Approximal Guide

Han Byeongeun seemed to disagree with me. But at this point, I didn’t need anyone’s agreement. After all, I had supposedly died and only returned five years later. Would approval really matter now? Besides, my original body had already been interred in the National Cemetery.“Enough. My goal remains the same: discharge and freedom!”“Ha, and you’re broke.”…What? I turned to Han Byeongeun, stunned. Now that he mentioned it, I was penniless. My entire fortune—cash, funds, stocks—could have been forfeited to the state. I was an orphan with no close family to inherit my estate. My parents had passed away early, and I had been raised by my grandfather, a soldier, but that was long ago. He passed before I even became a major, taken by pancreatic cancer. There was no one left to inherit anything of mine. Seeing my troubled expression, Han Byeongeun shook his head.“Captain Kim Moohyuk managed to place Colonel’s assets under temporary disposal.”“How…how did he manage that?”Han Byeongeun replied, looking somewhat uncomfortable.“He presented a promissory note claiming you owed him a large sum.”“What kind of nonsense is that?”“It was notarized, so Captain Kim even won the case.”I owed Kim Moohyuk money? The absurdity! Seeing my expression, Han Byeongeun sighed again.“Don’t worry. To avoid the assets being seized by the state, Captain Kim had a fake promissory note notarized, but neither the director nor I touched the assets. They’re safely held, unused.”“Oh, thank go—wait, no! I’m not Kang Hajung!”That’s right. I was Kang Hajung, yet not Kang Hajung. I couldn’t even claim my identity to Kim Moohyuk, so how could I access my money? It would almost have been better if it had gone to the treasury… no, that thought irked me too. Imagine not being able to call my own earnings mine!“So, when the time is right, you can reveal you’re actually Colonel,” Han Byeongeun suggested.That… made sense. I could set Kim Moohyuk up with the perfect guide, then, once they were happily settled, show up out of the blue and say, “I’m your instructor,” and retrieve my assets. By then, I’d likely be discharged too. Thinking positively, I felt a surge of endorphins. With a grin, I gave him a thumbs-up.“As expected from my advisor, Han Byeongeun.”With a look of exasperation, he replied, “Who’s your advisor? Think about getting out of that team first.”“Why leave the team?”“Because the team members are saying that your guidance as Sergeant Kang Hajung is subpar, and they’re planning to place you in a communal guiding room. If that happens, more espers will receive your guidance, and it could raise suspicions if it’s different from before.”Now that I thought about it, he was right. Espers are the products of unstable, doubly-mutated genes, so their bodies constantly want to revert to a stable, singular mutated state. Applying this, espers’ bodies naturally seek to return to the influence of a guide. Through receiving the unique frequency called “guiding” from a guide, they can stabilize the excited energy within them. This guiding frequency emanates from the guide’s overall energy field, but the quality of guiding relies on mental resilience. The desire, willpower, and resolve to help an esper, who is inherently more unstable, determine the quality of the guiding. This is different from the residual amount of guiding energy within the guide’s body. Sergeant Kang Hajung, despite possessing a high residual guiding energy, had a faucet-sized outlet.However, this didn’t mean his mental strength was weak. Rather, it could be said that he lacked the motivation to save espers. This created a perception within the center that low-ranking guides were seen as lacking the willingness to help espers, who bore most of the burden. This had always been the espers’ complaint: “I put my life on the line, endure pain, and yet you won’t provide guiding?” Despite their superior physical capabilities compared to civilians, espers, unable to survive without guiding, are provoked by their own vulnerabilities.Low-ranked guides had their own grievances too. No one wanted to be rated poorly. They simply lacked the incentive to protect espers.Here, a vicious cycle emerged. Espers always felt they were sacrificing more, filling them with dissatisfaction. Guides, feeling intimidated by espers who were essentially human weapons, couldn’t maintain the will to protect them, leading their guiding ratings to continue dropping.So why had my rating always been high? Because I understood that espers, despite their strength, were far from invincible. Espers armored themselves with abilities and physical strength, subconsciously aware that they were, in fact, weaker than guides.They constantly thirsted for guiding, sometimes even feeling bound to it, struggling with the gap between their omnipotent strength and their own fragility. This denial of weakness perpetuated their insecurity.However, some espers could survive without much guiding. Those were the ones who accepted that they could never surpass their guides. Kim Moohyuk was one of them. Recognizing his limits, he leaned on me without hesitation, even showing signs of dependence that he hid from others. Despite his S++ rating, he fully understood that he was no better than a guide who limped.Yet, the center was filled with those who didn’t realize their inferiority complex actually lowered their guide’s rating. The ostracism Kang Hajung faced was part of this. Since guides are rare, the center kept strict control over them, treating them as mere batteries to be obedient to the center’s commands.The same was true for Sergeant Kang. Even I sometimes referred to myself as a spare battery; how could other guides withstand the center’s manipulative schemes? Many were brainwashed into not realizing they had an edge over espers. This must have driven Sergeant Kang to choose an escape, leaving scars on his wrists.With a sigh, I turned to Han Byeongeun.“Sigh… but I’ll have to stay in the communal guiding room for now.”