TS 013

This was why Espers were reluctant to work with Team 1 yet welcomed this arrangement.

“Wow, he said to bill Taeseong. Suryeon hyung, you heard that just now, right? Whoa, as expected from a third-generation chaebol.”

“Chaebol? Oh, right… Our Team Leader is loaded.”

“It’s no joke. That’s why it’s so great. He can use his powers freely, knowing Taeseong’s got his back. And the government won’t complain about wasted taxpayer money when he’s out in the field.”

Whether it was a dungeon appearing or terrorism unfolding, the nation had the duty to restore damaged buildings and provide compensation and condolences to victims. Naturally, the funds used for these purposes came from taxes.

It was extremely rare for Espers from the Center to compensate victims personally, but that didn’t mean they could use their powers indiscriminately. This rule applied especially at the scene of terrorist attacks rather than dungeons. It wasn’t uncommon for complaints and grievances to arise after suppressing terrorism.

“Complaints about collateral damage is our number one concern. The most common complaint is always about wasting taxes.”

But with Taeseong taking care of the aftermath, there were usually fewer complaints. More importantly, they wouldn’t be accused of wasting tax money, so the Espers secretly welcomed Yoon Taehwa.

“Taxes? Is it because you’re affiliated with the government?”

“Why do you sound surprised? Oh right, I forgot. You mentioned that you were born abroad and spent much more time being active there. Anyway, when our team steps in, Taeseong takes full responsibility, so the aftermath is easier.”

Yoon Taehwa subtly furrowed his brow, letting Kang Jaemin’s boastful words go in one ear and out the other. While the third-generation chaebol tag was unavoidable, he felt a bit uncomfortable whenever related topics came up.

‘Well, I guess it can’t be helped.’

It wasn’t a significant emotion for Yoon Taehwa. Instead, he focused on the shadowy figure near the entrance. The swift movement behind the pillar after hearing gunshots indicated exceptional reflexes.

‘This isn’t a hostage.’

Occasionally, terrorists positioned hostages near the entrance to assess their opponents without directly exposing themselves. However, instead of panicking and falling to the ground, this individual immediately took cover, suggesting they were accustomed to gunfire.

“Team Leader Yoon Taehwa.”

At that moment, someone tapped him on his back. Turning around, he saw a familiar man gently waving at him. It was Seryun Eunyim, the team leader of Seeker Team 1, consisting entirely of demihumans. Three transformed demihumans were wandering nearby – each one appeared dangerous as predatory mammals.

“You’re quite fired up today. What will you do if hostages get caught?”

“If they intended to take hostages, they wouldn’t have gone upstairs. They likely plan to negotiate using the lives of the hostages.”

Having worked in this field for over ten years, Yoon Taehwa had developed a keen understanding of terrorists’ motives. As he responded to Seryun Eunyim’s comment, his hand suddenly felt a soft sensation. He glanced down to see Seo Sichan, who had transformed into a wolf.

“When I asked him to come as a wolf…” He chuckled incredulously and gently stroked the soft fur.

“I heard you saved Seo Sichan when he was young? Is that why he follows you so closely… By the way, have you been briefed on the situation?” Seryun Eunyim, slightly shorter than Taehwa, pointed towards the building with his chin. His vibrant appearance contrasted sharply with the ferocious beasts pacing nearby.

“Mostly. They mentioned around thirty hostages.”

“Yes, our team will enter first and secure the perimeter.”

“Do you know where the hostages are located?”

“Yes. We called Na-eun and Jaemin because we thought Espers might be needed, but they couldn’t agree on much. As you can see here, the terrorists have divided the hostages into three groups…”

Thanks to Yoon Taehwa taking a few steps forward to converse with Seryun Eunyim, Han Suryeon could closely observe his backside. His lean muscles were well-defined beneath the black techwear.

‘It’s rare to see someone maintain their body so well.’

His gaze slowly swept from head to toe, evaluating him critically. Indeed, he possessed a finely sculpted physique.

‘Back then…’

As he watched this man who seemed born to wear an Esper uniform, his mind drifted to their encounter at the underground training facility. The force pushing against him, the pressure bearing down on him, and the strength of the leg entangling his – it was all extraordinary.

‘Does it stem from his nullification ability?’

It was extremely rare for Espers to maintain their bodies separately. They were born with superior physical abilities compared to ordinary people, thanks to innate factors. However, it could also be attributed to arrogance and overconfidence in their abilities. 

To begin with, intelligence-based or physical-based Espers often stayed confined in laboratories, so they were exceptions. As for other types of Espers, most undertook field missions. Despite this, many did not bother with separate training or learning skills like handling guns or knives, believing that their supernatural abilities alone were sufficient to take down multiple opponents.

Similarly, few Kasatkas engaged in additional combat training. While some basic self-defense techniques might have been taught, most considered it a waste of time. The exception being those directly managed by Yoon Taehwa’s Voron team.

‘Shall I see how our team leader uses his body?’

Yoon Taehwa would also be observing him, so it was give and take.

“…..”

The intense gaze stopped when a large beast entered view. A big dog rubbed its head against Yoon Taehwa’s thigh while wagging its tail.

