novelraw Chapter 313: THE LAST HOPE
Chapter 313: THE LAST HOPE
MATTHEW is dead?
Hearing that was enough for Ryu Sungbin to lose his mind.
Hence, despite the literal pain in his heart, he still attacked ’Matthew.’
Actually, he let his anger take the wheel, so he didn’t really know what he was doing. All he knew was he wanted the fake dead.
That was why he unleashed the ungodly amount of flame that he hadn’t used before.
He just wanted to burn the fake ’Matthew’ to death.
Ryu Sungbin didn’t know he had that much flame in him until that moment.
Kill.
I’m going to kill this bastard.
And that was the only thing in Ryu Sungbin’s mind at that moment.
In just the blink of an eye, the entire place was already swallowed by a sea of fire.
"Are you sure you want to kill this body?"
"You just said Matthew is already dead," Ryu Sungbin argued, his voice almost a growl. "I’d rather burn his body to ashes than let you use him as your vessel!"
He extended his hands, summoning the biggest and hottest ball of flame he could muster at the moment.
However...
"S-Sungbin Hyung...?"
What the...!
Ryu Sungbin got distracted when Matthew’s expression and voice returned to normal.
He practically raised the ’kids,’ so he could tell at one glance that the real Matthew had returned.
But how?
Ryu Sungbin immediately realized that it was a grave mistake to get distracted at that crucial moment.
The moment he wavered, the fake Matthew immediately returned— laughing at his face.
"Your love for your little dongsaengs will be your end, Ryu Sungbin."
Argh!
Ryu Sungbin clutched his chest and throat at the same time when he suddenly couldn’t breathe.
No, this bastard is using Matthew’s ability to literally take someone’s breath away...!
It was a skill that the real Matthew hadn’t mastered yet.
In fact, the real Matthew couldn’t use that ability on any of the Top 5 Espers because they all overpowered him.
But it seemed like the one controlling the real Matthew was stronger than the poor boy.
And stronger than me, too.
Ryu Sungbin lost consciousness pretty soon, just like an extinguished flame.
***
"DO YOU have a death wish?"
Oh, I’m still alive?
Ryu Sungbin was pretty much surprised when he opened his eyes.
The first thing that greeted him was Bambi’s indifferent face.
It seemed like he was back in his room already.
So, the fake Matthew didn’t kill me.
"I think this much guiding is enough," Bambi said, letting go of Ryu Sungbin’s hand. "Your Mana is already stable, but that doesn’t mean you’ve already recovered."
"Where’s Matthew?"
"He’ll be here in a minute," Bambi said, getting up from his seat. "I’m busy, so I’m going ahead. Do me a favor and stop picking up fights with people out of your league."
Ryu Sungbin just scoffed, but didn’t say anything back.
He didn’t have the energy to argue, and he didn’t want to.
Hence, Bambi left the room quietly.
He thought he’d finally get the peace and quiet that he was hoping for.
However, the door opened once again.
This time, it was ’Matthew’ who showed up to ruin his day.
"You should be grateful that I let you live, Ryu Sungbin."
"Who are you?"
"You’ve already forgotten me when we just saw each other at the cave?"
At the cave?
But aside from Song Heejin and Erwan, the only person he saw there was...
"Charles Kang?"
The ’Father’ of the First Generation of Guides (and the hidden E-Class Guides).
Ryu Sungbin clenched his hands tight when the realization hit him.
That old bastard is using Matthew’s body just like how Song Heejin is using a younger female Guide’s body.
"It seems like you’re staying sober these days," the fake Matthew said, smiling. The kid had a handsome face, but knowing that Charles Kang possessed his body only made him look creepy in Ryu Sungbin’s eyes. "I guess we need to increase your guiding session with Bambi."
And it would be years before Ryu Sungbin become sober again.
***
THE NEXT time Ryu Sungbin became sober again, the country was already in deep shit.
But there was one thing that made him hopeful again.
Noh Yihun.
No, it’s Noh Yuno now.
Finally, Ki Gayoon and Noh Yuno were together.
And, now, it’s time to do what I should have done a long time ago.
Fortunately, Bambi and Kim Munhee weren’t at the National Guide Bureau that day.
