Episode 5
The Center Headquarters’ Emergency Response Division 2 members confirmed the following information:
One, Shim Yeongwon lost her parents when she was five and grew up in an orphanage afterward.
Two, Shim Yeongwon has been confined in a facility since she was sixteen due to a record of mental illness.
Three, contrary to the facility’s records, Shim Yeongwon’s intellectual development has not stalled at the 7-year-old level.
Four, Shim Yeongwon Awakened as a Non-Selective Guide about a month ago. She was then involuntarily hospitalized in the Awakened Convalescent Hospital under the control of a criminal organization.
Putting this all together, they easily came up with the scenario that ‘The orphanage and facility staff manipulated documents to get government subsidies, locking up a perfectly healthy Shim Yeongwon, and then, when she suddenly awakened as a Non-Selective Guide, they contacted a criminal organization to sell her to China.’
Thanks to this, Yeongwon was given a role she could perfectly melt into without having to add any lies.
It was quite lucky for Yeongwon, as it was a role where she wouldn’t have to worry about her ignorance of this world being exposed and her identity being questioned.
After spending the night at a hotel near Incheon, Yeongwon finally headed to the Awakened Reporting Center’s Yeoksam Headquarters the next morning, riding in a car driven by Guide Go Yoryeon.
“First… to know what a Non-Selective Guide is, you need to know what ‘Non-Selective’ means.”
Yoryeon, who had her medium-length hair tied back and wore rimless glasses, chattered a lot during the drive.
“‘Non-Selective’ refers to special Awakened that the World Tree did not ‘Select’ using a ‘Selector’ in the field according to its pre-announced criteria.”
“‘Selector’ you say…”
“Yes. Sometimes the World Tree pre-announces, ‘I will select Awakened in this field based on such-and-such criteria,’ and the following ten or so days are called the ‘Selector’ period.”
All the terminology was new and unfamiliar.
Splash, splash.
It felt like the tide was rolling in.
Yeongwon struggled hard, overwhelmed by the sea of information.
“So, usually people Awaken after going through a selection process, like a test, during a period called the Selector?”
“Hmm… Not necessarily.”
“Then?”
Tap, tap. Yoryeon tapped the steering wheel, organized her thoughts, and continued.
“The conditions the World Tree announces are different every time. Sometimes it announces, ‘I will select one S-rank Esper with the highest potential in this field,’ or ‘I will randomly select 100 C-rank Guides,’ so it’s hard to say you have to pass some test to become an Awakened.”
“…”
“Even for me, I was just taking a class at an academy during the Selector period, and then, dong, doro-rong, a sound went off, and the Status Window turned on.”
Splash, splash.
Information kept pouring in.
The more Yeongwon listened, the more she felt the setting had many ambiguous corners.
But for now, she had no choice but to absorb the given information like a sponge.
The Q&A continued until the car stopped in front of the Headquarters for identity confirmation.
“Emergency Response Division 2 C-rank Guide Go Yoryeon.”
“Yes. AI approved. Go inside.”
“Thank you for your service.”
The Headquarters was located in the area that was completely cleared out, stretching from Yeoksam-dong to Dogok-dong, around Maebong Mountain.
“The security must be really thorough…”
Yeongwon was about to comment on the 5-meter-high fence, but forgot the rest of her sentence.
‘What is that…’
It wasn’t hard to calmly accept the sight of the original Maebong Mountain being sliced off. But part of that sliced section floating in the air…
‘What the… Did Earth turn into Avatar’s Pandora?!’
It was a shocking sight, different from the feeling of water pillars soaring from the Han River.
Still, Yeongwon quickly decided to adapt.
‘Yeah, well, that can happen.’
‘Sure, sure. Why not?’
Surrender, acceptance, and understanding are best done sooner rather than later.
“Oh, that? That’s the trace of a Gate.”
“…”
“Floating structures in the air aren’t common; apparently, there are only three of them on Earth.”
Meaning there were two more somewhere.
“The Yeoksam Headquarters has truly many amazing things.”
“…It looks like it.”
Afterward, Yeongwon slowly walked around the Headquarters, listening to Yoryeon’s explanations.
The Headquarters, surrounded by high walls, had several independent buildings centered around a central park.
Main building, annex, education center, dormitories, etc.
The tour ended around 3 PM with a late lunch in the cafeteria.
Yeongwon briefly summarized the information she had heard.
“So, there’s a manager called the World Tree in our world.”
“Yes.”
“And after that manager announces it will select a certain rank and number of people, people Awaken accordingly, which is ‘Selective,’ and if someone suddenly Awakens without any announcement, it’s ‘Non-Selective.'”
“Yes.”
“And that’s why the Center can thoroughly track down all Selectives, but not the Non-Selectives.”
“Yes, that’s right.”
