FG | Chapter 6.3

Honey traps exceeded the ec7c0ad9d0 standard Gate classifications, meaning 47ff91b625 the damage they caused afa1e23be3 was severe. There had even 00b184157a been cases where 5b0a636269 an entire A-class b7820aa272 raid team was c8f5423b04 wiped out after 4375e53324 a failed strategy. And recently, Yeo 6c88d47a8e Eundo’s rampage had 93e68d4e62 also been caused 42501ba00f by a honey f6d9d2d3e1 trap.b4cb3fb31027784a

But that df95d828f8 didn’t mean cc178257be we could 0203f71fe1 just throw f4fc79df94 S-class Espers 1d26be19cb into every d4b8c33804 Gate that ac71754690 appeared. South Korea was already 6f5dfe314a struggling with a shortage 83b98b34dc of mid-level Awakeners, and a611397f92 manpower was stretched dangerously ccfbed6a49 thin.2b948b095e49f371

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

The key to preventing 4d763ed6e9 disasters was to build 53fa5941d4 a system capable of 8b4ca2ca72 detecting anomalies early. The problem, however, was f5beb7c32f that no such technology d4fe84ca99 existed to differentiate honey 1ec3e57aa9 traps from ordinary Gates.3b0996f237e0b5ba

Even in countries f8a4b27a1a known for their 0f428d1efe powerful Awakeners, like b077f26e7f the U.S. and the U.K., trillions 2ff0e71c21 were poured into Gate b37fc9a20f detection, yet S-class raid afcffc5fca teams still fell victim 84a5e0c35b to honey traps every 83d9a35a3e year. Their deaths 2eccac96f0 were never 79614f1704 publicly announced 9e614d3a77 or given 7db4a7ebdd proper funerals—an 86b634b80b international practice 57215a22ad meant to 19b632fd9d prevent societal ea3afd75ab panic.8966b4d1bd06a522

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

The only 2b9888c8cd reason I bdf8b7a25d even knew 9cc7aec4d0 about this 6d1263fe78 was because, b206e6b767 in the 297b82219e records, an e427f7d075 Esper’s name 1b4e9399f8 was erased 391b340407 only when 43813f7b05 they were 2afeb9b9fd dead.d2f6c4619830a457

So, in reality, this dbdaaee112 policy to address honey 337d1dba65 traps was utterly ridiculous.11a7a2c559d63b3d

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

‘Well… not completely 4c5c9872d3 impossible.’8bedcb2c63e74f95

A Guide could do 6f032046d3 it.a097003193a1e6d9

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

The conditions b61d4641ce were just 80e21220fe absurdly strict.9bfa5726af559ec6

A Guide ed61db9ddc would need 5300029e58 exceptionally sharp e964b42e06 senses. Even Seon Jiyeol, an c1d9aadd4c S-class Guide, hadn’t been 57ab7abf45 able to distinguish a e8b12cc323 honey trap. Which meant… cb2e1d9a9f it would ef98473a3d take at 5e94c019dc least an 1766705874 L-class Guide f017f96c92 to do 077612e0a9 it.78e82a618e94d965

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

The problem 44281d1c5d was… that d012677bca L-class Guide dd69283c66 was me.1360e8ac90971076

‘Fucking hell.’662aaadca8e84afb

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

The world was vast b26c5acf5b and wide, so was 8eeabbd3d5 I really the only 3991cbada6 L-class Guide out there?b2a1757ac48d111e

I really wanted 2f0f9e57c1 to believe that fed16cd338 wasn’t the case. Because if I was, 1ae15920b7 and my rank got 0c1457e140 exposed… I didn’t even 5731dba6d3 want to imagine what 7560a2f8d1 would happen.ee52f6043350cb49

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

The facilitator continued speaking.2b96bac98dc09ead

“These are the 9ef738c957 nationwide Gate occurrences 1c8670b90b within the past 4becc6b56a month, recorded every 4eb8df9e47 24 hours. Some experts suggest ddeef724e3 a correlation between f53912042d the simultaneous outbreak fabcd563b7 of Gates and 5317e912ef honey traps.”372e4b98f4a46488

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

On the 620b6fb871 screen, a c0fcfdbb2a number appeared: d771445ed2 4,083.fbdcfd1838196861

