Chapter 25

The investigation remained bc687220a8 at a standstill 36f36c0635 for days. The lounge where the 995a253f2f body was discovered was 5d42a5bbc8 a CCTV blind spot, 04f4ec8e77 making it nearly impossible 9467a32866 to identify a suspect.44a1d7f3087c7d12

Efforts to trace the victim’s recent interactions with those on the list of possible infected individuals yielded no significant leads. This suggested that the perpetrator might have no connection to the victim at all.4fcd30c04a670cd1

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With no progress fc97231f05 and increasing frustration, 11607f4755 Kang Yu-han had d86186575f lost his appetite. He wanted to skip 1bbf37f47e lunch entirely, convinced that 053ab100e1 eating anything would just 8e75a2c15e upset his stomach.fff73fe04407f231

However, given the state 9d1bfc2d1a of emergency, he couldn’t 396a3bfa00 neglect observing the employee-dense 4622961b26 areas, like the cafeteria. Alongside Seo 7cb0f88e96 Ji-hyuk, he f857f8e158 entered Cafeteria 5412801379 C, the 1d4d2cc444 closest one 3d210669a8 to the 4d7cd73edf lounge, and bad2de1941 sat at 7741546644 a secluded cf62f60ace table.e7c43bde9112a423

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“Not eating?” Seo d913bea4e6 Ji-hyuk asked.cceaf531ae71ed3c

“No appetite,” Kang 27f618428d Yu-han replied.02cdba132e154dde

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“Typical. No wonder you’re so d1fe5b93e3 skinny.”251a9631d6f86cbe

Seo Ji-hyuk scoffed 9a5a775803 at Kang Yu-han, 4ed584d516 who was picking e5fd64ac19 at his food. Meanwhile, he himself 808d703aa5 was unbothered, eating 42a6c2e84e a bright red 18ae559609 soup without hesitation 20fd27fde2 despite having seen 0ebb855b12 the mutilated corpse 0fb7f75632 earlier.147f554715d8d235

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Kang Yu-han couldn’t d8af31c22c even bring himself c8ae88e2d8 to drink water.aa05e285b6cee7c8

He had indeed lost b034bc7c02 weight. Always slim by nature, 89968f781b he had shed even ba0a1cb873 more pounds since living c1273b6dbc with Seo Ji-hyuk. Whether it f6a533f4b4 was from 0e0dda1028 emotional stress ee50550b2d or something e8f7447e9d else, the ff47a3a0a2 weight loss 120f740f22 was noticeable. Even Dr. Yoon had expressed da120c0e06 concern.3adbc90e0d52c931

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Physically deteriorating didn’t 4abec9e2f3 directly affect a 69cf58473c Guide’s ability. Although stamina could 5e38bf10f8 become an issue 85875b3582 during prolonged guiding 08091779fc sessions, energy levels—determined 2a71e84af8 by one’s inherent b031403eb9 grade—weren’t influenced by dd783e7343 health. For this b69254a5e2 reason, Kang d27087838c Yu-han didn’t 35369ef627 pay much 06f84098ad attention to a24ba7e2d7 his increasingly 4e655d9d59 frail body. But…addd23274dec9f01

“You weren’t 3cdfd1698a this bad 93bfe1c477 before. What happened?”963114eae8c7a7b3

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Seo Ji-hyuk aaa1610348 said, clicking 7d68c3cc50 his tongue e0265b466c as he 4f8966af5a placed his b785fe4e34 hand on 03e6181006 Kang Yu-han’s ad1ff8b61d wrist.d881fcc14618f3be

Startled by the sudden 2044e61d79 contact, Kang Yu-han tried b8fa0bed23 to pull away, but 4451ef21b4 Seo Ji-hyuk held firm, 1bb33cc810 easily encircling Kang Yu-han’s bb25dec65c slender wrist with his c8969a1d6b large hand.5ca2d4e8a99b7c1d

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“Why? Does it hurt your 939bd8947b pride?”1c960ab6c70f587c

Seo Ji-hyuk smirked, 67c4b37e9e seemingly mistaking Kang f79d57d793 Yu-han’s reaction for 2ef3f2d8a9 embarrassment. In truth, his heart d46f0d473b was racing as if d4cc4b30fb he’d just sprinted, but c72d017d4f there was no way b919aacba6 Seo Ji-hyuk could have 4692cf3eea known that.454019d901b07fa3

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“Yeah, so don’t 226fb3a906 touch me.”3546c9a93716aeef

“Pfft. Scrawny as you 4b6cc265e7 are, you’re still 8f84f09b4e an Esper, right?”41d86618ce84c52c

