Chapter 594: A Regretful Feeling of Disappointment

“Just one step away, really just one last step.”
BD looked at CP, his tone filled with disappointment and frustration.
“I said, couldn’t you have just held back a little longer? Why did you have to be in such a hurry to reveal your intentions?
Do you know, I fucking want to retire!”
“Then…then retire now!”
“Retire now? Goryeo is in complete chaos, how can I retire?
Besides, if I dared to quit now, guess what would happen?”
BD’s voice suddenly rose, filled with suppressed fear.
“Those lunatics, those Goryeo executives whose whereabouts are unknown to the whole world, they could be easily dragged out from underground and killed like crushing an ant!”
"You think they wouldn't dare touch this old geezer who's about to retire?
CP! That bullet hole in your ear hasn't even fully healed yet, how come you've already forgotten the pain?!"
"...!"
BD's words were like a red-hot steel needle, piercing CP's ear, which had been grazed by a bullet. The long-healed wound seemed to begin to throb with pain again.
"This is all your fault! Since you decided to bow down to Fang Huan, you should have kept your head down until the election is over!"
BD completely exploded, pointing at CP's nose and cursing,
"You were the one who flipped the table, and now you're coming here yelling like a madman?
Strictly speaking, I'm the fucking victim!
I had already booked a trip to the sunny beaches of Hawaii, and now it's all ruined, all because you and your bunch of idiots couldn't control your ambitions!
I'm going to rot in this godforsaken place for another four years!"
"..."
"If you have nothing to say, then get out! Go back and think carefully about how you're going to save your life!"
With a roar, BD shoved the distraught CP out of the room, then collapsed heavily into his chair, as if all his strength had been drained.
"Ah—!"
He covered his face with his hands, letting out a painful groan.
Just as he had told CP, he would have to endure this hellish place for another four years.
Fang Huan Investment. These damned, no, these devils who deserve to go to hell!
He had prepared everything for retirement, even drafted his farewell speech.
But these demons refused to grant him freedom, even in death!
***
【The Price of "Freedom"? A Superpower is Being Dragged into the Abyss by Forbidden Substances!】
【Hundreds Die Daily! Out-of-Control Synthetic Substances Sweep Through the Streets of North America!】
【The Golden Triangle in Turmoil, the Globalization of Black Trade, Who Will Be the Next Victim?】
…
“Hey, Mr. Su, this kind of news is practically everywhere lately. It feels like the whole world is being dragged down by this stuff.”
In Su Hao’s office, Li Huilin pointed at the screen, her tone tinged with relief and lingering fear.
On the screen, shocking news headlines depicted apocalyptic scenes across the ocean.
Forbidden substances—these things are like a malignant tumor on the body of civilization, frantically eroding certain corners of the world with the speed of wildfire.
“It’s not just everywhere; it’s almost become the norm in their society.”
"Look at that so-called 'superpower,' isn't it in a terrible state because of the rampant trade in prohibited goods? Their social foundations have been eroded!"
Li Huilin nodded in deep agreement:
"Yes, it's unimaginable. Fortunately, our Xia country has zero tolerance for that stuff, a firm crackdown, otherwise..."
"Indeed, but a firm crackdown is only the first line of defense.
The reason Xia country can remain a safe haven is because countless frontline heroes sacrificed their lives.
But we must understand that as long as the source remains, we can never be complacent."
Once upon a time, the bulk of the global trade in prohibited goods came from the chaotic Golden Triangle region.
But now, times have changed.
The Golden Triangle civil war has decimated the ranks of various shady characters, leaving them scattered and broken.
Like dandelion seeds, they drifted with the wind to every corner of the world, taking root and becoming new social cancers.
They dare not boldly and recklessly enter Xia Country, for it is a forbidden zone, their graveyard.
But they will go to countries along the Belt and Road Initiative, to overseas strategic partners, using these resources to create chaos and disrupt Xia Country's plans.
"Isn't the government taking any action? Letting them run rampant like this?"
"We're too far away to intervene," Su Hao shook his head.
"It's like a global plague. All we can do is guard our borders and build firewalls.
But the fire is burning in our neighbor's yard; who can guarantee that not a single spark will drift over?"
Su Hao continued, his tone becoming serious:
"Addiction to tobacco and alcohol is merely a personal choice leading to moral decay.
But prohibited substances are on a completely different level—the devil's temptation, an abyss of the soul.
Those things aren't a spice of life; they're a meat grinder for the soul.
One wrong step, and it's utter ruin!"
For a nation, once out of control, it's not just a social problem, but a national catastrophe.
Look at the US across the ocean—isn't it a living example?
Zombies roam the streets, their numbers so vast that the government doesn't even know where to begin; the entire society is riddled with corruption.
"The so-called 'root cause' must be those hidden cartels behind the scenes, those massive, well-organized, transnational criminal groups?"
"Exactly. As long as those underground factories continue operating day and night, as long as those giants remain at large, global peace is impossible."
This is an almost unsolvable deadlock.
Arrests and crackdowns continue, but as long as the production line remains, they're like endlessly spawning monsters in a game—you can't kill them all, you simply can't.
You can't just send troops across borders to eradicate the root cause from abroad.
Look at those South American countries; in some places, the armed groups of these organizations are even more powerful than the government forces, and they can manipulate the regimes at will.
"So, what we can actually do is very limited," Su Hao said with a hint of helplessness.
"Yes," Li Huilin nodded,
"At most, we can build more rehabilitation centers, or provide some humanitarian aid to the victims through charitable donations.
Speaking of which, our Fanghuan Group's charitable foundation seems to be involved in some of this kind of work."
"...?"
In that instant!
It was as if an invisible thunderbolt exploded deep within Su Hao's mind!
His terrifying intuition, comparable to divine revelation, was triggered without warning!
"You mean... that aid project?" Su Hao's voice instantly turned serious.
"Can I see the relevant information now?"