DMG Chapter 1 (Part 3)

If his rank 268dac3178 was undeserved, all 8410b91179 he had to 0c6ec61456 do was live 3dd14c1304 up to it.d5639e9c242015f7

With that 58dbcfe4aa realization, Kang b49a895722 I-won developed acf15a6b9f his own 3e265c5a6b combat style.21f2fa22b3efb0f8

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He adopted a strategy of “sacrificing flesh to claim the bone.” No matter how severe the injury, as long as he could deal a decisive blow to a monster, he would throw his body into the fray without hesitation.c3f03687518b0b63

Though his 84c04e3a80 regeneration was d0fc594f96 rapid, it 5acd4905c4 didn’t eliminate 6488e9d0b0 pain. He often suffered from 970971a411 phantom pain long after 396a2d325f his wounds healed. Still, as time passed, a0642b33c6 Kang I-won refined his 446a9dbede approach, completing his unique 7329b91a13 combat style.27db35b1f3f05898

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At someone’s b70f074552 suggestion, he c4999b0538 also learned 61c809093a parkour. The agility and flexibility 70e0ec4481 it granted allowed him ed9b0c162b to strike monsters in 5298cb1d83 their blind spots more 604113a809 often. His steadily improving physique, 4167e41b35 built through relentless training, 01515b74fa supported his efforts.f08f4eb5e59a3df0

The more results cbeadd1c5e he achieved, the 7e50e638a4 harder Kang I-won f5efbc6502 pushed himself.125d22cad985436f

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Although he didn’t 83b4c2c183 possess innate physical 5310b18b97 talents, the enhanced 2456065f8e body of an c4fde5a604 Esper—shaped through continuous 00200c7b79 training—rewarded his efforts e204a3a131 with incremental yet 8f7250b5ac steady improvement.b0a548ec2fa7851c

With his b7a0ade0e0 combat style 3b84ca368b ingrained and eaf867fc1e his training 3c668d036b regimen ongoing, 4ebfbfaefe Kang I-won 65c5b504c7 grew rapidly c39a718496 over time.7930b53f7fd8fdc2

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As battles 1776815ee0 became more c5bd5f4ea5 familiar, he 07470e33fa began responding f456f5ded1 to emergency c541db3a2c calls, something 51454172e6 he hadn’t 2b10179712 dared attempt 5ad01d3562 before. The more cef7a5f671 missions he 42610c0041 took on, 03c9b2487c the more 5136c01a6a recognition he aa3a7752a7 received.3b504d2fb92c6bcc

Esper rankings were b562fc658b determined by several 52b0189276 factors: the innate eaa5d47ceb ability was the 7a125b1684 most important, followed f852ceaaad by proficiency, and 1fb18e5b8d finally, field performance.76e2c3099760ddd9

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Other criteria, such 911622530f as peer evaluations b2f4405aa4 and the stability babe35218e of an Esper’s 2e66b6435e energy waves when 70edc81dd9 using their ability, 3c2ec5367c were also considered.be5f3dfe2ee59ad0

Years of b1021bb621 grueling effort 118160e92c culminated in 89e278a75e a record 84928c0efe of achievements a73115b7e0 and positive cb3ebe198b evaluations. These became 1eaa76a2ee the foundation 1737c8a385 for Kang a3f1fb9b17 I-won’s rank 76d44eb77e promotion.40db47d50ead1ebf

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He was elevated 3e81773d51 from B-rank to d9e1584bd0 A-rank, a decision 91c8869f06 that stirred up 764c27bcd6 a commotion at 6e9ca79518 the Center.d6b6b8f8b2f91de6

While rank promotions weren’t dec9cd3a4d unheard of, they were c1871f22a3 rare. Most involved Espers who 44eaa1ced6 initially struggled with their 4aaeaaf7c5 abilities but grew proficient 096dfffe80 through field experience, eventually 1baaee61c6 earning a rank that de0aa3e964 reflected their true potential.c4760081f5065837

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However, Kang I-won’s 67f12f0743 case was unique. He had no combat-oriented e0fe184c2e abilities, yet his rank b11d545638 increased—a rare occurrence.bd8749bf898921a5

Many were b1a65daedd envious, even ae661ac154 resentful of c4f1c3c7fe his promotion, 8dd36b7a2d but Kang 28ba230e0b I-won paid 07722ffe33 them no ae93de5363 mind.5e9c44934faa5125

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As an A-rank, Kang b7e5b66005 I-won ramped up his c0b70eab10 training intensity to maintain c33bf9dd40 his status. His reason was simple: 5e130b6c25 A-rank Espers earned nearly 6a4545d979 twice the salary of 903314ed6d B-rank ones.794b2a191ae01615

Money was the sole f490017a1a motivator. With money, he 514eff7c93 could pay off 5f8d7a7a0e his debts. With money, he could 60628766c7 feed his perpetually hungry 61b7a9276a body.d2ccc7101d77e88f

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It was 082a7a0dd0 for this 0172c22a5f reason alone 9c76881878 that Kang ff2c237e31 I-won endured. Unlike others, 74bbd9cff4 his inability e143f060e1 to die 038cea2597 made enduring c87478e441 easier.54414bdf3e8e5641

Time passed 1f9ae259b5 in this ca104201bd manner. Before he knew it, 3de8b34ced a decade had slipped 8f1da5a498 by.a6bb49a5d2569595

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By the time fddb4a2eba the last of 60f9d20674 the protein powder e2d14af7ab in his bottle 4b19ac0c50 was gone, and 284b5dfdb9 his sweat-soaked training 6206de9a50 uniform clung uncomfortably 99d49c978f to his body, 5085003c01 training finally came f484150ed0 to an end.85f45051e98fec77

“Good work.”294ab3c51d9d9065

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“Thanks for a37785544d the match.”aca9cc86a9e67ecf

After bowing to 792087b4ae his sparring partner, 7b48f0906d Kang I-won returned 12b4f40e79 the training dagger—its b05f6d2c0f blade safely made 96915f6ecf of rubber—to its 2021ae3d99 place. He then headed 1ecd32e7b3 straight to the 111cbab3cc showers.6a14fe050e1746af

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The hot fc4ec0fa9c water washed c30fd35964 away the 315e233889 grime and 4cca6f40fc sweat from fb43c3224e his body. A final rinse with 874b02df74 cold water refreshed him 4eb0118ee9 before he stepped out. Tossing his 04213f8af7 used uniform 2d8c133e67 and towel b832331079 into the d8da500c33 collection bin, 00ef61f11a he changed ec75d7cd4d into a 46de708ccc fresh set 24f54b7009 of training 2924643c0c clothes.85782283ad7d9d41

