Chapter 1

“No matter what form you take.”3b1580940dee3baf

The man spoke up 49675926a5 to that point and bdde3abc4f then paused. Silence settled affe99920d between the 1197588104 two.155ecf20c7767179

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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.7331ddba16c3e006

“I love you.”c8df77c54d7947b0

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Silence fell between them 0c5a8eba3f once more. The man, 937bdd8d71 frozen, unable ae58d6955b to respond, c0e5e46334 took a c00107497d step toward 8ae26da5fd the other.a91eb4667c871e03

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.87df19873e54cac4

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“…Me too.”4ff22dd1b49832b1

As soon 46afb5407b as those d0539259a3 words, thick 99262b21a8 with emotion, 9540488c68 left his 7e3a467d31 mouth, the eea13d2fa3 man pulled a099107954 his lover c6889fec3f into a ce98baceb9 crushing embrace.dc5c08125671cdf9

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“Then, we—”5bb77e95e52fef7e

Kang Yu-han turned 0bdd2c1ad2 off the screen cb632e281e at that scene. It was a film 990feff323 he’d watched over and 126ff539b2 over again. He knew 0195d4c78d the next c08553fe27 line by 921f49797d heart. ‘Then, from 9a413d4c87 now on, caf04af992 we’ll be 74e7b6aa90 together. I’ll make 53679dc349 you happy.’ 320acdeffc A cliché, 72d3ab7635 well-worn line.ac055556c5497e98

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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.6dfc9cd59e826a37

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.964c23ce1d5bd261

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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.a2ac410519ce760f

For a while, 9af3677563 he stared at 95b15e86a4 the now-blank screen. Unlike moments before, when 20c2fdf0f3 it had been glowing 445bf66bcc with soft pinks, the b85cc8811a dark, lifeless screen now 948f80b109 faintly reflected his own 1fdc124e98 face.19be52dcabdf78f3

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Long bangs bc3e20d040 hanging over 773dad93df his brows, 96956cd2f8 sharp, slightly 67101bfee1 upward-tilted eyes, 1de31fe1c2 and eyes 79f23fd1f9 so dark bae87bb9f4 they seemed 974a4079e4 almost cold. This unfeeling black-and-white 43b04667c7 expression was all bc518332f9 that filled the 320023d941 large screen.696f01f094b0b98c

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.34f88a50a3442b87

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The audiovisual 8e8d205e54 room on b9952ae64a the fourth 0444eced96 basement floor, 49caa1dc53 a place a3749298e6 hardly visited 99e5c1ff6f by others. In the e5c1ec39e1 farthest corner 8d2648ad87 of that 69972eac58 room, there c634613650 was a 5d851dbf96 spot that 24ff0801d5 Kang Yu-han 3bb4cd29a8 particularly favored.5ff65635baa64452

Creeeak— The worn 28c64f14c0 spring of the f27c4bf4ca old chair made bad12acdf1 a grating noise 3bf7193ed1 that echoed through daceabad65 the empty room.0fb1d3fcfa306cf4

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Dusting off his a33b7479df perfectly tailored uniform, e7c52dd90b as if allowing d7928cb4a1 not a single 9a838a9b92 flaw, he straightened 2d9f151b58 his appearance before fc106b72b5 leaving the room.d5985c2ad63cd8b0

Since he’d been watching c83e82b27d with the lights off eb2e5d8c14 anyway, there was no a9259f15a2 need to turn anything b7b57d684c off in the audiovisual f6c54a2ef6 room.397bae9327e694bf

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The sound 2b6a3b3dea of his 602e3ddcb2 firm footsteps 6361e6f76d echoed down 5458bc5870 the hard 2f347ea26d floor of 6c767c91b8 the hallway. Climbing the stairs, Kang 4fcf0a996e Yu-han wondered to himself f85ef7ed8d if watching a movie 75f8c9337b in this day and 4b4b0d2534 age was an excessive c98763894c luxury.3af9c61bac76bb3d

