Chapter 131: A Fabricated Reality

The Commander-in-Chief had been watching Han Do-hoon closely, noting the seriousness in his eyes. He was the first to speak.

“So, what you’re saying is that Air Rain’s words are true, and you want to ask if the world we knew was all wrong, correct?”

“That’s right.”

“No. That can’t be.”

The Commander-in-Chief dismissed Han Do-hoon’s question outright, then leaned closer to the table.

“Would you believe me if I said that?”

“No.”

“This is truly a difficult problem. Spreading rumors is easy, but proving them false requires countless procedures.”

It was simple to open one’s mouth, but refuting it was not. The Commander-in-Chief sighed, scratching his head.

“Haven’t you seen it yourself all this time? You’re the one who dealt with Air Rain more closely than anyone, the one who arrested the Irregulars. If even you are like this, who can I rely on? What suddenly caused this change in you? Is it because of that Irregular who impersonated Jin Sa-yoon? Or…”

“Just answer the question. If you keep mentioning Sa-yoon, I won’t simply listen anymore.”

Han Do-hoon’s voice dropped, growing sharper. The Commander-in-Chief’s repeated references to Jin Sa-yoon clearly displeased him.

He still hadn’t reported to his superiors that Jin Sa-yoon was real. Knowing that Jin Sa-yoon was alive and within Air Rain might put him in danger, so Han Do-hoon had kept it unconfirmed.

“Ugh. How am I supposed to explain this?”

The Commander-in-Chief groaned, appearing genuinely aggrieved. He wore an expression that suggested he felt betrayed by Han Do-hoon. This display eased Han Do-hoon’s tension momentarily.

Instead of pressing further, he waited for the Commander-in-Chief’s rebuttal, understanding his point that refuting false rumors was indeed more challenging.

Though he had no intention of backing down, he could wait. If it meant getting closer to the truth Jin Sa-yoon wanted to reveal, such a wait was nothing. After a long moment of contemplation, the Commander-in-Chief scowled, glaring at Han Do-hoon.

“So, Do-hoon, what you’re curious about is whether Rain can become an intelligent life form, and if the past terror attacks were the work of our Alliance, correct?”

“The latter.”

Han Do-hoon wasn’t curious about Rain’s true identity. Even if they became intelligent after reaching maturity, the fact that they harmed people beforehand remained unchanged.

Given his numerous past experiences, even knowing the truth now wouldn’t alter his stance. However, the latter point was the issue.

What if the terror attacks and all the damage, which he had always believed to be Air Rain’s doing, were actually the work of the Esper Alliance? If the countless attacks that destroyed his hometown and bombed cities across the globe were all self-orchestrated by the Alliance, it was a fact that could not be overlooked.

Despite believing it impossible, Han Do-hoon’s eyes gleamed with a sharp intensity.

“Haha… Oh dear. Do you even realize what you’re saying? You’re doubting all the achievements I’ve accumulated so far, and you’re denying your own past.”

“I know.”

Han Do-hoon’s interrogation lacked any concrete evidence. It was an act of denying all the realities that had shaped him, purely based on Jin Sa-yoon’s words.

Yet, Han Do-hoon felt it was right. If Jin Sa-yoon had asserted it to him with such conviction, it must be the truth. His instincts screamed that he needed to know for certain.

“Very well. If you’re prepared for that, I’ll tell you definitively. The instigator of the terror attacks you’ve so persistently questioned, and the mastermind behind everything that has happened until now…”

The Commander-in-Chief approached Han Do-hoon, sitting beside him and grinning broadly. He patted Han Do-hoon’s shoulder as if to reassure him.

“It was us. All of it was a self-orchestrated scheme by the Esper Alliance.”

“What?”

“Why are you so surprised? Didn’t you ask, already knowing?”

Han Do-hoon stiffened, frozen in his seat. His thoughts momentarily ceased, stunned by the Commander-in-Chief’s casual admission of a shocking truth he had only suspected.

“What are you talking about?”

“I’m saying all your suspicions are correct. And the reason I’m telling you this is because there’s nothing you can do, even if I do.”

“What—!”

Han Do-hoon’s body froze mid-shout. His vocal cords closed, and his shoulders, poised to turn, became rigid.

“Two hundred years ago, humanity lost most of its population to the Rain that poured down on the Last Day. Then, after a century of effort, we succeeded in completely controlling that Rain. We discovered the conditions for Rain’s birth and learned to manipulate them at will. But the problem arose after that.”

