FLIA 97

Just two days after Lee Chanha’s warning, Yohan was subjected to a series of complicated tests. The examiner spoke with a cheerful smile.

“If you just get through this one last test, you should be able to leave the facility. You won’t be able to see your family until the government makes an official announcement, though.”

“Really? This is the last test?”

Yohan, who had been enduring the annoying procedures without much thought, brightened at that. Having his blood drawn again and again and being shoved in and out of machines was exhausting.

“At this level, it’s practically safe to say there’s no corruption at all.”

Yohan, whose ability made it impossible for him to be corrupted in the first place, nodded to himself. At this point, no one could be cleaner than him.

“No, honestly, considering how long you were in the Abyss, the lack of corruption is practically a miracle… In any case, you should be discharged by tomorrow or the day after. Congratulations.”

Since corruption hadn’t been fully defined yet, researchers could only estimate levels through trial and error. Drawing blood to examine cellular mutation under a microscope or scanning the body’s interior and exterior was all they could do. But even that was usually enough to determine if someone was contaminated. And even then, a positive result didn’t always mean automatic isolation.

For example, there was Jeong Siyoung, leader of the Special Suppression Unit. Her left arm was severely corrupted, but with Lee Hyunmook out of commission, losing Jeong Siyoung too would be a disaster. So she was pushing her body to the limit. People knew this, and it was why expectations for Lee Hyunmook’s return were especially high.

“Oh, right. Mr. Yang Yohan, there’s one last interview procedure before you’re released.”

“An interview?”

Yohan had already done more interviews than he could count. The same questions repeated, the same insistence on more details even when he had nothing new to say. His expression immediately darkened at the word. Especially since he had things to hide. The government seemed to suspect that Yohan and the others were concealing something important.

Most of all, they fixated on how he had rid himself of corruption. Saying he knew nothing and had no idea was getting old, and it made him feel guilty. The officials kept talking about how corruption victims had to be humanely euthanized or detained until death, and the financial burden that came with it…

He wanted to confess that he was a purifier and help every suffering person. But he held back, trusting Lee Hyunmook. He assumed today’s interview would be more of the same. But this time, the person waiting wasn’t Jeong Siyoung. It was a middle-aged man greeting him with a wide smile.

“Ah, Mr. Yang Yohan? Nice to meet you. I’m with this department.”

The business card he handed over read: Kim Jongseok, Director of the Rift Management Bureau. Yohan, whose only experience was school before being swept into the Abyss, vaguely assumed a director must be someone important.

“Do you want something to drink? Green tea? Coffee? Or maybe a soda? I heard it was hard to get this stuff in the Abyss.”

The way he spoke, it was like Yohan was a survivor from the wilderness. It was borderline rude. The Abyss was indeed harsher, more dangerous, and more disgusting than the director could ever imagine, but Yohan let it slide and accepted the drink. He still hadn’t gotten tired of soda after returning.

“Um, is there something more you want me to talk about? I thought I already told you everything about what happened in the Abyss…”

“Oh no, that’s not why I asked you here. Mr. Yang Yohan, have you ever considered working for the Rift Management Bureau?”

The moment he heard that, Lee Chanha’s warning flashed through his mind. So this was the so-called great offer from the government. Yohan steeled himself again, he wouldn’t fall for any of it.

“You’re at that age where you’re thinking about jobs, right? You’ve got experience in the Abyss, so we can treat you as a seasoned applicant. The Rift Management Bureau isn’t as low-paying as people think. Risky? That’s the same for all awakened workers. We offer full insurance too.”

Even for a hundred billion won, Yohan wouldn’t have worked there. But the offer was surprisingly generous. Why go to such lengths for a low-level awakened being, especially one with such a common strength-enhancement ability? Even without Lee Chanha’s warning, Yohan would have found this suspicious. He replied politely.

“Thank you for the offer, but I just got out of the Abyss, so I’d like to rest a bit.”

“Of course, rest is important. You’ve been through hell. I read the reports. It was brutal for all of you. Then how about this, just sign the contract now and take a year off. Come back after resting.”

The offer was persistent. Despite Yohan’s vague refusal, the man kept sweetening the deal, clearly determined to recruit him into the Rift Management Bureau. If he kept refusing, it might raise suspicion. What should he do? While debating, Yohan made a bold decision.

“Hic…”

Suddenly, Yohan burst into tears. Director Kim Jongseok, who had been passionately pitching him, froze in shock. But Yohan didn’t stop, he went from crying to full-on sobbing.

