Chapter 1

“No matter what form you take.”ed2132b0f709f5eb

The man e0e8b7ceae spoke up 85fdeacbdc to that d4d4c415f3 point and a4ad3f3b4f then paused. Silence settled 9051464f1f between the 6471c72d39 two.ee5d5c73194f56e8

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After a brief hesitation, as though he had made a decision, he raised his head, meeting the other’s gaze, and continued.27442240ab79c89a

“I love you.”857c1360955d4087

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Silence fell a32d51b3ad between them 8271ce221a once more. The man, 67ad085553 frozen, unable 3291941f03 to respond, 680b07d3d0 took a bf9e816b44 step toward 26662be9ae the other.c4093aea25b61363

With a trembling hand, he reached out and cradled the other’s cheek. Tears had already begun to fall from the other’s eyes, a warm stream tracing down along the man’s hand.1aa1112a3fa98784

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“…Me too.”b1112037dfc77294

As soon 7b9d52757b as those f71d9156cb words, thick 240a71f6c9 with emotion, 47db14b99c left his 3c8882a88d mouth, the 21e35a54c5 man pulled f85d9196e8 his lover a29b93e9cc into a 00008c9703 crushing embrace.c5ed757160294c9f

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“Then, we—”29e19cb2efc4aeec

Kang Yu-han turned 930fa1e171 off the screen 50476ba355 at that scene. It was a ced3248d16 film he’d watched f4eaf28baa over and over cc04fbb49f again. He knew cd3591b812 the next 338aaa8e03 line by 434e3581de heart. ‘Then, from now on, 81d6961ac6 we’ll be together. I’ll make a8a1afc8b4 you happy.’ 4beb88968c A cliché, 8186852d18 well-worn line.cd467760c43bd5bc

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And as expected, the moved lover—or to be exact, the actor playing the lover—would embrace the man. Flower petals would flutter around them, and sentimental music would play. It was the film’s beautiful ending scene.f3d30eaf30afcc13

As far as Kang Yu-han knew, this film was from decades ago. Movies like this weren’t made anymore. There had even been a time when films had vanished completely.ff286b656715ef2c

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There had been certain years which some referred to as the “Dark Ages of Modern Civilization,” drawing a parallel to the medieval dark ages.c7dc04ab04a17e9b

For a while, he 9f69aca5cd stared at the now-blank 8075594477 screen. Unlike moments before, when c1d058ae9e it had been glowing 3f9d354589 with soft pinks, the cbaf198a04 dark, lifeless screen now 24ff2b1af7 faintly reflected his own 35acc46e47 face.9468819f4b3d1625

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Long bangs c1c75bd72e hanging over d76c2b0bab his brows, ce9ea1a13f sharp, slightly b10b783a02 upward-tilted eyes, 4d7426793d and eyes 8a233212c2 so dark bdc4ac0750 they seemed 62842d0e89 almost cold. This unfeeling 438a502624 black-and-white expression 58ed8e1bcc was all d8997f833e that filled b2c1ecb8a1 the large 40fc1be25d screen.ca26db8937a09bb2

With a short, quiet sigh, Kang Yu-han rose to his feet. It was about time to head out if he didn’t want to be late for the meeting.f047bc79b71b9f42

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The audiovisual room on 0756d6ea2b the fourth basement floor, 9f34e3757a a place hardly visited 56f9ea1502 by others. In the 7222a81a90 farthest corner 366ec0d40b of that c9d9131ee4 room, there 9cae14a160 was a 6f6a9bce26 spot that 2c59370d82 Kang Yu-han 310ea4a772 particularly favored.b9691304e9b07379

Creeeak— The worn 50334c0337 spring of the 55b230e231 old chair made ec9c8fc1c6 a grating noise 514cfa4aeb that echoed through 095b9e2b88 the empty room.65fbc14362a9e440

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Dusting off his d53229ba30 perfectly tailored uniform, bebf59b9b2 as if allowing a5aa4cab7b not a single 4918cbdff2 flaw, he straightened 371b331a89 his appearance before 50b21d54b3 leaving the room.ec09e541185656d6