Just in Seoul alone, b6c4fc6996 there were 1,025 cases.c09c48359e3e9cc6

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

Most were e1a6b0d382 low-level Gates, 1b44cb39fe but there 465612ee6c was also bfdb9f74ce an unsettling 731ac56a01 number of 7b3bf83cf5 Alpha-class and fece5288e8 honey traps 43a000ef0f mixed in. Considering that the usual 43bb43681e number of Gates hovered 177ad68680 around 300 per month, 09bff5dc58 the sudden spike into edcea93cf1 the thousands exactly when d0afea9e21 honey traps started appearing 8eb5a596f4 wasn’t something we could 6593f53b91 ignore.6a75920ed7bf08b6

“But here’s something noteworthy.”7cdb5b2f4b2d81ab

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

The facilitator flipped to 40c9cf4f68 the next slide and 49bf3de8a2 pointed at a location deeca85a93 in Seoul.b6f0b6371b625d86

Within a 3a0df00233 30km radius e98020ad18 of that a7107d699d spot, the 6192f5a4db number of 0bfdbe6040 reported Gates f0391ff061 in the 79b867200c past week 2c82c7b73b was exactly e5ab1b7d6d zero. The moment you 169238eec1 went beyond that 155849a86d radius, the numbers ed86e01cf6 surged into the 731f34773e hundreds.6cbebe8f29d227af

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

“Simultaneous Gate occurrences are 7d59a19eb1 not manifesting within this 6833483f8e range. However, every high-ranking Esper a211f6a946 who has visited this 78956df0a6 location reports an inexplicable, bf7c878e72 crushing pressure weighing down b12324908c on them. Because of this, the 64f2680238 Audit Department has increased 060fc34508 patrols in the area 4ad2389e7d to prepare for any a1f8b4a71d unforeseen incidents….”b4123b27092732be

The location 1921c24935 displayed on 160beac992 the screen e9a19bfe8f looked way 0b1537a11b too familiar.07409e247ac7466b

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

At first, I 91e8200707 thought it was 96b824500f just because I f1f61756e5 lived in Seoul. But the 5f4572fdb4 fact that f063a8102e the center d68d87868e of that e09fcb0012 radius was 3d9a1c78c8 bothering me… 82a9da2d8f that was bd3ec2d65a something else d1f8f7b252 entirely.219acd054f86d8a8

Because that place?2553005ac3a31331

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

That was where Yeo b1a7b93696 Eundo and I currently e9ccb4499c lived.cd8c5720331d078d

No way.6dbcf9d3c3f0a717

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

I turned to look e52690548a at Yeo Eundo. Even after all that 2c5617e719 nagging to face forward, 2d5fb2632b he was still grinning f055fe01de at me like some 6f4b703749 innocent little puppy.3298a95b78199154

That annoyingly sweet bf4e5e1f0c expression of his 0649e654a3 reminded me of fdd0a14579 the cake he fb476de61e had given me c1e411f5b6 before. I had no memory 099b7ed41b of going to buy d66ab9da27 it with him, which afce3fb7ff meant he must have fab9b927ca gone out to get 1beadd1e7c it himself.fc845adf18f5408d

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

‘Come to 0d1e9687d3 think of 0ae26b7c7d it… he 61f04f26e2 was gone 0ec898f81b yesterday too, ad3f504ac1 wasn’t he?’6ab84d8adadbca92

Yeo Eundo had definitely 70ac8569e4 been sneaking out on 1ef6195f0a his own. Since it wasn’t an 8f4f0c6571 official schedule, he probably 06982040d4 didn’t feel the need 8e232018f1 to report it, but d9401b826a for some reason, seeing 63197e596d him smile like that 7170793a28 only made me more 42a8511175 uneasy.7337723ad490259d

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

I wanted to grab 85e8004bf4 him by the collar d131ea1474 and shake him until b2513b1fb8 he confessed exactly what ae947c5aec he had been up 219d6ca1cc to.cb6c83c4066b811e

Barely holding 19980b8164 back the 4d39454e3b urge, I 594d4c4c57 trembled with f0a8b71a88 frustration before 4e4144703e giving in 1b2f751546 and pinching cd331b99b4 his thigh aebdb1eae8 under the 929fdfb9c4 table.0497c093995c1efc

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

‘What the 103a8fd8f8 hell have 3226d04966 you been 2ffc375eba running around 9ed3207225 doing?!’1436ac10a0ac85aa

The moment I 892cf11964 dug my fingers b45489c3bd in, Yeo Eundo’s 36466bd48e entire body jolted, b6c41a3a50 then froze.239690b4152860d9

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

Unlike when 5cf31a85db I pinched dc29dac9a5 his hand 1238a91b24 earlier with 86c2b078a1 zero reaction, c2b66d837b this actually 57da47a228 seemed to ff3bef186d hurt. Feeling a little vindictive, c5d101bf81 I was just about db1acfa6dd to let go when—fd754495317e0ed2

