LIGHTNOVELWORLD Chapter 49
“Let me first confirm this. I hope you’ll answer sincerely.”
Jinseong spoke politely to the elder. The elder, seeming a bit annoyed, gestured for Jinseong to proceed, as if dealing with such trivialities was a small price to pay for the benefits of a ‘blessing.’
“Just to clarify, the blessing you mentioned increases vitality and pleasure, correct?”
“That’s correct.”
“I see. In that case, to grant this blessing, I’ll need a strand of hair from you. Would you be able to pluck one for me?”
“That’s not difficult at all.”
Without hesitation, he plucked a single black, glossy strand of hair that seemed too youthful for his age and handed it to Jinseong. A smirk formed on his face as if he had just thought of a funny joke.
“Speaking of which, you’re using hair for that ‘blessing,’ right?”
“Exactly.”
“Then bald people can’t receive blessings! Hahaha! But I hear bald folks have great vitality, so you probably won’t have a problem without my blessing!”
“Even if bald people do have strong vitality, they can’t compare to natural vigor. Vitality can be great, but size is determined from birth, so what you possess is the true blessing, dear elder.”
“Correct. This item is indeed my true blessing. You seem to know a thing or two!”
Jinseong flattered the elder accordingly as he turned the hair into ash. He then applied the ash directly onto the elder’s lower abdomen.
“Oh? This is a unique method. Is this the power of the deity you serve?”
“Ah, not quite. This is… a secret, you know.”
With a sly smile, Jinseong spoke quietly.
“There was a book kept at the shrine. This method is derived from it.”
“Hehe, really? Such things do come up from time to time.”
“Is that so?”
Jinseong subtly regarded the elder, who seemed lost in thoughts of his own glory, discussing himself with enthusiasm. But as Jinseong remained silent, the elder turned his head, sensing something was off.
“So you’re saying you didn’t master water techniques, right?”
He caught a glimpse of Jinseong’s beaming smile.
Jinseong quietly observed the political figure at his side.
The politician’s eyes were festering, akin to a beast trained to hunt prey, embodying a gaze of someone ensnared by pleasure rather than taking difficult steps toward the future. His addiction led to a notably diminished tolerance for pleasure compared to an ordinary person.
“Tell me. Have you ever thought about this?”
“What kind of thought?”
“Well. You’ve met Kenji, haven’t you? What do you think of him?”
The politician pondered for a moment before replying.
“I think he’s insane. But at the same time, he introduced me to the next Shinto priest, so I have no hard feelings.”
“Indeed, an insane person. Hahaha. That guy is truly insane, abducting drug addicts and reveling in their cries! What else could he be?”
Jinseong laughed heartily before continuing.
“But tell me, have you ever been curious about what it feels like to pull someone down to your level? Haven’t you felt a twinge of jealousy seeing how happy Kenji gets from that?”
“That’s…”
“Right. It’s not the right thing to do. But let’s think for a second—what’s the problem with it? You certainly wouldn’t have used drugs because you thought it was right. You did it simply because it felt good, and since it felt good, you disregarded morality, didn’t you?”
“That’s true.”
“In that context, I have two choices for you now. This is a privilege that no one else in this room possesses, a gift and an opportunity bestowed upon you for guiding the elder.”
Jinseong slowly unzipped the bag he had brought.
“Here. One option is pleasure. It’s an extension of the pleasures you’ve experienced up to this point. Sexual pleasure. Choosing this means you’d be treated like anyone else, but at least I can guarantee this single pleasure. I can vouch for it.”
“Pleasure…”
The politician gazed at Jinseong with a blank look, captivated by the word ‘pleasure.’
“And the other option is to experience what I just referred to as ‘base pleasure.’ You’ll be the lowest rank in this room, bar none. Whether it’s money or power, there won’t be anyone here who has less than you, will there?”
“…That’s true.”
“If you choose the second option, you’ll get to witness all those grand folks plummeting to the ground. They’ll transform into something even more lowly than the effects of drugs, crazed by pleasure. In that moment, you will become someone above them, a rank above the esteemed individuals here.”
Pleasure.
Superiority.
These two words came to the politician as the essence of his two choices.
He deliberated.
Pleasure.
He recalled the ecstasy he attained from meth. The thrill and heightened pleasure he felt when injecting and engaging in sexual activity were etched deep within his hippocampus, making it hard to forget—even while struggling to quit due to withdrawal.
Because of that past, he had become incredibly weak to the mere mention of the word ‘pleasure.’
Even now, blessed by Jinseong and intending to quit drugs, he relied on the amplified vitality and pleasure gifted by it to indulge daily in the company of women. He lived surrounded by ladies, unable to resist the allure of his enhanced vitality, and lately even took to eating health supplements known to boost vitality.
But what about the base pleasure?
What kind of pleasure arises from the desire to trample over and rise above others?
‘Why did I become a politician in the first place?’
In Japan, becoming a politician means being elected through the votes of the citizens.
However, unlike in other countries, it was also a power that could be ‘inherited.’
To him, being a politician was power that could naturally be inherited, a splendid career with a guaranteed future. Yet it also meant a social class that allowed him to look down upon ordinary folks.
The twisted pleasure he received from belittling others was something he was accustomed to, and the superiority derived from it was part of his being.
Indeed.
If pleasure was what he had become addicted to,
Then superiority was what defined him.
The feeling of having inherited the position of a politician.
The ability to wield power at will over the plebeians.
The innate superiority that came from being of a different class since birth.
The formidable strength to control others with just a flick of a finger and avert chaos!
“I choose the second option.”
The politician replied decisively.
And at that precise moment, recalling his past self and being drenched in the superiority he felt now, his eyes were not those of a drug-addled wretch, but filled with clarity and purpose.
“Good choice.”
Jinseong smiled at that ferocity in the politician’s eyes.
He didn’t smile out of admiration.
It simply amused him, the innate human nature that delights in tormenting others.
To think that such a thing could overpower the obsession for pleasure buried deep within one’s psyche.
That was worth a laugh.