Chapter 53: The Weight of Prediction

“I was just thinking of trying a diet these days.”

“You used to boast about your perfect physique and flawless looks. There’s no fat for you to lose; it’s all muscle.”

“They say a slim build is the trend these days.”

Sa-yoon brazenly changed the subject, settling into the chair. Despite the plush cushion, a groan of discomfort escaped him automatically, a testament to his body still not being back to normal, just as the Director had observed.

“I didn’t send you on assignment so you could rest thoroughly, but now you look half-dead. Perhaps you’re the type who stays healthy by working. I’ll have to keep you busy without a moment’s rest from now on.”

At the horrific suggestion, Sa-yoon’s brows furrowed deeply. He hastily rummaged through his chest, feigning a search for something.

“Let’s see. Where did I put that letter of resignation I drafted?”

“It was a joke. Can’t a person say anything?”

The Director clicked his tongue briefly, then scrutinized Sa-yoon once more. Though he was generally kind, he wasn’t typically one to worry about an agent’s health before assigning a mission. Yet, Sa-yoon’s current state was so notably poor that it warranted such close inspection.

“Good heavens. What am I to do? I was just about to put you to good use, but your condition is like this…”

“So, it seems I’m finally going on a mission? Let’s hear how long you plan to exploit me after such an extended break.”

“Did you catch on? I didn’t tell you to rest comfortably, but you figured it out on your own. Still, seeing you like this, I’m reluctant to give you this mission. But you’re exactly the right person for it…”

The Director, scratching the bridge of his nose in distress, handed Sa-yoon a document detailing the mission.

“This is a top-secret document, strictly forbidden from external leakage. While all missions are like that, this one is particularly special. If even a tiny bit leaks, both our positions will be… no, only mine will be gone.”

The Director’s shoulders slumped. No matter what crime he committed, an S-class Esper would never be expelled; only the Director would be demoted. He muttered, cursing the harsh reality.

Meanwhile, Sa-yoon unfolded the document. Curious as to why the Director was emphasizing its importance so much, he quickly scanned its contents.

“Oh… my God.”

Sa-yoon, who didn’t even believe in God, nearly cried out His name.

“Is this real? No, it must be. Why do they keep doing this in Korea?”

The document listed Airain’s new predicted terror zone: Korea, specifically Daejeon. To Sa-yoon’s recollection, Airain had never launched consecutive terror attacks in the same country.

“How am I supposed to know what goes on in their heads? If we catch them this time, let’s dissect their brains first.”

“……”

Sa-yoon’s shoulders stiffened at the Director’s casual joke. Dissection, of all things. It overlapped with a grim dream, leaving a bitter taste in his mouth. He thought he was fine, but suddenly, fear began to creep up from within the shadows.

Perhaps the reason Sa-yoon found this particularly difficult was the fact that the Irregular Hunter was nearby. Every time the memory of calmly conversing with and facing the very entity he had always feared surfaced, goosebumps erupted across his entire body.

“Only your team will be deployed to Daejeon for this mission. After all, you all have an uncanny ability to sniff things out. You even find them well when they’re hidden underground. So, find those hidden terrorists. If you discover anyone suspicious, request backup immediately.”

“Aren’t you treating us like sniffer dogs?”

“What are you talking about? Sniffer dogs are at least cute. You lot are just creepy.”

The dog-loving Director cupped his hands together as he spoke, emphasizing how dogs were small, cute, and obedient. He grumbled, wishing they could be more like dogs.

“I’m much more handsome than a dog, sir. So, where did this information come from this time?”

“Our dispatched team acquired it. A significant figure was captured. There was quite a lot of useful information to be gleaned.”

Sa-yoon nodded. The ‘significant figure’ must have been the Irregular captured by Levian—an Airain collaborator, beaten to a pulp and brought back in a sack. Feigning ignorance, Sa-yoon asked again.

“A significant figure, you say? I’m curious. Let me see their face sometime. I want to know what they look like.”

“Why would you want to see such a thing? They’ve gone underground, so they’ll never see the light of day again. Don’t entertain such idle curiosity; just don’t worry about it.”

“But I’m curious…”

“You really only take an interest in the strangest things. Don’t even think about secretly searching for them; just focus on the mission.”

Sa-yoon laughed off the Director’s warning with a playful expression. Yet, the corners of his eyes were firm, trembling ever so slightly. Underground. The Irregular would be interrogated, thoroughly stripped of information, and then sent directly to the lab. The Irregular, whose face he didn’t even know, would likely never see the sunlight again.

