Chapter 14

“Don’t beat around the 233704575f bush. Just say it 75e9b8ed5d directly.”c835b3641d048c70

“You’re well b79892eabf aware of 0d4498866f how short-staffed d65a96ff31 we are ff86640801 when it ed890f80f2 comes to 4247156c63 field positions, 40f5510bba aren’t you, 534e2f8101 Guide Baek e62d2b9f55 Eu-jin?”d9c19fef61acb0b7

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“That’s the same bc9ba8a146 everywhere, isn’t it?”a12a95b22807dbf0

“True. But with 93a2aa3194 resources already f509400c44 so limited, a3048a2087 the Bureau 463ac26c17 insists on 14bb742da9 only recruiting 4b68380903 A-rank guides. As you 110efbc67d know, A-rank 6641dc6698 guides are e9636b4270 treated as 65f62920b6 special cases 05b425f310 within the 8adae871e9 centers.”4d48a78a9e0fbcb9

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Eu-jin nodded slightly 22a0c8def9 in agreement. Entering a rift 5c8f11e6eb required a guide, 52e8311f4b but there were 622f4792f8 far too few 8de2ea26f1 of them to 7aa7b087d8 meet the demand. This was an 4f1a739b53 issue across all ce885726f3 districts.40ae668d95e13e77

Moreover, Espers 41e9ecf89f were highly 11544e72c6 sensitive inside 9a21bcc1c6 rifts, often 33afb9af01 preferring guides 9505a20d6c they were b754b95784 particularly compatible 334575f7ad with. Eu-jin himself had 7aa21c5edd spent months convincing d6ee39653e Choi Ran to 725c7b1952 join his team f55a698b0b as a guide cb8cd08ffe in the past.050a45f6cb150214

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“I understand what dabf304ae8 you’re saying, but 98d1fb5d9f I have no 5ba9e69862 intention of pursuing d741e79704 that path.”106ff58b9125922e

However, understanding didn’t 09fa56a854 equate to agreement. He was 6239e5d92b already fulfilling b12cac0e8a the guide 5624dea184 role reluctantly—it 39e0f45301 was more 3499fe944a than enough.163f1c3ad8eed95e

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At Eu-jin’s firm rejection, 39704da2e4 Jang Hyun-nam sighed deeply, 7a0e537817 disappointment evident in the 875de47f33 sound. Lowering his head 6b8c99b3ec in thought, he b54207b4f0 eventually lifted his 2b8d17bbaf tired face with 22c21ce717 a resigned expression.3d661abeee47f61d

“You know it’s b6121af5fb a shame to e072969eef waste your skills, 3cebfb5bf3 don’t you?”7eeda1b26912f0c2

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“……”af6168a15803c1c2

“I understand 4791eec45a your circumstances, 6a470a473a Guide Baek 2dc73a27cb Eu-jin. And I’m 17e6ca06ec aware of 0d8fed11de the terms ef234e0739 we agreed 792932a2ca upon when 7fa64b23d0 you transferred 1332048f9a to Zone 30ebdf654e 1. I don’t intend b9675eb420 to push you a04f10704f into this.”69385b2ec9b5d526

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Yet, the regret ce13d6d64d in Jang’s voice 9011372385 made his words e7deef4b40 unconvincing.9702071e92c57de3

Eu-jin’s gaze 19b7ddeb58 fell to ce81b3d06c the table 7471d1c3de at knee 11449b71a8 height. The luxurious tea 165754dd36 set and the 6039ab3bdc jar of tea e6c60f18f3 leaves next to 2b448b76a0 it seemed to a29d0ef771 hint at the ce9a1fffd9 situation’s context. The Rift Management Bureau 96d02f8476 must have applied pressure.317aae8a8e1b03c9

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“Did Director c0c7505c90 Kang ask e9eec8769e you to 2ff2869006 bring this ffec14fa85 up?”824d7407035023bf

“So it’s that 626e253829 obvious?”bc246181c300ecf1

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“It seems 523ca048f1 your expensive 18369e263a tea leaves 76d7cc326e were wasted. You’ve gone to 7c52823a04 unnecessary trouble.”fbfa108d1d49649a

