Hey everyone! If you enjoyed the story, please consider leaving a review on novel updates. And if you would like to support me, please head to my kofi. Every donation is appreciated as it motivates me to do more chapters. (˶ᵔ ᵕ ᵔ˶)
SW | Chapter 1
by camiAs the Lunar New Year approached, the atmosphere at the National Police Agency was tense.
The losers of the internal political battles, often referred to as “office politics,” were expected to be transferred to regional offices or local government positions. Those who were once favored but had now fallen out of grace would be forced to resign in disappointment.
The empty spots left by these resignations would be filled by officers from regional branches, coming to the headquarters, still dreaming of success.
Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator
If the way people come and go in the organization could be compared to the changing elements of a physical object, it would be like undergoing a painful transformation every year. Once this year’s Lunar New Year passed, another major shuffling was expected, and it was going to be a tumultuous period.
“Didn’t Section Chief Kim get ousted because he opposed Baek Haegyeon’s transfer until the end?”
Read the complete chapter at Lily on the Valley without random text
Deputy Chief Han Jongmoo’s hollow voice prompted his junior, Yoon Sungsik, to lean forward. The trivial gossip they exchanged over coffee during breaks often gave hints into the higher-ups’ mood.
“Section Chief Kim from the Narcotics Division? Does he even have a say in personnel matters?”
Support us by visiting our official site at lilyonthevalley.com
The officers from the Criminal Investigation Bureau, the only official investigative headquarters under the Korean National Police Agency, were particularly interested in a man named Baek Haegyeon. As always, during personnel reshuffles, ‘nothing was set in stone’, but rumors were strong that Baek Haegyeon, currently at the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency, would be promoted to Superintendent and transferred to the headquarters.
“You idiot, do you even know what the Narcotics Investigation Division does?”
Read the complete chapter at Lily on the Valley without random text
“It’s where they catch dr*g offenders and… gangsters, right?”
“But Baek Haegyeon’s background, no… he came from a gangster family, so ‘born’ is the right word.”
Support us by visiting our official site at lilyonthevalley.com
“Born into a gangster family?”
As the conversation took an unexpected turn, Yoon Sungsik could only stare at his senior in shock.
Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator
“Well, that’s why… I was just wondering what people in the field think about it. They wouldn’t even listen to me.”
Deputy Chief Han Jongmoo seemed reluctant to give a clear answer, brushing it off with a vague “well, that’s just how it is.”
Support us by visiting our official site at lilyonthevalley.com
“Wait, hyung-nim. He was really born into a gangster family? Is that even possible?”
“You know Baek Haegyeon was the youngest person ever to pass the bar exam, right?”
Visit Lily on the Valley to read full chapter without gibberish
“Huh?”
Yoon Sungsik’s eyes widened in surprise. He had guessed that Baek Haegyeon was a judicial exam passer since he became an inspector in his 20s, but he had no idea he was the youngest.
Read the complete chapter at Lily on the Valley without random text
“You don’t know anything. Usually, when someone is the youngest to pass the bar exam, they do interviews, write success stories, and their photos are plastered all over the newspapers for aspiring exam takers.”
“Right. Makes sense.”
Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator
“But he didn’t do any of that. Why? Because his father was a gangster.”
“Wow, how did he even manage to study in such a family?”
Visit Lily on the Valley to read full chapter without gibberish
“And not just any gangster, but a high-ranking member of Hwando.”
“Hwando? That Hwando?”
Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator
“Yeah, that Hwando.”
“Wow… but why did he join the police? After passing such a difficult exam?”
Visit Lily on the Valley to read full chapter without gibberish
Yoon Sungsik was so shocked that his mouth hung open in disbelief. Hwando wasn’t just some neighborhood gang; it was a faction that even the police feared. Deputy Chief Han Jongmoo felt the same.
In the past, Hwando was one of the organizations “managed” by the police.
Visit Lily on the Valley to read full chapter without gibberish
While it might be an overstatement to say that gangs were a pillar of public safety in the back alleys, the Hwando syndicate established its own power dynamics through territorial disputes and profit-sharing, creating a semblance of order.
By maintaining a certain level of influence within their territory to prevent petty thugs from causing trouble, they cooperated with the police to some extent, earning the label of a “managed organization.”
Read the complete chapter at Lily on the Valley without random text
There were organizations that the police unofficially “managed” to ensure that the organization didn’t grow too powerful, keeping it at a manageable size. However, the police ultimately failed to control Hwando.
Over the past 20 years, Hwando had undergone two major internal conflicts, consolidating surrounding organizations and becoming the largest organized crime syndicate in Seoul and the metropolitan area. This was possible because they had distanced themselves from police control.
Read the complete chapter at Lily on the Valley without random text
“His status was too ‘complicated’ to become a prosecutor or a judge.”
