I Became a Black Market Tycoon with an Inventory - Chapter 104

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————

104 – Descend
104
Li Yuantao, a civil servant at Guangzhou City Hall, had been having a terrible time lately.
He had worked tirelessly to prepare the Guangzhou Flower Festival, only to have it rejected for being impractical, and now he was assigned to other duties.
It was infuriating.
Li Yuantao’s plan had been flawless.
The problem wasn’t with his plan—it was with people who couldn’t understand it.
If he only had a few doses of Assand, he could prove just how perfect his plan truly was, but that was impossible.
He had no Assand.
Finding Assand was incredibly difficult.
The purchase website accessed through a QR code only displayed “out of stock” and no longer sold the product.
Through word of mouth and indirect connections, he tracked down places rumored to have Assand.
Yongwai, Dashuilan, Zhongguancun, Tianzao, Panjayuan—and more.
They were slums well-known even in Beijing.
Normally he wouldn’t go near such places, and he was terrified, but for Assand, he had no choice.
Yet all he could find there were crude counterfeits—Descend.
Descend.
As counterfeits flooded the market, people gave them a name.
Unlike Assand, which made you feel bright and elevated your confidence and dignity, these fakes made your body feel like it was melting away—hence the opposite term, Descend.
Some claimed that Descend counterfeits had their own charm, but Li Yuantao disagreed.
It was nothing more than a counterfeit, nothing less.
It was merely a cheap candy that left a foul taste.
Comparing it to sacred Assand was sacrilege itself.
After searching everywhere for Assand, someone claimed to have the real thing, and he finally purchased it at a premium price.
Before buying, he examined the packaging meticulously.
Counterfeits had become more sophisticated lately.
The packaging looked like the familiar Assand he knew.
This must be genuine.
Filled with anticipation, he put it in his mouth.
And the moment he did.
Ptui.
He spat it out.
This wasn’t Assand.
It was Descend.
Damn it.
All strength drained from his body.
He wanted Assand.
He missed Assand.
At this point, he felt he could buy it even if it cost 100 yuan—20,000 won.
Surely Assand wouldn’t disappear entirely, would it?
.
.
.
Li Yuantao stood before the mirror after washing up.
The person reflected in the glass didn’t seem to be Li Yuantao at all.
Shabby. Unremarkable.
That wasn’t who I was.
I had been radiant, luminous.
A sun-like presence.
The reason I couldn’t shine was the absence of Assand.
I possessed a superior engine, but lacked the fuel to ignite it.
If only I could obtain Assand…
If only I could consume Assand, everything would be resolved.
With Assand, everything would fall into place.
But when had I gained all this weight?
My belly, once lean and taut, now protruded noticeably.
******
“Three. Two. One. Move in.”
“Moving in!!!”
Crash.
Glass shattered as the entrance door was kicked open.
The People’s Armed Police streamed into the Assand factory with synchronized precision.
The factory workers, utterly unprepared for police arrival, cried out in shock at the sight of them.
Armed PAP officers were among them.
“Run.”
“Get out of here, now.”
“Don’t let them catch you.”
“If they catch you, it’s execution. So no matter what, you have to escape.”
“Just run, all of you!”
They shouted warnings to one another.
Yet not a single person managed to flee the factory.
Public Security Bureau officers waited outside.
They had sealed the perimeter in multiple layers—an impenetrable cordon.
.
.
.
“Jump!”
“You can’t get caught! Jump no matter what!”
“Escape!”
“Hide if you can. Don’t get caught.”
The Public Security Bureau launched a crackdown.
Sweeps began across Beijing.
They conducted raids everywhere—rooftops, basements, mountains, riverbanks—sparing no location.
Wherever Assand was manufactured, wherever criminal organizations distributed it, nothing was off-limits.
This was far more than a routine inspection.
Large-scale Public Security Bureau forces mobilized for mass arrests,
and the PAP along with special tactical units were deployed as well.
Their operations showed no mercy.
Everyone they laid eyes on was taken into custody.
There were no escape routes.
Every exit had already been sealed.
It was a meticulously prepared operation executed according to plan.
The intelligence capabilities of the Ministry of State Security combined with the manpower of the Public Security Bureau had made this possible.
In the past thirty years, the Public Security Bureau had never conducted an operation of this scale.
They dismantled not only the factories producing Assand,
but also struck at the headquarters of the criminal organizations distributing it in a single coordinated assault.
The process was brutal and savage.
At the slightest sign of anyone attempting to flee, live ammunition was deployed.
Several people were wounded, yet the Ministry of Public Security paid no attention.
If anything, it seemed they were actively encouraging the use of firearms.
With Du Zhuan-guo, the highest authority in the Ministry of Public Security, backing the operation, the crackdown became even more forceful.
[Beijing Public Security Bureau raids Assand organization. Large-scale operation with PAP deployment]
[Armed Police deployed, suspects subdued after armed resistance. 27 members of Chilseong Organization arrested]
[20 million yuan in cash and Assand seized from warehouse outside Beijing.]
