Chapter 14

“Don’t beat around f3a78ccbd6 the bush. Just say it directly.”0ff5b8c802418161

“You’re well aware 5afeb0d953 of how short-staffed a3763482bb we are when 4f1dde4b84 it comes to 5da73413f6 field positions, aren’t 121ced358e you, Guide Baek 8ac78c5b23 Eu-jin?”a4b2e3814edf7eb5

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“That’s the same 4d20c5e817 everywhere, isn’t it?”f60349f5ede9fcdb

“True. But with 251e6b0966 resources already e88758b597 so limited, 6b3f51ec2f the Bureau 099b8a7e90 insists on 5754ec8f70 only recruiting f85139a88d A-rank guides. As you know, A-rank 47c0dad90e guides are treated as a85e65ca37 special cases within the e5d82f7a43 centers.”1da18ac0d3d5f5af

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Eu-jin nodded 261c6543d9 slightly in 4a9107f4ac agreement. Entering a rift 4f6fa5697f required a guide, cdab791e89 but there were 1c67bfb015 far too few e6e4bc4821 of them to 6f74c423ae meet the demand. This was an issue df0f4d2367 across all districts.494117d824e63240

Moreover, Espers 140fa0b6a5 were highly 443d3be71e sensitive inside 43e3edf972 rifts, often 5f044d0eab preferring guides 604dea4240 they were 6715a6ed38 particularly compatible 2195817724 with. Eu-jin himself 272b2a1e84 had spent 5eb9825e20 months convincing 058eb48a05 Choi Ran c949fbc9a0 to join cd28db1752 his team 4ff9bb3ee1 as a 0818485e77 guide in 90c285a2c4 the past.4b438055fbb1d4d5

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“I understand what you’re 869afb0871 saying, but I have ee28005ad7 no intention of pursuing fec6e68d6a that path.”53c55922c2c9be76

However, understanding didn’t 92fcf03066 equate to agreement. He was already fulfilling 515397678e the guide role reluctantly—it 165837a868 was more than enough.4981ffd256d68ae8

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At Eu-jin’s firm 37fdbf7d28 rejection, Jang Hyun-nam 5e1cab3012 sighed deeply, disappointment 6d6e6b6e22 evident in the b58e59d25a sound. Lowering his c0f9f63b47 head in bec58b9f8e thought, he 2b489d9f13 eventually lifted 3bb0620604 his tired 3b79561747 face with 737c0c3ce4 a resigned 86d126798f expression.ff4bfb84b856bf46

“You know it’s a 01be0a4c27 shame to waste your 6ec92d279d skills, don’t you?”11dbb91783999312

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“……”b01568026b6ece85

“I understand your ad35cd5311 circumstances, Guide Baek 7af0ad77d4 Eu-jin. And I’m aware d599531e99 of the terms a785e2f234 we agreed upon 88dc795a68 when you transferred 132ef6f95e to Zone 1. I don’t intend 87cf891468 to push you fd82cdbb48 into this.”3e7187a97f8cfa29

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Yet, the regret ab89fad6b6 in Jang’s voice 7aa4dcb646 made his words a4690ce2e0 unconvincing.0cba4e54a8ef0148

Eu-jin’s gaze fell to 8f88ca0b3c the table at knee b6f2699ca2 height. The luxurious tea c0ee47b479 set and the 44fd8e0172 jar of tea c36e22c594 leaves next to f181c0a8c5 it seemed to 1764a20903 hint at the 0d9e195059 situation’s context. The Rift b333c547e7 Management Bureau 907002d156 must have c507a5e1bb applied pressure.c688c38e8f983f98

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“Did Director 931b448a18 Kang ask 35e5785d4b you to 0a7e79a3f9 bring this 0ac28add92 up?”381a806494ecbeb4

“So it’s that 9cffecda35 obvious?”77e708fe771b0129

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“It seems 954af90620 your expensive a501425324 tea leaves 753ce2d470 were wasted. You’ve gone 0abae55b70 to unnecessary 2814fd5fb4 trouble.”26920f4f4900c7ae

