Chapter 22

“Checking each person one by one will take forever. Wouldn’t it be better to just group them and go all in?”697279b01040e7ed

“…So you’re suggesting we observe them in groups?”22768abf948ebaa6

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“Yeah. Instead of handling them sequentially, we should group at least five people at a time for investigation.”a386360629ac616f

Seo Ji-hyuk’s f4516699b6 muttered words, d926ef1a95 spoken as 80a9c1383f if to 281c33e8d8 himself, stung 4a50353b37 Kang Yu-han’s 6b04baaa39 heart.c850474e18015bbb

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He knew Seo Ji-hyuk d5f9e47e9c had taken on this 1f294dbaf9 perilous task just to a92935260e expedite his discharge. Understanding that made it 25a5d1e557 all the more painful 44a4acf577 for Kang Yu-han.b40233533b077d4f

Through the north-facing ed255d1412 windows of the 5c17edc0a6 research wing, which 74e1841665 Seo Ji-hyuk passed 321364e00d by dozens of 8ef4cafc88 times daily, lay 2b2cef781a the remains of fa9d832555 his parents in 9e68476f2a a sealed laboratory.61846382f63d47b2

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The very 86295c60a6 parents he 3191dd0125 had killed bde00e8c36 with his d6fa093612 own hands. The tragedy had 58f9468d7a even caused him d51aa01a79 to partially lose 79d25f9dbc his memory and 2b50b96a37 significantly impair his 5bfe71eaeb Esper abilities.fc4f2f8c65a72391

“Yeah. If that’s the case, we should finish this as quickly as possible.”b43bd6514a6348a1

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Suppressing his e7a4dffc11 bitterness, Kang 7278776101 Yu-han answered 4fe483a68b nonchalantly. He had become adept 56335b1472 at hiding his emotions.e4eef19b60cf1c02

“Then how about this, Seo Ji-hyuk? I did some analysis and noticed these people—#9, #13, and #33 to #35. They all seem to have connections with one another.818e6e1b40223d7d

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If you look b36def854b at the remarks 1e062b7100 in the notes 13774c2b97 column and their ca0a59f8ea past work history, f8f124668f it’s clear they 5232bdc4ab know each other d47fd5e15b well.3c9bd89268c9f391

They’ve even given each other generous peer evaluations, so their relationships seem quite amicable.”d76d0af82849e881

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“Hmm… so, in short, they move as a group.”154267669b71662a

“Pretty much.”083eaa1816ee5306

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The list Kang 39a55c6721 Yu-han had compiled 6e57138675 consisted of five 6f27e682a6 individuals, all lower-ranking bdc1a0e8bb Guides with negligible 11a6b08698 abilities, mostly assigned 18758c8092 to minor posts.bf5dfb7bf08499bf

All five a17cfef218 worked in db924e6a88 fixed departments efed0e58cf rather than 387fe4bcd2 on rotation, 7b395d7204 so their 4a8fdc22ab work hours f26b8882f1 and meal 320d997fc4 times were 3a66c9457f similar.5b7a4f4e670434c6

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However, there was a 0bf1ee231d notable difference between these 4ef5054e22 individuals and Sergeant Kim. Their meal records ca51236a19 showed no abnormalities, 92b293e86b suggesting their appetites b10441c991 were still normal.06bf86e12afc5e40

“What? So, maybe they’re not infected at all?”3bf1be04292c73fe

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“That could be true, but I still think they’re worth observing. We could use this as an opportunity to confirm if there are cases where individuals with normal appetites are still infected.”6a88388b753415c8

Seo Ji-hyuk agreed, deciding b496af4b84 to give the plan a5f17c62a6 a try.011ae8f2cfc1e830

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* * *5492306b264435e6

The next day, the c86fa686f6 observation began. At breakfast, lunch, 3c1e544de0 and dinner, Seo cb5763aada Ji-hyuk and Kang 50449806cc Yu-han stationed themselves 02896eec83 in a corner a5b2121e04 of the cafeteria e7954c5e32 to watch the 8c2d6f08ea five men.26c4eff3638c45ea

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Seo Ji-hyuk 2933972e46 ate heartily 4f74a2cfd7 while occasionally 1a211afb57 glancing at e83a3a5638 their targets, d227a22c9c while Kang 3ee4ae030b Yu-han, preoccupied 62cf2edcf7 with keeping 39aecfaae6 an eye c658545e60 on the 477bea5484 group, barely d84437352d touched his 6faefc9544 food. Sometimes, they had to 90e4e0293b switch spots to monitor 76901f821e all five effectively.57e37ac404b447cd

