Approximal Guide

In a certain month and year of the 21st century. It was the day Colonel Kang Hajung of the Esper-Guide Special Forces died in the line of duty.I was fated to die that day, no question. Dramatically so, as if mocking my past dreams of a natural death. If I’d known this was how it would end, I would have retired earlier and opened a chicken restaurant. There was no time even to regret it. My consciousness faded, my life cut short, leaving no room for a last panoramic reel. All I thought was, “Well, life was something, huh.”“Kim Moohyuk! Move—!”“You move, Instructor!”Before I could shout, Kim Moohyuk wrapped his arm around my waist and lifted me right up, nearly making me bite my tongue in surprise. This kid never listens when I tell him not to carry me like this; it’s embarrassing. I was irritated but had no choice. Since he was holding me, I figured I might as well guide him. As I increased the guiding connection, Kim Moohyuk sensed the change and looked down at me with an incredulous expression. What are you looking at? I gave a small smirk, avoiding his gaze.Boom—It seemed my guiding wasn’t ineffective, as Moohyuk’s fingers clenched and released, sending rocks flying toward the enemies nearby. With just a flick of his fingers, he smashed bones while still setting me down in a safe spot, frowning as he did.“I told you to stay put. Why don’t you ever listen?”“Kid, you’ve grown. Since when do you talk like that to your teacher?”“…Fine, but Instructor, you have a slight fever right now.”“So what if I do? What does that have to do with me being your instructor?”I pushed Kim Moohyuk’s shoulder aside as he started scolding me, raising my pistol to aim at an enemy creeping up from behind. The gunshot rang out, shattering the attacker’s skull. A second slower, and the military knife he wielded would have pierced Moohyuk’s shoulder. Unfazed by the sound, he promptly dispatched another enemy charging from behind, slamming them to the ground.With the loud thud, I didn’t need to look back to know what state they were in. I shook my head.“Let’s finish this up quickly. Your teacher is tired.”“I told you to stay in the operations vehicle.”“Oh, enough! Why are you being so overbearing lately? Are we married? Am I the only one who doesn’t know I’m your legal spouse?”I heard Moohyuk mutter a low “marriage is a…” in irritation, but I ignored him. He hates even my harmless teasing.Having grown up at the academy surrounded by the subtle tensions between Espers and Guides, same-sex romance felt natural to me. But for Moohyuk, who had grown up outside before suddenly being dragged to the center near adulthood, this was unfamiliar and uncomfortable. No wonder he gets so annoyed, unable to stand jokes linking the two of us.I don’t think he realizes that his reactions only encourage me. Behind his big build, there’s an innocent side to him. Not that I know much about romance, either—I’ve never been interested in anyone like that. But I do enjoy teasing him.The moment Kim Moohyuk manifested as a rare S++-level Esper and was brought to the center, I was assigned as his Guide and instructor. Despite not being an Esper myself, I protested, saying how could a Guide train a newly manifested Esper? The center didn’t care.“Just do it. Who else is going to handle an S++ Esper? There’s no one qualified enough, so just take the title, get your bonus, and deal with it.”It was absurd, but it made a twisted kind of sense.With the appearance of the unprecedented top-tier Esper Kim Moohyuk, the center buzzed. They debated over whether to create a new grade or just add two or three plus signs to the S grade. With such a unique power level, they argued back and forth, while Moohyuk, unable to find a high-level Guide, was struggling with guiding exhaustion. So I, about to retire, had no choice but to step in.In the end, I was roped into becoming his power-guide instructor, which was likely due to my own inadequacies. That’s how I missed my retirement and am still out here in the field after so long. It was pathetic.As he looked around the now-secured area, Moohyuk spoke.“Go rest in the vehicle. I’ll finish up here.”“It’ll be quicker if we both do it.”“Seriously, you don’t listen.”He frowned in annoyance. When I first met him, he was shorter than me, and if I didn’t feel like making time for a guide session, I could just hug him to guide him. But now, he’s grown tall enough that I have to look up slightly, which bothers me. His superior gaze from a slight angle made it even more annoying.Just look at this ungrateful kid. I clicked my tongue and half-heartedly nodded. My body wasn’t in great shape. My knee inflammation had worsened, so I was on antibiotics from the military, which boosted my immune response and gave me a mild fever even while resting. I figured a day or two of rest would fix it, but today, an alert about Espers infiltrating the military district forced an assignment on Kim Moohyuk.Because of that, I, his assigned Guide, was dragged out here too. Now that the scene was secured and he’d offered to handle the ID scanning, I decided to go rest in the vehicle. I turned to Moohyuk, something occurring to me.