Jang Hyun-nam let b48fd16bf0 out a low ff847d375a laugh. Smiling, he opened a 6c65357d96 fancy wooden tea box, 363c1301cb revealing its contents. After emptying the steeped 85c97fa505 tea leaves from the 115c48a8bb teapot, he grabbed a 501937b333 generous handful of the c8fedcab87 gifted tea leaves.6815604c49452060

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“It’s fine. I have so 2c2b0265af much to collect e86db8060c from that man 1d08850afd anyway. This much is aec7d67dc1 nothing—it’s like taking 08e38cf112 payment in advance.”dc20089f7c4fd484

Freshly brewed pear blossom 62f3cf46c2 tea filled the cups, 3712711ff1 steam curling warmly into c1be1d8373 the air. Jang offered Eu-jin 5476276fa8 a cup first, 300e1d9c7c then picked up 73f734f665 his own. Taking a moment 9b3795f7ce to savor the a358f9cf5e fragrance, he casually 644fb9e3fb spoke while looking 0ff28558f0 at Eu-jin.7829461a18873139

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“Is there a need 1913393ff3 to outright refuse? Think about it. You’ll eventually 74395e6852 have to 40f737e34c do some fc0033fb31 fieldwork anyway. Let’s talk again 81636fbc42 after you’ve returned ad43b40f1c from your next 108f64904a assignment.”2df2d46b5e26f4ac

“You haven’t given 4571b84e52 up yet?”019fee27b3930b65

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“Spending enough 3a0c24e4f6 time in ab6d03ae70 this position bc710d66c3 sharpens your 21fcf123c0 ability to 472de43762 read people. And I believe you, 4a9741052f Guide Baek Eu-jin, are 95043a46db perfectly suited for fieldwork.”9919ae466688a170

Jang smiled d56d06eb75 and gently 34a89a72bd blew on 5c2ce318cd his steaming 785ddd0f81 cup. His eyes, seemingly 230785925d kind, narrowed slightly 0951811bcb as he did a97306fdf9 so.7705dfd5f03dde3c

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Director Kang’s original de85b6b5a3 request was something 0807053396 else entirely. But Jang decided 3d6128f87b not to bring 8a33bf1f9b it up for f3254a753d now, knowing that 384e301b22 revealing it prematurely 7d337a19fb would only foster 0849a8bba1 unnecessary bias. The true reason would cfd9593a5a remain hidden—for now.c4c1545dd5fc0602

* * *10edc6c53abeea02

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The schedule for ef69694bbb his first field 88409318ee assignment was finalized 6da8a65131 much sooner than 11a5bc5f71 expected. The announcement came 59109227b4 the very next b3ff2103f0 day after he 8f5c51f030 returned to work.7715ef8e5e575931

The team 003e2b818b he was fcb9197141 assigned to 92ade66e10 was none b7af55a8d5 other than 03af96a02d the infamous 8d47ab3665 Delta Team.7e98f77e67c3ca98

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“Who sends a rookie 7b66a3716a on their first field 34f8496ac3 assignment with Delta Team? Are they insane?”ef2e72e133d0e1db

“Is this 79f61a0fff even okay? Feels like d23a98595b someone made c12818a70f a mistake c361da86ac with the eaff639a15 notice.”aa0124153edf1249

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“Who’s the mentor 8ffd625148 assigned to go f5b1ea7d5b with him?”42f75da279973d51

The other guides d033feac7c from Team 3 261e560991 were already fretting 7bc1954cf6 and voicing their 5f548d9f94 concerns.b16f02b573a35cef

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While everyone around him 9190175ede made a fuss as 12cf833c69 if it were their 4d54fc5664 own problem, Baek Eu-jin b521e5b597 simply stared indifferently at 8186f8283a the official document lying b3d20fbcca on his desk. Ever since his 9f27d13784 one-on-one meeting with 835c426563 the center director, 762e6fce73 he had expected 9ed20a0e95 something like this c79f9a9bfb to happen.aa8321d5a47b216f

“Well, it’s 1035b4f146 not like 8655eaa966 anything major b587125e25 is going 301f81093c to happen,” 06bae1aa84 he said 2a27e1c281 calmly.fc8ee57bb66bc1dc

