Liar Paradox - Chapter 37
As planned, Hanseo began dreaming that very night.
An old fan whirred noisily, its blades rattling. Cicadas buzzed deafeningly through the wide-open window.
Yawn. Hanseo stretched, eating the watermelon his mother had brought him. A morning soap opera played on the TV.
It was a peaceful moment. But Hanseo knew this tranquility wouldn't last. This dream was like a rerun of events from his past life.
He remembered this scene vividly and could predict what would happen next.
The drama was reaching its climax. "Yujin, she's actually my daughter!" Dramatic music swelled as the actors' shocked faces filled the screen in close-up. Hanseo tore his gaze from the TV and stared at the front door.
Three, two, one...
The moment the countdown finished, the door burst open.
Instead of "Mom" returning from grocery shopping, a tall, bespectacled man strode in.
Though the familiar face evoked a flicker of warmth, Hanseo's mouth blurted out something entirely different:
"Huh? Who are you?"
"That's what I should be asking you."
The man strode in without removing his shoes.
"W-what's going on?"
As the man approached, goosebumps prickled Hanseo's skin, and a chill ran down his spine. Perhaps it was this sensation that suddenly pulled Hanseo, who had been observing the scene like an outsider, into the dream. Once drawn in, the immersion was instantaneous. His heart pounded with tension and fear. Hanseo swallowed hard, glaring at the man.
This feeling was unmistakably that of an Esper—one who harbored intense hostility toward him.
Could that madman have sensed my presence here? Hanseo thought, his mind racing. Believing the man to be a subordinate sent by the Cult Leader, he didn't hesitate to use his mental ability.
"Argh...!"
The scream didn't come from the man. The moment Hanseo attempted to use his ability, a searing pain engulfed him.
Is this what it feels like to smash your head against a steel wall? His head felt like it was about to shatter, and his vision swam. He only realized later that blood was streaming from one nostril.
It was the backlash from his ability.
Mental abilities weren't omnipotent. They were ineffective against those with exceptionally strong mental fortitude or against other Mental Espers. Hanseo had first learned this harsh truth when he encountered the Cult Leader.
When Hanseo escaped from the research lab, he recklessly used his abilities, drawing the Cult Leader's attention and leading to his capture. He tried to use his powers to break free, but only earned a derisive laugh in return. Yet the Cult Leader's abilities proved equally ineffective against Hanseo, despite the Cult Leader's higher rank, because they were both Mental Espers.
Thanks to this, Hanseo managed to escape from the Cult Leader. Or rather, he thought he had escaped... In any case, terrified of being recaptured by that madman, he fled to this remote village.
At first, he resented the village's outdated ways and slow pace, but gradually he grew accustomed to it. Then this man suddenly appeared. Judging by his aura, the man clearly wasn't a Mental Esper. Yet his mental defenses were so impenetrable that Hanseo was instantly repelled upon contact. Looking back, it was like trying to pierce an iron wall with a needle—a futile endeavor from the start.
This was Hanseo's first experience of such a thing, and fear overwhelmed the pain. Instinctively trying to flee, Hanseo was grabbed by the scruff of his neck and pinned to the ground. He felt as if he was trapped under a boulder, unable to move an inch.
"Let go of me!"
"I saw you use your ability two days ago. So you're an unregistered Awakened after all."
"Let go! I said let go! Eek!"
"What were you plotting in a place like this? Brainwashing civilians?"
"Ugh! That hurts!"
"Answer me."
"Why are you acting like I'm the only one at fault? I haven't done anything as bad as your Cult Leader! I came here to live quietly!"
"What are you talking about? No, I don't need to hear it. You're going to the Center..."
The man paused mid-sentence. In his past life, Hanseo hadn't understood, but now he knew why the man couldn't immediately report him—an unregistered Awakened who had used his abilities on ordinary citizens—to the Center.
It was because this man was in the same predicament: he had fled the Center without authorization, making him a fugitive just like Hanseo.