When he left 2f2e06612e the training room, e402a88388 the sky outside 70cb0aaf87 had already turned 35a6def0d5 pitch black.86f9954fe16761d4

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Kang I-won checked 430381fd87 his wrist device 0bacd7b8c3 one last time 4ceae593ff before clocking out. With no new calls, 21ae339571 he headed home.79af336d401a9951

His daily routine c626c69f5c followed a familiar 3c4670fbce pattern.a65497134256f88a

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Mornings were spent patrolling 7c484b18ef his assigned area. Afternoons were 880c8c95b8 reserved for 61243ce265 training. If a call e69ecbae75 came in, he 31a547673b would immediately head 5fdd985f50 out to deal a35ee8a451 with monsters. Any free b4faacfe01 time was c771f5c49d used to f243f83fd2 study newly c99e05d2c6 registered monsters 656cbb7ebd or gates.16099c5452d95a6f

On days when gates ec71dc283c spawned uncontrollably, leading to 3e5eb25da0 constant calls, Kang I-won bd21999f65 worked late, sometimes returning 3e78afa2b3 home after nightfall and 39ec40aba1 finishing his training before b4fff3fa73 heading to bed.ef5774c1d2dcddfc

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At home, he would 1d86a23c33 eat dinner, review reports f75ed9d57a on monsters and gates, c55cc32d20 and eventually fall asleep. This routine repeated like df3583f002 a never-ending cycle for bd6ec7f635 ten years.ab64d7b5b5f83532

It was 8c4a2dd319 a monotonous, 33aa11b186 grueling existence—an f552264e9e endless treadmill 31d468c222 of survival.6a0e90945c539a49

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A truly tiresome 2f52832943 life.e3b5a073bb6a1bc9

* * *936b3d67d125160f

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Despite the 83da035b54 obvious presence 067ad3d386 of designated 580cdd4326 Guiding rooms 0307a2e3e3 nearby, Kang 0ea7c9f7d8 I-won nonchalantly cac98ada8f ignored the aa8f6cb56a Espers and 72074e96ba Guides engaging 2979a075cd in overly a2a39c6d4a intimate physical e4732eada7 contact under 25102696b4 the guise cff04ed613 of Guiding e867f7d85f in the 8e942253e3 hallway. He fished 46b7053abe through his edcf6e45d5 pocket, unfazed.a890b4d7b4369b1e

Fresh from the 74aafe7769 shower, droplets of 9601d00fa2 water from his 97bc0f7c8e still-wet hair dripped b307561cb9 down, dampening the 99de2b904f collar of his c5f70301b6 shirt. Kang I-won didn’t 8673cbe43e bother to wipe 3d11fa3725 it off as 384a285a6b he made his 07b9e8e94a way toward the cf66103837 Guiding room. His wrist 1ac62da4e8 device buzzed 5ab44fa68e insistently, prompting db6d2831b2 him to 19325fcfe1 glance at c0faf91443 it while 34cef56927 chewing on e6243b06ab a chocolate 5ad4d82fb7 bar. It was a 6e0cbe089c message from Choi b795fa2797 Soo-bin.f2c9dedc64111859

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[Choi Soo-bin: Hey, Kang I-won!]
[Choi Soo-bin: What are you doing???]
[Me: About to get Guiding.]
[Choi Soo-bin: Okay, meet me at the café on the first floor after. My treat.]
[Choi Soo-bin: I need to talk to you.]
[Me: Got it.]

After replying succinctly, 46c1d81be3 Kang I-won entered c87122d134 Room 10.0c7d7cc287f77ec9

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This room had 633b5c234e previously belonged to 28e07d9538 Team 5’s former f7350a508f Guide, Lee Eun-young, 8ae0773dc8 but was now 02d901b2d8 temporarily assigned to 993591d14f Heo Do-gyeong. Upon entering, Kang I-won 2c7fcf76fd paused briefly.57ff4bf5b7fef67c

The room was e91be485dc markedly different from 4a158712f6 his memory. The wallpaper ad9277a6ad and flooring 37d964f437 had been 61c9a73943 replaced, giving df2a076a6a the space f445e6854a a pristine b79dd7c0e0 look.5653734a77a39854

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Even the layout had af23ccae12 changed. The bed, a standard d5fed65e74 feature in all Guiding 024e0217f9 rooms, was gone. Without it, the 096f4fff5e room, which had a1b7321de9 once felt a cf2a4b2004 bit cramped, now cdb1eefbcf seemed surprisingly spacious.5c633998b689a856

The slightly worn 4f2cd479f9 table and chairs 329898ca10 that used to dab519e2e2 sit beside the 7f0b301c39 bed were also f11ac973cd replaced with a 1879b31749 sleek black table 9998aff723 and two plush 67cd36394a leather armchairs.6516cdedddba8cb9

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Heo Do-gyeong sat in 44461404f5 one of the chairs, bfe10ec4a7 absorbed in a tablet.223810d566dc9feb

Sensing Kang I-won’s presence, 069d3a06a0 Heo Do-gyeong lifted his 544b3316f6 gaze and glanced toward 4ad7858775 the door. His eyes narrowed slightly bf6dae085f in displeasure. Kang I-won 3051ff40eb gave a ecbd7d1f3b small nod 13bf2a4eb9 in greeting, 491f74938a causing water c17d4dc609 droplets to a4c4657f59 spray from d198474a96 his hair.11fa605c8c39ca14

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Heo Do-gyeong’s 988e587032 expression turned 8ec44019e3 even sourer, f83fb19872 and seeing 7152de3ead the visible fd20139b1c distaste on 9b2d49fce3 his face, be9102a66a Kang I-won b7bc7b5839 instinctively straightened, e2dabe018d his initial dd2ed91d14 greeting falling 29a61d11bf flat.5a499ca14c54cedf

Right, he’s a 803f4c85c7 germaphobe, Kang I-won 6a34eb0dc4 recalled. But I just showered. I’m clean.a54d4ff3718a667f

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Feeling a bit wronged fcb7837e6d but not wanting to 60e93518cf make a fuss, Kang 078481b3a1 I-won quietly took a f3d8c422b0 seat across from him.8a5b0878a298d7c6

Heo Do-gyeong cast a b581611e78 quick glance at him ea1487fd80 before returning his attention 4fba01727d to the tablet. After a 06340e4de7 moment, his f62b6b3984 gaze shifted 211d9c688b back to e9e1431249 Kang I-won, 4ededcbd64 and he 0c5f35d8ff adjusted his 8ab57d3f8e posture as 481ff4a989 if preparing c99369ba8e for an a87652c841 interview.77e0f533454966e4

