DP Episode 25

Deep Pivot, Episode 25

Gates cause rapid changes in atmospheric pressure, temperature, and humidity before forming. Gate detection devices installed throughout the city predict openings within a certain distance based on these pressure and humidity changes. Larger gates are detected quickly, giving enough time to evacuate civilians in advance.

But this gate was different. It opened in the middle of a busy shopping mall without any prior signs.

Evacuating civilians from a theater on a weekday evening was particularly challenging. The congested roads, inadequate on-site control, streamers, and journalists swarming the area turned it into complete chaos.

—7th floor, B Building, clear.
—3rd floor, C Building, clear.

“4th floor, all clear. Is the base camp set up yet?”

Seo-joon joined the rescue team to help evacuate civilians, walking through the deserted shopping center to ensure no one remained.

—Base camps set up on the 5th, 6th, and 8th floors. Special forces, pick up your gear there.
—Rescue teams, wait on the 1st floor after finishing your searches.

“When are you going to stop following me?”

Seo-joon glanced back at Yeon-woo, who had been trailing behind him like a shadow, and headed up to the 8th floor via the emergency stairs. This was where they had watched a movie just hours before, and where the gate had first opened.

The now-expanded gate was larger than the entire theater screen. A low rumble came from it, with the waves causing only mild vibrations, growing quieter and then repeating.

“I’ll stop once I’m sure you’re okay.”

“I’m telling you, I’m really fine.”

‘Do you really not remember anything? Really? After diving in so desperately?’

Yeon-woo seemed scared by the fact that Seo-Joon didn’t remember what he had done in front of the gate. Although the gate could physically pull people in, Yeon-woo had never learned or heard about it making people jump in willingly.

But Seo-Joon didn’t have much to say. All he remembered was taking a few steps toward the gate to pick up his phone when suddenly Yeon-woo pushed him and he fell to the ground. It was too short a moment to feel a gap in his memory. Before he knew it, the gate was unexpectedly close, much closer than it seemed before.

Anyway, it’s not the time to waste on such stories, especially not when they’re in front of a gate that will soon spit out a strange species.

“Yeon-woo, you must be mistaken. I was just going for my phone. I didn’t realize it was that close.”

Seo-Joon dismissed Yeon-woo’s concerns with a forced laugh.

“Maybe it looked strange because it was dark. It’s embarrassing that my attempt to pick up the phone seemed so odd.”

Talking nonchalantly, they entered the base camp on the eighth floor, where special combat suits and equipment were organized. Seo-Joon turned his back on him and busily checked the equipment when suddenly Yeon-woo grabbed his arm.

Seo-Joon turned around and looked up at Yeon-woo, so close he could hear his heart pounding.

“I thought something terrible was going to happen. It looked like the lieutenant was going to throw himself right into the gate. I was really… really scared.”

There was no hint of a smile on Yeon-woo’s face. His usually bright and gentle blue eyes felt as deep and heavy as the space beyond the gate.

Seo-Joon, unable to blink, continued to gaze at him as Yeon-woo spoke with a trembling voice.

“Please don’t do that again. You told me not to act as if I have many lives. Lieutenant, please don’t act like that either.”

The grip on his arm was gently released. Only then did the tension that had been tight ease. Just after his arm was released, Seo-Joon suddenly grabbed Yeon-woo’s hand again.

“If I take good care of you, Yeon-woo, it’s like I really could have many lives.”

“You wouldn’t need many lives if you were careful in the first place.”

“So, we’ve gotten closer, huh? You’ve learned to talk back pretty well.”

Seo-Joon looked at Yeon-woo’s hand and chuckled. This time, the laugh was genuine.

“If we tape it up, it shouldn’t bother you much when moving around. Later, make sure to get proper treatment.”

The wound on Seo-Joon’s head was already covered with dark, dried blood. If it had been another team member, the torn part might have been roughly stapled up. But for some reason, Seo-Joon couldn’t bring himself to treat Yeon-woo so carelessly.

Seo-Joon took out disinfectant and medical tape from the emergency supplies and cleaned the blood off Yeon-woo’s hand.