“What do you want for dinner?”“You said you wanted sushi.”In a slightly exasperated tone, as if wondering why I changed my mind already, Moohyuk asked indifferently. I know he’ll follow whatever I want to eat, even with that attitude.“Yeah, but I also want pork cutlet.”“…Fine. We can pick it up before heading back to the center.”For once, he seemed in a slightly better mood.Lately, he’s been worrying about me, something he didn’t use to do, possibly because I raised him since his early days. When I mention wanting something to eat, he takes it eagerly, as if he’s my parent. To outsiders, it might look like Moohyuk is taking care of me.Unlike when he was a private receiving my guidance, he now has the rank of second lieutenant, which probably makes him feel like he’s experienced enough to look after me. Because of my recurring knee issues, he usually tries to keep me out of missions. Even on today’s assignment, he insisted on going alone, but I came along anyway.Though he made the atmosphere tense the whole time, his mood improved the moment I suggested we get food together. It was funny, seeing him smile about having dinner on me, not even what he wanted but what I wanted.“Kang Hajung—!”At the time, the bulletproof vest Ha Seonghan had put on me felt suffocating, so I had already taken it off the moment our victory in the hill battle was assured. Not noticing the enemy soldier hiding amidst the pile of corpses nearby, I was exposed. A rock, infused with his psychic energy, flew toward me like a bullet, moving at lightning speed. If it had hit me directly, it would have pierced my head—if it weren’t for Seonghan stepping in front of me at the last second.The rock smashed through Seonghan’s sternum and continued toward me. Despite its speed having reduced after breaking through his body, it struck my head hard enough to knock me unconscious for a moment. In this way, my Esper partner was killed. I wasn’t able to guide Seonghan due to my blackout, leaving him without the internal guidance energy needed for recovery. It was truly a meaningless death, one of the heroes of the hill battle lost to a mere stone.Due to the incapacitation of both Seonghan, the squad leader, and myself, the other members hesitated, giving the enemy responsible for putting a hole in Seonghan’s chest a chance to flee. I only heard the report of this failed pursuit after I regained consciousness, two hours later. Though there were many unresolved details about the death of such a high-ranking Esper, the fact remained: Ha Seonghan had passed before my eyes.That’s how the battle at Haeindang raised Captain Kang Hajung three ranks to Colonel. Although it was a place of honor, how could I celebrate, standing on a podium stained with my partner’s blood? I began to lose my way after that, eventually succumbing to alcoholism to the point where my knees wore out, worse than those of an elderly man, yet unable to quit drinking.This is why I’m treated like a stubborn old man by this fresh-faced medical officer, Second Lieutenant Han Byeongeun, from the Esper-Guidance Special Forces.“No matter how much it’s torn, you know you’d still manage in daily life with surgery and muscle building around it. Why do you insist on not getting the surgery? Why do you reject treatment from the healing Espers?”Han Byeongeun patted his chest in exasperation.“Ah, it’s all worn out anyway. No need to put them through that trouble. I’m a civilian now; is there a reason to go through surgery? If things get really bad, I can always go to the Veterans Hospital. Don’t they cover it free of charge for retired soldiers? Or was it only 30% out-of-pocket? Byeongeun, what was it?”“I don’t know. If you’re going to keep irritating me, just leave, Colonel.”“You brat. I was going to leave anyway. How cheeky. You don’t need to come to my discharge ceremony tomorrow. Just send a massive wreath.”“Why stop me when no one’s coming anyway? You’re a total loner, Colonel!”“Ow, Byeongeun. You can’t just call someone a loner right to their face.”But despite the banter, there wasn’t a trace of laughter between us. Neither in Byeongeun’s face as he heard my joke nor in mine as I spoke. There wasn’t a single hint of a smile. It was a discharge without dishonor, but not one to be proud of. There had been a lot of noise leading up to it.The Esper-Guidance Special Forces Center, simply known as ‘the Center,’ had many heated debates about my discharge. I was one of the few Guides who received an S-rank in my initial Guidance rating and then an S+ upon commissioning as a Second Lieutenant after graduating from the Academy, making it difficult for the Center to let me go. There was also the issue of public perception. The battle at Haeindang had taken Ha Seonghan from me but granted me the title of war hero instead. My fame spread so widely that every soldier, from the army to the navy and special forces, knew of me, as if this were the price of my fallen comrade. It was even decided that the battle would be included in revised textbooks for Esper-Guidance academies and the Officer Training School.So it’s no wonder the high command at Seoul-Gyeonggi Center reacted badly to the idea of an S+ ranked, textbook-worthy Guide, a hero of war, wanting to retire.