Chapter 74: The Deceased and the Living

Sa-yoon powered on the tablet resting on his desk. He leaned back in his chair, crossing one leg over the other, his lower back still aching.

The bizarre bathwater had only heightened their senses, leading to an intense second round in the bedroom. With both of them fully committed to their wild abandon, the after-effects lingered considerably.

Or perhaps, was his stamina truly waning?

Scratching his forehead with the stylus he held, Sa-yoon routinely entered his security code. He had enjoyed a passionate night with Han Do-hoon, a truly satisfying experience where they indulged without restraint, and he had gained insight into Han Do-hoon’s thoughts.

Yet, a single lingering doubt remained.

Sa-yoon had distinctly seen Kang Tae-han, the leader of Airrain’s operational unit, in Daejeon. Every scar matched the person in the bounty poster, unmistakably him. However, he had also received information that Kang Tae-han was abroad at the exact same time.

The pieces did not fit. Airrain claimed they hadn’t committed the terror attacks, yet one of their members appeared simultaneously in two different locations. Like mismatched puzzle pieces, a few clues kept tugging uncomfortably at Sa-yoon’s sleeve.

Sa-yoon opened the personnel directory for his unit and checked the list of former members.

There had been someone among Airrain’s ranks who claimed to have been part of the Esper Union Forces. She had even demanded he search for her name on the roster.

At the time, he had dismissed it as nonsense, but with the current turn of events, he had no other recourse. Sa-yoon decided to search, clinging to it like a drowning man grasping at a straw.

“Seo… what was it again?”

He regretted not paying closer attention then. The name of the woman who had told him to look her up was only a faint blur in his memory.

It was a name with many circles in it, he recalled. Since her surname wasn’t common, he decided to meticulously review the list. As the woman didn’t seem particularly old, he limited his search to those who had left within the last five years.

“Hmm…”

After a long search, he couldn’t find anyone who fit perfectly. He even checked their faces and investigated if they were the right person, but it was all in vain.

Had those Airrain bastards lied again? Was he being led on a wild goose chase, manipulated by their tricks?

“You should only trust those who are trustworthy.”

Indeed, they were liars who claimed they had never committed any terror attacks. The probability of their claim about being in the unit also being a lie was high. Sa-yoon dejectedly set the tablet back on the desk.

Just then, Sa-yoon’s finger accidentally pressed a tab next to the list.

“……”

The list of deceased members of the Esper Alliance Korean Headquarters became active.

Sa-yoon stared at the changed page for a long time, unable to close it. This list contained Myeong-ah’s name. A phantom member, whose cause of death was not accurately recorded, and whose detailed information was inaccessible.

It was a page he had always avoided, unwilling to see Myeong-ah on the deceased list, but today, his emotions stirred restlessly.

‘Perhaps I should look at her face for the first time in a while.’ The last image Sa-yoon had of Myeong-ah was of her crumbling in his dreams. He wanted to see Myeong-ah’s normal face again.

He scrolled down the page. Since her name started with ‘Jeong’ , he would have to navigate through quite a few pages to reach it…. Sa-yoon’s finger, scrolling through in order, suddenly stopped.

“Oh?”

Above ‘J’ was ‘O’ , and above that, ‘S’ . Sa-yoon, halted at ‘S’ , stared intensely at a familiar face for a long moment.

Seo Eun-yu. The Airrain member Sa-yoon had seen in Daejeon was listed there.

Naturally, a large ‘Deceased’ logo was stamped next to Seo Eun-yu’s name.

‘Why is someone who is clearly alive on the deceased list?’

The information recorded in the list was limited. Seo Eun-yu’s enlistment period was slightly earlier than Sa-yoon’s. And the date recorded as her time of death was five months after her enlistment.

Five months after enlistment, she died. And she had joined Airrain while officially registered as deceased.

Sa-yoon, as if possessed, pressed the ‘View Details’ button next to Seo Eun-yu’s information.

[This data is restricted from viewing.]

Sa-yoon felt the blood drain from his fingertips.

[This data is restricted from viewing.]

[This data is restricted from viewing.]

[This data is restricted from viewing.]

He kept pressing ‘View Details’. Even frantically closing the warning window and pressing again changed nothing. Sa-yoon buried his head on the desk.

Death five months after enlistment. And detailed data inaccessible even with Sa-yoon’s authority. Everything was identical to Myeong-ah’s case.

The woman whose voice was muffled and hard to hear, whose throat was hoarse. The unusually small and frail Seo Eun-yu was an Irregular, processed as deceased by the unit.

Sa-yoon massaged his stiffening hands. His other hand also stiffened, and his touching fingers trembled.

Was this a coincidence? Or did it signify a different truth?

