episode_0089

Mid-August. The end of summer.

Step step—, the heavy sound of footsteps echoed down the hallway.

He was a man with a large and sturdy body, so much so that the passageway leading to the CEO’s office felt narrow.

A man waited for him in front of the door, bowing his head. After taking off his tight-looking suit and rimless glasses and handing them to the man, he opened the firmly closed door.

“You’ve returned, Chairman-nim. How was your vacation?”

“It’s always the same for me, Secretary Yoon-nim. How about the company?”

“There were no major issues. No particular trouble from ‘the hotel side’ either. However….”

“However…?”

“It seems the media caught something… It would be best if you read it first.”

“It’s fine.”

“………Pardon?”

“It means that matters of this level no longer need to be reported to me.”

“But Chairman-nim, we still don’t have enough people at the desk. If something happens like this, the resolution would be—”

“I know what you mean. If it’s that matter… it might have been resolved soon. No, perhaps it’s already resolved.”

Leaving Secretary Yoon, who was still clueless, behind, he sat down at the neatly organized desk.

【 CEO | Namgeon 】

“I like it.”

Namgeon, who muttered to himself in satisfaction, then entered the code to a secret safe and took out a phone. As he turned it on, messages flooded in as if on cue.

“Representative-nim, it’s Joo Chaebin. If you’re not busy, could I make a quick call?”

“I want to move to the main office now too. I want to stay by your side and help with work. I’ll do anything I can.”

“I apologize for being presumptuous. I just want you to know that I’m always ready. Always have been, from way back when—.”

“I love you, Namgeon-ssi.”

After reading all the messages, Namgeon turned off the phone again and put it back in the safe. Then he sat down and called Secretary Yoon.

“Secretary Yoon, please invite one person to my room in a few days. Her name is Joo Chaebin; I’ll give you her number later.”

“Understood, Chairman-nim.”

“Please do it quietly, without drawing attention.”

After speaking, he closed his eyes and fell into thought.

Domestic and international tourism, hospitality, and even the entertainment industry. Midnight was no longer a company submerged in the shadows. Countless eyes watched Midnight, trying to uncover how Namgeon had risen to this position.

So he had made a decision early on.

To cut off and bury the tails that could become his weaknesses.

He had to sever each troublesome connection one by one. Otherwise, Midnight would forever remain in the shadows.

He easily found the article Secretary Yoon had mentioned. Although he had said he didn’t care, he was curious about who could publish such a bold article at such a sensitive time.

“Hahaha, this… should I go around greeting people to commemorate my ascension to the chairman’s position?”

『The Young Leader of the Business World, Namgeon’s Two Faces _ By Reporter Lee Hyeyeon』

Lee Hyeyeon.

Namgeon also knew the name. About ten years ago, when Namgeon was still the CEO of a small company.

Since then, there was a woman who had seen through his true nature and secretly trailed him. Although it was a small company, she highly disapproved of Namgeon’s company establishment process.

Of course. It was because he hadn’t started the company with a single penny of his own money. All the funds had come, oddly enough, from an airline company.

Coincidentally, the young female CEO of that airline was caught in a sudden affair scandal, and to make matters worse, her husband, a congressman, had become a wreck for unknown reasons and left the country.

Everyone focused on the CEO’s affair partner, but in the end, that partner was never revealed.

Therefore, it was purely coincidental that Hyeyeon captured the scene of the CEO and Namgeon’s secret meeting. As a reporter who had just shed her rookie status, she gathered all the information she could within her scope and delivered it to her superiors.

But all that came back was criticism from her superiors.

“No, so you’re saying that whenever the CEO boarded first class… this man was always in business class? How do you know that? Did someone feed you that information?”

“Well… it’s hard to confirm… but I heard it directly. They were talking in a cafe….”

“You haven’t been stirring up the airline, have you? Don’t be troublesome and just do what you always do. What’s wrong, Hyeyeon-ssi, you’re capable. Lately, your writing skills have noticeably improved, making everyone jealous.”

“Sorry… I’m sorry.”

Hyeyeon didn’t give up. She met with retired flight attendants, visited the school Namgeon attended, and made every effort.

Just as she was getting close to the truth, Chief Producer Choi Junhak of the Entertainment Department approached her. Hyeyeon couldn’t understand why someone considered an influential figure in the entertainment department would come to her, a journalist.

Junhak said he had known the two of them for a long time and offered to help if she ensured that no information about him leaked out.

From then on, Hyeyeon’s investigation began to subtly go astray. The land sale contract Junhak had presented actually belonged to someone else entirely, and the address of the CEO’s husband, who was said to reside overseas, had been invalidated a long time ago.

