Guide to the Fallen World - Chapter 3

#3. Guiding Drug Production

I felt so hopeless that I felt like vomiting.

In that moment, it all became clear: why was there no one in this vast laboratory? Why were all that remained here were skeletal remains?

At the same time, dozens of questions that could be deduced from the situation flashed through her mind, appearing and disappearing. Jay asked, as if trying to peer into Yeowon’s mind.

[Ask me anything. I’ll answer.]

Jay’s words were kind, but they did little to calm Yeowon’s trembling heart. She stood frozen for a long moment, unable to speak, before finally mustering the courage to ask a question.

“From the very first day I woke up from hibernation, you called me ‘Guide.'”

As she spoke, Yeowon’s body shook uncontrollably. The tragedy that had unfolded within the Ark was too devastating to process.

But being called a Guide? It was a term she’d never heard applied to herself before, and instead of questioning its validity, a chill ran down her spine. She couldn’t help but think—had she narrowly escaped becoming another part of the tragedy that unfolded in the Ark?

This only deepened her confusion.

“You said all the Guides were dead. So why am I still alive?”

“[The place you woke up in was the capsule disposal area. According to the records, your capsule malfunctioned long before we arrived at the Ark. It was deemed irrecoverable and discarded there.]

“What…”

[But in the end, that’s exactly why you survived. No one knew you had been left in the disposal area. And yet, you woke up—almost as if mocking the irrecoverable verdict. Even if the capsule had a battery pack inside, it doesn’t change the fact that it was a miracle]

“[What do you mean by unexpectedly gaining control over the Ark? Whose authority was it originally? Right now, you’re the one operating the androids and service robots within the Ark. You’re also the one controlling the satellites to display footage.”

[This Ark was established by the Noah Shelter Committee, one of the last remaining major shelters on Earth, and by far the most advanced. It was the only shelter with Guides.]

“…”

[This is where the technology and long-standing research of Shelter Noah is concentrated, and only the committee members of Shelter Noah have the authority to operate the Ark.]

[However, due to the Espers’ rampage, all of the council members who held the power to operate the Ark were killed, and as a result, the Ark’s power to operate was completely erased. Thanks to this, I, a transhuman, was able to operate the Ark. The Ark’s firewall was reset because the Shelter was destroyed.]

“So. What do you want from me?”

Jay cheered briefly and continued speaking.

[To put it simply, there are no longer any guides left on Earth.]

Hearing those words, the thought that came to mind was, “Is that even possible?” It was even more puzzling since I had been roughly told about the appearance and history of Espers and Guides the day before.

Suddenly, gates appeared on Earth, and the massacre and collapse of civilization caused by the monsters pouring out of them.

Amidst all that, wasn’t it the “Espers,” the new humanity, who emerged like heroes?

Those who awakened as Espers used their powers, a type of supernatural ability called “skill” as weapons to hunt monsters and protect cities, in order to defend the Earth that was gradually becoming a gate.

But even then, it was not enough to prevent the Earth’s destruction.

“…”

And the Guide is the one who calms those Espers through guiding… a kind of human tranquilizer.

Just as everything has its own side effects, the heroic power given to a single human being had such great side effects. Every time Esper used this skill, he had to risk a runaway.

And when the overused abilities aren’t properly calmed, the Esper cannot endure the pain and either goes berserk or loses their mind.

In other words, they die.

There are no exceptions to this fact.

And the Guide is the only being that can alleviate that side effect.

So, to hear that there are no longer any Guides left on Earth…

“Doesn’t that mean we’re doomed?”

[No way. That’s why the world has ended up like this. Fortunately, even if it rots, there was some foresight. Thanks to Shelter Noah, who foresaw this situation in advance and hid a guide among the people who had been frozen in the past… As a result, you were able to wake up.]

“If I wasn’t a guide… .”

[You wouldn’t have been able to wake up like this, nor receive treatment for the disease.]

The affirmation under the guise of kind guidance was very eerie. Yeo-won asked the question, unable to hide her trembling fingertips.

“Am I cured? Who, How did you treat me?”

[According to the records, you were completely cured about 200 years ago. It must have been one of the healing esper who managed the hibernation guide at the time]

Healer Esper. It was an unbelievable explanation for Yeowon, who was still unfamiliar with the term Esper.

[To summarize what has happened so far, it’s like this. Whenever the Shelter Noah Committee needs a guide, they wake up the guides in the capsules one by one to their liking and use them to maintain the status of the shelter.]

[The Espers were quietly manipulated by the committee as their subordinates thanks to the guidance provided by the guide.]

“…”

[It’s been over fifteen years since the problematic Shelter Noah collapsed. It’s now a story of the past.]

