DM Chapter 10

The two walked on after parting with Seo Jin-ho, with Yoon Min continuing to feel the weight of countless gazes upon her. It seemed as if everyone at the Center was interested in her.

“Why does everyone keep staring at me?”

“Because you’re an S-grade Guide.”

“But how do they even know that? Can they just tell by looking?”

“Those equipped with a wave detector might get a hint by looking, but not everyone can afford to have one—it’s extremely expensive. The reason everyone knows about you, Ms. Yoon Min, is because your registration was completed today, and the results were shared through the central computer, making them visible to all the researchers and Espers.”

Just hearing that gave her chills.

So now, every person in the Central Esper Center knew about the existence of “Yoon Min.” She frowned. For someone who had lived as a beggar in the back alleys, unnoticed and insignificant, this level of attention was unsettling and put her on edge.

This clashed entirely with her second rule of survival: stay as hidden and unnoticeable as possible.

“You’ll have to get used to it.”

Yoo Jin-ah finished with an apologetic smile.

Yoon Min didn’t respond, as her attention was suddenly captivated by the sight before her. In the middle of the hall was a massive cylindrical pillar covered in various screens. Some information was projected as holograms, floating in the air, while other data adhered directly to the pillar.

The ceiling the pillar supported was so high it took a long gaze upward to see the end, and the dome-shaped roof was made of glass, revealing a clear, blue sky.

Each floor encircled the pillar in a circular design, with researchers and staff occasionally chatting near the railings. The scale was overwhelming.

“This is the central hall.”

“A completely different world.”

“Is it?”

Yoo Jin-ah replied absentmindedly, glancing at her chart. Now that Yoon Min looked more closely, the chart wasn’t an ordinary piece of paper but seemed more like a tablet screen capable of multitasking. Yoo Jin-ah handled it with practiced skill.

“You’ve never been outside the Center, have you?”

Yoon Min watched her intently as she asked.

“No, I don’t live in the Center. I actually live in Sector 50. Since my parents were researchers here, they had to find a house close to the Center. My parents wanted me to become a researcher too, but I chose management instead. It’s a better fit for me.”

She’s completely clueless, thought Yoon Min, shaking her head. Yoo Jin-ah probably had no idea about the miserable lives of people in sectors below 40, nor did she likely want to know.

For someone like Yoo Jin-ah, who had likely spent her youth deciding between becoming a researcher or a manager, her world was vastly different from Yoon Min’s.

“It looks like all the S-grades have gathered. We should head to the examination room now.”

Putting her chart back in her pocket, Yoo Jin-ah picked up the pace, and Yoon Min followed.

A hologram near the front of the hall displayed the Central Center’s vision and objectives.

[Efficient distribution of energy, coexistence, survival, and evolution.]

As she stared at the glowing words, Yoon Min let out a quiet sigh.

This was a place she’d need to get used to. Feeling bitter about the vast gap in quality of life was a luxury she couldn’t afford.

The two turned into a corridor on the right side of the hall. When Yoo Jin-ah swiped her card, the locked door automatically opened.

Unlike the bustling hall, the corridor was empty. They walked along the quiet hallway until Yoo Jin-ah stopped in front of a frosted glass door with gold lettering that read [Matching Examination Room].

“From here, you’ll need to go alone. I hope you get the best results.”

Before Yoon Min could ask, “What exactly is the best result?” Yoo Jin-ah had already swiped her card to open the door.

Inside was a vast hall, brightly lit, causing Yoon Min to squint. Several people were already gathered there.

The first person she noticed, unsurprisingly, was Lee Hyun. He had washed off the blood and changed into casual clothes. The beige knit sweater and slacks suited him perfectly.

He still didn’t look pleased. When their eyes met, his expression briefly showed surprise. She couldn’t tell why he seemed so taken aback—perhaps it was because he was seeing her clean for the first time.

“So, you were a woman?”

Their moment of eye contact was interrupted by an abrupt voice.

It was Na Tae-young. He was dressed in a black hoodie and jeans instead of his usual combat gear, looking almost like a regular person.

“Now that you’re all cleaned up, you really do look like a woman.”

He stood up from his chair with a casual swagger and circled around her, inspecting. Ignoring him, Yoon Min turned her attention to the others in the room.

Chu Jin-ho was standing at an unfamiliar machine, adjusting something, with two or three other researchers by his side.

Off in a corner, far from Lee Hyun, sat a man in a deep green dress shirt and dress pants, leaning back in his chair.

“That’s Park Se-hyung, another S-grade. You already know Lee Hyun, and now we’re just waiting for the Center Director to arrive.”

Na Tae-young, noticing Yoon Min’s gaze lingering on Se-hyung, let out a sly chuckle and explained.

Meanwhile, Lee Hyun had turned his back to the room and was now standing by the window, looking outside. His indifference radiated a strange rejection, making it clear he wasn’t paying her any attention, which stirred up that familiar sense of disappointment in Yoon Min. At this point, she was used to those sentiments surfacing.