But at that moment, Hanseo remained unaware of this truth, firmly convinced that the man was a subordinate sent by the Cult Leader who had discovered his location.
"...No, first deactivate your ability. Unless you want to die."
Just as the man uttered his menacing threat, a woman's scream pierced the air:
"Jinyeong-ah!"
Hanseo and the man's gazes snapped simultaneously toward the entrance.
The first thing they saw was a plastic bag lying haphazardly on the floor. Carrots, green onions, cucumbers, and Hanseo's favorite snacks had spilled out and were scattered around.
A middle-aged woman with neatly combed white hair stood frozen in shock, staring at the two of them.
"Mom!" Hanseo cried out desperately, lunging toward her. At the same moment, the man grabbed Hanseo by the back of the neck. His hand was so large it nearly encircled Hanseo's entire neck.
"Try anything funny, and I'll break it," the man growled.
In this situation, the man clearly appeared to be the villain. But the truth was far more complex.
This man had come here after hearing stories from the neighbors.
Hanseo hadn't heard the stories directly, but they likely went something like this:
"That woman over there? She lives on that hill and has gone a bit mad. Ten years ago, her son went out to sea and had an accident... Then, about a month ago, she suddenly brought home some young man and started clinging to him, calling him her son. But that kid's no ordinary lunatic either. I don't know what he's trying to get out of her, but he's been following her around, calling her 'Mom, Mom' all the time."
This man understood the situation more accurately than anyone else in the village. He knew Hanseo was a Mental Esper who had brainwashed the civilian.
That's why he was acting so aggressively. If a Mental Esper took a civilian hostage, things would get complicated.
"Mom!"
"If you try anything, I'll break your arm..."
The large hand gripping Hanseo's neck tightened, and he thought he heard a sickening crack.
He's really going to kill me! Terrified, Hanseo desperately shouted at the woman, "Run! Get out of here!"
The woman didn't respond.
At that moment, the hand holding Hanseo loosened its grip. Simultaneously, the woman snatched a green onion from the floor and charged at the man.
"Get away from my son!"
The man didn't resist the civilian's attack, taking the blows without a fight. The thwack-thwack of the green onion striking him echoed repeatedly. The sound was so satisfying, it was almost a shame Hanseo couldn't see the spectacle while pinned to the floor by the neck.
It must be hilarious to watch. Just imagining it made him laugh.
"Ha, ha ha..."
Hanseo opened his eyes, laughing aloud.
The bedroom was silent, devoid of the sound of a green onion slapping against a muscular body or the noise of TV commercials and a rattling fan.
"......"
Hanseo turned on his phone and saw it was exactly 6 AM.
He had a habit of waking up at 6 AM and going to bed at 10 PM, a routine ingrained during his time at the research institute. This structured lifestyle, which had faded around his late twenties in his previous life, seemed to have persisted in his current body. As 10 PM approached, he would gradually feel sleepy.
Waking up here...
Hanseo clicked his tongue in disappointment. The dream he had today was something he already remembered, so it yielded no new information. However, the mind was such a complex thing that it was difficult to control every minute detail. For the time being, it seemed he would have to keep dreaming to gather information.
He might as well get up.
Unable to fall back asleep, Hanseo got out of bed. The house was silent in the early morning hours.
He tiptoed into the living room, his gaze drawn to the firmly closed door of the guest room where Gu Jei was likely still asleep. Since Hanseo was occupying the master bedroom, the homeowner naturally took the guest room.
Is he still sleeping?
Hanseo tilted his head in thought when the lock clicked open, and Gu Jei entered through the front door.
"Ah."
Gu Jei seemed slightly startled to run into Hanseo, pausing mid-step. He then gave a slight bow.
For a moment, Hanseo wondered, What's with him? But he quickly recalled the rules they had established earlier.
Come to think of it, they did include greeting each other in the rules. And Gu Jei was always meticulous about following the rules.
