Chapter 54:
Judging by his awkward reaction, the government seemed to have hoped that Baek Joo-won was unaware of Seo Jae-yi’s condition.
‘That’s strange.’
The first person to tell him about it had been none other than Center Head Kwon Yi-soo, who was known for his pro-government stance.
And yet, the Prime Minister himself didn’t know that Kwon Yi-soo had already told him?
‘This wasn’t a coordinated plan.’
At least it was clear that Kwon Yi-soo wasn’t taking orders from the government.
“Was I not supposed to know?”
“It’s not a good thing. I’d prefer if you didn’t worry too much about it.”
He seemed worried that Baek Joo-won might develop sympathy for Seo Jae-yi.
“But who told you about it?”
See? He was fishing for information.
“I overheard it during an argument between Seo Jae-yi and the Taesan Guild Leader. He said she had less than a year left.”
It wasn’t a lie. He had heard it again today.
“Ah, Guild Leader Park Hyung-woo… I see.”
Park Hyung-woo might face some repercussions for his loose lips. That wasn’t a bad thing.
“Indeed, if you become Seo Jae-yi’s Pair, we wouldn’t have to worry about losing a valuable S-rank Esper. And it would also be the birth of Korea’s first S-rank Pair. Joo Seon-min and Center Head Kwon Yi-soo refuse to be paired.”
Despite his words, his expression remained slightly strained, not at all joyful.
After a brief silence, Jang Woo-seok asked again.
“Have you made up your mind about becoming Seo Jae-yi’s Pair?”
This seemed to be the real reason for his visit.
“It’s one of the good options.”
“Then is staying at the Korea Guiding Center not among those good options?”
“Do you want me to stay at the Center?”
“If you become Seo Jae-yi’s Pair, only she will be saved. But if you stay at the Center, everyone, including Seo Jae-yi, will be saved. As the government, whose duty is to protect every citizen, we naturally recommend that option.”
“Seo Jae-yi would be a bit disappointed if she heard that.”
“I’m not saying you should abandon her. You can stay at the Center and Guide her. You have a 93% Matching Rate, don’t you? She’ll recover quickly if you focus on Guiding her for a year.”
Jang Woo-seok quickly elaborated, fearing the government might be perceived as heartless.
“What if Seo Jae-yi suddenly overloads while I’m exhausted from Guiding other Espers?”
“…Excuse me?”
Jang Woo-seok looked at him with a dumbfounded expression.
“Didn’t you say an S-rank overloading is dangerous? I’m honestly worried about that. But it’s strange that the government hasn’t considered that possibility.”
“That’s, well…”
Jang Woo-seok was speechless, as if he hadn’t even thought about it, not being an Awakened individual.
Seeing his reaction, a possibility emerged.
‘The government might actually want Seo Jae-yi to die quickly.’
It was plausible, considering Joo Seon-min’s words about the government having ulterior motives.
An S-rank Guide, capable of saving countless Espers, would be more valuable than an S-rank Esper, a ticking time bomb who could overload at any moment due to her dwindling lifespan.
‘Is this what Joo Seon-min meant when she said I might see ugly things if I become Seo Jae-yi’s Pair?’
It was ironic.
They were relying on Espers to protect them from dungeons and monsters, yet they were so callous about their lives.
“And it seems like you’re mistaken about something.”
Baek Joo-won took another sip of his drink and met Jang Woo-seok’s gaze, who was clearly flustered.
“I don’t just have two options. I’m sure you’re aware of who’s currently in Korea and who’s circling me.”
Jang Woo-seok’s expression changed again.
“Are you referring to Mac Grayson from the US…?”
“I had a lengthy conversation with him. The US offered quite tempting terms.”
It was true. The US had offered something so good that any Guide, even an Esper, would accept it immediately.
“I’m a stateless individual who needs a place to live and money. You don’t expect emotional appeals to work on me, do you?”
“…”
“I’ve been asking Center Head Kwon Yi-soo for an offer that would make me stay since I awakened. And I’ve done the same with other Guilds.”