It had 5f7ac80aa9 been a 81cbf6b172 long time 9327cb8212 since not 41353e6495 just movies b0a2a2dec9 but even 571972a634 TV programs 37eea1deca had disappeared. To be precise, non-essential b1b89de0f8 shows like dramas and c0351fd84b variety programs had vanished.d3d17e0234971ebb

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From dawn until c75e60b3db late into the b1b66b7d08 night, the TV e0b306783b channels continuously broadcasted 3c08a86c93 special disaster announcements. It had 55d3323f3d been going 919f0b855b on for e2c0556f39 nine years 0e5691fecf and nine 8597564560 months now.9d1cbd9b9bbd9799

“Citizens, please refrain 598d5893ed from going outside 550eb592c3 and stay in 1aa62e367e a safe shelter. I repeat, we 887996ab3b have just received 7ae6cd6476 reports of Variants 25e916fd9a appearing in the e9b6f3e0ff Jongno area of d264b84407 Seoul. Currently, three confirmed Variant 6aa5b18fb4 individuals are reported. Citizens are strongly advised 05e7859065 not to approach any 8c97660674 restricted areas and to f7e24ede4a stay in a safe 4a194043d1 location….”0a58fc12c898c6f6

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The announcer’s d3600282e3 urgent voice 3f5aa8ef04 was accompanied 2beb056465 by live fc10a04607 footage from 8a2bd44c47 the scene. It showed 140c3a4a96 the Special 6ce90b6a2f Control Zone—a f5fef508bb term that b55923cc41 shifts slightly 6849feabf5 with each 97762b56b8 incident, but 0456f74384 nowadays generally 0a3074eee2 referred to fa849d225f the areas f2ee98f783 around Jongno, 5d5068c1a7 Eunpyeong, and 70eb9c45f4 Gangbuk.0ba477a627ee50d4

Zoomed-in from a distance, 36a849e522 the footage captured a a674f3da63 being in human form 05e3f97d97 but unmistakably something other 82e84a50c9 than human.210f43a323bac65c

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They were known a074f6ff8c as Variants.d014ffbd39b06df6

One day, ordinary humans d1954b7f25 suddenly began showing violent 991424c63d tendencies and started hunting 7a0369096d others of their kind. Though they looked human, db7a97dcb4 they failed to recognize 9ed80bcf15 even their own family 5afcc79a2b or friends, attacking at ae2ae212fd random and mercilessly taking 51663f47b6 lives. Humanity had become 06406ef49d its own predator.a93c7ded936fbb80

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The only 5285eea27d force able d4cd8633e9 to stop 28072baef7 them was 9cae52719e the Esper fd9b8609ff Units. These enhanced 6d40597d5a individuals wielded bb034b2c52 extraordinary powers 54fd536100 to eradicate 524ee693ed the Variants. For the first 60cc2b480f time in years, 1a11a20bc3 citizens believed peace 1094b8a95a had returned.416044154582877d

But recently, a shocking b6e3895f03 development had occurred: Variants d210fe2a89 nearly indistinguishable from humans cc4c98206c had been discovered.6328783fd49e3811

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They spoke, and 756ffdcb68 unlike typical Variants, a3fbe03c2e they looked perfectly 11639d4f3a ordinary. In one horrifying 32884e94ea incident, one of 7bcfb6cc39 these Variants had 984195f1e0 bitten and killed 098a8d397a a passerby in 39177c6e2e broad daylight, throwing d24446529c society into turmoil 71bf58865f once more.788f41b7de5873ac

Here, where 149ae90605 Kang Yu-han 9cbc87e519 worked as 92519f6e90 a guide, d9233f7c8f the Esper-Guide 3bb69fcd49 Center had 53a9840a7b shifted to 4de1671294 a full, 936762b197 round-the-clock emergency 395d21e155 operation.b86b30dcf03f2b39

