AAGULT Ch 108

 

Chapter 108

Aiden had to admit that he had underestimated the situation.

His first mistake was the shooting. Since he was quick to learn and did everything well, he had brushed off firearm training. Truthfully, he hadn’t found it all that interesting either. As a result, in this critical moment, he had failed to properly aim at that damned Baek Beomwoo’s head. If only he had practiced just one more hour than usual, he might have shattered that skull by now.

His second mistake was Jaeha. Song Jaeha. He held far more meaning to Aiden than expected. He hadn’t confronted that fact or analyzed it. If he had, he wouldn’t have allowed himself to be swept up in rage, causing his fingers to freeze and his body to tense from this maddening irritation.

And finally, Baek Beomwoo. That bastard was a far trickier Esper than he had anticipated. Though it was their first direct encounter, he didn’t feel unfamiliar. That wave pattern was familiar. Just as Jaeha had said, he had no memory of it, but perhaps he had guided him once before—that’s why it felt even more revolting and infuriating. He poured the exact opposite type of guiding into that sharp and complex wave, then retracted it, only to shove it back in like a tidal wave. It was the most agonizing way to drown an Esper.

“Ugh…”

Baek Beomwoo’s body gave a slight twist. A guttural, beast-like sound scratched out from his throat. It was the first groan he had let out. His eyes were bloodshot, tinged red. If even his colossal form looked like this, his insides must be worse. Aiden wished he could laugh in satisfaction at the sight, but he couldn’t—because Song Jaeha was still pinned beneath him. Aiden reloaded the gun once more.

This won’t do. Screw capture or honey traps—he just had to kill him here and now. If Jaeha cried over that bastard’s death… he’d just stick close, hug him, soothe him. Eventually, he’d forget about that asshole and look only at Aiden.

His finger was on the trigger, and—

Bzzt.

“…”

“Baek Beomwoo, do you copy? Is Guide Ye Aiden there?”

In that moment, both Jaeha and Aiden froze. The only one unfazed in this situation was Baek Beomwoo. While still suffering under Aiden’s guiding, he reached into his coat with noticeably stiffened hands and pulled out a radio.

“Hey, Chairman.”

Baek Beomwoo responded with shocking nonchalance into the radio. Song Jaeha, pinned beneath him, opened his mouth in disbelief, and Aiden felt the same.

It was the Chairman’s voice. The very person Aiden had contacted just two hours ago for the operation.

“Damn it, where’s Esper Song Jaeha? Can you hear me?”

“…I’m here… barely,”

Still trapped underneath, Jaeha managed a dying whisper in response. A relieved sigh echoed through the radio.

“For now… hand the radio over to Guide Ye Aiden. Why haven’t you been answering…”

Without a word, Baek Beomwoo tossed the radio to Aiden. Still dazed by the absurdity of it all, Aiden caught it. That’s when he realized his own radio—attached to his harness—had been damaged during the fight.

Thunk. Whether the Chairman heard the sound or not, he spoke up even though Aiden remained silent.

“Guide Ye Aiden, whatever you’re planning, stop it. The operation has been called off.”

“…What the hell are you talking about? Are you ruining everything when it’s already in the bag?”

Of course, the Chairman telling him to stop didn’t make Aiden lower the gun aimed at Baek Beomwoo. Not when he still had Jaeha by the hair.

Jaeha, nearly flattened to the ground, let out a shallow breath and contorted his face in pain. Seeing that, Aiden pulled the trigger just as the Chairman tried to speak again.

Bang!

“Guide Ye Aiden!”

“Oops. My mistake.”

Of course, it was no mistake. The bullet aimed precisely at Baek Beomwoo’s head was blocked by his raised arm and struck his forearm instead. Because of that damned illness, there was no clean bullet impact sound—just a brittle cracking sound.

“…You idiot! I said stop!”

The Chairman screamed. Fuck. Aiden continued to flood Baek Beomwoo with guiding while glaring at the radio, worried he might further harm Jaeha.

“What do you mean, ‘he did it’?”

“Baek Beomwoo turned himself in.”

“What?”

Baek Beomwoo turned himself in?

It felt as if all sound ceased for a moment. Something in Aiden’s mind snapped, leaving behind an empty void. His strength didn’t drain, but his finger still rested on the trigger. His entire body remained rigid, as if desperately trying to justify the desire to kill.

“One hour ago, he turned himself in. All related individuals have been arrested. Everyone else has already withdrawn, except for you and Esper Song Jaeha.”