Thus, Hyeyeon let Namgeon slip right before her eyes.

It was years later that news of ‘Midnight’ reached her.

…………….

“So it was you, Choi Junhak? You’re still the same even in old age.”

Just then, a message was received on Namgeon’s phone.

“Was the prank a bit too much? I even agonized over the article’s title myself.”

He immediately called as soon as he confirmed the content, and Choi Junhak soon answered.

“Congratulations, Representative Namgeon. I suppose I should call you Chairman-nim now. Anyway, it’s incredible. How many people get to that position without a single blemish?”

“I, too, received a lot of help. For having my back all this time.”

“Yes. By the way, you didn’t misunderstand the article, did you? You, of all people, should know.”

“I know. And that you’ll take care of it yourself.”

“It’s all for drawing attention. Reporter Lee Hyeyeon’s name, the ambiguous… and unclear article content, everything. Isn’t it all a means to fish out those who are secretly watching you from the shadows? Just like last time.”

“………I don’t like drastic measures. Not then, not now.”

“But it’s effective, isn’t it? Is Reporter Lee Hyeyeon doing well? I’d like to get a taste.”

“Do as you please. Now if you’ll excuse me……….”

“Wait, wait a minute. I have something to say too. I’ve heard an unsettling rumor lately. That you, Namgeon, are significantly reducing your existing businesses. …Is that true?”

“…………….”

“How foolish—! What do you think put you in that position? You’re already at the pinnacle of this country’s underground world! You’re just going to release the countless people tied to you? Do you think they’ll just keep quiet forever? Think carefully about where your roots are.”

“……Understood.”

Namgeon somewhat irritably threw his phone onto the desk.

Only after coming into the light did he truly realize that no one could shake off their shadow under the sun.

After a moment of thought, he soon hardened his resolve.

He couldn’t eliminate the shadow, but he could conceal it. Forever—.

—Under ash-gray clouds, forever.

…………….

……….

―――――――――――――――.

BEEP BEEP—.

『This is an unregistered user. This is an unregistered user.』

“Just a moment. I will confirm your identities. Both of you, please show your rings.”

Somewhere in the Midnight Hotel’s underground passage. Jiyeon and I, along with Hajunseo, arrived in front of a security checkpoint leading inside. Perhaps because I had been anxious the whole way here, my hands kept sweating.

The men guarding the checkpoint were all robust and sturdy.

The man who had handed back the rings opened his mouth.

“I apologize, but this Diamond Alpha Ring is not in the database. As for the Silver Ring… it shows the owner as Hong Doyun-nim. In such a case, even if you possess an Alpha Ring, you must go through the authentication procedure.”

“What is that?”

“You must remove all your clothes and be photographed. That way, a one-time pass can be created. Would you like to proceed?”

“—Wait. Even if I vouch for them, they can’t enter?”

Just then, Hajunseo, who was behind us, stepped forward.

“If there’s a guarantor, you can pass with a simple procedure. You just need to leave your name and contact information before entering.”

With Hajunseo’s help, we were able to enter Midnight’s basement. After passing the checkpoint, a long corridor stretched out before us. By its appearance, the structure was no different from a hotel hallway.

Hajunseo opened the door without hesitation and entered. The room was entirely white and enclosed on all sides.

“The elevator will arrive soon. You see the gap in the middle of the opposite wall, right?”

“Oh, there……”

“Remember this room. If you enter the wrong room, a siren will go off. This isn’t the only room with an elevator, but you don’t need to know that right now.”

The explanation continued. There are a total of four floors underground: Heart, Clover, Diamond, and Spade.

Hajunseo said that the person we were looking for would probably be on the Clover Floor. He then said he would return to the Heart Floor, where he originally stayed.

“Thank you, Junseo-nim.”

“Please don’t use honorifics carelessly. Here, Diamond Alpha is a rank akin to royalty.”

Before parting ways, he revealed why he had helped us.

“Actually, Serin isn’t my girlfriend. My real girlfriend went missing somewhere here. I only came in this far to find her.”

“If… if that’s the case, we could help…….”

“It’ll probably be difficult. I heard she went to the Spade Floor…. I’ve somehow become no different than anyone else here, but I still want to see her face at least once before I leave.”

“Could I know her name?”

“You might know it. I’m an idol… her name is ‘Cha Joohee’……….”

Honestly, I was surprised. To hear the name Cha Joohee from Hajunseo. To think that Cha Joohee, whom I had just met a few days ago, was Hajunseo’s girlfriend.

He apologized for being harsh to Jiyeon and me on the train. Jiyeon said it was okay, but he put us on the elevator, telling us to hurry and bring out the person we loved.