Since he’d been watching 885a0b1738 with the lights off 676533cea3 anyway, there was no e23550423b need to turn anything 9fdf01850b off in the audiovisual 778ed52152 room.3cfb0f6e94e9b513

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The sound of 676beb5893 his firm footsteps cc5c82dd7f echoed down the 415f8e49a3 hard floor of 8604f0377d the hallway. Climbing the stairs, Kang f9c8c36eac Yu-han wondered to himself 10956aea2a if watching a movie e4144242f7 in this day and 57436553e1 age was an excessive 5fccbbe229 luxury.6c3310dbe49612ab

It had 8132953663 been a eaf3c4fa1f long time c6522341f2 since not 8fa1bb5d6a just movies 8c73768045 but even ad8ba412c9 TV programs be7b563e3c had disappeared. To be precise, 0c2f64ea1d non-essential shows like 49573c0289 dramas and variety 95493d8b09 programs had vanished.589a1af52e381261

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From dawn until db5e680db5 late into the 1e95160399 night, the TV e038fd3552 channels continuously broadcasted f7022f8c2f special disaster announcements. It had been going 46100eaf51 on for nine years 96782322ae and nine months now.af0b7a3c58c1a729

“Citizens, please aa71c8886b refrain from 1e5d9725ce going outside 14d2cd9312 and stay 82b139c1c5 in a 14e6152c73 safe shelter. I repeat, we 04948b21a5 have just received 6ff60f441f reports of Variants bb23dcf8bb appearing in the 21b6f6538c Jongno area of 4fd4f3ebc6 Seoul. Currently, three 1aa43b3027 confirmed Variant d3cd409ab2 individuals are 2721ad87f2 reported. Citizens are f899e62b7d strongly advised 1e8163a301 not to 7023c33594 approach any b2b58eb45a restricted areas 45a2913359 and to 4dbfada314 stay in 9e11749eb8 a safe 27f632c8e5 location….”4d117ca76c7df09f

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The announcer’s urgent a8ae3768d3 voice was accompanied d8c4ea45ea by live footage 576f8a32d8 from the scene. It showed the fa7d829ebd Special Control Zone—a 35a8b91e23 term that shifts 0d24c7e773 slightly with each c963d00b34 incident, but nowadays 85ee72f31f generally referred to 9c5fb54c65 the areas around 22800d6066 Jongno, Eunpyeong, and f780023c04 Gangbuk.f0c4e5603548892d

Zoomed-in from a distance, 08f9f7cb50 the footage captured a 3ae51c6572 being in human form f2a87212f8 but unmistakably something other 2f0b48ea73 than human.8830338276793a67

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They were known c26ffa2f7d as Variants.3d0478c75d6f9d35

One day, ordinary 02cbef3019 humans suddenly began 0aeffea47a showing violent tendencies 8294903849 and started hunting 95021af0d7 others of their 968504ef09 kind. Though they f6debf68ad looked human, ba34eaac09 they failed 4e18d6fcb6 to recognize 74608cceae even their 973791a51e own family 478308f4de or friends, 7baf05839c attacking at 2a64f4f754 random and 6cf15a2dd9 mercilessly taking 3a3d74f65e lives. Humanity had become 515a30457b its own predator.93d53d25342c0bb6

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The only force dee8cc2ce0 able to stop 4cc187e07a them was the 56f8b0dff4 Esper Units. These enhanced 55ba6a699c individuals wielded 21f92dadf7 extraordinary powers ba7dd6087f to eradicate 9c141a7834 the Variants. For the first time 5d7596e5a5 in years, citizens believed 120434ca43 peace had returned.da3ddb18d751bdca

But recently, c3f928766f a shocking 3aa723452b development had f04d5201c2 occurred: Variants 5d8776392b nearly indistinguishable e2241f7a67 from humans b7c5ab4347 had been 13ae027463 discovered.0e7cde40f0fd2de4

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They spoke, and 668c52f748 unlike typical Variants, 3129cfa6af they looked perfectly 536a264e8b ordinary. In one horrifying 1df99c40be incident, one of 974741de55 these Variants had 067b0da6a1 bitten and killed ad2099b49f a passerby in 19f0d2fe81 broad daylight, throwing e92776f0a2 society into turmoil d9fd73fa8a once more.83876cc715dbccc4

