Chapter 8
Hongju calmed his nerves for a long while before finally stepping out of the restroom. Choi was sitting at the desk. Guppping and Chief Yang were nowhere in sight.
"This from Guppping?"
Choi held out a takeout cup of coffee. Hongju didn’t even glance at it as he walked past the desk.
"I don’t drink that. I’ll be right back."
"Jeez, suit yourself."
Choi nodded without taking his eyes off his phone. Hongju left out of habit, heading for the convenience store. He just wanted some water.
Choi and the thugs would sometimes nag him about it—why waste money on bottled water when there was plenty to drink at the house? But the truth was, there wasn’t a single drop he could drink in peace here. Especially anything Guppping handed him. He never knew ✪ Nоvеlіgһt ✪ (Official version) what could be in it.
There was a gambler who used to stay at the house—a guy who never hesitated to drink whatever coffee Guppping offered. A few times, Hongju had seen him stumbling around, eyes glazed and unfocused. Not long after, he packed up and left. Where? Who knew. But since Hongju had seen him coming and going in Guppping’s car, it wasn’t hard to guess. And then, not much later, the guy disappeared completely. The official story was that he lost big and ran away. But Hongju didn’t buy it. He knew Guppping too well. He remembered the man’s vacant stare. And he would never forget the smell of that coffee.
Better dead than drugged and raped.
"Thank you, come again."
Hongju drained the water bottle like a man dying of thirst. The cold liquid burned down his throat, numbing his insides. He drank until his gut ached, then wiped his lips. His lips and hands were ice-cold. But at least there was no longer the stench of cum clinging to his breath.
Late at night, the house was as packed as ever. Choi and the thugs were keeping an eye on things. Hongju busied himself running orders, clearing tables, pulling his weight. Even in the chaos, Guppping didn’t lift a finger to help. He just kept his feet up on the desk, glued to his phone.