HLSEBT - 57

57. The Crow

The research wing would eventually develop a drug to mitigate the side effects of the amplifier. It was only a matter of time.  

Kwon Min-gi would be the first test subject.  

It was painfully obvious that he’d immediately start talking once he regained consciousness.  

The principal had never revealed his identity to the students. But Kwon Min-gi, who was pathetically fearful, suspected him as the mastermind behind it all.  

He clenched his fists tightly, feeling an overwhelming sense of injustice.  

This wasn’t entirely his responsibility. He hadn’t started this. Like many principals who had passed through the Shelter before him, he had merely reaped a small personal gain.  

Why did this have to happen on his watch, of all times!  

Something about the way things were unfolding felt off. Perhaps Cheon Geonyoung knew more than he let on and had been hiding it from him.  

And what about Shin Jae-il, so utterly incompetent? Could there be a traitor? What about the drugs? Should they proceed with distribution as planned? Wouldn’t halting distribution raise even more suspicion?  

Anxious and agitated, his right hand moved independently of his will, turning pitch black. His hand, now as hard as steel, trembled with the urge to crush something.  

Tododok.  

The nerve-grating noise prompted the principal to slam his desk in frustration.  

Soon, he turned his head toward the window where the sound originated and hurriedly opened it, already regretting his earlier outburst.  

“Damn it!”  

Paddeuk. With light flapping sounds, an ordinary crow flew into the principal’s office, holding its head high as if it belonged there.  

“Oh, oh, you’ve arrived?”  

The principal lowered himself as if preparing tea and snacks for the crow. The bird’s black eyes gleamed arrogantly.  

- I’ve heard the news.  

The crow spoke in a human voice, hopping onto the desk with thin legs. The principal couldn’t bring himself to sit in the main seat and instead took the spot where Shin Jae-il had sat.  

- Is it true that evidence has leaked?  

“I was caught off guard. I’m sorry. There seems to have been an accident during the transfer process.”  

- That’s not an answer to my question. Has there been a leak?  

“…Yes.”  

The crow scrutinized the overwhelmingly larger human as if appraising him.  

- Have you prepared a response plan?  

“For now, we should halt factory operations temporarily and monitor the situation…”  

- There’s no need for that.  

“What?”  

- The amplifier must be distributed as planned.  

The crow, speaking in the voice of a young man, paused briefly.  

With each prolonged silence, the principal felt as though he were being buried alive.  

- We need additional research results on Test Subject Kang Jin-ho. We must observe how his body reacts under extreme conditions.  

“Then I’ll extract Jin-ho! I’ll find some excuse to move him outside the Shelter…”  

- Permission denied.  

“…”  

- There must be no changes to the subject’s environment. The test subject must take the amplifier under identical conditions and stress levels as previous subjects.  

“That’s… that’s correct.”  

- Mr. Pyo Yeong-sik.  

The crow fluttered a short distance and landed on the principal’s lap. He flinched as if the bird’s claws were coated in deadly poison.  

- As of today, our contract is terminated. All remaining facilities and materials will be transferred to you. You may use them to secure funds for your future or pass them on to your successor.  

The principal sensed ominous signs. Securing funds? Successor? In his current situation, it wouldn’t be surprising if Yeouido came to arrest him immediately.  

It was clear. This was cutting off the tail. The same method he had used to sever those beneath him.  

- However, there is one condition. You must fulfill all the terms I’ve presented until the evaluation matches. No variables will be tolerated.  

The crow had abandoned him.  

“Please, just once! Can’t you help me just this one time?”  

Desperate, he pleaded as if trying to grab the crow’s wings before it left. The bird flew up and perched on the windowsill.  

“Just give me one chance to escape! I don’t think anyone else has managed things as perfectly as I have, so please, just one chance…”  

- Our deal is over.  

“Ending things unilaterally like this is unfair! If I reveal everything now, don’t you think you’ll be in danger too?”  

It was a rash outburst, but it carried no less sincerity. The crow ignored him and spread its wings, leaving one final message before departing.  

- Look at me directly.  

The principal gazed at the crow as if mesmerized, watching it take flight toward the sky.  

And as the black bird crossed the boundary of the window, it exploded with a thud. The mangled corpse of the bird fell below with a series of thuds.  

Kyaaak! A short scream echoed from below.  

“It’s dead!”  

“Ew, don’t look at it. Bad luck.”  

The principal, his face pale and lifeless, wiped the splattered blood from his cheek with his still-transformed right hand. The animal’s blood on his blackened hand was vivid red.  

---

Guides possess no abilities other than treating Espers.  

That’s what Cheon Geonyoung had been taught at the academy. But even as he learned it, he knew the book was teaching a falsehood.  

Would the Shelter teach the same thing?  

He had wondered. Perhaps this school might resolve some of the questions he had about his experiences. But as soon as he received the textbooks used by the Shelter, he had to abandon even that faint hope.  