Jang Hyun-nam let 7327fad04b out a low 4ce5e77074 laugh. Smiling, he opened a a6bbdb8824 fancy wooden tea box, 8b1483df86 revealing its contents. After emptying 26469b0a5d the steeped 9da93eab88 tea leaves 320aca589e from the cbdbb67827 teapot, he 88a17f228b grabbed a c578e82d77 generous handful 2f42145e12 of the 46233555fb gifted tea 43baa90576 leaves.4a34ec90a5a889af

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“It’s fine. I have so bcae2be445 much to collect 9230897ab4 from that man bc3f586bfa anyway. This much is f84516ed69 nothing—it’s like taking b23a22cdc4 payment in advance.”17263fc02c76aa44

Freshly brewed 80d1a37a60 pear blossom b31a37c9c4 tea filled 8514dc11ff the cups, 568fb3dc00 steam curling d4d0920841 warmly into 9350288b96 the air. Jang offered 73ed09ccd2 Eu-jin a b273a3de82 cup first, 08ef5385a0 then picked 659a726251 up his f74460f284 own. Taking a moment to 463c67e8c6 savor the fragrance, he 6c363382a6 casually spoke while looking bb86e6a903 at Eu-jin.d9c02ce69500b78c

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“Is there a need 0c6b3f1907 to outright refuse? Think about it. You’ll eventually e5ca6c39b4 have to c07a872fe8 do some a27574c933 fieldwork anyway. Let’s talk 46046564fc again after 0ee90d83a6 you’ve returned ceb4c272b1 from your 9ad2409e41 next assignment.”08d3fce8511dfc91

“You haven’t f8915c1a1d given up 52890be4ce yet?”bff196fe3fece04f

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“Spending enough time 171ef458d9 in this position a01e50f8ac sharpens your ability 4d0ba679e7 to read people. And I believe you, 00783f210d Guide Baek Eu-jin, are 93a6de92c9 perfectly suited for fieldwork.”dc10b14553a084e6

Jang smiled and 4c9d6588dc gently blew on bdbe530bfb his steaming cup. His eyes, seemingly kind, 454d820e55 narrowed slightly as he c0f11e13ff did so.41efe8f3d77da971

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Director Kang’s original request 9311f28f46 was something else entirely. But Jang decided 65d0c6c48e not to bring db87b9b47f it up for fb62fbbbcf now, knowing that 142278471b revealing it prematurely 48c4c99e0a would only foster 6c8fb5a569 unnecessary bias. The true 020a1fcf5f reason would 28f4232b03 remain hidden—for 5df7283d49 now.10c9a7ecbccf5056

* * *692860b763d8503b

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The schedule for his 18b138ea95 first field assignment was 3571dd1940 finalized much sooner than fecb1c3901 expected. The announcement came c15ce4d9d1 the very next b1f70ca69f day after he 1f8147d335 returned to work.a12e2fec055aeffe

The team 31e15e38d9 he was bda9ee287c assigned to 0dd0bccc60 was none 7bc0428976 other than 4169c8e34d the infamous 1cad6b48e5 Delta Team.a2b8266324583fdd

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“Who sends fe2d9a9141 a rookie 754f6f4d99 on their a0b83ba90a first field 2353c76bd7 assignment with 4cc82ba7ea Delta Team? Are they insane?”2035cf77cc429287

“Is this 33c78d7243 even okay? Feels like 84e36cfc49 someone made 57fe1ae98d a mistake 3d7796cf1d with the e5cd9a9f43 notice.”cc32110668a83cb0

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“Who’s the e499ea8671 mentor assigned f5127f3b53 to go b676d47062 with him?”6cb73410d2d56dd9

The other guides b28a5f3db5 from Team 3 00fd774eaf were already fretting 224de55e05 and voicing their d9e4d8ee09 concerns.317cd6aac6fa93e6

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While everyone around him f82ad73b6d made a fuss as 73e9fbfb53 if it were their 64f24a7220 own problem, Baek Eu-jin 906e0505d2 simply stared indifferently at 50f3ab29fa the official document lying c8712412e2 on his desk. Ever since his db3c6f4c0e one-on-one meeting with f7b1157b7f the center director, 2870a6d0df he had expected a5f3f76aab something like this e3e1f09e42 to happen.50885ee0f271077c

