“Seol-bin, what the hell is going on…?”
Kim Seong-gyeong stared at me and the collapsed Espers in disbelief, his eyes wide like a startled rabbit. I bit my lip hard as I met his gaze.
I hadn’t expected him to show up here—with Kang Hak-gwan, of all people.
It was already bad enough having to deal with Kang Hak-gwan alone, but now with Kim Seong-gyeong here too… Could I really make it out past both of them?
Especially Kim Seong-gyeong. I’d seen him fight in the dungeon before—I knew how skilled he was. That alone made it hard not to tense up.
Esper abilities didn’t work on me, sure—but that only applied when the ability was used on me. I didn’t know if that immunity extended to things like Kim Seong-gyeong’s power, which enhanced his speed for close combat. That was a completely different matter.
And unlike me—who hadn’t seen real combat since becoming Hwang Seol-bin—Kim Seong-gyeong was constantly fighting in dungeons. There was no guarantee I could outmatch someone with those kinds of instincts.
“Seol-bin. Come on. Let’s just talk first, okay?”
“You locked me up for a whole week. Do I look like I’m in the mood to ‘just talk’?”
“That was a misunderstanding! The Center was only trying to protect you!”
“Kidnapping someone and calling it ‘protection’ doesn’t make it okay.”
“I’ll explain everything. I swear. Just… please don’t fight.”
I shifted my gaze toward Kang Hak-gwan. He hadn’t said a word, but he was clearly content letting Kim Seong-gyeong handle things. He stepped back, choosing to observe for now. But the sharp glint in his eyes didn’t waver—it was a warning. The moment I made a move, he’d strike without hesitation.
…Damn it.
For now, it seemed smarter to listen to Kim Seong-gyeong. He was trying to defuse the situation, but if a fight broke out, there was no way he’d be on my side. There was no chance I could take on both of them.
If Kim Seong-gyeong hadn’t shown up, I probably could’ve escaped by now.
I clicked my tongue in frustration, then slowly raised both hands to show I had no intention of fighting. Only then did Kim Seong-gyeong finally relax, the tension melting from his face as he offered the familiar, easy smile I remembered.
Then he turned to Kang Hak-gwan and asked, “Would it be okay if I talked to Seol-bin for a moment?”
“Do it here,” Kang Hak-gwan replied.
“I was hoping to speak with him alone.”
Kang Hak-gwan frowned but eventually pointed toward the door. “Fine. Inside.”
The thought of willingly walking back into that room made me want to sigh, but I didn’t have a choice. I followed Kim Seong-gyeong in.
As soon as we stepped inside, the door shut behind us. Kim Seong-gyeong finally exhaled deeply and turned to me, his voice low and filled with concern.
“What the hell happened here?”
“…I just told you. But more importantly—how did you end up here?”
“I heard you’d become an SSS-Rank Guide, so I came to find you. But I never expected to walk into something like this…”
He looked genuinely shaken, and for a moment, I didn’t know what to say. But his questions didn’t stop.
“Are you hurt? Anywhere?”
“…No. I’m fine.”
Even after seeing me take down the guards, Kim Seong-gyeong gave me a once-over, scanning me from head to toe with clear worry in his eyes.
“That’s a relief. Still… the way you fought—honestly, it was incredible. You were amazing back in the dungeon, too, but this… This was something else.”
“…I’ve liked sports since I was a kid.”
“Even so, that was reckless. You’re just a regular Guide, and they were trained professionals. You got lucky this time, but what if something went wrong? You could’ve been seriously hurt.”
He sounded genuinely worried, but I wasn’t just going to sit there and nod.
“I couldn’t stay locked up forever.”
“They did it to protect you…”
“How long was I supposed to wait? They locked me away without a phone, cut me off from the outside world—how much longer did I have to ‘endure’ before they let me go?”
“That’s because… things got chaotic after your rank was revealed. It’s for your own safety. I swear, once things calm down, they’ll let you out. Just… hang in there a little longer, okay?”
I let out a quiet sigh. When Kim Yong-ha first showed up as an S-Rank Guide, it had caused a huge stir. It wasn’t hard to imagine how much worse it’d be for an SSS-Rank. I’d expected some chaos, sure—but locking me in a room like this? That crossed a line.
And Kang Hak-gwan’s weirdly forced congratulations still rubbed me the wrong way.
As I mulled it over, Kim Seong-gyeong hesitated for a second, then said quietly, “I’m sorry… for not being able to help you.”
He looked genuinely guilty. I shook my head.
“You don’t need to apologize. But… could you tell me what’s going on outside?”
“Of course. I’d be happy to.”
He nodded immediately without hesitation.
***
“…That’s the situation right now.”
Kim Seong-gyeong gave me a detailed rundown of what was happening outside.
The day the news broke that I was an SSS-Rank Guide, it hit the media like a bomb. Breaking news alerts, reporters scrambling, Espers flooding the Center begging for Guiding… It turned the entire place into a madhouse.
Kim Seong-gyeong looked shaken as he said he’d never seen the lobby that crowded before, not even once. Even after a full week had passed, it seemed the chaos hadn’t calmed down at all.