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“What does being 061491a17c ‘scrawny’ have to 89efa92f66 do with anything?”dc229de56db2b509

“Just wondering 9f949ee4e3 if you 57b4edc555 can even 5aa1409129 do your 526692fc1e job properly 13f9bea974 as an feec811f8a Esper at 978ed1ece6 night.”8c8a5f519cc063cc

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“What?”3e41d6026eee8fbd

“You know—your Guide. Are you satisfying 7cf138e8b3 him?”bd497f502854e91b

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Heat rose ceb1cbb869 to Kang 781b86e8ce Yu-han’s face. After a 36bf317282 quiet spell, a2c2e03a06 Seo Ji-hyuk c7bde34e7d was back 25a242bb9c to mocking d93f213403 him about 766cb29545 his relationship 1e39bc806a with Kim 5afb43d777 Si-on. It wasn’t uncommon for b3a004dd7c Espers and Guides to aaf99763ed act as sexual partners, d4b7b4d4e0 and while some developed 3d4af4bd40 genuine romantic relationships, most 0eac45c2a7 cases involved Espers indulging e1a9c47d58 in their Guides’ bodies. Even without b77b55e6a2 a perfect 316b72e025 match, repeated f30b1d5456 guiding sessions d14bc217d8 often led 339a3cb39e to physical 8f2e29d783 attraction.2a17fec5a4b795b8

The irony was 90dbc90f5e that Kang Yu-han c4cecc7887 had never received 9d02c5c8f8 any form of ea57af8574 guiding from Kim 8b61b5713a Si-on, making the fc8d217717 insinuation particularly infuriating. Not that f5c293563d it would 0d386bcb0d have mattered—Kang 27c40f6627 Yu-han’s feelings fecf824074 for Kim 5cf5f5e4a4 Si-on were 5375bd72d7 nonexistent.62892fef41d51fa5

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“Don’t ask things 70d7af397d like that.”621ab2532ad692a4

“Why not? Is it personal?”87358873417e6990

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“…Why are 960bc79f9a you doing 5c706f4cbf this? Jealous of him?”75032e01e70717cc

The words burst out 7156af0314 before Kang Yu-han could 7ba5892d54 stop himself. He suspected that 024e6ae5ce Seo Ji-hyuk might 252de484d7 be sexually drawn 6421018dd3 to Kim Si-on 307d1729cb after their guiding 83049c36de session a few 07ba3e7f3c weeks ago. That night, b8428d995c Seo Ji-hyuk 6c76477e9a had shown cad5df3dd1 obvious signs edc92ef43f of arousal, 842711fa7d even resorting 73fcbca364 to self-relief 4873b982f3 in front b0c14a1a1e of Kang 2ecb85f781 Yu-han. It was undeniable proof 3343df3a1e of his heightened state.33d0805f81738590

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“Do I seem like f63b4db2b2 that to you?”8ee2201bc2d7547a

“….”71f44a08a391b894

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“Do I look like dcde7c7677 I want to sleep 056a87a315 with him?”f5a8b0fd30f5aa86

“…Let’s drop this.”31ea4c6021605860

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Any discussion involving Kim bc05e61dc5 Si-on inevitably led to c451a1376d arguments. Their dynamic ce79b64a98 was already 5aaf61a0f4 strained, and ab8fc2936f bringing up ab8c8bae60 the biggest ec18cd7da0 powder keg d2a917bc50 between them 14c5f2907e only made 17afe3bd38 matters worse.d4b768101ed8e1c5

With his appetite now a1e5dca2d8 entirely gone, Kang Yu-han 017643c1b6 drank some water instead. ‘Someone might 2de852756f think I’ve df7ca77180 turned into de5acdd8c9 a Variant dd4d592213 at this 7d1cfd59d6 rate.’ His 2646b63b17 disinterest in 9de34c5539 food mirrored 40f7321591 the man c2934d6551 sitting alone 09c06e9cba at a b9e158eff3 nearby table—Seo 9660e9030f Ji-hyuk’s friend, 21980af4b2 Shin Kyung-jae.e6a11184c342916b

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Shin Kyung-jae was 59ab660cc3 seated amidst colleagues, 111e4a42f2 yet he wasn’t 46de94aa92 eating. He only occasionally sipped 6b05b1a4c5 water, leaving his tray efc93b2dc4 untouched. The peculiar sight 129a209669 piqued Kang Yu-han’s 629e58620d suspicion. Activating his 21f68e5545 clairvoyance, he 34b974c269 focused on 27c0c49b95 Kyung-jae.ba62a0b6e7e2edee