The Chairman’s words were clear. His voice, though firm, was unmistakably weary, conveying a complex mix of emotions. One hour ago—that was just before Aiden encountered Baek Beomwoo. Surrender? Then he should’ve said so. From the start—“Hi, I surrendered”—would’ve been nice. But that bastard—

“…”

That bastard.

Even now, he was like that.

Only then did Baek Beomwoo release Jaeha’s head and stand up as if nothing had happened. There was no exaggeration or sign of pain in his movements. He slowly lowered his blood-stained arm, twisted his neck side to side. Like someone finishing a light workout and doing post-stretches. Blood poured steadily from the unstaunched bullet wound.

Jaeha, who had been collapsed on the floor, let out a long breath. Though he twitched a little and managed to sit up, the fact that Baek Beomwoo helped him up again sent Aiden’s mood crashing back into the mud. Even Jaeha looked bewildered.

Seeing that made Aiden tremble. It was just so fucking gross.

Aiden forced down his revulsion. The anger he hadn’t felt in a long time burned hot, but it wasn’t melting his cold logic—it only made the absurdity even sharper.

What the hell was that bastard?

Like someone who had already calculated the situation and planned the aftermath… Suddenly, Aiden wondered—Did he really surrender? He wasn’t subdued or captured—it was right before their encounter. That meant the entire fight, all of Baek Beomwoo’s acts of smashing Jaeha’s head into the ground—had all been meaningless acts after surrender.

Emotions boiled over. He couldn’t hold back and opened his mouth to vent.

“Since when did we start going easy on villains? Huh? Maybe I should just be a villain too!”

Aiden asked bitterly, genuinely. But the reply he got was even more ridiculous.

“Calm down. Baek Beomwoo surrendered under conditions.”

“Conditional surrender?”

Aiden tilted his head back, scoffing in disbelief, turning with a gesture full of ridicule. He didn’t even pretend to play nice anymore. His raw, black emotions slipped right out.

“What the hell does that mean? Hey, what did you do?”

“…”

Baek Beomwoo didn’t answer. Of course he didn’t. Aiden hadn’t expected him to.

“He has information we need. …Please, come back and talk.”

The Chairman begged. He acted like he was talking to someone on the verge of doing something reckless—and he was right.

If Aiden didn’t kill Baek Beomwoo right now, this rage wouldn’t subside. He was confident he could obtain whatever info the Chairman needed, and he could handle the fallout from Baek Beomwoo’s death too.

So Aiden reloaded the gun again.

Maybe hearing the sound, the Chairman let out a groan over the radio.

“The moment Baek Beomwoo is eliminated—”

“…”

“Information that your matching rate with Esper Song Jaeha is 100% will be released to the media. …It’s already leaked.”

Thud. Aiden’s finger froze on the trigger.

He knew better than anyone what that meant. He had braced himself for it when taking the matching test with Jaeha and had even intended to use it to his advantage. But he never imagined it would come back as a blade at his own throat.

That he was a Guide with a 100% match rate. An S-Class Guide capable of perfect synchronization with one—and only one—Esper.

It sounded impressive, and on the surface, it was perfect. Ideal and powerful.

Which meant everyone would want it.

They would covet him and try to separate him from Song Jaeha. Countless “offers for the national interest” would cling to him.

Those who claimed Guides should act from duty would spin emotional nonsense. Powers would fight to settle him in their territory, while others would try to keep him a wanderer so no one could claim him. Madness would seep in—if they couldn’t have him, they’d destroy him. All under the absurd guise of “national interest,” “security,” and “the good of humanity.”

He hadn’t done it until now because he hated that kind of shit.

“…Aiden.”

Jaeha, who had quietly approached, hesitantly reached out and supported Aiden’s arm.

He rolled his eyes to look at the wreck that was Jaeha. His face was smeared with blood, and he looked like he’d collapse any moment. Though clearly more injured, he was anxiously inspecting Aiden’s condition. Looking at him, Aiden suddenly thought—

I have to accept all this bullshit because of him.

…Then it was worth it.

Strangely, it even made him happy. His insides felt tingly.

“…”

“Is the conversation over?”

“You shut up.”

The battle was now at a lull. Aiden finally withdrew the guiding that had been savagely clawing through Baek Beomwoo. Baek Beomwoo raised his hand to his mouth. Judging from the light cough, he seemed to be recovering a bit.

“You’re really damn good at your job.”

“Sorry. Let’s talk when you return.”

Aiden ended the call with that final sarcasm. Then he turned his hand and lightly held Jaeha’s.

Everything was a complete mess—in every way.