“Does that arrogant Colonel have the nerve to challenge the military’s authority? These brats are out of control. Get down, punks.”When news of my wish to retire reached the ears of a ruling party congressman and former one-star general, he gathered a group of juniors, all of high rank, took off his watch, and slapped them. It wasn’t long before that disciplinary atmosphere reached me too. Yet even after they kicked my injured knee five times, I didn’t change my decision to retire.The Center doesn’t value soldiers who challenge their near-absolute power. That’s why I was determined to push my discharge application through. With PTSD causing me to suddenly fire into empty spaces, how could I continue my military career? Any accidental discharge would lead to casualties, and in this military environment, where human rights are blurred, I’d likely be denied any leniency and find myself in a detention cell for life. So, I resolved to retire.The military, however, ignored my request, as rank is everything here.“Do you really need that depression medication? You’re a hero of the national forces; isn’t that a bit unbecoming? Depression—it’s just a mood issue, right?”In that moment, when the military psychiatrist assigned to me made that remark, I seriously thought about punching him, but had it not been for Han Byeongeun standing beside me, I probably would have landed myself in a military jail.They initially recommended medication but forced me to stop once they realized it might interfere with my guidance brainwaves. The military sometimes treated human rights as something to be trampled upon without a second thought. So even if my refusal to receive treatment had little to do with the guidance, I had no grounds for insubordination.In other words, it meant that, aside from serving diligently as a “soldier No. 1,” I had no purpose here. People are pushed to madness, yet they denied me medication based on a single study claiming it could affect my guidance ability. I can’t express the anger I felt when I found out the antidepressants I had been prescribed were just vitamins. No wonder my urine had been so yellow; it was because I had mistakenly been taking multivitamins, thinking they were for depression.The remaining painkillers I used also had to be approved. When undergoing surgery to insert metal rods into my fractured pelvis and broken spine, I had to be hypnotized by an Esper with hypnosis abilities instead of receiving general anesthesia.With aftereffects of major surgery that barely even morphine can soothe, they expected me to endure it all with painkillers meant for migraines. Red-eyed, raging like a madman, I once grabbed my gun.“Byeongeun, I’m going to kill them all and go to jail.”“Colonel, please calm down. You keep losing your temper, and it’s making your veins retreat from the needle. This is already the tenth time I’m poking you.”Already overloaded with treatment responsibilities, Byeongeun began to look worse himself, frustrated from my repeated outbursts and exhausted expressions. If I had been a civilian, I would have filed complaints against all of them with the Human Rights Commission, but helpless on the hospital bed, I could only gnash my teeth in frustration. Eventually, Byeongeun got so fed up with my shouting that he started wearing earplugs every time he came to treat me.After a series of incidents like this, I grew entirely disillusioned with the Center. With my sense of patriotism already faded due to Seonghan’s death, a few more incidents piled up, making me feel like I was on the verge of becoming a troublemaker instead of a soldier sworn to loyalty. So what else could I turn to but alcohol? I drank constantly, night after night, my liver, once ruptured from combat and miraculously healed by multiple healing Espers, thoroughly wrecked by alcohol. Even as Han Byeongeun cursed at me for wasting the costly liver they’d fixed, drinking was the only way to get through the nights. On nights when not even the strongest liquor helped, I could only feel despair.I vomited in front of the director’s office for the third time while drunk. Perhaps unable to tolerate my constant disruptions in front of his door, the director finally approved my discharge application. So now, I’m only waiting for the day when I can live as a civilian without Seonghan. For