Chapter 7

From now on, it was a race against time. Even if an ambulance were called, it was uncertain when it would arrive in this remote mountain village. Heading straight to a major hospital would be faster.

Carrying the grandmother on his back, Eu-jin sprinted to the supermarket and kicked the firmly shut sliding door with his mud-covered feet. Park Yeong-sik, who rushed out at the loud noise, gasped in shock at the sight of the two.

“What the—! What happened to Grandma?”

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“Haah, you’re driving!”

Eu-jin panted heavily. There was no detailed explanation, but the grandmother’s condition made it clear that this was an emergency. Flustered, Yeong-sik calmed his startled nerves and dashed into the store.

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“This way! Quickly, quickly!”

Grabbing the car keys, he opened the backseat door of an old van parked in front of the supermarket. Then, he hopped into the driver’s seat and started the engine.

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“How long to the nearest major hospital with an ER?”

“Well, uh, thirty or forty minutes?!”

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“That won’t do—it’s too late! Forget about speeding tickets and just floor it. If we don’t get there in 20 minutes, she won’t make it!”

With Eu-jin’s words practically scaring him from the backseat, Yeong-sik’s leg trembled as he pressed the accelerator. As he sped along, he glanced at the rearview mirror.

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In the backseat, Baek Eu-jin was cradling the grandmother’s head on his lap, caring for her with utmost attention. The face of Grandma Bok-soon, pale as a corpse, reflected in the mirror. Yeong-sik’s complexion turned similarly white.

Ignoring traffic lights and driving like a bulldozer, they managed to make it within the time limit.

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As soon as the van came to a stop, Baek Eu-jin bolted out, carrying the grandmother into the emergency room. He shouted at the top of his lungs.

“Emergency patient here!!”

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“This way! Lay her down here!”

“She might be having a stroke. She collapsed a while ago.”

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In this life-or-death situation, the medical staff immediately sprang into action.

While initial tests were conducted before surgery, Eu-jin spoke with the doctor. The conversation revolved around critical details: how long the patient had been unconscious, whether she had any pre-existing conditions, or if she was taking any medications.

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“We’ll do our best, but… given the patient’s advanced age, I’m not sure she’ll make it through the surgery. I don’t mean to sound pessimistic, but… you might want to prepare yourself.”

“……”

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Hearing the doctor’s words, Eu-jin’s face darkened significantly. He had been entertaining similar thoughts, but hearing them voiced made his heart even heavier.

Just then, Yeong-sik, having parked the car, burst into the emergency room. Spotting Eu-jin, he grabbed his slumped shoulders and asked urgently, “What’s going on? How’s Grandma? What did the doctor say?”

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“She’s in surgery now. They said it might be difficult…”

“Aigoo, what’s happening to us,” Yeong-sik groaned, sighing deeply. He glanced around cautiously, his concern shifting to another pressing matter—Eu-jin, standing there with his face fully visible in the bustling emergency room.

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“Hey, uh… shouldn’t you cover your face? There are a lot of eyes around here.”

“……”

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Without a word, Eu-jin wiped the sweat off his face. His gaze, fixed on the floor, seemed unusually deep in thought.

He was already feeling powerless, unable to do anything for the grandmother teetering between life and death. At a time like this, was it really so important to hide his identity for his own safety?

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“…Park Yeong-sik.”

After a long silence, Eu-jin finally opened his mouth.

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“Huh? Yeah?”

“Let me borrow your phone for a moment.”

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It wasn’t a difficult request, so Yeong-sik rummaged through his pocket and handed over his phone. Eu-jin carefully dialed a number and made the call.

The signal barely rang before the other party picked up. Hearing the familiar voice on the other end, Eu-jin exhaled a short sigh.

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“It’s me, Director.”

Without any greeting, he got straight to the point.

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“I’m coming back. But I have one condition.”

* * *

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The small provincial hospital bustled with people. Less than 20 minutes after the phone call, Director Nam arrived in a rush. Espers formed tight security, controlling the area, and leaving the medical staff glancing around, wondering what was happening.

“I’ll take care of the payment.”

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Baek Eu-jin, holding his wallet for the first time in a while, pulled out a credit card. As he handed it over to settle the bill, the handcuffs clinking on his wrists looked more like bracelets.

The hospital staff member, visibly nervous, took the card. Swiping it through the machine, she kept sneaking glances at him while waiting for the receipt to print.

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What is this? Is he some kind of criminal? He looks fine, but what’s his deal?

As if he could read her thoughts, Eu-jin gave a bitter smile.

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After retrieving his card and receipt, he turned around, only to find people flanking him on both sides. Frustrated with the overbearing surveillance, Eu-jin shook his uncomfortable wrists.

“Can’t you at least take these cuffs off?”

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“No.”

“Come on, I’m not a criminal.”

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“Do you have any idea how much time and manpower it took to track you down? You were worse than a high-level fugitive! You little—!”

Director Nam was practically hopping mad as he scolded him, leaving Eu-jin speechless. After all, hadn’t they spent two months searching for him? In the end, they only managed to capture him because he turned himself in. Nam’s pride had taken a hit.

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“Alright, alright, calm down. Let’s go before your blood pressure skyrockets. No need to get so worked up,” Eu-jin said, trying to soothe him.

Even in cuffs, Eu-jin’s demeanor had lightened significantly. Letting go of his resistance seemed to make everything feel easier.

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After settling the bill, they all moved to the hospital room. The area outside the grandmother’s room was just as crowded.

