SOG Ch 155

Gyeong Hye-in’s voice continued.

“Moreover, the massacre isn’t the end. There’s likely to be explosions or fires planned too. They won’t want to hand over any of the Windless Zone research data to the military, and they’ll need to secure time to escape by faking their deaths in an explosion. Given the chaos at the nuclear plant, there’s a high chance they’ve planted explosives there as well.”

Seon Jae-chan rubbed his tired brow. The backstory of the power plant explosion, which had been blamed on an “earthquake,” seemed to have a similar cause.

“Earthquakes occurred frequently in the Center. Do you know anything about that?”

Jae-chan asked, figuring he might as well clear up his lingering questions.

“I heard that when they conduct that experiment, it causes energy vibrations that result in earthquakes. I received reports about it.”

“Who was the chief research officer?”

“Baek So-myeong.”

Gyeong Hye-in answered without hesitation. Unfamiliar with the name, Seon Jae-chan continued with his next question.

“Was there a researcher named ‘Gil Young-woon’ by any chance?”

This was the real name of the technician he had only learned with great difficulty just before the time regression. When Seon Jae-chan started working in District 5 and looked at the organizational chart, that name wasn’t there, but Gyeong Hye-in might know differently.

“I don’t know that name. Keep asking pointless questions and I’ll get bored.”

Jae-chan half-accepted this. It made sense; even Gyeong Hye-in wouldn’t have used her real name while infiltrating as Seo Hye-in, so the technician wouldn’t have used his real name either.

“Last question. Is everything you’ve said so far true?”

“Do you think I’d be handing out some nonsense in this situation?”

Gyeong Hye-in, who had been unnecessarily honest until now, let out a hollow laugh.

“Now, do you understand why we need to escape immediately? Those terrorist bastards are going to blow up the Center and the nuclear plant, and His Excellency the President will prioritize the Windless Zone research data over human lives.”

Indeed. Seon Jae-chan nodded in the darkness.

“Yes, it’s certainly worth coveting.”

“…What?”

“The Windless Zone research data. I’d want it too if I were in their position.”

Seon Jae-chan murmured in a low voice. He had to take a moment to compose himself, as the desire rising within him was almost overwhelmingly intense. With that research data, it would be possible to develop countermeasures against terrorism using the Windless Zone. Conversely, it could also be used by terrorist groups like Black Swan.

The Windless Zone, capable of neutralizing ability users. What an incredibly powerful weapon it could be.

“Get a grip.”

Gyeong Hye-in warned.

“Research Building 2 is a complete windless zone. Rush in like a moth to a flame and you’ll really die.”

Taking a deep breath, Jae-chan realized that his elevated body temperature wasn’t just his imagination. The fever was persistent because he hadn’t received guiding, and the ringing in his ears was still there, as if someone had crammed a broken speaker into his head. With his physical condition in this state, he seemed to have momentarily been caught up in reckless thoughts.

“So, what’s the plan to escape?”

Returning to the original topic, Seon Jae-chan raised a fundamental question.

Even with Chae Seong-hwan’s Esper abilities, they couldn’t use their powers, and there were three non-combat personnel. Considering that his mother had only recently returned to active duty, it was practically four.

“It’s obvious. We abandon them.”

Gyeong Hye-in jerked her chin towards the outside. She lowered her voice further.

“We’ll escape with just you, me, and Mr. Chae. Then, we’ll send reinforcements. That’s the best way to save as many people as possible.”

We can’t all die here, can we? Gyeong Hye-in concluded cynically with a crooked smile.

One of Seon Jae-chan’s eyebrows rose slightly.

“Yes, we could abandon you too.”

He pointed out that Gyeong Hye-in was also a non-combatant. Gyeong Hye-in’s lips twisted as if she wanted to curse at him. As she struggled to respond, Jae-chan asked another question.

“Does the president not know you’re here?”

“I said it was the last question. I told you to stop asking boring questions.”

Gyeong Hye-in spat out the words as if chewing them. The glare she shot at him was so fierce it seemed like her eyes alone could tear through his skin.

Though he didn’t get an answer, her reaction was a response in itself. It seemed that President Gyeong Jeon-seok was weighing his eldest daughter’s life against the research data from the windless zone.

“Thank you for the information.”

Seon Jae-chan gave Gyeong Hye-in a polite nod before stepping outside. He stepped outside first, leaving her cold gaze behind.

He could feel the subtle tension in the stares of everyone else except for Chae Seong-hwan. Especially Ms. Jung Hana, who was biting her lip. Jae-chan pretended not to notice the strained atmosphere and turned to Gyeong Hye-in, who was following him out.

“Ms. Seo Hye-in, could I ask you to guide Esper Chae Seong-hwan?”