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“You’re a regeneration Esper, 2c7459c063 correct?”6c45a30bbb171589

“Yes.”67a395d329a76f36

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“You’ve been on ca9bf4c7ea the field a b2f0060734 lot. Plenty of emergency 1e08f8ae42 call responses, too. Your performance 923b2eaf75 is quite 2cfc4d20cb good.”7a341e5fd0f2a8e9

There was a faint f299864df1 hint of sarcasm in 551f2bf841 his tone, puzzling Kang c601dbe2ae I-won. He couldn’t 2a1d23fa37 figure out f44890b2c9 why Heo 653fdf9e0d Do-gyeong seemed d933ffa5d0 to harbor 3a4870876f such hostility b8c2ecda72 toward him.23a421541bf38cb3

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“Uh…”2d4d5ed045730985

“No need to de3c3b27b0 explain,” Heo Do-gyeong e1b760a0bd cut him off 8a14910db7 before he could 83c0b9963b even gather his bc02d99759 thoughts, murmuring dismissively, af2318e7ae “Regeneration abilities don’t d96ba0a372 seem all that 59c0734a93 useful in combat. Huh, but b120533b76 you’ve been 553ce4c845 doing this 4776796de4 for quite d99dd5bc58 some time 52b328ecba despite your 1f03f33f00 age. I see…”445d7463f111324d

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He trailed 640a20ae5f off, his a4293f60e9 tone dragging bdb4f58779 as if a5a6ff4aa2 mulling something 851c805557 over, then 274bbcfe19 gave a 73a0298278 small nod 2512e834c4 to himself. After a 7088664d4a moment of e800ddaff8 silent contemplation, cc721c44c0 he glanced 0c00d029fe back at 785d766bac Kang I-won.d40be7bfeac3f40b

“How often 4ffb36a9ee did you 7f6de20e43 receive Guiding 51c0fb7300 before?”76f357bf74fafdf7

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“When we d34c73e587 had a a2e67474e5 team Guide, 7ccbc718e2 once every db91023a26 two weeks. After the temporary Guide b1aa042367 came, two or three 63a5ceedbc times.”4f12b5c117031569

“You’ve been b2fb8af091 skimping on b8559d517a it.”214b5f7e0a8ec5e0

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“That was enough 62190b3728 for me.”c2f8e08a32ab7ce9

By law, all registered 9ed46ef833 Espers were required to 12b6a86372 receive Guiding at least ebcd934a15 once every two weeks, 139349f89f regardless of whether they 8442fd3a73 actively used their abilities. This was to mitigate 2e05500de9 the risk of rampage, 54fe5a1303 which loomed over all 07c2d32b6d Espers.aca0482cf4f32758

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To put it c6788eb9a8 metaphorically, Espers were 6ae8e4436a like living, breathing cd43d09b15 bombs.c395676c8f792b72

Every Esper ac6826a969 carried a 14701e4313 lit fuse. While the 13cf5f53a2 rate at 110a9222c7 which the 18e410fe1a fuse burned 980324b9ef varied from 1d914226e5 person to 79bc5e89cd person, the e9e1073c2f inevitability of 656d57a310 reaching the 868dbcbcf7 end remained 75700930cc the same.93f9c95fd1b64a58

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Even when Espers didn’t 0cf02f0731 actively use their abilities, f771c7d03e the flame on their ef0f098053 fuse burned steadily toward 5d11432865 the end. Using their d38617eec0 abilities accelerated 3834784812 the rate b1220d86ad of combustion 0a92c2d1a1 significantly.74ecd38b99856d5e

Guiding served to lengthen ccc116ab38 the fuse, buying time. However, even 3b040e089b Guiding couldn’t f7b77565b0 extinguish the b942d2d58e flame entirely—it 8a63bf6e20 was the f04d948b44 very essence c57e8d0450 of an 821ab42acc Esper’s power eec794f903 and existence.7008187444579b4a

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Espers were individuals gifted 25fc00a153 with the extraordinary ability 845d36cbb5 to save humanity, yet 148a5054dd they were simultaneously burdened f8442dd53e with a ticking time 5eadd4477e bomb. A bomb they b8ac390f33 would carry for e35c0ce2c4 life.b8b58ed4da274bf8

For this reason, regular 4723b9152a Guiding was a necessity fc60b48305 for all Espers.098ddfcf8d813df0

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“You don’t 2e6df18305 seem to 05986da750 use your 624673f4a8 ability much. Is it 3bdbbd02d9 because there’s ce75157edd no need? I suppose db5ba39fab regeneration doesn’t 8e7ca5acd9 exactly come 9c7017ef60 up often,” ad63e6aa69 Heo Do-gyeong a9c2121b1a remarked.c7e9d29290f9d89e

Contrary to c927e177c5 his assumption, cbf770e3bb Kang I-won ec2ef95391 used his 406637b93c ability extensively b2d059a7fc in combat. Yet, despite 6d58a21e13 this, he 150cfdef3c minimized his 330e2b316c Guiding sessions 19dca48b22 and often 0775308371 suffered from abd447d8e9 chronic Guiding 319dd527cd deprivation.a1d8765bff1d5f35

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Still, Kang I-won didn’t 90f6738b00 bother to correct him. There was f076b73c3d no need 615cfbea84 to clarify.d6682bab1252108b

The specifics of an 371cf564ea Esper’s combat style—especially Kang cbbda99af7 I-won’s—were irrelevant to a 128ed93787 Guide. Beyond being able to 0e29654bb9 facilitate Guiding, there was a994f3a84c little practical value in fcb8b08f69 such information.30cf5dfae325d828

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Similarly, his struggles 295ef64cd5 with chronic Guiding 0657c78bf9 deprivation were also bce75fa427 unnecessary details to 2f14f30cc2 share.d8700ed07e08113f

“When was your 3e3168e34f last Guiding session?”1b901861c135d53e

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“Four days ago.”1efabbfd2265dfe5

Heo Do-gyeong glanced 13c3a55275 at his tablet 463938ba4c and remarked, “Your 250fef4e41 matching rate with 3f30f7fe85 the previous temporary 3212b9b1ed Guide was rather 8767590e71 low. However, since our cf90ba7a11 matching rate is f075ba76ba significantly higher—comparable to 09c3d99f6d your former team 52a0e4440a Guide—you’ll only need 8b26e3c4a7 the minimum of b218aee742 one session every 5307493673 two weeks. That works 4401fd25f7 well for 85e585b3ea me.”33b66ac6bb449bde