They waited briefly before the tightly shut door opened. Instead of a doctor, Choi Ran stepped out, wearing a calm expression.

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“How is she?”

“She’s still asleep, but don’t worry. Her symptoms were treated cleanly.”

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As Eu-jin had requested, Choi Ran had come to the hospital as well. Fortunately, she arrived in time to use her healing abilities before the surgery began. Eu-jin let out a deep sigh of relief.

“Team Leader.”

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Choi Ran addressed him with his old title, taking his hand in hers. The distance between them grew smaller as she looked at him with a mix of shared understanding and subtle guiding energy. Eu-jin clenched his lips tightly and gripped her hand in return.

“What do we do now? It looks like our powers really did change,” she said softly.

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“Yeah.”

What had once been a faint suspicion now solidified into certainty.

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* * *

Due to Director Nam’s insistence, Baek Eu-jin had to leave without even saying goodbye to Grandma Bok-soon. Perhaps it was for the best. Seeing her in person would only have made him feel restless and uneasy.

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“Stay healthy for a long, long time.”

Before leaving the hospital, Eu-jin bowed deeply toward the hospital room. He also thanked Yeong-sik, who had come all this way with him.

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“So, is this goodbye for real?”

“Most likely.”

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This was the end of their connection. Eu-jin smiled and opened his bag. Thanks to the Espers gathering his belongings from the grandmother’s house, he was able to deliver one last gift himself.

“If times get tough, you can sell it. But don’t pawn it—it won’t fetch the right price.”

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“…What is this?”

“Payment for driving today. And please continue to look after Grandma.”

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“This is a… a Rolex?!”

“Take care, Yeong-sik.”

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Eu-jin patted Yeong-sik’s shoulder as the man stood there dumbfounded, holding a green watch box. Before he could respond, the Espers grabbed Eu-jin’s arms on both sides.

At Director Nam’s signal, the teleporter Esper activated their power. In an instant, the group vanished as if they had evaporated. Yeong-sik, witnessing the sudden display of superpowers, stood frozen with his mouth agape, clutching the luxury watch tightly to his chest as if it might fall.

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Back at the Rift Management Bureau for the first time in ages, the scene was even more chaotic than the hospital. News of Baek Eu-jin’s return spread like wildfire, drawing crowds to the hallway outside the examination room.

People were curious. Had the rumors been true? Had Baek Eu-jin, once a team leader, really become a guide? The disappearance of his original powers was unprecedented, but now they were supposedly replaced by something entirely different—an event unheard of.

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After finishing the tests, Eu-jin stepped out, glancing at the onlookers crowding the corridor. With a sigh, he slumped onto a bench next to the examination room, rubbing his tired face. His expression was as bleak as someone awaiting a death sentence.

Shortly after, the door opened, and Bae Jaehyuk and Director Nam stepped out with freshly printed test results in hand.

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“See? I told you he’s an A-rank! He’s just like Choi Ran—exactly the same!”

“Ah…”

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Eu-jin groaned, covering his face with both hands. The death sentence had been delivered.

The news quickly spread among the Espers watching. They chattered excitedly, passing the information around like wildfire. Everyone seemed thrilled—everyone except Baek Eu-jin.

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Bae Jaehyuk plopped down next to Eu-jin, draping an arm over his shoulder with his signature smug grin.

“Are you really that upset?”

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“Would you like it if it were you, Deputy Director?”

“What’s there to worry about? You’ve got a lifelong job again.”

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“Having a blast, aren’t you?”

Eu-jin shoved the grinning man away, not bothering to hide his irritation. Bae Jaehyuk, momentarily pushed aside, quickly returned like a magnet.

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“Baek, my dear guide.”

Bae teased, lowering his voice and leaning in.

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“Stop it!”

Eu-jin snapped, his voice rising in frustration as he shuddered.

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Watching the exchange, Director Nam couldn’t help but beam. Having his prodigal talent return was like a dream come true. The additional clauses in the contract had indeed been a stroke of genius.

“Director Nam. Are you seriously going to use me as a guide?”

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“Do you expect me to let your abilities go to waste?”

“How about assigning me to a management role instead…”

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“Don’t be ridiculous. You’re going back to the guide academy for retraining.”

Even groveling didn’t work. Accepting his fate, Eu-jin ruffled his hair and resigned himself to his situation. The difficult days ahead loomed large in his mind.

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* * *

Rift Management Bureau, Zone 1.

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Despite the late hour, the lights in the Director’s office were blazing brightly. The Delta Team, fresh from sealing a rift, had been summoned in their full combat gear, looking tense and weary.

Director Kang Eun-ha sat at her desk, frowning as her long nails tapped rhythmically against its surface. Tap, tap. The sound, sharp and deliberate, echoed like a ticking clock in the heavy silence.

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“So, the guide you worked with today didn’t cut it either?”

“…Yes, that’s correct, Director.”

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The nonchalant response made Director Kang’s temple twitch in irritation.

“Team Leader Ahn, do you have any idea how long the Delta Team has been operating without a guide?”

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“Nine months,” Ahn Itaeh answered without hesitation.

“Well, at least you’ve got a sense of time. I was starting to think you didn’t.”

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Her frostbitten glare swept across the Delta Team, her gaze piercing each of the Espers in turn. When her icy eyes landed on a particularly tall man, they sharpened further, like daggers aimed straight at him.

“It’s him, isn’t it? Kwon Su-ho again. He’s the one who objected.”

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