# Chapter 13
“Why aren’t the results coming out?”
“Is there a problem?”
“The test usually takes only 10 seconds. But why is it doing this…”
After pondering for a while, Dr. Song muttered.
“Strange… results only fail to appear when someone isn’t a Guide…”
Though the comment wasn’t particularly aimed at him, Hajin realized his mistake when he heard it.
‘I should have been doing Guiding.’
Hajin bit the inside of his mouth lightly. This was a predicament.
Since he’d developed the habit of blocking his Guiding to avoid being detected as a Guide during school tests, this had now backfired.
The first time he blocked Guiding was before elementary school, during the mandatory screening. Before the test, eight-year-old Hajin had tried everything to avoid it.
But at such a young age, there was no way to escape a government-mandated test, and Hajin eventually had to stand before the measuring device, just like today.
Back then, Hajin had strongly wished to hide his Guiding, and whether that wish worked or not, he’d managed to pass the test without incident.
‘Stay calm. They haven’t caught on yet.’
But suddenly starting to use Guiding now would definitely seem suspicious. Maintaining his composure, Hajin asked Dr. Song:
“Could the machine be malfunctioning momentarily?”
“That shouldn’t be possible… Hmm, excuse me for a moment.”
As Hajin stepped back slightly, Dr. Song sat down and began fiddling with various parts of the machine.
“Sigh, I’m sorry. This rarely happens… Let’s try again.”
Hajin nodded and this time gripped the machine without blocking his Guiding. Immediately, the previously silent machine began to operate properly, measuring his Guiding.
Beep. Beep. BEEP!
“Ohh…!”
“I guess there was a temporary issue with the machine.”
Dr. Song couldn’t hide his embarrassment now that the measuring device was finally working properly. But that was momentary—as soon as the machine finished measuring and began printing the results, all his attention shifted there.
As soon as the printing finished, Dr. Song’s hand quickly snatched the paper. He rolled his eyes wildly, rapidly scanning the document.
“Huk! Ah, no, this is!”
Dr. Song, who rarely showed surprise, became so excited that he shouted, causing the Espers waiting outside to burst in, unable to contain themselves any longer.
“What?! Ahem, ahem.”
The Chairman, caught off guard, had no choice but to follow them in. In truth, he was just as curious.
Dr. Song’s passionate reaction had piqued everyone’s interest. What could possibly have happened to what might be the world’s first S-class Guide, beyond just Korea?
The Chairman, who had rushed in despite his heavy frame, urged Dr. Song.
“Hey, Dr. Song. What’s going on? Why are you so surprised?”
But Dr. Song stared at Hajin as if he couldn’t hear the Chairman’s words.
“How, how is this possible…!”
“Hey! I’m asking what’s going on!”
Only after the Chairman’s undignified prodding did Dr. Song finally turn to him.
“Chairman! Look at this!”
Dr. Song handed the result paper to the Chairman, still unable to contain his excitement, and proclaimed loudly as if for the entire world to hear.
“Grade measurement impossible! Is this even possible?! I would have been surprised if it showed S-class, but ‘grade measurement impossible’!”
His eyes, filled with joy and astonishment, looked like those of a scholar witnessing the discovery of the century.
“Lee Hajin!”
“Yes?”
Despite being the century’s discovery himself, Hajin responded calmly. But that wasn’t the important part. Dr. Song could hardly believe what he’d just seen with his own eyes.
After calling Hajin’s name, Dr. Song could only alternate between staring at the paper and at Hajin, speechless.
Hajin remained composed despite the dramatic reaction. Whether S-class or beyond, it wouldn’t change his reality.
“Holy shit, is that even possible…?”
Lee Doyoon unwittingly cursed, but no one reprimanded him. This was indeed something shocking enough to warrant profanity.
Grade measurement impossible.
This wasn’t a result that could appear due to an error or mistake. If someone wasn’t a Guide, the machine simply wouldn’t operate. But “grade measurement impossible”? This was a result that had never occurred in history.
A Guide who surpassed even S-class. It meant a Guide whose abilities couldn’t be measured with current scientific technology.
While the Chairman’s eyes glinted with greed, the Espers, after a moment of excitement, quickly sank into contemplation.
Unlike the Chairman who needed to pursue benefits, this wasn’t particularly good news for the Espers who were devoted to the Guide himself.
S-class would have been enough. No, S-class would have been more than abundant. But “grade measurement impossible”?
Didn’t this mean that Hajin, who was already attracting unnecessary attention, could become even more endangered?
“‘Grade measurement impossible.’ What does that mean?”
Hajin, who had been quietly observing the situation, finally spoke up.