Sa-yoon struggled to rein in his thoughts, which kept digging deeper. The situation was different from simply empathizing with an Irregular out of a sense of kinship. His opponent was an accomplice to terrorists. Even if they were both Irregulars, Sa-yoon was different. It was only right to set aside any sympathy.

“So, let’s see. The dispatched team captured a significant figure, from whom new terror information emerged, and our team is going to handle it… huh?”

As Sa-yoon pieced together the sequence, the timeline seemed off. His team had been excluded from this dispatch precisely to take on the next mission. The Director had just confirmed this. Yet, the terror information had only surfaced after the significant figure was captured.

It didn’t add up. If the Director’s words were true, there would have been no reason to keep Sa-yoon’s team at headquarters beforehand. It was as if they had known about the terror attack prior to the dispatch.

“……”

“Why the serious expression again?”

“Our Director has gotten much better at lying. I almost let it slide. Our team rested before the criminal was even caught, so saying we were off duty because of a terror threat makes no sense. So, where exactly did this information come from?”

Sa-yoon asked, his eyes softening slightly. The Director, whose gaze met his, faltered and looked away. His embarrassment was palpable, as if he hadn’t expected Sa-yoon to notice.

“I thought you’d overlook it, but you’re not so easy after all. You seem dull, but you’re sharper than I thought.”

“Please be honest with me. We’re risking our lives, so we need to know the exact source of this information. Only then can I truly take responsibility for my team members.”

Sa-yoon was also a team leader, responsible for many people. His position came with accountability. For the sake of his team members who trusted and followed him, he couldn’t simply let it go.

The Director, understanding Sa-yoon’s feelings from a fellow manager’s perspective, sighed deeply. He placed a small stool next to his desk and motioned for Sa-yoon to sit.

“This is truly, truly top secret.”

“You said that earlier too…”

“Be quiet and listen.”

Glancing around, the Director leaned close to Sa-yoon, who was now seated on the stool, and whispered in a low voice.

“For several years, the nation has been secretly researching a system with government support. It might be hard to believe, but this system can, to some extent, predict the future.”

This was about the prediction system Sa-yoon had yearned for. Sa-yoon’s eyes, cast downward, gleamed. An unexpected boon. He had never imagined he would hear this from the Director. Suppressing his excitement so as not to reveal his true feelings, Sa-yoon responded playfully as usual.

“Prediction? Isn’t that some kind of cult thing?”

“It seems to be surprisingly accurate. The system predicted the terror attack in advance. And the same information came from the criminal we just apprehended. It should be reliable information.”

“Our dear Director. If anyone asks you to buy an expensive jade mat, you absolutely must tell me. A water purifier too.”

The Director, who had been serious, frowned. Frustrated by Sa-yoon’s disbelief, he beat his chest.

“It’s true, you damned fool! This system even specifically designated your team as the most suitable for this terror incident. It accurately grasps the predicted future and even instructs on how to respond. And in a world where Espers with precognitive special abilities exist, why would future prediction be a cult thing?”

The mention of a precognitive Esper instantly brought Myeong-ah’s face to Sa-yoon’s mind. He deliberately suppressed the sudden tightness around his eyes, reacting nonchalantly.

“I’ve only heard about precognitive Espers; I’ve never actually experienced one. Besides, even A-class Espers only have about 70% accuracy, don’t they? Is that even meaningful?”

“You’d know if you met one… but why am I even telling you this? Anyway, that’s all I can tell you. Just quietly head down to Daejeon.”

The Director slapped Sa-yoon’s back with his palm. Sa-yoon, not truly hurt, rubbed his back and subtly returned to his seat.

“So, Director, since the esteemed expensive system has graciously designated our team, we’ll go. But will you truly grant us a long vacation after this? Long enough to even go abroad?”

The Director’s gaze upon Sa-yoon turned disdainful. His thoughts, clearly etched on his face, were: *Millions of lives are at stake right now, and you’re talking about a mere vacation?*

“You’re thinking useless thoughts when we don’t even know if we can properly stop the terror. If Daejeon is destroyed, you’ll have to live a lifetime cleaning up the mess.”

“We work hard because big rewards motivate us. We’re a public enterprise without performance bonuses, so you can at least do this much for us.”

As Sa-yoon shrugged his shoulders cunningly, the Director’s expression twisted further.

“We’ll have to see about that when the time comes. Given how Airain is acting, it seems they plan to keep causing trouble in Korea, so we can’t afford to reduce our forces. Don’t get your hopes up too high.”

“Hmm…”

Sa-yoon inwardly chuckled at the expected answer. There was a specific reason why he had brought up vacation plans in such a serious situation, oblivious to the urgency.