# Chapter 40
Alpha Team quickly drove to where the alert had come from. The atmosphere in the vehicle was heavy as the location was further than expected.
“It would be nice if Hajin-hyung could come with us.”
“Taking a Guide on a mission without proper justification is prohibited.”
“I know. I just said it because I miss him.”
Cha Jinwoo, who was at the wheel, silently sighed at the youngest’s complaint.
Though Jinwoo had cut off Doyoon’s childish remark, his feelings were the same. He even envied Doyoon for being able to speak his mind so freely.
If he had his way, he wouldn’t want to leave Hajin’s side for missions or anything else.
Honestly, if he hadn’t seen Hajin becoming irritable from stress, he would have tried to prevent him from having any alone time, using whatever excuse necessary.
“Team Leader, can’t you drive any faster?”
At Han Seungho’s voice, Cha Jinwoo snapped out of his thoughts and, instead of scolding him, pressed down harder on the accelerator.
The vehicle, specially modified for Esper deployments, could reach speeds of up to 400 kilometers per hour.
Ordinary people wouldn’t be able to withstand such acceleration, but Espers, with bodies that transcended human limitations, weren’t affected by that level of acceleration.
Alpha Team arrived at their destination at an even faster speed than they had traveled on the way out, driving on the Esper-only road at a pace unbearable for regular humans. They parked the car with a loud noise and quickly got out.
As they headed toward where Association employees were gathered, they noticed something strange.
The oddities weren’t just one or two. What appeared to be employees seriously discussing documents and bustling about turned out to be them just holding blank papers, moving their lips without speaking, and repeatedly walking around the same areas.
“Damn it! We’re returning to the quarters right now!”
As Cha Jinwoo, who quickly assessed the situation, gave the order and turned back toward the car, the employees who had been repeating the same actions suddenly rushed at Alpha Team as if that had been a signal.
“They seem to be under some kind of control, so don’t attack them!”
Those who had reflexively clenched their fists relaxed them, albeit grudgingly, at Cha Jinwoo’s shout.
If these people had betrayed them willingly, they wouldn’t have hesitated to attack, but their unfocused eyes and drooling made it clear to anyone that this wasn’t of their own volition.
‘This is the work of someone who knows the Association well.’
Cha Jinwoo continued to think while evading the rushing employees. His mind worked rapidly, as if separate from the current situation.
Who could be behind this? They clearly knew that Espers belonging to the Association couldn’t harm Association employees without legitimate reason.
A traitor within the Association? Or an outside force? Either way, it was serious.
If it was internal betrayal, it meant the Association hadn’t noticed while the traitor built up their power.
But if it was an external force, it meant the Association was an incompetent organization that couldn’t do anything while its internal structure was being shaken.
“Ah, what happened to these idiots?!”
It wasn’t difficult to avoid the employees throwing themselves at them. However, approaching the car wasn’t easy either.
As soon as they realized that the controlled employees were targeting the vehicle, the area around the car was surrounded, leaving them at an impasse.
“Team Leader! Can’t we throw them?!”
“Hah… throw them gently.”
As Cha Jinwoo reluctantly gave permission, tired of the relentless attacks, the employees began flying through the air.
Alpha Team, who had only been passively avoiding them, instantly rushed to the car and grabbed the employees clinging to it by the scruff of their necks and tossed them away.
It was quite gruesome to see them falling to the ground after being thrown into the air, without a single scream.
They might get some bruises, but being thrown by S-class Espers and only suffering that much should be considered fortunate.
Alpha Team, who had thrown them as far as possible to buy time for their return, quickly got into the car. They started the engine and headed back before the employees could return.
“Team Leader, should we contact the Association?”
Cha Jinwoo shook his head at Baek Jaan’s question.
“We don’t know how far this goes. Our priority is to return to the quarters and secure Hajin-ssi’s safety.”
“Damn it…! Who the hell…?”
The pressure on the accelerator increased with their anxiety. However, when they returned to their quarters at an even faster speed than they had driven away, they were greeted by an empty residence.
“Hajin-hyung!”
Though they sensed no presence in the quarters, they refused to believe it and searched every corner. But reality remained unchanged.
The Guide, Lee Hajin, was gone.
The moment that sentence flashed through their minds, they suddenly felt as if oxygen had disappeared, making it hard to breathe. If they had formed a bond with him, they could at least know if he was safe, but they didn’t even have that.
Baek Jaan, who was taking short, gasping breaths like someone lacking oxygen, suddenly turned around.
Hajin wasn’t here. Then they needed to go where Hajin was. But Cha Jinwoo blocked Baek Jaan’s path.
“Where are you going?”
“Get out of my way.”
Baek Jaan’s eyes were already glaring at Cha Jinwoo as if they could kill him. But Cha Jinwoo met that gaze unflinchingly and asked again.
“I asked where you’re going.”
