Guide to the Fallen World - Chapter 28

#28. Shelter Yeouido

“I’ve seen many espers like you collapse after acting this way. This offer is also for your own good. But if you still refuse, I won’t force you. Just stay here. I won’t stop you. If you foolishly endure and endure until you explode…”

The former Esper research institute director’s blunt words slapped Dohyeok hard.

“It won’t be too late to expel you then. By then, Yeowon will agree to expel you too. Pitifully, with a lot of wounds.”

“….”

“With alliances forming between shelters everywhere, there’s a lot to deal with. It’s time you started earning your keep.”

With those words, countless holograms appeared behind Jay’s back.

“It’s about Shelter Yeouido.”

Jay left those words behind and departed.

Left alone, Dohyeok silently confirmed the task he had to do.

He memorized the holographic view of Yeouido and the profiles of the Espers there, and then skimmed through the mission outline planned by Jay.

Even without looking at the data for long, he could tell at a glance. Shelter Yeouido has a solid foundation and a strong bond among its espers.

It was precisely because of this strength that they could afford to hide the awakened Espers from the director’s watchful eye.

In Yeouido, there was an Esper whose circumstances were the complete opposite of his own, Heo Yigyeom of Shelter Yeouido. Dohyeok had heard the name before.

Dohyeok instinctively realized. If this esper abandons the shelter and throws himself at them… the Director would not refuse.

On the other hand, Dohyeok’s uselessness had ironically become his usefulness. But that effect would vanish in time.

Now was not the time to fear leaving his guide’s side. He had to obediently follow orders and prove his worth.

The Esper Research Institute was a bridgehead for entering the Shelter Noah committee, and the Director was a person who had been involved there. She is not so careless as to leave a disobedient dog alone. Dohyeok knew that fact better than anyone else.

Moreover, this matter was beyond simply wanting or refusing to follow the director’s orders.

Just as the director had said, he needed to clear his head before it was too late.

***

When Dohyeok told Yeowon that he was going on a mission assigned by Jay, she opened and closed her mouth.

“Why are you telling me this only now?”

“…I’m sorry.”

“No, it’s not that I want an apology….”

Seeing both of them at a loss, like a couple sending their lover off to the battlefield, Jay, unable to watch any longer, volunteered to take the blame.

“Let’s just say it’s my fault. I was the one who gave the mission, and I told him not to say anything until the last minute.”

“So what’s the mission? Is it dangerous?”

“Yeowon, he’s an Esper. Most things aren’t even dangerous…”

“No, I’m asking what the mission is. Why are you telling me this at the last minute? Why didn’t I know about this?”

“Sigh. Okay, I’ll explain. The guiding drug production base in the west was raided. He’s being sent to take care of that. You may not know, but we’re under attack right now. It’s not just the shelter where you stayed that’s being targeted, but even the drug production base is suffering from the espers’ attacks.”

Jay, who lied without batting an eye, gestured to Dohyeok with his eyes.

“Dohyeok. There’s no time. Leave now.”

“Wait, hold on. You’re just sending him off like this?”

“What are you so surprised about? It’s not like i’m sending him off secretly, i’m telling you now. It’s not like you’ll never see him again, so don’t be so flustered. Don’t worry too much. He’ll be back in about a month.”

Flustered? Yeowon’s eyes naturally narrowed at the absurd remark.

“Ah, so you’re telling me to relax? You inform me as if you’re hitting me in the back of the head, and now what are you saying? It’s common sense to share any danger beforehand. This is my business too. Am I wrong?”

She asked, suppressing her anger, but Jay didn’t answer. Instead, he gestured to Dohyeok with his chin. It was a sign for him to stop dawdling there and leave quickly.

However, Yeowon’s subsequent shout stopped Dohyeok in his tracks.

“You should have consulted me first before making the decision to send Dohyeok away!”

At those words, Dohyeok instinctively came to an abrupt stop. Without thinking, he chose to heed his Guide’s will over Jay’s orders.

Seeing this clear preference, Jay clicked her tongue and hardened her expression.

He had been indecisive and at a loss in the middle, but now he was determined. It seemed that the influence of the marking was greater than he thought.

Having no other choice, Jay quickly changed his attitude and persuaded Yeowon.

“Yeowon, I get it. I understand why you’re upset. But external operations are my responsibility. That’s how it’s always been, and you’ve never interfered before. Besides, do you think I’d be rushing to send Dohyeok out like this if it weren’t absolutely necessary?”

Yeowon glared at Jay for a long moment before finally softening her expression. It seemed she was holding back because she recognized the urgency of the situation.

“Sigh… Fine. But will he at least be able to communicate? I need to be able to check if he’s safe.”

“What? Communication? An Esper receiving calls from their Guide during a mission? Just the thought of it is horrifying. If your information leaks, do you realize what could happen? Absolutely not.”

At Jay’s sharp warning, Yeowon bit her lip, glancing between Dohyeok and Jay before abruptly turning on her heel and retreating to her room.