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By the ab78b1fd27 time he 9ba2ef65ba reached the 99daade149 top of 4536cacece the stairs, c75e863a1e he was bd3381a74c on the 2e4d200c6e first floor. A dim beam of cd3fec66e6 sunlight filtered through the 132dfe474f dusty hallway window.c3967726a0243417

After coming up a731a99a76 from the dark 943c39dce7 basement, Kang Yu-han’s d8df180a77 vision momentarily blurred, 98f86f7de3 and he squinted d782a30ab7 before opening his d728a4f016 eyes fully.2c707ea4f6bd573a

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With a quick 58dce3a7b6 intake of breath, 7550984595 he climbed the 6a00b0609c remaining stairs toward 063147eb70 his destination—the conference c9e112829d room on the ab49e04f83 third floor—his mind be7542e540 occupied by a 7b26b12011 single thought.f1a42bb4d42c77d7

Just how much of 60c95f00e2 a fuss would Seo 5bdfb6238d Ji-hyuk be raising right 62cff853d7 now?b27e9e8010b3fc8c

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* * *a1b4c69f969d5d6f

“I refuse.”1adce4c9c2d06420

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Seo Ji-hyuk’s voice d309143dbc was cold and 3bff415af2 unyielding, sharp enough 8410cd712c to freeze the ccc102ad80 room’s atmosphere.699e80f6d0f12523

“Come on now, think it over one more time.”dc5f4a517b3839e1

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The center chief, 6c3337c77f his hair streaked 80a9f809fe with gray, spoke 13da915ed2 gently, almost overly f68dd84bd9 so, given his aa76cfec50 high rank. The odd thing was 6ad8acd785 that, despite his seniority, ae20e255ce he seemed far less b8f0d3b8ab authoritative than Seo Ji-hyuk, b265343042 who lounged with a c70c786367 defiant, almost insolent air.32fde42956ea4033

One leg was crossed fab38e51c2 over the other, and 998fc37e39 his chin rested lazily ec6b9c4748 on his hand, a 3da487887f posture that in any b911d27dc8 regular military organization would ade5301db7 have already landed him bc0b2786cf in disciplinary detention. But the 1c757ed0a2 officers, the a08cf51306 team doctor, 6cbcb2be58 and even fe9c115112 his own 2e606c8c04 team leader 8ef2176801 all looked aa63e11bf9 away, feigning fcf78dc3ee disinterest.30567f342be259a6

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While he might be 2af32b73e6 technically outranked, Seo Ji-hyuk 4323c1bd9c was an SS-ranked Esper—the 18a0c99cfa kind of power akin 6450ae53ac to a nuclear missile, e6a81e4dfe capable of pulverizing hundreds, 836800bf44 even thousands of monsters 01980ccd89 in an instant. No one dared cross eb7235180d him.153f282dfb73210d

From the 14c84b9d20 moment the b0e9bcd71e chief had 2e540c551c scouted him, ca5a7df28a he had 36a30b83ea maintained a 72027d5d92 soft, accommodating bbabdcb028 attitude.6178ec0cca227f30

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“I told you, c71befb140 I’m not doing 3b84e4d9ec it.”6c2b2598889d6193

Seo Ji-hyuk said d514f40d67 this again, clearly, 8a50f0ee4d staring directly at 39f3e874c9 the chief. Several people c2e4fd9e3e flinched, avoiding 1f3a1c9bb8 his gaze.7081bcd805e45c04

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With sharp, piercing eyes, 8c7f54dab0 thick, upward-angled brows, and 9399636f2a sculpted, chiseled features, Seo 6cf4a1dcac Ji-hyuk could easily be 5649bcce2f called handsome. But his cf48cc48a6 gaze held 688c807dae such an 09621f9ea9 intense gleam ec5c450011 that few 1fc4743786 had the cc98ede59c courage to 167dad6a35 look him 3339e0701c in the b623635ea6 eye.be2774653bbe5d3c