That’s why the Center officials seemed to naturally accept that they had no idea a new Non-Selective Guide had Awakened until Yeongwon reported it herself.
‘But I clearly…’
But Yeongwon received a notification that the World Tree ‘Selected’ her.
[Special SSS-rank Guide Only, Omission of Field-wide Awakened Selection Pre-announcement and Notice]
[Selection, Shim Yeongwon]
The selection process felt even stranger after hearing Yoryeon’s explanation.
However, she couldn’t tell Yoryeon about the SSS-rank selection process. Yeongwon quietly kept her mouth shut and focused only on Yoryeon’s explanation.
“Non-Selectives aren’t even included in the Awakened rankings if they refuse by their own will.”
“…”
“So, Non-Selectives can remain in the shadows for a considerable time if they don’t wish to reveal themselves.”
“…”
“Yeongwon Guide-nim, you might not know yet, but Non-Selectives are truly rare and precious national assets.”
“…So, your Deputy Director strongly wishes for me to stay at the Center.”
“Not just Deputy Director Lee Changgyeol, but everyone at the Center.”
“…”
“It’s a relief. That you came to us like this.”
Yeongwon was seized by a rather fearful thought that she was in a very difficult position for some reason.
“The Center is in a desperate situation right now regarding research on Non-Selective Awakened.”
“…”
“For now, the device for checking match rate and rank has gone to Busan for inspection, so you’ll have to wait about two weeks, but…”
“…”
“Even if a lower rank than the B-rank you were judged to be at the Convalescent Hospital comes out, don’t worry at all. The value of a Non-Selective isn’t determined by rank alone. Besides, it’s not impossible to raise your rank through effort.”
Yeongwon was harboring worries in a completely different direction than Yoryeon guessed.
“For now, please rest until evening, and I’ll come pick you up again around six thirty.”
The fact that her day’s schedule wasn’t over yet was a huge worry. Yeongwon felt like she had already completely exhausted her energy limit.
“You’ll be having dinner with Professor Yoon Heeyu, who is the nation’s foremost authority on Non-Selective Awakened.”
“…Yes.”
Yoryeon, unaware of Yeongwon’s feelings, added explanations with extremely high tension.
“Anyway, even if your rank is as low as a Non-Selective, there will be so much you can do. Ask Professor Yoon for more details.”
“…”
“You truly, truly don’t have to worry about not having work to contribute to world peace, human salvation, monster elimination, or dungeon clearing.”
Out of world peace, human salvation, monster elimination, and dungeon clearing, none were currently of interest to Yeongwon.
Really and completely, none of them.
“Even I, a C-rank Guide, have so much work that I have to go to work six days a week and still work overtime! Anyway, I’ll see you later!”
Click.
Left alone in the single dormitory room, Yeongwon was confused.
‘Six days…? Six days?’
Even more terrifying words were attached after that. Something so awful she didn’t even want to recall it.
‘I absolutely must escape to the penthouse… I can’t live here and work six days a week.’
Yeongwon rubbed her goose-pimpled arms several times.
Awakened Reporting Center Yeoksam Headquarters.
Exactly one full day after arriving here, Yeongwon clearly understood a few things.
First, all Center employees were very, very, very serious about recruiting the Non-Selective Guide.
Not a single grain of exaggeration was mixed in Yoryeon’s words. Even the infinite loop of overtime.
And another thing: assigning an exclusive Guide to Esper Kim Yeohyeon was the Center Headquarters’ most important pending issue. Continuously, for over 10 years until now.
Researchers and professors spoke earnestly about how important Kim Yeohyeon’s Guiding was, talking about reverse-Guiding and other things with serious expressions.
So, Yeongwon vaguely kept that information in mind and tried to search for more related content on her phone before bed, but she couldn’t find anything more detailed through the green search window.
In any case, Yeongwon had no intention of working six days a week at the Center Headquarters.
‘The house is a dormitory inside the wall? It’s virtually the same as never leaving work.’
‘Absolutely not. Absolutely, definitely not like this.’
She absolutely, absolutely could not allow the current situation to continue.
Esper Kim Yeohyeon wouldn’t know it in his wildest dreams, but Yeongwon already considered his penthouse her home.
‘Landlorde-nim. Please come back quickly.’
‘Especially, you must return safely within the two weeks until the machine returns from Busan.’
No matter what, Esper Kim Yeohyeon had to return safely from the Ilsan Gate.
Yeongwon wished for Esper Kim Yeohyeon’s safe return as much as, or perhaps even more than, the other Center officials.
Ding.
[Ilsan Gate, Closed]
[World Esper S-rank Top 10 Ranking is changing]
Until a few days later, when Kim Yeohyeon’s return would be broadcast live worldwide.
With an overwhelming force even greater than Yeongwon’s expectations, he made her witness a beautiful scene on the TV screen that she hadn’t anticipated at all.
