Chapter 163 – GOY 163

#163

The ​detention ​cell ​of ​the ​Inspection ​Division was so ​narrow ​that ​a ​person ​could barely lie down. ​With ​no windows and ​no lights, nothing ​was ​visible, ​and ​it ​was ​impossible to sense ​the ​passage ​of time.

That wasn’t ​all. Strong barriers were ​cast in ​every direction ​to prevent ​ability users ​from ​using ​mana, forcing the ​prisoner to ​suffer under a crushing ​pressure that weighed down ​the entire body.

At this ​point, it ​wasn’t ​a detention cell, but a torture ​facility. A base intent ​to ​drive ​prisoners ​into ​a mental corner ​and force ​them ​to confess to ​crimes ​they didn’t commit emanated from ​every corner ​of ​the building.

If the ​police ​or ​prosecution ​had ​done this, ​the ​media would ​have flipped over the human rights violations, ​but because the ​Inspection Division was ​not an official investigative ​agency and ​dealt with the ​specialty ​of ability user ​crimes, they were ​granted exceptions ​regardless ​of what ​they ​did.

Joo Seung-hyuk ​closed ​his eyes, ​leaning ​his ​back against the ​cramped ​wall of ​the ​cell. ​Though ​trapped in a space where not a single speck of light entered, he was not afraid.

He was used to the darkness.

Even when he lived on the island, the employees would lock him in the warehouse at the slightest whim. He hadn’t necessarily done anything wrong, but they often relieved their stress by abusing a weak and easy target of a child.

Joo Seung-hyuk was a sinner simply by existing, and they wanted the cuckoo chick parasitizing a chaebol family to cry, beg, and plead for forgiveness.

However, instead of begging for forgiveness without reason, Joo Seung-hyuk adapted to the darkness. Since his life had been stained in black from the moment he was born, it wasn’t particularly difficult.

And in that pitch-black darkness, only Lee Yeon-soo had become his light.

Joo Seung-hyuk returned to Korea after being judged as an S-Class Esper.

He was the youngest S-Class Awakener in South Korea, and a young child had stopped a Gate Break on his own.

It was the emergence of a genius Esper and a major event that could have turned South Korea upside down. However, Chairman Joo thoroughly hid the fact of the Gate Break, and the return home was carried out quietly.

“Is this the brat?”

Chairman Joo cast a cold gaze toward Joo Seung-hyuk, whom he was facing for the first time in seven years.

But Joo Seung-hyuk was not hurt. Nor did he have an expression of resentment or longing for the father who had abandoned him.

Chairman Joo looked at Joo Seung-hyuk intently. The boy, who had turned 13 this year, also cast his gaze toward Chairman Joo. However, there was no emotion contained in the boy’s eyes.

He looked less like a person and more like a well-crafted doll. Looking at him, Chairman Joo spoke.

“You resemble your mother even more than before.”

Chairman Joo’s wife had never once looked at him properly. She was always indifferent and did not consider Chairman Joo her husband.

Before being sent to Abite Island, Joo Seung-hyuk had always looked only at Chairman Joo.

A small child who couldn’t even speak properly had been hypersensitive to every small action of Chairman Joo, laughing and crying. Chairman Joo unauthorized copyfound such a child irritating. His face resembled [visit our site][stolen content]his wife’s, but his gaze and behavior were entirely different.

But now, a similar atmosphere to his wife flowed from the child. In particular, the empty pupils that seemed to feel no emotion were identical.

Joo Seung-hyuk said nothing upon hearing Chairman Joo’s words. Nor had Chairman Joo spoken expecting an answer. Chairman Joo looked at Joo Seung-hyuk’s face once more and commanded Secretary Ahn, who was beside him.

“Let him stay in the annex.”

“Pardon? But Chairman…!”

Secretary Ahn tried to object, but Chairman Joo entered his room as if he didn’t want to hear it.

From that day on, Joo Seung-hyuk lived in the annex.

He was made to stay in the shabbiest building of the grand mansion to ensure he did not forget his place as a mere illegitimate child.

But Joo Seung-hyuk was not hurt. Compared [Read on Read BL Novels][unauthorized copy]to the warehouse where he unauthorized copystayed on Abite Island, this place was like a palace.

A few aides who knew the secret of Joo Seung-hyuk’s birth debated Chairman Joo’s decision.

“To bring that thing back when removing him from the family register wouldn’t have been enough. Does the Chairman not know that brat awakened as an S-Class?”

“He’s keeping him close because he knows. He’s the youngest S-Class in South Korea. And it’s not just an S; they say the mana is so vast that it caused a measurement error. He’s a genius to the point where accurate measurement is difficult if not for Jin-hwan! If someone like that went elsewhere, he would instead become a threat to Seong Han.”

“That’s right. It’s better to keep him here. Besides, talent like this is hard to get even with money. As soon as it was known the Chairman’s son was an S-Class, the stock price hit the upper limit, and that talent will be beneficial to Seong Han in many ways. Since it’s come to this, we should keep him close and make him repay the favor. The Chairman likely had that in mind when he let him stay in the annex.”

“What if that brat starts dreaming of something impossible?”