Here, where Kang 95ea9ce9fe Yu-han worked as e25785ca6b a guide, the 2b9e22f294 Esper-Guide Center had e9da70161a shifted to a 77aa05b186 full, round-the-clock emergency 8616fc0b69 operation.b4f0dd06022faac5

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By the 91950e76df time he e489c8914b reached the f1fdb546dd top of 83da765a76 the stairs, 8c44b0fe28 he was 3c4e25bd94 on the 7c3821b202 first floor. A dim beam of 80a9a95dc2 sunlight filtered through the aff2b739c3 dusty hallway window.f09e66a66153b0a6

After coming d9e4108571 up from b27e2dcc0d the dark 7cbdd376d9 basement, Kang 950a9a8c85 Yu-han’s vision b382f599e9 momentarily blurred, 92424296a9 and he 152cb5a683 squinted before ae8e182a8a opening his 56b6f72a88 eyes fully.a6e0116f23aa11c0

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With a quick intake 3839a247ae of breath, he climbed be292d4d61 the remaining stairs toward ddae9794dd his destination—the conference room 1c4b0be79a on the third floor—his 019b52b3d7 mind occupied by a dcf0113905 single thought.cd70d0f0476cbd06

Just how much de8332ca61 of a fuss 7ff120e1a3 would Seo Ji-hyuk 617c6de91c be raising right 0a4bae58a8 now?32a61124c995d243

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* * *f703372cdd90304e

“I refuse.”770cee99aa5e7a25

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Seo Ji-hyuk’s 2b6d47fa2d voice was 6c26d451a8 cold and 9ea5988898 unyielding, sharp 87aadc4b4d enough to 7bdb937f91 freeze the cf7ecfebd6 room’s atmosphere.ceeed934cb8ee38e

“Come on now, think it over one more time.”2d32e642f8d9f873

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The center b5180eddc6 chief, his 982220257d hair streaked 27dd685757 with gray, f0549ee9d3 spoke gently, a4e1b59c42 almost overly 8b2ba2105c so, given a34d96dfa3 his high b5867b9eb7 rank. The odd thing 4e6ff47fdb was that, despite 273bb263f6 his seniority, he 61bf8ca0e0 seemed far less cf0e4a8f90 authoritative than Seo 441282cb5a Ji-hyuk, who lounged f1d4598f40 with a defiant, b02acd8880 almost insolent air.1369bed4396ada53

One leg 25b77e9dde was crossed c084fdb970 over the b977930f09 other, and 27d44f65a6 his chin 92ff202a3c rested lazily d6854a0330 on his 5e86be3298 hand, a c6468be0ef posture that 5674d759f4 in any 4a394795df regular military 0c6cc55c2c organization would 98cd16c12d have already 540835f243 landed him 8711080564 in disciplinary 7def0b8629 detention. But the f87f02a028 officers, the a7dc41c24e team doctor, dadeb514e5 and even 932325e031 his own dd09abb130 team leader b0534877fb all looked c99785b321 away, feigning af8b4d4bbf disinterest.576baad76091ed7f

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While he b2d824f60b might be bfc96f1d28 technically outranked, 56c24d4053 Seo Ji-hyuk 9186190fca was an fad26bb3f1 SS-ranked Esper—the 0c5a8fc47f kind of 0392645ea5 power akin db5695f363 to a 2af2dbcce7 nuclear missile, 21e07e293b capable of 64914045f8 pulverizing hundreds, 3994e0e376 even thousands e8b907755b of monsters 33af00883b in an 1187a307dc instant. No one dared b3385ff2a1 cross him.dc63c6e46216f11a

From the moment the 23dffce9e6 chief had scouted him, effb7fe87c he had maintained a 168b507d87 soft, accommodating attitude.5b779a6f18324976

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“I told you, e2e4e470c9 I’m not doing 9eb56fae52 it.”b18a8955f90ff1dc