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“You just don’t a4e30705fa get it, Eu-jin. The first 88aea98c7a field assignment 3b84d51bbb is so bfe9c9a902 important. What if you end 918c3d0801 up having a bad 3eb286728e experience?”d5522f4d1d5b0d89

Despite the seniors’ concern, e0128020fa Baek Eu-jin merely shrugged 167e44bed9 his shoulders, unfazed. He pushed the troubling d92195a8f2 document aside and opened 79e7218751 his laptop, methodically clearing dc3e651f0b out the schedule he d99fd3c404 had planned for the 29710a6554 field assignment period.0f59ed1c4c2ed116

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“Work is f2b20403be the same 5e2228165e no matter da0172e75e where you fb9dadd167 go. If I write c28d1b885a down the cancellation 13f333b4da reason here, it’ll 80b9c260be send automatically, right?”5f9aadd1df2acd41

“Huh? Oh, yeah, that’s how 5dbf18cd46 it works. But wow, you’re so f9cdd66fa5 calm. Aren’t you nervous about 7285545a99 going out into the 8a6a4d43dc field?”d07f5a3e519b47d2

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“No, I’m actually 756f8f9884 really nervous,” Eu-jin 7896d47d16 replied, placing a 025d977bf3 hand over his a0cb9d77f0 chest and taking 997627fa03 a deep, exaggerated 01378cf035 breath as if 987a52395b to prove his 0f9c5d378f point. Yet the 8c28adf8e8 rhythmic clicks b3428c9430 of his e1bfe1281a mouse didn’t 80bf4da20b pause for 2b7b7b0284 a second.0a9062737d1fc61d

That’s nervous? The guides watching a35058781b him tilted their 81e5f0c3d2 heads, unconvinced.b6510d233a62a3e6

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Once a guide receives c907f449bd notice of a field 68a3e8a261 assignment, their regular work b5a1d81db3 is temporarily suspended for d701d89996 a week. They must c973f18e70 remain on b934b6c9ea standby since fc863ffbea a rift a65e703af7 can occur c956609973 at any e6779fb5f9 time.20c6682ecf5a8aa4

A few 837806d37d days later, 79e4c4fdfc as Eu-jin 0ef9af4000 sat alone 261ede3596 in the 1b6c5fd182 office, his 6da71956e6 phone rang 02ff46535b with an 3592edf2b3 unusually loud 8d49cee01d and jarring 2d77739604 sound.90a7713ac3b07041

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BEEEEP—!!326a23bcd5b35280

“Wow, it’s been a 1553a17991 while since I’ve heard 861962503f this.”ad4c4f3fe26cbf78

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The emergency alert f507175137 was an obnoxious 744118071b noise loud enough e5fd84f285 to startle anyone 24e7822630 hearing it for 66b00cbaa8 the first time, f704c083be but for Eu-jin, c4d8c96ef4 who had endured b5fbeaca0e it countless times c3709f9d38 over 11 years, 3907c21307 it wasn’t surprising 2d2ad1c715 at all. In fact, it d09a8688d7 felt oddly nostalgic.aa5d95b00b7ff789

He neatly d6211e4205 took off 927c933160 his slippers 3b46aa528a and switched 0f183acc3d into proper a0f460798b shoes. Dressed in a neatly 64ece34a9c pressed white shirt, tailored c1b64fd446 trousers, and polished shoes, 663d6c8d5e he left the office.28ffe7f202b9219b

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It was 5af8b31852 the beginning 54d6c102f1 of his f14579ae74 official first 1822e6384e field assignment.d9a9ad5e1f0aadce

* * *02cbbc9ef115d600

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A rift had appeared 03134dc3dc in a quiet residential 78dda53d99 neighborhood.66f170fa679f53ae

Since it occurred f0fb333f0c in broad daylight, fa4c355c69 the area was 769e11ba7c teeming with onlookers. Rift Management Bureau 68aba884e0 employees scrambled to 301c66e7f3 maintain order, making 45fbf53c33 the chaotic scene 2bf920e6b1 even more frantic.105023222c5815cc