an organization that prides itself on being the foundation of the Special Forces, you’d think it’d be better to consider me a worn-out millstone at this point. A millstone missing its handle, no less.However, even the faint glimmer of hope that I could eventually be discharged didn’t help me recover right away. After losing Seonghan, I was barely breathing, and every ounce of my energy went to not taking my own life. What held me together was just one thought: there’s a saying, isn’t there, that suicide is a sin that prevents you from being reborn. I don’t fully believe it, but to reincarnate and see Seonghan again, I’d have to stay within the cycle of reincarnation. It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say I’m living solely to earn that wretched qualification—to see my closest friend once more.So, at the end of my wandering, I barely managed to overcome the suicidal urges, stitching my life back together like patching up an old rag. Today was the last day of the year, and in a gesture of kindness, the center had decorated the place, brightening every corner with lights, perhaps in the spirit of the holidays. Wherever I went, lights sparkled, making it seem foolish to talk about wanting to die and ruining everyone else’s good mood. In Han Byeongeun’s office, even a small wreath made of mistletoe was hung. Yes, it’s Seonghan’s country, the one he sacrificed his life to protect; shouldn’t everyone else be happy, at least?While I was staring blankly at the wreath, Han Byeongeun, perhaps feeling pity for the old man with the hollow eyes, cleared his throat and spoke.“…Have dinner before you go. If you leave now, you’ll just end up drinking on an empty stomach.”“How does Lieutenant Han know me so well? But no, I’ve got plenty of invitations tonight, even the night before discharge. Besides, would I really want to spend tonight with you?”“Oh please. You’re a loner.”Han grumbled, and I looked back at him with a grin.“What was that? Is our Byeongeun saying he wants a disciplinary session to mark the end of the year?”“Just get home safely, sir.”He grumbled, but I knew his gruffness was filled with genuine affection. He’d been close with Seonghan too, so he must have struggled just as much as I did. The past two years, he’d been the one dealing with his superior who’d completely fallen apart. For him to see me, the person he’d painstakingly kept alive, now making self-pitying noises about leaving alone, must have been disheartening. That’s why he was fussing over me even on the last day of the year. I couldn’t let him spend a night like this with a fool like me, especially when he had a fiancée. Patting his shoulder, I was just about to leave the infirmary when—— Code Blue, Code Blue. Precursor symptoms of rampage in an S++ Esper detected.The hospital announcement echoed so loudly that it reached even the isolated infirmary. Turning to Han with wide eyes, I saw he was just as shocked, his eyes darting to me before he shot up from his seat. He was likely headed to the emergency ward.“Wait, if it’s S++…”Feeling that something was wrong, I grabbed his sleeve. S++? That’s unheard of. Even Seonghan, who had been praised as one of the highest-ranking members in the center, was an S-grade Esper. But S++? If an Esper of that level went on a rampage, it wouldn’t just swallow up this Seo-gyeong center; it could devour half of northern Gyeonggi and Seoul as well. The explosion could even cause a tsunami in Gangnam if it reached the Han River.Han seemed to share my thoughts, looking pale with urgency. Then, as if he’d suddenly realized something, he grabbed my wrist, yanked me toward the wheelchair in the infirmary’s corner, and seated me there before I had a chance to resist. I landed with a thud, dust swirling around me. Flabbergasted, I asked him.“What… exactly are you doing?”“You’re in no condition to be walking quickly, Colonel.”“And what does that have to do with putting me in a wheelchair?”Frowning at the nonsensical conversation, I looked at him. Han struck his chest in frustration.“There’s an S++ Esper showing signs of a rampage! We have to handle this!”We? Since when did you and I become a we? I stared at him in disbelief, but it didn’t change the fact that I was stuck in this wheelchair.“Are you laying hands on your superior officer now?”I stared at him indignantly, but the beeper at his waist continued blaring Code Blue calls, and he either didn’t notice my look or pretended not to. Finally, I half gave up.“Lieutenant Han, go slower. I feel dizzy, alright?”“You can say that because you don’t understand how serious this is, Colonel!”With a pale face, Han began recklessly pushing the wheelchair. I felt like I was riding a bumper car with no control over the speed. Since he wasn’t listening, I just leaned back against the wheelchair, letting myself go limp.No matter what, I would have to be the one to calm that Esper. The other guides didn’t have the capacity to handle someone of that magnitude. Of course, it had to be the night before my discharge. I sighed, ignoring the throbbing headache. Complaining about my fate could wait until after I was discharged; for now, I’d just rest on this makeshift bumper car.When we arrived at the emergency ward, it was utter chaos.