Guide Me If You Dare-Chapter 299: SHAMELESS THIEVES

YUNO got worried when 17 and Jericho returned, and he noticed that Jericho was badly injured.

It was as if the Guide had been burned alive.

But he couldn’t focus on Jericho because he got distracted when he realized that Ki Gayoon didn’t return with the two.

Obviously, there had been a fight since even 17 looked haggard.

However, Yuno kept his mouth shut first.

"Woonhak, can you heal Jericho?" 17 asked Lee Woonhak, the world-renowned B-Class Healer, in a serious and urgent voice. "He has an Item that gets activated when he’s in danger. The Item is meant to burn him alive. But, thankfully, it seemed like Bambi had taken most of the hit, so Jericho didn’t die. I tried to heal his burns, but my healing ability is only on a basic level, so..."

"I understand," Lee Woonhak said while nodding. "Let’s bring Jericho-ssi to the HQ’s infirmary first."

That was how 17 disappeared with Lee Woonhak and Jericho.

Yuno waited patiently because he wanted to know what happened to Ki Gayoon.

He didn’t bother calling his Esper because he didn’t want to distract him when he could be fighting at this very moment.

Plus, the System wasn’t contacting him directly.

That means Gayoon Hyung isn’t in danger.

Well, at least, Yuno hoped so.

Gayoon Hyung won’t die on me, right?

"Yuno, have you been waiting for me?"

"Yes, 17 Hyung-nim," Yuno answered politely while nodding. "How is Jericho-ssi?"

17 gave a thumbs up. "Woonhak has the hands of a god. Jericho is out of danger now. But Woonhak isn’t done treating his burn marks yet. I was kicked out because I was of no use."

"That’s a relief. I’m glad Jericho-ssi is safe. But why does he have a self-destructing Item? Oh, I was just wondering out loud. No need to answer that."

"No, it’s alright. It’s not like it’s a secret. Jericho knows his value as an E-Class Guide. He also expects to be kidnapped and get experimented on— just like what happened to you, Yuno. Didn’t the former Lab of this country lock you up and use you as a test subject?"

"Yeah. Sajangnim’s grandfather, the President of this country at the time, made it seem like E-Class Guides were useless while funding the inhumane experiment on us. Maybe Jericho-ssi heard about that."

"Yeah, that seems to be the case. So, he decided to kill himself in case someone tried to kidnap him. He’d rather die than get experimented on."

"Who tried to kidnap Jericho-ssi?"

"Actually, I don’t know yet if that was really the case. Jericho was already unconscious in that state when I found him. But you know the thing that tried to kidnap my Guide."

"’Thing?’"

"Bambi."

Oh, right.

Bambi isn’t human.

"Wait!" Yuno burrowed his frows. "Bambi was there? Did he kidnap Gayoon Hyung?! Is that why he didn’t return with you?!"

17 laughed. "Don’t be silly, Yuno. I’m not underestimating Jericho. But if Bambi couldn’t kidnap my Guide, what made you think he could kidnap Gayoon?"

Ah, that made sense.

I overreacted.

"Gayoon only stayed behind because he wanted to evacuate the patients that you saved. He’ll be here soon," 17 explained, patting Yuno’s shoulder as if to comfort him. "But do you really have the luxury to worry about Gayoon right now? The entire world wants a piece of you."

"I know, right? But my plan is already in motion. Professor J and Hayoung-ssi are already working on it."

"Oh, you have a plan?"

"It’s nothing grand, though. I’m not sure if it will work."

"What if it doesn’t work?"

"I guess I’ll just die, then."

"How many times do I have to tell you to stop talking like that, Noh Yuno?"

Oh.

Hyung is back.

Ki Gayoon appeared out of thin air, frowning.

Hyung must have already been here while I was talking to 17 Hyung.

"I was told Lee Woonhak is here," Ki Gayoon said, putting a hand on the small of Yuno’s back while talking to 17. "He isn’t done treating Jericho yet?"

