Guide Me If You Dare-Chapter 225: THE ESPER LAW

KI GAYOON rolled his eyes while watching Professor J and Hayoung Cheon’s reaction to the corpse of the humanoid monster that he brought back.

17 was already done inspecting it a moment ago.

After that, the two of them went back to the conference room.

Kwak Hakjae, who left earlier to guide the Civilians in the building to safety, had already returned.

I’m getting tired of all these damned meetings already.

To be fair, this was how busy Gayoon was back when he was still a part of the original Top 5.

And he would be busier later.

Tsk.

"It’s dumb," Gayoon said while sitting on the chair. "It didn’t fight back when I grabbed it, but it tried to self-sabotage. I believe it was programmed to kill itself if it detected any sign of danger."

Professor J nodded.

On the other hand, Hayoung Cheon kept jotting down every single thing coming out of Gayoon’s mouth...

... using a typewriter.

But, of course, it wasn’t a typewriter— it was an Item.

"You said the other Espers didn’t detect this thing," Professor J said, lifting his head to meet Gayoon’s gaze. "How did you know that it wasn’t human at first glance?"

"I just now," Gayoon said casually, shrugging. And then he turned to 17 who was already playing a mobile game. "How did you know?"

"Only weaklings wouldn’t notice it, Gayoon," 17 said casually. "But it’s hard for us to explain it to others. After all, people like us just follow our instincts."

"Don’t lump me with you."

"Come on, you’re hurting my feelings."

"It’s possible that only natural S-Class Espers could detect the thing’s presence," Kwak Hakjae said, ignoring Gayoon and 17’s banter. "I’m an A-Class, and yet all I can see is a human corpse."

Professor J and Hayong Cheon nodded in agreement.

"Then it makes this thing more dangerous if only natural S-Class Espers could detect it," Gayoon said. "There are only five natural S-Class Espers in our country."

"There’s only one in my country," 17 said. "Me."

"Maybe normal S-Class Espers could detect it," Professor J suggested. "Esper Ki Gayoon, please lend this corpse to the Awakened World Organization. We need to create a device that could detect this thing’s presence if most Espers couldn’t. In return, we will give South Korea the top priority once the device is completed."

"Yu Minju could probably invent the same device, so why would I need your help?" Gayoon asked, scoffing. "Yu Minju isn’t just a "human CCTV." That kid is also an expert when it comes to inventing Items. You know that, don’t you?"

Professor J and Hayoung Cheon couldn’t talk back.

After all, the Awakened World Organization scouted Yu Minju in the past when the kid awakened.

For some reason, Yu Minju chose to join my gang— er, guild.

"Then let’s negotiate again," Professor J said. "What do you want this time, Esper Ki Gayoon?"

"The Esper Law," Gayoon said right away. "I want the Awakened World Organization to support my declaration of the Esper Law."

Professor J and Hayoung Cheon both gasped at the same time.

On the other hand, Kwak Hakjae just sighed and shook his head.

"Do it," 17 said casually, then he lifted his head and met Professor J’s eyes. "I trust Gayoon."

Gayoon rolled his eyes. "Don’t trust me."

***

Somewhere in Japan...

LEE SARANG almost dropped the cherry tomatoes she was having as snacks while watching the news on TV.

Omo!

It was a Korean broadcast that was being watched by the entire world at the moment.

After all, there was a pandemonium back in her motherland.

President Cheol Kang— the South Korean President— was arrested by the Awakened World Organization Officers for being a traitor.

Oh, President Cheol is finally exposed.

According to the news, President Cheol Kang allowed the National Guide Bureau to experiment on some of their high-ranking Espers.

On the other hand, Chief Kim Munhee was already missing.

But Chief Kim is already being hunted down by AWO.

"Oh, no," Lee Sarang gasped again when the next breaking news came. "Oppas... Unnie..."

The breaking news was about Matthew, Jin Sooin, and Ryu Sungbin’s betrayal.

A video was played, showing how Matthew and Jin Sooin opened a dungeon and brought dungeon monsters to attack Civilians outside.

Then another video was played.

This time, it showed 17 fighting with Ryu Sungbin.

