Snake Venom Ch 1

Chapter 1

They said if you get caught, they’ll rip you open from behind. When President Park said that to Lee Yeonwoo, he simply blinked his large eyes.

“To put it simply, it’s like a game of hide-and-seek.”

He couldn’t remember whether it was because he didn’t understand what it meant, or because he understood but couldn’t accept it. All he recalled was that his side throbbed so violently from being punched that it felt like he was going to throw up, and his ears, kicked hard, buzzed endlessly. All he could do was blink.

“If you say yes, that’d be fun in its own way…”

President Park trailed off, snapping his fingers. The cigarette ash flicked from his hand grazed just past Yeonwoo’s eyes.

“Our Yeonwoo’s got a big debt, after all.”

Grinning with his yellow teeth, Park waved a sheet of paper. It contained the personal information and conditions of the debtor and guarantor, along with the amount owed. The sum was a staggering 300 million won($220k).

Yeonwoo’s gaze shifted away from the paper. His unfocused eyes slowly scanned the surroundings. It was the same place he had first opened his eyes a week ago. Then, as now, it was dark and damp, filled with unknown machines and monitors flashing strange lights.

Dragged here by a single fingerprint-stamped form from his druggie father, Yeonwoo’s debt had steadily accrued interest even while he was confined in this place. If he didn’t do something soon, it was only a matter of time before the interest exceeded the principal. But from the start, Park had never intended for the debt to be paid off through any normal means. His proposal was beyond all reason.

He told Yeonwoo to become a perfect beast. Not just to run away, but to beat his opponent until they were rendered completely helpless. To survive, then parade his existence in front of the audience, and to rip open the loser’s backside to establish dominance. If necessary, killing the opponent was acceptable too, Park added with a laugh.

“Imagine someone who looks like you, thrusting from the top. That kind of unexpectedness, reversal—audiences love that kind of thing.”

Licking his lips, Park gave Yeonwoo a lecherous once-over.

“Fucking raw feels damn good.”

Yeonwoo lowered his gaze, unwilling to comprehend the meaning behind the words. The cracked cement floor was stained with red. It was a smear made from his own nosebleed, as he had thrashed about trying to escape.

“By the way, Yeonwoo, you ever had any experience fucking? You know, like this, like this.”

Park thrust his hips obscenely in the air. His thick shadow loomed grotesquely over Yeonwoo’s body.

“Seems like you’re having trouble picturing it, so I’ll show you one.”

Park spun one of the monitors on the desk toward Yeonwoo.

“This stuff’s expensive, so I’ll only show you once.”

The screen was shrouded in darkness. The night vision camera shifted from place to place at regular intervals. Several channels showed only empty hallways and walls. Then, motion was detected, and Yeonwoo focused his eyes on the screen.

“……”

Just as nervous curiosity flickered in his eyes, something appeared—and his face turned instantly pale with shock.

The screen was a scene of brutal violence and unrestrained sex. Half-naked figures were tangled together in a chaotic frenzy, violating one another. Sometimes many swarmed a single person; sometimes evenly matched beasts tore at each other in a savage struggle.

Covered in blood and sweat, they grunted, groaned, and roared with a mix of agony and lust. The unidentifiable noises that had filled Yeonwoo’s ears ever since he was brought here—the ones that had disturbed him for days—originated from this.

Another scene played. A man was desperately staggering through a narrow corridor. Yeonwoo’s eyes widened when he saw the ears poking from the man’s head.

He was a fellow half-breed. Dragging his feet in terror, the man searched for a place to hide. But it wasn’t long before someone overpowered him, and he disappeared from the frame.

The next few videos were no different—sadistic, brutal, primal, and savage. Having fully grasped Park’s intent behind showing this, Yeonwoo’s face went completely pale.

“……”

In other words, he was being asked to become entertainment for so-called “audiences” who paid money for twisted pleasures. To repay his debt by starring in human snuff films. Killing and raping someone like himself every night.

“How about it? Sounds fun, right?”

Park curled his thick lips into a grin. Yeonwoo’s frozen expression pleased him more than expected.

While begging and clutching at his pants might have been amusing, Park—whose nature was vile—enjoyed this more. The sight of someone’s last flicker of hope being snuffed out was his favorite.