Haeil had made an offer. He had already discussed everything with Kim Yoo-sung. Kwon Yi-soo had also promised him a position equal to Kim Yoo-sung’s in Korea.
But the government hadn’t. They had only pleaded for his help, staying on the sidelines.
“If you want to control me as the Korean government desires, offer me a suitable reward. And simple things like citizenship are far from enough.”
Baek Joo-won stood up, ending the conversation firmly.
“I’ve finished my drink, so I’ll be going. And this liquor isn’t very good. Please prepare something better next time. Along with better terms. Goodbye.”
He casually shook the empty bottle and left the room without looking back.
‘I didn’t have any expectations, so there’s nothing to be disappointed about.’
He had only confirmed that the government wasn’t trustworthy, as Joo Seon-min had said. He wouldn’t be meeting with any government officials again.
Baek Joo-won left without a second glance.
And Jang Woo-seok was left alone in the annex.
He sighed, remembering the frustrating conversation, and took out a cigarette.
“Such arrogance. He’s just a kid.”
He had tried to be as accommodating as possible out of necessity, but it had been unpleasant.
But he had to grovel for now, as it would be problematic if Baek Joo-won chose another option.
“Damn it. Are they really afraid of Seo Jae-yi overloading?”
If it weren’t for that, they could have easily kept him in Korea. Seo Jae-yi constantly chasing after Baek Joo-won was also a problem. She was always a nuisance.
“If only the experiment had succeeded, he would have been an Esper who obeyed the government’s orders.”
The human experiment conducted on Seo Jae-yi, the youngest Esper, at the Center.
The government had supported that experiment. Seo Jae-yi, still young and with an underdeveloped sense of self, had been a perfect subject. Especially since she had no parents to act as guardians.
The experiment had been initiated to thoroughly analyze and enhance Espers’ abilities, and to create soldiers who were loyal only to the country.
But it had failed. Seo Jae-yi’s ability was too powerful, making her unsuitable for research, and her sense of self, contrary to expectations, was too strong, despite her young age.
She had eventually escaped the Center with Kim Yoo-sung, who had seized the opportunity. It had been such a waste!
Despite pressuring Haeil, they had survived and grown even stronger. Now, even the public favored Haeil, making it difficult to control them.
‘If only Kwon Yi-soo had kept Seo Jae-yi under control.’
The previous Center Head had been reasonable, but Kwon Yi-soo, who had replaced him, was young and stubborn, difficult to handle.
The government was bitter about losing both Seo Jae-yi and control of the Center, which had become too powerful.
‘They should have used Seo Jae-yi like her father.’
Things wouldn’t have been so complicated if they had. Why did Baek Joo-won, an exceptional Guide, have to appear at this time? He should have appeared after Seo Jae-yi died!
‘And of all people, why did Mac Grayson have to come from the US?’
Mac Grayson was someone even the government couldn’t touch.
The US, along with China, possessed the most powerful military force in the world, and the US Esper Association controlled all Espers in the country.
If they made even the slightest mistake with Grayson, who was about to reach the top of the Association, their relationship with the US could be jeopardized.
‘What kind of offer did they make?’
It would be troublesome if they offended Grayson by trying to find out.
They needed to know the US offer to make a counter-offer, but…
His phone rang. He answered it with an indifferent expression and then looked surprised at his secretary’s words.
“What? Is that true?”
—Yes. We’ve verified it multiple times.
“Who else knows?”
—The Center Head doesn’t know yet. They contacted us directly, not the Center Head.
How clever!
“Huh!”
Jang Woo-seok’s expression brightened. There was always a way!
“Control the information flow. Don’t let it leak, not even to the Center. And keep a close eye on him.”
—Yes, sir.
After the call ended, Jang Woo-seok smiled and ordered another bottle of liquor. His appetite, which had vanished after his frustrating conversation, returned with the good news. The liquor tasted sweet.
‘With this, Baek Joo-won wouldn’t fear Seo Jae-yi anymore.’
That was enough. That would make him reconsider.
A gentle smile spread across Jang Woo-seok’s face, sensing that all his worries would be resolved.