PRT | Chapter 1.5

Amidst endless reasons, the only thing he could trust was his body. So, Heeseo went out to investigate on his own feet. The first step was to identify the espers within the headquarters. He roamed the vast headquarters, familiarizing himself with the people.

However, this process was anything but smooth. It was rather on the difficult side. No one willingly answered, and they were all busy brushing past him, almost dislocating his shoulder.

“Excuse me, hello. Maybe…”

Sometimes, being treated like a ghost, denied even his existence, hurt more than sharp glares. Each time, Heeseo would get dejected, then snap back with, “Is there a law saying I can’t even talk to a murderer?”

Moreover, figuring out espers spread across the country was no easy task. With the slow progress, Heeseo also focused on enhancing his own value.

Of course, this too… was not easy.

Even with daily training, there were no significant results. Some days were promising, others hit rock bottom. Even the trainer assigned by the headquarters offered lessons no better than a textbook.

The bigger problem was the Guides who refused matching. Normally, a Guide shouldn’t refuse guiding, but in Heeseo’s case, such refusals were common. Even when matched, the majority were substandard.

Nothing was easy on this path. He fought through every moment steadfastly, yet sometimes he wavered.

“…”

Looking at the bloodstained blood collection marks, Heeseo let out a wry laugh. Then, the sky spun, and he stopped for a moment.

Did I overdo the blood collection?

It took a few seconds for his vision to return after flashing and narrowing. Recalling the bottle filled with his blood, Heeseo straightened his clothes and stepped forward.

The path he had walked countless times was familiar enough to navigate with eyes closed. At the junction dividing into the training room and the library, Heeseo turned right. The next moment, he bumped into someone and staggered.

“Damn, bad luck sticking to me.”

The other stood still, muttering curses. Looking up to see who it was, Heeseo made a sour face. It was Lee Chilhyeon from the same team, the magnetism user who openly showed hostility, as if he couldn’t wait to devour him.

“Are your eyes just for decoration? If you can’t even walk properly, go back home. Don’t stick around here.”

He sharpened his tone every time they met, as if he had to. He wounded Heeseo with words like he held a knife in his mouth. Heeseo couldn’t understand this level of hostility. Such reckless malice beyond reason raised questions rather than hurt.

“Because of kids like you, we all get blamed. Can you eat with the taxes you waste?”

“Even espers eat well, don’t they?”

“This one has a loose tongue, talking without respect. Can’t you keep your mouth shut?”

This one, sure. His gesture of raising his fist as if to strike was quite threatening. How could such a thug be in government service… Heeseo, thinking this, saw Lee Chilhyeon’s demeanor become even more menacing.

“If you’ve got thick skin, at least manage your expressions. Don’t make people uncomfortable.”

“…”

“Not answering? What, are you in deep meditation standing there?”

“You told me to keep my mouth shut.”

“Damn you, your mouth really…”

Heeseo didn’t question the harsh scolding. Thinking it would pass like the wind, he decided not to respond. The one who couldn’t even be called a real wind got more frustrated by the lack of response, huffing and puffing alone. Then, spotting someone on the opposite side, he dashed off, shouting, “Team Leader! How are you!” as if nothing had happened.

Heeseo turned away after watching Lee Chilhyeon bow to Ha Jaewon and other department heads. He felt someone’s gaze before he fully turned away but didn’t look back.

Upon reaching the library, he flipped through the books he had been examining for days. The Origin of Powers. Understanding Powers. The Evolution of Powers… Losing track of time while stuffing his mind with words, he suddenly remembered Seo Yigyeom’s advice.

‘There are more than a few dirty folks around here.’

At the time, regardless of the ambiguity of Seo Yigyeom’s actions, the meaning of his last words was clear. Like any other place, this organization was not transparent.

Secrets were always a vulnerability. Knowing this well, Heeseo began to entertain a clear assumption in his mind.

Rather than trying to prove himself righteously, what if he held their secrets in his hand? Just as his own mother did, if he targeted their weaknesses, could he secure his life? Perhaps this was a more certain and simpler method than being buried in books all day.

However, even knowing the possibility, Heeseo deliberately tried to erase such thoughts as he absorbed the words from the books. He knew well that focusing on static documents meant nurturing a more poisonous ambition.

The space was quiet. Despite being spacious, the few residents made it peaceful, which in turn made it more noticeable. Heeseo, who had just taken a rare deep breath, leaned against the bookshelf when suddenly an alarm pierced the silence.

[A C-grade Gate has been generated 8 km northwest of Seoul.]

It was a bright red warning that came in the middle of the day.

The same warning appeared in red text on his smartwatch. The book he was holding fell with a thud. Faced with this unexpected situation, Heeseo’s blinks quickened, and the air around seemed subtly different.

A gate…

The Origin Gate, which had torn the sky, was closed, but gates often appeared across the country. It wasn’t an unfamiliar phenomenon for espers affiliated with the headquarters. It was just the first time since Heeseo had joined.