“Hey, you idiots! Get that out of the way!”“Evacuate in an orderly manner! They said we can all escape on time, so why are you out of line?!”“Do you know who I am?!”“And who exactly are you? Show me your rank!”Apparently, an evacuation order had been given throughout the ward. People were pushing each other, a scene as chaotic as a school of fish fighting. It was pathetic. Sitting in the wheelchair, I thought about the absurdity of entrusting the country to these people as I prepared for discharge, and my head hurt even more.“Colonel, it’s bad. The emergency room entrance is blocked by evacuees. You’ll have to get up and walk…”“At my age, my rank, with these knees, you want me to walk? And what if I trip? If I get trampled, I’ll see the afterlife ahead of schedule.”“You’re only thirty-two… Why do you talk like you’re eighty-four?”Han muttered, but I ignored him and raised my voice with all my strength.“Get a grip, all of you! What is this—running around naked like there’s a fire in a bathhouse? Form a ten-column line, now!”“Who… oh god, Colonel Kang!”“Colonel!”The injured soldiers emerging from the emergency room quickly lined up upon seeing me in the wheelchair. Han muttered quietly, “Doesn’t this make you cringe, Colonel?” but I ignored him. Of course it was cringeworthy and embarrassing, but if one of them got trampled, even an Esper could die.As ridiculous as my life felt, stranded in this absurd hurricane on the eve of discharge, I endured. Thanks to the bipolar meds I’d taken this morning, I was at least able to attempt to manage the situation. Without them, I wouldn’t have even come here. The question now was whether I could channel my guiding force accurately enough to calm this S++ Esper. Numerous studies had shown that psychiatric medications affect guiding capacity, so I ended up worrying about things I usually wouldn’t.No matter how much I took psychiatric medication, I still wondered if I couldn’t guide properly. Then again, a laid-back thought crossed my mind: If all else fails, I can call in some other guides and do a collaborative guiding.“Ah, Colonel, you seem quite unwell.”“Thank you for your hard work, Colonel.”“Colonel, we’ll be on our way now.”During that time, those who had barely regained their senses from their panic formed two lines, passing by my wheelchair and throwing in a few comments. I just waved them off, too tired to respond, and only then did Byeongeun start moving.“See, everyone likes you, Colonel. Do you really have to retire?”“Do you think I’m the type to stay in the military? I start miming shooting at thin air even when I’m just sitting still. Can you imagine trusting me with a rifle? If I start firing without recognizing allies from enemies, that won’t exactly count as accidental manslaughter.”I was implying that, with all my resentment toward the Center, it might just look like I lost it and went on a shooting spree. Byeongeun finally closed his mouth at that. If something like that really did happen, he knew that even if I claimed it was due to PTSD, a military tribunal wouldn’t buy it. After I spelled it out, Byeongeun seemed to have a moment of realization, and he silently pushed my wheelchair into the ER.Inside, the military doctors and nurse officers were running around frantically, apparently preparing to activate an Esper wave suppression barrier to prevent a poltergeist phenomenon—one of the early warning signs of an Esper’s breakdown. One of the doctors in a military coat noticed us just as we entered.“We’re telling you to evacuate! … Ah! Colonel Kang, and Second Lieutenant Han!”“Thank you for your efforts. An Esper was brought in?”I skipped the formalities and went straight to the point. The doctor didn’t seem to mind, pointing with his arm to guide Han Byeongeun in that direction. Byeongeun pushed my wheelchair along with the doctor to the containment room against one wall of the ER, where the doctor briefed us briefly.“He’s an 18-year-old male, and he seems to have entered a breakdown immediately upon awakening.”“Eighteen? He’s just a kid, hasn’t even taken the college entrance exam, has he? Aren’t kids these days even studying calculus in the humanities track?”Byeongeun shot me an incredulous look at my muttering.“Colonel, is that what matters right now?”Then, he looked at the doctor with skepticism.“Could there have been a mistake in the Esper’s ability rating? An S++ grade immediately upon awakening?”