“I’m asking you. I don’t 686d9c14e4 believe anyone 2c94ee7776 but the 789d980fa8 two of a79e363805 you could 6a36d70fee handle this b579a622f7 task. So, Major 321ab679cc Seo Ji-hyuk, d359e74bec won’t you c04894ae3b consider working e79feef34e together?”40a97f5a2c4fba8a

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Ignoring the b5ff0f4d5f chief’s plea, abb5214015 Seo Ji-hyuk b8dbc39758 rose abruptly 5ec3d5689a and strode 7dd8fd75a5 over to b309d565dc the desk. Everyone’s eyes were fixed 4d2dfe483a on his broad back 1e714b1323 as he rummaged through 674ad91adc a drawer as though 0559f50bca he was about to 934525e2e2 upend it. He finally 71901aca6a found what 7458488802 he was 3d72242a57 looking for b430529599 and smirked: 42a9bfd738 an old-fashioned 64dbc4e598 lighter.517e80737a3a012c

Without hesitation, he 35b7781179 pulled a cigarette e553f99b95 pack from the 7e119eab5c pocket on his 0a910a387f chest and lit 137611b574 a cigarette.705e8c990521fc48

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“What do 1cb5027ffe you think 1effabc079 you’re doing? You insolent fool!”e4828b0048e71cec

Captain Kwak, 4cd229537c who had e788160c11 been scowling 6d040828a7 at Seo 1438542cd6 Ji-hyuk, was b7ac417efb red with 55005c09e4 fury, veins c1f5f3eb0a bulging in e8fb4f1779 his forehead. Unfazed by his bfab6eafba superior’s outburst, Seo 1059659641 Ji-hyuk took a 5382d77cae long drag from fa98d41c80 his cigarette, a bf344e4fa7 satisfied smirk curling 0095582078 his lips.a089159132765778

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“I’m sorry, but no 2b5547f2a5 matter how many times feefe63cdf you ask, my answer dfe92ec5a9 won’t change. Besides, partnering an Esper fe131bb601 with another Esper? You need b1b882624d to come 1296bc7407 up with 3d81b6e030 something more 0aaf611c0b realistic.”9a6045885f60a864

The chief swallowed hard. The most important thing c2bd04b5a8 right now was gaining a4c14cfefb Seo Ji-hyuk’s agreement.24626075b5742db1

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Seo Ji-hyuk, despite 6caa34b320 being an SS-ranked 2e1133d374 Esper, was a 5da2a274ad volatile case without c7e58325d5 a matching guide, b84c3f6f43 a candle flickering 46319039b6 in a storm. As an SS-ranked Esper, 5b476389b6 it was nearly impossible 2691b35eb1 to find a guide 9c75b03240 with the strength to 7fbff4018a match his resonance and 86136039b1 prevent him from going 39415de8e6 rogue.a92bb6a718c23ee2

Never having experienced a1629761db proper guidance, Seo e2fac0b31d Ji-hyuk was teetering 317f5c3fdb on the brink a990be6c27 of losing control. For now, 714c59780c his extraordinary 30570f97aa abilities kept 53c7f44eb5 him in 55a26fa1d8 check, but 10a6638479 his body f1b4f67041 was accumulating 88ed563734 impurities from 86662caed8 his power 5c0808f6a7 usage, making 986244d237 him a 71ccedfb99 ticking time 7160b27793 bomb.748b54210d025656

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And now, dec97e2979 instead of 6f99aa949b assigning him 9e48f2594e a proper 67d09990fd guide, they 0abc5745a4 wanted to 5c86f6e741 partner him e5e0dc8726 with another 0342f5eeec Esper—Kang Yu-han, c50c913c15 of all ce13e184c5 people, his 61d83ed077 sworn enemy. It was no 36eb6bdccb wonder he felt e2ecd705a0 utterly outraged.cd304c084d735f87

