SOG Ch 70

The location where those who had disappeared showed up was on the river not far from Universal Park.

The Seorae River’s center, a Class 1 federation river with a maximum width of 0.9 km. A boat with no lights on swayed with the waves. The lights from the boat mooring and those extending from the city into the dark river waters swayed erratically.

The first person to appear in the cabin was Won Seong-il, who was holding the hostage.

Following him, nearly twenty people moved into the cabin. The guest cabin was packed to capacity. Due to the decks and isolated cabins, and the glass windows with streaks of water on them, even if someone happened to pass nearby, it was certain that no one would have noticed that seventeen people had been transported by psychic powers.

As soon as he arrived, Won Seong-il threw the hostage to the floor.

Even though he almost fell on the floor, Seon Jae-chan felt fortunate. Even though he was known for being reckless, he didn’t like having a gun pointed at his head.

…Even if it was intentional, even if he had been taken hostage on purpose.

“…”

Jae-chan let out his suffocated breath. He wiped his sweat-dried hands while quickly scanning the surroundings.

Blink’s ability wasn’t just about moving short distances at lightning speed.

Long-distance instant teleportation.

Something that had made it very difficult for the intelligence agency that Seon Jae-chan had worked for before the regression to follow Blink’s trail.

It might have also been a means of escape for the past hostage-takers in the Universal Park hostage situation. At that time, the government and the media had concealed the process, just as they had during the incident with explosives at the Mentosa Castle.

Therefore, when Jae-chan discovered Blink among the hostages for the first time, he immediately understood how the past hostage-takers had escaped Universal Park. The military or the center didn’t know who Won Seong-il was or the range of his instant teleportation ability, so tracking him would have been like finding a needle in a haystack.

In any case, experiencing long-distance teleportation for the first time wasn’t that bad.

However, since he had been exposed to intense lighting until now, it took him some time to adjust to the darkness. Jae-chan sensed the trembling beneath his feet as he stood in the dark. He realized the surroundings in the darkness as the city lights, and the pitch-black river waters, were recognized in order.

Using the tall buildings as a reference point, he quickly grasped the surrounding landmarks. He realized that they were about 3 km away from Universal Park. This was Blink’s maximum teleportation distance.

“Fuck… Won’t you do it right?”

A gasping sound broke the silence, shaking the eardrums that had been absorbed in contemplation. It was Won Seong-il’s voice. In the darkness, Jae-chan vaguely sensed a silhouette writhing.

He was receiving guiding. It was also Won Seong-il’s weakness. When teleporting over a long distance of 500 meters or more, the person has to receive guiding immediately.

“Fuck, do it properly!”

Following the sound of a zipper being pulled down, a wet sound was heard. One of the seventeen criminals, who seemed to be a Guide, was kneeling under Blink’s forceful hand.

The other criminals pretended not to notice with uncomfortable faces. Jae-chan thought it was unexpected. One of the Black Swan’s differentiates features that set them apart from other psychic terrorist groups was their relatively humane treatment of Guides.

But now, they seemed no different from ordinary terrorists.

“Yeah, open your fucking mouth properly… Ugh… If I’m not here, it’s all fucked up…”

Or maybe he’s temporarily tolerating Blink because it’s the only way to get out of his current situation.

Seon Jae-chan turned his gaze from Blink, who was being guided and looked toward the leader. The leader, who had been taking out a cigarette, mumbled, “Hell, you can’t help but make a big fuss.” However, he seemed to be trying hard to remain calm. Jae-chan couldn’t be certain because he was still wearing a mask.

The confined space was already crowded and stuffy. The sound of Blink’s panting was incredibly uncomfortable.

The Guide must be suffering a lot too. How did he end up as a Guide for that bastard?

Jae-chan clicked his tongue. As he felt the waves approaching, he couldn’t help but think that it was fortunate he had become a hostage instead of the child.

“Open your arms.”

Two of the criminals approached him. Since the coercive guiding was being performed in close proximity, Jae-chan had involuntarily shrunk in discomfort. He soon regained his composure. After all, Blink was the only Esper here, and they didn’t know that he was a Guide.

When he obediently opened his arms, the body search began.

“Hurry up.”

The leader who was smoking a cigarette urged. Just as the stuffy cabin was filled with the acrid smell of smoke, the hands searching his pants and shirt pockets dropped away.