“D-Director… you don’t understand… it was awful… that place, huh, do you know how terrifying it was…? I really… I thought I was going to die… m-monsters… no matter how many we killed, they just kept coming, hic, h-huuuh…. Look, it’s not even like I need the money or anything, my family’s not poor…”

Crying wasn’t hard. He was so glad to be out of the Abyss, and yet he found himself getting teary at the slightest thought. He’d always been the type to cry easily, just thinking something sad could make the tears start pouring. Lately, he cried just from remembering how Lee Hyunmook and the others had suffered in the Abyss.

So he let it all go. He’d kept those tears held back for the right time, and now, he gave up on holding them in. Normally, even when he did cry, he tried to be a little reserved. Not this time. Now it streamed down uncontrollably. Like a broken faucet, Yohan sobbed loudly.

“Have you ever seen eyes that big…?! Eyes with teeth, have you seen those?! And—and, h-hnngh, I thought it was a subway… but it wasn’t, sniff… what the hell was that…! Worms and sandworms, why… how can they be that big! I almost threw up… it was disgusting… I want to go home. Please let me go home. Huuuuh…”

The more he spoke, the less intelligible he became. “I miss my family so much, it was terrifying, how can you ask me to fight monsters again…” He kept rambling along those lines, like a drunk man, until Director Kim Jongseok held his forehead like it was giving him a headache. Finally, after enduring it for some time, he sighed and said,

“…Alright. Sure. Listen, if you change your mind later, please reach out. And keep my card, okay?”

Yohan left still bawling, clutching the business card. A special forces agent waiting outside looked completely confused. Back in the isolation room, Yohan wiped his tears with his sleeve and quietly sat on the bed, still sniffling.

‘If this were back when they forced conscription, that would’ve never worked.’

In the early days, when rifts first opened and dozens, hundreds died every day, awakeners were forcibly conscripted without exception. It was considered natural in a state of national emergency.

But they were treated like living weapons, and it was all coercive. The only upside was that the byproducts of killing monsters in the rift had immense value. Fortunately, researchers had developed a way to separate the corruption from those byproducts. It was just a shame they couldn’t apply that process to living organisms.

As the chaos settled somewhat over time, awakeners began resisting collectively, and the days of forced conscription ended.

They argued that rather than distant soldiers, local vigilantes could better protect civilians. Back then, distrust in public authority ran high, and public safety was poor, so the vigilante groups gained significant appeal.

After countless protests, controversies, and a government that couldn’t maintain an enlarged military budget, those vigilante groups gradually transformed into what are now called “guilds.” With the profits from rift expeditions, rare eternal stones, awakened-party services, and private security, it became a dream job for many.

But on the flip side, those mercenaries becoming private soldiers for the rich and disrupting public order was a constant controversy. Unless rifts stopped appearing and no more awakeners emerged, this confusion and conflict would persist indefinitely.

Yohan took a sip from the sweet drink he got from Director Kim, purifying it first as usual, and thought.

The Sunrise Team would probably resume activity soon. As for himself, like he told Kim Jongseok, he planned to return home and rest. Not a word of what he’d said had been a lie. But, a bit of regret lingered.

‘Will I be able to join the Sunrise Team? Even if I don’t, we’re at least close. We’ll keep in touch, right? After everything in the Abyss, they’ll give me their numbers, won’t they?’

After getting out and seeing the news, seeing how people reacted, he finally realized just how revered Lee Hyunmook and the Sunrise Team were in Korea. Actually, not just in Korea, they were famous worldwide.

That made his confidence quietly fade. The thought that came up most often was that, even as a purifier, he might not hold as much weight in the team as he had in the Abyss. That maybe he had actually been more useful there…

‘No. What kind of stupid thought is that? That’s insane. Stop. Just stop.’

The idea that the Abyss might have been better in any way, Yohan caught himself, his expression turning serious. He was so ashamed of the thought that his cheeks flushed with embarrassment. Fortunately m, no one could read his mind.

‘Come to think of it, everyone’s abilities changed so much in appearance and power. I wonder what people are going to think. Especially Hyunmook-hyung’s lightning, even the color’s different… and that other ability of his, I can’t let anyone see that in public…’

He recalled one of Lee Hyunmook’s terrifying powers in the Abyss, and a sudden wave of longing came over him.

‘I miss Hyunmook-hyung…’

He had already seen Yoon Seungryong, Seo Yakrin, Ju Hoyoung, and Lee Chanha after coming back, but not Lee Hyunmook. He understood that Hyunmook must be extremely busy after returning as a high-level awakener, but… he couldn’t help feeling a little hurt.

Just as he sighed, fiddling with the empty can, there was a soft knock at the glass door. Thinking it was a staff member, Yohan looked up, and his eyes widened.