“That’s dangerous, Colonel. Aren’t you aiming for discharge?”Of course, I also wanted to be discharged. Spending time with Kim Moohyuk was enjoyable in its own way, but I had never forgotten my desire for discharge, not even for a moment. That’s precisely why I had to go to the common guiding room.“No matter how remarkable Kim Moohyuk is, he can’t hold out with a replacement every single time. Eventually, he’ll have to come to the guiding room. That’s when I’ll have a guide I’ve picked out perform the guiding and connect him with Moohyuk.”“Are you talking like a matchmaker?”“Watch your mouth.”It was true that it wasn’t much different from matchmaking. But I couldn’t admit that, so I just glared at Han Byeongeun.“Anyway, after I’ve linked them up, I’ll prepare for discharge while guiding them along. Once they’re bonded, I can reveal that I was his mentor all along and retrieve the money he’s holding for me.”“You have such a simple approach, Colonel.”Was that an insult? I squinted my eyes at Han Byeongeun, but he avoided my gaze with an expression of nonchalance.“Anyhow, it’d be best to head back to your team quarters for now, Colonel. It’s getting late. I also need to meet with Team Leader Ahn Changhyun to explain the memory loss.”“It’s barely seven. What’s the rush? Don’t tell me…”I looked at Han Byeongeun with wide eyes, finding it hard to believe. He kept his lips tightly sealed. I grabbed both of his forearms firmly and asked, “Did you succeed in bonding with your wife?”Without responding to my words, Han Byeongeun held up his left hand with a solemn look, showing the wedding ring on his fourth finger. Another fine woman had taken a tragic path. I spoke with a look of pity.“Wow, how did my sister-in-law…”“What do you mean, ‘how’?”“Never mind, let’s go.”“What do you mean, ‘never mind’?”Ignoring Han Byeongeun’s questions, I hastened my steps. It seemed wise to rest well today and plan things thoroughly starting tomorrow. Byeongeun kept badgering me for an explanation, but I never answered. Then, we drove to Garam-dong, the lodging area, in Byeongeun’s Jeep.Upon arrival in Garam-dong, I encountered an unexpected situation.“Kang Hajung, you crazy bastard!”A young guide I didn’t recognize rushed over, as if ready to yank my hair out. Startled, I quickly hid behind Han Byeongeun as the espers on his team tried to hold him back.“What the—rabies much?”My muttered comment, spoken from behind Byeongeun, seemed to reach the ears of the other espers, who were restraining the guide. They gave me incredulous glares, but then noticed Byeongeun’s presence and finally saluted.“What brings you here, Head of Research?”Only then did Ahn Changhyun come forward and greet Byeongeun. Although he couldn’t speak casually to Byeongeun due to his higher rank, he didn’t bother hiding his reluctance. I sent Byeongeun a telepathic message.“That’s the guy, the one you need to discipline.”However, the telepathic message didn’t go through.“Oh, I just came to drop Sergeant Kang Hajung here in Garam-dong,” Byeongeun said, moving aside to reveal me. Right. I’d known since his enlistment that he was always quick to retreat from trouble and was timid as a bean. Keeping my expression neutral, I looked directly at Team Leader Ahn Changhyun.“I’ve been diagnosed with amnesia. I can’t remember how I joined the military, and I’ve forgotten everything except my name.”“This lunatic, what the hell is he talking about—”The guide who had been restrained earlier tried to rush at me again. I deftly moved behind Byeongeun once more and spoke.“Director Han here can vouch for me. I even brought a medical certificate.”“Director Han! As I mentioned, it’s Director Han Byeongeun, Sergeant Kang!” Byeongeun exclaimed, cutting off mid-sentence and forcing a smile, though his lips trembled. I shrugged my shoulders as Ahn Changhyun looked at Byeongeun as if to confirm the truth. Byeongeun clicked his tongue, retrieved the papers he’d brought, and handed them to Ahn.“Yes, it’s true. It’s similar to dissociative amnesia. Sergeant Kang Hajung here suffered from depression, repeatedly attempted drastic actions, and ended up with memory loss due to a guiding wavelength mixing with brain waves and deleting his memory. Here’s a relevant paper.”Byeongeun pulled out a tablet, briefly flashed an English paper before Ahn’s eyes, then pulled it away. His sleight of hand was worthy of a street hustler. I’d bet 500 won that it wasn’t a paper at all—could’ve been a restaurant menu. But Ahn didn’t seem to notice; he looked halfway convinced.“So, Sergeant Kang is really….”“Lies! There’s no way he’d… you all know he’s a lunatic!”The guide slumped to the ground, even breaking down in tears. I whispered to Byeongeun.“Maybe that guy’s magnesium deficient? He seems way too angry.”Espers standing nearby, who overheard, looked at me with disbelief. What? I shrugged my shoulders, acting as if I didn’t understand why they were reacting that way. After glancing over the diagnosis papers, Ahn clicked his tongue, as if contemplating something. All I wanted now was to get inside and rest. This body seemed particularly vulnerable to fatigue. Having little muscle mass, it tired easily, and even now I felt like lying flat on my back.While glancing around for a place to rest, I noticed a pile of belongings in front of the lodging’s entrance. Those poor items clearly belonged to Sergeant Kang Hajung—me, that is.“Are you trying to kick out an unfortunate guide with amnesia?”Ahn, who had been scrutinizing the diagnosis papers, flinched at my comment. This was my chance. There was no doubt that “Sergeant Kang Hajung,” this guide, hadn’t integrated well into Team 12. That young man sitting there crying seemed to be the team’s lead guide.Espers were bound to follow the lead guide’s cues, so they wouldn’t treat a secondary guide disliked by the lead guide warmly—likely, they’d be fortunate not to bully him outright. Though I didn’t know much about the previous personality of Kang Hajung, the sight of his belongings unceremoniously tossed outside spoke volumes. Life must have been tough for him.