Chapter 2
People’s eyes widened in disbelief at the sight they couldn’t believe even with their own eyes.
They had heard about strange stories and incredible abilities of Guards, but they rarely had the chance to witness them firsthand, so they were quite flustered.
“Obstructing the execution of official duties can result in appropriate punishment. I’ll let it slide this time, but it won’t happen twice.”
The man in the military uniform with the star embroidery spoke coldly. Intimidated by his aura, the man flinched and stepped back, gauging the reactions of others around him. Not only him, but everyone else was also wary of the man, sensing the chilling energy emanating from the Guard.
The atmosphere had shifted in an instant, just from the man displaying his ability once.
Sehyun’s eyes narrowed. Due to her profession, she had seen Guards quite often. She had seen them from afar, and she had also seen lower-ranked Guards like Sangwoo who worked second jobs. So, unlike others, Guards weren’t completely unfamiliar to her.
However, even Sehyun couldn’t follow the man’s movements just now.
It meant that he was at least a higher-ranked Guard than Sangwoo.
“Then I’ll see you next time.”
The man said, his face quickly turning annoyed.
“Hey! Hey!”
Her aunt and the other neighbors called out to the man urgently.
“You can’t do this!”
“Please contact the number below in the guide we provided for any objections.”
The men lined up behind the man with the star embroidery blocked Sehyun’s aunt and the other residents. They quickly got into their cars and sped away from the alley at a speed that people couldn’t catch.
Their speed somehow made it seem like they were eager to get out of there.
Sehyun glanced at the car passing her by and then turned her gaze towards her aunt.
“What happened, Aunt?”
“Sehyun, Sehyun… What’s going on all of a sudden?”
Her aunt grabbed Sehyun’s shoulders with trembling hands. Sehyun wrapped her arms around her aunt’s shoulders to support her, preventing her from collapsing.
“Tell me slowly.”
Sehyun said, patting her aunt as if to calm her down.
“Our neighborhood… is scheduled to become a Hole occurrence zone in a week. We have a month at most.”
“…”
“So they said we have to move within a week…”
Sehyun’s lips tightened at her aunt’s words. She had a vague idea when the Guard suddenly appeared and talked about moving, but hearing it for real made her feel dizzy.
Hole occurrence zone.
It meant that a giant hole, from which monsters would emerge, would appear near here within the remaining time.
Her aunt’s gaze shifted towards their two-story house. Tears welled up in her eyes as she looked at the house with a longing gaze.
This was the first house her aunt and her late uncle had bought. It was where they lived until her uncle passed away, a place filled with memories.
To leave a place like this…
Sehyun bit her lip.
“Aunt, let’s go inside first. Let’s talk inside.”
“What should I tell Jungwoo…?”
“I’ll contact him. Look ahead, Aunt.”
Sehyun supported her stumbling aunt as they walked, glancing at the direction where the car had disappeared.
***
“A Hole all of a sudden! This is a Safe Zone! How can a Hole suddenly appear in a Safe Zone?”
Jungwoo, who arrived home two hours later after receiving Sehyun’s call, was furious. At first, he had chuckled, thinking she was joking, but his face hardened when he saw the suitcase Sehyun had taken out. And then he started jumping around like a madman.
“Just sit down.”
Jungwoo’s eyes narrowed at Sehyun’s words as she sat on the sofa.
“Do I look like I can sit down right now?”
“Aunt just fell asleep. So just sit down.”
Sehyun beckoned with her hand, and Jungwoo reluctantly sat down on the sofa, still fuming.
“I’m angry and anxious just like you.”
“…”
Jungwoo flinched at Sehyun’s sudden confession and turned to look at her.
“But what we need to do now is not get angry, but figure out what to do next. It doesn’t seem like we have time to be angry.”
“Ah, this is driving me crazy.”
Jungwoo grumbled, scratching the back of his head.
His broad shoulders, developed from exercising, heaved with each breath.
“First, check this out.”
Sehyun handed him the papers she had prepared, and Jungwoo’s face crumpled.
Safe Zone Decommissioning Target Area.
A Safe Zone was an area officially recognized by the government as safe from Hole occurrences, where real estate transactions could take place.
But if a Safe Zone was decommissioned, it meant that the area would become uninhabitable, let alone have real estate transactions.
Compared to what had happened, the compensation was much worse than expected.
According to the law, the government did not compensate for property damage caused by sudden Hole occurrences. They only provided minimal compensation, which included maintaining the status of a compensation recipient for a few months with a monthly support of one million won for six months and a maximum of one year of residence in a temporary shelter.
“Does this make any sense? We’re about to lose our home and be out on the streets, and they’re offering us one year of residence in a temporary shelter? Are they kidding me?”