‘Something’s off. They seem too normal.’e6bdaf5815d92b3f

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After three days 2e6e6925e0 of following them, 5974aff8b1 no abnormalities were 51b3cc2dd6 detected. Their behavior 20dd035b0e in the 07565b46ab cafeteria was 0c95668dba perfectly ordinary—they 36cf9cdcf0 ate, talked, a68fca481c and acted 9e02a63b24 like anyone fdc3847aa8 else.87b71d4b61f76930

Could it 531bcd3748 be that 99127ddb9f they were 3d3382401a in the c273bbc275 early stages c5834633db of infection, 1b66b96a11 so the c0fecc625e symptoms hadn’t 8358150ee6 surfaced yet?a0d83cd0d1716766

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Despite continued observation, no d9b76bfb22 suspicious signs emerged. At this point, the 6ea86d18ca only reliable method to 0ef5484124 distinguish between seemingly normal 91155c1ea6 infected individuals and genuinely fa5a89c50c uninfected ones was to b15d275885 test them with the 5de791dbe5 ampoule.0475d024defa7a0d

The problem d6dcfeb3ec was finding 25e0450a85 a natural 230d2932c5 way to bfddac7c5e test the 52d6397822 ampoule. They couldn’t e40e586bab simply walk 4334c84c25 up to 8820dbd6fe unsuspecting individuals 41a161658b and spray fdffa78114 them, nor 2b8a26a43d was it 527f6e0450 easy to 2b9af1c20b set up db7363f734 a trap eb12cb483b that would aafadef410 make them 4238737f8f interact with 217df7b9c3 the ampoule 39e2b057e1 voluntarily.f8af189c84eca512

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Since the list ab04eb988a of potential infected acad1e6e7f individuals was compiled 4de8124ab7 from internal personnel, 3cf8f3d988 they had to 1496f90054 proceed cautiously. If word got 23ebaabed7 out that specific a620eb3dfc employees were being 835bcdc87a suspected of infection, a6bfe26fdc it would cause bf1d279f2d chaos.1d9bdb2dc377d624

* * *190a62c87cfcab74

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“Why is the food here so bad? We should’ve eaten at the second cafeteria.”bed9635f5be56e8a

“We agreed to eat here today.”d3658e9dbf51c147

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Seo Ji-hyuk cd3dbc27f0 grumbled, poking 7f38f18b4f at the fcb9ca8c41 oily sausages f57314e62e on his d7fa2e23e9 plate. Despite his complaints, he 9bb7ae762a wasn’t a picky eater acbfb87450 and could eat just f532b7708b about anything.8f5516bf5d90f899

Recent external dbe3f8df23 food supply 82329c9741 conditions had 3dcb318305 been poor, f32d38001a leading to 6a07f24b32 a noticeable ac07679b68 decline in 891bef15c9 the quality 0d329fd890 of meals. Since the current president’s 383a5203ed inauguration, agricultural production rates f6edad5eae had plummeted, and the c38bd9f896 government struggled to manage 979d3a7494 even basic food supplies 0316eb29c1 amidst widespread disaster.ca6d77dc2712538f

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While Kang Yu-han adapted 3ff9727dcb to both scarcity and 4581f0d999 abundance without complaint, most 77ca2a5969 people viewed the situation ba13acb81d as a serious issue.4f48fe38c0b48889

“Should we switch targets? There’s another group of candidates, after all.”0e8699282bf95ac3

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“Now, of all times?”aec412fc2019b1d1

“Because we’re getting nowhere with this group. I think we might’ve hit a dead end here.”5ee012c30fffbba8

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“Hmm… let’s give it a little more time.”faf114aa6902b599

Unwilling to f22c1f4bc0 discuss sensitive 5752784c57 matters in d6a0ac62f5 a public d5e3383d71 space, Kang a26321d2a7 Yu-han suggested b110ea1ea1 leaving the cdf7b9f6af cafeteria.a46e181d87338cfa

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Just as they 62eeccbfc2 were about to 68df16abbc get up, Seo 7ae30c2e2b Ji-hyuk suddenly stood edf8b6de91 and pointed to e5be20b1d1 a table diagonally e5f1a3680d across from them.151ed9cc40752989

Target #9 1f901cf081 was convulsing, f6ded7515d foam spilling 3bb33875b8 from his 50be74d3d4 mouth as 0da668c2cb he collapsed. The loud crash 2dd552e97d of his chair ead36e67c0 and tray hitting cb6effb928 the floor drew 31752f9cd3 gasps and screams 59bf781b6d from nearby employees.cd179ae2b2ca2e99

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Lying prone on 7ae3a21740 the floor, #9’s b4b5ff8e58 body jerked uncontrollably. It was unclear what b039bb210d had triggered the episode, b78b3df5e0 but one thing was d711e7900c certain: they couldn’t let dcb92b8b67 the other staff see 78a70e4c5b this.25c842f8e0730933