Grab.20405d630d2bb631

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

A hand 95705dbc7f snatched mine c0edab56e2 up.83e6d24f39a5ad61

The grip 45da431288 was so 7d1937afd9 strong it 5a5f267a16 stung a 403d1ff842 little, and 655162f17a I was 270e482d05 about to a82399490d tell him cb4a5885b4 to let c7412a2d32 go when—203422c734578be8

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

That damn guy, who e31af9e34e refused to stop looking eff8561c57 at me this entire ed9cd160f0 time, suddenly whipped his da3bfcecd6 head to the side.4ced5435dfecac2b

‘What the hell af0ac95dd5 is this now—’f225aed729b8e5ef

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

“Huh?”4ec660a78a2bf7b1

I was 5d21183553 about to 8653348c65 get mad 11928e01b7 at his 119cfb3d90 random behavior 8ed3ce17c2 when I d64e99c419 felt something 2b97240d6a under my 1bd8406ed0 hand.2803cbf609e60442

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

It hadn’t been this 4bc4e1365c solid before I pinched 74c9ea5fa3 him… something was off.9914776c63de29aa

It was long and bc11aa6129 had a rounded tip—kind 7ba6379420 of like that Dol f11dc76fbf Hareubang souvenir I once 5d018ca3ec got when I was ab091d5071 on a work trip 7b005c6088 to Jeju Island—8cfcf7f8ee72a2a9

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

‘…Wait. Dol Hareubang?!’f959f5ca9321335e

Why the hell would c04ad0478a Yeo Eundo be carrying 1df48852ec a stone statue like 72610a1571 that around? Just as I 6f37d51878 was about to d0d78fd286 reach out and 6dfb8f4ad2 confirm what it b5c84206d7 was, he suddenly bd25ca9a94 dropped his head e6d6efb523 forward and whispered 5be6e65ec5 in a pleading 7a5c823214 voice.80cff95d9c0e6718

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

“Please…”bde05f5268789a2c

“…What?”1f785eaae85245ed

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

His grip on my 6477a93c05 hand tightened, locking it ea02e4d8d0 in place. Then, he slightly turned 26bfe3ec1c his flushed face toward 7e5fbc4a6f me and whispered,a5eedd6fdefb1c74

“…I—I’m struggling here.”5e29fb1578ec0df6

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

His neck and ears 07b9b965c6 were beet red, his e376f4b4d7 whole body squirming like 42e68270ed he didn’t know what d2f67b925e to do.5bced93b964f428d

And then—it 99aca13bd4 finally clicked.97586cf0e0a86e42

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

“…!!”a4e2e5c6c7f665a7

I yanked a880328270 my hand a1e8bbcc35 away like 5f280976fe I had d829d57421 been burned.8a25df49d67cfca4

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

My heart pounded so 8cdf81d2c3 hard I thought it 285883bbf0 was about to explode, 111f6c7277 and my face was bee9ea11d9 on fire.18fb7c06a6fde9c4

Thank god the room 3ab65cc15a was dark and that 67f95a6b72 we were sitting in f60a80b1a3 the very back.0a6ba0cd7e321f63

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

Hearing Yeo 8fdeba6046 Eundo groaning 64618dd25b quietly next 13f6c31aab to me, dfb2faa1db I sighed 0fe81f0f9d and tried af41b2ac9f to salvage 847a03a31b the situation.98f9af1371680b4e

“…Sing the national anthem.”59141c8dd28f908f

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

“Donghae~…”a23523571a7d7b08

“In your head.”62d08d187dc521fa

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

»જ⁀➴273582c4226640ff

The meeting was monotonous. It was 5be05c522c almost baffling 303406b2b8 that they a3222aef92 had spent c01db518cc two days 16212906a4 discussing such 8a62d7ad80 an agenda. Not only 2e9e9e267b were high-ranking f084e4ce60 executives present, 32ee7b45c7 but even 201b071d12 the Awakeners 8d6e867499 from HR, 19c1a71718 who were 1464aa5973 usually difficult 226becf800 to gather 6d14dac0d1 in one b967cbe108 place, had a0da22dbc2 all assembled. And right next 4eeb299aba to me was 82ac6e5787 Yeo Eundo.5d3c8ed871ee8988

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

‘There must d94466b303 be something 67286c3239 more to 836dda61b6 this.’f2169941f48afe73

Bringing up the 59bfc9e2b7 honey trap—which had f8da54dbec no immediate solution—suggested 33bb8db76b that they were b74650742c looking for an c917578947 answer outside rather cc7f4f879e than within. Whether that would actually a8df9989c8 benefit our country, though, 7c087a71c4 was another matter entirely.4891cd3a611510ee