But, then, Matthew and Jin Sooin came to save Ryu Sungbin— the three escaping using what seemed like a portal. The three did manage to run away— but not before being struck by 17’s lightning bolts.

There’s a reason why 17 is officially the #1 Esper in the world.

"Noona, what exactly is ’Esper Law?’" Kwon Hojun, who was just a Civilian recently, asked curiously. "Is it a bad thing?"

Right, Lee Sarang wasn’t watching the news alone.

Kwon Hojun, Kim Jaeha, and the Gu Twins were with her in the living room of the penthouse suite where they were all staying.

This is Haru Oppa’s hotel.

Anyway...

"Esper Law is bad," Lee Sarang said. "It’s the reason why many countries at the beginning of the apocalypse collapsed. The Esper Law gives all the country’s power to its strongest Esper. That means whoever is the #1 Esper of the country that declares Esper Law gets to control everything— the government, the private guilds, and even the Civilians. Plus, all the Espers and Guides in that country— whether they work for the government or a private guild— automatically become the leader’s subordinates."

"Oh," Kwon Hojun said, gulping. "Now I remember that it was taught to us in school. Esper Law is scary. Doesn’t it suspend all existing laws, including civil authority and the ordinary administration of justice?"

"Yes, it is scary because of the reason you said. Worse, most of the leaders who put their country under Esper Law abuse their power, too," Kim Jaeha said while nodding. "To be fair, the original intention of the Esper Law is to unite the country and let the people with literal power to raid dungeons lead the people. Unfortunately, most leaders got drunk in power. So, most of them committed extensive human rights violations."

Lee Sarang nodded in agreement. "Sadly, most of their victims are Civilians."

She used present tense because there were still several countries in the world under the Esper Law— especially nations at war.

"There was even a country in the past that used the Esper Law to kill all the Civilians," Lee Sarang continued, sighing. "I want to trust Gayoon Oppa, but I don’t understand why he suddenly declared Esper Law."

She then turned to the Gu Twins who were silently watching the news.

"Inwoo-ya, Inkyu-ya," Lee Sarang called the Gu Twins’ attention. "Did Gayoon Oppa inform you in advance that he would declare Esper Law?"

"The boss didn’t say anything to us about declaring Esper Law," Gu Inwoo said, smiling while shaking his head. "He probably just did it on a whim."

Ah, that sounds like what Gayoon Oppa would do.

"The boss probably needs unlimited authority to make and enforce laws," Gu Inkyu said in a serious tone. "There are many Espers and Guides who trust the National Guide Bureau and the Top 5 wholeheartedly, so they won’t easily believe the boss even if he’s being backed up by the Awakened World Organization."

"Oh, that makes sense," Lee Sarang said, nodding. "Gayoon Oppa needs it to stop the rebellion that might break out at any moment."

***

TSK.

Yuno couldn’t eat his beef jerky in peace because Moon Noa was staring at him intently.

After they wasted food earlier, the "servants" came to clean up their mess.

However, they were informed that they wouldn’t be served a new dinner.

Hence, Yuno ended up pulling some beef jerky from his Inventory.

Thankfully, this place doesn’t restrict me from using my Inventory. Sadly, I only have sex toys in there instead of some useful weapons.

"I think I remember you now, kid."

Yuno lifted his head and met Moon Noa’s curious gaze. "Yes?"

"You’re that kid," Moon Noa said, smiling creepily. "The one who killed all the poor children in the Lab."

What?

I killed... children?

That was something that Yuno didn’t remember.

And that gave him a shiver down his spine.

"Those children that you called your siblings, you killed them all," Moon Noa continued, laughing softly as if he found the entire thing funny. "You literally broke their hearts, crushing their Cores in the process."

Ah.

Shit.

Yuno dropped his beef jerky on the floor while clutching his chest— gasping for air because he suddenly couldn’t breathe.

He was hyperventilating.

And it was getting worse since unfamiliar memories started to flood his mind.

"Oppa...!"

"Hyung...!"

"Help us!"

Argh!

Yuno shut his eyes tight when he started hearing voices in his head.

This fucking sucks...

Yuno suddenly felt it deep in his heart.

Gayoon Hyung, I need you...

***

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