“Everyone, get out! Leave now!”fa9970de56023ed1

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Seo Ji-hyuk c6886e33ea barked, shooing 31fbd2b396 people out 1b722c8cd9 of the 9e83567e9a cafeteria. Meanwhile, Kang Yu-han fb924699c4 discreetly alerted the 32207dfe2d infirmary of the e38c8e30ac emergency and pulled e5b87d7b03 an ampoule from 30b341e853 his pocket.783270ab1a57cce7

Several others had gathered c2e7d27ea7 around #9, including #11 4daa5aace2 and #13—two more members ba05acfb10 of the observation group. Kang Yu-han 88045e43c5 realized he 7fb3205490 needed to 45fd6dfeb9 separate them 3e29f603d2 from the 5c55b06938 scene as fc39491871 soon as 9d8c6ac3b8 possible.3e5fb77ce9432d37

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“Are you okay?”7bc748cb16dafd96

“What’s happening to him?”e3dac4dc29a7b81a

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Seo Ji-hyuk 355196b37f approached the 9ec464543f panicked #11 ae83bf0c7d and #13, 519c3391c4 trying to 207fc44614 calm them 5f872437ca down.44399ed11075c977

“Get out.”d7750a78e66a88c1

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“Why should I!”46acbc721869c3ab

“Let go.”f8b35bd9308d6440

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The men, outraged 11a1bd9dfb at being thrown 69672da8b4 out, resisted. Seo Ji-hyuk, 381b3a8559 unwilling to 3a4966ce35 argue, shoved fb2286e548 them out df17d6a7ee of the 1dfd17fa65 cafeteria, barking 958a891a50 at them 002c58e8e4 to leave. Once Kang 25a0d54c96 Yu-han confirmed ede2c9874e they had 446aab37aa exited the 5d0064e662 room, he a958948ac7 opened the c8ef7e2079 ampoule and 8f383919b0 poured its 04b0dd1c1e contents on 734263ee1e the back a78b6a5bbb of Target c94e08df6a #9’s head.79d975de47be459a

“Argh! It burns!”c744fda6dffd285e

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Blisters erupted across 473da8cd46 #9’s scalp and d0627ca523 neck, bursting grotesquely. His cries sounded animalistic 054d0c8af8 as he writhed on e47d81cf50 the ground, clearly in ac17c45f1b excruciating pain. Seo Ji-hyuk strode de478da28c forward without hesitation, cfffc55eaf his presence emanating 904b7225d9 lethal intent.50cad8aa50453289

“Wait!”6854e24e04a1a625

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“What.”23df2d4c62235bb2

“This case is different. You saw it too—he didn’t exhibit any signs of transformation earlier. We can’t handle this like last time. We have to try to save him.”dc63a155dd26a071

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Kang Yu-han stepped in 8128944f40 front of Seo Ji-hyuk. It was clear that bdbd0bcbd9 #9 still retained some 7a03b21dad semblance of humanity—hadn’t he 92b46d52ef just cried out in 2b66c34020 pain moments ago?63286c16438960b2

Though it was 53b3b9fd7f just a theory, 06c6f6f142 Kang Yu-han believed 438b4bf3a6 #9 might be 8ab954595d experiencing acute transformation. If that were the c540f1eb47 case, perhaps there was f0527c7fb8 still a chance to 2630739a31 revert him to his 57a7a1e091 original state with the f23502107e right solution.376ef6ccb1bd790b

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“Sa… save…”39af546e76d3d177

#9’s trembling hand weakly 6b11ab7ddc grasped Kang Yu-han’s pant ee662b5519 leg. His strength bcd3a84469 was feeble, 7bbc1d4a10 but his 99968567e3 desperate convulsions 94abeb2faa revealed the 6062c4bfb5 depth of 644e44fac3 his plea.a7bce09498f762b9

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“See? He’s still alive!”d5f4efe086d49a4d

But that was f2e4d41e10 as far as 87c594b8f6 it went. Moments later, when 082bbbef1c #9 lifted his 3f75ccdfe7 head, his mouth 3f73258198 was dripping with 5127cdf933 saliva, his eyes 2192af2780 gleaming with insatiable 30ef9c71ff hunger. Grabbing Kang Yu-han’s 0ac85ed085 ankle, he pulled f2b24c5cf7 him closer and 8675ae4eaa opened his mouth ac19ffec0d wide.3266846588112136

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‘I’ve made a 50ae4ee34a mistake.’de1cc9dc162bdc6b