‘That is somewhat troublesome.’

His gray eyes narrowed slightly as Yoon Taehwa’s statement about demihumans crossed his mind.

‘Our team leader likes demihumans…’

Well, people couldn’t change their nature. As his cold gaze turned towards the wagging tail, Yoon Taehwa suddenly looked back at him.

“You’re moving with me.” A light flick of his hand followed, as if calling a teammate.

“I’ll stick close to you because I’m scared.”

His dark gray eyes curved mischievously, hiding a cunning glint. Han Suryeon moved gracefully. Being ordered around was unusual for him, but strangely, he didn’t feel offended. 

Since arriving in Korea, he hadn’t had a moment to be bored.

***

—Cleared floor 13. Seven hostages secured safely.

He heard Hae Na-eun’s voice through the microphone. It was just a simple report so Yoon Taehwa didn’t bother to reply. The Seeker team was responsible for up to the 10th floor while Hae Na-eun and Kang Jaemin were assigned from the 15th floor onwards. Kang Jaemin seemed to want to move with Han Suryeon but Yoon Taehwa ignored it. This was an excellent opportunity to properly confirm his control ability.

—Team Leader, shall we join together?

“No. Search once more as you go down, just in case.”

—Understood.

Hae Na-eun’s illusion was effective but it wasn’t suitable when there were many hostages involved. If the hostages fell under the illusion, the situation could become complicated. Moreover, the type of illusion used by Hae Na-eun had the potential to damage people’s minds, making it even less desirable.

As expected of an S-rank ability, his control was exceptional; however, as the number of humans to be singled out increased, precision inevitably decreased. In a dungeon, he wouldn’t hesitate to utilize his power, but this was merely a terrorist incident scene.

“There are eighteen left. I think they’re on the floor above us.” Han Suryeon kindly informed him of the remaining hostages while pointing at the ceiling.

They were currently on the seventeenth floor. Based on drone surveillance, the terrorists had occupied up to the twentieth floor, leaving three floors to clear. To prepare for any unforeseen circumstances, Team 2 was descending from the top, so if all went smoothly, they would meet them on the twentieth floor.

“I’m curious about your certainty.”

“I told you my intuition is usually spot on…”

As they approached the emergency staircase, Han Suryeon suddenly reached out and placed his hand against the door, halting their progress. Yoon Taehwa turned his head to see the owner of the arm looking down at him.

“What’s wrong?”

“How powerful is your ability, Team Leader?”

“What exactly do you want to know?”

“This is our first time coordinating together. I thought it would be better if we understood each other’s abilities beforehand.”

Physical-type powers, especially psychokinesis, tend to have good synergy with most Espers’ abilities. Hearing that he intended to adapt his power accordingly, Yoon Taehwa smirked slightly.

“You just focus on doing what you normally do.”

Covering an entire floor of a building wasn’t particularly challenging for him.

“No need to adjust for me. I’ll adapt accordingly.”

Han Suryeon briefly pursed his lips as if trying to decipher his words before acquiescing gracefully.

“Then, I leave my actions in your hands, Team Leader.”

His fluttering eyelashes and blushing cheeks added a touch of shyness to his demeanor.

“You should take care of yourself first; ensuring the hostages’ safety is our top priority.”

“That’s not what I meant… Anyway, I’ll keep that in mind.”

As Yoon Taehwa opened the door, he gave Han Suryeon an incredulous look. In response, he widened his eyes and, with a slightly hurt tone, insisted defensively:

“I’m serious…”

“Have you ever dealt with terrorism in Russia?”

“Yes.”

It seemed likely their objective there had been to eliminate terrorists rather than rescue hostages.

Yoon Taehwa didn’t voice his immediate thought. It would be troublesome to filter out those who shouldn’t be killed, but realistically, it wasn’t much different from rescuing hostages or eliminating terrorists.

“What should we do with the terrorists?”

Creakkkk… His innocent question mixed with the eerie sound of rusty stairs, creating an even stranger noise.

“Kill them.” Yoon Taehwa casually gave the order as he headed toward the emergency exit. “Unless there’s a separate order from the Center, I mean kill them all. There is no need to spare their lives if negotiation isn’t possible.”

“All of them?” As they climbed the emergency staircase, they felt a chill in the air. It was characteristic of places rarely frequented by people, carrying an eerie silence.

“Kill all of them except for the one who claimed to be the guild master earlier. For those barely hanging on… Well, there’s no need to kill if they’re incapacitated.”

“Yes, sir.”

The Seeker team had captured two terrorists alive. This was enough numbers to potentially uncover their backers, but it would likely prove futile since these were low-ranking members. It was crucial to capture or eliminate someone higher up in the organization with more valuable information.

Despite being at the scene of a terrorist attack, both men ascended the stairs calmly, almost unbelievably so. Their footsteps echoed softly in the empty stairwell. They quickly reached the next floor.

“From now on, any Espers we encounter won’t be able to use their abilities…” Yoon Taehwa pushed open the door and gave his command, “Eliminate them as you see fit.”