Chapter One

The door opened slowly as a middle-aged woman entered the big ethereal chamber of her sister. She went near the king-sized bed and smirked when she saw, beside her dead sister's lifeless body, a child crying. She took the baby in her embrace and gracefully came outside. She stopped at the long corridor where someone was waiting.

"It's a boy. How can I use it?" the man said as he eyed the child.

The woman smiled, "It's the era where gender doesn't matter to be 'used'," she stated.

The man nodded and took the baby from her. In exchange, he gave the woman a bundle of notes. She sniffed the money like an animal. The man glanced at her with disgust and turned to leave.

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THE PALACE OF LUST

Chapter 1

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"It's totally impossible," Tae Yun exclaimed in disbelief after hearing his boss.

"Why not? See, you're like an angel of justice. You can do this. Since you're the mastermind," his boss shrugged from his cabin chair.

Tae Yun looked at his fellow officer, Jae Yoon, who just swallowed and nodded at Tae Yun, then spoke up, "Sir, it's risky too. All red-light areas are always surrounded by gangs. It's dangerous."

Their boss, Byeong Hi, sighed. "Since day one, I've wanted to look into this issue. Now I have enough power. So I ask you—will you help those helpless people?"

Tae Yun looked at Jae Yoon, who looked at Sang Min, another fellow officer.

"Why are you so desperate to help them?" Sang Min asked idly. It was his nature.

Byeong Hi's expression softened. "I hope you'll understand soon during this mission."

"It's final?!" Min Soo suddenly exclaimed, having woken from the couch.

"You heard us?" Tae Yun raised his eyebrows.

Min Soo smiled sleepily, "It sounds adventurous. Let's do this. Being secret agents, we should always do adventures."

"That's my boy..." Byeong Hi chuckled, and the others cursed him under their breath.

---

"Ugh! Why are you beating me?" Min Soo guarded his head as Sang Min smacked it. Tae Yun sighed and sat at the restaurant table, and the others did the same.

"This is crazy. Really crazy. Now we have to roam around brothels?" He ran his hand through his hair. His blonde hair shone under the sunlight.

Sang Min opened his computer after adjusting his specs. "We can't complain now. We need to do something about this mission."

Min Soo sighed. "Come on, it's actually a good thing," he tried to convince them.

Jae Yoon took a bite of his burger as the waiter served their food. "Actually, that area is ruled by gangs. They literally guard the place," he stated.

The four of them sighed. Suddenly, Sang Min spoke up.

"Wait. Someone named Hwan is the leader of the sex workers and kind of rules there."

Jae Yoon raised an eyebrow. "How do you know?"

"One of my friends went there," Sang Min shrugged.

Tae Yun nodded. "Since we actually have to go there... we need to prepare." He paused, then asked, "Is Hwan in a gang?"

"No. He's a prostitute himself," Sang Min said.

"Strange," Tae Yun murmured.

---

"Hey! This is a Buddhist temple..." Min Soo whined.

Sang Min stopped and turned to him. "Stop whining." His hands rested on his waist.

Min Soo nervously chuckled and continued to follow him. Tae Yun looked around as they climbed the hill. The temple was at the peak.

It was decorated with lights. Maybe some festival was occurring. Jae Yoon turned on his mobile and began recording everything.

Soon they reached the temple. It was newly constructed. A fountain stood in the yard, and the stone floor sparkled in the sunlight. In that atmosphere, a boy was gracefully dancing in the middle of the yard. He wore a cherry-red hanbok. Every movement was both feminine and masculine.

His hair reached the bottom of his ears—messy yet stylish. He was the owner of extreme beauty; his skin wasn't as white as other Koreans, yet it was more gorgeous than most.

Tae Yun's eyes fell on the boy. He was barely twenty-five.

Sang Min stood beside Tae Yun and said, "Hwan..."

Tae Yun's eyes widened slightly. He looked at Sang Min. "Who?" he asked.

Sang Min raised his hand and pointed to the graceful boy.

Tae Yun's eyes widened more. No way—that boy was a prostitute? But he was in this temple!

---

"Huh! Seducing here too?" The priest of the temple leaned against the doorframe. His eyes roamed over the boy in front of him. Yes, it was Hwan, silently removing his jewelry in front of a mirror. He looked at his own reflection—then at the reflection of the priest, who was hungrily watching his body.

His expression remained neutral. He looked down and began removing his wristlets.

"Isn't it a sin for a priest to lust after another man?" Hwan asked in a calm, laced voice.

The priest smirked. "Man? You consider yourself a man?" He began to laugh mockingly.

Hwan paused.

"Men don't get used, little toy. Men and women come to you to be used," the priest sneered.

"You're just a toy. So, it's not a sin—it's a pleasure. Huh! A man prostitute. Fine. Now undress yourself."

Hwan clenched his fist; his knuckles turned white. He looked at the priest, who smirked. He stepped close to him. A smile crept onto Hwan's lips. He stopped just before the priest.

"You want a good ride?"

"What do you think, bitch?" the priest growled, pulling him by the waist. Hwan slowly wrapped his arms around the priest's neck, leaned in close to his ear, and whispered, "Let's give you a good ride."

"Of cour—" The priest's eyes bulged from their sockets. His mouth fell open. Hwan smiled menacingly. He was holding an injection, now jabbed into the priest's neck.

"No man, no gang, no government rules here. Hwan is the ruler of brothels, priest."

He pulled out the syringe and let the dead body collapse to the ground.