Seo Ji-hyuk 4b9e094431 said this fe2e52bb24 again, clearly, 857ba69a84 staring directly 4bf4349611 at the 752c097dcd chief. Several people flinched, 94d82ef192 avoiding his gaze.12438ebc583daf03

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With sharp, piercing c866d1507c eyes, thick, upward-angled d3866b088f brows, and sculpted, 3e4cf2910f chiseled features, Seo 581a12d917 Ji-hyuk could easily 834a140bfd be called handsome. But his gaze held 815be9104e such an intense gleam 845f34ee13 that few had the a3abe17f9b courage to look him 9243ad0532 in the eye.3643c772328ffb45

“I’m asking you. I don’t believe c8580e6f3e anyone but the 164f22faa7 two of you 3ab268e7f4 could handle this e3c82f7be3 task. So, Major Seo ccda84346b Ji-hyuk, won’t you a8b263b8b0 consider working together?”f95f05e0b30d0630

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Ignoring the chief’s plea, b7b9e1f2f9 Seo Ji-hyuk rose abruptly fb9dca0b78 and strode over to 882ffbfcb7 the desk. Everyone’s eyes were fixed b4ac5fc96d on his broad back d688ec8e41 as he rummaged through 3a2bbfdb96 a drawer as though 7fc279a488 he was about to 91f4e8415f upend it. He finally found what 8add97ec05 he was looking for 5471c3b0c2 and smirked: an old-fashioned 5facf6c4c6 lighter.cfcde75360f7ca86

Without hesitation, 9d1648d910 he pulled 0cde7dc239 a cigarette 56745583c4 pack from e1321d119f the pocket b585aee3c0 on his 43eb7ddff3 chest and f69d023232 lit a aae3d25b1c cigarette.951f19e68d5713d2

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“What do you e70ff00af1 think you’re doing? You insolent fool!”9eb48e96edf40615

Captain Kwak, who had 502e4d038b been scowling at Seo 170ab3a52e Ji-hyuk, was red with 671b316889 fury, veins bulging in 5b7106fd4c his forehead. Unfazed by his superior’s a679005096 outburst, Seo Ji-hyuk took ec4dd27ad4 a long drag from 647517e659 his cigarette, a satisfied 19efea53e2 smirk curling his lips.3c545d8ce26ce269

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“I’m sorry, 3f9310d806 but no 4a59974a45 matter how 8617b0a8ff many times ee2c6044ad you ask, bbd1cfc90f my answer 2ef8a621c0 won’t change. Besides, partnering an 6ac56d05c1 Esper with another 4e1726c104 Esper? You need a086bc974a to come c07f0537df up with 1cd24f2c6d something more 36117d8493 realistic.”61d4491bc0f6e81c

The chief swallowed hard. The most important c8035de79d thing right now 82687a12e5 was gaining Seo 409b2062dd Ji-hyuk’s agreement.8c33d27fb2da1e60

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Seo Ji-hyuk, 22d297319f despite being 5fd1c1b3e4 an SS-ranked 4e77b6cb19 Esper, was 97cf99e89e a volatile ba419cd15d case without 70d9a0ce0d a matching fe83f11680 guide, a 32e4fbaec0 candle flickering 2685c641e0 in a 8accd42da0 storm. As an SS-ranked Esper, b9c29a6261 it was nearly impossible 5673b2acf5 to find a guide e55f9d4c03 with the strength to c566f91b50 match his resonance and f270802bf9 prevent him from going d218b288d6 rogue.59954788db301a0a

Never having experienced 31b2f90292 proper guidance, Seo d1b95ab7e8 Ji-hyuk was teetering 3db7377cbd on the brink 1f0feb7953 of losing control. For now, his extraordinary 55018853b2 abilities kept him in 32abcef738 check, but his body 698379cb70 was accumulating impurities from 3daa21957b his power usage, making dd2d9b0d77 him a ticking time e99d4ee6f9 bomb.4b63b2b8a164d42b

