” for an unofficial and unauthorized project, especially one involving human experimentation outside of the military and even using drug smuggling routes, was undoubtedly a serious problem. Although the drug that allegedly allows pregnancy is unlikely to be made entirely of narcotics, it was clear that it contained dangerous substances that had not been formally approved.
This year marks the 15th anniversary of the Treaty on the prohibition of human experimentation. Of course, everyone would engage in illicit activities behind the scenes, but the fact remains that nations all over the world agreed to this treaty due to their discontent with seeing others succeed. If anyone were to be caught, the entire world would be able to condemn and scrutinize them.
Still, the reason Lieutenant Kim behaves so carefree must be because he has a corner to believe in. He likely planned to shift the blame for the manufacturing process and drug distribution to Lee Sehwa. It would be framed as the criminal activities of an illegal house, and he was investigating during an undercover operation. If they provided criminals’ identities, even if the world doubted it, it would be challenging for other countries to make any further accusations.
“Even if it wasn’t me, there must have been individuals interested in this matter. Nevertheless, the fact that Lieutenant Kim’s business has been going well so far without any problems…”
Frankly, it was probably because it was bothersome. Handling an open and obvious situation where everything was on display was sometimes more challenging than clandestine missions shrouded in secrecy. Furthermore, other officers weren’t directly involved in ‘Harvest’ like Ki Tae-jeong. So, they would’ve taken a glimpse and quickly backed away. They probably wanted to avoid getting entangled and decided to wait for someone else to uncover the truth.
“First of all, let’s organize the people who will welcome the weakness of Lieutenant Kim’s family. Of course, including Captain Oh. If we approach it from the angle that the enemy of our enemy is our ally, we might be able to establish cooperation.”
“Have you secured the evidence of Lieutenant Kim transporting drugs and experimenting through Lee Sehwa?”
“Yes, we have the oral testimony of other smugglers.”
“Is that all?”
“Well, it is, but we’ve secured the CCTV footage along the smuggling route based on their testimonies. Lieutenant Kim and Lee Sehwa are going to make contact several more times in the future, so if we record holographic images of Lee sehwa at that time…”
“No. That’s not enough.”
Ki Tae-jeong tapped his temple rhythmically with his fingertips. It was a habit that emerged whenever he was deep in thought.
“The crucial hypothesis now is that Lee sehwa became capable of pregnancy due to Lieutenant Kim’s drug, right? It’s about using the illicit production method stolen from an unauthorized project and conducting human experiments on the legally unprotected lower classes. Moreover, it will be the focus of the trial that during this process, even high-ranking officers received money under the table.”
“Yes, but…”
“Did you say that Lieutenant Kim and Lee Sehwa were going to contact each other?”
“Yes. The remaining drugs will have to be taken care of, and above all, if it is true that Lee Sehwa’s constitution has changed that way, Lieutenant Kim will definitely reach out. Until then, if we can manipulate Lee sehwa well enough and orchestrate a scenario where he can discuss the drugs Lieutenant Kim manufactured, it would be a flawless strategy.”
“Hmm…”
“I will do my best so that the Brigadier General will not be bothered by this matter.”
“Then, on top of that, wouldn’t the game be over if Lee Sehwa really got pregnant?”