“You little piece of—.”Ahn Changhyun looked at me with a scowl. His eyes held a mix of disdain and disgust, with an inexplicable heat behind them. I knew that look from an Esper all too well. Ahn Changhyun seemed to be thinking that while he might covet Staff Sergeant Kang Hajung as an item, a “guide,” he couldn’t bring himself to accept Kang Hajung as a person.A guide who continually caused trouble with suicide attempts, a burden to the team, a deputy guide openly disliked by the chief guide, who was a significant asset. He was a nuisance that couldn’t be discarded nor ignored, shoved into a corner. I decided to offer Ahn Changhyun a simple solution to his pent-up frustration with “Sergeant Kang,” whom he couldn’t either spit out or swallow.“I don’t remember much, but it doesn’t mean my actions just disappear. In a spirit of self-reflection, I’ll stay in the temporary lodging for guides for a while. Feel free to kick me out of the team altogether. I’ll keep to myself diligently in the communal guiding room, and you can come and get me whenever you think it’s enough.”“What? You—”Han Byeongeun quickly cut in. I’d planned to tear him to shreds if he acted clueless again, but perhaps he had a long life ahead because he started awkwardly patting my shoulder and acting along.“Ah, you! Such a rare sense of responsibility for a soldier…! Well, then, I’ll write you a letter of recommendation for the communal guiding room…!”Though he occasionally got annoyed with me, Han Byeongeun knew his place well, aware of the sky-high status of my rank and his position buried deep as bedrock. Perhaps because of that, he couldn’t bring himself to speak down to me, mumbling his awkward lines with a trembling voice. While the shoulder patting was tolerable, the instant he recited his lines, his acting skills nosedived, making me instinctively furrow my brow. Blaming Han Byeongeun’s poor acting that was ruining everything, I quickly wrapped up the situation.“Hey, Esper. Could you help load my things onto the head researcher’s truck over there? Now that I’ve mentioned it, I’d like to move to the lodging right away.”However, Ahn Changhyun looked like he had a lot to say in the face of this whirlwind turn of events.“Kang Hajung, you….”I cut him off and looked at him with cold eyes as I spoke.“Isn’t that why you had my things packed?”They ended up with nothing more to say. Without regret, I got into Byeongeun’s car.“This place is terrible. Why is it the only thing unchanged?”“Well, this is the temporary lodging used by guides before they’re assigned to a team. Can’t be helped.”Han Byeongeun shrugged and clicked his tongue as he looked at the guide-only accommodation beside him.Aside from the five-year gap, it had been quite some time since I’d been here. The residential complex for paired guides and Espers and the guide-only lodging were quite far apart, even within Garamdong. The state of the steadily deteriorating facilities was deplorable. I clicked my tongue at the lodging building, worse than villas in redevelopment zones, and headed to the room that Han Byeongeun managed to secure with a bribe to the administrative facilities chief.“But still, shouldn’t Colonel handle his own luggage…?”Holding Kang Hajung’s things, Han Byeongeun grumbled at me in irritation. With a disinterested face, I pressed the elevator button and replied.“Hajung’s arms hurt, Hajung’s frail enough to pass out in three seconds. Can’t you tell, Captain Han?”“Ugh, gross.”With a face fighting off a gag, Han Byeongeun muttered. I laughed as I got on the elevator. It seemed the rundown building didn’t have many residents. Compared to my previous time here, it was worlds apart. Still, at least there was hot water and functional heating and cooling, so that was a relief. During the battle at Haeindang, I’d camped out in far worse conditions, sometimes even using rocks as pillows. I decided I’d adapt quickly here, too.That night, after moving my things, I ate a late dinner with Han Byeongeun. He guided me through how the commercial district Yipseadong had changed, and in awe at the kiosk or whatever it was, I pressed buttons randomly and ended up with a bowl of pho loaded with cilantro. I endured the shampoo-like aftertaste all day and went to bed resolved never to press the “extra cilantro” button repeatedly again. I’d unpack my things tomorrow.…Or maybe I’d never unpack them at all. With so many burdens that made me want to drop dead, I just wanted to close my eyes for now, regardless of what might happen tomorrow.And so, my first day back after five years came to an end.The next morning, I realized one thing.“What the hell? There’s not even a clock in this place.”Indeed, my new place, Room 203, had no clock, not even toilet paper. If Han Byeongeun hadn’t bought shampoo and soap for me from the PX last night, I would have become a filthy wretch washing myself with just water.In the end, I had no choice but to go shopping early in the morning. Han Byeongeun said he’d grease some palms to get me stationed in the communal guiding room, so I planned to treat it like a vacation until then. My stamina was low, but my knees were fine, so I could go anywhere. That was the best part. Next would be my good looks? It was a first for me, and I almost asked aloud, “Excuse me, sir, what brings such a handsome gentleman to my home?” when I saw myself in the bathroom mirror in the morning.At any rate, since I had to go out, I unpacked just enough to pull out a piece of Sergeant Kang Hajung’s clothing to wear.“Damn, this guy’s sense of style….”The clothes I pulled out were absurd. I’d never seen such blinding neon pink in my life and had to squint to look at it. After a desperate search, I managed to find a relatively normal hoodie and jeans, only to be shocked again.“Damn, why are there so many holes?”The jeans had an excessive number of holes. It wasn’t fashionably distressed; it was beyond that.