Chapter 39: Ant Hell

Tap—

“Brother, where’d your mind wander off to? I told you to stay close to me.”

“Ah, sorry.”

Hwang Yunggu clicked his tongue in annoyance after I got swept away by the crowd while he hurried ahead through the market alley.

The marketplace, connected directly to the redevelopment district, sold everything imaginable — livestock, medicinal herbs, and countless other goods.

Its history stretched back so far that every surrounding building had long since decayed, giving the entire area a dark and ominous atmosphere.

Then again, the shelter itself wasn’t exactly cheerful either.

Still, the sight of half-conscious people drinking straight from liquor bottles in broad daylight across the empty streets was disturbing enough for anyone to feel uncomfortable.

“Is the shop still far away?”

“It’s not that far, but apparently there’s a cockfight happening in the market this morning, so the crowds are insane. If we want to get through this mess before sunset, it’ll be rough.”

Rain had poured all night long, leaving puddles scattered across the marketplace floor.

Without caring at all about muddy water splashing onto his shoes, Hwang Yunggu grabbed my wrist tightly and slowly pushed through the crowd.

The deafening noise made my head ache.

When I glanced toward the source, I saw enormous fighting roosters inside cramped cages, each wearing numbered tags around their necks while shrieking loudly.

But strangely enough, the people surrounding the arena horrified me far more than the chickens trapped inside the cages.

They screamed wildly while waving betting tags in the air, completely consumed by excitement.

It felt as though none of them realized they themselves were trapped inside an even larger cage called District 3.

And perhaps because of that, they vented their frustrations on creatures even weaker than themselves.

For the first time, I began to understand why Hwang Yunggu had warned me earlier to ignore whatever I saw.

Clatter—

“…These f*cking junkies, seriously. Their eyes are half gone already, but they still cling onto people like pros. Hey, brother. You didn’t lose anything, did you?”

“No. Nothing.”

“Well, that’s lucky. Let’s head inside then. If we get any later, they might refuse to let us in. Drug dealers aren’t exactly social people.”

After struggling through the crowd, we finally arrived at a remote herbal shop with a short sign hanging above the shutter that read:

We Sell Deer Antlers.

Hwang Yunggu cautiously looked around several times before loosely clenching his fist and knocking against the rusty shutter.

Rattle—

Not long after, the tightly closed door opened halfway.

An old wrinkled hand suddenly stretched out from inside.

The elderly man beckoned for us to come in.

Hwang Yunggu grabbed my hesitant hand and ducked into the pharmacy.

Despite the storefront advertising medicinal herbs wholesale, the inside carried none of the strong herbal scent one would expect.

“…Doesn’t look like fishermen. Customers?”

“Yes. Not me — the young master next to me has some business with the pharmacy. Ah, is the owner here by any chance?”

“…Chairman Han isn’t someone first-time visitors can casually mention.”

“Come on now, we were properly introduced. Apparently the owner here is a friend of this young master’s friend. If it isn’t rude, would it be possible to meet him?”

Hwang Yunggu handed over Kim Kyungwoon’s business card and the sticky note while smiling casually.

He looked sly and somewhat frivolous, but as expected from a veteran broker in this field, he wasn’t someone people could easily dismiss.

The old man pulled out a pair of magnifying glasses and examined Kim Kyungwoon’s handwriting with sharp eyes.

“Come inside. Chairman Han stepped out this morning for some business, but he should return around the afternoon.”

“Thank you. Ah, and sorry, but could I trouble you for a glass of water? I’m a little thirsty.”

“…I’ll bring some. By the way, what kind of medicine are you looking for?”

After peeling Hwang Yunggu away from my side, the old man asked me while I rested my exhausted body on the soft sofa.

“…Narcotic painkillers. Preferably something long-lasting, with as few side effects as possible. Money isn’t an issue.”

“…Just like I’d expect from that idiot bastard’s guest. Your demands are ridiculous too….”

“Pardon?”

“Nothing. Once Chairman Han returns, I’ll bring him here. Until then, eat or sleep however you like.”

The old man coughed harshly before disappearing beyond the hallway.

It truly felt as though a red line separated the inside from the outside world.

Unlike the market that resembled an actual ant hell, this place was nearly silent except for the faint, rhythmic hum of machinery.

