Moon Ji-hyeok, the protagonist of the drama "Vampire Detective," is attacked by a True Ancestor Vampire in an alleyway on his way home one day and transformed into a vampire.
However, he doesn't become the typical vampire popularized in mainstream culture.
In this world, vampires appear no different from humans at first glance. They can still function during the day, though their bodies feel heavier.
At night, they exhibit superhuman physical abilities. While they crave blood, they don't necessarily need to consume it.
Moon Ji-hyeok investigates to become human again and eventually uncovers the existence of the Life Orb.
To cut to the drama's conclusion, Moon Ji-hyeok successfully returns to being human. It's a happy ending.
"But this world has a bad ending. I plan to take the Life Orb for myself."
I checked the internet news articles to confirm the current timeline. This was crucial. I intended to play it safe in the early stages, gradually intervene from the mid-point, and then seize the Life Orb in the final act.
- Second Victim in Random Assault Case!
- Police: "We're doing our best to investigate." Still the same empty words.
- Incompetent Guardians of the People! Seoul Citizens Tremble in Fear.
- Where Did the Victim's Blood Go?
"This... this is the starting point of the drama."
Moon Ji-hyeok would become the fifth victim and transform into a vampire. This meant he wasn't a vampire yet.
...Should I just become a vampire myself?
Becoming a vampire would grant me a transcendent physical form. But I quickly shook my head.
The drawbacks far outweighed the advantages. Besides, even if my avatar became a vampire, there was no guarantee I would become one in the real world.
I pondered what I should do.
Should I eliminate the vampire hunters preemptively?
The vampire hunters appear midway through the drama as antagonists who try to kill Moon Ji-hyeok. They're also after the Life Orb, making them obvious obstacles in the later stages.
Even if I can't completely eliminate them, I need to weaken the vampire hunter faction to some extent.
The vampire hunters could become my rivals for the Life Orb.
After deep contemplation, I decided to reduce their numbers to a manageable level.
This is just a fictional world, after all. There's no need to feel guilty.
Everything is for my own benefit.
The hacking session ended.
I reached out and grabbed the mouse, opening the hidden files and documents. They were locked, but I had already cracked the passwords through hacking.
Why is he collecting dirt on congressmen? Is he planning to go into politics?
I chuckled.
It seemed Kang Yujin, the hacker, had a bit of a sense of justice.
Could I use this for blackmail? Or would that be too risky?
Kang Yujin had been collecting dirt on high-ranking public officials: CCTV footage, evidence of document manipulation, and more.
I belatedly realized the true reason behind his actions. It wasn't some cheap sense of justice, but money and insurance for the future. He was gathering incriminating information for profit and security.
Selling this to another politician would fetch a hefty sum.
Politics is ultimately a battle. Knowing a rival politician's corruption means knowing their weakness.
I glanced indifferently at the data until 9 PM, then stood up.
Sitting around like this was making me restless. Or rather, horny. But I had no desire to jerk off even in the Play World.
Might as well fuck an actress. Wait, are they even called actresses in this world?
Whatever.
My first stop was the bank. More precisely, I withdrew cash from an ATM.
I'm not a Genius Hacker for nothing. Who would've thought my assets would be just over 300 million?
I grinned, patting the bulging pockets of my jacket. They contained 50 million in cash.
How foolish. You don't save money just to hoard it. You save it to spend it.
I couldn't understand what Kang Yujin, the Genius Hacker, was trying to achieve. To me, it seemed utterly foolish.
Kang Yujin was only 22 years old�far too young to be worrying about retirement. At that age, you should be living it up, spending freely, and enjoying life to the fullest. Of course, that's just my personal philosophy.
I could take the money into the real world, but it might be treated as counterfeit currency there.
But with a little thought, there's a solution: convert the money into goods before bringing them over. For example, I could buy gold with the money, store it in my inventory, and then sell it in the real world.
Or, I could just rob a jewelry store, take all the merchandise into the real world, and sell it.
With the Pleasure World App, I'd never have to worry about money again.
The Pleasure World App is the ultimate power.
I hummed a tune as I got into a taxi.
"Take me to Yeong Hyejeong," I said.