Seeing her back as she revealed her disappointment, Dohyeok lowered his head silently.

‘It would have been better if I had told her in advance and asked for her understanding. If I had, I wouldn’t have disappointed her like this… No, no, I shouldn’t think about it. I have to go.’

Just as he was about to move his steps to the hangar, embracing his heartache, Yeo-won, who had burst out of her room, handed a round guiding stone to Dohyeok.

“Here. Take this with you. You must not break it. If you do, radiation guiding will spread everywhere. But if you keep it in your mouth, you can receive radiation guiding without any leakage.”

“I appreciate your thoughtfulness, but it seems like a dangerous item to take outside the base.”

“Yeowon, Dohyeok is right. The guiding stone is…”

Anticipating the objection, Yeowon didn’t let him finish and shoved the guiding stone between Dohyeok’s lips.

“Don’t spit it out! You’ve got saliva all over the guiding stone!”

“Yeowon!”

“What! So what! It’s fine! If the base is under attack, it’s dangerous, right! Can’t I even give you a gift to wish you a safe return?”

The sight of her guide arguing with the director for his sake, trying to get her way. And the guiding stone rolling around in his mouth.

Dohyeok rolled the guiding stone in his mouth, unable to do anything about his aching heart. If this was what it felt like to be moved, it was sweeter than any candy he had tasted as a child.

He couldn’t spit it out. It was a gift that the guide had personally put in his mouth. Dohyeok hid the guiding stone under his tongue and opened his mouth.

It was time to stop hesitating and give Yeowon the answer she wanted.

“I’ll bring you a gift when I return.”

At Dohyeok’s words, Yeowon, who had been arguing with Jay, turned her head towards Dohyeok. Yeowon’s brow was furrowed with worry.

“Really? You’re coming back safely, right?”

“Yes. If you like the gift, could you do me a favor?”

“I will.”

Even though he had aimed for those exact words, Dohyeok was nervous. It was because he didn’t know what Yeowon’s next reaction would be to her agreement.

Dohyeok held back any hint of affection, afraid that revealing too much might cause Yeowon to run away. But now, given that he was leaving, he felt he could speak up.

He remembered what Jay had said. Just as the director had pointed out, Yeowon wasn’t prepared for this at all. And that’s why he wanted to help her prepare.

“If you like the gift, please kiss me as a reward.”

“What?”

“Then, I’ll be off.”

As Dohyeok headed towards the hangar without waiting for an answer, Jay grumbled.

“That, that sly fox, he’s leaving without spitting out the guiding stone.”

“….”

“But that Guiding Stone, it’s the one you treasure, right? You said it was a beautiful color.”

Jay shot a sly glance at Yeowon, who remained silent. Despite feeling the weight of her gaze, Yeowon couldn’t bring herself to respond.

It was unsettling. She was unsettled, yet strangely, it didn’t feel bad.

Yeowon rolled the unsaid words around in her mouth as she stared at the faint outline of Dohyeok’s retreating figure.

‘When you come back…’

That’s what she had intended to say.

It didn’t matter what gift he brought back. She would like anything.

Because above all else, the gift she most wished for was his safe return.

***

The task that Jay assigned to Dohyeok was to investigate the identities of the espers hidden in Shelter Yeouido.

His top priority was to infiltrate Yeouido and find out about their abilities and appearances.

They were skilled enough to join hands with the Director and receive not only guiding drugs but also reverse guiding drugs. He had to secretly infiltrate their hiding place.

Yeouido, based on the wealthiest shelter in the eastern region, built up its military power, and is now being evaluated as comparable to Shelter Noah.

Dohyeok was walking along a large gas pipe in Yeouido. The empty gas pipe is old and nothing flows through it. However, it is connected to the upper part of Yeouido.

According to what the Director told him, there were a total of five places within Yeouido that could not be detected by satellites and small drones. Among them, two places had been checked, but there were no results.

What remained was the area inside the magnetic field barrier located in the center of Yeouido. The hidden place of Yeouido, which even ultra-small drones could not penetrate.

From here on, it was impossible to proceed without causing a commotion. Dohyeok checked his position in the hologram and then broke through the ceiling with force.

Boom!!

The aftermath struck the entire Yeouido area. As the massive concrete shattered and created a shock wave, a commotion arose on the surface of Shelter Yeouido.

“What was that? Was there an earthquake?”

“But the earthquake warning siren isn’t going off.”

“I’m getting a bad feeling. Could it be another Esper rampage?”

“Nah, come on. I doubt it’s a berserk esper, maybe just an awakening. They say guiding drugs are being supplied regularly. If something happened, the Espers in Yeouido would already be handling it.”

As they suspected, the Espers of Yeouido had quickly identified the intruder and were waiting in formation.

Beyond the magnetic field and surrounded by guiding blockers, in the heart of Yeouido. As soon as he infiltrated, Dohyeok was met with countless gazes as he slammed an Esper into the wall.

“He’s here! Kill him!”

With that shout as a signal, the Yeouido Espers launched a fierce attack.