“You want me to do the guiding?”

He wanted to check her guiding skills, but Hye-in was uncooperative as expected. Left with no choice, Jae-chan approached Chae Seong-hwan to guide him himself when Chae Seong-hwan spoke up.

“I’ve already been guided. By Park Yu-ram over there.”

Chase Seong-hwan said, noddng towards Yu-ram.

Jae-chan also sent a grateful look to Yu-ram, who was sitting leaning against the autopsy table. As he approached, Yu-ram, knowing Jae-chan was unregistered Esper, whispered softly, “Are you okay?”

Ignoring his persistent headache and tinnitus, Jae-chan nodded. In any case, he couldn’t use his abilities right now, even if he received guiding. More importantly, he didn’t want Chae Seong-hwan or Gyeong Hye-in to find out that he was an Esper.

Shaking off the heat rising in his head, Jae-chan took out his phone. Even though he knew it was futile, he sent a message to Woo-jin.

[Be careful]

[The Center is a windless zone]

But no matter how desperately he pressed the send button, only a red X appeared. After repeatedly tapping the small button with his fingertip, Jae-chan eventually gave up the meaningless act. He briefly rubbed his dizzy forehead, then reached out to rummage through the desk drawer below.

He decided to focus on what was possible. He pulled out a clipboard, paper, and pen that seemed to belong to the coroner who originally worked here.

“What are you doing?”

Yu-ram asked as Jae-chan began drawing a diagram of the Center on the paper.

“We might need another shelter.”

Gyeong Hye-in had said the rescue team would be delayed and that Research Building 2 was scheduled to explode. If his concealment ability returned in the meantime, and if Ms. Jung Hana’s condition allowed, it would be better to move to a hiding place further away from Research Building 2.

As he drew the building layout, the sound of propellers passed by overhead once again. He could almost picture the helicopter cutting through the gray smoke in the sky, moving southward.

Even if the rescue team and Woo-jin were on that helicopter, it wouldn’t help. This place was a windless zone now.

As Jae-chan moved his pen across the paper, he fervently hoped that this situation would be resolved and that as many people as possible would be safe.

***

“Which organization are you with?”

“We’re from the TYNN filming crew. Here are our permits.”

Ahn Suk-young, an S-class Esper of the special/physical hybrid type from the E-SOF Unit, gently raised the corners of her mouth. She smoothed her hair, which was even more meticulously styled than a news anchor’s, as she handed over a fake employee ID and a cooperation document.

The area was a chaotic mess, filled with cameras, recording equipment, scaffolding for filming, and various broadcasting personnel. The situation was so hectic that the officer in charge of overseeing access to the temporary disaster-declared District 5 only gave a quick visual check before opening the barricade to let the supposed filming crew through.

Of course, they were actually E-SOF Unit members disguised as TYNN staff.

The team members had just arrived in District 5, split across three helicopters. With numerous broadcasting helicopters coming and going alongside military ones, no one paid attention to them as they disembarked at the heliport.

The E-SOF members moved quietly in civilian clothes, each carrying a black bag disguised as broadcasting equipment. With so many reporters around, they could hear news updates everywhere without even trying.

“The radiation exposure level is at a manageable 0.002 millisieverts per hour. However, with fire departments unable to enter, it’s uncertain how long the reactor safety systems can hold out…”

“The perpetrators are currently holding survivors hostage and in a standoff with the deployed military forces…”

“President Gyeong Jeon-seok has swiftly deployed military units and is working to contain the situation…”

The military was already controlling the news. Among the numerous reports, almost none were likely to be true.

After passing the press line and reaching the agreed location, Go Woo-jin was waiting inside a transport vehicle.

“You’ve arrived.”

They exchanged brief eye contact greetings to avoid drawing attention.

The unit members split into two SUVs. Drivers in black suits drove past the controlled media area, heading in the opposite direction of the commotion.

The forward base Woo-jin had prepared was set up in an empty IT consultant office near the Center. From the windows, one could see the gray smoke from the nuclear power plant writhing like a living monster.

After exchanging greetings with his colleagues, Woo-jin shared the truth that had been blocked by media control.

“The fire is fake.”

This was one of the few meaningful facts the military had uncovered.

Two hours ago, physical-type Espers equipped with Tyvek suits measured the radiation levels near the nuclear plant. Surprisingly, the results they obtained were unusually normal.

Levels that wouldn’t interfere with daily life.

While this could indicate that the reactor containment building was holding up well against the fire, the military, heeding the advice of the fire experts on site, sent drones into the thick black smoke.

Most of the devices were shot down, but the readings from the drones that returned were as expected. Although there were indications of toxic dust, the contamination levels were not as horrific as one might think.

There was only one conclusion.

The fire at the nuclear power plant was fake.