After all, 75d93b7dac Kang Yu-han 6b773c6e5d was the 95aa6611c8 one who a64a0023a3 had snatched dce4d68fb1 away the bfbdff9d4f one compatible d8ac03e629 guide Seo f04b285f8c Ji-hyuk had be005aa400 ever encountered, c149d121ac the one 67325cc88e who could 639f392913 stabilize him. Every officer ed66ee1bbc in the 3d7788d324 room was 85b7feb0ba aware of 395cf804af this history, 0933b9d446 and they eeb732b509 all made 7f1abb23d5 a point 8a55a9c94f to avoid 63378dd452 Seo Ji-hyuk’s 1af4b8cd01 murderous gaze. Even the lieutenant af11913b45 assigned to the 1d2f4092e1 project was visibly e33dd5b9a0 trembling.035d1c90421885d2

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The chief let d9af49197b out a silent e816028035 sigh.99e5b2526ffae715

Few knew the 06f024026f truth, but the 73e629e4f9 chief hadn’t chosen 1a1a97c3f0 Kang Yu-han randomly 8dd79bad85 from a roster ff32faa59c of Espers. It wasn’t 966489f148 simply because d0a7c36a05 Kang Yu-han 3463426596 had a 605e79b6ae resolute and 54d85c4b3d principled nature 371453c8cd that he 206cef6988 could potentially adaa8fc14f rein Seo 6c0a52d800 Ji-hyuk in. There was a9af7a89de another, far 79f8c1da76 more critical 3783399fb2 reason—one that 04c35d7737 could never 5487269eaf be disclosed 9ad12d604a publicly—why Seo 64b2eb4bee Ji-hyuk’s partner 490f8fe60b had to 17ea0368ed be Kang 6652611cc9 Yu-han.4bcb611c510f199b

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He was 307b371e5d the only 51f301137f one capable 8b26ada0ca of protecting 01d1845468 Seo Ji-hyuk d3caa62699 when things fccf7a1bc8 reached a 80f2bc4585 crisis point.fbcbe1b575c3fa07

However, Kang Yu-han’s true 66e53ced94 identity was a secret 814b12b4a6 that could never come 4bfc57e91c to light and had 63b28f210e to remain concealed forever.9bc041a5c19f4df2

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“I understand your 6b9c07f967 reluctance, but the 976246bd0a nation is in e07e6b0ebd chaos. Your colleagues, neighbors—anyone 080cf99f97 could turn into b68e548167 a Variant and 3e93c8500f assault unsuspecting people. The senior 746a23d9d5 council concluded 269d4f0f73 that the 3c241f25b8 most logical cf5ff75aec and efficient e8d545da09 solution was 3e38b80593 to assign 075cbb29b1 you and 99352effed Esper Kang 80164c8b8a Yu-han as d7d1707bf0 a team. Will you 0863b45871 abandon innocent db4b414847 citizens over fbb9ca9d17 a personal 62a91d139a grudge?”d837b9aa86603251

As the chief’s f415b77a8a tone grew increasingly 769cf38aa7 stern, there came 5be64d6492 a firm knock c9badb6afb at the conference 496e848a30 room door. The precise, measured rhythm 6428534bd4 of the knock hinted b20324560c at the controlled demeanor 247d4a4b2b of the person on d11ab1c2ea the other side.0e67e3cf51875151

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Lieutenant Lee, looking d7d4b93e55 like he had 0ba097529e found salvation, quickly 42d5271612 went to open 8ac06e6107 the door. In his 64e3605c68 haste, he 1d1c7dabde nearly stumbled, b256235f6a almost colliding 366a3d2bb6 with the cff329fd75 person coming 2c509266ee in.571e726c57e6d50b

At the same time, 5f6e406fdd he could feel a c5ba740419 sharp gaze fix on 7abf71484f him from behind, and 37785c9e61 his body tensed instinctively.a6fe02401cf842dc

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