"Yeong Hyejeong?" the driver asked, not out of ignorance, but as if genuinely questioning whether I really wanted to go there.
"Yes, Yeong Hyejeong."
Yeong Hyejeong .
In this world, it was a name known only to those in the know a high-end hostess bar. Fortunately, the driver seemed familiar with the place and started driving without further comment. He must not be an ordinary taxi driver. I'd even considered telling him to go to a nearby department store if he didn't know the place.
I'm fucking hyped.
Yeong Hyejeong was a place straight out of a drama. In other words, real-life actresses played the hostesses in the bar. Naturally, they were my target.
Yeong Hyejeong was, according to the script, one of South Korea's most exclusive high-end hostess bars, frequented by politicians, corporate executives, and other elites. Detective Moon Ji-hyeok, the protagonist of the drama, would also find himself entangled with the establishment several times throughout the series.
"Have you been to Yeong Hyejeong often, sir?" the taxi driver asked, his curiosity piqued by the bar's exclusivity.
I chuckled dismissively. "Just focus on driving."
The driver seemed offended, but I paid him no mind.
When we arrived, the fare was nearly 20,000 won. I tossed him a 50,000 won bill and stepped out of the taxi, not bothering with the change.
"Whoa."
I saw a building in the heart of Gangnam. On the surface, it looked like an ordinary office building, but in reality, it was Yeong Hyejeong, an exclusive hostess bar.
The first floor was just a cafe a facade. Since politicians frequented the place, they were meticulous about such details.
The second floor was supposed to be office space, but it was always empty. I knew this from watching dramas. The real Yeong Hyejeong started on the third floor, with over 200 employees.
I walked past the cafe and took the elevator to the third floor. I chuckled at the CCTV camera mounted on the elevator ceiling.
Didn't they say politicians use secret passages instead of stairs or elevators?
I wanted to use a secret passage too, but even the dramas only mentioned them in passing, so I had no idea where to find one.
Ding!
As the elevator doors opened, the main gate of Yeong Hyejeong came into view. The iron gate was closed, but I opened it without hesitation.
Creak.
The gate swung open to reveal a hulking figure in a pitch-black suit, sitting in a chair with a scowl. A scar across his face screamed "I'm a gangster" to anyone who saw him.
I smirked at him, remembering how Moon Ji-hyeok would later beat this guy to a pulp.
My laughter seemed to irritate him. He lowered his voice menacingly and said, "This area is off-limits. Get out."
"A gatekeeper telling a guest to leave? Isn't this Yeong Hyejeong?"
Behind him stood a wooden door, unlike the iron gate, it was an antique-looking door, likely worth well over a million won. This was the true entrance to Yeong Hyejeong.
"...Guest?"
Deokdae gave me a blatant once-over.
"Hmm."
I glanced down at myself. Worn-out jeans, a hoodie, and a jacket that looked like it was from last season.
I had to admit, my outfit didn't exactly scream "high-end room salon" like Yeong Hyejeong.
But what did a customer's clothes matter? All that mattered was the money in their wallet. I felt a surge of irritation.
"Didn't anyone teach you not to judge customers by their clothes? What was his name again? Stove Jabs? He always dressed casually."
"You mean Steve Jobs."
"Trying to sound smart for a gangster? Ever heard of a joke?"
"Either way, you're not getting past me."
Deokdae glared at me, his eyes bulging.
I smirked, but inside I was seething. I hadn't come here to argue with some lowlife like him.
"Fine."
I replied flatly and tried to brush past him to open the wooden door.
Thud.
Deokdae grabbed my left arm.
"Didn't I tell you not to pass? Turn back. This isn't a place for you."
He spoke with grave authority.
"...Ha."
Smack!
My right palm struck Deokdae's cheek. His body staggered, nearly collapsing sideways. Gritting his teeth, he swung his right fist at me.
Thud.
I effortlessly blocked the punch with my left hand. A slight numbness was all I felt. I swung my right hand again.
Smack!
Blood sprayed from Deokdae's mouth.
Smack!
I struck his other cheek.
Smack! Smack! Smack! Smack! Smack!
The sound of slaps echoed through the air. Blood streamed from his nose and mouth, and both of Deokdae's cheeks swelled, bruised purple.