“Perfect for begging on the streets.”A sigh escaped me. There was no way I could wear this daily. After rummaging a bit more, I finally found Sergeant Kang Hajung’s ID card. Five years ago, ID cards were linked to payroll accounts, usable even in Yipseadong; I wasn’t sure about now. With no idea where Sergeant Kang Hajung’s phone was, calling Han Byeongeun wasn’t an option. I threw on the hoodie and jeans with fewer holes. Looking at myself in the mirror, I understood why Sergeant Kang Hajung always dressed like this.“Ah… if you’re that good-looking, anything works.”Those clothes that looked strange at first now miraculously suited me. People might have called me a bandit, but I’d never hated my face. Seeing the young, handsome face and fit body of Kang Hajung, I felt, for the first time, a pang of regret. How sad it was that Kang Hajung, with all this youth and promise, ever thought of leaving it all behind.Last night, as I organized my thoughts before sleeping, I concluded that I must have taken possession of this body immediately after Sergeant Kang Hajung died. I had experienced what could only be described as rigor mortis when I first woke up. My finger joints had definitely been stiff, barely able to move.And somehow, I could feel it—this awareness that I had died and come back to life. But it wasn’t a feeling that stemmed from the soul of “Colonel Kang Hajung,” in other words, from my own essence. Rather, it was closer to a memory of “Sergeant Kang Hajung’s” body that had died and then revived. Naturally, I couldn’t help but feel sympathy for Sergeant Kang, who had made such an extreme choice. Life is one of those things where, if you’re meant to live, you just keep going.That’s just how life is. Even when you feel like you can’t go on and it’s unbearably tough, if you manage to endure that period, you keep living. That’s the life I’ve known, especially after losing my partner Esper. So, I couldn’t help but be curious about why Sergeant Kang made that choice. As a price for using this body, I even thought about seeking revenge on behalf of Sergeant Kang.Then, a sharp pain tingled somewhere deep in my chest, much like a person who releases their sorrow when someone finally acknowledges their suffering. It seems this body carries a significant amount of grief. I lightly tapped the area around my sternum, hoping that Sergeant Kang’s body would take this as a gesture of comfort as I stepped out of the lodging.A cold wind was blowing outside. I couldn’t help but hunch my shoulders as I walked. …Come to think of it, I wasn’t wearing an overcoat. Looking at the loud wardrobe, I must’ve wanted to keep my outfit as simple as possible. But I didn’t want to go back, so I headed straight to the cart stop.“I wonder if the carts are running like they used to.”I tilted my head as I checked if the cart station in front of the guide quarters was still there. Fortunately, it seemed to be in operation, though the intervals between carts had changed. The electronic display showed one arriving in five minutes.“The next one, then… next cart… arrives in 98 minutes…? What? Unification might happen before the next cart arrives.”I was staring in disbelief when a cart arrived sooner than expected, so I got on right away. Inside the cart were a few people who looked like guides, dozing off. When they saw me, they started murmuring among themselves. What’s up? Tell me, I’m curious. I strained to listen, but since I’m not an Esper with heightened senses, it was naturally impossible to hear.From Garam-dong to Yip-sae-dong was a short ride, so I had to press the bell to get off soon. The guides remained seated until I got off. With a hiss as the cart’s automatic door opened, I walked down the steps, winking at them. I chuckled as I noticed their expressions twist with extreme disgust.So, why do they mess with me like this? I don’t know what kind of behavior Sergeant Kang used to display, but the me of today has a new persona as a pitiful guide diagnosed with amnesia.Six years in training school, four years in the academy, two years in initial training, plus several years in special forces—that’s over ten years, around twenty years of group life in total. Who could know the ins and outs of such a life as well as I do? I had no intention of becoming a star in the center. My goal was far humbler: to spend the rest of my time in the center smoothly. And a few things were necessary to achieve that.First was a spokesperson to explain my amnesiac state. Han Byeongeun is already set to do that, so that’s done. The second was to spread the perception that Sergeant Kang had changed. The third was to build goodwill. Recognition from others was crucial for living in the center. If I could spread the idea that Sergeant Kang was different now and build goodwill from that, achieving his desired revenge would be easier.The second and third things didn’t need to be rushed either. I just needed to spread the rumor of my amnesia through Han Byeongeun and eliminate any suspicion that I was putting on an act. Only yesterday, there were quite a few guides and Espers subtly watching Team 12’s quarters, so things might go more smoothly than expected.It was also a misstep on Team 12’s part. Why on earth did they kick the team guide out in such a public place in the middle of the night? At the very least, they should’ve called me aside and gently explained that we wouldn’t be able to work together anymore—that would’ve served them better. No matter how badly Sergeant Kang behaved, if he hadn’t committed a major crime like handing over military secrets to the enemy or killing someone, kicking him out suddenly in the dead of night could have easily drawn people’s resentment.Even after the research director, Han Byeongeun, who had long served as the medical officer, verified my amnesia, they still heartlessly cast out someone who had lost his memories. The guide’s loud cries of “Amnesia! That’s a lie!” would have been heard by any Esper remaining in Garam-dong.The situation was favorable. Waking up five years in the future, inhabiting someone else’s body, I was optimistic. I couldn’t speak for others, but at least I was the type who tried not to indulge in pointless thoughts. To be precise, I tried not to think about anything at all. Even after my partner Esper died and even when I was warned I might end up lame, I survived by putting all other matters aside and focusing on tackling what was right in front of me.It was the same now. What does it matter if I woke up in someone else’s body? The important thing is that my partner Esper, Kim Moohyuk, is alive. This time, I managed to protect my Esper, and that’s what matters most. That’s enough, isn’t it? I can worry about everything else later.For now, to tackle the immediate issue, I entered the ATM booth at the entrance to Yip-sae-dong, scanned my ID card, and checked Sergeant Kang’s account balance.