Guide to the Fallen World - Chapter 15

#15. Merchant

“Ah, wait. don’t let go of my hand.”

“Why…”

“Because now I can guide the radiation without any issues. I heard the runaway level is about 42%.”

“That…”

“I know. With just the guiding drug, it will drop to about 15% to 20%. But right now, there’s no need for that, right? The peddler is about to pass by the area soon.”

“….”

“At that time, I won’t be able to offer radiation guiding or hand guiding like I am now. So, accept it now. You can use the guiding drug later.”

“Okay.”

As Do-hyeok’s face slowly brightened, as if the darkness had lifted, Ye-won smiled with satisfaction. He really did look good like this. If he smiled more, he’d look even better. Ah, is this what they mean by “handsome”?

Was this how fans feel when they worship and love celebrities?

I don’t know. Thinking about it any further feels dangerous. I can already feel how risky it is.

No, I don’t have any faults in this. It’s because he’s a manly, good-looking guy.

***

The plan to smoothly join the peddler is as follows.

First, lure the monster and pretend to be attacked, then escape.

Second, while asking for help from the merchant, put on a performance of struggling to deal with the monster.

Third, if the peddler leader refuses, use the guiding drug as a bribe to get in with them.

I had already made arrangements, having completed the paperwork as the younger sister of a high-ranking official from the Shelter Montreal in America. I even had a fake ID ready. I deliberately used the name of a remote shelter, so unless I was incredibly unlucky, there was no way my identity would be exposed.

Everything was ready.

But as usual, things don’t go according to plan.

The previous plan to be attacked by monsters never even started. It was because a merchant passing through Shelter Noah was being attacked by a monster.

And while I watched the devastation unfold, I didn’t rush to act. There were three Espers in the merchant group, after all.

No matter how many people died or got hurt, the reality was that we needed to prioritize our own situation. We had one Esper on our side. They had three. A three-on-one was not in our favor.

Therefore, Yeowon secretly hoped that at least one of the Espers fighting the monster would die or be seriously injured.

She knew it was a cruel thought. But kindness and malice can change depending on the need. She couldn’t ignore the possibility of a conflict between those three Espers and Kang Do-hyuk Esper if things escalated.

“If we wait any longer, it seems like it’ll be a complete disaster.”

“Wouldn’t it be better to wait a little longer?”

“If we leave this any longer, the merchant won’t be able to carry out their plan. I had planned to confirm the route the merchant regularly takes and join them, but if the damage increases, the merchant might change their destination.”

“That would definitely be a problem.”

“I’ll be back soon.”

“Take care.”

Without waiting for a response, Do-hyeok’s figure disappeared into the distance. His movement was so swift it almost didn’t seem like it could belong to a human. If it hadn’t been for the reconnaissance drone, Yeowon wouldn’t have even seen the monster’s limbs being tear to pieces from far away.

“Ugh.”

Of course, it would have been better if I hadn’t seen that at all, but progress had to be checked. After all, this was my responsibility.

So, Yeowon watched Do-hyuk’s efforts with dull eyes, skimming over the situation. It was like flipping through a book without reading it—while having conviction, it didn’t necessarily mean she could stomach everything. Even with determination, a candle’s flame can still flicker.

Anyone who heard her might mock her for speaking so nobly about nonsense, but she had always been sensitive by nature. Such things weren’t easily fixed.

In an era where murder and barbarity were commonplace, an age where monsters devoured humans—if waking up to that reality was a tragedy, then it truly was a tragedy.

With a pale face, Yeowon clung to Do-hyuk’s strength after he finished subjugating the monster, successfully securing their place with the merchant.

It was the classic case of the bear doing the work while someone else reaps the reward.

Regardless, Yeowon skillfully accepted gratitude from the merchant’s leader as though she had earned it herself.

“This way. You can use this barrack. It’s equipped with a basic barrier system, and over here is the alert system for detecting monster approaches.”

“Wow, can we really stay here? I’m so grateful. I hope we’re not being too much of a burden…”

“A burden? Not at all. Without the guiding substance you provided to our Esper, we would have been doomed even without a monster attack. Truly, we’re very, very thankful.”

Sensing Yeowon growing uncomfortable, Jay quickly stepped in to accept the thanks on her behalf.

“Oh, there’s no need for gratitude. We were being chased by monsters ourselves and lost everything, including our temporary shelter. We were stuck living on the streets until you kindly offered us this convenience…”

After chatting up the merchant leader, Jay sent them off and immediately surrounded the tent with a noise-canceling barrier.

“Now that we have an Esper around, we really need to watch what we say.”

At Jay’s warning, Yeowon nodded obediently.

“I’ll keep that in mind.”

“Whispering won’t work either. Espers can catch even the tiniest sounds. Their hearing is dozens of times sharper than an ordinary person’s. Some with heightened senses can even hear ants crawling from a hundred meters away.”

“You’re joking, right?”

“I’m not joking, it’s true. This should give you an idea of how careful we need to be with our words, ok?”

The first thought was that she’d been tricked. If what Jay said was true, then the self-confession he made about Kang Do-hyuk Esper a few days ago was essentially a direct confession.

