To avoid any potential surveillance, Joo-hyun and Cha In-ho got off at a location quite a distance away and started walking towards the harbour. Although it was an abandoned harbour with few houses or shops around, they couldn't help feeling tense.
What if one of them ran out of control? Or what if people recognised them as runaway espers? Would they scream and flee? Or if innocent people were killed before them, would they detonate?
Joo-hyun's mind was a whirlwind of thoughts, but Beom-gyu, who had been free to roam outside until just six months ago, seemed to be thinking differently.
"It's been ages since I last smelled the sea. Joo-hyun hyung, come quickly!"
Beom-gyu, who had been awkwardly following along earlier, now called out to Joo-hyun with a wide grin, clearly excited by the briny sea air.
While the rigid atmosphere was a problem, being overly relaxed was also an issue. Joo-hyun cautiously scanned his surroundings as he walked, ensuring no one was around.
"Keep your voice down. We're here to work, not to play."
"I know. It's just that after being stuck in gates every day, it's nice to be somewhere people actually live."
Beom-gyu was perceptive enough to know that unlike him, other espers in Block C were not only sent to gates.
"It's because I became a runaway esper not too long ago, right? You never know when it might happen again. But at least I've finally got an easy mission."
"An easy mission?"
In the port, where even the streetlights had been turned off, the only light came from the distant lighthouse. Joo-hyun glanced at Beom-gyu, who was smiling as if genuinely pleased, and whispered in a low voice.
"Don't say that in front of Bom-i noona or Seung-cheol hyung. You'll get beaten."
When Beom-gyu asked why, Joo-hyun didn't answer.
Joo-hyun knew that being devoured by a monster was far more pleasant than living after killing someone. Bom-i, who was often called upon due to the nature of her abilities, and Seung-cheol, who had a strong aversion to killing, would undoubtedly be more hurt than angry if they heard such things.
After walking quietly for a while, they arrived at the place filled with containers, just as they had been told. It was old and rusty, clearly abandoned, making it a perfect spot for nefarious activities.
According to the information, the ship carrying the drugs had already left. They planned to leave the drugs in the containers and move them tomorrow to avoid a crackdown.
So, they had to destroy everything there today. If this many guiding drugs were distributed, who knew how many people would become addicted?
That was the Association's rationale for giving them this mission, but Joo-hyun didn't see it that way. The reason people turned to illegal guiding drugs was simple: there was a lack of guiding.
All guides were registered with the Association, and unless it was an emergency or a matching, guiding without permission was illegal. The Association held a monopoly on guides, leaving some espers without the necessary guiding, forcing them to rely on drugs to survive.
The fact that there was someone addicted to the drugs right next to him made this task even more unpleasant.
However, the mission had already been assigned. If Joo-hyun failed, someone else would have to take on the same task. Since someone had to do it, it might as well be him.
Joo-hyun gestured for Beom-gyu to follow him cautiously. Using his ability, the two climbed onto the containers and lowered their bodies to focus on the voices coming from below.
"Is it true we get a bonus after this job?"
"Of course. Look at the quantity. It's the first time we've brought in this much."
Two men, one with a gun slung over his shoulder, were laughing and chatting. There was no one else in sight.
Joo-hyun knew that being devoured by a monster was far more pleasant than living after killing someone. Bom-i, who was often called upon due to the nature of her abilities, and Seung-cheol, who had a strong aversion to killing, would undoubtedly be more hurt than angry if they heard such things.
After walking quietly for a while, they arrived at the place filled with containers, just as they had been told. It was old and rusty, clearly abandoned, making it a perfect spot for nefarious activities.
According to the information, the ship carrying the drugs had already left. They planned to leave the drugs in the containers and move them tomorrow to avoid a crackdown.
So, they had to destroy everything there today. If this many guiding drugs were distributed, who knew how many people would become addicted?
That was the Association's rationale for giving them this mission, but Joo-hyun didn't see it that way. The reason people turned to illegal guiding drugs was simple: there was a lack of guiding.
All guides were registered with the Association, and unless it was an emergency or a matching, guiding without permission was illegal. The Association held a monopoly on guides, leaving some espers without the necessary guiding, forcing them to rely on drugs to survive.
The fact that there was someone addicted to the drugs right next to him made this task even more unpleasant.
However, the mission had already been assigned. If Joo-hyun failed, someone else would have to take on the same task. Since someone had to do it, it might as well be him.
Joo-hyun gestured for Beom-gyu to follow him cautiously. Using his ability, the two climbed onto the containers and lowered their bodies to focus on the voices coming from below.
"Is it true we get a bonus after this job?"
"Of course. Look at the quantity. It's the first time we've brought in this much."
Two men, one with a gun slung over his shoulder, were laughing and chatting. There was no one else in sight.
"Does this really make that much money? How strong must the drug be? No one will notice if just one goes missing, right?"