“There’s no mistake. It seemed odd to us as well, so we measured it three times. Twice it read as S++, and once the device exploded. The Esper’s wave frequency was so high it short-circuited the circuits.”The doctor seemed almost unsurprised, as if expecting this kind of questioning in the briefing, sharing our sense of disbelief.“What’s his ability type?”I cut in before the lieutenant could ask, answering for the doctor.“Can’t you tell? He’s levitating objects as part of the breakdown signs. He’s a telekinetic Esper. If the suppression barrier’s already failing at this level, the S++ rating is no exaggeration.”Each Esper manifests unique poltergeist phenomena as a warning sign of breakdown. Espers who manipulate light can cast dozens of shadows on walls, while those who control water cause it to pool on the floor.The term “poltergeist” was coined by the general public to describe the strange phenomena that occur when an Esper awakens or enters a breakdown, a term that was later adopted by the military to describe these abnormal events during breakdown. Lieutenant Han scowled as he looked around at the floating objects.“Are you a middle schooler, Colonel? Do you have to use slang like that?”“Oh, it just means ‘lie.’”“Do you think I don’t know that?”“Okay, maybe not. Stop lecturing and go release the barrier. I need to start guiding.”I couldn’t escape with humor this time—it was just too tiring and frustrating. This center once had its good points when I was with Seonghan, but now, it only felt repulsive and exhausting. Still, tomorrow was discharge day, and I had to finish strong. Although every bit of solace in my military life now lay in the past, I couldn’t let it end on a bitter note.At least I could take comfort in knowing my life after this would be different. I wouldn’t need to stay in shape or endure training anymore. I’d order a pizza and fold it in half to eat, then finish off a pint of ice cream as dessert. I’d go to bed at 3 a.m. and wake up at 2 p.m. each day—a humble dream, but something I hadn’t experienced since entering the Esper training academy at 14.Clinging to that small consolation, I didn’t wait for Byeongeun to return from releasing the barrier. I locked the wheels of my wheelchair, then slowly stood up. My knees were swollen and hurt with every step, but it was nothing unbearable. Compared to the days when it felt like my limbs were being torn apart, this was manageable, so I didn’t even complain. This would be over tomorrow. But first, I had to save that kid.I walked slowly to the containment room and pressed the button to open a door that couldn’t be opened from the inside. As the door opened, a massive Esper wave rushed forward as if to engulf me but dissipated like a ripple just before touching my skin. A common reaction—Espers generally liked reaching out to me, and it showed even in their wavelengths. The Esper on the verge of breakdown was no exception, feigning innocence as if the rampage moments ago had never happened.Familiar with the response, I entered the containment room. On the bed was an Esper so young he seemed incongruous with such a high ability grade, staring at me just after his awakening.“…”“…”I watched blankly as his pain-clouded eyes gradually regained their focus. My first thought upon seeing him was simply that he was too young. Little did I know then the impact this person I locked eyes with would have on my life. That ignorance probably led me to lower my guiding wavelength so easily.I did it to save the boy writhing in pain on that bed, unaware that this small act would spark a storm on the other side of the world.While Esper powers stem from their cells, guiding for a guide originates from their mind.Artificial editing of mammalian germ cell genomes begins with microinjection of nucleic acid enzymes into the zygote. Similarly, in Espers, the gene mutations associated with Esper powers emerge as nucleic acid enzymes self-generate within the zygote. To put it simply, the process painstakingly achieved in a petri dish happens naturally, almost impossibly, resulting in the rare appearance of Espers.The state made every effort to control this phenomenon, trying to tie each individual’s immense talent to its own interests. Fearing Espers with unchecked power would overturn the state to pursue their own interests—or worse, exceed the state’s security and other capabilities—it drafted them into the military and kept their existence hidden from the public. Officially, the government argued this secrecy reduced public chaos, but to me, it seemed more like a convenient excuse to assert control.The health screenings that every citizen undergoes from birth include three blood samples: one at birth, one in adolescence, and another after the growth plates close. The true purpose of these screenings isn’t known to the public; they think it’s part of a welfare initiative by the National Health Insurance Corporation.While not as far-fetched as conspiracy theories about tech companies implanting microchips in vaccines, the idea of DNA samples