#047

“What’s going on?”

“Don’t you already know?”

As always, Seo Jae-yul’s sarcastic tone was amusing. Even though it wasn’t a pleasant situation, Ha-gyeom knew he wouldn’t hold back from talking about it if there was something to discuss. Crossing his arms, Ha-gyeom waited for him to speak again.

But instead, the bulky guy next to Seo Jae-yul interrupted.

“Whenever a mission gets labeled as ‘classified,’ this crap happens.”

The word “classified” uttered by the bulky guy caused immediate commotion in the guide area. Ha-gyeom frowned and said,

“There must be a reason.”

“Who knows? Maybe it’s because guides tend not to come back from classified missions,” Seo Jae-yul responded. Then the bulky guy chimed in again.

“What’s the point of having them if they disappear as soon as they’re needed?”

“Guides can’t even be compared to espers anyway. How are they supposed to handle big missions like us if they lack the guts?”

Ha-gyeom had seen guides being treated as inferior countless times, so it wasn’t particularly shocking. However, the core of what Seo Jae-yul and the bulky guy were saying wasn’t entirely wrong.

“Are you saying guides assigned to classified missions might not return?”

While the types of missions were usually predictable, the term “classified” made it hard to know the details.

Ha-gyeom’s intentional infiltration into this place was, in a way, a classified mission. There were many variables, and personal influence could come into play. However, one clear fact was that these occurrences were frequent enough to instill fear in the guides.

“They’re already crying and freaking out just because they were selected.”

“How many were selected?”

“Three.”

Seo Jae-yul pointed his finger at the guides. Two of them were far from Ha-gyeom’s bed and were people he had never spoken to, but one of them was… the guide in the bed next to his.

“When is the mission?”

“Just after midnight.”

So, it was tonight. Informing them on the same day about a mission that would terrify the guides seemed excessively inhumane.

If they had truly considered the abilities of these people, they would have ensured everyone returned safely. Unable to hide his discomfort, Ha-gyeom walked away from Seo Jae-yul’s group, who kept repeating the same things like a broken record, and returned to his bed.

None of the selected guides ate anything as night approached. The guide in the adjacent bed didn’t even move. Ha-gyeom couldn’t stand it any longer and picked up the abandoned meal tray, heading towards the distant bed where the other two guides sat.

The two guides sitting side by side eyed Ha-gyeom warily.

“I thought you might have forgotten.”

When Ha-gyeom offered the tray, the guides exchanged glances and shook their heads. Although he wasn’t used to dealing with strangers, Ha-gyeom gathered his courage.

“Do you know anything about classified missions?”

The guides shook their heads in unison. If it were easily known, it wouldn’t be classified. Ha-gyeom stacked the tray on the locker and sat on the edge of the adjacent bed.

The bed’s owner showed displeasure, but soon became preoccupied with wiping away his remaining tears. Even after wiping away the tears, his eyes remained full of sorrow. Seeing the change in their eyes, curiosity beginning to emerge, Ha-gyeom felt a sense of familiarity.

It was natural that he still seemed like a stranger to them, having spent quite some time here without engaging in much conversation.

“Are classified missions frequent?”

“…Not really. Once or twice a year.”

“How many guides haven’t returned this year alone?”

“If you count the guides in other rooms, there have been at least ten this year.”

The despondent guides sighed deeply in unison.

“Do you really know nothing specific about these missions?”

“No. We’re never told. We just have to accept it when informed.”

“What happens if someone resists?”

The two guides exchanged glances again.

“We don’t know. Only one person ever resisted, and no one knows what happened to them.”

Accepting resistance as impossible was no surprise. Espers are usually indoctrinated from a young age, being part of the Earth’s organization.

Yet, someone had resisted. Even if it was just one person, it was a relief that someone hadn’t succumbed to the brainwashing.

“Who was it?”

“You’ve probably heard of her. Ah-rang.”

Ha-gyeom’s eyes widened. Ah-rang was a woman who had caught his attention multiple times. It now felt like a clue that she was always connected to his suspicions. It was regrettable that all details were kept secret.

“Did Ah-rang stay here?”

“No. As you’ve seen with Baek Sa, S-class espers usually stay in a different building. But rumors spread somehow…”

It seemed unlikely that even Baek Sa wouldn’t know what had happened. Since even Joo and Ah-rang missed each other, it was clear that the S-classes knew about the classified missions. It wouldn’t be easy to find out if they were forbidden from disclosing it, but Ha-gyeom and Ah-rang had enough in common to give him some hope.

Baek Sa’s exclusive guide.

“……”

The guides didn’t add more, feeling uncomfortable continuing the conversation. When the talk ceased, they quickly fell into a state of depression, sighing heavily.

“Why don’t you resist? You could at least try. If nothing else, make a scene…”

At Ha-gyeom’s question, the guides immediately turned pale.

“If you disobey orders, you’ll be severely punished. Some have been beaten to death.”

“And who knows what’s out there? If you’re abandoned outside, there’s no way to survive.”

It wasn’t hard to understand. In a world ravaged by invasions and pollution, surviving outside a community was nearly impossible. Besides needing an esper for mutual support, years of confinement here left them ill-equipped for survival.

“We’re only B-class, so it’s hard to maintain the purification wave for long.”

“All we can do is purify the pollution. We don’t have combat abilities like espers, and surviving out there is another issue altogether.”

“As long as we do what we’re told here, at least we have food, shelter, and clothing. Out there… we wouldn’t make it.”

Regardless of their grade, any ability user should have some degree of confidence, but these guides had none.

Ha-gyeom looked at the two in front of him with noticeably downcast eyes. He couldn’t shake the feeling that it was as if their wings had been broken to ensure obedience. If they had been treated as resources instead of human beings all their lives, it was only natural for them to have a passive attitude.

The only silver lining was that the two relied on each other. Ha-gyeom glanced around before asking,

“Should I try to do something?”

“No!”

“If you get involved, the punishment will be worse. We’ll handle our own problems. Just stay out of it… please.”

“If they find out an S-class stepped in because of us, it won’t end with just a beating. It’s terrifying.”

The guides who had been talking to him quickly became wary again. With the atmosphere freezing, Ha-gyeom couldn’t convince them further without risking greater harm. The guides were busy shaking their heads, fearing even worse repercussions.

“…Okay. I won’t cause any trouble.”

Ha-gyeom quietly took care of the trays and returned to his spot. Unlike the other guides who shared their fears, the guide in the adjacent bed continued to stifle his sobs.

‘If Seo Jae-yul is so smug about it, it means espers are also involved in this mission.’

None of the espers seemed worried, indicating that they all returned safely from these missions. That in itself was unfair.

Ha-gyeom waited quietly for midnight, not making any sudden moves. Despite their tears, the guides bravely changed into their combat uniforms and stayed awake, awaiting their fate. Although the chaotic atmosphere calmed down with the darkness, the pervasive fear among the guides lingered.

Eventually, the guide from the adjacent bed got up. Reading the tense atmosphere around him, Ha-gyeom kept his eyes closed. Unexpectedly, the adjacent bed guide approached, lowering himself.

Sensing the presence on his bed, Ha-gyeom slowly opened his eyes. Despite his swollen eyelids, the guide seemed clear-headed.

He trembled his lips for a while before uttering a completely unexpected name.

“…Do you know Jang Gi-jun?”

“…!”

Goosebumps ran all over Ha-gyeom’s body.

Hearing the name, he instantly understood the words the guide had been swallowing. Ha-gyeom was shaken but hid his trembling eyes in the darkness.