[New crime pattern combining urban gangsters with novel drugs. Determined to eradicate it root and branch.]
[Crime expert warns: Assand spreading through social media and clubs raises serious societal concerns]
[Arrests made. Excessive force allegations emerge]
[Unnecessary gunfire during arrests. Public trust in authorities declining.]
News of the drug crackdown dominated the media.
Reports included not only coverage of the operation itself but also criticism of the excessive response.
In response, Du Zhuan-guo, the Minister of Public Security, stepped before the press personally.
This was highly unusual, as Du Zhuan-guo rarely appeared in public.
“Good day. I am Du Zhuan-guo, Minister of Public Security.
I am aware that there has been public criticism regarding excessive force during recent arrests of drug organizations.
We fully acknowledge these concerns and respect the worries of our citizens.
However, I must be clear.
Every measure taken during this operation was not excessive force against criminals, but rather the minimum necessary action to protect the safety of citizens and our officers.
The drug organizations possessed illegal firearms and created extremely dangerous situations by indiscriminately firing at both officers and civilians at the scene.
To suppress such organizations, a certain level of force was unavoidably necessary.
I ask for your understanding that this was an unavoidable choice made to protect our citizens.
The Ministry of Public Security has consistently worked to build a drug-free China.
Going forward, drugs will never be tolerated on our soil, and all criminals connected to drug-related crimes will be tracked down and arrested without exception.
Finally, I want to assure you that the Public Security Bureau will prioritize citizen safety and lives in all law enforcement operations, and when necessary, we will take decisive measures to protect society from crime.
We ask for your understanding and support. Thank you.”
The public’s reaction to this statement was overwhelmingly positive.
– If citizen safety comes first, then the use of force is justified. Thank you for your hard work, Public Security.
– Gangsters are running around with guns, and people call it excessive force? These are the same people who’d try to talk their way out of a home invasion.
– I misunderstood from just watching the news, but now that I’ve heard the explanation, it makes sense. Damn media.
– Minister Du Zhuan-guo, who only looks out for the people—that’s love.
.
.
.
Minister of Public Security’s office.
Du Zhuan-guo gazed at his own face and the article on the news broadcast, wearing a satisfied smile.
Having received a cooperation request from Zhou Chiming of the Ministry of State Security, Du Zhuan-guo was executing the most ambitious operation the Public Security Bureau could mount.
He had ordered excessive force.
It didn’t matter whether they were criminals or not.
He simply rounded everyone up and beat them down.
On top of that, he’d even held a press conference on television.
There were multiple reasons behind Du Zhuan-guo’s actions.
The first was image building.
He wanted to establish himself as an upright, incorruptible figure.
A decisive leader who would never compromise—whether for justice or to protect China—someone who would push forward with unwavering determination.
The drug issue was an exceptionally attractive vehicle for crafting such an image.
His aggressive stance of refusing to compromise with anything in order to eliminate drugs could generate tremendous support among the Chinese people, who favored strong leadership.
The achievements gained from cracking down on drugs.
Medals or promotions meant nothing.
What truly mattered was a title like “Du Zhuan-guo, who protected China from drugs.”
He could cultivate an image as a powerful leader,
and simultaneously make people understand exactly what Du Zhuan-guo had accomplished.
This would become an invaluable asset when he eventually reinvented himself as a politician.
The second reason was restructuring the internal power hierarchy.
The Ministry of Public Security was divided into two major factions.
Du Zhuan-guo planned to use this opportunity to purge his political rivals.
There was good reason for launching such a massive operation while crushing the gangsters.
He would eliminate the gangsters and purge all officials connected to them.
Of course, only those from the opposing faction.
There would be no escape routes.
He could bring the entire Ministry of Public Security under his complete control.
The third reason was the staggering amount of seized assets.
Cash seized at crime scenes, money-laundering accounts, overseas routes.
One might assume all of it reverts to the state, but that’s not how it actually works.
Seized assets can easily be diverted or used by Du Zhuan-guo himself.
Slush funds are created this way.
Finally, there was Zhou Chiming.
It was an opportunity to build a close relationship with Zhou Chiming of the Ministry of State Security, a man even mentioned as a candidate for the next chairman.
A powerful operation.
This was a signal sent to Zhou Chiming.
A signal that whatever he asked for, I would handle the rest.
.
.
.
“Kneel. You bastard.”
“I said kneel.”
The Public Security Bureau arrested gangsters who had been distributing drugs at the scene.
The officers forced them all to kneel in a line.
One officer stood guard over them with a gun.
If anyone tried to run, they would shoot immediately.
“Youngest. Bind all these bastards.”
“Yes, understood.”
The arrested members had no choice but to wait to be restrained.
They were dragged away strung together like dried pollack on a long rope.
No one knew where they were taken.
Dozens of organizations had already been arrested.
The factory manufacturing Assand shut down, and everyone involved was arrested.
Even ordinary candy factories came under suspicion, not just Assand manufacturers.