He was always like this, even back then.
An old fan whirred noisily, its blades rattling. Cicadas buzzed deafeningly through the wide-open window.
Yawn. Hanseo stretched, eating the watermelon his mother had brought him. A morning soap opera played on the TV.
It was a peaceful moment. But Hanseo knew this tranquility wouldn't last. This dream was like a rerun of events from his past life.
He remembered this scene vividly and could predict what would happen next.
The drama was reaching its climax. "Yujin, she's actually my daughter!" Dramatic music swelled as the actors' shocked faces filled the screen in close-up. Hanseo tore his gaze from the TV and stared at the front door.
Three, two, one...
The moment the countdown finished, the door burst open.
Instead of "Mom" returning from grocery shopping, a tall, bespectacled man strode in.
Though the familiar face evoked a flicker of warmth, Hanseo's mouth blurted out something entirely different:
"Huh? Who are you?"
"That's what I should be asking you."
The man strode in without removing his shoes.
"W-what's going on?"
As the man approached, goosebumps prickled Hanseo's skin, and a chill ran down his spine. Perhaps it was this sensation that suddenly pulled Hanseo, who had been observing the scene like an outsider, into the dream. Once drawn in, the immersion was instantaneous. His heart pounded with tension and fear. Hanseo swallowed hard, glaring at the man.
This feeling was unmistakably that of an Esper—one who harbored intense hostility toward him.
Could that madman have sensed my presence here? Hanseo thought, his mind racing. Believing the man to be a subordinate sent by the Cult Leader, he didn't hesitate to use his mental ability.
"Argh...!"
The scream didn't come from the man. The moment Hanseo attempted to use his ability, a searing pain engulfed him.
Is this what it feels like to smash your head against a steel wall? His head felt like it was about to shatter, and his vision swam. He only realized later that blood was streaming from one nostril.
It was the backlash from his ability.
Mental abilities weren't omnipotent. They were ineffective against those with exceptionally strong mental fortitude or against other Mental Espers. Hanseo had first learned this harsh truth when he encountered the Cult Leader.
When Hanseo escaped from the research lab, he recklessly used his abilities, drawing the Cult Leader's attention and leading to his capture. He tried to use his powers to break free, but only earned a derisive laugh in return. Yet the Cult Leader's abilities proved equally ineffective against Hanseo, despite the Cult Leader's higher rank, because they were both Mental Espers.
Thanks to this, Hanseo managed to escape from the Cult Leader. Or rather, he thought he had escaped... In any case, terrified of being recaptured by that madman, he fled to this remote village.
At first, he resented the village's outdated ways and slow pace, but gradually he grew accustomed to it. Then this man suddenly appeared. Judging by his aura, the man clearly wasn't a Mental Esper. Yet his mental defenses were so impenetrable that Hanseo was instantly repelled upon contact. Looking back, it was like trying to pierce an iron wall with a needle—a futile endeavor from the start.
This was Hanseo's first experience of such a thing, and fear overwhelmed the pain. Instinctively trying to flee, Hanseo was grabbed by the scruff of his neck and pinned to the ground. He felt as if he was trapped under a boulder, unable to move an inch.
"Let go of me!"
"I saw you use your ability two days ago. So you're an unregistered Awakened after all."
"Let go! I said let go! Eek!"
"What were you plotting in a place like this? Brainwashing civilians?"
"Ugh! That hurts!"
"Answer me."
"Why are you acting like I'm the only one at fault? I haven't done anything as bad as your Cult Leader! I came here to live quietly!"
"What are you talking about? No, I don't need to hear it. You're going to the Center..."
The man paused mid-sentence. In his past life, Hanseo hadn't understood, but now he knew why the man couldn't immediately report him—an unregistered Awakened who had used his abilities on ordinary citizens—to the Center.
It was because this man was in the same predicament: he had fled the Center without authorization, making him a fugitive just like Hanseo.