Hence, Ryu Sungbin took that opportunity to head to the lounge room of the building dedicated to their top Guides.
As expected, Mo Hanjin— Lee Sarang’s Guide— was there.
"Sungbin Hyung-nim—"
Ryu Sungbin grabbed Mo Hanjin by the throat before the guy could finish his greeting.
He wasn’t sure how long he could stay sober this time, so he had to go straight to the point. Moreover, he didn’t feel like explaining to this bastard anyway.
Not after how he treated Lee Sarang all this time.
"From now on, you’ll do as I say without telling anyone— especially not Bambi," Ryu Sungbin said coldly. "I want to threaten you and say I’ll kill you if you do, but I don’t think it would be necessary. After all, if there’s someone here who hates Bambi as much as I do, it’s definitely you."
After all, Bambi killed Mo Hanjin’s original Guide-slash-partner to ’gift’ him to Lee Sarang.
And that’s why Mo Hanjin is lashing out at Lee Sarang since he can’t do it to Bambi.
"If you do as I tell you, you’ll get to see Bambi being fucked up big time," Ryu Sungbin said. "So, will you join me?"
Mo Hanjin immediately nodded, his eyes full of fire and hatred for Bambi.
Good.
"You just have to do what you often do to mess up with Lee Sarang: don’t guide her," Ryu Sungbin said coldly, letting go of Mo Hanjin’s neck. "But, this time, don’t guide Lee Sarang even if her Mana drops to Red Zone."
If an Esper’s Mana dropped and hit the ’Red Zone,’ that meant the Esper was close to going on a Rampage.
Mo Hanjin would guide Lee Sarang before it reached to that point.
But Ryu Sungbin wanted Mo Hanjin to push Lee Sarang further this time.
"Lee Sarang is unstable these days, that’s why I do my job properly now. Not because I care about her, but because I’m worried that innocent people might die if she suddenly goes on a Rampage," Mo Hanjin said awkwardly. "Can you assure me that it won’t happen, Hyung-nim?"
"That’s none of your concern," Ryu Sungbin said, scoffing. "Just do as I say, Mo Hanjin."
***
"SUNGBIN OPPA, where is Hanjin Oppa? I need his guiding..."
It broke Ryu Sungbin to see Lee Sarang in that state, but he had to pretend like he didn’t care about her. "Mo Hanjin isn’t here. Do yourself a favor and go to a convenience store. Buy a guiding pill since your Guide isn’t here."
"What kind of convenience store sells guiding pills..." Lee Sarang trailed off, and then nodded. "Oh. Noa Oppa’s HoneyMoon Convenience Store..."
"Yes, go there and buy some guiding pills."
"But those things don’t work on me, Oppa."
"Just do as I say, Lee Sarang."
"But Oppa..."
"I am not Ki Gayoon— I won’t coddle you," Ryu Sungbin said coldly. "Go to HoneyMoon and buy guiding pills."
***
RYU SUNGBIN’s decision to send Lee Sarang to meet Noh Yuno at the HoneyMoon Convenience Store turned out to be a good decision.
Well, that incident caused Noh Yuno to almost kill Mo Hanjin for neglecting Lee Sarang.
But, thanks to Noh Yuno...
"Sungbin Oppa, what’s happening to us?" Lee Sarang asked, grabbing Ryu Sungbin by the collar. "Why are we being controlled by the Bureau? And Matthew Oppa isn’t Matthew Oppa anymore!"
Finally.
After years of being brainwashed, Lee Sarang had finally sobered up.
I’m relieved, but this isn’t the right time to talk about this.
"Sarang-ah, later," Ryu Sungbin said. "Let’s talk about this in private—"
"And why would you need to talk in private?"
Tsk.
Before Ryu Sungbin knew it, he and Lee Sarang were already surrounded by Bambi, Chief Kim Munhee, and the fake Matthew.
And the worst part?
The fake Matthew was literally holding Jin Sooin by the neck in a threatening way.
That was when Ryu Sungbin realized that bringing Lee Sarang to Noh Yuno was a big mistake.
It turns out I can’t do anything right without Noa Hyung or Ki Gayoon.
***
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