“One, ten, hundred, thousand, ten thousand, hundred thousand, million… Wait… is that seriously all?”My head started throbbing. How could this be? Compared to what I’d saved over the years, this was an embarrassingly tiny sum. Should I reveal to Kim Moohyuk who I am and retrieve my balance? But I quickly snapped out of it. Such thoughts wouldn’t be of any help to my quiet retirement plan.“Ah, what am I supposed to do?”No matter how low Sergeant Kang’s rank of D might be, as part of the special forces, his base pay should be high. Considering his life allowance, it should be higher, not lower, yet the balance was practically dust. I gritted my teeth and checked Sergeant Kang’s past transactions.“What the…?”Among the small transactions like PX 5,040 won, PX 3,800 won, PX 4,200 won, there were some that stood out the most.“Kang Jinseong, 3.8 million won, Kang Jinseong, 2.5 million won, Kang Jinseong, 6.21 million won?”Who was this Kang Jinseong, anyway? If I had Sergeant Kang’s phone, I could at least check the contacts, but as a stranger, I had no way of locating it. Annoying as it was, I had no choice but to open a phone line. Thankfully, all military personnel in the center used the same telecom provider due to the need for network coverage near the DMZ. The Ministry of National Defense had partnered with a single provider to set up cell towers within the DMZ.I left the ATM booth and headed straight to the telecom store in front of me in frustration. I should be able to open a line with just an ID card, even without a separate ID. As expected, the clerk quickly found Sergeant Kang’s previous number for me.“You’re changing devices, right? Any specific phone model you’re looking for?”“Something new…”“New?”The clerk waited with a smile. I had never lacked for money before, thanks to the inheritance from my parents, but now… no choice but to compromise.“A cheap one.”“Ah… so you’re looking for something new and cheap.”The clerk’s face visibly lost interest. Hey, I may be broke now, but I once had a decent balance, alright? Frustrating, but it couldn’t be helped. The phone I ended up choosing was, to my dismay, a kids’ safety phone. This is a disaster. With a kid’s phone, I can’t even watch adult videos.As I walked forward with a somber expression, staring straight ahead, I suddenly sensed an unexpected wave that made me look up. At that moment, the streetlights in Ipsae-dong simultaneously flicked on in broad daylight, casting a red glow, and the loud wailing of the center’s emergency alert sirens began to blare.“This is…”If the alert system hadn’t changed over the past five years, this sound signified a Code Black-level emergency alert. It meant either an enemy air raid or an impending rampage of an S-class or higher Esper. Startled, I grabbed the phone I had just activated and started running. As I sprinted, I tried to recall Han Byeongeun’s number, but it just wouldn’t come to mind. 010, 284… Damn, I should’ve memorized at least the number.I only had three numbers memorized: my own, Kim Moohyuk’s, and the one Ha Seonghan used before he died. So, naturally, it made sense that I couldn’t remember a dweeb like Han Byeongeun’s number.Due to Sergeant Kang’s poor stamina, I started tasting blood in my throat after only a short run. It’s really like my lungs are tearing up, giving off that metallic taste. What did he even do to end up with such shriveled lungs at his age, neglecting exercise? Is this even acceptable for a soldier? Blaming poor Sergeant Kang, I searched around Ipsae-dong for the cart stop. Off in the distance, I saw a cart approaching, coming from the research building’s direction.I waved at the cart to stop as I neared the stop. The driver warned me that he only stops at designated points, but upon seeing me gasping for breath, he clicked his tongue and gestured for me to take a seat. I obediently sat down, and the guides sitting in the back quickly recognized me and started whispering. However, as if the recent Code Black alert had overshadowed any gossip about me, they soon moved on to other topics.“This is probably because of Captain Kim Moohyuk again, right?”“Nine times out of ten, it has to be. With an S++ grade barely managing to hold on with substitute guiding, it’s a wonder if there weren’t any rampage signs.”“So, are we going to the underground bunker again?”What the hell, the underground bunker still exists? That inhumane facility was still at the center even after five years. It’s not like I can go beat up that jerk Kim Inhak to death. Without even knowing who the current center director is, I immediately cursed Kim Inhak.The underground bunker was a facility left over from the military regime during the Fifth Republic, a remnant of bad practices, mainly used to confine Espers. Its walls were incredibly thick, and since it was built with sacrifices from spatial rearrangement ESP users, there was a mini-black hole inside, like an abyss. This black hole could absorb shock and expand or contract time, making it impossible for even a high-ranking Esper to escape.An Esper who could freely use his powers would be trapped there, with any guiding substance circulating within his body sucked away by the black hole, leading to guiding depletion. Entering into the initial phase of a rampage, the mini-black hole would absorb any shock, preventing external impact. They resolved these rampage signs by sacrificing one person without a single guide.To think that Kim Moohyuk was confined in such a place. Back when I was Moohyuk’s pair guide, such a thing was unthinkable. Who would dare lock up a soldier who trained under me like that? With fury heating my eyes, I pressed the bell as soon as the announcement for the research building rang out and practically jumped off. The driver yelled about how it was dangerous to disembark like that, but I didn’t have time to apologize. I had to put all my energy into maneuvering this feeble body and running into the research building.