From what he’d heard during the car ride, grades only went from F-class to S-class, so what did “grade measurement impossible” mean?
Judging by how everyone except him couldn’t hide their surprise, it seemed to be something special, but he needed a precise explanation.
The Chairman, who was holding the test results, answered.
“Ah, that’s…”
Wait. Should I just tell him like this?
The Chairman hesitated, momentarily overtaken by a sudden greed.
He was anxious about what would happen if Hajin tried to negotiate his value, which had skyrocketed, or challenged the Chairman’s authority.
‘No, that would actually be fortunate. If he tried to defect to another country…’
But before the Chairman could organize his thoughts, Dr. Song, excited by the new discovery, passionately answered Hajin’s question.
“It means exactly what it says! Lee Hajin’s Guiding cannot be measured with current scientific technology!”
‘This idiot…!’
The Chairman nearly shouted at Dr. Song’s action of divulging everything when he hadn’t yet decided how to handle Hajin.
If he could, he would have hit Dr. Song on the head to shut him up, but the Espers were watching silently from behind.
Yes, the S-class Espers who had now become Hajin’s Espers.
‘Damn, I should have left the Espers behind.’
If only Dr. Song had been present, he could have somehow deceived Hajin, but with the Espers watching, he couldn’t even attempt to deceive him.
When considering the status between the Chairman and Espers, he was technically superior, but that didn’t mean he could suppress them with his position.
Even B-class Espers displayed inhuman strength, not to mention the A-class and S-class above them.
The Chairman could reign over them only because the Association provided them with Guides.
Since the Association had practically raised Guides from a young age, no matter how arrogant the Guides became, they followed the Association’s orders diligently due to their long-term education.
The Espers had no choice but to follow these Guides who had been given their leash by the Association.
But Hajin was different. He came to the Association at the age of thirty-two, not only mature but also seasoned in social life, and his grade was even “measurement impossible.”
Someone like him would quickly realize how valuable he was.
The Chairman immediately changed his approach.
‘Right. The deception wouldn’t have lasted long anyway, and the outcome would have been unfavorable.’
If Hajin were to discover he’d been deceived, that could really cause trouble. The Chairman glanced at Hajin, who was listening to the explanation about the immeasurable grade.
Though momentarily blinded by greed, the Chairman acknowledged it. At this rate, or rather already, Hajin’s value exceeded his own as Chairman.
It would be better to ensure Hajin remained with the Association no matter what.
Even as the Chairman made this resolution, Dr. Song continued to speak enthusiastically.
“Since the emergence of Espers and Guides, this has never happened before. Not just in Korea, but worldwide!”
“So it’s quite remarkable.”
“That’s putting it mildly! With Guide Lee Hajin alone, not only modern technology but even academics could advance by one step—no, several steps!”
Dr. Song was excited as if he himself would be the one to achieve this advancement.
‘That crazy old man!’
The Chairman had intended to treat Hajin well, but that didn’t mean he planned to hand over actual power to him. Thanks to Dr. Song running his mouth, his plan to gradually placate Hajin was at risk of failing.
“Oh, is it that impressive?”
Hajin was pretending ignorance while extracting the information he needed from Dr. Song. He was indeed not someone to be taken lightly, unlike other Guides.
The Chairman quickly intervened. It was already too late, but he needed to silence the damned Dr. Song.
No, rather than silencing him, he now needed to flatter Hajin to win his heart.
“Ha, haha. Congratulations, Guide Lee Hajin. And thank you. Thanks to Guide Lee Hajin, not only will our country be safer, but we’ll also be able to achieve many advancements.”
Hajin shook the extended hand.
‘You’re really trying hard.’
As the Chairman had predicted, Hajin had roughly gauged his value through the conversation with Dr. Song.
Unless he was a fool, he couldn’t ignore the statement that he might advance current scientific technology by several steps.
If there was any consolation for the Chairman, it was that Hajin didn’t particularly want to use his abilities as a Guide, whatever kind he might be. If his life hadn’t been targeted, he would have continued to hide his abilities even if he’d known their extent.
In any case, since he’d already come this far, he just wanted to make a lot of money, not use this ability to seize power or sacrifice himself for some grand result.
‘As long as I can make a living.’
“I’m glad my modest abilities can be of help.”
Much to the Chairman’s relief, Hajin accepted his extended hand. But until the contract was signed—no, with a Guide like Hajin, even a signed contract wouldn’t guarantee complete allegiance to the Association.
‘Then I should make him form an attachment to this place first.’
He didn’t need to look far—right behind the Chairman stood the Espers, firmly in place.
Author: Hyacinthus B
Hyacinthus