“There are still shelters holding out across the world, but even they won’t last much longer.”

Yeowon frowned at the stark reality.

“I thought it would be okay since there was mass-produced guiding medicine from Shelter Noah.”

[hmm.]

“Besides, what you taught me yesterday was a list of nations that collapsed due to wars over Guides. On top of that, you said the current Earth is completely gate-ified, making it a hell where ordinary people can’t survive. At this point, a nuclear war might have been a better option.”

[That might be the case.]

Yeo-won’s voice grew louder at Jay’s calm acceptance.

“And now you’re saying even Shelter Noah has fallen? You never told me that.”

[Because talking about it won’t do any good. Look at it now. The reaction isn’t that good, is it? The brain waves have become unstable, too.]

At Jay’s remark, Yeowon struggled to calm herself. Her now-cool head began working quickly.

Though her knowledge was shallow, she had a rough idea of what Espers and Guides were, and she could vaguely guess what the ark’s cybernetic human might demand of her.

If what she said is true, I am the only Guide left on Earth, and there’s only one reason a Guide is needed, isn’t there?

“You want me to guide the rampaging Espers and protect the shelter? Are you asking me to leave the ark?”

[No, of course not. The moment you show yourself outside the ark, a war between shelters will break out. The Espers’ obsession with Guides is beyond imagination.]

[Those lunatics are the kind who wouldn’t hesitate to do anything. At this point, the very existence of a Guide is practically a trigger accelerating the collapse of shelters. Above all, your safety is my top priority.]

[You, as a Guide, will never leave the ark.]

“Then what do you want from me?”

[It’s simple. I hope you’ll help me distribute guiding drugs.]

“…”

[After the fall of Shelter Noah, guiding drugs are no longer produced. The fight among the Espers to obtain the remaining guiding drugs has also reach the end.]

[The ongoing shelter collapses around the world are a result of the sequential rampage of Espers due to the depletion of the supply of guiding drugs.]

[I plan to supply guiding drugs to shelters with potential for recovery to delay the Espers’ rampage. To do so, your cooperation as a guide is essential.]

“What if I don’t cooperate?”

[If you don’t cooperate, then that’s the end of it. I have no intention of forcing anything on you. I don’t plan to bring any harm, and I don’t think I should.]

[Still, I think i’ll do something like informing you of today’s population status every day.]

“Ha. You’re being too blatant in saying that you’re going to make me feel guilty.”

[In other words, it means I’m only willing to go that far. Isn’t this quite a conciliatory approach?]

That’s true.

While Yeo-won was silent, unable to find a rebuttal, Jay asked again.

[Can you help me?]

A sigh escaped involuntarily. It sounded like she was offering a choice, but…

The answer had already been decided.

***

The method for creating guiding drugs is as follows.

After ingesting a drug that activates the wavelength, board the wavelength extraction capsule. The intangible calming energy of the Guide’s wavelength is then dissolved into a tangible drug, filtered, and diluted.

In summary, the Guide’s wavelength undergoes a complex purification process to be made into a drug. This results in the production of a calming substance for Espers, which can substitute for guiding.

According to Jay’s explanation, this process was somewhat similar to the process of blood filtration.

Just like how people who donate plasma have their blood filtered by a machine and then receive it back, the body’s guiding energy is filtered once, with the minimum necessary wavelength returned to the Guide. The remaining wavelength is then diluted and amplified through extraction to create the concentrated guiding drug.

It was uncomfortable to have to stay stuck in some mysterious machine, the wavelength extractor or whatever it was, for half a day. But, in other words, it was just the right amount of discomfort.

She had been assured that it wouldn’t put a strain on her body, and most importantly, Yeowon didn’t want to see people dying as shelters or whatever collapsed.

When thinking about the days she still had to live, she knew that the Earth couldn’t be allowed to perish any further.

Jay spoke to Yeowon, who was watching the various machines working quickly and the guiding drugs being mass-produced.

[The guiding drugs being produced right now are set to be distributed worldwide by the ark’s drones. Since the compatibility and versatility have been adjusted, even Espers who aren’t highly compatible should still experience the appropriate guiding effects.]

“Alright.”

[Hmm. This isn’t the reaction I was expecting… Aren’t you happy? You’re saving the world right now.]

For a moment, Yeowon felt a sense of pride from Jay’s words, but soon she became downcast again.

It’s true that guiding drugs save espers, but that doesn’t mean the ruined world will be okay again.

Moreover, according to Jay’s explanation, as soon as the guiding drugs are distributed, Espers will likely be searching for her with fiery eyes… Would it really be okay to go through with this?