My current physical abilities were stronger than those of an average person but weaker than a Hunter's. It was accurate to say I fell somewhere in between. Even with this level of strength, I could easily subdue ordinary people.
I could handle two or three Deokdaes without much trouble. Any more than that might be a challenge.
Slap! Crack! Slap!
"You...!"
The Deokdae, his cheek stinging from the blows, pulled a knife from his pocket and lunged at me. I grabbed his wrist with my left hand and twisted it sharply.
Crack!
"Aaaah!"
I snatched the falling knife and plunged it into his thigh. Just as the Deokdae was about to scream again, I slapped him across the face to shut him up.
Slap! Crack! Slap!
Should I kill him? ...Daring to act out of line. A mere Character...
The moment I harbored murderous intent, the wooden door swung open, and a man emerged. Dressed in a suit, he was more refined than Deokdae, but his menacing aura remained unchanged.
"Guest," he said in a polite tone. "We were in the wrong. Please forgive us."
I recognized his face, though I couldn't recall his name. He must have been the Chief of Security at Yeong Hyejeong, according to the game's lore. His true identity was likely that of a gangster's second-in-command.
I lowered my raised hand.
"Tch. Ruined my clothes."
Deokdae's blood stained my clothes in several places. Fortunately, my jacket remained relatively unscathed.
"We apologize. If you wish, we'll have them laundered. Or we can compensate you for the clothing."
"Forget it. They're just cheap clothes anyway."
I brushed past him as I spoke. He didn't try to stop me.
As I entered Yeong Hyejeong, I approached the counter. A man in a suit sat there, his eyes filled with fear as he looked at me. A quick glance at the counter revealed a CCTV camera.
So, unlike the secret passage, the main entrance was under surveillance.
"U-uh, welcome. How can I help you?" His voice trembled. I chuckled and said, "The most luxurious room. Three girls. I'd like to make a selection. Do you have a list or something?"
"Y-yes, here it is." He handed me an elegant menu board.
I scanned the board and marveled. Truly, this must be Korea's finest room salon. Over 130 girls were listed, all above-average in appearance�some could even pass as celebrities.
"They all look so tempting."
Quickly suppressing my regret, I named the three women I had already decided on: two actresses and one former member of a disbanded idol girl group. This was, of course, a story set in reality. In this world, they were mere hostesses, not celebrities.
"Reika, Hera, and Miyoung. I'll take these three."
"S-Sir, these three are the Aces of Yeong Hyejeong... Their designation fees are quite high."
"How much?"
"Aces only enter the highest-tier rooms. The room fee is 20 million won. The designation fees for Reika, Hera, and Miyoung are 5 million won each. Fortunately, all three have open schedules today. Normally, these ladies can't even be designated without advance reservations, but... we'll make a special exception for you, sir."
"Thank you for that," I said, pulling a thick wad of 50,000 won bills from my jacket pocket. I'd grabbed them hastily, so I figured counting them would take a while. Fortunately, the man pulled out a bill counter. It seemed they handled cash-paying customers fairly often.
Makes sense. Using a card leaves a record. Politicians probably prefer cash.
After a brief wait, I followed Park Chan-seong, the Chief of Security who had introduced himself, upstairs. We took a different elevator than the one I'd arrived in.
The room was breathtakingly luxurious. Everything was top-of-the-line: the TV, the sofa, the table, the wall decor. The piece de resistance was the chandelier hanging from the ceiling.
"Since this appointment was so sudden, we'll need some time to prepare. About fifteen minutes should suffice."
"That's fine. We can wait."
"Thank you. If you need anything, please use the call button here."
"Alright."
At that moment, a man entered and handed Park Chan-seong, the Chief of Security, a suit wrapped in plastic.
The Chief of Security politely offered the suit to me.
"What's this?"
"Your clothes were stained with blood, weren't they? This is a gift from us as an apology."
"Hmm... Well, if you're giving it to me..."
I accepted the suit. He bowed respectfully and left, leaving me alone in the room.
Good thing my clothes were getting sticky from the blood.
I quickly stripped off my old clothes and changed into the new suit.