Snake Venom Ch 22

Chapter 22

A formal announcement echoed through the aboveground Peo Station, where a gloomy and chilly atmosphere lingered. Zone E, colder and drier than other areas, had already reached the heart of winter.

Lee Yeonwoo, who had his nose buried in a threadbare scarf, looked down from the station.

Horns blared and motorcycle engines roared noisily on the congested roads. The view from a different height struck him anew. The exhaust seeping through the scarf was hard to endure, and he sniffled once.

The train arrived. Lee Yeonwoo watched the passengers getting on and off. A few bumped into him roughly as they passed. Some even cursed at him, but Yeonwoo quietly stepped aside to clear the way and took out his phone from his pocket.

[Peo Station Exit 5. 7:30 PM.]

Up to the point of hurrying not to be late, everything had gone smoothly. However, having miscalculated the schedule, Yeonwoo had arrived thirty minutes early and was now spending the remaining time at the station. Thanks to that, he could enjoy this chaotic atmosphere, so he considered it a fortunate accident.

Whenever he had time to think, the events of two days ago inevitably came back to him.

‘Use that on me.’

The black eyes of the man who had overestimated his rather unimpressive ability came vividly to mind, and an inexplicable heat rose from below his throat. Clearing his throat, Yeonwoo tugged at his scarf. Cold air instantly rushed in through the gap.

Two days was a tight time frame to get things in order.

The one who had escorted Yeonwoo, under Cheon Wooshin’s orders, was Im Sehan. “We meet again. You made a good decision,” he had greeted Yeonwoo warmly and explained as much of the upcoming schedule as he was allowed to.

“You’ll be living in a separate residence while you’re on the team. The team leader will explain more. The missions will come at any time, but you’ll also undergo intensive training and education. Even a little preparation will help you carry out operations more effectively.”

While gently turning the wheel, Im Sehan gestured with his eyes.

“There’s a pouch behind the seat, right? Open it.”

Inside were a phone and a card.

“That’s how you’ll be contacted. Keep using it from now on. You’ve also been instructed to use the card as needed until your salary starts coming in. Oh, and you were told to be sure to use it—it doesn’t accrue interest and doesn’t need to be repaid.”

Yeonwoo scratched the edge of the card deep in his pocket with his fingernail. Without it, he would have faced financial headaches every time a problem arose during the boldly requested two-day break.

The home he returned to after three months clearly showed signs of being unoccupied. The first thing to greet him was the stale air. The floor, not heated for a long time, was as cold as a jail cell, and thick darkness, like sewage, pooled in the corners where no light reached. Upon stepping inside, Yeonwoo bowed before his grandmother’s portrait.

“I’ve been on a trip.”

He lied so she wouldn’t worry.

“Looks like I’ll be going again.”

In the photo, his grandmother was smiling brightly like a child. Yeonwoo gently brushed her lips with his fingers.

Everything else could wait—first came ventilation. Once he flung open every window, damp cold wind rushed in from all directions. Raindrops that sprayed through the window frames made it impossible to keep them open for long.

His entire body felt heavy and fatigued. Yeonwoo lay down on the bed with only the electric mat turned on. The musty smell rising from the blanket didn’t matter. It was his home, the only sanctuary he had longed for. His nose stung uncontrollably, and curling up in the blanket, Yeonwoo fell asleep.

His body, still remembering the tension, didn’t relax easily. Rising early without much effort, Yeonwoo stared at the dim sky outside the window.

A faint light shimmered nonchalantly from beyond the horizon. The brutal time in Sodom seemed like a distant dream, and the present shone brilliantly.

Yeonwoo flung the blanket off and got up. Sentimentality could come later. He began cleaning the kitchen he had ignored the night before.

As expected, most of the food in the fridge was moldy. He took everything out, washed it all, and thoroughly wiped down the inside and outside of the refrigerator. Taking out the heavy trash, he checked the mailbox on his way back. It was crammed with notices and warning letters. He quickly sorted through and paid off the urgent ones.