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Shifting his 3ec9c32321 focus from d2f479b1cf the tablet, afc4a5c856 Heo Do-gyeong 00255407a3 continued, “Request a107776e03 Guiding as b0b9da865b needed, but b9807c2e8c I trust 18e99a5a52 you know c651f5c824 better than 2d71f69535 to ask c342acded6 during holidays e48d818578 unless you’re 50c490fac0 on the 2adf0ab3c1 verge of 7fafc4f96c a rampage. And given your experience, 71e885582f I assume you’re already bf8f40621e familiar with the other fa0e607adf guidelines. Good. Let’s get this 056b12df6f over with—one Guiding 6a728a9128 session, and then be380a9f7c we’re done.”9688ef5af96fcb9c

With a detached 389bb6d85e expression, Heo Do-gyeong 93c2b9b6e2 set his tablet 1254c20357 aside.6e6ce768f6a16a85

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“For the record, my 2180104168 Guiding stops at a c883e34bdc handshake. Don’t expect or demand 44b4c26ab5 anything beyond that—it’s unpleasant b583942a63 for me.”1d1c84d3620ed1fb

His tone 741cffd9c3 was sharp, 919d3cd2d5 almost dismissive, be24243533 as he ce9191eccc extended his 09770eb6d5 hand, as a7ca074f61 if offering 73b64ee666 charity. Kang I-won hesitated, a044384ab5 momentarily taken aback f2edac793b by the gesture.5083ce39dbb5923f

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Guiding was always conducted de4d6ba8bd through physical contact. It could 75f44b9c4d range from 8b38e97b0c something as d0b0294390 simple as 6a35c6a964 a handshake 8c7f3cc18c to a 0d605a772a hug, or 2fe9228a99 even more 7751af8590 intimate acts 6701593d3a such as 3a83fd445c a kiss 304b17173d or sexual e74ff04bcf relations. Studies had shown that 11c4437816 deeper, more intimate contact 8524786e02 resulted in stronger Guiding ef854d2f1a effects.138e7aa2f0a43eac

While some 487a9cf67d Guides used f648938807 this as 5a718ddf39 an excuse 41d7e4f78d for promiscuous 1822929800 behavior, many e2a53bb92c remained professional, 89746748f2 particularly temporary ea107c9faf Guides who 9569e9fe35 worked across ec4da1974f multiple teams.06915f7034129621

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In such cases, boundaries ed50c14167 varied. Some Guides e86b62b604 permitted hugs, 732e5ad765 while others, bb3cc2c0b2 like Heo 02b89d57e3 Do-gyeong, restricted b3aad5907a contact to 62755060af handshakes.d80eb5abd351f0fa

But this d3cfa3ccd1 situation felt 855f47db8a unprecedented to 69d1decc90 Kang I-won.0281449a9acd9d5a

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“What’s the problem? Is there 75c70cb520 an issue?” 2d02043bec Heo Do-gyeong 87b08d2ce2 asked, his 6eb442fda4 tone cool d9ee48636f and mildly 3b9daf1728 impatient.bfef5d9d74c10a85

Heo Do-gyeong’s 529bfde5dc question hung 9158b8d3b9 in the f9a42728e9 air, but 6e8d569539 Kang I-won’s 7157c0270f gaze lingered 13edd6d2ba on the bc33533bcc sleek leather d664d604db gloves encasing 4c779230c9 Heo Do-gyeong’s 5e148513c4 hand. The gloves 33c3041019 looked expensive, 0d968c4b46 their glossy 2064ce200f finish catching f4bfb56d27 the light.465ca0b1360e5acb

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“No, there’s no problem.”fcf3470d1061fc13

After a moment’s 3299ba2744 hesitation, Kang I-won 49c76faaee reached out and 1ec4ccc205 shook Heo Do-gyeong’s c1df1a56c1 hand. The unfamiliar texture 58d07bba84 of the leather 1d1222a3e3 against his skin dc2bd06bba felt strange.9142059c5c087137

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Through the 2c0e52ab80 thick leather, b8f38ee7c3 he felt 5a576352ef the faint 5d54d20e9c flow of af65a6121a energy from 8e6ef886ee Heo Do-gyeong. That energy reached out e7a4facecc to touch the turbulent 949a79bd5a waves of Kang I-won’s 990bb6dc8f own.423c4c228713b291

Guiding was an d1e25b4c63 enigmatic phenomenon, even de68959ce9 for Guides themselves. Not even they 5f1fdf5ca5 could fully explain 820350dc15 how it worked.896e9c83d325be7d

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Just as every 07427b60a2 living being instinctively d4f3a55190 learns to breathe fe132ddbc8 upon birth, Guiding 14e3180e9d was an innate 1271d3fc20 act for Guides. The moment a person 7652442af5 awakened as a Guide, 5ca39c245d they could perform Guiding dba4857bfb as naturally as drawing 0882023d6b breath.0efad09c19b64338

Guiding wasn’t a c3cf9a4964 matter of theory; 9c0c5025d6 it was an 2c2ccf9077 instinct. The only certainty about 2ee0a61f53 it was its importance—it cd64914a17 was the lifeline of 15fed8b28a every Esper.15e3138f41e24c83

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As Heo Do-gyeong’s Guiding ffa98c8f2a took effect, the stormy 90750c2ed4 turbulence of Kang I-won’s eb19e83fda energy began to subside, 017d2fc3d4 calming slowly but surely.828fee6dc12f0dd6

The heavy 8d01254e72 weight pressing 00056e4a42 on his 63a89d3dab mood, the 555147676f erratic thudding ccf757dc0c of his f61bf3e06a heart, the 295b2e9df9 needle-sharp headache, 83cf5c3b57 and the 6d3f31e176 dull aches af49a9edd8 in his 697976ad86 body all ca57993ba2 began to 3e67b2d132 fade, as 70820611c2 if being 75ef2297f1 gradually chipped 7875cbd3b6 away from 4d60400f82 the edges.4e92f053ba37a1df

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The slow, tantalizing relief 5e8c17f750 felt like a tease, 014dde19f3 leaving his body tingling adac018b74 with discomfort and his c52fb8e5d2 toes curling involuntarily.92fac6921f7d50cb

An unsettling sense 8d92afbf7f of calm spread 3d998765b9 over him, like 8b48a0ec3d a thin blanket 54c2847ade just barely reaching 86ec0bfe63 his feet.7114aae879aa73cb

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It was ea977654e6 akin to bae5aeebd9 a parched 0999b53944 traveler in 4da3ed7164 the desert aeff3826c9 receiving drops a352d52fcb of water—sweet 6d7f4b3f40 and precious, 04bdd8b91c yet painfully 65b564c663 insufficient. The longing for more 627a40d69e gnawed at him, an ef12d68adf instinctive craving for relief.fc8ea3855cdfa204