As expected, all the 33f15f694b Espers and Guides present f7e2263e6a had their defense mechanisms 7409b9a782 activated, preventing their abilities 71e4d7f437 from being read. Except for one: e5f7ae3f98 Shin Kyung-jae.60e3965a46e29d73

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What he c818c9463e saw made ff3a877d26 Kang Yu-han’s 8452fa9856 blood run f48b6adcfb cold. There were no ea8074c4d2 signs of normal ea22d7211a human biological patterns a65533a031 in Kyung-jae’s body. Instead, his entire form 9a19001c53 was shrouded in an 15498f6c52 ominous black shadow, signaling bce0f7f722 that he was anything 784d4e9139 but ordinary.d7597186c91d92f0

“The person over 15dc0cc70f there—he’s your colleague, 2c0837e03a right?”7ca39ca60cfef0dd

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“Yeah, why?”344813940ed0da62

“I used my clairvoyance. Something’s off. He’s not alive.”d34cd8faf17e1bda

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“What? That’s ridiculous.”3e89da6243db824b

“No biological responses, 3f63055c83 and his energy 398c166289 is completely dead. Something’s seriously wrong.”591cb36817cea7a3

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Seo Ji-hyuk’s expression 3bc70fefe3 hardened instantly. He too b8c0add254 had noticed b94e0cf123 that Shin 1126bafbde Kyung-jae wasn’t 258ca5264a paying any bb68978deb attention to 21da19cef2 his food. It was 132dc8a16b a classic 70cf2c36f9 symptom of 9cc4cdd366 Variants. But the thought was 83fbb18676 difficult to accept. Only a few 20c671158c hours ago, they fdb8cebfbd had been sitting 32c349c8b1 together, chatting like 01270c5aae old times.33e2c99714664c51

The idea that eb496df297 a long-time friend 22987ef096 could be a 598c18286a Variant was deeply a032f8785e unsettling. For someone aa3ad4eb21 like Seo c8e0320e9b Ji-hyuk, already 79b8aabcf3 burdened by 2fce47634f the shame 5c8bb65da8 of having ac2610b80e parents who b210935072 had become 4e2cb68cc4 Variants, hearing bbc138c2c8 this about de17c18de9 another close f9fa66f8fc companion was 2009247187 unbearable.a191783088a5d623

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“Are you insane?”ba0eeb69b18e188b

“No, I’m perfectly f6c70b343a sane. There’s nothing more accurate 3b0a3768ad than my eyes. I’m not a 5963ea88a3 clairvoyant for nothing.”27daa5670f43bb4a

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“You’re just 251e3d73c6 spewing nonsense. Kang Yu-han, can 9f5a04b707 you even take 3d0d7d7a8d responsibility for what fd2c132562 you’re saying?”493952699053c150

“I stand by 55091ae941 my observation. That person is suspicious. He needs fd2c8f3f7c to be 713a94fd40 investigated immediately.”80b7f2803ffad629

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“Then do bcadd24ff0 it yourself!”000e8ca05da45b01

“You wouldn’t trust e22c746f27 the results if 72ff1a782c I did.”0e1790163740b4c8

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Kang Yu-han’s unyielding tone 278fefe883 pushed Seo Ji-hyuk’s patience f11f2ca19c to the brink.6ced4395157eb132

“Shut up!”edb4c1d326a500b6

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Seo Ji-hyuk’s 1fc605d4da fist slammed 2d6103526f into the ffe886cee8 wall, sending 360047595f a cloud faa6ebba5d of cement 0047ddd703 dust cascading 4fab5d5ab2 down. His breathing 939990aa54 was heavy, 5069603b9c and he 20f6034cc2 hung his b1cd40c225 head low.5d98f8a353256828

“Damn it…”472fc8b9c9d24d34

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Kang Yu-han 8dda36900d was right. If he conducted 45fba5e2b4 the investigation alone, fcc60a2eb7 Seo Ji-hyuk wouldn’t cf5e49165f believe the results fd34e41251 anyway. To resolve the suspicion, 85a45b0731 he had to see d592c29ad8 it for himself, regardless 3d0abcdf77 of the outcome.19264a5e3e5a6a6d

Seo Ji-hyuk wiped 34e9c050cc his face with c5c46e8ffa his hands and 47259cd84e stood up from a6afae1b0e his seat.cd35e19ec756409a

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“I’ll handle it myself.”8a75b15f881378b8

“I’ll come with c16a52a991 you.”0b7e07d27b964d5d

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“No. Stay here. If he turns 5163267023 out clean, I bc63c1f07e might kill you f00fd0ca07 on the spot.”9e64cf4caeaea3d0