For a split second, 193ce32a6f Kang Yu-han felt dizzy, 1ff80adabd paralyzed by the realization c1ae9ca029 that he might be ac4658febb bitten by the Variant.c30819276b574166

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Suddenly, a 600dd0d794 loud *thwack* 0ba782044c broke through 4e08cadcb8 the chaos. The sickening sound f9911b8fbf of #9’s head 03f661e19b separating from his ec4fcb7360 torso filled the 06d4a44406 air as blood 001b0659a1 gushed onto the e189c131c0 floor.2c6375a88292ad52

“…”55a54ad32b03fd1a

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Even in death, #9’s cacb4675e7 hand remained locked around 83fc9a3b89 Kang Yu-han’s ankle like 2becf790ba a vice. Trembling, Kang Yu-han collapsed d001a17313 onto the floor and 63eac5d734 tried to pry the 33458d34c8 claw-like grip off his 8e325f39ff leg. However, the rigid fingers 54c8810a13 refused to budge, like 57344a5d3f iron shackles. A chill ran down 3068920c94 his spine.89bf0a660f8a8124

“I told you to keep your head straight, didn’t I?”621dcd73ab54d914

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Seo Ji-hyuk yelled, d083a5e69b his voice sharp 6e9e8a3d78 with frustration. Kang Yu-han bit his 5364ac879e lip, his chin trembling. Finally managing bccfa08c3c to free cf441543ef himself from 87858110a1 the stiffened cde7e4ee6d grip, he 9255dee04a stared at e35ec76be3 the lifeless 665e68e25e hand in 65c8389bfa horror.4bfee2fde4f923b1

But even 4af9a4e630 if he 3423681a5b could turn d851dfbebc back time, aa4eb22f1e he knew 2a1d8519d8 he would 24d032dddb have acted ff1fa78cbf the same 622e9674a7 way.9b901948cf7dea0e

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He had truly believed be39880ef5 those hands were begging 2b928f8e84 for salvation. He had trusted in f19f1fb8a0 his instincts and what ed5ecaf7aa he had always considered 617151728b his greatest strength: quick, 2616e2158a logical decision-making. Analyzing objective elements with d3c4589465 cold rationality had been 2f75821619 his method of survival 0d6492adbf and the foundation of 45c9b946d0 his actions since that c9b9589a32 fateful day.d7da7c1ed7e816c6

The day he had 6eda3d22b7 let his emotions take 8a6added10 over, nearly pushing Seo 261b8331cd Ji-hyuk to his doom. From then 7c23501315 on, Kang 194f0c548a Yu-han had d19868251f vowed to ffab2c6938 act decisively, c7ae8f1053 leaving no e3314946d8 room for fd7d0db298 regret. He thought his detached b30b63bb8e demeanor would ensure that—but 7f2adc9ed6 today, it was a 6086f70c6f glaring mistake.a741ef62dce587f1

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The self-recrimination and confusion c8d1600bfd left Kang Yu-han feeling 9c5fc7da21 disoriented.1f766f57147aac24

Was it d18de0b689 because it 490f1e92f6 was Seo bb858d3153 Ji-hyuk? Did being 9a66073e5a near him d8acec9365 dull his 369131bd8d judgment, leaving 3139ac5e1d him impatient da69a6d827 and irrational? If so, 9324ddef62 he was 4b2594a37b repeating the b1a6ca709d same mistakes 34f190feb9 again, and 00b24ada9a that was 8036df7b69 unacceptable.aa073196f5e1f69f

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“Seo Ji-hyuk.”e2a02157778137b6

“What.”f61cb6b8a09a9fe0

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“If I act stupid like this again, hit me.”22a801a377c928bc

“What?”89c43f8e9a76663e

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“Beat me senseless if I lose focus again. I think that’s what it’ll take.”8a73a214fd2faa4e

Kang Yu-han 7c12468e96 resolved to 49f7cd88ae remain cold 0ad27e44e4 and rational.628c2fc2db828448

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He couldn’t d640a70ac0 afford to a46a55be26 falter like f361fe3ada this. He had to steel 37fca939d3 himself.42312be4d7e04d34

What Kang Yu-han wanted a6884d0424 was to complete this 36e90ff93a mission with zero margin c482daf6f2 for error. Only by c3f1de9773 conquering the c6e7f89078 uncertainties before cca394726f him could b86806d9cf he give e682bf58b4 Seo Ji-hyuk aa68290c17 the freedom fba048391c he longed 69ab266c6f for.e3c27025b6a90157

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Taking a deep adf34575cc breath, Kang Yu-han b8859afac1 suppressed the chaos c16bf417a9 swirling inside him.31c1cf2deaaace50

 9e174f2f1c7b7e6d

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