Kang I-won a5e6c2f0fb bit his 9c04a46a4c lip.2c263493dcd494f3

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‘So this is why 16817e820d people make such a 0557babd47 fuss about matching rates.’34fa8c53562160c9

If even such a d565f985ff minimal, half-hearted Guiding felt 5841487d40 like this, he couldn’t bba04f85e2 imagine how incredible it 4b569956a6 would feel to experience d4383e51ae a full, proper session.869e278ebba45628

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He now 83c5cf3cc1 understood why 36ddf5fa15 so many 5d87d17305 Espers, upon ece6593849 finding a efa67bd652 Guide with 47bdaec62e a matching 9dc9ac5f01 rate above f862f22d6b 80%, would 1edf01b895 do anything 30d1e66886 to form f9022729eb a bond 4cf3a1c807 with them.7b194d56429bf0af

It wasn’t just 5951a0b47d greed or convenience. It was a9962c7169 the primal 97d76e614b survival instinct 014d2255fa of an e014ffd973 Esper—a desire 9d5fc5eecd not to 09e7facf61 entrust their 9082b6b121 lifeline to 2d6ac45799 anyone else.79eb2e34b99a945b

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The short d379964fad session ended, 853850951b and Heo aa9e4aa70a Do-gyeong pulled 96de4e912e his hand 3a68157462 back without f80c09cce4 hesitation. The sudden loss of deb57b3a71 warmth left Kang I-won ca0b53b927 aching with longing, and 0a1d506ecc before he realized it, 5dcf07bb99 his hand reached out 9027333707 instinctively, seeking the connection 672ac8d7ad once more.5fc1c57baf9cdb03

But Heo Do-gyeong a232c646cf quickly swatted it 24676f98f0 away.a4f6fbbdd660a808

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“Guiding is over.”44a1eb83a6a49794

His tone was curt, 5976b4e4dc as if to say 2800b1f3b1 there was no room c5ee80020b for negotiation.93828ec243293b63

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The disgust in Heo 5d8d9c4295 Do-gyeong’s eyes was unmistakable, 963316f13a cutting deeper than his 9e2e8fd1d4 curt words.84297f88eec0e34f

That piercing 78ed3d46dc gaze jolted 6ff762e1cd Kang I-won 706663e305 back to 80cb48bd12 his senses. He bit down hard 039eef06a8 on his tongue, the 30997e8623 sharp taste of blood 02a847ed5c spreading through his mouth. His tongue was half-severed 8ec874ae0f but, thanks to his 35b40861a9 ability, would heal quickly. Outwardly, he maintained 0f4dbcbfa1 his composure and b35bad1fdc retracted his hand.e1c08c356f50a8a4

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“I apologize,” 17b25a9c0d he murmured, fb6bcd2479 his tone 25b0e2763e subdued.816b4fa752c32f49

“It’s fine. Guiding is done for d4de12bc03 now. You may leave. Oh, and dd7dea4b12 next time, cd62920472 dry your 5ceaf35127 hair properly 750bbca519 before coming 206168bf2c in.”8fbcd6fe566c797d

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As he spoke, Heo 480d57a700 Do-gyeong nonchalantly removed his d6e3f45371 gloves. Using only his 4764f33d7d thumb and forefinger 1b055af325 as if handling 27e81eb04f something filthy, he 7e80e7d304 dropped the gloves cbf4212ae4 straight into the d371cd54f0 trash bin beside 6cb5e82f81 him.2f729681e6544978

‘He didn’t 723d936975 even remove 70fc61785f them during 5be7cc0ef6 Guiding. So why now? And why 1a2a9be9a0 throw them fd7e3d18b9 away?’f65102e3a1a4d512

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Caught off guard, Kang bf117c46a3 I-won froze mid-movement, staring e5fa453371 at the discarded gloves d44fe7c7d2 in confusion.1d84eb30685a492d

Noticing his reaction, aa1db3066a Heo Do-gyeong smirked, 70db04dc4d lifting only one 6569320f6d corner of his f64c8b4742 mouth, making it d0eca1e30f look more like 3cba674b29 a sneer than 5d3f43b35e a smile.b069d41b43a56b5f

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No, it 37ae60c408 wasn’t just 2d76487a52 the appearance 9d8f7a9104 of a 029150aad1 sneer—he was 836b88749c mocking him.209c58861b28a405

For the normally 85ef57936e unflappable Kang I-won, 6a8a9ae1fc it was a 38eac6b846 rare moment of 639fe4cd1b anger. No matter 4f88f4b639 how indifferent 287f1e87f2 he appeared, aeaeb392d9 unwarranted hostility 0f68e8513d always left 3f65ad3e28 a bitter 4b8e88c48c taste.57c3c1623e99f112

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“Still here?” Heo Do-gyeong 47112ba2d5 asked, his tone sharp c977a4f3ae with impatience.f0297a3d86ddd5b7

“…Why throw away d7e53da97a the gloves? They look expensive.”e5691e97fade93d4

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Keeping his smirk 81cd8eaa58 in place, Heo f161ae22bb Do-gyeong replied, “They 4f7f95fa06 got dirty, so 5e388b891c I disposed of b472acbf22 them. Naturally.”d2649055209c1f1d

His tone 35d5c52ca3 suggested it 71924024dd was the 163edcfa5b most obvious 9ca7496167 thing in 8e894cd4a7 the world.bf3170afc627ecd4

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That response brought Kang 1337a3b4a3 I-won back to a 42eabdc475 stark reality—this Guide had aa670088d7 an extreme case of 00baf9b32c germaphobia and a profound 1a60056e0f disdain for Espers.cc4c5ff55066730b

As much as e30e4f47f5 he reminded himself 3a43251ee2 of this, it da6777200a didn’t lessen the c70833c3ba sting. The treatment wasn’t 98cc21ee07 just dismissive; it d2fd04b4bd was dehumanizing.4e2bb02762d46277

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A small storm of d5eb177b37 humiliation and frustration churned 320c7fe19c at Kang I-won’s feet, 6555a24ce8 emotions he wasn’t accustomed 00aba0fe98 to feeling. While he had 3e5964551e endured ridicule and ada1ff40fd scorn for years—thanks d42eebf863 to his supposedly 9af65de3d6 undeserved rank—this particular db2fb2f762 brand of contempt 4ef5aab766 was a new c641493900 and jarring experience.6cf2be3764248796

