Chapter 35

“Our primary objectives are survivor rescue, data retrieval, and neutralizing the drug production line. Squad 1 secures the outer approach and creates a distraction. Squad 2 takes control of communications and the power generator room. Squad 3 infiltrates the underground containment sector and rescues the survivors. Squad 4 provides rear support and secures the extraction route.”

Im Geonsik’s eyes locked onto Ihyeon and Juwon.

“Lee Juwon, Ihyeon. You two are assigned to Squad 3. I’ll take command of Squad 3 myself.”

Ihyun scrutinized the underground containment sector displayed on the hologram. A corridor connecting the containment area to the drug refining lab caught his eye.

The experimental logs detailing their atrocities and the drug manufacturing formulas were all beyond that passageway.

Leaning closer, Ihyun whispered to Juwon beside him.

“You heard him, right? The official mission is pulling people out.”

“Yes.”

“With a layout like that, there should be plenty worth grabbing on the way out.”

A grim smirk touched Juwon’s lips.

“How much should we take?”

Ihyun looked at the drug refining lab on the hologram.

“Everything we can carry.”

The transport skimmed low over the rugged mountain terrain, gradually descending. Three kilometers from their destination, in a clearing deep within the dense forest of an isolated hill, the craft touched down roughly, its rotor noise muffled by a coating of mana.

“Touchdown. We move on foot from here.”

At Im Geonsik’s command, the members of Squad 3 surged out of the aircraft in unison.

Damp soil and freezing night air bit into their lungs.

Along the approach to the research facility, right at the forest perimeter, a temporary base camp had been set up. A Detection-type Esper closed their eyes and dispersed mana outward, scanning the terrain and security installations.

Moments later, a map projecting the reconnaissance results was shared with the team.

“Spatial Movement Espers will stand by after transit. Once the Guides are secured, evacuate immediately.”

Im Geonsik added a warning.

“The mana required to open coordinates scales with distance. It’s three kilometers from here back to the landing zone. That mana needs to be saved for extracting the captive Guides, so don’t waste it unless your life is on the line.”

The operatives nodded as they checked their comms and weapons.

“Let’s move.”

With a hand signal from Im Geonsik, the squads melted like shadows into the dense forest.

Squad 3 moved swiftly toward the outer perimeter wall of the research lab, keeping to the shadows of the forest.

Im Geonsik led the way, reading the terrain and obstacles, while Ihyun rested a hand on Juwon’s shoulder and followed behind in hushed silence.

As they neared the Main Building, Im Geonsik raised a hand to signal a halt.

Squad 3 froze in place as one.

Fifty meters ahead, armed Supernatural Bureau security personnel marched along the outer patrol route at regular intervals.

A roar erupted from the western perimeter, along the access route assigned to Squad 1.

The security guards snapped their attention toward the disturbance. Chatter flared over their radios, throwing the patrol line into confusion.

A handful of guards stayed behind while the rest sprinted toward the blast.

“We take out the stragglers. Silence from here on out.”

Black metal shards hovered low around Juwon.

The finely splintered fragments whipped through the grass like wind.

Before the guards could even cry out, bands of black metal gagged their mouths while tightening simultaneously around their wrists and throats.

A few struggled with wide, furious eyes, but metal chains bound their knees and ankles, slamming them helplessly onto the ground.

The moment the guards collapsed, Im Geonsik waved his hand.

Squad 3 crossed the patrol path and pressed against the auxiliary entrance below the barrier wall.

Squad 2 must have struck the power room cleanly, as the screen on the panel flickered and distorted. When a hacking device was plugged in, the red lock indicator blinked and died.

The iron door opened just enough for a single person to slip through.

The interior of the facility was completely different from outside.

Fluorescent lights flickered intermittently, disorienting the senses, while sirens blared incessantly down the corridors.

Concealing themselves in the shadows, Squad 3 moved through the hall with muted footsteps.

“We rescue the Guides while Squad 1 draws them away,” Im Geonsik murmured under his breath.

From the far end of the corridor came the frantic clatter of bootsteps accompanied by sweeping flashlight beams.

Light washed over the walls, and the prickly mana waves of Espers scraped sharply against the air.

Tension mounted by the second.

“Lock down the sector! Secure the Mediums first!”

‘Mediums?’

Ihyun frowned at the Bureau staff member’s words.

BOOM!

A chain of explosions reverberated from outside the facility.

When the security team stopped in their tracks, Juwon acted first.

The blades fanned out behind his back shot forward, incapacitating the security personnel.