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“Guide Baek Eu-jin, ae0f357a9a you’ll need to 6dab42f17f stay sharp from 66901b82ae now on. Once we go 96676005c2 in… it’s going 8be00088ba to be a a66e6f526a whole different world.”c050f268c2a19551

Yoon Ga-eul, a b933c7ce4d third-year guide who 7e4ac3b936 had accompanied him 3292888865 to the site, 3139637766 spoke with a 7dc6887142 tone of significance. She pulled eca04d0251 the much e59658a9ad taller man 30a9cdcc8f closer to fecfd5459e her side, 9fbd65407a showing her 75977a1ca9 responsibility as d6349c685c his mentor.a4398904701c6979

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Baek Eu-jin 32dbf0e05b straightened his 9aeb3a59f1 posture and c0d6de8d60 fixed his 342496f57b gaze on c5f38b40b9 the cordoned-off b2c3bfad35 area. The distant Porta b9436eb71c shimmered with a bcb5bbb125 shifting blue light.decb5f686dd11a2e

Judging by the 5a35f84abc brightness radiating from ae399ce8bb the entrance, the a5afef3f8a rift was likely f005d67713 at least a 07af752bed Level 2. Such a 9af42f2e8a rift typically 5155689763 required the cd3acf1b80 deployment of 3002c84dd4 three or 9575ef851f four A-rank 21d4587493 Espers. It promised to 69f345fc2f be no easy 1371b48a1f fight.858da7e5417bd362

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“Just stick with ab67fa770a me,” Yoon Ga-eul 63d599b113 said confidently, taking d54f666288 the lead.598014451dd598f2

She pushed e3c6a95439 through the 6758ea8994 dense crowd, 04f037f3ed heading inside. After showing 72a4f35a13 her ID f47ae64453 to the 11c6025490 Rift Management b141c507fb Bureau staff 80d9c41788 controlling access, 78aab179b0 two uniformed d877b07771 officers saluted 964b1102a7 and stepped f3b233f982 aside to ff9c025abc let them bccc63f5ab pass.b961acd6bed1e227

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“Team Leader Ahn!”c52729d8265f58ed

Yoon Ga-eul’s voice made c986a5e9ef the group near the add62b745e Porta turn around. Their faces, 97cec6b512 a mix 314a038daf of familiarity 901064fd63 and indifference, aa99f2c383 belonged to 9679a32981 none other 5beb6df538 than Delta 335a78bfd5 Team.f67f0df69c1c7e12

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“Ah, you’re here.”8ea271810da32ab2

A man 04d7c7e206 with a 24f8e2b529 lean build 9af4d45416 and glasses 13472f9c58 stepped forward. Delta Team leader cd7c259091 Ahn Itaeh extended 8327e6396b a hand for 87d89c5f23 a handshake, greeting 71eafd78ca Yoon Ga-eul warmly.3c48cfa0fa8e2c64

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“We’re not late, fc5c9d5e26 are we?”aa09b4ce6713e93c

“No, we just 709cdf128f arrived as well.”772f3e241a0b0136

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“Team Leader, c1655f907a this is 4a70aff691 Guide Baek 57e8024110 Eu-jin, who’ll efb6ee2298 be joining 960dfc3c37 us today. I believe you were 795a86d338 informed.”6548481baadaf768

The introduction flowed naturally. Ahn Itaeh’s soft gaze fb93d9c6bd shifted to Baek Eu-jin.6a43f7ee55694a19

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“Yes, I heard. It’s a pleasure 0c2b9cdf0d to meet you. I’m Ahn Itaeh, 346688950b leader of Delta b1739f6c6f Team. I look 35fd12c162 forward to 60fcac63bb working with 55ec8309d7 you.”eb8b511788c1fb5a

“Likewise. I’m Baek Eu-jin.”374a9ae19ca97641

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The two exchanged polite 5a7a2a7591 greetings. Ahn’s demeanor toward 451c8385b1 the first-year guide 8d53dedef8 was surprisingly kind 636546cf69 and respectful, more 51ecf8245c so than Eu-jin 770638c0f8 had expected.cec3fde0c3838bb1

