HLSEBT - 88

The place they arrived at was the main sports field.

As soon as Yoon Taeha set foot on the green grass, she flung the principal down onto the ground.

The principal rolled once, clutching his injured hand protectively. His cheek smeared against the damp grass, streaked with fear.

Seemingly afraid of another attack, he abruptly sat up. Without even glancing around, he shouted hoarsely:

“You’ll pay for this!”

“...”

“How dare you—against a principal?!”

But what followed was an overwhelming silence.

Only then did the principal notice the countless pairs of eyes fixed on him.

Black pupils clustered together like frog eggs by a stream, and rows upon rows of black heads. Purely curious gazes began dissecting him like lab specimens.

“No... no...”

The principal’s knees buckled in despair as he muttered weakly. Frantically turning his head side to side, his eyes met those of the teachers—faces as cold as ice.

These were people he had failed to sway, recruit, or had outright abandoned. Some had surely suffered disadvantages because of him.

If the students’ eyes were those of experimenters dissecting their subject, the teachers’ eyes were those of executioners yearning to pass judgment.

Behind the staff stood Espers dispatched from ARC, their expressions mechanical. They stood rigid, like soldiers awaiting orders, not a single hair out of place.

Cradling his broken finger, the principal slumped sideways.

“Isn’t that the principal?”

Someone’s puzzled voice acted as the starting signal.

The students of the Western Shelter, who filled the sports field to the brim, began whispering all at once.

“Why does Yeong-sik’s face look like that? Did someone really beat him up over cafeteria food? If you’re going to be a hero, at least tell us in advance so we can poke fun.”

“What kind of opponent could do that to an A-rank Esper? Another active-duty A-rank?”

“I’ve never been hit before, so I wouldn’t know.”

The next target of the students’ curiosity was the mysterious Esper who had teleported in with the principal but disappeared just as quickly.

“Who brought the principal here? That teleportation was so fast I couldn’t even see their face.”

“No idea. Do you recognize them?”

“Aren’t they someone sent from the company?”

“Their face was too small to see clearly...”

A few G-class students who recognized Jeon Seong-ha’s face widened their eyes dramatically. Those with sharp eyes smacked their friends’ shoulders repeatedly and asked:

“Wasn’t that our new transfer student?”

“What nonsense. You must be hallucinating from the shock. But remember, grades aren’t everything. Hang in there.”

However, since the figure vanished too quickly, they couldn’t get the response they wanted.

The murmurs showed no signs of dying down anytime soon.

The absence of half the teachers, who should have calmed the situation, only made it worse. Surviving teachers, including G-class’s homeroom teacher, pleaded loudly for the students to quiet down.

The sports field reverberated like a giant speaker. Some time had passed since the commotion began.

Kim Doo-eon, dressed unusually in a formal suit instead of his usual jeans and shirt, stepped onto the high stage.

“Attention, all members of the shelter.”

His voice was heavy and solemn.

“First, I want to apologize sincerely.”

________________________________________

Kim Doo-eon began explaining the incident to the students and attendees.

Yoon Taeha, standing in the VIP section with its glass walls, listened briefly before moving inside the building.

Her expression remained as calm as ever.

ARC employees bustled about. Several Espers who recognized her exchanged subtle nods, and she politely returned the gesture.

In the hallway, Ko Seung-won was waiting for her.

“You did well.”

“What are you talking about?”

Yoon Taeha dismissed his praise casually, and Ko Seung-won smirked knowingly. He handed her a tablet.

They walked side by side toward their destination.

“Thanks to the two of you wrapping things up neatly, we could start immediately.”

Ko Seung-won wore a deeply satisfied smile. Yoon Taeha calmly scanned the organized documents.

The full history of surveillance meticulously recorded by Cheon Geonyoung and herself was laid out.

“There aren’t many blanks in the relationship chart, right?”

“None. Even if there are, a light investigation should fill them.”

“What about the kits?”

“We have enough for the entire school. For suspected users who test negative, we’ll send them to the hospital for further testing.”

“The committee might try to interfere.”

“With this much evidence piled up? If they block us while we’re trying to do the right thing, we’ll have plenty to say.”

Ko Seung-won spoke firmly. His tone reminded Yoon Taeha of Lee Hye-gyeong, making her chuckle softly.

“Are you aiming to be the next Center Director? Your words carry weight.”

He quickly countered:

“Don’t joke around. I’m just a rookie recruited because I’m close to you.”

“It’s an honor, Teacher Ko.”

“You know how much I hate fieldwork.”

He shook his head, signaling that this outing was enough for him.

“We found where the amplifiers were being manufactured. It was underground in the cafeteria. Not some small-scale operation—it was quite the production facility.”