By the time he had finished the laundry and dusted the house, the sun had already started to set. Despite the fatigue weighing down his body, Yeonwoo cooked his own dinner. He made a generous portion of his favorite rolled omelets, and while eating, he shed a few tears—something he only confessed to his grandmother.

Time flew by. Two days were far from enough to fully return to normal life, but a message had arrived. Not knowing how long he would be away, he packed only the essentials. One backpack was enough.

The next morning, rising early and taking a clean shower, Yeonwoo walked once around the park he used to stroll through with his grandmother. On the way back, he dropped by the beauty salon she frequented and got a haircut.

“Young man, I thought you had moved away since I hadn’t seen you in a while.”

“I got a job at a good place, ma’am. Please give me a nice cut.”

“I’ll give you the best cut ever.”

He even chatted with the joking owner lady.

Once again, the sun began to set. With the bag he had packed the day before slung over his shoulder, Yeonwoo said goodbye to his grandmother. After a firm and cheerful farewell, the front door opened and then closed. The house, briefly warmed and lit, grew dark once more.

Being a central station, Peo had short intervals between trains. Hearing the sound of another one approaching, Yeonwoo checked the time. If he went down now, he would be right on time.

Just as he turned toward the stairs descending below, his phone vibrated and lit up. It was an unknown number, but there was only one person who would contact him here.

“Hel—!”

Before he could finish speaking, something sharp jabbed into his back. A foul stench, hard to define with just one word, emanated from the figure who had approached him.

“……”

Without reacting, Yeonwoo calmly stared ahead.

Three months in Sodom had hardened and dulled many parts of him. In the past, he would have jumped in shock and panicked. Now, he slowly raised both hands.

“I don’t have any money.”

Yeonwoo blatantly lied and glanced at the mirror on the wall.

The man, his hood pulled low, had patchy dark brown fur on his face—a sign of not having taken suppressants for a long time. The completely black sclera and sharply elongated fangs likely stemmed from the same cause. He didn’t know how long the man had been like this, but if it continued, the likelihood of “complete form mutation,” where only the beast’s instinct remained, couldn’t be ruled out.

“Fuck off, you son of a bitch.”

Whack. The blow to his back snapped his thoughts.

“Hand over what’s in your hands. Scream and I’ll stab you.”

How did he know it was a new model? Even in this tense moment, Yeonwoo had such idle thoughts.

“I can’t. I really need this.”

Without the phone, he would have no way to contact them if they lost track of each other. Moreover, it wasn’t even his. At that, the sharp object moved from his back to his throat.

“So what? You want to die?”

“It’s not that, it’s just—this really isn’t something I can give you.”

Yeonwoo calmly replied and looked around. He didn’t expect help, but the cold indifference of the passersby struck him anew. This was a central area—chaotic and selfish. Incidents like this probably happened all the time.

“Look…. that aside…”

“You little fucker.”

The sharp blade pricked under his chin. Yeonwoo tilted his head slightly to avoid it.

“Hephace is too dangerous.”

Yeonwoo named the faintest but most dangerous smell emanating from the attacker. More so than the wild scent of a beast out of control.

Hephace, a synthetic drug, was notorious for its addictive power and withdrawal symptoms, worse than heroin.

Though the attacker seemed in the early stages of addiction, within two weeks he would crave lethal doses. It would be only a matter of time before his corpse turned up on the streets or he started selling off anything to get more from the dealers.

“Rough, isn’t it? Just one hit and it’ll kill you. Hard to get, but I’ll give you a deal.”

Yeonwoo knew about the drug thanks to Mr. Park. Park had eagerly pushed Hephace on the participants, claiming it would solve their despair and fatigue. His goal was to bind them, not just with debt but also with drugs.

Seeing through that malicious intent, Yeonwoo had never wavered. But he knew the dangers better than anyone. If he had given in, he would be suffering from withdrawal just like this man.

“If you’re going to use, choose something else.”

Yeonwoo glanced behind him and added sharply,

“If you don’t want to die early.”