S-grade Espers—Lee Hyun, Na Tae-young, and Park Se-hyung.

The very top of the pyramid, people she had only vaguely imagined existing, were now standing right in front of her.

Na Tae-young was clearly “a total lunatic,” Lee Hyun she was beginning to understand, but Park Se-hyung remained a complete mystery. He hadn’t approached her or spoken; he only observed her with hollow, unblinking eyes and an expressionless face that sent chills down her spine.

“Greetings, Ms. Yoon Min. I’m Jin Myung-do, in charge of the examination room. As soon as the Center Director arrives, we’ll begin the test. For now, I’ll explain the matching test procedure. You see the circle drawn on the floor? Please stand there. Once the test begins, a device will rise from below, and you’ll need to place your palm on it. It’s simple, really. A small sample of blood will be taken, and each of the Espers standing at the four points will go through the same process. The matching percentage results will take about ten minutes, and any Esper with a match over forty percent is eligible to be your partner.”

“…”

“For any Espers with a match over sixty percent, they’ll become your primary Espers. You’ll prioritize healing for your primary Espers, and for the others, you’ll only provide occasional support. If, by any chance, you have a one-hundred percent match, that Esper would take precedence. But such cases are extremely rare. The Guide instructor will explain further details during training. Any questions?”

Myung-do rattled off his explanation at a rapid speed while holding his chart, sounding almost robotic. His bald head gleamed under the lights, the only thing humanizing him in any way. Yoon Min barely understood most of what he’d said, so she didn’t have any questions.

“No.”

She shook her head, and Myung-do’s expression flickered, looking a bit taken aback by her terse response.

“She’s not much for formal language,” Na Tae-young shrugged from beside her, defending her casually.

With a strange look still on his face, Myung-do turned and joined Chu Jin-ho to help with the test preparations. As Yoon Min watched, her eyes met Chu Jin-ho’s. He gave her a slight nod, attempting to acknowledge her, but Na Tae-you suddenly stepped in front, blocking her view before she could respond.

“Why haven’t you changed clothes? Still wearing that dirty outfit, I see.”

“Because I don’t have anything else.”

“Clean up your hair a bit and put on proper clothes, and you’d actually be quite a sight. Up close, you’re prettier than Choo Sae-hee.”

As he leaned in, Yoon Min frowned and instinctively took a step back.

“Are you serious?”

At that moment, the door to the examination room opened, and a woman’s amused voice interrupted. She entered with a cascade of wavy hair, pale skin, and striking red lips—a stunning beauty dressed in a fitted wine-colored dress.

“Speak of the devil,” Na Tae-young grinned, grabbing Yoon Min by the shoulder and turning her toward the woman.

“Introduce yourself. S-grade Guide, Choo Sae-hee. You two are in the same category.”

Na Tae-young’s breath was close to her ear, sending an uncomfortable shiver down her spine and making her brow furrow.

“Welcome. To hell,” Sae-hee said cheerfully, striding toward Yoon Min in a lively tone. Her heels clicked neatly on the marble floor. Yoon Min studied her with fascination.

“What hell? You’ve clearly never seen real hell,” Yoon Min muttered.

“For you Espers, I’m sure it’s paradise,” Sae-hee shot back, baring her teeth in a bright smile as she clashed with Na Tae-young. She was beautiful and smelled wonderful.

“So you awakened at nineteen. Fascinating.”

“Yeah. Apparently, it’s rare.”

Sae-hee laughed as Yoon Min nodded. Yoon Min found herself liking Sae-hee. She was beautiful, smelled pleasant, and she had the confidence to snap back at Na Tae-young. Even the way she walked with ease in those high heels impressed her.

“Talk about rotten luck. If you’d managed to stay well-hidden, they’d never have found you. The Guide search teams only check kids under fifteen. If you’d avoided them, you wouldn’t have been dragged here.”

“I like it here.”

Sae-hee widened her eyes at Yoon Min’s straightforward answer, then smiled.

“For now, sure. But that’s before the matching test.”

Before Yoon Min could ask what difference the test would make, the door slid open, and another man walked in. His presence made Lee Hyun turn away from the window, and even Park Se-hyung, who had been silently seated, stood up.

“Sae-hee, what’s with that outfit?”

As soon as he entered, the man frowned, directing his disapproval at Sae-hee.

He was a middle-aged man with a solid build and short hair, dressed in a black suit, wearing a heavy watch and gleaming shoes. If not for the long scar that ran across his cheek, he could have easily passed as a successful businessman.

“I’d rather not wear that dreadful robe,” Sae-hee replied, smiling at him.

The man clicked his tongue in annoyance and removed his watch, handing it over to his assistant, who accepted it with utmost respect.

“Let’s get on with this. No need to delay.”