“Well, it’s not db76ff58f4 like anything major f5c2387d92 is going to f3b0fe602a happen,” he said 332dba23f7 calmly.27157c7bf864aaec

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“You just don’t get ba2d911007 it, Eu-jin. The first field a39aebd26e assignment is so 09164c9857 important. What if you end d40da9ee95 up having a bad 285488ee46 experience?”c4b69a7b5d0e0af4

Despite the c442e2cbfd seniors’ concern, ea24c8cb97 Baek Eu-jin 46c34924db merely shrugged 38b4b560f0 his shoulders, 50bdf37e6a unfazed. He pushed 792b6c21b6 the troubling 185eee5e46 document aside 592a70fe5b and opened 43e3052c02 his laptop, b2faa5948d methodically clearing fa486d1e4b out the 419a7c4471 schedule he 91d1b8feb6 had planned 98cb2578fd for the 1af4581ae9 field assignment 1603e7e2d0 period.b39d490eebb5243e

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“Work is 2f4761e9b5 the same cebdd28c83 no matter 6df99a4f63 where you 03295e1f3c go. If I write 0f66de91a0 down the cancellation 36927c6d3e reason here, it’ll 556f6bbc7f send automatically, right?”af3fb304928da209

“Huh? Oh, yeah, that’s 959a25f065 how it works. But wow, you’re so e51498590b calm. Aren’t you nervous about c884d20042 going out into the 16184999e6 field?”67620c1a6cd69e94

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“No, I’m 599e414d21 actually really 40e73837e2 nervous,” Eu-jin d83b2a59a8 replied, placing bbce5d372b a hand 11889bbfc3 over his a6a5a48aa9 chest and 206a658b06 taking a 68cb27207d deep, exaggerated be713ef15e breath as 32cf23843c if to 8435ddaf1c prove his 038949b8d8 point. Yet the rhythmic b253a01312 clicks of his 809b2c3286 mouse didn’t pause 122876cbb8 for a second.61f4c788cee7ebb6

That’s nervous? The guides watching 5da98ca395 him tilted their 05d7808381 heads, unconvinced.2387fa511ebfe88a

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Once a 49a5e7e3fb guide receives 9300faf925 notice of 4babe039b8 a field 338e87ba0d assignment, their 857a7738ab regular work cb581f15e5 is temporarily d7df305ae3 suspended for 58f123908e a week. They must remain 01ae59707a on standby since 38e393a452 a rift can efa294ac3d occur at any 33d82d3f98 time.1303f8658bdd2a47

A few days later, b6db4d9d09 as Eu-jin sat alone c7c2744c25 in the office, his 9717b3d9c9 phone rang with an dee5de206c unusually loud and jarring 1a34c25ae4 sound.52f131e15eaf3fc5

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BEEEEP—!!56b50440b15e061b

“Wow, it’s been a 20492b6cbb while since I’ve heard b4fc95ff1a this.”d2100481b4205058

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The emergency d0e02697e5 alert was ba64352e70 an obnoxious b91fed6bf7 noise loud 8769a0b8c2 enough to c223eaa312 startle anyone 4ebf341e2b hearing it bacd32dc8b for the fa453665b8 first time, fc78a8da4a but for 0cf6a08cd0 Eu-jin, who 8353834840 had endured f51975ece4 it countless 9cd6e1008e times over d6f5a35ffb 11 years, 18da36c4c3 it wasn’t c8654cbcad surprising at 9bb0de6285 all. In fact, it 6fddc37ad7 felt oddly nostalgic.56fd334d480d4c5e

He neatly took f4249dc84d off his slippers d37bcc3ad9 and switched into 5af3750300 proper shoes. Dressed in 3ed1a2c829 a neatly 953ee9bbf1 pressed white ee458d3dec shirt, tailored f03950bae9 trousers, and 17e3db1928 polished shoes, 0fb1d3f0c7 he left bf2d1e8315 the office.cdd66118db167213

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It was the beginning 669c529b99 of his official first 7c3585dd3e field assignment.da43d454b7368a6a