being collected under the guise of health screenings was surprisingly accurate.These blood samples are sent to the Esper and Guide Special Forces Research Center, where they’re processed, and the genetic map is created. Anyone born here lives with their potential to manifest as an Esper or remain a regular citizen already “known” by the government.Based on that data, the state secretly transports any confirmed Esper to the Center, practically abducting them, though they’re promised high salaries. Some refuse, though not many.When these Espers decline with smiles and reassurances of it being “for their own good,” that’s when the government reveals its true colors, using threats a thug might employ. Newly awakened Espers may believe they can handle things on their own, thinking they don’t need guiding, but in time they succumb to their god-like abilities’ side effects, feeling increasingly helpless without guiding.Espers with insufficient guiding experience hypersensitivity in their hearing, tormented by every tiny sound as if an entire train were barreling past their bodies. Due to an overexcited nervous system, even holding a pen causes muscle spasms. Their senses develop abnormally, making normal life impossible, as their cells effectively enter starvation mode due to excessive output compared to input. Few Espers can withstand this strain for more than three days before they hand their metaphorical leash over to the Center, voluntarily becoming slaves to it. This is how Espers are folded into the state’s management system.So, what about Guides? Until they manifest, there are no visible signs. Honestly, from a national perspective, an Esper—even if they rampage—can immediately make a meaningful attack against the enemy, whereas a Guide, whose job is to stabilize Espers and release them from the risk of rampaging, is a secondary concern. Discovering a manifested Esper comes first, and only after they’re trained to neutralize enemies does the need for a Guide arise.If an Esper is a chest filled with jewels, then the Guide is the key that can unlock it. But since locks can sometimes be forced open by brute strength, the absence of the Guide key isn’t much of a setback in obtaining the treasure.It’s challenging to detect the manifestation of a Guide in advance, and while they’re needed, they’re not immediately useful. Of course, if someone like me, with extraordinary skill and talent, is around, it’s a different story, but that level of excellence isn’t easy to come by. So, many junior Guides often ask me,“Colonel, how are you so incredible?”“Colonel, how are you so amazing?”I always gave the same answer. In Guiding, mindset is key: the will to save that Esper, the genuine desire to help someone in need, and the urgency of feeling that the Esper could die without my help.This is the first step toward strong Guiding.“Ugh, aaaagh—! Ah, aaaaaah—!”“So, friend. Let me help you. Don’t worry; just hang in there.”Eyes strained red from pain, drenched in cold sweat, the body writhing as if resisting some force, and the turbulent Esper waves—this must be an overwhelming pain for someone so young. I sighed and extended my hand, focusing my senses. Right now, indirect contact would be better, as broadcast Guiding would be easier for him to take in. Like prescribing soft porridge to someone who hasn’t eaten for three days, approaching gently was essential.As I slowly released the Guiding waves, they pierced through the fierce Esper waves filling the room, reaching the young face on the bed. Despite the haste, the compatibility seemed good as the sharp ESP waves softened and began to take in the Guiding smoothly.Only then did the boy lying on the bed look at me slowly, like a chick seeing the world for the first time. His hair was soaked with cold sweat, his eyes bloodshot as if they might burst, but he had a face that would become quite handsome when he grew up. Even now, he had a hint of good looks. Didn’t they say he was 18? He’s smaller than I expected. Aren’t kids nowadays supposed to develop well? The boy, curled up on the makeshift bed, trembling like a wounded animal, had the height and frame of someone who’d just entered high school.Well, Espers can experience rapid growth spurts after manifestation. Some cases show noticeable growth after enduring pain that feels like their knees might break. That’s how it was with Seonghan.…Thinking about Seonghan’s first manifestation momentarily left me dazed. I tried to focus on the task at hand with a sigh. To think of something else in front of an Esper on the brink of rampage—such is Seonghan to me. He’s something that constantly resurfaces in my mind, even without conscious thought. Anyway, I fortified the broadcast Guiding flowing from my fingertips.The kid’s pale face was smeared with dark red marks, possibly from his own blood or from the blood of the facility director who’d been with him, while he clung to the sheet on the ER’s makeshift bed. For an ordinary person, gripping it so tightly would only tear the fabric a bit, but this boy, still learning to control his newfound strength, had ripped the mattress open, causing the stuffing to spill out.If he got a hold of me in that state, I’d end up like that torn mattress, my weak flesh scattering like dust. I felt fortunate to have started with broadcast Guiding.