“Haah, huff… Kim Inhak definitely said he’d closed the bunker…”They supposedly set up a wormhole around the black hole so it could consume itself by triggering a massive ESP wave like an ability storm, causing the black hole to eat itself. Physicists who signed confidentiality agreements even visited the center for a while. The black hole had been made by sacrificing spatial ability Espers, so there’s no way that someone as humane as Kim Inhak would create it again. Even if he wanted to, his grandfather’s ideals would never allow it. Perhaps the central administration disregarded Kim Inhak’s intentions and kept it. Maybe they had no choice but to reactivate it because of repeated signs of Moohyuk entering a rampage.By now, I had reached the research building entrance. The aggressive wave I felt back in Ipsae-dong could be the signal of Moohyuk’s impending rampage. If not, the research building wouldn’t be in such a frenzy. I was about to head up to Han Byeongeun’s lab on the 16th floor when I urgently called out.“Byeongjil! No, Chief Han!”In my haste, I accidentally called him by his nickname and had to correct myself mid-sentence. Han Byeongeun, who was running with a group in white lab coats that appeared to be researchers, turned back in disbelief and, upon seeing me, shouted out.“Kang Sarge… no, Sergeant Kang!”He, too, was still not used to addressing me by rank, having to correct himself quickly. After giving some instructions to a researcher next to him, Han Byeongeun started running toward me, and I hurried to meet him. As we drew close, we both shouted at the same time.“What’s going on?”“How are you even here?”Naturally, with my rank, I was the one entitled to ask the questions.“Hurry up and answer me, you punk. What’s going on? Did Kim Moohyuk show rampage signs?”Han Byeongeun frowned at my question, then seemed to think for a moment before speaking again.“Jeez, didn’t I tell you? That guy never listens to anyone.”Scowling at his casual criticism of the precious Kim Moohyuk, I snapped back.“You idiot, that’s because you don’t set a good example! Maybe if you did your job better, he’d listen to you!”“Colonel, you just don’t get him at all! Anyway, you shouldn’t be here. Go somewhere safe, seriously!”“What, did Moohyuk actually start showing rampage signs? Is that why he’s locked in the black hole?”I was so furious that my eyes were red. Han Byeongeun flinched as I raised my voice, then shushed me by putting his finger to his lips, whispering for me to be quiet. This impudent guy dared to shush his instructor. As soon as I glared at him, Han Byeongeun immediately backed down and replied.“The black hole… That was gone ages ago. Weren’t you here when the director ordered it dismantled?”“Then why is he locked in the underground bunker?”He sighed and then avoided my gaze, muttering, “Don’t look at me like that. I hate this too. But we can’t just let an S++ go wild and risk all of Seoul, Gyeonggi, and Chungcheong. At least the bunker provides first-stage protection…”“Are you insane?! You’re treating him like a ticking time bomb?”I slammed my weak paper-thin body into Han Byeongeun’s shoulder, aware of the stares of others. He begged me to keep it down, practically groveling.I, of course, ignored him. Even if I hadn’t raised him gently, my Esper was still valuable. Seeing him treated like a monster in a basement enraged me. I glared at Byeongeun, ready to shout if necessary. After a moment of deep thought, he looked resigned and spoke up.“…Honestly, I think Moohyuk might not remember anything even if he regains consciousness later. Colonel, could you do some radiative guiding? Your specialty is guiding from a distance by aiming precisely, right?”It was an intriguing proposal. I immediately perked up and asked, “So, you’ll let me into the bunker?”At that, Han Byeongeun pulled a deeply conflicted face, groaned, and finally nodded. “But you have to wear the protective suit when you go in.”“You’re kidding, right? Against an S++-class, wearing even the ‘grandfather of protective suits’ wouldn’t help in a real emergency.”“Oh, just wear it if I say so! This one’s different. I developed it myself.”“Ah, now I’m even less convinced. Doesn’t exactly inspire confidence.”I muttered complaints as I turned and quickened my steps, eager to descend to the underground bunker. Han Byeongeun clicked his tongue and made a call. He told the others to hold off on entering the bunker for five minutes, saying he would first assess the situation. Then, hanging up, he boasted to me.“With my authority, this is all I can do to help you. And it’s only possible because I’m the head of research.”Yeah, yeah, your rank’s impressive. I gave a nod, signaling that it was sufficient.“With five minutes, I can boil ramen, cook, eat it, and even brush my teeth afterward.”“How could you cook and eat ramen in five minutes? Physically impossible.”Ignoring Byeongeun’s exasperated response, I moved to board the elevator, but he stopped me. He informed me that there was a separate elevator for reaching the underground bunker. With that, he swiped his ID card against the keypad beside the elevator at the end of the hall. A chime sounded, and the doors opened. We both quickly stepped inside.With a hum, the elevator started descending. Without even pressing any buttons, the doors closed, and we departed—it had just one destination. As a result, we soon arrived at the entrance of the underground bunker, the ceiling lights in the hallway flickering dimly. The rapid descent created a pressure difference that made my ears ring. Swallowing did nothing to relieve it. Noticing my discomfort, Han Byeongeun sighed and explained.