IRRESISTIBLE OFFER

[A few nights ago…]

MOON NOA.

The first S-Class Guide in Korea.

Also, a chaebol— someone who belonged to their country's top 0.01, the wealthiest among the wealthy, even before the Doomsday happened.

A filthy rich bastard that not even the government could touch.

"First, you managed to break free from the government's clutches by creating the first Guiding Pills in the world using your own Mana," Ki Gayoon said, standing up before he stepped on the cigarette butt that he threw on the ground. "Thanks to your ground-breaking creation, you became so famous worldwide that the government had no choice but to treat you like a national treasure even though you have no loyalty to the country."

The HoneyMoon Guiding Pills— as its name suggested— were pills that Espers could consume if they needed Guiding and there was no Guide available for them.

Of course, Guiding Pills couldn't replace Guides.

However, the pills were useful for high-ranking Espers who were often stuck in dungeons.

The rule is to never bring Guides into the dungeons. There are exceptions, but that's the norm. So, the Guiding Pills are helpful to keep the Espers sane while they're away from their Guides.

Gayoon was one of the Espers who benefited from Moon Noa's creation.

The HoneyMoon Guiding Pills used to be enough to stop my Madness. Thanks to that, the government left me alone for a while. But when I got used to them, I started building immunity against them until they stopped working for me.

Not everyone was as unlucky as him, though.

Guiding Pills were a life-saver for low-ranking Espers since the weakest Espers were always the last ones to receive Guiding from mid-ranking Guides.

Because high-class Guides are usually reserved for high-class Espers.

"Is that how you see me, Esper Ki Gayoon? A national treasure?" Moona Noa asked, flashing that annoying "friendly" smile of his. "I'm flattered. But why do you make it sound like I'm a traitor?"

"You threatened the government, Moon Noa. As if saying you'd abandon the country wasn't enough, you also threatened to share the recipe of your Guiding Pills with the enemies. I'm surprised the government didn't assassinate you back then."

Moon Noa just laughed and shrugged. "It's not like they didn't try— they just didn't succeed."

"You haven't changed at all— you're still as carefree and brazen as before," Gayoon said, sighing while shaking his head. And then his gaze landed on the unconscious person he buried in the ground. "No wonder your employee has a shitty personality, too."

"Don't be like that~ Noh Yuno is a good kid~"

"Aren't you too old to be talking like that?"

"And you're still young for you to be acting like a cranky old man~ No wonder I look younger than you even though I'm ten years older~"

Should I snap this annoying bastard's neck?

"Esper Ki Gayoon, let's work together."

Hmm?

The air around Moon Noa changed.

This old fox is still smiling, but the look in his eyes...

"Since you asked me to work with you, I assume you need someone to fuck up the government with you," Gayoon said, raising an eyebrow. "What will I get in return if I help you, Moon Noa? I don't do charity."

"You get to have your Exclusive Guide?"

"That doesn't sound appealing. I'm sure you know how I feel towards Guides."

"Is Yuyu the same as the Guides you met in the past?"

"…"

"Ki Gayoon, if you help me, I'll help you get Guide Bambi off your back," Moon Noa said in a serious tone. "And don't you want an Exclusive Guide who will die for you and not the government?"

Gayoon didn't give Moon Noa a proper response back then because he couldn't trust the sly fox, but now…

***

[Present...]

WHY did I let that stupid sly fox put weird ideas into my head?

Gayoon leaned against his seat while pressing his temples.

He felt like having a migraine, but at least, he didn't feel like snapping this time.

That little shit's Guiding is the real deal.

But since it was just a basic Guiding, the effect was starting to wear off now.

"Boss, Chief Secretary Kwak was here earlier," Baekho (just an alias that suited a bulky man like Baekho)— his right-hand man— reported while standing in front of his desk. "According to the chief secretary, President Cheol Kang is asking for your understanding. He said they can't pay for the Blue House and the Namsan Tower's renovations at the same time. The government is appealing for you to either give them more time or give them a huge discount."