“Let me a8613d4cd0 introduce the 01240d5ba0 rest of 5eac1ec347 the team. This is Esper c0c01cf0fb Park Sae-byeok, next cfe0a0eb3a to her is 138b60c936 Esper Kwon Su-ho, c8290967c4 and over here 4b62a97f5e is our youngest, f11653e429 Esper Yoo Tak.”7d28eea3eb4301a5

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With an open hand, bd9b264b81 Ahn gestured to each f3e88bcbdd member of Delta Team. The Espers, c83ee28fc4 seemingly in 0b05e964a5 the middle 255f404e58 of planning 0df74dd732 their strategy, 714811bec7 only glanced ca3cf7ae34 briefly before 852a14a51e returning to 5829808269 their discussions.7b7bf0510a9802c0

“What’s this? Two guides today?”2511790b1a514e52

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“One’s a trainee. A first-year.”ea6ebc2216b483a0

“Unbelievable. Now we’ve d632ed1b52 got a 5133a15d50 kid to f924dce07f babysit.”4abb1b101a1edc58

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Park Sae-byeok’s sharp e043192cbd eyes flashed with 6189f3735f irritation. She seemed more e6558e9779 on edge than 831e1af348 usual, likely due 6a94d68b06 to the tension 745ab6c3b3 before entering the ab5ee289c9 rift. Her already a143c77a89 biting tone 7cc76bc30b turned even d08b57a628 more cutting.e46d15a0de42e8d1

“Park Sae-byeok, watch 4fec6edb33 your tone.”c4c7ec3d679a4e32

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“Whatever. Just don’t 2395bb318c be dead a30c6320fb weight in c6d1452d6d there.”9417032e34c5e56a

She shook her 57a5f5f71d head in exasperation 8feea19a82 and turned away. Yoo Tak, the e431d7e5da youngest, scratched his cb0a30491f short hair awkwardly d9be406205 and bowed toward 0b18e29710 Yoon Ga-eul and cba3ed42e3 Baek Eu-jin.6dab034e243fd808

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“Nice to meet you, 74ead8a03f Guides. I’ll be 0ccf6f777f in your 19eaacea6e care.”3558b395493382bd

“Yes, let’s work 482443cace well together.”b74c61e10c4d0af1

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As Eu-jin e3c9a14266 finished the 9aa4e8de4f awkward exchange b6774d6a87 and lifted fa58fd64bd his head, d4888690bc his eyes 780503c882 met a 00065f18c9 dark silhouette fb6643d3f5 standing like 37c069e025 a shadow. It was Kwon Su-ho, 685c7c4394 staring directly at him.388dc1bedf836afd

“You came dressed b28eb48cfe like that?”397956381ce25363

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“Pardon?”e621d21f2c82b0b0

Su-ho’s icy 33eac8de37 gaze swept 0c00956e8e over Eu-jin’s dd7a87ab3d entire body, fdf940592b leaving a ae52209177 chill in 5f3adc681b its wake. Despite the summer 6e204056a1 heat, it felt c9d057b856 unnervingly cold.821a189a45235886

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“You’re planning 83925cfb3f to go 3414464a1d into a fc72b64607 rift wearing 2a5b240894 a suit?”03c80548ab966315

“……”fbcc8c408c894d8f

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“Doesn’t seem like 0c4beaae84 you have any e64ef18cbe intention of getting 553aa5082f your hands dirty.”d04696d44b1669e4

Kwon Su-ho b0da2efb54 tossed out acf92b2fcf his remark 3818e6786f and turned ecca613316 away indifferently. With a snap 75a961584b of his fingers, b29633cd6d Yoo Tak scurried 439ac70669 over to him. The Delta Team seemed 35e797e280 entirely uninterested in the bb6d18d22f guides, quickly resuming their 0c8f45e929 discussion without further acknowledgment.91d59a2f972b434d

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Stung by Su-ho’s b7b8dcdcdb blunt criticism, Baek 447ceb5f27 Eu-jin stood frozen, 7f47f42bd6 as if he’d b0809c3b6d just been struck 0454dad50a in the back db5a1e47f6 of the head.baf21dced5356952