There were no buttons inside the elevator. While we waited, an announcement voice said, ‘Clover Floor.’

The Clover Floor was a massive hall. As soon as we stepped out of the elevator, a woman greeted us. She was a guide who had come to introduce the Clover Floor.

Her neatly arranged long hair and modest posture were attractive, but her appearance felt somewhat unnatural.

“This is the Main Hall. It’s where auctions of unowned Beta Slaves are held every week, and where strip shows and orgies take place. And…….”

“………?”

“Oh, I-I-I’m so sorry! I didn’t realize you were wearing a Diamond Ring……. If there’s a slave you like, please tell me right away. I’ll have them prepared immediately.”

Seeing the flustered guide, Jiyeon quickly calmed her down. What she hadn’t managed to say bothered me.

“All men on the Clover Floor wear Silver Beta Rings. You’re wearing a Beta Ring too. Does that mean… you are the property of the Master beside you?”

“Uh…… yes.”

“I’m envious. This is where slaves who haven’t been chosen yet come. We hone ourselves here. In any way… to appear attractive to our Masters.”

She unnecessarily hid her flushed face with her hair. Jiyeon stroked her slender-looking shoulders.

“What… what do you mean by that? You’re already so pretty right now….”

“…Thank you. The auction will begin here soon. Before that, I’ll show you around other places.”

We followed the guide deeper inside. The Clover Floor was basically a multi-story structure, and all rooms were made of transparent glass. Therefore, there was no privacy at all.

It was a structure like a prison.

“This is the living quarters. Oh, by the way, have you heard? There are conditions to enter this place. First, you must be an adult male, and you must offer your beloved lover… or wife to Midnight. You can only stay here if you allow yourself to be discarded as a male.”

Next was the kitchen. Fresh meat and vegetables are supplied to the kitchen every day. The men staying here must prepare the best dishes for their Masters every day.

“This is all of the Clover Floor. It’s the most basic yet… open floor among all the floors. For your information, masturbation and sexual acts are forbidden here. However, acts performed by Masters are permitted.”

When we returned to the Main Hall, Jiyeon subtly mentioned.

“Um… thank you, but we’re looking for someone. A woman named Lee Hyeyeon… in her mid to late thirties…….”

“I’m sorry. I don’t know her. Just in case, please watch the auction. The person you mentioned might visit. Now, Masters will arrive from each floor to participate in the auction.”

An announcement that a slave auction was beginning came from somewhere. Immediately after the announcement, the men residing on the Clover Floor all rushed to the front of the hall at once. They were all completely naked, wearing chastity belts over neatly shaven pubic hair.

Soon, the elevator opened, and women wearing masks entered one by one. The men, as if they had been waiting, prostrated themselves to become chairs for the women.

“Those are Masters from the Diamond Floor. Masters with a higher ring rank can sit in the front… would you like to go to the front?”

“No…! It’s really fine. I’ll just stay in the back.”

“But it’ll be uncomfortable for you to see from the back…. It’s a small thing, but please sit on me.”

As the guide hesitated and was about to prostrate himself, Jiyeon stopped her. She said she couldn’t do that and told us to use her.

The moment I saw him take off his clothes and prostrate himself, I realized. The guide was not a woman.

His pretty face and slender waist were utterly unlike a male’s. When I saw his protruding breasts, there wasn’t the slightest doubt, but the penis buried in the chastity belt made me realize he was male.

Below the guide’s navel, a black spade and a tattoo proving he was someone’s slave were etched.

“I’m abandoned now, but I was once a Master’s slave. Thanks to that person, I was able to get this relatively comfortable role as a guide. Please feel free to sit.”

In the end, Jiyeon, with a helpless expression, sat on the guide’s back.

Soon, the auction began. The bidding for the slaves on auction started from 0 won. Near the platform, a competition to win a good slave had already begun.

Jiyeon had no interest in such things. It was because all the slaves were male.

Auntie Hyeyeon was not here. Jiyeon pointed to the women returning after the auction ended and said.

“I want to go to the Diamond Floor. Please guide us to the Diamond Floor.”

“That’s… difficult. I’m forbidden from moving to other floors. Even without me, your inter-floor movement won’t be a problem, Master-nim.”

The guide escorted us to the elevator. After thanking him, we boarded the elevator.

Hajunseo had clearly said that the person we were looking for was highly likely to be on the Clover Floor. But the Clover Floor was a floor only for unchosen males.

“The guide said the Diamond Floor is where the female Masters stay… so my mom will be there too. Let’s go.”

…………….

『Welcome to the Diamond Floor.』

…………….

『Please have pleasant dreams in Midnight.』

…….

【New Lee Hyeyeon Illustration】