Thinking of the gate, the screams of people and the howls of the strange beings seemed to echo in his mind. Heeseo moistened his dry lips and then left the library. The previously quiet corridor was now filled with people rushing about.

The deployment of support personnel varied with the size of the gate; a C-grade was a Code 3 situation, indicating a medium level of danger. Repeating the call order he had received, Heeseo clenched and unclenched his fists as he hurried along.

“Report the situation. What’s the size of those things?”

“Make sure they can’t get out!”

Among those making calls and heading out, Ha Jaewon was not there. Had he already left? Did he not get a call? It was supposed to be standard for partners or teams to move together. Heeseo, stopping in the center of the wide hall, hesitated for a moment before calling Ha Jaewon first.

“Team Leader, this is Kim Heeseo. Where are you…”

― At the back parking lot. Get here in one minute. I won’t wait longer.

The call was short, and the conversation even shorter. There was no time to be flustered by the disconnected phone. Heeseo pocketed his phone and dashed towards the back gate, gasping for air as his lungs tightened.

“Hello, huff, hello.”

As he got into the car and greeted, Ha Jaewon immediately hit the accelerator. It seemed they were moving separately from the other team members.

The car moved through a tense atmosphere. The streets they passed were in chaos. Horns blared everywhere, and people were mingling on both the road and sidewalk. Some were even laughing, seemingly enjoying the spectacle.

As they got closer to the gate, the tension mounted. Heeseo clenched his sweaty hands into fists. Since the gate had appeared in an area with many schools, minimizing casualties was crucial.

“There are many students trapped inside the building. Kim Heeseo, you’ll go in as backup for the rescue team.”

Upon arriving at the scene, Ha Jaewon quickly entered the heart of the confusion. Heeseo, without delay, ran towards the building. The sight of the monstrous creatures mixed together sent chills down his spine.

In reality, these creatures were larger, more terrifying, and grotesque than imagined. They dripped with sticky slime, soaking the ground, and tore through the space with strange sounds. These otherworldly beings seemed like disaster’s incarnate.

What could be beyond the gates?

Heeseo’s gaze, fixed on the shimmering sky, briefly touched the still-closed massive Origin Gate. The object defying natural laws showed no movement. After staring for a few seconds, Heeseo entered the building. Leading the students who were at a loss due to blocked exits, he guided them back outside.

The evacuation was relatively easy thanks to the transparent ice walls that suddenly rose to divide the space. Heeseo led the students along the path Ha Jaewon had created. Some behind him were still playful despite the situation.

“Wow, that face just begs for a slap.”

“I want to elbow him so bad. Hey, want to bet? Who can take one down first?”

“Please, don’t break formation.”

They were simple and honest, recoiling at the sight of the creatures but cheering for those who spectacularly used their abilities. They only gave half-hearted responses to the warnings from other espers.

At that moment, a dismembered creature fell, crossing the line.

“Shit!”

The creature, with its leg severed, wriggled towards people, still alive despite its partial dismemberment. Crawling on the ground, twisting its body, was a horrific sight.

A student nearby recoiled, kicking the ground in disgust. He spat, wanting to keep his distance, but the creature, soaked in saliva, continued to approach. Heeseo, taking a deep breath, used his ability.

Crunch… Crack!

After feeling something intangible swell within him, the slightly twisted space was compressed like crumpled paper. Heeseo, who had unknowingly held his breath, exhaled.

Even now, he didn’t fully understand the manifestation of his power. He had only accepted the sensation of that moment. Seeing the completely dead creature, his overheated nerves calmed slightly.

After that, how much time had passed was unclear. The sky, which had been bright blue, now turned a reddish hue. By then, the area seemed cleared of civilians.

“I’ll check the back.”

Heeseo scanned the surroundings one last time, heading to the back of the school to ensure no students were left. By then, the gate had visibly shrunk, clearly losing its vitality.

“They’re not even human…”

The sight of these beings, dying like they belonged to this earth, was unsettling. He hurried his steps, or at least tried to.

Boom! If the gate hadn’t exploded with a sound like thunder.

Caught in the explosion, Heeseo was thrown into the air and then fell hard. To make matters worse, debris from the collapsed building fell on him.

“Ugh.”

Though he instinctively used his ability to avoid major injuries, he couldn’t move. His smartwatch beeped and then died, indicating it was broken. He was completely trapped.

“…Hah.”

Heeseo struggled, gasping for breath. What kind of situation was this? He was dumbfounded by how badly things had gone. It was an environment where even calling for help was difficult.

“Isn’t this too much?”

Feeling a sense of injustice, Heeseo muttered with a choked voice, kicking at the stone that pinned him down. Unfortunately, nothing changed. His already weakening ability made his body ache even more.

Suddenly drained of energy, Heeseo relaxed his whole body, only blinking. His heightened senses stretched out beyond the rubble, but the surroundings were eerily silent.

…What should I do now?