“The telekinetic ESP waves from Kim Moohyuk are dispersing in thin strands throughout the air. You remember what that means, don’t you?”I remembered all too well. This was a characteristic symptom in high-level Espers going through the precursor stages of a breakdown. I sighed softly as I followed behind Byeongeun, who walked ahead. The situation was overwhelming.If he had survived on his own, he could have been living life with determination, so why are you pushing yourself like this, Kim Moohyuk? Granted, I wasn’t exactly in a position to talk after having fallen apart following the loss of my own partner, but still, someone of Moohyuk’s caliber could have left an old relic like me behind and settled down with a younger, gentler guide. Instead, he insisted on torturing himself like this. Even if I were in the grave, I’d feel like bursting out and yelling at him, “You rascal!” My chest tightened at the thought. Just what could make an Esper as strong as Kim Moohyuk unable to forget me? Aren’t young people supposed to be resilient? Unlike me, who had been with Ha Seonghan since I was fourteen and regarded him as more family than a friend, Kim Moohyuk’s case seemed different. I found myself wanting to confront him face-to-face and demand, “What on earth is your problem?”Meanwhile, Byeongeun and I entered the situation control room, where we could observe the bunker’s interior. Thankfully, unlike the flickering lights in the hallway, the room had stable power. That was a slight relief. Inside, I saw a faint monitor showing a small image of Kim Moohyuk.And then, rage ignited within me. I turned to Byeongeun, snarling.“You people have lost your minds, haven’t you?”“Colonel, it’s not like that…”Kim Moohyuk was standing, bound. He was shirtless, with numerous injuries covering his exposed torso. It was a horrendous sight.“Release him right now!”“Colonel! Please, just listen to me, please!”Han Byeongeun begged in a desperate voice.“If we don’t restrain him like that, he could obliterate not just the Seo-gyeong Center but the entire Chungcheong region. Do you realize the gravity of this? And if, by any chance, his telekinetic ESP waves hit the western coast, it could trigger a tsunami! What did those innocent civilians do to deserve that?”“Nothing at all. But what did Kim Moohyuk do to deserve this? After all he’s done to serve this country, you reduce him to this sorry state, and you think that justifies it?”Furious, I threw aside the shopping bag and phone I’d been carrying all day, then took out one of the protective suits stored in the room and began putting it on. Byeongeun watched me in silence for a while, then approached with a deep sigh to help me don the suit.“…Honestly, this has happened quite a few times. Each time, Moohyuk held on with all his might. He would say he could never harm the citizens you worked so hard to protect, Colonel.”“Oh, what a tear-jerker. Who notices that? You should have had the guides perform Guiding sessions for him, even if you had to catch him unconscious! If he refused, so what? What would you have done in my place?”“You’d have respected his refusal.”Byeongeun sighed deeply again. He was undoubtedly frustrated, but that didn’t excuse leaving Kim Moohyuk in that state. Annoyed by the old fool Byeongeun, I finished putting on the suit and ordered him to open the bunker door. Byeongeun muttered complaints under his breath.“…For a mere sergeant, don’t you think you’re ordering me around too much…?”“If you’re going to insult me, do it louder.”“I didn’t say anything.”I chuckled at the glare he shot me. Han Byeongeun looked tired, the weariness etched on his face hinting at his own struggles. I adjusted the protective suit, which was a bit too large for me, and put on the headgear. A low hum sounded as the defensive ESP layer wrapped around my body. Though it was thin compared to Kim Moohyuk’s wavelength, it would protect me—at least until he slipped deeper into his pre-outbreak state, at which point it wouldn’t hold up. Still, it was worth trusting Byeongeun’s work, so I watched as the thick bunker doors began to open.Thud—thud—thud—Layer after layer of concrete walls began to part. The bunker was thickly fortified, and I had to walk quickly to cross the length—about the size of two soccer fields—to reach Kim Moohyuk at the center.My weak body began to scream in protest. I was out of breath, dragging the heavy suit along, but there was no use complaining. The closer I got to the center, the more I felt the prickling sensation of Moohyuk’s wavelength against my skin. I intensified my guiding abilities, drawing out all the stored guiding substance I had from Sergeant Kang. Luckily, he was packed with it, which helped.The guiding particles leaving my fingertips clashed and interwove with Moohyuk’s defensive ESP waves, which seemed to recognize my own wavelength. Relieved, I continued forward, closer to the center. The resistance grew stronger. I cursed under my breath—Moohyuk, you stubborn fool.After pushing through the thick concrete layers, I reached a small circular chamber even smaller than my current room, 203. The room was surrounded by thick concrete walls as wide as the length I’d just walked, enclosing a small, confined space. There, suspended by chains from the ceiling, was Kim Moohyuk. His arms were raised, his wrists shackled. His bare upper body was littered with wounds, both old and fresh.Thankfully, he was unconscious. I steadied my breath and willed Sergeant Kang’s body to summon even a little more guiding energy. If I could fuse the guiding wavelength with my own, our 92% matching rate would allow me to stabilize Moohyuk.But Sergeant Kang’s body was clumsy with guiding techniques. Sparks flickered from my fingertips as the guiding wavelength tried to transform from a transverse to a longitudinal wave, only to revert. It was clear he hadn’t trained much in guiding. Something within his body was blocking the proper flow. Concentrating, I tried to locate the issue.The one I had to save, the one I had to protect—Kim Moohyuk, my sole partner from the day his powers first manifested. As I strengthened my focus, the guiding energy began to take on a more stable form. Not perfect, but it would serve as a protective bullet of sorts. The moment I aimed it at Moohyuk—“Colonel…”I froze, breath hitching. My eyes widened as I looked at him. …Did he just call for me? In this deep, isolated place, it was only him and me. That had to be it. I took a step closer, and Moohyuk spoke again.“Colonel, if you sleep here like this… you’ll catch a cold…”“What…?”The words slipped from my mouth without thinking. I wasn’t asleep, and I certainly wasn’t in any state to catch a cold. What was he talking about? Then I noticed—my own voice sounded different, softer, and I realized that he wasn’t looking for me, not as I was now. Colonel