“Hmm, maybe I scared you too much. There’s an easier way, you know.”

Yeonwoo’s hand, which had been resting on his bent knees, twitched slightly. Tremors spread across his bruised hands and wrists. Park gazed at the frail figure with satisfaction.

To someone like Park, who only ever dealt in damaged, defective goods, a product like Yeonwoo—intact and smooth—was a rare find. Park glanced at the ID card on the desk. Lee Yeonwoo. 23 years old. Canid and mosaic hybrid.

He’d underestimated him for looking so docile, but capturing him and breaking his spirit had taken twice as long as with most hybrids. Still, Park had been in this business for ten years, and in the end, he’d managed to make Yeonwoo yield. Had he not starved him for days and fitted him with two electric shock collars, it might’ve taken longer.

Though he resisted fiercely, he was inherently gentle-blooded. As a human-friendly canid hybrid, he had clearly tried hard to live a decent, normal life. If it hadn’t been for his druggie father, he probably could’ve blended into human society. What a pity. Park sneered inwardly as he groped his now erect member.

“All you have to do is follow the customer’s orders for a few hours.”

But Yeonwoo was still a half-breed with beast’s blood. He was being obedient for now, but there was no telling when he might lash out again. Park showed the video as a precaution. Just as expected, Yeonwoo turned deathly pale and lost his composure.

“Isn’t it better to eat good food and be adored in a cozy place than get your ass torn open in that scary pit every night?”

It wasn’t entirely a lie. The conditions were far better than this place where even food and shelter weren’t guaranteed. Sure, one could get beaten in a variety of ways, and injuries would vary wildly depending on the client’s preferences—but that was a matter of mindset.

“If you’re lucky and land a good patron, you can pay off your debt faster and get out of this business sooner. Who knows? Maybe even climb the social ladder.”

The first proposal was just to scare him. Park’s real intention was this. To make him realize that he had nowhere else to go, and accept the gutter as his only home. To selectively suppress his animal instincts through coercion and threats. That way, he wouldn’t bare his claws at the clients he’d meet.

Yeonwoo was raw ore. It was Park’s job to polish the rough edges and sell him for a high price.

“The first time’s the hardest, but the profit margin is way higher. I’ll match you with classy clients. You can trust me.”

Park’s sugar-coated words made Yeonwoo’s pupils tremble. His gaze, which had lingered on Yeonwoo’s firm shoulders and slender legs, moved up to his face.

Despite being bruised and bloodied, his pale skin glowed with a translucent sheen. Park smirked. With his neat yet soft features, Yeonwoo definitely had the look of someone better suited for moaning prettily on a bed than sweating in a hunting ground.

He was trying not to show it, but fear had already consumed his face—and it was delicious to watch. If Yeonwoo agreed to sell himself, Park intended to be the first to touch him. Under the pretense of “training,” he’d have his fill before passing him up to the elite clients.

So, he was more than willing to give him a few moments to bow his head and deliberate like a disobedient pup. Either way, Yeonwoo’s purpose had already been decided.

Several minutes passed as Park leisurely admired him. Then, Yeonwoo lifted his gaze.

“If it’s really just about hiding well…”

Those gentle, clear eyes looked straight at Park.

“I’ll go with the first option.”

His voice was firm. Park raised an eyebrow. He was slightly irritated, but he smiled with narrowed eyes.

“Oh, really?”

He thought he’d made it clear enough. Yet this mutt still couldn’t let go of hope. Didn’t even realize how pale his own face was. Still pretending it was some act of pride.

But whatever he chose, there was no escaping this place. Park was infamous for squeezing every last drop out of anything he got his hands on—even marrow from a corpse.

‘Let’s see how long you last, you stupid bastard.’

Masking his ridicule, Park raised his brow as if something had just occurred to him.

“Oh right, you’re a hybrid, a mosaic or whatever, right?”

He dug into his pocket and tossed a pill at Yeonwoo.

“This one’s on the house.”

As Yeonwoo picked it up, Park added kindly,

“From now on, the suppressant’s 100,000 won($70) per pill.”

It was twenty times the price Yeonwoo had known.