Indirect, but still a straight admission to the person in question—a blatant apology for everything so far.

“Why are you telling me this now?”

“Uh, well… ahem. I kind of missed the timing to bring it up?”

“Maybe I should’ve let the Ark stay in sleep mode. I should look into shutting down your network functions right now.”

“Come on, it’s fine now that I’ve told you!”

“So that’s how it is. I’ll make sure to return those exact words someday.”

“Wait, no! I take it back. I was wrong!”

“How typical… such a lighthearted apology, as always.”

With those words, Yeowon turned to look at Do-hyuk.

“Did you hear all that?”

The question was met with silence—a response more telling than any words.

***

The earth no longer belongs to humans. Its true rulers are now the monsters.

This happened because the gates, which began appearing one by one, were not dealt with in time. They grew larger and larger, eventually consuming the entire planet.

The Sahara Desert is no longer a desert but a vast swamp, and Chile has turned into a frozen plateau.

The 8 billion people have vanished.

Now, humanity lives within shelters, surrounded by layers of barriers. These shelters have become new city-states of sorts.

The origins of shelters trace back to luxurious residential areas created for the powerful. This was due to meaningful data suggesting that shelters helped suppress the creation of gates.

Everyone, regardless of status, longed for a place in these so-called shelters.

Because they were safer. People could return home without encountering gates on their way back from work.

Soon, everyone realized the importance of walls and barriers.

However, it was impossible to cover the entire planet with barriers. Half of the Earth had already been consumed by gates, resources were limited, and Espers were beyond control.

It would have been ideal if a brilliant politician or leader could step in and solve the problem, but the gate crisis was a tragedy that could not be resolved by leadership alone—it was a disaster for all of human history.

Even if one country remained strong, if its neighboring country collapsed, it would fall with it. This was because monsters had no concept of borders.

In other words, even if I perform well, you’ll still be messed up. it’s like a group project where grades and everything else are irrelevant.

At this point, whether we like it or not, a space for cooperation and unity should have emerged. However, if it were that easy, the history of the Earth wouldn’t be stained with conflicts and wars.

Thus, cities and nations entrusted the fate of humanity to the shelters.

And now,

Yeowon was running just outside that very shelter. Her destination, a guiding drug production facility located beneath a volcanic region.

Since it was impossible to walk, Yeowon was riding the transport bike that the merchant generously offered.

Having never even seen a driver’s license in her life, Yeowon left the bike operation to Dohyeok. For the same reason, she had to cling to Dohyeok’s waist as they moved forward.

And behind, Yeowon’s waist being embraced by Jay.

Though she was trapped like a sandwich, front and back, Yeowon understood this positioning was for protection. A slight discomfort was a small price to pay for survival, she thought.

However, handling the gaze of others while in such an embarrassing situation was a different issue. Despite wearing a visor to keep her face hidden, it felt as though the gazes were piercing right through it.

Yeowon felt like she had become an exhibit in a zoo. It wasn’t just that she was a person anymore; she felt like an object to be observed.

Unable to ignore the stares any longer, she opened the holographic chat feature on her visor and began tapping on the virtual keyboard floating in the air. While, for safety’s sake, she should have been holding onto Do-hyeok’s waist with both hands, the situation felt strange enough to warrant a brief moment of one-handed typing.

【Do these people know I’m a guide? Why are they staring like that?】

Yeowon’s fingers hovered over the virtual keyboard in surprise, not expecting Do-hyeok to respond first. She paused for a moment before reading his message.

【It’s because of me.】

【I figured as much. They must be staring because they know about Shelter Noah.】

The realization hit her, it wasn’t just her presence or the situation, but the attention tied to their destination and its significance. The weight of being associated with such a powerful shelter was drawing eyes they didn’t want.

Yeowon frowned as she read the message, her mind racing. She hadn’t expected Shelter Noah to come up in this context.

【Why is Shelter Noah being brought up here?】

The answer came almost immediately.

【Shelter Noah was the only shelter with a Guide. Its reputation was as infamous as it was famous. I thought everyone had forgotten about it since it happened 15 years ago, but it seems people still remember Noah.】

The mention of Shelter Noah, with its complex history and notorious reputation, added another layer of tension to the already uncomfortable situation. Yeowon could feel the weight of it now, realizing that their very presence was likely causing the stares.

Yeowon read the message, a small sense of relief washing over her, though the discomfort of the situation didn’t entirely dissipate.

【It’s probably because they recognize Do-hyeok’s face. And the fact that we joined the peddler near Noah’s vicinity doesn’t help.】

【Don’t worry though. People don’t know you’re a Guide. If you look closely, their gazes are shifting away little by little. They’re not looking at you—they’re looking at Do-hyeok.】

Yeowon let out a soft sigh, reassured, but still uncomfortable with the situation. At least, for the moment, it wasn’t her they were focusing on, but the shadow of Noah that hung over them.

Ah, I see. If it’s the attention directed at the Esper who defeated the monster attacking the caravan, then that makes sense. Given the times, everyone is always cautious around powerful Espers.

However, those looks… they feel too… hostile, don’t they?