One of the Hwando syndicate’s high-ranking members was a lawyer. Perhaps Baek Haegyeon didn’t want to follow in his family’s footsteps after passing the bar exam. Deputy Chief Han Jongmoo clicked his tongue in dissatisfaction.
For the best reading experience, visit lilyonthevalley.com
“Tsk. Guess he wasn’t cut out to be a lawyer either.”
“What, did he think being a cop would be easier?”
Visit Lily on the Valley to read full chapter without gibberish
Yoon Sungsik scoffed, unable to hide his dislike towards him.
“He’s sharp. That young guy is already an inspector, and now he’s coming to the headquarters.”
Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator
“Now he’s a superintendent.”
“Sigh… Some people work for 30 years and never make it to superintendent.”
Visit Lily on the Valley to read full chapter without gibberish
Deputy Chief Han Jongmoo’s expression soured. His hand was damp from the condensation on the iced Americano cup he was holding.
“But now, hyung-nim, you…”
Read the complete chapter at Lily on the Valley without random text
“What now?”
When Yoon Sungsik, his junior from the police academy, hesitated and seemed uncomfortable, Deputy Chief Han Jongmoo sharply retorted.
Support us by visiting our official site at lilyonthevalley.com
“No, it’s just that you’ll be seeing him often from now on. It must be awkward.”
“Do you think I’d be a police officer if I cared about that?”
For the best reading experience, visit lilyonthevalley.com
Of course, it was awkward. If they were in the same department with the same rank, they would be competing with each other.
The situation of competing with someone 20 years younger was both ridiculous and burdensome, given the bright future his opponent had ahead of him. That’s why Deputy Chief Han Jongmoo had looked into Baek Haegyeon.
Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator
Stories about Baek Haegyeon were already widely circulated within the department. Anyone from the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency could rattle off a bunch of anecdotes like grapes on a vine.
At least he didn’t have to serve under him, which was a relief.
Visit Lily on the Valley to read full chapter without gibberish
“Hey, can you take a look at this?”
They happened to be in front of a steel cabinet on the fourth floor. Deputy Chief Han Jongmoo handed his nearly empty cup to his junior and pulled out a file from the cabinet.
Visit Lily on the Valley to read full chapter without gibberish
The thick document handed over was a publicly released report from the Ministry of Environment.
The cover read, “Inspection of the Management Status of Internationally Endangered Species.“
Support us by visiting our official site at lilyonthevalley.com
“Wait, what? Isn’t this from the Ministry of Environment?”
Yoon Sungsik flipped through the few pages of the document. Deputy Chief Han Jongmoo exhaled a lukewarm sigh. His voice carried no expectations.
For the best reading experience, visit lilyonthevalley.com
“Don’t you see anything strange?”
“Hmm… I’m not sure yet. It just looks like a regular inspection report.”
Visit Lily on the Valley to read full chapter without gibberish
“That’s how it seems.”
“Right.”
Support us by visiting our official site at lilyonthevalley.com
“Right, my foot.”
Deputy Chief Han Jongmoo’s face showed clear displeasure. Yoon Sungsik quickly changed his tone. He had just spotted something.
For the best reading experience, visit lilyonthevalley.com
Import (Colombia) | Dowon Inter/Gyeonggi-do Pyeongtaek-si Poseung-eup Hongwon-ri XX-XX/’2X.XX.XX/ Burmese Python 15Z (for zoos)
※Note: Adult specimens over 4.5m in length. All deceased due to poor management during warehouse storage.
Visit Lily on the Valley to read full chapter without gibberish
“Hmm, there’s something strange here.”
“Right. Read it.”
Visit Lily on the Valley to read full chapter without gibberish
“Um, 15 adult Burmese pythons imported from Dowon Inter’s warehouse died due to poor management.”
“Hmm.”
Read the complete chapter at Lily on the Valley without random text
Deputy Chief Han Jongmoo sipped the remaining coffee from the cup he had taken back from Yoon Sungsik and gestured for him to continue.
“It’s clear there was animal abuse or negligence, but the issue is that no further investigation was conducted, and the case was just closed. That’s the issue, right?”
Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator
“For fuck’s sake.”
“Ah, why do you keep doing this? Can’t you just tell me?”
Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator
“If you read that, you’d know.”
“Know…what?”
Support us by visiting our official site at lilyonthevalley.com
“Baek Haegyeon seized 30 kilograms of c*caine based on that report.”
“Huh? This… why? Ah!”
Visit Lily on the Valley to read full chapter without gibberish
Only then did Yoon Sungsik realize the full story and let out a short gasp.
Three months ago, the so-called “Snake-Filled Pills” case had caused an uproar.
Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator
At the time, Baek Haegyeon, the team leader of the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency’s Narcotics Investigation Unit, with the cooperation of the Incheon Airport Customs, identified and seized a large live snake being used for drug trafficking at the airport.
The X-ray showed a round shape inside the snake’s belly, resembling an egg, and there were no visible external injuries.
Visit Lily on the Valley to read full chapter without gibberish
However, when a nearby veterinary hospital performed surgery to open the animal’s belly, a bundle of special balloons poured out. Inside them was a white powder that left everyone in shock.
The amount of c*caine hidden inside the snake was 3 kilograms, and an additional 27 kilograms were discovered in the importer’s warehouse.
For the best reading experience, visit lilyonthevalley.com
It was c*caine worth 10 billion won, enough for 1.5 million people to use simultaneously. It wasn’t a case of being caught during transit for money laundering; it was the largest domestic bust ever recorded in history. The rumors of Baek Haegyeon’s promotion to the headquarters were also thanks to this case.
“But how did he even suspect anything from this? Just from some dead animals…”
Visit Lily on the Valley to read full chapter without gibberish
Yoon Sungsik carefully examined the document again.
“If you dismiss it as nothing, then it’s nothing. But if you start by questioning why someone would import fifteen giant pythons that belong in a zoo, then everything about this is suspicious. Not to mention that they were all fully grown, over 4.5 meters long.”
Support us by visiting our official site at lilyonthevalley.com
“Right.”
“The most suspicious part is that the import country is Colombia.”
Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator
Yoon Sungsik scratched the back of his neck at his senior’s words.
“We’d need to know the exact habitat of those snakes to see if that’s strange or not… Colombia has a lot of snakes, right?”
Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator
“Use your eyes. It’s written there. Burmese pythons. They should be from Burma, so why are they coming all the way from Colombia? That’s completely out of nowhere.”
“Ah.”
Read the complete chapter at Lily on the Valley without random text
When put that way, it made perfect sense. Looking at the same document, his senior effortlessly picked out all the inconsistencies and pieced them together into one plausible conclusion. Was this what they called bold analytical thinking, or was it just paranoid delusion? Either way, it was certainly unusual for the police to be sifting through the documents of the Ministry of Environment.
“That guy is something else.”
Visit Lily on the Valley to read full chapter without gibberish
As Yoon Sungsik crumpled the innocent document, Deputy Chief Han Jongmoo offered some consolation.
“…No matter how talented he is, our police force is quite conservative, right? No matter how fast he racks up those three mugunghwa stars1, all that’ll do is get him kicked out of the force early.”
Visit Lily on the Valley to read full chapter without gibberish
Yoon Sungsik handed the file back, his lips pursed.
“The higher-ups wouldn’t let such talent go to waste, that’s what worries me. I have a feeling this is just the beginning.”
Read the complete chapter at Lily on the Valley without random text
Deputy Chief Han Jongmoo muttered as he gazed down the dim corridor. The wrinkles around his eyes, a sign of his middle age, were prominent. His stubbornly downturned lips carried a certain weight.
“Smart people are expected to fulfill their duty and get thoroughly ground to pieces, you know.”
Read the complete chapter at Lily on the Valley without random text
“You mean they’ll work him to death?”
“Exactly?”
Visit Lily on the Valley to read full chapter without gibberish
“This chit-chat has gone on long enough. You finished your coffee, right?”
“Yeah.”
Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator
Just as the interesting part was about to start, Deputy Chief Han Jongmoo changed the subject. Yoon Sungsik took the empty plastic cup he handed over.
“Let’s head back. Give the court’s warrant division a call.”
Support us by visiting our official site at lilyonthevalley.com
“Yes sir, got it.”
As he reluctantly turned away, Yoon Sungsik thought, If the higher-ups really don’t plan on leaving him alone, are they trying to make him into some kind of star cop?
Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator
He recalled a drinking party from a while back, when the bureau chief had gone on a passionate rant. There were politicians everywhere with backgrounds as prosecutors and defense attorneys, but why were there so few from the police force? He said that since it’s the police who protect the people on the front lines, they should create some star cops…
“Talent, my foot.”
Read the complete chapter at Lily on the Valley without random text
If the higher-ups were serious about creating star cops, it might work, but a cop born from a gangster family? That’s just absurd.
Yoon Sungsik tossed the trash his senior had casually handed him into the recycling bin and adjusted his gray windbreaker as he entered the office. Being a civil servant was tough; even the office temperature was inhumanely cold to save on electricity.
Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator
This is why we drink iced Americanos even in the dead of winter. It’s because we’re burning up with rage. Damn, it’s cold.
Yoon Sungsik grumbled internally. The sound of his chair scraping loudly echoed through the office.
For the best reading experience, visit lilyonthevalley.com