Busboy Return

Freeman Group Home

"From now on, MJ, you must be focused and listen carefully. It's an important story, so pay attention."

I was wandering through the past or some point in the future, but I was pulled into reality by a clandestine whisper from Dooki.

"What does it mean that Rodriguez, the head of the Bocota Family in Virginia, got taken out? It means that the grip of power over the local drug market has shifted."

Spittle flies from Dooki's mouth.

"But the timing of this power shift, whether it's coincidental or inevitable, is unclear. It's right after the popularity of synthetic narcotics surpassed that of traditional cocaine."

Dooki makes a gesture as if riding something with his hand.

"In the end, the new organization used synthetic narcotics to overthrow the Bocota Family."

Dooki's expression shows satisfaction with his narrative.

As the connection between the Awakened Ones and the drug organization, with synthetic narcotics as the intermediary, comes to mind, a sudden word emerges.

'High Drop?! Already among the non-Awakened?'

High Drop.

A newly coined term that combines 'high,' referring to a state of drug-induced intoxication, with 'drop,' the English term for a dose of a substance, explicitly referring to synthetic narcotics.

It's known to have originated among the Awakened Ones trying to escape the fear of injury and death during gate conquests, as well as the post-traumatic stress disorder resulting from battles with monsters.

Unlike the cumbersome use of heroin or cocaine, due to its simple use, it gradually spreads to the non-Awakened market, ultimately causing a perceptible shift in the global drug market.

'So the synthetic narcotic that Justin used in the restroom last time could have been a High Drop.'

As the story deepens, Dooki presents his more intimate thoughts.

"But what we shouldn't overlook here is that the new organization can manipulate the Awakened Ones. What I mean is, they possess a power that sets them apart from other drug organizations entirely."

Dooki clenched his fist for emphasis and loudly slapped the palm of his other hand on the opposite side.

"This is a story about the complete breakdown of power balance among organizations, and at the same time, the dominance of this organization is going to be insurmountable for a while. Who would dare challenge an organization with Awakened Ones if they don't want to end up defeated?"

Dooki's profound analysis is impressive.

So, I decided to subtly leak some information about the heyday of Awakened criminals that I had experienced.

"Doesn't that mean it's going to get progressively worse from now on?"

I can sense Dooki's eager anticipation in his eyes.

"If you're right, then other organizations will also strive to recruit Awakened Ones to balance their power. So... our heroic Awakened Ones could become criminals, right?"

As I throw a hint about the events to come, Dooki's eyes narrow once again.

"MJ! You really hit the mark today. Exactly! That's what I mean."

Whether out of excitement or agreement, Du-gi claps his hands.

"The heroes of this era, the Awakened Ones, becoming villains? Who can stop them from becoming so blatantly corrupted? They've been unstoppable until now, you know."