novelraw Chapter 97 : Chapter 97
Chapter 97 : Chapter 97
Chapter 97 Route Hijacking
Daytime, a quiet residential area on the outskirts.
A village where the rustic mood of the countryside and the sleekness of the city were exquisitely blended.
Pyo Seok-jung's mansion was located there.
A mansion surrounded by high walls exceeding the height of the house roof.
This place, reminiscent of a citadel or fortress, was none other than Pyo Seok-jung's house.
A high wall, a moderately large two-story house, and a yard filling the empty space between them.
The garden, well-groomed by a high-paid gardener, had a simple yet elegant taste.
Pyo Seok-jung pushed a cup of black tea toward his wife and said.
"Here."
"Thank you."
The Pyo Seok-jung couple was enjoying refreshments at a tea table set up in the yard.
Moderately warm sunshine, quiet air, and the leisure emanating from it.
That leisure was maintained by thick walls, dozens of CCTVs, and troops stationed throughout the village.
In this world, safety and leisure were very expensive commodities.
Therefore, this tea time was a very expensive tea time.
"How is it?"
"It's delicious. Somehow, your skill in brewing tea hasn't changed since you were young."
"If it's like this, I should have just been a café owner instead of a politician."
"If you did, you would have died early."
"Becoming a politician wasn't much different anyway. Only enemies increased. And......"
Pyo Seok-jung put down his teacup with a hardened expression and said.
"...Don't talk about dying carelessly."
"Huhu."
Both cheeks of his faintly smiling wife were sunken.
Pathological dimples caused by a long struggle with illness.
This was exactly why Pyo Seok-jung retired early.
To nurse his wife.
The name of the disease his wife suffered from was 'Dokjak-jeung' (Poison Spasm).
A disease first reported around the year 2180.
The problem was that it was classified as an incurable disease even now in 2200.
Because the number of affected patients was small enough to count on one hand, almost no research had been conducted.
Due to that, information on the cause and mechanism of the disease remained a mystery.
Of course, Pyo Seok-jung tried hard to find a cure somehow using the wealth he possessed.
But ultimately he didn't succeed, and he chose retirement.
To enjoy even a little more time with his wife, who didn't have much time left.
Of course, it wasn't easy.
"Kuh...!"
His wife suddenly clutched her chest and curled up.
It was a seizure.
A seizure that, once occurred, stiffened all muscles in the body and drove the patient to death within minutes.
Such seizures struck irregularly at intervals as short as a few hours or as long as a few days.
These irregular seizures were the main symptom of Poison Spasm.
HISS-
Pyo Seok-jung quickly stuck a syringe into her neck.
As the drug was injected, the seizure subsided, and the stiffness was released.
This was the only treatment for Poison Spasm.
Symptomatic treatment.
A treatment that merely relieved superficial symptoms whenever they occurred.
In other words, fundamental treatment was impossible, and only makeshift responses were possible.
"...Are you okay?"
His wife, having no strength to answer, only nodded faintly.
Looking down at such a wife, tears welled up in his eyes.
'If only I could cure her.'
If only I could do that, I would pay any price.
Thinking so, Pyo Seok-jung hugged his wife tightly.
* * *
"If only I could cure my wife's illness, I would pay any price. This is Pyo Seok-jung's current psychological state."
Not long ago, during a call with Joseph, Riman said this.
To this, Joseph asked.
"But how are you going to drag Pyo Seok-jung in through that? Do you perhaps know a cure for Poison Spasm?"
"Even if I knew, it's actually not very useful at this point."
"Not useful?"
"Think about it, Mr. Joseph. If a stranger suddenly appears and says 'If you take this medicine, your Poison Spasm will be completely cured!', could you believe that?"
"...Even if there is a cure, delivering it is the problem."
"Yes. That's why piercing a route to deliver the cure is the priority."
"How the route......?"
"Currently, Pyo Seok-jung receives symptom relief medication from only one doctor. Practically, that's the only route."
"Aha, you intend to recruit that doctor to approach Pyo Seok-jung and deliver the cure."
"Recruit? No. I'm going to cut that doctor off."
"Pardon?"
"And we will take that spot."
* * *
"Yes, sir. Then I will visit you in an hour."
Dr. Peterson hung up the phone.
The person he spoke with was Pyo Seok-jung.
Thomas Peterson, this man was the only person supplying symptom relief medication to Pyo Seok-jung's wife.
"Now then, shall we check one last time before leaving."
Peterson looked down at the dozens of syringes in his bag.
All syringes containing symptom relief medication for Poison Spasm.
Peterson counted the number of syringes, closed the bag, and prepared to leave.
"I'm going on a house call."
"Take care."
Peterson greeted the nurse at the desk and came out of his clinic.
At that time.
"Mr. Thomas Peterson?"
A group of police blocked Peterson.
Peterson was flustered.
"What is this right now......"
"Police. A report came in. We'll examine the inside of the clinic for a moment."
"L-Look here! What nonsense is that! Get out!! Get out!!"
Peterson struggled and blocked the clinic entrance, but the police barged in as they were.
"A report came in that drug administration is taking place in this clinic."
"What bullshit is that! Get out right now?! Do you know who I am......"
"Here it is!!"
The police found them in the patient rooms inside the clinic.
People lying down with glazed eyes.
Everyone had syringes stuck in their arms, were holding suspicious straws, or sucking on something similar to cigarettes.
None of them were wearing patient gowns.
This place was a drug den disguised as a clinic.