 Kang Hajung wouldn’t have this light tone. The realization washed over me, a strange feeling somewhere between nostalgia and something heavier… something like a homesickness I hadn’t felt before.With a simple sense of relief at having survived, I was also hit by a sense of loneliness—knowing that no one would ever realize I was the same person as Kang Hajung Colonel. This brought a mix of relief, strange sorrow, and awkwardness. I had always thought it would be better if no one connected me to Kang Hajung so I could escape, leave the army, and start a new life. But looking at Moohyuk, who called my name, made me wonder if that was really the right choice.Moohyuk stared blankly in my direction, his eyes unfocused. Standing there, wrists bound to the ceiling by chains, he spoke in a calm tone.“Colonel, you shouldn’t say things like that. I always nag you to take care of your health, but you never listen. So how can you say that?”Though Moohyuk’s face was expressionless, I knew he was blaming me. But for what, exactly? As I watched him, lost in the illusion caused by his berserk symptoms, I couldn’t help but wonder what kind of words I had said to him in the past. His face, though vacant, radiated an intense sadness. Then Moohyuk spoke again.“…You said you’d come back to retrieve the watch…”The watch? I frowned, trying to understand what he meant. Just then, a mechanical sound hummed as Han Byeongeun’s voice came through the bunker’s speaker system, slightly irritated.“Colonel! Hurry up and try guiding! It’s going to be a pain erasing the footage!”Hearing the impatience in Byeongeun’s voice, I sighed and focused on reassembling my guiding waves. This time, it seemed easier, as if I’d become more accustomed to it. Moohyuk kept murmuring, his gaze wandering, his mind adrift.“Colonel… Kang Hajung… Hajung-ah…”Wait, did he just use informal speech? Right as I felt a flicker of affection, the informal tone snapped me back to reality, making me look at him in surprise. Of course, he couldn’t see me, lost in his subconscious like that. Just as I was preparing to shoot the wave of guiding energy I had formed toward Moohyuk, I heard Byeongeun’s panicked shout through the speaker.“Colonel!”At that moment, I was engulfed by a massive ESP wave—Moohyuk’s esper energy flooded the small room, overwhelming me like a tidal wave. With no skill in martial arts to defend myself, especially in the untrained body of Sergeant Kang, I could do little more than crouch down. I couldn’t escape the force that washed over me, crashing down like a tsunami.Then, suddenly…“Attention!”A voice called out from a distance, and soldiers in full-dress uniforms lined up. The sound of rifles locking into place echoed as the soldiers loaded blanks and held their guns at their sides. Startled by the sudden scene change, I looked around, confused.I realized that I was now standing in the middle of a military funeral. It was a soldier’s funeral, and coming down the line, carrying a small box draped with the Korean flag, was Kim Moohyuk.“…!”I took a deep breath, realizing I had somehow entered Moohyuk’s subconscious memory. It was a memory of a military funeral—for Colonel Kang Hajung. I felt certain I was within the mind of the high-level esper Kim Moohyuk.Once inside the subconscious of a high-level esper, it’s not easy to escape by will alone. I sighed, looking around. Among the officers in full dress, I spotted Han Byeongeun, his face streaked with tears. …I hadn’t expected him to cry, so it caught me by surprise. It was strange to think that this was my funeral. Even stranger was that it didn’t feel real—I was still alive, and yet I’d been considered dead for five years.Moohyuk’s small box likely contained my ashes, given its size. As he approached the plot with my remains, I felt an uneasiness settling over me. It seemed like we were at the national cemetery for fallen members of the Esper-Guide Corps. Stone markers greeted me, some familiar, including Ha Seonghan’s. …Would I be buried next to him, I wondered idly.However, as Moohyuk passed Ha Seonghan’s marker and continued, I realized he was leading my remains to a different spot. I had expected him to place me beside Seonghan…Watching Moohyuk, who was noticeably younger and looked worn down, I frowned. With his jaw set in a firm line, Moohyuk wasn’t crying. Compared to Director Kim Inhak and Han Byeongeun, who were openly weeping, Moohyuk’s face was utterly dry. He looked hardened, and his presence seemed as if all emotion had been drained out of him.Looking at the younger Moohyuk, I felt a pang. He lowered my ashes into the ground and took something from his uniform pocket—a handkerchief, neatly folded. Taking out a small bit of soil wrapped in the handkerchief, he sprinkled it over the box. Then others threw chrysanthemum flowers onto the box, each face familiar to me. They were crying or looking somber. In the distance, the sound of gunshots echoed.The funeral scene passed in a blur, and I was pulled into yet another memory by the surging waves of Moohyuk’s subconscious.“This is my last order. I’m not asking you to become a permanent guide pair. Just try to receive guiding from those with at least a 70% compatibility!”