But at that moment, Hanseo remained unaware of this truth, firmly convinced that the man was a subordinate sent by the Cult Leader who had discovered his location.
"...No, first deactivate your ability. Unless you want to die."
Just as the man uttered his menacing threat, a woman's scream pierced the air:
"Jinyeong-ah!"
Hanseo and the man's gazes snapped simultaneously toward the entrance.
The first thing they saw was a plastic bag lying haphazardly on the floor. Carrots, green onions, cucumbers, and Hanseo's favorite snacks had spilled out and were scattered around.
A middle-aged woman with neatly combed white hair stood frozen in shock, staring at the two of them.
"Mom!" Hanseo cried out desperately, lunging toward her. At the same moment, the man grabbed Hanseo by the back of the neck. His hand was so large it nearly encircled Hanseo's entire neck.
"Try anything funny, and I'll break it," the man growled.
In this situation, the man clearly appeared to be the villain. But the truth was far more complex.
This man had come here after hearing stories from the neighbors.
Hanseo hadn't heard the stories directly, but they likely went something like this:
"That woman over there? She lives on that hill and has gone a bit mad. Ten years ago, her son went out to sea and had an accident... Then, about a month ago, she suddenly brought home some young man and started clinging to him, calling him her son. But that kid's no ordinary lunatic either. I don't know what he's trying to get out of her, but he's been following her around, calling her 'Mom, Mom' all the time."
This man understood the situation more accurately than anyone else in the village. He knew Hanseo was a Mental Esper who had brainwashed the civilian.
That's why he was acting so aggressively. If a Mental Esper took a civilian hostage, things would get complicated.
"Mom!"
"If you try anything, I'll break your arm..."
The large hand gripping Hanseo's neck tightened, and he thought he heard a sickening crack.
He's really going to kill me! Terrified, Hanseo desperately shouted at the woman, "Run! Get out of here!"
The woman didn't respond.
At that moment, the hand holding Hanseo loosened its grip. Simultaneously, the woman snatched a green onion from the floor and charged at the man.
"Get away from my son!"
The man didn't resist the civilian's attack, taking the blows without a fight. The thwack-thwack of the green onion striking him echoed repeatedly. The sound was so satisfying, it was almost a shame Hanseo couldn't see the spectacle while pinned to the floor by the neck.
It must be hilarious to watch. Just imagining it made him laugh.
"Ha, ha ha..."
Hanseo opened his eyes, laughing aloud.
The bedroom was silent, devoid of the sound of a green onion slapping against a muscular body or the noise of TV commercials and a rattling fan.
"......"
Hanseo turned on his phone and saw it was exactly 6 AM.
He had a habit of waking up at 6 AM and going to bed at 10 PM, a routine ingrained during his time at the research institute. This structured lifestyle, which had faded around his late twenties in his previous life, seemed to have persisted in his current body. As 10 PM approached, he would gradually feel sleepy.
Waking up here...
Hanseo clicked his tongue in disappointment. The dream he had today was something he already remembered, so it yielded no new information. However, the mind was such a complex thing that it was difficult to control every minute detail. For the time being, it seemed he would have to keep dreaming to gather information.
He might as well get up.
Unable to fall back asleep, Hanseo got out of bed. The house was silent in the early morning hours.
He tiptoed into the living room, his gaze drawn to the firmly closed door of the guest room where Gu Jei was likely still asleep. Since Hanseo was occupying the master bedroom, the homeowner naturally took the guest room.
Is he still sleeping?
Hanseo tilted his head in thought when the lock clicked open, and Gu Jei entered through the front door.
"Ah."
Gu Jei seemed slightly startled to run into Hanseo, pausing mid-step. He then gave a slight bow.
For a moment, Hanseo wondered, What's with him? But he quickly recalled the rules they had established earlier.
Come to think of it, they did include greeting each other in the rules. And Gu Jei was always meticulous about following the rules.
He was always like this, even back then.
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