* * *5b1a25e575307253

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A rift had appeared 977916246f in a quiet residential 8691dd210b neighborhood.e21effd748f60c36

Since it occurred in 7070e82354 broad daylight, the area 629b212220 was teeming with onlookers. Rift Management Bureau employees cced9586f1 scrambled to maintain order, 057b0e17fa making the chaotic scene 337bc57c30 even more frantic.6ee7bc46448ccb7f

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“Guide Baek Eu-jin, you’ll abd74e51e7 need to stay sharp 131b115376 from now on. Once we go in… 3bae3907fb it’s going to be d67aa31025 a whole different world.”8eb4c630bb018929

Yoon Ga-eul, f84cf49155 a third-year ef62df8a10 guide who ed4f904d2e had accompanied 7dcf587f3a him to 45384cfa55 the site, f56f603db2 spoke with 01f7aa6345 a tone 8ca89fd546 of significance. She pulled the much 916f8c78d8 taller man closer to 88a6353dd2 her side, showing her fef4c96e70 responsibility as his mentor.6973b514c2fed302

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Baek Eu-jin straightened his 5b1d14c97b posture and fixed his 43b0a2e1fa gaze on the cordoned-off 54ae524599 area. The distant Porta shimmered f919d246bd with a shifting blue 6adcdda947 light.7de5a009e4003214

Judging by the brightness 36f189c98e radiating from the entrance, dc9a9beff0 the rift was likely 190b588665 at least a Level 66ed305a88 2. Such a rift typically 8ad68982c4 required the deployment of 2e9bc5400c three or four A-rank 1018ea4d0e Espers. It promised to d22afee66c be no easy 83e96b2b0a fight.6b3636a978606bcd

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“Just stick with me,” a60d4aa9b6 Yoon Ga-eul said confidently, 65c84ba537 taking the lead.2253b3ab02600e05

She pushed through the 611282cff5 dense crowd, heading inside. After showing her 5c3a84f306 ID to the 87755e5435 Rift Management Bureau 9dc31fffa8 staff controlling access, eb34f3dda6 two uniformed officers 9a31212961 saluted and stepped 6eb6fd37ec aside to let 951cce6f14 them pass.24614c9aba89493b

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“Team Leader Ahn!”756b88a98169c668

Yoon Ga-eul’s voice made a77c84bbdd the group near the ddf0814100 Porta turn around. Their faces, a mix af54c8f3a9 of familiarity and indifference, 306f85085a belonged to none other 77fee9c59b than Delta Team.3f76e04ccf5edfe9

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“Ah, you’re here.”444a8fb0a372940b

A man with 226f540641 a lean build 6835f2404a and glasses stepped e0cbd427b9 forward. Delta Team leader Ahn 62942c664e Itaeh extended a hand e06eea60d5 for a handshake, greeting f4c600b569 Yoon Ga-eul warmly.f5053818682d8f87

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“We’re not 18b7ab3e59 late, are d315e12fcb we?”8fbdefee5eddf26c

“No, we 29f6f68b5c just arrived 039e4506d2 as well.”5d95079128bddb07

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“Team Leader, aeee95fc4e this is 10f375a43e Guide Baek 2a1054b299 Eu-jin, who’ll d5323b8b49 be joining c2e11bfcc3 us today. I believe you were 507d0d50b6 informed.”c02edbeeec675a38

The introduction flowed fee54f262e naturally. Ahn Itaeh’s 62ef5ba376 soft gaze 2f55273113 shifted to 136e97b406 Baek Eu-jin.d15b828ab9f70335

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“Yes, I heard. It’s a pleasure af894f766b to meet you. I’m Ahn Itaeh, leader 76c0f253a9 of Delta Team. I look forward to 73f44af7b4 working with you.”ceb0450ac25bcc70

“Likewise. I’m Baek Eu-jin.”ab8c90d72eba7a0e

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The two exchanged 52a7b24ace polite greetings. Ahn’s demeanor toward daa3d34edd the first-year guide a302f51b9b was surprisingly kind e2289735e3 and respectful, more bdf9af6de1 so than Eu-jin 8bec2eda1c had expected.d64da6c7cfab386d