Gayoon scoffed.

President Cheol Kang was none other than the South Korean President.

A few months ago, both the president's residence— the Blue House— and the Namsan Tower were destroyed by Gates.

Hence, the government had no choice but to hire Beom-Seok Constructions.

"They stole the budget for the housing project meant to help the survivors of the recent catastrophic Dungeon Breaks to fill their own pockets, and now they're saying they don't have the money to pay for our services?" Gayoon asked, smirking bitterly. "Tell our men to stop with the constructions and return."

"Uhm, Boss?"

"What?"

"I understand that you want to punish the government for stealing from its people, but antagonizing them further would only make them want to grab you by the neck even more," Baekho said hesitantly. "The government is trying hard to hook you up with the Guide of their choice because they wanted to have complete control over you."

"As if I don't already know that. They want me to be dependent on their puppet Guide to make a slave out of me— just like how they made Ryu Sungbin addicted to Ho Jungwon's Guiding to the point he can't function without Ho Jungwon anymore," Gayoon said, tapping his fingertips on the table. "They believe I'll hand them everything I own once I become addicted to Ho Jungwon."

The government wanted to control Gayoon through Ho Jungwon (was he called Bambi now?) just to have access to Beom-seok Constructions.

After all, Gayoon's main ability as an Esper was called 'Earth Manipulation.'

Some of his skills included polishing earthen materials and even repairing objects of earthen materials.

Those skills allow me to help with construction work.

In a world where unpredictable Gates would often appear and leave damaged properties, the ability to make constructions and renovations easy and fast was valuable.

That's why the government can't kill me even if they want to.

Moreover, Gayoon also had solo access to that dungeon.

"Boss, why don't we yield this time? Let's just give the government a huge discount. It's not like we will go bankrupt if we do," Baekho asked carefully and nervously. "Guide Bambi is different than the previous Guides that the government sent to seduce you. To be honest, Guide Bambi scares me. That kid is so unhinged, and he has the most powerful Esper wrapped around his finger."

Well, it wasn't like Gayoon didn't know where Baekho was coming from.

Ho Jungwon used Ryu Sungbin— the country's official #1 Esper— to knock out all my men the night that pervert sexually assaulted me.

Tsk.

It was probably Ryu Sungbin who attacked Gayoon from behind while Ho Jungwon sprayed the HoneyMoon Dew on him.

Hence, he got knocked out easily.

"If we yield now, the government will think Ho Jungwon is effective against me," Gayoon said firmly. "So, we will stand our ground."

Baekho looked conflicted at first, but he nodded in agreement in the end. "Yes, Boss."

"Boss!"

Aigoo.

Gayoon almost snapped when Gu Inwoo entered his office in an unruly manner.

"Hey, you almost broke the door again," Baekho scolded Gu Inwoo. "What is it?"

"Noh Yuno— the cheeky part-timer!" Gu Inwoo yelled urgently while catching his breath. "According to our Intelligence Unit, the Awakened Police Department arrested him!"

What?

Gayoon clenched his hands tight.

To be honest, he wasn't surprised to hear that because Moon Noa already warned him that something like that would happen.

That was why he asked his people to keep an eye on Noh Yuno.

And Moon Noa ended up being right.

"Get the car ready," Gayoon said in a hurry, grabbing his suit jacket while his other hand was busy punching Moon Noa's number on the phone. "How dare those bastards touch my Guide?"

***

"DIDN'T I tell you before, Noh Yuno-ssi?"

How petty.

Yuno's face was still swollen after getting beaten up by the Awakened Police Department agents who arrested him.

And now he had to deal with another annoying person.

"I'll make you regret humiliating me," Guide Bambi said, smiling "sweetly" at Yuno. "Have you been well, Yuno-ssi?"

Aigoo.

If it's just trash-talking, then…

"You know, after you left, Esper Ki Gayoon and I…" Yuno said, smiling when Guide Bambi started losing his annoyingly "sweet" smile. "We got down and dirty."

***

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