“Just hang in there a bit longer. You’ll feel better soon.”“Ugh…”After some time, his unfocused pupils started to contract. He could now recognize friend from foe. His gaze softened as he looked at me, reaching out a hand as if pleading for help, before curling up and groaning. Seeing such a delicate-looking boy in such distress made me feel for him. With nothing but otherworldly Espers in the Center, having such a soft-featured kid in front of me made it hard not to feel compassion. Just know, kid, that you’re benefiting from your handsome face. Seonghan was quite good-looking too, and maybe that’s why he managed to pull me into his mess in the past, stirring memories.With a short sigh, I intensified the concentration of the broadcast Guiding. The boy, who had been only crying out, now found his voice and started speaking, albeit shakily.“Ah…where…is this… It hurts… It hurts…”“It’ll hurt a bit more. Not much, just a little. You can handle it, right?”I approached the boy, who was now crying, and reached out slowly. According to the briefing, despite his young age, he’d been through a lot of hardship, so I wanted to be as gentle as possible. Apparently, he’d grown up in an orphanage and had been encouraged to become independent with a small sum of money as he neared adulthood, only to have the director skim off even that meager amount.The state allowance must have been his only hope, so it must’ve felt crushing to have it stolen. The little money he managed to keep was likely heavily exploited until he couldn’t take it anymore. It seems he finally rebelled for the first time, but the wretched director responded with violence. And the director’s abuse wasn’t just a recent occurrence, apparently. The military doctor who briefed me said there were plenty of fresh bruises just starting to heal.“According to the X-rays, fortunately, there are no fractures, but he does have bruising on his bones. Despite his rapid healing since manifesting, the fact that such signs are still evident suggests the violence was pretty severe.”Surprised, I looked at the boy on the bed. Bruises on his bones? The kid’s been through hell. I couldn’t help but feel empathy.In his outburst of pent-up anger, he finally manifested as an Esper, but, not knowing how to control his powers, he ended up breaking everything around him, even causing an electrical short circuit and a major fire. With the chaos around him and the exhaustion from the unexpected surge of power, it must have been overwhelming for him. The Guiding residual levels displayed on the monitor showed no change, confirming his exhaustion. Just holding his hand wouldn’t be enough to fully replenish his Guiding levels.After a brief deliberation, I turned around. Beyond the reinforced glass wall of the control room, Han Byeongeun was watching me with an anxious expression.“Hey! Lieutenant Han! What are the regulations on minor Guiding again?”I shouted, but Han Byeongeun couldn’t hear me and mouthed, “What?” It was frustrating… Chewing my lip, I tried to recall. Given the situation, it was hard to focus.If I missed the timing, half of northern Gyeonggi Province and part of Seoul could blow up. Wasn’t it my duty to prevent the deaths of millions of people sleeping peacefully? But the minor Guiding regulations kept nagging at me. I could only click my tongue in frustration.The minor Guiding regulation prohibits more than a certain level of physical contact when Guiding a minor; violating it means ending up in the brig. Have you ever seen a Colonel on the verge of discharge land in the brig? I couldn’t be the first to make that history, right? Besides, physical contact with a minor—it just didn’t sit well with me.Permitted acts under the regulation included hugging and holding hands, but anything involving contact with the mucous membranes, like a kiss, was grounds for the brig. What I couldn’t recall was whether the regulation applied in emergency situations. They might allow it if it’s a matter of life and death, but you never know. I couldn’t fully trust the military, known for constantly changing their stance. If things went south, I could be penalized, and my discharge might be postponed. I was too worn out, too close to the freedom I’d long awaited, to gamble with such odds. So, I kept thinking it over. What was it? Did it apply? Didn’t it?Confused, I scratched my head, thinking I might go out to check, but before I could move, Han Byeongeun, too impatient, started shouting at me through the intercom.