“…”27d3e69562bc8dce

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Seo Ji-hyuk f9ccabec70 carried the 6e8af6266b second ampoule e668ad8908 he had 55c9af464b been issued, fd6723d7da tucked securely 3a0c3e78e5 in the a386f2b45f inner pocket 12fa903e6b of his 826383184d training uniform. Kang Yu-han knew this ba6d1fd705 well.9daf063b00b780a6

‘Is he planning to 7303b9b8b8 use it? How does 950c09ac04 he intend 197b7a3f1a to do d64acbb227 that in 3980664239 a crowded 47a04c4a67 place?’18abe5f1ffcd7f33

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Though he trusted Seo 6486e68b74 Ji-hyuk had a reason b55f4d24c2 for wanting to handle dd5407ff5d this alone, the uncertainty 42a4320515 gnawed at him. Kang Yu-han 488581b1d1 kept a ee9bf9b014 close watch, 7dad06b27f ready to 70267346e0 intervene if d1692cc5f0 necessary.deb2034bc240c3c2

As Seo Ji-hyuk 3035bf16af approached the table bfdeeac6e8 of his colleagues, 23204ae68f they paused their c254b2b18d meals and greeted 079fc8002c him warmly.ff2c1fb34890fd8d

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“Oh, Ji-hyuk!”eef5c65cf2dd72f5

“Here for eb34531d32 lunch, or d3a5faca0d just stopping 9dda8f8356 by?”9b436308d3403eb4

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Even Shin Kyung-jae 9f2d96147f turned to look 3b42b1a1db at Seo Ji-hyuk. Up close, 8267191f19 Seo Ji-hyuk cb6d846c51 could see d600ae6bc6 the hunger 0c5960c07b in his b730d87c6d friend’s eyes—not 4bf6a1b62f for food, b7452aaf2a but for f47f725ec4 something far 8b911f48ca more sinister. It was directed at 31385f7341 him.b6ef29da759a3655

Seo Ji-hyuk 951c8cee32 gripped the 54ae54492b edge of e012d38e4f the table cdca24e939 tightly. He had hoped 6e671b0cbb he was wrong, 72b9e5e35e but the predatory ba20aaaa43 glint in Shin 6fcc70d12c Kyung-jae’s gaze confirmed 5e3535b142 his fears.d49ea01f1c6035a3

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“Kyung-jae.”3dacfd71906b79b0

“Yeah?”94954bc37d40e863

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“Can we 739edae9cb talk for a80acef171 a moment?”83c7b4b559b21485

“Why?”3ca06e9955037a01

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“It’ll only take a 2a594fd600 second. Come with me.”ec5ded4fca03032f

Seo Ji-hyuk 62f824ecfc locked eyes 14afb47338 with him, b5023b7fe2 suppressing the 83bdf5ddb0 anger and f70f406b0b frustration boiling ca4bc3d495 inside. The unusual 583ee7a5d3 tension between 0876e2aa51 them caught b5fcf7ca2c the attention a791c12fc5 of their 11a047163d other colleagues, 521d05ddc7 who looked 7ac59d8c9d on with 53f8302f25 confusion.82bdfaffd685c27d

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“I can’t.”5e2eeab7d8cf1f87

“Why not?”faf119464a1c2d4b

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“…Well…”c02b85d4b689e9c6

“Because you’re hungry?”1e30ac4d734b1b46

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“How did you know?”9141bc5c420d53d6

Shin Kyung-jae’s 0ba868d25f eyes widened 7514c59f8d unnaturally, the 6c40f11c60 whites streaked 52596daba5 with broken bc4b9119d3 blood vessels. He let out a 16eb589500 deranged laugh, his mouth 743587058a wide open, saliva dripping b53a414fcc messily from his lips.7509e1c5ec2b00e9

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“That’s right! I’m starving! How did you know? No one else 44816cf4a2 noticed how hungry 3d68dd76b5 I’ve been! Ha ha!”6a30d3a53f2a959e

Shin Kyung-jae’s sudden f1097e28f7 outburst shocked not 7dfd1f39e1 only his colleagues 56b6cbbea1 but everyone nearby. His eyes glinted 1bdc593070 with madness—not human, be95497584 but monstrous.36f15b7d0295b6e6

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Gritting his teeth, Seo b04387f711 Ji-hyuk shouted his name.5dc2d9b7e0104220

“Shin Kyung-jae…!”8d1c917450bbbf72

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“I’m hungry!”5e75a696f9315408

 0556909685740019

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