“So it really was beneath the cafeteria. No wonder the food sucked.”

“They siphoned funds meant for improvements into that… The students’ instincts were spot-on.”

Yoon Taeha nodded in agreement.

“But this chart—you didn’t make it, did you? You’re terrible at document creation.”

She glanced at the flashy chart Ko Seung-won had shown her and replied:

“The future ace of the research division made it.”

“You managed to rope in one of their slaves? They’re always short-handed over there. Impressive.”

“Not ‘roped in.’ We formed a strategic collaboration.”

The two entered a room Ko Seung-won had prepared in advance and quickly wrapped up a brief Q&A about capturing the principal.

Cheon Geonyoung had already provided detailed answers regarding Kang Jin-ho. There was nothing left to add.

“It’s convenient working with two people.”

Ko Seung-won looked genuinely surprised at her offhand comment.

“You’ve become more human.”

“...What?”

“You seem more human now.”

Ko Seung-won planned to complete the report based on her statements and Jet’s footage. Yoon Taeha left him absorbed in his work and exited the room, leaving behind a word of encouragement.

Walking with the thought of taking a shower, she was approached by a shelter employee who timidly asked:

“Agent, would you like a change of clothes?”

Yoon Taeha’s eyes widened, delighted by the unexpected question.

“Do you have any?”

“Of course! It’s our school’s gym uniform, but since you’re technically still a student…”

“That works. I’d have gladly taken a shower robe too.”

The female staff member nodded enthusiastically, almost hypnotized by Yoon Taeha’s polite smile.

“There’s a shower facility on the second floor. Everything you need—shampoo, etc.—is there. You won’t be able to return to the dorm for a few hours.”

The sports field would temporarily serve as ARC’s base camp.

That was why the principal had been brought here—and why she couldn’t leave immediately after finishing her tasks.

Lowering her voice as she spoke, the employee whispered:

“To be honest, there’s also new underwear tucked inside…”

Matching her tone, Yoon Taeha whispered back:

“Thank you.”

With lighter steps, she headed to the showers. Grateful for the comprehensive facilities, she washed away the grime.

Though she had to wear the shelter’s anorak and shorts again, fresh clothes felt wonderful.

No swimming pool visits for a while.

After discarding her soaked boots and slipping into soft indoor slippers, she strode confidently.

Dressed in the most student-like attire, she headed to the conference room on the second floor.

Outside the conference room, Espers clad in black suits lined the hallway. Most were young, with no prior ties to headquarters.

Sending them to such a non-critical site felt slightly excessive.

“Please go in.”

An A-rank Esper from the Northern Region, just a year younger than her, guided her with perfect etiquette.

“And the Center Director?”

“He’s occupied with follow-up procedures for the dungeon that appeared in Geoje recently.”

“Right, Geoje. Then who’s the highest-ranking person sent by the company?”

Her junior from the shelter blinked innocently, his wide-eyed gaze resembling a calf’s.

“It’s you, Agent Yoon Taeha.”

Unintentionally, Yoon Taeha tapped the shelter logo on her chest. Her junior flinched as if stabbed.

“Me?”

“Yes. If I’ve memorized the company regulations correctly, you’re the senior agent here.”

“No one came from the Inspection Bureau?”

“No.”

“I see.”

She tilted her head curiously and opened the door.

________________________________________

The door to the infiltration agent’s room closed.

The agent who had spoken with Yoon Taeha belatedly squeezed his eyes shut, then reopened them.

A slightly different silence enveloped the hallway. Everyone seemed to have something itching at their tongues.

An Esper who had glanced at the colleague who spoke with her broke the silence first.

“Really, Yoon Taeha?”

“Who else? Who could impersonate her?”

“I’ve never seen her before.”

“You’re from the Southern Region.”

“Is this guy her direct junior from the North?”

The Northern Esper who had spoken with her puffed up slightly with pride.

Another Esper standing at attention by the opposite wall asked quietly:

“Do you personally know her?”

“She’s my senior.”

“Even in the North, you wouldn’t share the same space with her.”

“...We’ve eaten meals together.”

“From 300 meters away? Is that what you call eating together?”

“She probably knows my name too.”

At this confident remark, the surrounding Espers pursed their lips and let out soft “Ohs” of admiration.

The Northern Esper’s chest swelled further.

“She always memorized names after meeting someone twice.”

“Maybe she remembers yours because you look so unique.”

“Then I can memorize your face in five seconds.”

“This is insubordination against a leader…”

Watching the exchange, a young-faced Esper giggled silently before blurting out a question:

“Is she really that strong?”

It was a relatively new recruit.