After confirming that there was nothing special, they tied his wrists behind his back with duct tape.

“The feet later.”

The leader insisted that he should walk on his own. Then the hostage takers took a picture of Seon Jae-chan with their cell phones. The flash went off.

‘…?’

Jae-chan’s eyes frowned. The criminals who took the photo leisurely turned around, checking the photo carefully.

Only after going through that process did the boat headlight light turned on. From a distance, it looked like a pinpointed needle, gradually rising in a natural manner.

The boat began to move slowly.

The sound of the engine hummed beneath the deck, and a black stream of water flowed out with foam.

“Breaking news.”

One of the criminals was fiddling with his cell phone when he showed the portal site article to his colleagues.

– [Breaking News] Universal Park Hostage Takers Cause Building Collapse… Holding Hostage While Fleeing

“Fuck. What the hell happened?”

The leader let out a low curse.

The goal was simply to find out where the snow leopard a.k.a the scientist was hiding. They had no intention of carrying out a bombing terrorist attack while putting their own lives on the line. There could only be one conclusion.

“Like a thick-skinned frog that’s going to be splashed with sewage.”

The leader bit on the damp cigarette. It’s a cigarette that was kept in the theater for fear of setting off a fire alarm unnecessarily, but it doesn’t feel good even if it’s burned. I took off the stuffy mask. The face of the Jungle Family Ride guide was revealed through the embers of a cigarette the size of a fingernail.

Seon Jae-chan was not surprised because he had expected it. He just leaned deep next to the hot water heater, which had been turned off because it was summer. He gathered his thoughts as he watched the criminals entering the central rescue method meeting.

‘The wall collapse was a military stunt.’

He felt like he could guess the situation at that time in the past.

Originally, the wall was supposed to collapse at midnight tomorrow. Perhaps by that time, the military had decided to set up a plan for a strong suppression operation without any room for negotiation, due to their inability to withstand the standoff with the hostage takers. They probably blew up the wall next to the screen, which was the shortest distance to the inside of the theater, just like it is now.

Of course, they didn’t seem to have guessed that there would be hostages gathered beyond that wall.

It was the worst location choice. The hostages would have unexpectedly become a human barrier between the criminals and the military, and like this time, some would have escaped. The criminals must have panicked and fired their guns at the hostages. That’s how the previous incident resulted in over ten deaths.

Moreover, back then, some lives were saved because the Espers immediately rushed to protect the hostages.

However, this time, the response was faster than in the past due to the fact that the criminals said, “The criminals will kill the hostages if they get the chance.”

The other hostages were protected from bullets, except for one child, whom Blink managed to capture using teleportation.

‘It’s relatively fortunate, though.’

However, Seon Jae-chan was troubled by the memories of the past. The organization “Universal’s Cry,” which was made up of victims’ families and demanded the truth all the time, came to mind. They had even gone on hunger strikes in front of the Capital, despite being ignored by the public. 

The reason was the military’s own actions.

It was fortunate that there were no casualties in the present.

Seon Jae-chan turned his gaze away from the bickering criminals and looked around cautiously. His eyes landed on something he noticed while carefully observing the cabin:

‘Amplifier?’

Although the power was not turned on, it appeared to be well-maintained, as if it underwent regular checks.  The purchase and management of amplifiers were more strictly regulated within the Union than firearms. This amplifier’s presence meant only one thing.

The Black Swan have connections at Center and J Pharmaceuticals.

Seon Jae-chan’s expression sharpened. His heart skipped a beat as he realized the unexpected gain he had discovered.

One of the reasons he intentionally became a hostage was to face this situation.

He believed that there was a high possibility that the Universal Park incident was connected to the Black Swan. The existence of Blink confirmed that guess.

He couldn’t afford to let them go or get sidetracked. Even if it posed some risks, choosing the path that would yield the most benefits was natural. He was an Esper with the ability of concealment, and he had prepared for various future scenarios.

‘But I have to be careful with Blink.’

Won Seong-il was an A-Class Esper, and there was a high probability that his energy control had developed.

Jae-chan fixed his gaze on the window and watched the passing scenery. Although it was a dull glass, the city was reflected in the black river, creating a rippling effect.

Like the shadow of a hidden city.