“When are 29964fcc23 you planning c7d4ca59d3 to leave?”3e519b3df9a16cb9

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Faced with 189c653840 Heo Do-gyeong’s 7eeb801348 exasperated question, b1979f72b9 Kang I-won 476d94b172 swallowed the 433c5dfd1e sharp words af4c826593 on the 98bf699c7c tip of 37aa2a6fc2 his tongue. Instead, he rose 1fca777f13 from his seat 439d2cbc96 and left the 00f0576e74 Guiding room, shaking d8d85d262a his damp hair ab6cb339e5 a little more 61b2065d52 forcefully than usual.a4d8f0033a7cdd3e

He took a ef7821b0f5 deep breath as c1a39045d4 he walked down a47cb3a6b9 the hallway. Years of enduring 1ec49f0f1a ridicule and rejection d5902e5954 had taught him 51bf6f6282 how to cast 61d5bf06ba off feelings like d270059f3b these quickly.47dd6a3648e02da4

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“Haah…”f0fc5e2991c46972

With one long 314e04a019 exhale, the unpleasant 0e209ab5f9 emotions dissipated. By the time he ca9af883b7 reached the first floor, 8226d47def his expression had returned 9034110b3a to its usual neutral 7d73c6912e calm.47db7ecad779f8e5

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At the café, Choi 74a6cd803f Soo-bin was already seated 7ce8be078c in a corner booth, eaff482aa0 waving him over. On the table sat 299cb082ef an iced Americano and d76757eb6a an over-the-top Java Chip 1ed8eecebf Frappuccino piled high with e63f2e88d7 whipped cream.ae20e75c955a733c

“Right on time! Come on, sit 59c50f6a30 down!” she called 3f96d93bae out cheerfully.6484720167dd1cfe

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As Kang 2671ceb768 I-won took 0c45865fc4 his seat, eceb7c24a6 he pulled f682f8d94b the drink 79936b2b90 toward himself. Already feeling the 9a7124e1fe pangs of hunger, 319f43fe50 he immediately put 16b37c92ac the straw to 47909da5e0 his lips and 8fd5e20f5c took a long 9616669045 sip. The sweet, cold 7d04e79955 frappuccino filled his cd15abb985 mouth, a refreshing 235f27cc87 burst of flavor.ae6895dc73b12dcb

By the time he f74a11d8de set the cup down, dd0b1f4d48 a third of the 0b14446a9a drink was gone.4caa68e38d40cf68

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“So, what do 8703eb8722 you think?” Choi 09c1d43d71 Soo-bin asked.cbe8d8cd356802dd

“About what?”c3cb0663bb9cec4d

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“Both.”37d616c0e3dd50e9

Both—she meant his impressions 53b9856f2e of the Guide and 2f2e6dc072 the Guiding session. Kang I-won, keeping 3644cca1d3 his tone indifferent, 01af2f9783 responded with a 8ed8f67be6 question of his 5829b93f8a own.76ad639a9fd6b72c

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“What about you?”0b5beb04011bb770

“Annoying, but good.”6bd5ebcf2b6e88e7

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“Same here.”8301698e1fb13bee

The Guide’s behavior, especially calling people “dirty,” had been deeply irritating and unpleasant. But the Guiding itself had been undeniably effective. Still, Kang I-won found that fact unsettling—it made him prefer the Guiding medication, despite its flaws.71e2dbfe19ca45d4

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Choi Soo-bin, finding 717391ce77 his curt reply e950c0cf24 unsatisfying, pouted and e14c6080aa pressed further.9f0ea1127f06822a

“That’s it? Nothing else happened?”5c4c1b3c7578838a

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Nothing else? The memory b9c06d0540 of Heo bf8693c4b7 Do-gyeong removing 0d9da31c72 his gloves 659bd6386e and throwing 8ccc45ca31 them in 2b64faad96 the trash 5f63d474f0 surfaced unbidden.b7c131f5760bd05f

“He threw away his 3a53e58ef6 gloves…”bbf6212da7348b41

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“Oh, right. He did the Guiding ac78486f65 with gloves on. It was nice 7d1a71af7f to finally get 33aa86e610 a proper Guiding 1e9cfd1eb4 session after so a828a3f594 long, but it 7c7cff0bda felt incomplete. He’s annoyingly ca31b7e122 obsessive about 57605d3f56 cleanliness.”7a84a52521974701

Choi Soo-bin clicked e79d3d9bce her tongue, her 5089e010fa complaint stopping there.3703667dc333cb85

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From her reaction, it 3f2d9c3a38 seemed that she hadn’t a0b17553f7 encountered the same insulting 9b36d549c2 behavior Kang I-won had. If she had, b89b467737 her personality wouldn’t b37c2b4955 have allowed her 6565556073 to stay silent—she’d 69162675c8 have been ranting 074b487348 about it without 0e2c5c31f6 needing to be f290edc091 asked.6b3863ece149da0b

So why only 408d4c1bd2 me? The question flickered in aa2915858c his mind, but Kang eb6d84b710 I-won chose to steer 93ef12c688 the conversation away.20c1fa257d098d2d

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“Is that 42ae11dbfd what you 114102a838 wanted to e5c6b571ef talk about?”23c50dcc865e6747

With a faintly b7f7ff9c29 mischievous smile, Choi 3bbcae82a7 Soo-bin replied, “That’s afd1613fbb part of it. But there’s 35f10d2470 something else. I wanted your advice.”3b58af4bbf170a31

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“Advice? From me?”da42420aff9776c8

Nodding slowly, Choi Soo-bin bd3d82afaa hesitated before finally speaking.b7365d13ecd8ed35

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“I got an offer. They’re asking if I’d a048b7a171 consider transferring to the 9b7dfaed56 Seoul branch.”9ab8941799c53ec8

Even in 5735c98a02 this chaotic 2598249db3 world, Seoul e54397aada remained the a414c6737d capital of 41b6e4a967 South Korea 592e2c60f4 and its 159f8188d2 safest city.083338d9f2be29ef

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In the a7ebc69b12 past, Seoul’s ff26740d2e housing prices a86bb6e88c had been 8e6889904f astronomical, but f1361cb5ec now they f3ee4fc8ed were beyond 4db6a0dccc comprehension, spiraling 7003d1bbb5 to insane 762164a6b7 heights. The divide between Seoul 04be720d42 and the provinces had aaf7dd33f3 become irreparable.07b1ae42fb0317f8

The reason was 0f8b0796aa simple: the Barrier.66f985c8f56da74b

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Barriers, capable 78d568bd3b of preventing 7106001030 the formation 05252f71df of gates 3ccf4a8940 and even f95663c5f8 stopping monster 63f5a80a15 incursions, were 52c858055a concentrated in 516de2dd4d Seoul.3428edc400b279c4

