Chapter 54: Our Child Has Changed

“Ugh…! I feel so stiff.

I’m seriously going to pull a muscle…!”

I pushed myself up from where I had been lying face-down and stretched.

Things hadn’t been great lately, but recently business had been so bad it could honestly be called the worst.

It would’ve been better to just close the shop entirely.

At least then I could save on electricity bills.

“Starting a full-scale war against special ability crimes, the government—centered around Seoul’s Second Special Ability Center—has carried out large-scale crackdowns, eliminating over 350 armed organizations in just the past month….”

No matter which channel I turned on, that was the first news I heard.

Centered around Seoul and Gyeonggi Province, illegal mercenary groups and businesses were being caught—no, wiped out.

Maybe because of that, no one had been coming in for guiding lately.

It was strange.

If my memory was correct, this crackdown policy was supposed to fail.

The same kinds of organizations had formed in the past too.

But after one mercenary group was completely wiped out during a raid, everything disappeared without a sound.

Yet this time, for some reason, things were going smoothly.

This wasn’t the first small change either.

I couldn’t be certain, but there were subtle differences between the past I remembered and the present I was experiencing again.

Major events like Gate Breaks still happened the same way, but occasionally I found myself thinking,

“Was there something like this before?”

“Well, whatever.”

All I was doing was living quietly in the countryside, running a small guiding office.

It wasn’t like reopening this place was something I wanted either.

But I had no choice.

All I knew how to do was guiding, so I had to keep at it.

Why is it that freedom and poverty always come as a set?

Four years.

If I tried to talk about my last four years, I wouldn’t be able to say a word without crying.

Leaving home with not a single coin…

Thinking back on all the suffering, it was honestly tear-jerking.

“With what kind of nerve are you running a shop, Sejin?”

Oh, you’re wondering who Sejin is?

That’s me.

There was no way I could live under the name Jin Se-hyun anymore.

After breaking my promise with the Support Office and running away, how could I be stupid enough to use my real name?

The fake identity I made by slipping some money to a broker was Hyun Se-jin.

…I just reversed my real name, Jin Se-hyun.

Names don’t really matter anyway.

There aren’t many people who even call me by one.

While I was spacing out, lost in thought, a familiar voice spoke up.

“You’re here, hyung?”

“Yeah.

Nothing going on?

Why does it feel like I have to ask everyone how they’re doing these days?”

“I know, right…

This place is rural so it seems okay, but Seoul sounds insane.

They say illegal offices are getting wiped out everywhere.”

Yang Soo-chan.

An Esper who became a regular after I settled in this town.

His skills were decent, he was around my age, and unlike the other low-quality types, he had good manners.

We could at least hold a conversation.

“It’s worse than that.

From what I’ve heard, not a single one of them was arrested.”

“…No one was arrested?

Then isn’t that… fine?”

Yang Soo-chan casually dragged an old chair over and sat in front of me.

He handed me an iced Americano, one in each hand.

“Ah, thanks.

I’ll make sure to give you extra good service today.”

“Guiding isn’t the issue.

You should be careful too.

What do you think it means when no one gets arrested?

It means they’re executing everyone on the spot.”

“…Executed….”

Was that even possible?

Maybe because I’d only ever been involved with Gate and monster-clearing teams, I didn’t know much about criminal enforcement.

But thinking about it, it didn’t seem completely impossible either.

Agents affiliated with the Special Ability Center were unofficially given a license to kill.

Of course, only when the target was another special ability user.

They did have the authority to immediately execute forces opposing the government.

I’d never heard of anyone actually using it, though.

“So be careful.

Would be stupid to die just trying to make a little money.”

“They won’t come all the way out here, right?

This town barely has any illegal businesses at all—ours included, maybe five or six.”

It was a quiet small city.

Even so, Gates still appeared here, so mercenary groups existed to loot them before the government noticed.

Those Espers were my clients.

Big cities had far larger organizations and facilities, so there was no reason to come this far.

More than anything, I didn’t plan on staying here long.

“Well, that’s true.

Coming all the way here just to catch you would be a waste of manpower.

Have you eaten?

Eat first, then give me some guiding.

My whole body’s been aching since I haven’t gotten any lately.”

“Kimchi-jjim?”