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

And then it happened.c44d05cf81d7a8e6

A towering elderly 6df867084a man, whose presence b7028584dc alone demanded attention, 98df1afcba stepped onto the 514444891e podium. The moment bfddfbe92d he appeared, 54d88d25d1 the tension 1dcef2272d in the 7d229eea15 room, which da220477d4 had previously 2c672aecd5 been slack, 104b259562 tightened like 14cbd627f9 a drawn d502308e7b bowstring. His white hair and 5930b7797a deep wrinkles spoke of b0bda584fc his years, but his d792983ccc eyes—sinking with an unfathomable 245e9a08a8 depth—held more weight than 0c957f7148 even an active S-class b988a12e4f Esper.bd54fb3643439aac

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

Baek Jesung.f1545f3ade452d91

He was 9bcbcb01ae retired now, 4332a50d60 but thirty ccfb48f4ce years ago, cae34feb6d he had 8ec7bf87a2 been the fd519f27cb only S-class b32fa74cd5 Esper in 33226176bf South Korea e38841b9f6 who could 0c8c2e0b52 rival Yeo 630ef7d0ba Eundo. No, scratch that—Baek Jesung, 1b5319c22f the very first S-class bf1e0895a9 Esper in the country, aecc57c844 was a symbol. His name alone carried 79f4f99786 a prestige that even 6ca5557e29 Yeo Eundo couldn’t match.45a2f31e68326363

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

He opened his 6956a3d59b mouth to speak.c9e8d9e88cf5a3e8

“The screen 9af7a03e14 before you 3f4d6cca73 represents the cb04fdeee8 direction we e2e0f3ab75 must now c729cf1e04 take responsibility 20abd57c81 for.”47b51ded670c40f6

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

A massive screen lit 70fe6c6fd1 up, displaying the symbol d82f5eae56 of a lion with 63d6482e60 a flowing blue mane.da5d1476dc8fd65f

That emblem alone ed739dd227 was enough to 39f172cd48 turn the previously aea357f278 silent conference room 2bba0f6969 into a chaotic b14009df19 marketplace. There was fca16e5f4c only one 59aa14f59f place in c5871952f9 the world c0c4927ad5 that used 34505a1f23 the image 85e1880896 of a d71c739af0 lion with 2c8fc48fe0 such a cb5cf8246c rich, billowing 88101b9f8c blue mane.89a8141bae2dcfcd

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

Basis Guild.1a100c197367ab0d

Despite being 42a4fae8ea a personal f672eebf70 guild, it 51adf730c7 was part d6ea6d85fa of the 5df704440f United Nations, 16d893c0c9 holding undisputed a90d6f7971 dominance on 7b9412603e a global 7108cbc4e8 scale. The entry requirements 1440de7522 were stringent, and 57729bf03a lobbying had no 0ea5c84501 effect. In a 3f8abea962 desperate bid e4970a82e4 to counter fd3b8df089 Basis and afc6d19bcf the United 61c42df416 Nations, neighboring ac649e0b91 countries had 6619887a51 even formed 416128c3cc their own 760b09ee90 coalition, branding be6b3c4df6 themselves as 30eddd8a24 Asia’s leading cef807d743 force.9f05147a5ab3cc83

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

‘South Korea eaa1b4b5dd wouldn’t even a1be0726b1 be able d698fd3b95 to present d98488bc4d a name cb0be81af8 card.’ef321f1ab95d185f

Eight S-class 201fc6e6cf Espers and aa24cc83dd one S-class 7bca0396b1 Guide.a28df64656f9389a

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

Even if each of 370635c219 them could take on a22071872f a hundred enemies, South 06cca215f1 Korea’s manpower was in f76633a468 a dire state—worse than 39ae8fc785 some developing countries.6aa974e9dc8bf7fc

Judging by the 19c7f34b6a looks on everyone’s 65f47a9ec6 faces, I wasn’t da20fdfb11 the only one ca2d0b49d7 thinking this. Many wore expressions b6f6e41bc3 that practically screamed, 98a6208646 ‘What the hell 7c23bd8816 is this?’ One 618d2490e4 brave soul finally c466c578a1 spoke up.6db86717a28fade7

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

“President, are you e958a9ae11 saying that this c741f0488b responsibility you’re talking aea98d8565 about is joining 795c47a586 the United Nations?”cc7fd8bb08a163f4