“Squad 3, split up by floor from here.”

Im Geonsik gave the order.

In the midst of the chaos, the operatives dispersed toward their respective target levels.

Ihyun, Juwon, and Im Geonsik headed down the stairs leading to the lowest level, where the underground containment sector was located.

A heavy gloom hung over the third basement corridor.

Im Geonsik’s presence blurred indistinctly within the hallway.

Even though he stood right before their eyes, one’s gaze simply slipped away from him. It seemed to be an ability that degraded the focus and attention of those around him.

The security team walked right past him without reacting.

The instant Im Geonsik smoothly snatched an access keycard, Juwon’s black metal blades sliced through the air.

Ihyun adjusted his horn-rimmed glasses and scanned their surroundings.

Stepping over the scattered security guards, they made a silent advance toward the entrance of the containment area.

Taking the lead, Im Geonsik swiped the keycard against the panel of the locked iron door.

With a mechanical hum, the heavy iron door slid slowly open.

From within leaked the silence of a dark laboratory and the faint, stifled groans of someone in pain.

“Move.”

Beyond the iron door lay hell.

It looked much like the underground detention wing Ihyun had seen back at the Supernatural Bureau.

Desolate rooms with the lights extinguished.

Beyond walls of reinforced glass, people sat bound to chairs with electrode patches pasted across their bodies, either unconscious or gasping raggedly for breath.

Among them were faces Ihyun recognized from the Bureau’s Guide wing.

Serial numbers were cleanly marked on each glass wall.

[Medium No.302 / B]
[Medium No.303 / C]

‘So the ones they call Mediums are Guides?’

“Fucking bastards.”

Murderous intent dripped from Juwon’s voice.

The people trapped inside the glass partitions were having their Guiding energy forcibly drained.

Even running on emergency auxiliary power, the machinery in the room had not stopped.

Tap, tap, tap, tap.

Hurried footsteps approached from behind.

As the steps closed in fast, Juwon summoned his mana.

“This is Crow. Surviving Guides confirmed on B3. Squad 3, converge. Deploy Squad 4 immediately.”

Im Geonsik relayed the situation over the comms.

Juwon’s mana sealed the entrance door tight.

With every blast of mana bullets hammering against the steel barrier from outside, deafening booms assaulted their eardrums, but Juwon did not budge, gritting his teeth.

“Hurry it up!”

As Im Geonsik disabled the control systems for the glass partitions one by one, Ihyun grabbed the cables connected to the Guides strapped to the chairs.

He scanned the layout of the electrodes and ripped them away, starting with the pads closest to the heart and nape.

Merely touching them caused Guiding energy to siphon away, churning his stomach, but Ihyun gritted his teeth and kept his hands moving.

“Everyone, get up! You have to get out of here to survive! If we make it to DUST, you’ll live!”

At Ihyun’s shout, the dazed Guides instinctively pushed themselves to their feet.

— Squad 3 rear secured. Squad 4 entering.

A brief report came through the communicator.

Now they had to drop the steel wall Juwon had erected so the support unit could breach the rear passage and enter.

The trouble was that doing so would expose them directly to enemy fire.

“Take cover behind the wall. Just focus on protecting yourselves!”

Ihyun yelled to the Guides, drawing the Silver Ghost as he dropped low and leveled the barrel.

KABOOM!

The moment the wall collapsed, sharp mana waves flooded into the corridor.

The newly liberated Guides clutched their heads and collapsed in sheer terror.

Ability-suppression bullets poured in, targeting Juwon and Im Geonsik.

Both men dove to opposite sides of the entrance, exchanging glances.

Explosions and flames surged through the doorway.

With a thunderous groan, the ceiling twisted and tore, sending massive slabs of concrete and rebar raining down.

“Hyung-nim! Watch out!”

Juwon shouted urgently, reflexively pulling metal together to form a massive shield over the huddled Guides.

One Guide, unable to scramble beneath the barrier in time, was caught directly beneath a falling heap of rock and rebar.

Seeing this, Ihyun lunged forward without hesitation, grabbing the Guide and rolling across the floor with her.

CRASH!

A dense cloud of dust billowed upward.

When the Guide looked up, her hands clutched fearfully around her head.

What met her eyes was Ihyun, covered in blood.

A thick piece of rebar had been driven deep into his shoulder.

“I-I’m so sorry… Hic, because of me… Are you all right?”

The Guide’s trembling hands hovered near his shoulder.

Searing agony blotted Ihyun’s vision white, forcing him to bite his lip, but he managed a calm smile.