“Deal.”

Thank goodness.

I thought I’d have to eat alone again today.

We didn’t even bother locking the shop and headed to a nearby restaurant.

There was nothing worth stealing anyway.

“But hey, Sejin—how did you end up in a place like this?

You don’t really seem like someone who fits in with people.”

“…Ah.

I just kind of rolled my way here.

Like everyone else….”

As the kimchi stew bubbled away, a conversation I didn’t want to have began.

I knew it was just a simple question with no deeper meaning, but my chest felt heavy.

A face flashed through my mind.

…That kid loved kimchi stew too.

A child with the appetite of an old man—he’d eat two bowls of rice if there was just kimchi stew I made.

‘It’s good.

Everything you make is good, hyung.

You should eat too.’

The way he’d place shredded kimchi onto my spoon.

Yeah… I picked the wrong lunch menu today.

Useless memories welled up, killing my appetite.

Then, a piece of well-fermented kimchi landed in my bowl.

“What are you doing?”

“What?

You were spacing out, so I figured you should eat.”

“…Seriously….”

Pointless kindness.

Maybe it’s time to start wrapping things up in this town.

I’m uncomfortable getting too close to people.

Every time I laugh and joke like nothing happened, guilt creeps in.

Do I even have the right to do that?

The rice in my mouth felt gritty, like sand.

“Let’s go back and do some guiding.

Honestly, you’re a lifesaver.

When you weren’t around, I had to drive three hours round-trip.”

“Alright.

Let’s go up quickly.

I’ll do you a favor, then clock out.”

At least that was good news.

I had no money at all, but thanks to him, I could survive a few more days.

Thinking I’d guide him close to full recovery today, I opened the shop door.

“Shouldn’t you turn on the AC?

It’s way too ho—”

“Shh.

Hyung, stay quiet….”

Something felt wrong.

The office looked exactly the same as when I’d left.

But it felt like I was surrounded by countless monsters.

Soo-chan didn’t seem to notice, but I was certain.

Something was happening.

Something very bad—for me.

Whoosh.

Wind blew in through the half-open window.

Along with it came unfamiliar smells.

Dangerous smells.

A thick, metallic scent that wouldn’t wash away—

blood.

“Run!”

I sensed danger and shouted at Soo-chan, sprinting for the exit first.

But my reaction was too late.

Crash!

Boom!

The windows and entrance exploded inward as black-clad agents flooded in from all sides.

Their uniforms were painfully familiar.

The Special Ability Center.

Judging by the arm patches—Seoul Second Center, Gyeonggi Third Center, Gangwon First Center…

Dozens of them poured in, filling the small office.

Clang, clang, clang!

Espers fully covered in advanced combat suits, helmets, goggles, and masks moved in perfect coordination.

Various attack-type skills manifested before them—

ice, water, fire, wind, electricity.

“Move even one step, and you will be executed.”

I didn’t know who said it.

Soo-chan and I raised our hands, unable to speak, clearly showing we had no intent to resist.

“Subdue the Esper first.”

So this was the task force I’d only heard rumors about.

They were far more oppressive than I’d imagined.

This much manpower could clear an S-rank Gate easily.

Soo-chan was forced to the ground and bound with special restraints.

A particularly large agent stepped toward me.

Like the others, he wore a black combat suit and completely concealed his face.

Thud!

He grabbed my collar and swept my legs out from under me.

Instead of slamming into the floor, my back landed surprisingly gently.

The hand gripping my collar supported my weight.

…Why?

It didn’t match how aggressively they’d stormed in.

“I—I surrender.”

I made my lack of resistance clear again.

Still, he pressed his knee into my chest without saying a word.

His eyes were hidden behind dark goggles, but I could feel his gaze locked onto me.

Hadn’t I heard the rumors?

That no illegal Esper caught by this team ever survived.

Maybe… this really was the end of my life again.

As fear swallowed me, I heard something strange in my ear.

“Found you at last.”

It had to be my imagination.

There was no way I’d hear that voice now.

The man pressed against me removed his goggles and mask.

“Long time no see, hyung.”

It was Jaeyul.

Seon Jaeyul.

“No—

Jin Se-hyun.”

A Jaeyul I’d never seen before stared down at me.