Hwang Yunggu said something to me a few times, but after staying tense and constantly moving since dawn, exhaustion finally crashed over me.

No matter how hard I tried to force my heavy eyelids open, the sudden feeling of freedom slowly consumed my consciousness.

“Hey, brother. Brother!”

“Ah— yes. Yes, I’m awake.”

“How the hell are you sleeping this deeply? Do you even know what time it is?”

Hwang Yunggu’s low, phlegmy voice pulled me awake.

“Sorry. I only meant to rest my eyes for a moment….”

“Seriously. This isn’t your damn bedroom. First time in my life I’ve seen someone sprawled out sleeping openly inside a drug dealer’s headquarters.”

His tone was rougher than usual.

Alarmed that something might’ve happened, I quickly looked around.

And as expected, a man with strangely sharp features stood near the back of the reception room quietly staring at me.

“Hello.”

“Ah… hello.”

“I heard you were looking for me personally. Through Kyungwoon, no less.”

A smile formed on the man’s face as he slowly approached.

Kim Kyungwoon had mentioned they’d known each other since childhood, and the familiarity in the way he spoke his name made that obvious.

Like the old man earlier, he alternated between studying the sticky note and map written in Kim Kyungwoon’s handwriting before leaning comfortably against the sofa across from me.

“Forgive me for saying this, but my health is in very poor condition. Even with treatment, there doesn’t seem to be much hope. And I’m not in a position where I can legally obtain medicine, which is why I came here for help.”

“Yes, well. The medicines distributed in places like this are all sold to people with circumstances of their own. We don’t ask questions about that.”

“I… see.”

“However, every product we handle — just like the medicines sold on the regular market — comes with side effects. Depending on quality, the side effects may be lighter or more severe, but beyond that, we can’t guarantee anything. Even so, are you still willing to purchase them?”

I hesitated briefly before nodding.

Hwang Yunggu, who clearly hadn’t realized my condition was that serious, widened his eyes in shock but silently kept his mouth shut.

For some reason, the atmosphere inside the reception room suddenly felt much heavier.

Tap—

“This one is a product sold by Company T. Among District 1 residents, especially upper-class clients, it’s very popular. Its effects last three hours longer than competing brands, and the side effects are relatively mild. Aside from the price, it’s excellent in every regard.”

The white pill rolling between the man’s fingers caught my attention.

Truthfully, I’d wanted to give the entire envelope of checks Kim Seokhwan handed me to the people at the shelter.

But perhaps because death felt so close now, I found myself becoming greedy.

“If the price feels burdensome, we also carry products from Companies D and J. They may be slightly inferior in performance, but feel free to choose comfortably.”

“…No. No, it’s fine.”

“?”

“I’ll take the one you just showed me.”

Just once.

At least once before dying.

Wasn’t it alright to spend money entirely for myself?

“Depending on how much you need, the cost will be quite significant. Are you sure?”

“…Yes. I’m sure. I want the one you showed me.”

“Haha. If that’s what our customer wants, we’ll prepare it immediately. How much do you need?”

“Six months’ worth. Actually… make that seven months, just in case.”

As soon as I finished speaking, the man immediately stood up and disappeared toward the back of the reception room.

The smaller men who’d been quietly watching us carefully followed his signals before hurrying off in the opposite direction.

Considering all the terrible rumors surrounding this place, I’d been extremely tense the entire time.

But unexpectedly, the man was surprisingly polite.

He didn’t drag conversations out unnecessarily.

He didn’t test me or look down on me.

He simply explained exactly what I needed to know.

Compared to the terrifying nickname “Ant Hell,” everything was being resolved far too smoothly.

Even Hwang Yunggu, who clearly understood this world far better than I did, looked visibly confused.

“…He seems pretty kind, considering how much you scared me earlier.”

“What? Kind? Who?”

“Chairman Han.”

“Hey, brother. Are you insane? Kind? In this world, there are plenty of people who’d piss themselves hearing just the name Chairman Han.”

Hwang Yunggu recalled the pleasant crescent shape of the man’s smiling eyes before suddenly shivering violently.

“Anyway, I don’t know what kind of person your friend is, but you seriously got lucky. If it weren’t for your connection through him, we could’ve ended up holding a funeral here tonight. Hell, we might’ve been hanging outside like slabs of meat at a butcher shop.”

“…Is he really that terrifying?”

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