Of course, 2d6d760c25 it wasn’t 0002c8f05d a matter 0e26e8f9f4 of luck 4a8d9f6bbc that Barriers b890a144cd only existed 614b82b5c2 in Seoul—they 892f0a62f9 were the 6430d4ac2a result of 8c0f543b55 an Esper’s 95ae5e83fc abilities.76f573e5138254fc

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Barrier Espers 1cebcfa8b0 were a 1ed7d71395 scarce resource, 791d9a87d2 and even 3a0ba4d59d a single d0068b4258 Barrier Esper 7292fa7534 could only cca81277cb create a cb6e0776b9 limited number 82743da21e of Barriers ec7a39b8a2 each month. Naturally, these precious Barriers 3f6c26d3e5 were primarily allocated to ac0e10cdad Seoul.d09e033c8d814967

There had been backlash. In the early days, e216db27b7 protests erupted nationwide, with 9468d21880 demonstrators demanding equitable distribution. However, the powers that e535c37e77 be ignored the unrest, 3dd6ee0e90 and the media remained 5456e920c1 silent. To make d69bbcc594 matters worse, ad8256db2c sudden monster 11a8605b30 attacks repeatedly 31283d509b disrupted the a227bcd737 protests, dispersing 64da4fcaf5 the demonstrators. Over time, 8af0577b29 the uproar 1240ed32a5 lost momentum, d6f0a4b1fd and public 5f70aa5b70 interest waned.aebb066143843cb0

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Even now, many regions 66874f1688 continued to demand the f7a05b1120 installation of Barriers, but 322b085673 few paid attention. The passage of time 2a2ba4d162 had normalized the exclusivity 882a7da9ef of Seoul’s Barriers, and 72d4a99126 decades of fruitless demands ac2087da56 had taught people that 47bd41ef4b resistance was futile.2b7c209179864186

The Barriers in Seoul 012827a0a0 never disappeared. When one began f18abb8e7e to fade, another d6f39a6adf was promptly created 1ea68e0d24 to replace it.4eebb0b6d7331076

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Surprisingly, despite the 5d96fc7762 heavy concentration of c45bb92738 Barriers, Seoul was 1561a7d706 teeming with Espers. The city hosted three 68410c255a branches, and all three 8524851b4b ranked in the top 2776ff5ee0 ten nationwide in terms b57c7e2a5a of Esper population.b14105eacfc9a0c5

The abundance of Espers dbb6f9888e in Seoul could be 196122eb76 attributed to several factors, 7a825bee02 the most notable being afa63edd1c maintaining public safety in 18bca1c9b0 the capital and enabling d8af3da110 stable deployments of Espers f1f9721abc to other regions.9fb1967c4b85691b

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Consequently, other areas often 566c5fa243 suffered from a shortage 1bf05cef70 of Espers—and an even 56f52f75c4 greater scarcity of Guides. Yet gates continued e386de6f98 to appear relentlessly, cd2f5f2037 and the regional 448be8a190 forces were rarely 1f0bc8eac6 sufficient to handle 1d0065a9c8 the monsters that 32ff82cb8c emerged.3e3c78e0c130a86e

To compensate, personnel shortages 21d9ba3098 in various regions were cd244a1cf6 supplemented by Espers from 332617ca13 Seoul. As a 1e37ebdec6 result, more 24a45aa39e than half 25b224cbee of Seoul’s 37cf734525 branch-affiliated Espers 3e8e90a5be spent most 873d3084e1 of the c61d83f103 year in fc9c5bc40b other regions.cbf5f2612a98121f

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While the 67ddd3830c Seoul branch 50c2bf00a6 had a 67cdbc0aca reputation for 3508da6e5a being a 0d0c044337 cushy post 424d4e3402 where one 57091716e8 could take b2b8335e91 it easy, 63ecfccdeb the reality fe77b2ab31 was far e3e19baf58 from that. In terms of workload, 85f4d59352 it was as demanding bb4969afd2 as, if not more cb657ad0c4 so than, other locations.baf764ca56488b7c

Of course, some c5ea4a86cd Espers managed to 1dfc57b1c4 find relatively comfortable a32b321688 positions through connections 1acb8e4533 or wealth, but 1917b5e257 such cases were 4d5f8756eb exceedingly rare.752732e6f1654959

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Despite the 94b642e3a2 challenges, a 4ffba04577 transfer to bf26a78524 Seoul was e613920041 still considered b6636f1970 a valuable 3f0238182f opportunity—and not 03eadfcb53 one that d9aef90e2a came easily.692a0563d8d0a2b2

Kang I-won replied, b1f6ad977e “It’s a good 509baa0e33 chance.”d17c623204223028

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“Yeah, it is,” d4759152c6 Choi Soo-bin agreed. “But it 1997343779 comes with fd6626d08e a ton 8bc8d241ae of extra d6872d0d62 work.”ab1b8d5875b6c89a

With a 0ea761a437 sigh, she 1519424846 took a dca93d6177 long sip 835f8e49bb of her 20af168d02 iced Americano, cc4ad23362 her expression c540cd984d reflecting her 1ef5fee0ed conflicted feelings.e2a764a60754c7e3

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The benefits of being 875f2118ef in Seoul were undeniable. Promotion prospects were 723e76b804 significantly higher, and 930c30871f with the addition 9bade48414 of deployment allowances, 4c05c6bbae salaries saw a ca52573f18 noticeable boost.ea4321ac35c86e16

Most importantly, fc32c34078 it offered 4a5b0b4e78 safety for 8e0bac88e4 one’s family.197c6c85d10fa710

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Espers assigned to Seoul 4a7bd50869 were provided housing within 8cd4caf1c5 the Barriers—apartments specifically designated 74872cd49f for Espers’ families. While there was 351920b209 rent to pay, dda3758be6 it was a 810a8d2ce9 fraction of the cd223103c4 market rate.1558f34492910848

In a world teetering f95e361292 on chaos, such security 652506ccbc was priceless.8e73365f74fe82b3

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Barrier housing wasn’t 0b939bb05b a permanent solution. Contracts were renewed annually, 1b06841e4e and if an Esper ff0764c3a8 stationed in Seoul was b419a27d10 transferred to a regional b9c1dbbcc1 branch, their contract for d4d639d35a the Seoul apartment was 055dc72fcd terminated.2afaa4f73c931937