Making full use of the characteristics of a hospital where all kinds of drugs come and go freely, a convenient business where one can enjoy everything from purchase to administration in one course.
The police officer said.
"...Arrest them all."
The patients, no, addicts, were subdued by the police in an instant.
A few rampaged, but they immediately became quiet when tasers hit them.
While arrests were taking place on one side like that, search and seizure were happening on the other.
Computers, documents, everything was carried out, and Peterson's phone was also confiscated.
The bag containing symptom relief medication that Peterson was holding also passed into police hands.
Of course, Peterson himself was arrested as well.
"Mr. Thomas Peterson, you are under arrest for violation of the Narcotics Control Act."
"Excuse me, I can explain all this, it's not what you think, yes?!"
After a storm swept through the clinic like that.
The police officer who commanded this search operation made a call somewhere.
"Yes, Chief."
The one who received his call was Chief Park Jae-il.
"As instructed, we have completed the arrest of Thomas Peterson."
"Good work."
After receiving the report, Park Jae-il immediately contacted Riman.
"Peterson, caught him."
* * *
Next day.
Park Jae-il headed to Pyo Seok-jung's house with a man.
Even though he was a person in the position of a Police Chief, he couldn't avoid a body search at the gate.
The fact that they could force a body search even on a Police Chief.
That itself indirectly revealed Pyo Seok-jung's prestige.
Pyo Seok-jung welcomed Park Jae-il in the living room.
"What brings the Chief all the way to a place like this?"
"I have something to tell you regarding the investigation of Dr. Peterson."
"Right, if you blew away my wife's attending physician, you must have some excuse. Speak freely."
Pyo Seok-jung openly showed his discomfort.
Of course, Park Jae-il, true to his personality, didn't care and said what he had to say.
"Yesterday, we conducted a complete investigation of the drugs in Peterson's clinic. In the process, we also tested the components of the symptom relief medication that was supposed to go to your wife. In that process, a part that must be told was discovered, so I came."
"What is it?"
"...First, please hear the details from an expert."
Park Jae-il subtly passed the right to speak to the man who came with him.
The man who came with Park Jae-il was none other than Ji Byeong-seo.
Currently, Ji Byeong-seo was operating a pharmaceutical facility within the premises of Ha Myeong-yeol's Doban Brewery.
And Ha Myeong-yeol had a friendly relationship with Park Jae-il.
Thanks to the connection formed across links, Ji Byeong-seo ended up accompanying Park Jae-il.
Ji Byeong-seo took out several sheets of paper, laid them on the table, and said.
"I analyzed the components of the symptom relief medication Peterson possessed. But a component that shouldn't be there was found inside."
"A component that shouldn't be there......?"
"This symptom relief medication contains a trace amount of Magic Stone extract called 'Cocnum'."
"Magic Stone extract?"
"Yes. Originally, it is a component used in potion making, but it is a component that absolutely must not enter the body of an ordinary person."
"What does that mean......?!"
"If accumulated in the body of a person who is not a mana user, it causes abnormalities in the muscles. And as far as I know, your wife is not a mana user......"
"T-That......"
Pyo Seok-jung turned pale.
His wife sitting next to him was the same.
Ji Byeong-seo continued speaking.
"Probably your wife is currently feeling a lot of discomfort in muscle movement. And when a seizure occurs, the body will stiffen completely."
"That is a natural symptom of Poison Spasm......"
"But it isn't this severe. According to papers, Poison Spasm patients can at least inject themselves even if a seizure occurs. But your wife isn't like that, is she?"
Completely stiffened, in a state where she would inevitably die unless someone injected her from the side.
As Ji Byeong-seo's reasoning reached this point, Pyo Seok-jung felt goosebumps rising along his spine.
"Then just why... why on earth put such a component in the injection......?"
To this question, Park Jae-il answered again.
"We also thought it strange. No matter how shady a doctor is, they usually perform general medical practices normally. But in this case... we judged that the possibility of someone's instigation is highest."
"Instigation......?"
"Yes. And the outline has emerged to some extent."
Park Jae-il took out a few sheets of paper from his bag and held them out.
It was Peterson's call and messenger records.
"Upon checking, it was confirmed that he consistently and periodically exchanged contact with a specific number. Well, it will take some time to prove the connection between this and this crime......"
"Who is it?"
"Yes?"
"Who on earth is this person who periodically talked with Peterson?"
"...It is not yet the time to discuss suspicion. Please calm down first......"
"I asked who! Whose number is this number!!"
Park Jae-il took a brief deep breath and said.
"It's Mayor Cha Hak-jun."
* * *
"...You mean the worsening of Pyo Seok-jung's wife's condition itself was because of Cha Hak-jun?!"
"Yes. Cha Hak-jun pulled strings to force Pyo Seok-jung into retirement. Since Pyo Seok-jung's aspect as a devoted husband was originally famous."
"Then if Pyo Seok-jung finds out about that......"
"His anger will now be directed at Cha Hak-jun. Even just to strike Cha Hak-jun, he has no choice but to return to the political world."
At Riman's explanation, Joseph nodded.
At the same time, he felt a slight chill.
Just how does this human Leman know such information?
"But the situation is turning out very conveniently. Even if putting Cocnum in the drug was instigated, to think he was even operating a drug den perfectly for the police to touch......"
"Actually, Peterson committed many crimes besides that. It's just that that item was the best to tie him up with."
"Ah?"
"Bad guys usually don't do just one bad thing."
"Aha......"
The first button of the Cha Hak-jun subjugation, dragging in Pyo Seok-jung.
The first step of the operation began like that.