After attending a few classes, he realized the Shelter taught the exact same content as the academy.  

Having sent Kwon Min-gi away and tidied up the situation, Cheon Geonyoung attended class with a clean face. He wasn’t late, nor did he miss morning badminton sessions.  

The only sign that he was different from usual was his slightly loosened tie.  

No one noticed, and he himself remained unaware.  

Han Eun-seok, the teacher for the first period, began the lesson with a strong voice.  

“It’s time for the fifth major unit, isn’t it? Let’s get started.”  

“Teacher. Preparing for the evaluation matches is exhausting. Can we please slow down the pace a little…?”  

“There’s no need for you to get worked up over the evaluation matches. Even if your scores are reflected, they’re much lower than what you can earn in other subjects, right?”  

The T Class students responded in disinterested tones.  

“…Yeah.”  

“Instead of getting strange ideas from Espers, let’s focus on studying. I’m going to make the problems difficult this time.”  

A student sitting in the front row made a bold statement.  

“If the special problems are too hard, we’re all doomed.”  

“You don’t say this to the Strategy Research or Military Science teachers, do you? Did you think I wouldn’t notice you asking only me to make things easier?”  

Han Eun-seok drove the point home to the students making pitiful faces.  

“Does it make sense to study common courses with bloodshot eyes while asking for easier exams in Guide major courses? Did I enter the wrong class? Is this G Class?”  

At the mention of G Class, the students frowned as if insulted. Hwang Sung-bin muttered complaints to his friends.  

The teacher emphasized his words.  

“T Class pride must be upheld. Straighten your attitudes and memorize properly.”  

Sighs erupted from various corners of the room.  

Cheon Geonyoung spun the pen in his hand idly.  

“Let’s turn to page 229.”  

The teacher, having calmed the students, displayed material on the screen. Anticipating a familiar name, Cheon Geonyoung furrowed his brow.  

“This time, we’ll learn about immunity.”  

Once the students finished reading the text on the screen, Han Eun-seok began his explanation.  

“Among the natural attributes of Espers, which two are most useful in real combat?”  

“Fire and earth.”  

“Correct. Earth is stable, and fire is aggressive. Many guilds include these two attributes when entering high-difficulty dungeons. Of course, the Ark also has many Espers with these attributes.”  

“There are also a lot of items for telekinesis.”  

“You’ve seen some listings, Min-hyuk?”  

“Teacher, Kim Min-hyuk wants to skip working with Espers and go into weapon manufacturing after graduation.”  

“That’s not necessarily a bad choice… Many Guides switch to fields they enjoy after fulfilling their mandatory service.”  

If they survive the mandatory period intact, that is. The friend sitting next to Kim Min-hyuk poked his side and snickered.  

After quenching his thirst with water from his tumbler, Han Eun-seok elaborated further.  

“I’m not an Esper, so I can’t explain vividly, but people say water is harder to control than earth or fire.”  

A student sitting in the front row raised their hand and spoke.  

“My partner for the evaluation match uses water.”  

“Prepare waterproof gear. And goggles.”  

The student grimaced at his response.  

“To use liquid effectively in combat, an Esper’s control must be exceptional. With fire or earth, hitting the target is enough for a valid strike, right?”  

“Yes.”  

“But with water, you need to apply transformations to make it effective—sharpness, hardness. That’s where the difficulty increases… So the Esper teachers say.”  

Upon hearing this, a few students in the front row whispered audibly.  

“So that’s why Lee Hyung-kyung is so strong…”  

“Is the Center Director your friend?”  

Amidst the bickering students, Han Eun-seok created a barrier with his tablet and continued speaking.  

“Cryokinesis is rare among natural attributes.”  

“There’s one in B Class.”  

He shrugged knowingly.  

“Yeah, there is. The problem is that they keep freezing their own hands and feet when trying to use ice.”  

“When I went into a mock dungeon with that ice-using kid last time, I almost got frostbite on my feet.”  

“That’s how difficult control is. The Center Director shouldn’t be generalized as representative of cryokinesis. That person won three overlapping lottery tickets.”  

“Have you seen Frozen Time yourself, Teacher?”  

Frozen Time was the name of the weapon wielded by Lee Hyung-kyung. It was known as a weapon that lacked the essential functions of a clock.  

“Of course I’ve seen it. I was stationed in Yeouido before being transferred here.”  

“Does it really stop at 10:15?”  

Han Eun-seok replied with a proud expression.  

“Exactly at 10:15. It doesn’t move at all—not even the second hand.”  

The students couldn’t hide their envy.  

“Haven’t you heard enough stories about the Center Director? Don’t you always beg teachers who’ve served active duty for new stories?”  

“We never get tired of hearing them.”  

“How does someone get more handsome as they age? Do they preserve their looks with ice?”  

“Have you ever met an Esper as strong as the Center Director?”  

Through the trivial questions, a sharp one flew in. The last one was Woo Joo Han’s question.