“This could leave a scar if we’re not careful.”

“It’s fine. It’s just a small one.”

“Says who? I prefer guides with pretty hands.”

The snappy replies stopped. That’s more like Cha Yeon-woo. Seo-Joon gently blew on the disinfected wound, observing Yeon-woo’s hand up close.

His short, neat nails matched his personality. Seo-Joon had vaguely thought Yeon-woo’s hands would be as pretty as his face, but up close, the knuckles were rather thick and callused in places.

After applying a thin gauze, he taped the wound tightly to hold it in place.

“All done.”

As Seo-Joon put away the medical tools and looked up, Yeon-woo’s eyes met his directly. The smile slowly faded from Seo-Joon’s face.

“…It seems like the wave has completely stopped, Yeon-woo.”

Releasing Yeon-woo’s hand, Seo-Joon moved quickly.

“The team members will be here soon. Get ready.”

“Yes.”

After a few training sessions, Yeon-woo had learned how to wear the combat suit and use most of the equipment. Now he packed his gear without hesitation.

Watching him for a moment, Seo-Joon began putting on his own combat suit. As he donned his special Esper suit and connected his in-ear communication, Yeon-woo was also fully geared up.

Yeon-woo tucked a military knife and handgun into their holster and adjusted the belt to his body, touching the team’s radio receiver in his ear when a static-laced voice spoke.

―Where might the baby and his fiancée be?

“Agnes, we’re on the 8th floor, waiting.”

Before Yeon-woo could answer, Seo-Joon responded matter-of-factly.

―Don’t go heading up there without us.

“We’ve been here from the start.”

―Oh, sure, I know… cozy watching a movie together, huh?

Cheong-oh chuckled.

“Not quite cozy.”

Seo-Joon led Yeon-woo outside and stopped trying to make excuses. Watching a cozy movie together? The only part he could argue against was “cozy.”

Footsteps echoed as someone climbed the broken escalator. Seo-Joon looked at the team members who began appearing one by one, then touched his in-ear receiver and said, “We didn’t even get to watch the movie.”

All because of this damn gate.

“Ugh, man, my body still feels stiff.”

The first to appear was Chae-won, stretching her neck like a man groaning in a sauna.

Lieutenant Kang Chae-won, an S-grade berserker, code name “Rapunzel.” She was an Esper who could destroy strange species with her monstrous physical transformation, like the green giant in superhero movies. Yeon-woo immediately recognized her as the one who had helped him with his first combat gear during the Hyoseok-dong quarantine.

“Hey there, baby. Long time.”

“Hello.”

Chae-won smiled at Yeon-woo, as if she’d never cursed him out before. A man who appeared next adjusted the buckle on his leather gloves.

“Be careful not to bring down the building, sis. Otherwise, we’re all dead.”

Based on their group chats and the team profiles, Yeon-woo quickly guessed the identity of this newcomer: Lieutenant Yoon Do-young, an S-grade binder who could restrain strange species with telekinesis, code name “Huggy Wuggy.”

“Yeah, Lieutenant Kang. Those streamers outside wouldn’t leave. If you want to get famous, break everything you want.”

Cheong-oh, leaning on Yeon-woo’s shoulder, pushed the escalator’s operation button, disregarding basic disaster safety protocols about not using lifts during emergencies.

With the whirring sound of machinery, the team gathered on the 8th floor. Some stretched their shoulders to loosen up, while others busily tapped away on their phones. The new guides, mostly seen during the initiation ceremony, were checking their weapons with grim expressions.

Preparing for battle in contrasting moods, they might have looked like a disorderly bunch, but it also gave them an air of veteran experience.

Standing in front of a screening room with half its wall collapsed, they looked toward the gate. Wrapped in red organic matter, it twisted slowly, harboring a dark abyss.

Yeon-woo felt as if the gate was looming over them, despite not being mounted on the ceiling or having eyes.

Thud, thump… The building shook, and plaster dust fell from the ceiling. The circular red organic matter shrank to a donut size, then explosively expanded again.

It was a sign that the gate would soon spew out strange species.