Liar Paradox - Chapter 38

Captured by Gu Jei, Baekgu finally released the brainwashing he had placed on "Mom." However, Gu Jei found himself in a bind, he couldn't simply let this dangerously powerful mental Esper roam free, nor could he report him to the Center.

What should he do? After careful consideration, Gu Jei decided to personally monitor this dangerous criminal.

Thus began their close surveillance. It would have been easier to imprison Baekgu or observe him from a distance, but Gu Jei chose to stay with him in the same space 24/7, all in the name of monitoring him. Naturally, rules became necessary, and so rules were established between Gu Jei and Baekgu.

"From now on, I'll tell you the rules you must follow. Remember them."

"What happens if I don't?"

"Die."

"Ha! You always say that, but you never actually kill anyone."

"......"

"What are you going to do, glare at me like that? Fine, then what if you break the rules?"

"That won't happen."

"What if it does?"

"It won't."

"If you break the rules, you have to use honorifics with me. Call me 'hyung' too."

"......"

"You use honorifics with everyone else. And you're 21, right? I'm four years older than you."

"......Fine. I'll do it."

Looking back, Gu Jei could have insisted that only he had to follow the rules. But he applied them to himself as well, adhering to them strictly. He'd done the same in his previous life, so why would this time be any different? Once the rules were set, Gu Jei followed them without complaint.

Han Seo shook his head, pulling himself out of his memories. Gu Jei had already entered the guest room.

In that moment, Han Seo realized something was off.

Why isn't he asleep?

He didn’t leave at 6 AM, so if he’s back now, what time did he even leave? Did he sleep at all?

Hanseo glanced back and forth between the clock showing 6 AM and the tightly shut guest room door… then turned away.

Well, it's Gu Jei. He'll take care of himself just fine.

Even if Gu Jei didn't care, his family and team would make a fuss. Unlike Hanseo, Gu Jei had parents, an uncle, and countless fans. Hanseo shook his head again. I should worry about myself first.

This morning's breakfast was a delivered lunchbox. They'd decided to stop ordering from the side dish shop they used to use, mainly because Gu Jei had bluntly declared it "tasteless."

But it tasted perfectly fine before. Honestly, that guy had such a picky palate. Thankfully, Gu Jei took four bites from this lunchbox. He only ate a little rice, a meatball, and a rolled omelet, but even that was a lot for him.

It was almost miraculous. How could someone his size survive on such a small amount of food? Espers, with their high energy consumption, were supposed to be big eaters. He really was an extraordinary guy in so many ways.

"Yeo Hanseo-ssi," Gu Jei said quietly, waiting until Hanseo finished eating. His low voice made Han Seo tense up for a moment, but the words that followed were completely unexpected.

"Could you give me the account number to deposit the guiding fee?"

"Ah! Just a moment."

Having received living expenses separately from Gu Jei, Hanseo had completely forgotten about the guiding fee.

He quickly pulled his phone from his pocket. Though he had once lived far from the conveniences of civilization, that was in the past. Now, Hanseo was a civilized man who knew how to use a smartphone.

Following the social worker's instructions, he opened the banking app, checked his account number, and read it aloud. Gu Jei tapped on his phone.

"I've transferred the funds."

With a pounding heart, Han Seo checked his account.

"...?"

An unfamiliar number appeared on the screen.

What's this? How many zeros are there? One, two, three, four...

"Two... thousand?"

It wasn't two thousand won, but twenty million won.

Hanseo stared at Gu Jei, his eyes wide. He recalled his monthly salary as a janitor at the Center, wondering if an extra zero had been added by mistake. Gu Jei frowned.

"I paid you exactly as stipulated in the contract. Is there a problem?"

"Ah, no."

Judging by his reaction, that didn't seem to be the case.

Come to think of it, the contract did mention a guiding fee.

To be honest, Han Seo had forgotten about it entirely, having paid little attention to the details.

In dramas and movies, everyone seemed obsessed with money. They suffered from poverty or did terrible things for it. Hanseo knew that money was crucial for ordinary people.

But intellectual understanding aside, he had never truly valued money. This was especially true when he first escaped the research lab and recklessly used his abilities.


"Wow, this looks great."

"I'll give it to you!"

"I'll take everything."

"Huh? Sir, the bill... Yes! Please, take it all!"

Since he could get anything he wanted just by asking, he never understood the value of money.


Looking back now, I was completely reckless.

If the Cult Leader hadn't captured him first, the Center would have eventually caught him. Being exploited like a slave by the Cult Leader versus being captured by the Center, having a chip implanted, and being monitored for life—which fate was worse?

Regardless, Hanseo checked the balance in his bank account with a strange sense of satisfaction. Knowing he had earned this money himself filled him with an inexplicable sense of pride.

He had lived his life without understanding the value of money, but in this new life, he resolved to live normally, like everyone else. Therefore, the more money he had, the better.

Could I live without worrying about money in two years?

Hanseo, like many others, imagined himself in a high-rise penthouse, sipping wine and gazing at the sprawling cityscape below. He quickly shook his head. That didn't seem very interesting.

In dramas, everyone seemed to dream of such a life. Was it because he'd never even experienced a normal life that he didn't feel the same way?

Come to think of it, he'd never really thought about the future in concrete terms. He'd simply hoped to live happily, like everyone else.

But now, he could finally dream of the future. With a legitimate identity, he could get a phone, a bank account, and credit cards. Someday, he might even buy a car and a house, and travel to other countries.

If living as Baekgu was a five-star difficulty, living as Yeo Hanseo felt like a one-star challenge.

Of course, that would only be true if Gu Jei didn't die.

"Mr. Yeo Hanseo."

It was as if Gu Jei had sensed Hanseo's thoughts. As Hanseo looked up, Gu Jei set down his chopsticks and spoke.

"Are you busy today?"

"Huh? No."

"Then let's go somewhere for a bit."

Han Seo blinked in surprise at the unexpected invitation.

❖ ❖ ❖

Residential Building 3.

The members of "Gu Jei Team" were enjoying their most relaxed time in recent memory. With their workaholic Team Leader forced into a break, they had all been granted an unexpected respite.

Of course, none of the team members disliked gate raids. On the contrary, each participated enthusiastically for their own reasons. But even the most beloved tasks become exhausting when done without rest. Unfortunately, one S-Class Esper, who seemed to know nothing but work, didn't seem to grasp this fact.

In any case, the team members embraced this forced break with great enthusiasm. Like other ordinary office workers, they had been working non-stop, accumulating money in their accounts but lacking the time to spend it. Now that they finally had the chance to properly use their earnings, they were all pondering how to make the most of this time.

"So, Taegyu, what are you planning to do?"

"I'm going to visit all the mountains I've always wanted to climb."

Woo Taegyu answered, his clear eyes sparkling in stark contrast to his intimidating appearance. Seong Semin chuckled dryly.

"Hiking? You're not some old man."

"What's wrong with hiking? The air is fresh, it clears your mind, and the sense of accomplishment when you reach the summit is indescribable! Why don't you join me, Senior?"

"Are you crazy? I'm booking a fancy hotel and lounging around all day. Speaking of which, I should make a reservation right now. Otherwise, the Team Leader will definitely call me in tonight and beat me half to death."

"It's not beating, it's training. But why does the Team Leader train so late every night?"

"Probably has too much energy to sleep. People say it's because his long eyelashes cast shadows under his eyes, but come on. Up close, those are just dark circles."

PREV | NEXT