"Don't even think about it. It's only effective on espers. You don't want to lose your head over this."
The man with slit eyes was scolding the bearded man. There were several containers stacked around them. They couldn't tell how many contained drugs, but it was clearly not a small amount.
"At least I'll be able to sleep well tomorrow. Why do we have to keep watch if the Association doesn't even know about this place?"
"Well, thanks to this, we'll make a lot of money after a few sleepless nights."
The bearded man sat on a small camping chair, folding his arms and lowering his head as if trying to take a nap.
It seemed these two were mere foot soldiers in the drug-smuggling operation, unaware of the details. There was no point in waiting any longer. Joo-hyun pulled out a silenced gun from under his hood and aimed it at the man.
With a soft thud, the bullet hit the man squarely in the back of the head. As the large body slumped forward and fell from the chair, the slit-eyed man, who had been looking out at the sea, hurried over.
"What's wrong?"
Flipping the body over, he saw the lifeless eyes and the blood flowing out, unable even to scream. He pushed the corpse aside.
Joo-hyun aimed the gun at the slit-eyed man without hesitation, but the bullet hit a distant container. Beom-gyu, with a horrified expression, had grabbed Joo-hyun's arm.
"What are you doing!"
"I think that's my line."
Realising that Joo-hyun hadn't made a mistake, Beom-gyu looked bewildered. Gazing at the lifeless body, his face was a mix of anger and confusion.
"Why...?"
"Why did I kill him? Because he was in the way."
"Our mission is to destroy the drugs, not to kill anyone!"
A stealth mission meant leaving no witnesses. Joo-hyun was pondering how to explain this when he heard movement below.
The man, realising he was not safe after hearing the bullet hit the container, was trying to speak into his communicator. His trembling hands struggled to press the buttons, and he cursed under his breath.
Clicking his tongue, Joo-hyun pushed Beom-gyu aside and jumped down towards the man.
With a thud, Joo-hyun landed lightly using his ability, kicked the man, and shot the communicator on the ground. The actions flowed smoothly, taking only seconds.
Smirking at how much more accustomed he was to dealing with people than monsters, Joo-hyun aimed the gun at the man. But he couldn't pull the trigger. He turned away, closing his eyes tightly before opening them again.
"What now?"
"How can you kill someone without batting an eye?"
"Save that for later. If you don't want to help, go back. I'll handle it alone."
"You didn't even cry when Han-na noona died. You're just a cold-blooded killer!"
Joo-hyun paused. The man, who had been inching away, was trying to crawl to safety when the runaway esper stomped on his back with a sturdy boot.
"Listen carefully. If we let this guy live, the information will get out eventually. That means not just us but others will suffer."
Given that it was a shady organisation, they wouldn't spread word of an attack easily, but it was best not to give them any leverage.
"I won't tell anyone! I don't know anything! Please, just spare my life..."
The man, terrified, whimpered and begged. The heavy trembling was palpable even through the thick boots.
Joo-hyun bit the inside of his cheek, using the sharp pain to focus. Sympathy was for humans. Runaway espers, who were no different from monsters, couldn't afford such luxuries.
Resolving his hesitation, Joo-hyun aimed the gun again, but Beom-gyu spoke earnestly.
"That doesn't justify murder."
Due to their overwhelming power, espers received safety training from the moment they manifested their abilities. They were taught to protect citizens, never to use their powers on them, and that their abilities should only be used against monsters.
Of course, this was irrelevant to Joo-hyun, who had run out of control immediately after manifesting his powers, but the other espers in Block C had all mentioned undergoing such training.
Usually, manifestation occurred around the age of fourteen, so hearing the same thing repeatedly for over ten years made it nearly impossible not to be affected.
Joo-hyun quietly observed Beom-gyu's determined face. The salty, fishy sea air lingered around them. He wondered if the smell would have seemed more pleasant if they weren't in a situation with a corpse lying around and red containers stacked up, glaring at each other.
"There's no need to kill him. We can just do our job and leave."
Should he call it righteousness, or just naivety?
Joo-hyun had once been severely beaten for sparing a child, the apparent witness, from the Association. Even if he didn't know what punishment awaited for sparing a witness now, he knew it wouldn't be easy.
Yet, why did he want to side with Beom-gyu? Was it a yearning for the innocence he could never have? A rising guilt after all this time? Perhaps he was simply intoxicated by having someone to rely on after being pushed around for so long.
The man didn't know they were runaway espers. He didn't know where they came from and might not even realise they were espers. Even if he told his organisation about them, all he could say was that two hooded men had attacked them.
'Maybe it's alright.'
A glance at Beom-gyu showed he had no intention of backing down, his face still stern. Beom-gyu was a year younger than Joo-hyun. Though Beom-gyu didn't know it himself, he was currently the youngest esper in Block C. Joo-hyun seemed to have grown quite fond of him.