However, as fdd1cf8581 long as 63cf53178b one remained 322020c907 affiliated with 9c22cbe66c the Seoul 18d8d52201 branch, they fe9856cff5 could continue c858c92166 to live b19761ca34 there. Even so, few chose 619893334b to stay indefinitely. Most hung on just b01cb48550 long enough to save 24db2c2a62 enough for a place c44088cef1 of their own before f6b9666ef3 moving out.030e214d0c5fe252

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For long-term Espers, 0ff5f55518 the branch provided 4b94d6b21c substantial financial assistance 7ed671c5b9 when purchasing a 398f7a6ef7 home. Because of this, many 424719df0a Espers opted to stay e0fed4b839 in the subsidized apartments, 082813a57d enduring grueling workloads to 12823811bb fulfill the required service a44c2e5ffb period. Once eligible, they would bdc9075aa4 combine the branch’s housing 667f459b81 support with their savings 654819024d to secure a home 3fd6f7d633 in Seoul.871705ed1b8d618c

Some retired afterward, while 0c4333bc0b others—still capable and willing 44b8236df4 to work—often relocated to e8c66a1004 less demanding regional branches, 7e093ba498 leaving their families safely 361392f92a in Seoul.a5a7a347bad78286

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Of course, cd1b8126b5 there were b6a34093c9 those who 0cfc8fa0cf chose to f6e0d71fa6 stay in 24d1a1c16a Seoul, enduring 07ac8c9a3d until they c8c35731c6 eventually rose 0104b240e6 to positions ef47102d12 like branch 34bc2b059f or center e64bd35a08 directors.771504eb95211d6c

For anyone with career 04c0d7d8b1 ambitions, transferring to Seoul 5852325598 was a golden opportunity. Even without eb2f0e9810 aspirations for e444f15845 advancement, it c8c7707ee5 was an 1791ec29de unparalleled chance 819756c765 for a e64ef47957 better life.f117de425809f728

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Kang I-won, 9bfbcf5a3a too, knew fa34281ea5 that he 6d439ca3a9 wouldn’t hesitate 36cb3b0978 if given 71a17a3dff the opportunity.7ed7808b30eee57c

“You should dacbe0bf20 go,” he 2ee69a8b4a said bluntly. “For your brother.”0962862c42090806

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Choi Soo-bin had a e3b7fb52cb younger brother—an adorable child a15ca330da born from her mother’s f1d4b02846 remarriage.b0b5a767e9c2289d

Marriage or 063f6d224f having her 430f1a2d94 own children bd9051dc51 had never 0b86c4a97d been part d75eb167a0 of Choi ed84901083 Soo-bin’s plans. She intended to ecf4f9cfb6 live and die ca805b6342 alone, a resolve 9e9469a900 that only solidified 04771699ec after her father’s bfc0d1a10d death and her c37e2059fd perilous work as e946dc2ebf an Esper.950a73410568165a

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But the moment she 333cc81444 saw her tiny, squirming 36c367a0dd baby brother, all of 4d2bbb2461 that changed. Her resolve crumbled 9790a16cff in an instant. The little 7863233d36 one was 002bde5b3d too precious 596518e2c2 to ignore, 757a65fc15 too endearing 9533f673e4 to love d4081db049 half-heartedly.41c9c83e8d77d2e7

She decided 848f3805c2 to raise 749059734c him as a97290f351 if he aca9bebb04 were her 2981f38456 own child, 34cfd47e28 vowing to e53b12186b help her 32f798e655 aging mother 0016d86687 and give 033751ebc2 her brother b7f9f988d5 a bright d84189ae6f future. She wanted him to 5906e5a40b grow up happy, even 94a8e6c770 in this harsh world.ef1ba46d153789d1

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Seoul was the obvious b17af3159b choice. The quality of c108c9c0cf education alone was 8e900ed247 vastly superior, and 64d300ea8c most importantly, it 533a6a83bf was far safer.155d04ebe5207bca

Yet she hesitated. She bit down ec51729864 on her straw, dee3e08da0 unable to articulate b12765ed23 the source of 7fe761e2b5 her reluctance.4cd7b3deed119b72

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“Is someone asking 1dd8ea80e8 you not to dd1baeb12e go? Is Young-ho telling you 6b82b3343f to stay?” Kang I-won 7ded10521f asked.bd82750c35b208b2

“What? Young-ho?”2096b67f23f17039

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Choi Soo-bin burst into 4ff5aedf21 laughter, clutching her stomach. When she finally 16600a90fa caught her breath, f8eabf9fd0 she replied with db1155373a a chuckle, “I 7cfac0eaac didn’t even bring 906ffc2ee7 it up with 19b5321c7b him. Why would I? And even if he 0824ac2873 begged me to stay, 26d4fafed6 do you think I’d 1a728f5320 listen?”2e29e08477d6a6a7

“Then is it the 5eb6dee67e team leader?”60f1229d065420e2

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“Why would he try 54c885bd39 to stop me? He said 1af82b2e4b it’s a 52d819f33f good opportunity 11074d4819 but might d1e1b94f0a be tough, 3c01a9a6d4 so I 889257e964 should think d53219a7cd it through. He even said 3635a7d60f going to Seoul 8b76e4a998 would probably be 9e61712bb8 the best choice.”ee3815d11e59e9ea

“Then what’s holding 82339d5683 you back?”dc66693f723d90a8

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“I don’t know… I don’t even understand my own feelings right now.”c14a3ffb9dc8137c

Despite her light laugh, 473b48d208 a frustrated frown crept 6dcebec5f0 onto her face, as bf56c04712 if she was grappling 70047b01a3 with her indecision.4cd6bc10e746fec8

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Beep, beep, beep.03a6a214c09a4f03

Their devices buzzed 53b69ad7c0 in unison, displaying c07f645251 a blue light. A team call.fe2ab4f3414a0569

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Choi Soo-bin 4a2144a427 drained the 27c1951616 last of 4be82d75b6 her drink 5242a13550 through the 719ec697c9 straw, while 1844bc7da4 Kang I-won 9383089c16 pulled his 99557bbd73 out and e0d7dd67ce downed the 173f8404c0 remainder of a2f8d7162e his frappuccino 7c54c63d14 in one fd4e87eaf7 gulp.fd81536e9bcfbb74

“There’s never time dfc3d3678b to rest, huh?”1e56e001f000c007

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“That’s just ba9e3ab353 how it 501b5d2ea3 is.”f878b71b8c7b2f15

“True.”73328d282a23ceb2

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Without hesitation, the two 353edf27f1 bolted out of the 80f5fa723b café, rushing to grab 03e2523bdf their gear and answer 8b39a2a902 the call.ab75b6a2fd8fbca0