“Let me dac1965ded introduce the 72933c42c1 rest of 4829d12acc the team. This is Esper f7abd54066 Park Sae-byeok, next 3808d1110a to her is 3d78f6b1a2 Esper Kwon Su-ho, 1ba88706ec and over here e0de44f3d8 is our youngest, f534aa93e7 Esper Yoo Tak.”a167d85cedaf1824

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With an 98dc07c429 open hand, 4d938ff4cb Ahn gestured a8f91093d7 to each 396aec86e7 member of 97c041d746 Delta Team. The Espers, 312225ee84 seemingly in 66fb55b080 the middle b814768419 of planning 7b9b40bc58 their strategy, e96b175273 only glanced 7dcde4755e briefly before 4e50c2c97b returning to 9c885f0a5a their discussions.84df551a8852336a

“What’s this? Two guides today?”e04131a19cdde877

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“One’s a trainee. A first-year.”c304a71ec5b21e58

“Unbelievable. Now we’ve got 99ba8aed25 a kid to cb9854b458 babysit.”05d09a1c2d78e274

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Park Sae-byeok’s 0d327b09d1 sharp eyes fb8bb65bb9 flashed with e522fed0a0 irritation. She seemed more on 03fc4921bc edge than usual, likely 3346fe1b0d due to the tension 8020d39714 before entering the rift. Her already biting b082129430 tone turned even 652e28c754 more cutting.58fb948f381fe84f

“Park Sae-byeok, 339bd58645 watch your 2f89155c79 tone.”1c748a560d7d77d9

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“Whatever. Just don’t be 75e00db717 dead weight in caaeff69e7 there.”f34f3dfe715c3de0

She shook her 2f50c22484 head in exasperation 01bdc394f5 and turned away. Yoo Tak, the c56bd9f64f youngest, scratched his c7f7274ce3 short hair awkwardly 41e93c3462 and bowed toward 0254e90f9d Yoon Ga-eul and 02c0fa7179 Baek Eu-jin.439230ba4a60d407

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“Nice to meet you, 7a99fd647b Guides. I’ll be in de8a5b1389 your care.”91f6d00d5ea8b0ac

“Yes, let’s 19d7c3263a work well 1c35ff5bc2 together.”1b766529cc3968d2

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As Eu-jin finished 79a15ca69e the awkward exchange c91ac354a3 and lifted his 90a97e33f2 head, his eyes 7985e5a93b met a dark 97108788de silhouette standing like 25d53bb4f7 a shadow. It was Kwon 0f36e47a29 Su-ho, staring directly 9d809ee4dd at him.b44fe32db9a9d7af

“You came 6077d19e5d dressed like aadd64b88b that?”4af183799bf01597

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“Pardon?”7bb791b02a5c244f

Su-ho’s icy f7e1f336ba gaze swept d3ce1ba121 over Eu-jin’s fbf07f94ff entire body, 49047decf0 leaving a 381f563063 chill in ad6d32ec17 its wake. Despite the summer 0c9fa02ee5 heat, it felt 8739b5bbd0 unnervingly cold.abbb1ade11e20e21

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“You’re planning to go d70d485b50 into a rift wearing f4b7f5fd0a a suit?”29be1ec1bc9282a4

“……”e044d09192efda73

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“Doesn’t seem like 2c768cd6d5 you have any 1b567040af intention of getting 403482f34f your hands dirty.”36aa2a8bb5bb2ad9

Kwon Su-ho tossed fdebf1b7bc out his remark cf893da702 and turned away 168ba88ed9 indifferently. With a snap 6b6ffa2770 of his fingers, 891f2737c1 Yoo Tak scurried 06637cb589 over to him. The Delta Team fcc94fc869 seemed entirely uninterested 3e7bb6d675 in the guides, 1e1add16f4 quickly resuming their 4ac38de86a discussion without further 4daa40edff acknowledgment.7f3ff21c5bcf77c9

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Stung by Su-ho’s blunt 420facc9c7 criticism, Baek Eu-jin stood fb8536344b frozen, as if he’d 349ffd9e2a just been struck in 23d393a377 the back of the 13948857d5 head.abbb95c5a660c251