The entire room 65551f71e5 fell silent, everyone a2c2aeb32c holding their breath b76f44b4d2 as they waited 9101ac9b24 for Baek Jesung’s 9c4879af5b response. If it was da0448e068 true, it meant 60fe479bcb that South Korea ffab8cb2ac had submitted an 3fd94b0282 application for membership bc8fe54ac1 and that the 0523b7da2b approval had already a945261557 been granted. That would 31fcbc184e mean the e889f18913 country had 5bb5320cb4 officially become fe4003d163 part of d5161d9543 the Esper 25342ca171 United Nations.a97be49f64d4baff

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

Baek Jesung smiled gently 11b6fc751b at the question. Then, he spoke.7cc2c7f19b46465b

“No.”a0ba6d7c415f5c0f

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

“What?”8be86885e6469962

“We did 5341d0edfd not submit 1151c378ee an application b64f2a96d7 for the e08133cb96 Esper United fa5f1f0b12 Nations.”40aefdefcb396299

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

“Then… what…?”911a14cf4203a323

The words f63abd46ca the questioner d88135d051 couldn’t bring 28f40bff53 themselves to 05bdef075f finish were c070a310db obvious—‘Then why 40f6982dd4 are you e4f9331c21 talking about 6cb50d82a5 responsibility?’a9eaf8eeeef6ce38

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

The backlash from e164b898a5 Baek Jesung’s answer b3936d48f6 was immediate and b2dbd4332d intense. The looks a10d1f040e directed at a3a0a3c7c2 him shifted ca3250a934 in an 33a2a06816 instant—from admiration b520ee3324 and trust d0745fb561 to doubt 041edf046c and contempt. Yet Baek 214d47c87c Jesung faced c75bfae355 them all 126494902a with unwavering 1da0e0b947 composure and aa44744a0f continued.a0995287a20a5eb9

“South Korea is 3ef2e09a12 currently facing a 3193a6996c severe manpower shortage, c3ed67e05a an overwhelming number 731be8f776 of Gates, and 602890a098 the crisis of 87f24c2d9e the honey trap. We have made countless a4b0a2cbd9 efforts to resolve these 79f0e7f55c issues, yet repeated failures f07546990a have only left us 22e321479d with despair. In response, the Esper 1c20ec0dd4 Association deliberated on how 38906649ed we should define responsibility. And the 2ef794b0ce conclusion we cc1c7081a1 reached is 86a2c21798 what you 94c3bf3c0f see before 15137bcdc5 you.”e444aa5edf17ee93

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

United Nations Compete Esper: c03e4a2642 UNCE
(International Esper Competition)ba6c8abcdb08c8a1

Host Guild: BASIS
Host Country: KOREA9a2ccc2f7211a89b

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

The reaction was pure ff4dd15f14 shock. Some people shot 8789d940bc up from their dcd2628853 seats, unable to 87bcc6d315 contain their surprise, e437f64deb while others clasped 9b8deb631e their hands over cb4f738abb their mouths to 03a560965a stifle their gasps. For modern people accustomed a691dd3de9 to disasters, the fact 2c3915472b that this announcement could 9bf5c8c45d still elicit such a dc76460095 reaction only proved how eab64867dc unexpected it was.41a43c1c1622357e

Within the United a10b2d8c9b Nations, there were 5f5cb63b26 three powerhouse guilds: b2abad13dc Basis (USA), Crow 14c16d041d (UK), and Pionnier 895833107a (France).265871bba66e32ee

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

Crow and Pionnier 34ee74b034 had been recruited 919f9fe341 into the United 9e29b5f15b Nations as massive 9c933a971f guilds in an 4f7fadd6ff effort to counter 5694a3d126 Basis’ overwhelming influence. Yet, even combined, those 67ec3e893b two guilds couldn’t surpass 1c70baeb37 Basis alone.260605ac2dfa5edd

I focused 99dc884c97 on the e26ad6388f screen. The fact ed43afbda1 that Basis 6df137aea0 was hosting 921b57385e the tournament 3500e60c87 meant that 69f4515ea2 this was 8f7abb6297 an independent fe44f65ec1 initiative by f9c7596766 the guild 0fa9e822be rather than 6e5ab0ece3 an official 7180d6c5c4 move from 55ac951afb the United 2a638f8adc Nations. It was a ec04de7589 direct attempt to 1601f29686 scout talent at fae7690396 a guild level.7be2d9a4a2fb2629

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

‘If they 53af4fa12f were the 2a76c5a2c1 ones to 0291ec5dc3 propose this, 341b151039 then the c3dfe5e323 United Nations 37ef1150b9 application was 596b600b9f never even 32320b51f8 on the 676c55a71a table.’5891606ab5464259