"Not yet, but I think it will be over soon," 17 said. "Woonhak is amazing. No wonder he’s famous worldwide for his healing abilities."

As if on cue, Lee Woonhak finally got out of the infirmary.

Of course, 17 immediately ’interrogated’ the doctor. 𝐟𝕣𝕖𝐞𝐰𝕖𝚋𝐧𝗼𝚟𝐞𝕝.𝗰𝐨𝐦

"Woonhak, how’s Jericho?"

"He’s already awake, sir," Lee Woonhak said, speaking formally to 17 who was currently the #1 World Ranker. "Jericho-ssi wishes to talk to the Madam."

17 furrowed his brows, confused. "’Madam?’’

"Uhm, that would be me," Yuno said, slightly embarrassed. But what could he do? Ki Gayoon’s subordinates wouldn’t stop calling him ’Madam.’ "Jericho-ssi wants to talk to me?"

"Yes, Madam," Lee Woonhak said while nodding. "He said it’s urgent."

***

YUNO was relieved after seeing that Jericho’s burn marks were already gone.

His skin was a little reddish, but other than that, his fellow E-Class Guide looked fine.

"Jericho-ssi, I heard you wanted to see me?"

"Yuno, you’ve known Bambi for a long time, right?"

"Yes," Yuno said, sitting on the chair next to the bed. "I heard Bambi tried to kidnap you, Jericho-ssi."

"No, he didn’t try to kidnap me— he tried to steal my Core."

Oh.

"But he did it in a strange way," Jericho said, furrowing his brows as if he were confused. "Instead of extracting my Core, he turned into a pink slime and wrapped himself around me while absorbing my Mana."

"I’ve known Bambi ever since he became a Guide, but I don’t think I’ve heard he had that kind of ability."

"This just confirms that he’s really a monster. Anyway, it doesn’t end there."

"Oh."

"While Bambi was absorbing my Mana, I felt my Core literally melting," Jericho said, clutching his hands tight. "I felt like Bambi was trying to steal my Core by melting it and absorbing it through the Mana leaking out of me."

Ah, that was new.

Yuno wanted to ask more questions, but his new skill suddenly activated.

All of a sudden, he could see the shape of Jericho’s Core.

"Yuno, what’s happening to you?" Jericho asked, slightly worried. "Your eyes have suddenly turned red."

"I’m checking your Core, and it’s not looking good, Jericho-ssi," Yuno said, lifting his head to meet Jericho’s anxious gaze. "The shape of your Core used to be diamond-shaped, right? Well, the tip is already gone."

***

"I DIDN’T get to steal Jericho’s Core completely— that bastard had a self-destructing Item installed in his heart," Bambi said, still in a sorry state of being a melting ’wax figure’ because he hadn’t completely recovered yet. "I only managed to melt the top of his Core."

Bambi and Song Heejin had returned to one of their bases.

AKA a dormant dungeon that only their kind had access to.

"It’s alright— it’s enough for our cloning device," Song Heejin said while holding the vial that contained Jericho’s melted Core. "With this, we can try and target 17 next time. He’s the current #1 World Ranker. If we grab him, we can use him against Ki Gayoon later."

"But the cloning device is already running out of ’fuel.’"

"Right— half of Moon Noa’s heart isn’t enough to power the cloning device anymore."

"What are we going to do now?"

"We have two choices," Song Heejin said while opening the lid of the vial. "Steal the remaining half of Moon Noa’s heart, or replace it with Noh Yuno’s heart."

Both options sounded tempting to Bambi.

After all, I both hate Noh Yuno and Moon Noa.

He hated Noh Yuno a bit more than he hated Moon Noa, though.

Having said that, he had to choose wisely for the sake of their kind.

I should set my personal feelings aside.

"Noh Yuno has hundreds of hearts inside him, so it will be difficult to find his real heart," Bambi said, scoffing. "I vote we steal the remaining half of Moon Noa’s heart— and then send Ryu Sungbin to do the job."

***

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