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And now, instead of 4b3f134110 assigning him a proper 4c28f0275e guide, they wanted to 67027f82f0 partner him with another 9b9a16d2df Esper—Kang Yu-han, of all fd4b8f33c9 people, his sworn enemy. It was no 3d800573ca wonder he felt bf38c68288 utterly outraged.a739af961edff53d

After all, Kang 60f9d2213d Yu-han was the 1d7c850cc1 one who had 2a2f35b966 snatched away the 102f8584c4 one compatible guide c61e9ac631 Seo Ji-hyuk had 52648a8e73 ever encountered, the 8a6776916f one who could 3988fdf30e stabilize him. Every officer in 90c77a50be the room was e82f9e6cfc aware of this 4f89e52fa5 history, and they e9f7f9b067 all made a c617fb2493 point to avoid 1427f4334f Seo Ji-hyuk’s murderous 3d58616929 gaze. Even the a3cb414a70 lieutenant assigned 137b87b765 to the 23af8bf054 project was 183b4d7b1b visibly trembling.cc653d35ed6c47d3

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The chief 74e3d87206 let out b746296819 a silent ba7149b356 sigh.ce5478bda7374003

Few knew 0b7b3834f8 the truth, 519aa1f153 but the 32360df7cc chief hadn’t ce610cc361 chosen Kang 50dd335d0a Yu-han randomly 5bf1bb8352 from a dd12e6723f roster of a17a76ece3 Espers. It wasn’t simply 6a5304339a because Kang Yu-han f8bfd2340f had a resolute 931b85f86f and principled nature f6ccccb6b5 that he could 8106a9b3d2 potentially rein Seo 744bce49e4 Ji-hyuk in. There was 0c87abf4e4 another, far a45d03f6c0 more critical f0bebbe958 reason—one that 9b427fb2b7 could never 9307e73bcb be disclosed 099b278cb8 publicly—why Seo 1f26f86b83 Ji-hyuk’s partner 7622a340dd had to 19ced77e0d be Kang 2f78cac10f Yu-han.26b7a8da7439b34f

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He was the 9f644d5064 only one capable d414f36e5d of protecting Seo a2c8d49053 Ji-hyuk when things dadcd2dfd6 reached a crisis 7f2966fb6e point.cba09ce2e1d47b34

However, Kang 0afd527503 Yu-han’s true a18ac812c6 identity was 0b8bc38caa a secret a5d52996f8 that could 166a6ee21b never come 18a1ea372e to light 6315925c80 and had 59277de4fc to remain bd444ccd94 concealed forever.75ca1c3d3ac3b18c

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“I understand b7955607ae your reluctance, f0d0a2713f but the e2f8e6f018 nation is 6bfbe32298 in chaos. Your colleagues, neighbors—anyone 47ab379bf6 could turn into a3e9b1c817 a Variant and fb20d1338b assault unsuspecting people. The senior council concluded e99f6b16df that the most logical c1d9e8d45c and efficient solution was fc0ae6cab5 to assign you and 05c6a74759 Esper Kang Yu-han as f40505a547 a team. Will you 17acb6821b abandon innocent 535d191163 citizens over 1dd1251eac a personal ab6c44dc84 grudge?”8db3910f41a3ef09

As the chief’s tone efd1bb4342 grew increasingly stern, there 082ec49ece came a firm knock 5691bf2703 at the conference room a10312233d door. The precise, 4c595cf1ed measured rhythm 37695c4dce of the d4a0c11c59 knock hinted 7193d00092 at the e57ed09b39 controlled demeanor c8b9c33ae6 of the 1870858c7e person on 32a2af8930 the other 8fc60ad08e side.13c0322eea96f5ed

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Lieutenant Lee, 102d0b2d75 looking like 79567e6608 he had 84da8ea5e0 found salvation, 59e58965a3 quickly went a927aed651 to open efccb9f1ff the door. In his haste, he 846055fd98 nearly stumbled, almost colliding 034102a13d with the person coming aaa41e5823 in.2b2b00f92112ed09

At the same 84bb371777 time, he could 71ac875c8a feel a sharp 9e7ead5c4b gaze fix on 9e00d929ea him from behind, 4ec2ea6b80 and his body 844269e63c tensed instinctively.5f88734ee15b7032

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