The Commander-in-Chief patted Han Do-hoon’s shoulder again, a gesture like praising a commendable child. Despite the revulsion he felt at the touch, Han Do-hoon found himself unable to move properly.

“Our predecessors deliberated. The countless Espers and soldiers trained to deal with Rain—they couldn’t be let loose among civilians. Furthermore, there needed to be a target for the resentment of those who lost families to Rain. So, they designated a new public enemy. That was Air Rain and the Irregulars.”

“Our ancestors manipulated the Rain they had perfectly controlled, amplified their ferocity, and instigated terror attacks.”

Han Do-hoon couldn’t budge a finger. His ears felt muffled, and the Commander-in-Chief’s voice echoed as if submerged underwater.

“To be honest, I didn’t know these facts when I was young. I was shocked at first, too.”

The Commander-in-Chief reminisced about a distant past. His younger days, burning with a sense of justice as he fought Rain, and the moment he learned the truth, flashed before him like a panorama.

“But once I knew everything, I understood the choices of our predecessors. The unawakened, who make up the majority of humanity, are ignorant and foolish. Air Rain, who agreed with the nonsense about Rain’s human rights, was one such group. We concluded that we shouldn’t grant them freedom.”

“We decided that only superior Espers could lead them.”

The Commander-in-Chief’s vile smile deepened.

“Well, we also conducted experiments on Rain and the Irregulars, yielding good results. While some people were unjustly harmed, the sacrifice of the few for the greater good is only natural.”

“What in the… What are you…?”

“Oh, I didn’t think you’d be able to speak. You truly are strong.”

The Commander-in-Chief whistled, humming a tune with varying pitches that gradually faded from Han Do-hoon’s ears.

“You have no idea how much effort I’ve invested in you. From childhood, I steadily connected threads within your mind. I persistently tampered with your neural pathways, subtly, over a long period, to ensure you could never rebel against me. This happened whenever you underwent examinations and guiding sessions, losing consciousness, for over a decade.”

The truth the Commander-in-Chief delivered pierced Han Do-hoon’s ears and embedded itself in his brain. Jin Sa-yoon’s words were correct. All the terror attacks until now had been the Alliance’s doing.

Han Do-hoon gritted his teeth until his jaw ached, yet there was no escape. He had always been powerless. It was true when he lost Jin Sa-yoon, and it was true now.

No matter how much he wanted to rebel, the codes implanted in Han Do-hoon since childhood had already become one with him. It was already difficult to discern where Han Do-hoon’s will ended and the Commander-in-Chief’s began.

“I also have some regrets. Perhaps I tampered too much; your emotions seemed to dull, and then one day you started suffering from inhibitor side effects. I was a bit worried then, that the carefully crafted doll might break entirely. But thankfully, a Guide capable of handling you appeared.”

Jin Sa-yoon. The Commander-in-Chief articulated each syllable clearly.

“Your reaction makes it obvious. That Irregular who supposedly impersonated Jin Sa-yoon must be the real Jin Sa-yoon. That’s why you, who were always so docile, are rebelling like this. A mere doll, yet as an Esper, you’re quite protective of your Guide.”

The Commander-in-Chief met Han Do-hoon’s murderous gaze. To see him angered by a slight against his Guide—the Commander-in-Chief’s cynical laughter echoed through the spacious room.

“Don’t worry, my child. This father will ensure that person stays by your side. A grandiose S-rank Esper title is merely excessive ornamentation for a Guide, so I’ll arrange something suitable and present them to you. From now on, you won’t suffer from a lack of guiding, nor will you be tormented by this reality. Though, of course, you won’t be able to recognize Jin Sa-yoon by your own will.”

Han Do-hoon had wanted to help Jin Sa-yoon. Or at least, he hadn’t wanted to cause him harm. Yet, this was how it ended.

Even as he strained his arm muscles with all his might, his arm only moved imperceptibly.

“And I’ve been thinking. Air Rain is an outdated hand. People are starting to waver with conspiracy theories, you see. It’s time to dismantle Air Rain and create a new organization to serve as our new primary enemy. And you, my child, will play the most crucial role in that plan.”

The Commander-in-Chief, humming his plans like a song, finally faced Han Do-hoon and raised his hand.

“Sleep well, my son. I trust you will continue to work diligently for my peaceful future and the eternal glory of humanity.”

The Commander-in-Chief brought his hand before Han Do-hoon’s eyes, then curled his fingers, rubbing his thumb and middle finger together with force. *Click.* With that sound, Han Do-hoon’s blurring vision plunged into darkness.

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