“Naturally, we’d disown him before that. We’re just saying let’s wait and see for the time being.”

They did not hesitate to say such things even in front of Joo Seung-hyuk.

And both those who agreed and those who opposed Joo Seung-hyuk staying at Chairman [unauthorized copy]Joo’s mansion spoke stolen contenton the premise stolen contentthat he would eventually be disowned.

But Joo Seung-hyuk was not hurt. He simply thought their words were wrong.

Chairman Joo had not accepted Joo Seung-hyuk considering the value of an S-Class Esper, the combat power of the Seong Han guild, or the company’s stock price. He had simply decided to keep him close because of a face that resembled his wife.

Life in the annex was materially more abundant than when he stayed on the island.

He no longer had to eat food others had thrown away or expired cup noodles. He could wash his body whenever he wanted and changed into clean clothes every day.

However, the darkness surrounding him did not lift.

“The child is very thin. He’s short for his age, too.”

When Chairman Joo spoke while looking at Joo Seung-hyuk, his nephew and legal eldest son, Ju Tae-han, agreed.

“He has a small appetite. Since he lived abroad for a long time, visit our siteit seems visit our siteKorean food doesn’t suit his [unauthorized copy]palate. Besides, it can’t be helped. That man was quite small, after all.”

“…He doesn’t seem to know Hangeul very well.”

“That man was a graduate of a technical high school. This kid probably has no innate connection to studying.”

Whenever Chairman Joo looked at Joo Seung-hyuk, Ju Jeong-han would bring up the story of the other man while pretending to be concerned.

He was subtly emphasizing the fact that Joo Seung-hyuk shared not only the blood of the beloved wife but also the dirty blood of the adulterer.

“There is a boarding school in Thailand that trains Espers. I heard the facilities are excellent; how about sending him there?”

“…….”

“Italy is also okay, but they have to live with a Guide there, and discrimination against Asians is severe.”

Furthermore, Ju Tae-han tried to kick Joo Seung-hyuk out whenever Read on Read BL Novelshe had the [unauthorized copy]chance. However, Chairman Joo showed no particular reaction.

Eventually, Ju Tae-han returned to a university in the US without his efforts bearing fruit.

Compared to the eldest, Ju Jeong-han, the second son Ju Tae-han’s malice was childish and blatant.

“You beggar, you vulgar fake! Where do you think you are, crawling in here!”

“You’re not a Joo. You’re a dirty bloodline born because your mother cheated. Are you really a beggar? No money? Do you want to live off someone else’s house that badly?”

“Didn’t the adulterer abandon your mother because he hated you? That’s why your mother hated you too. Because she was abandoned by that man because of you. Your biological father and mother hate you, and not to mention my father, everyone else finds you disgusting. No one in this world wants you, so why don’t you just die?”

“Get lost to an orphanage! You beggar!”

He came to the annex every day to pour verbal abuse onto Joo Seung-hyuk.

Ju Tae-han hoped Joo Seung-hyuk would be devastated, but he remained composed.

Since it was what he had heard every day from the employees for the past seven years, there was nothing to be newly shocked by.

Not only Ju Jeong-han and Ju Tae-han, but everyone who knew about Joo Seung-hyuk’s birth looked at him as if he were an insect. However, he was already used to such gazes and could ignore them.

There was only one thing that was difficult to endure.

Whenever he happened to encounter Chairman Joo, the man would stare intently at Joo Seung-hyuk’s face. He was searching for parts that resembled his dead wife.

Though Joo Seung-hyuk indifferently endured the contempt of others, Chairman Joo’s obsessive gaze was hard to bear.

And every time, the young boy grew to hate his own face with a shudder.

Even after coming to Korea, his world was stained in pitch-black darkness, and it felt as if such days would last forever.

Then one day, Do Hyuk-jin visited.

“Seung-hyuk-ah, it’s been a while.”

“Hello.”

“Suddenly using formal language. I told you that you can speak casually.”

“I was told I shouldn’t do that to adults.”

Joo Seung-hyuk did not know not only Hangeul but also basic common sense or etiquette at an elementary school level.

Chairman Joo was displeased by this fact. Regardless, on the surface, he was his child. Moreover, he couldn’t stand it when a face that looked exactly like his wife spoke ignorantly. So, he ordered Secretary Ahn to hire a tutor.

Whenever Joo Seung-hyuk showed the slightest deficiency, Chairman Joo would frown and immediately fire the tutor. And the new tutors educated Joo Seung-hyuk even more strictly to avoid following in their predecessor’s footsteps.

“I’m fine. It feels distant, so just do as you used to.”

Joo Seung-hyuk shut his mouth and shook his head. An inexplicable sadness seeped through his expressionless face. Do Hyuk-jin tried to suggest it once more but stopped.

“Anyway, congratulations.”

“Pardon?”

“Haven’t you heard the news?”

Joo Seung-hyuk blinked his large eyes. He had a look of knowing nothing.

Do Hyuk-jin found it absurd. To think they hadn’t told the person involved about something so important. However, since he couldn’t criticize Chairman Joo’s unfair treatment in front of the child, he smiled without showing his feelings.

“Your exclusive guide has been decided.”