“…I need to find Hajin-ssi.”
Though he heard the answer, Cha Jinwoo didn’t move.
“This is an emergency situation. Individual actions are not permitted.”
Baek Jaan didn’t have time for this argument.
While they were doing this, Hajin was probably being taken farther away to a place Baek Jaan didn’t know, so why was he blocking his way?
Baek Jaan felt the urge to grind up Cha Jinwoo’s face, which looked so pristine compared to his own nearly frantic state.
“The Team Leader seems quite calm.”
Baek Jaan glared at Cha Jinwoo as if he were an enemy and let out a low growl.
Han Seungho and Lee Doyoon, who were watching the situation, also sympathized with Baek Jaan’s words to some extent. To their eyes as well, Cha Jinwoo seemed incredibly composed.
How could he be? They were only keeping quiet because they were trying to contain an uncontrollable rage, but their hearts weren’t any different from Baek Jaan’s.
They were just staying still because they were so angry they couldn’t control their strength, otherwise they might have moved before Baek Jaan.
Meeting their hostile gazes, Cha Jinwoo pulled up the corners of his mouth and smiled.
“I’m glad I appear that way.”
After speaking, Cha Jinwoo lowered the corners of his mouth as if he had never smiled. With the fierce smile gone, his expressionless face looked rather gloomy.
At this, Baek Jaan’s aggression subsided. At least enough that he wouldn’t attack Cha Jinwoo and run off to look for Hajin.
“Then what does the Team Leader plan to do?”
Han Seungho, who had been watching the somewhat calmer atmosphere, asked as if every minute and second was precious.
“We need to go to the Association.”
“What if the entire Association has been taken over?”
At Doyoon’s question, Cha Jinwoo’s gaze darkened.
“If that’s the case… then we abandon the Association.”
Despite being a statement that could easily earn them severe disciplinary action, Alpha Team fiercely smiled as if they approved.
“Then we shouldn’t be standing around.”
“Let’s hurry.”
“I’ll start the car.”
Like cogwheels that had been turning on their own and were about to fly off, now finding their proper places again, Alpha Team moved in perfect unison.
* * *
Fortunately or unfortunately, the Association was safe. However, the Association seemed to have assessed the situation as well, with shouting coming from all directions.
“What do you mean you can’t figure it out?! Find out somehow!”
“There was an Esper capable of this level of mind control? This is insane.”
They were so busy that even the lowest-ranking employees were running around, and no one noticed Alpha Team’s arrival. Ignoring this, they headed straight for the Association Chairman’s office.
However, an Esper standing guard in front of the direct elevator to the Chairman’s office blocked their path.
In this urgent situation, having a weak Esper block their way made the impatient Han Seungho scowl fiercely and snap.
“Get out of the way if you don’t want to die. I’m barely holding myself back.”
“I can’t allow that. With so many people affected by mental control Espers, I can’t let you into the Chairman’s office without verification procedures.”
“Damn it, if we weren’t in our right minds, everyone would be dead the moment we walked in here.”
“The verification process must still be followed.”
It was Cha Jinwoo who calmed Han Seungho, who was growing increasingly upset at the time being wasted.
“That’s right. Let’s finish this quickly then. We’re trying our best to be patient right now.”
“Y-yes, yes.”
Even just feeling the aura that couldn’t be contained, one could tell how much they were restraining themselves.
The B-class Esper guarding the path to the Chairman’s office quickly moved to bring a machine that could determine if they were under the influence of an ability.
Using the machine, he moved it around them as if conducting a body search before boarding a plane.
“Verification complete. Let’s go up.”
“Tch.”
After the verification process was finished for Han Seungho last, the B-class Esper finally cleared the way for them. Han Seungho clicked his tongue before boarding the elevator.
When they got off at the floor with the Chairman’s office, they ignored minor courtesies like knocking and immediately flung open the door.
The Chairman wasn’t surprised to see them, likely having been informed while they were going through the procedures.
“Have you secured Lee Hajin Guide’s safety?”
“Sit down first.”
At the Chairman’s words, Cha Jinwoo’s brow furrowed for the first time. Those words meant he didn’t know where Hajin was.
However, with the Association functioning properly now, running off without procedure would only be treated as desertion.
Cha Jinwoo calmed not only Alpha Team but also himself before sitting down.
“I’ll be brief. Please send us out.”
“Of course I will. Not just Alpha Team, but I’ll mobilize all S-class Espers for the search, keeping only minimal personnel.”
This meant the Chairman was also determined.
Sensing his resolve to rescue Hajin, Alpha Team was finally able to contain their unruly energy.
With that, the Chairman, looking somewhat relieved, spoke again.
“We’ve found out where Lee Hajin Guide was kidnapped from. When we headed to the last place his signal was detected, we found Han Jiwoo Guide and an employee from the training center collapsed there.”
Author: Hyacinthus B
Hyacinthus