“I can’t believe I have to leave already… This really sucks.”
His eyes were full of regret as he reluctantly forced himself to walk away.
He knocked on the door, and the lock clicked open a moment later. Standing just beyond it was Kang Hak-gwan. His posture said everything—like he’d been guarding the door on purpose, just in case Kim Seong-gyeong tried something reckless, like helping me escape. The sheer audacity of it made my expression twitch with irritation, but I forced myself to stay composed. Instead, I waved Kim Seong-gyeong off with a smile.
He smiled back, told me to hang in there just a little longer, and walked away.
I had just started to turn back when—
“You’re not getting out of here.”
“…What did you just say?”
I lifted my head at the sudden voice. Kang Hak-gwan stood there, a cold, smug smile curling at the edge of his mouth.
“Now that we know you’re an SSS-Rank, you’ll be transferred under government jurisdiction. Of course, there are procedures to follow first… but until then, don’t even think about leaving. It’s over.”
…How the hell did he know what I talked about with Kim Seong-gyeong?
Did he eavesdrop? Plant surveillance? Did I seriously get bugged?
Shit. I should’ve known better. Who knows what kind of shady crap they’ve rigged this place with?
Before I could respond, Kang Hak-gwan shoved me back inside and slammed the door behind me.
“Goddamn it! Open the door!”
My fury boiled over, and I pounded on the door with my fists, yelling loud enough to rattle the walls—but it was useless. The door didn’t budge.
I stared at the locked door, a sick feeling twisting in my gut. My anger flared, and I clenched my teeth hard enough to hurt.
Transferred to the government? Who the hell agreed to that? First they lock me up, and now they’re bugging me too?
I started searching the room top to bottom, tearing through every inch for cameras or mics. After a thorough sweep, I found one bug and one camera. The moment I spotted them, I ripped them out and flushed them down the toilet without hesitation.
Grinding my teeth, I went straight for my emergency stash. I’d hidden something for a situation like this… it had to be—
There!
I tore open the lining of a thick coat and pulled out a phone I’d hidden there. It was my last-resort burner, something I’d stashed away after the retest confirmed my SSS-Rank—just in case.
I hadn’t used it until now, even though I knew Kang Biso would be worried. I wanted to hold out until the very end. But this—this was the end.
Thank god I hadn’t used it earlier. If I had, the surveillance would’ve caught it, and I would’ve lost it before I even had the chance.
I powered on the phone, my fingers moving on instinct as I dialed the number.
[Who is this?]
A deep, gravelly voice answered on the other end. It was the first time I’d heard Kang Biso’s voice in a week.
He didn’t recognize the number and sounded like he was about to hang up.
[How the hell did you get my number?]
“Kang Biso.”
[…Hyung?]
“Yes. It’s me. I’m sorry I didn’t call sooner.”
There was silence. A long, heavy pause.
I started to wonder if he thought this was a trick, that someone was pretending to be me. Just as that anxiety started to take root, I finally heard his voice again.
[…I told you not to go.]
“I know. I’m sorry…”
[You’re not hurt, are you?]
“I’m fine. I just… can’t get out.”
[Then stay put. I’m coming to get you.]
The moment he said that, the overhead lights went out all at once.
What the—? Power outage?
“What the hell?! Why’d the lights go out?!”
“Get them back on! Now!”
There was shouting outside. I tried to tell Kang Biso what was happening, but the call had already dropped.
Still gripping the burner phone tightly, I crept toward the door. I heard footsteps. People rushing by. Then silence.
“We should relocate the Guide.”
“It’s not our call, but we should check—just in case.”
Two guards were talking right outside. I could feel my whole body tense.
Kang Biso said to wait—but how could I sit here when a golden chance like this dropped into my lap?
—Creak.
The door… it’s open!
The second I saw it shift, I launched forward and kicked it open with everything I had.
BANG!
“What the—?!”
One of the guards stumbled back in shock, shouting in confusion. I smirked faintly.
“He forced the door open! The Guide’s trying to escape!”
“Stop him! Don’t let him get away!”
I didn’t respond. I didn’t need to. Instead, I pressed myself flat against the wall.
The power was still out. Most people would assume I’d be running. That was what I was counting on. I could use that assumption to slip along the wall, avoiding their line of sight.
Then, of course, the lights came back on.
Seriously?! Now?!
The hallway lit up in an instant. In the blink of an eye, all their eyes landed on me.
Shit. No more hiding.
I bolted.
“There he is!”
“Catch him!”
“He’s headed that way—!”
I couldn’t get caught.
If they caught me again, it was over. I wouldn’t get another shot at this. And if that happened… I’d never get to see Kang Biso again.
This was my last chance—and I ran like hell.
“Where do you think you’re going?”
A voice stopped me cold.
A tall man stood at the end of the corridor. A scar ran across his face, and his arms were crossed as he watched me approach with a look of pure annoyance.
Kang Hak-gwan.
Behind him stood a group of Espers, completely blocking the hallway.