The crackdown was that severe.
.
.
.
Marshall Ling of the Heishi Bang.
He had made enormous profits manufacturing Assand, but before he could even properly spend the money, he hid it away.
He never expected the Public Security Bureau to strike so suddenly.
While he was away on business, the Public Security Bureau raided the Heishi Bang.
Thanks to his absence, he avoided the worst-case scenario of arrest, but many of the Heishi Bang’s members were caught by the authorities.
Normally, he should have stopped Assand production immediately and fled elsewhere.
But Marshall Ling did not stop manufacturing Assand.
Instead, he relocated the factory to a darker, harder-to-find location.
No matter how much Assand had been nerfed,
even with prices dropping and enforcement intensifying,
Still, it remained an attractive item.
There was no item that could generate this much money.
Marshall Ling had already become intoxicated by the dopamine that Assand and money provided.
Marshall Ling’s philosophy was simple: earn the money first, worry about consequences later.
*****
“Jung-gi! Coffee!”
“Jung-gi! Clean this up a bit.”
“Jung-gi! Want to set this up for a new experiment?”
Edward used Shin Jung-gi efficiently.
Shin Jung-gi wasn’t thrilled with this arrangement, but it wasn’t unbearable.
Shin Jung-gi diligently completed whatever Edward assigned him.
The tasks Edward gave weren’t particularly difficult.
Honestly, if I disliked this place, I could escape anytime.
There’s no one guarding here, no one holding me back.
If I wanted to, I could execute an escape whenever I wished.
Yet despite this, my choice to remain here was my own will.
The moment I left this place, I couldn’t guarantee my safety.
I’d already learned this painfully through experience.
There was no need to repeat the same mistake.
That’s why I had to stay here, no matter what.
The problem was that Edward’s irritation seemed to be intensifying.
Well, it’s natural to get frustrated when a project isn’t progressing that much.
“Edward, let’s eat.”
Edward was sitting blankly in the laboratory, so I brought him out.
This wasn’t my usual style of looking after someone’s meals, but it seemed Edward hadn’t eaten yesterday either.
If Edward collapsed like this, and he told me I was unnecessary and to leave—that would be a disaster.
Whether Edward completed his project was unrelated to me, but Edward dying was not an option.
If Edward died, I might become unnecessary.
I shoved a sandwich into Edward’s zombie-like mouth.
“Eat a bit.”
Edward chewed halfheartedly.
“Things not going well lately?”
“Yeah. I’m going insane.”
Edward answered in a deflated voice.
“What’s not working?”
At my question, Edward looked at me with a pitying gaze.
It was the look of someone thinking: Do you really think I’d understand if I explained? Would you even comprehend it?
Yet Edward explained lightly anyway.
I remembered the Young Boss’s words to try using me however he could.
Once the explanation ended, I asked a question.
“That’s why boiling ten ramen at once is difficult. One at a time doesn’t work with the equipment or the situation, right?”
“Right?”
“Then just boil the noodles and broth separately.”
“Huh?”
“There are plenty of places that do it that way. They boil the noodles first and keep them in bowls, prepare the broth in advance, and when an order comes in, they just pour the broth over them.”
“But then it won’t taste good.”
“Did you open a restaurant? Why are you worrying about taste?”
“What?”
“It’s not about taste—it’s about the effect being the same, right? As long as the ingredients are the same, that’s all that matters. As long as it fills your stomach, that’s enough, isn’t it?”
Edward felt as though he’d been struck hard on the back of his head.
It was something he’d never considered.
Now that he thought about it, Shin Jung-gi was right.
The ingredients were what mattered, yet I’d been too focused on the process.
Edward had taken pride in the Assand I’d created.
I’d believed Assand was the finest medicine.
That belief hadn’t changed even now.
But at some point, I’d become consumed by it.
Rather than thinking about making medicine, I’d started thinking I had to replicate Assand exactly.
Without even a 0.0001mg deviation.
Assand had blinded my vision.
I’d started thinking I needed to make Assand, not medicine.
I’d never even considered changing or improving the ingredients.
And Shin Jung-gi had pointed out exactly this flaw.
“How are you supposed to make ten ramen taste exactly the same every time as when you make one? Even if the pot, heat, water, and ramen are all identical, the taste changes depending on the temperature that day, the humidity, and the mood of the person eating it. So instead of making ten bowls of ramen that taste the same every time, create a new recipe suited for ten bowls. Think of it as a slight upgrade.”
Edward looked at Shin Jung-gi again.
Now I understood why the Young Boss had called this bastard smart.
“But then the ingredients would change. That’s what I was worried about.”
“So what if they change? Whether those drug-dealing bastards live or die eating it, who cares. Just make the upgrade damn strong. Let them eat and just crave the medicine. Ramen tastes better when it’s salty and spicy anyway. Medicine should be potent too.”
Edward looked at Shin Jung-gi.
Now I understood why the Young Boss had called this bastard a psychopath.

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————