Levian’s captured Airrain collaborator was also an Irregular. And the remnants of Airrain were also Irregulars.

Irregulars had an extremely low prevalence. If they were common enough to stumble upon, they wouldn’t be called Irregulars in the first place.

Only those with a unique characteristic, occurring in less than 0.03% of the population, were called Irregulars. Could two such individuals coincidentally belong to Airrain?

“…That’s absurd.”

Even logically, the probability was impossible.

What truly was the truth? How much of Airrain’s claims was real, and how much was false? Sa-yoon lacked sufficient information to make a judgment.

He needed someone who knew this truth. Someone well-versed in higher-level information, who wouldn’t report him even if they heard his story.

Han Do-hoon was a bit problematic. His adoptive father was the Supreme Commander. Han Do-hoon seemed to trust his parents, so Sa-yoon couldn’t ask questions that would imply suspicion of the higher-ups.

“No other choice, then.”

Sa-yoon picked up his phone for the first time in a long while. There was someone who came to mind, but would it truly be alright to seek them out? He stared at his phone, lost in thought for a long time.

The mansion, which he visited after a long time, remained as gloomy and oppressive as ever. Sa-yoon frowned, glaring at the massive walls.

He never imagined he would willingly return to this detestable mansion. He usually wouldn’t even come near the main gate unless he was visiting his mother.

“I was expecting you.”

The butler, one hand placed below his chest, bowed respectfully. Sa-yoon scoffed at this unprecedented demeanor and walked past him.

Though he hated to admit it, the only person Sa-yoon could get information from in such a situation was Jin Jung-woo. Despite his aversion, Jin Jung-woo had risen to a considerably high position and likely possessed information that was difficult for Sa-yoon to access.

Perhaps due to Sa-yoon’s pressure from his closeness with Han Do-hoon, Jin Jung-woo, who had been keeping a low profile for a while, immediately made time to meet when Sa-yoon contacted him.

As Sa-yoon ascended the familiar staircase, Jin Jung-woo stood in the wide-open doorway, a frown etched on his face. Sa-yoon couldn’t help but chuckle at his stubborn pride, unable to offer a straightforward welcome.

“You’re here. You must have had a difficult journey.”

“My car drove itself, so what difficulty could there be?”

Sa-yoon, sitting opposite Jin Jung-woo, sipped the prepared tea. Amusingly, it was a refreshing floral tea with a sweet fragrance. The old man who always prepared bitter tea, no matter how many times he was told otherwise.

Sa-yoon suppressed the disgust threatening to show on his face.

“What brings you to seek me out first, for once? You, the one who abandoned your parents, utterly shameless.”

“Considering that, you readily agreed to meet as if you were waiting. And I never abandoned my parents. I’ve dutifully visited my mother every month.”

He didn’t know about his father, as he was never around, but Sa-yoon had fulfilled his duties to his parents. Sa-yoon scoffed, watching Jin Jung-woo grit his teeth.

Jin Jung-woo, his face flushed, pressed his lips together, then forced a benevolent expression as he asked,

“So, I suppose your new connections proved unsatisfactory. To come seeking me, whom you despise so much.”

“Think what you like. I just need your help with something.”

Sa-yoon crossed his legs.

“You always benefited from my reputation, but when I think about it, there’s no law saying I can’t do the same, is there?”

“Why should I listen to you?”

“I’m offering you a rare chance to repay your debt to me. I also need to know if you’re useful to me or not before deciding what to do next. Oh, right. It might be a little hard to threaten me with the fact that I’m an Irregular now. Because, as you’re so worried about, I’ve gained a powerful backer.”

Of course, such a backer didn’t exist. Han Do-hoon knew Sa-yoon’s true identity, but it was uncertain if he would protect Sa-yoon. Even if he did, it would be difficult to extend that protection to his mother.

Yet, Sa-yoon acted boldly, fully aware of the truth.

Opponents like Jin Jung-woo were strong against the weak and weak against the strong. If Sa-yoon were to humble himself and ask for information, he would quickly weigh the situation and shamelessly exploit Sa-yoon.

In such cases, it was better to be brazen. As if his prediction was correct, Jin Jung-woo, narrowing his eyes, sat opposite Sa-yoon.

“How much do you know about Airrain?”

“You, as an Esper, would know more about a terrorist organization than I would. Why are you asking me such a thing?”

At Jin Jung-woo’s words, Sa-yoon stroked his chin.

“If that’s your attitude, then there’s nothing more to say. It seems I’ve come here for nothing, so I’ll be leaving. I’ll have to ask someone else.”

As Sa-yoon made to stand, Jin Jung-woo let out an annoyed cough.

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