“…”
“Yeah, there are Guards! They say Guards can eliminate the monsters that come out of Holes, and then the Holes will disappear! Isn’t that what Guards do? So the Guards should come! Right?”
Jungwoo, enraged after checking the compensation details, shouted again.
“That’s right. Guards are supposed to eliminate Holes.”
“Exactly!”
“The problem is that they come after the Hole occurs.”
“…What?”
“Do you think Guards will just sit here and wait, knowing when and where a Hole will appear? It’s at least a week, up to a month. If we’re unlucky, we might have to wait up to two months. And we don’t even know what kind of Hole it will be. We don’t know what kind of Guard will have to come.”
“They say Guards are on standby in advance if a Hole is likely to occur!”
“That’s for Large Safe Zones. You know, this is a Small Safe Zone. And they say there are no surplus Guards right now. They have to be on standby in front of the Holes that have occurred in Large Safe Zones.”
“…”
Jungwoo shut his mouth at Sehyun’s words. It wasn’t that he didn’t know. He just forgot because he didn’t have to worry about it until now.
Large Safe Zones referred to areas with vast land, large buildings and cultural assets that needed to be preserved, and a high population density.
Government agencies and Guard Associations were permanently stationed there.
They were places with a lot to protect.
In comparison, Small Safe Zones didn’t have much except for a small population.
Moreover, there were a lot of these Small Safe Zones.
Too many for the small number of Guards to handle.
Most Guards protected Large Safe Zones and were gradually deployed to larger areas.
“Does that make any sense? People’s lives are at stake, how can that make sense?”
Jungwoo shouted in belated rage. Sehyun, who had expected this reaction, let out a low sigh before asking abruptly.
“Don’t you remember the Mapo District incident?”
While the Guards were away protecting Small Safe Zones, a large Hole occurred in what used to be called Mapo District, resulting in even greater casualties due to the lack of Guards.
Furthermore, it became an even bigger issue because the Hole that was supposed to appear in the Small Safe Zone didn’t appear.
After that incident, dispatching Guards to Small Safe Zones was prohibited. They said it was a law to prevent greater loss of life and property damage.
Countless people protested against it, but there was no way to turn the tide of public opinion.
“So the first thing we need to do is go to the temporary shelter. We’re leaving tonight, so pack your things in advance. Got it? You have to pack carefully so you don’t miss anything important. We can’t come back.”
“What? Tonight? They said it’s a week later.”
“That’s true, but you never know.”
“But still…”
“A Hole can appear suddenly, even while you’re sleeping. The world doesn’t always go according to plan.”
Jungwoo, who knew her circumstances, closed his mouth at Sehyun’s firm words.
“I checked the schedule, and there’s a bus going to a nearby Small Safe Zone tonight. Let’s take that and go over there. We’ll use a lodging facility there for a few days.”
The cost of accommodation was astronomical, but there was no other choice.
“So you should get up too.”
Sehyun stood up with a complicated expression.
“Sister.”
Sehyun stopped at Jungwoo’s call and turned around.
“Is there… no way for us to get into a Large Safe Zone?”
Sehyun’s lips tightened at Jungwoo’s words.
The real estate prices in Large Safe Zones were unimaginably expensive.
There were two ways to enter a Large Safe Zone. Either be incredibly wealthy, enough to buy the scarce real estate, or be an exceptionally skilled Guard.
“Or even a Medium Safe Zone…”
“…”
As Sehyun stared at him silently, Jungwoo clenched his fists, understanding the meaning of her silence.
“If only I were a Guard…”
“Jungwoo, this isn’t your fault. So don’t blame yourself.”
“Sister…”
“Go inside and pack your things. We’re leaving as soon as we’re done packing.”
Sehyun looked at Jungwoo, who was standing in the middle of the living room with his head bowed, and then turned and walked into her room with an uncomfortable gait.
As soon as she closed the door, Sehyun’s body, which had been holding up well, slumped against the door.
She was exhausted from taking care of her aunt, who had been trembling with anxiety all day, and trying to find somewhere to ask for help.
“Sigh.”
Sehyun let out a long sigh and stared blankly out the window.
‘If only I were a Guard…’
Jungwoo’s words echoed in her ears.
How could she not understand his feelings?
Because she regretted it too.
…I should have become a Guard back then.
Sehyun recalled the system window that had appeared before her a few years ago.
How could she forget?
The window that appeared amidst that tragedy.
It was around 10 years ago, when Holes started appearing sporadically, monsters pouring out of them, and Guards appearing one after another.
Holes appeared everywhere without discrimination, and the news constantly broadcasted warnings about the precursory phenomena of Hole occurrences.
Sehyun paid close attention to the news. Just in case something like that happened to her.
But she didn’t know back then.
That a Hole could appear in an instant, unnoticed, in the middle of the night when everyone was asleep.
Hmm