I'm a Fan
I'm a fan. The old me was an idiot, but the new me is different. It's not that I've gotten smarter—it's because I can now borrow the heads of the spirits in our Containment Gallery.
Back in the day, a family with lots of soldiers was seen as having a powerful patriarch. From that perspective, maybe I'm not such an idiot after all?
Q. What was your first-grade elementary school homeroom teacher's name?
DollBloodsucker: Kim Juseok.
BranchRep: Never went to school!
SubManager: Does first grade in national school even count?
HospitalDirector: This one's pointless for us to guess.
Everyone got it wrong except DollBloodsucker.
I'd asked a bad question, so I verified properly the second time.
Q. What action to take after meeting Karkson?
Q. Abraham is a false idol. O or X
Q. Is Mincho food? O or X.
Q. What has the same value as Jockegi Park 12 Epitalene?
HospitalDirector: Ebon Rune 10g.
SubManager: Ebon Rune 10g. Too late.
BranchRep: Krstakill 1 gallon.
The questions were bizarre and the answers incomprehensible, but everyone nailed them—except BranchRep.
I didn't just hand it off to the spirits with a click and goof off. I used that time to do what only I could.
[Anomaly Gallery]
Searching for Owl Show-related posts, they used to get good reactions, but lately they're fizzling out.
I read one that was at least getting some buzz.
Every post was calling for cancellation. This one felt a bit different, though.
Posted today.
My face soured. Not because I wanted a closer look—the image quality was trash.
I tried persuading multiple times, but couldn't get the info I wanted easily.
Too bad.
"Senior."
"What's up?"
"Something not in the rulebook might happen."
"Got evidence? I know your eyes are special, but this sounds like precog. You don't have that power, right?"
The Anomaly Gallery was my source, but I couldn't say that.
The advice from the taboo post was to hide my identity until I became an irreplaceable asset in anomaly-related orgs.
I didn't want to end up as a test subject, so I bullshitted.
"Just a hunch. Ever since meeting Diver Mother, I get these feelings sometimes."
"A hunch, huh..."
Nahee frowned.
"There are cases where humans change after facing anomalies. Maybe you're one too, junior. I'll check as staff if anything weird happens."
"Thanks."
"Even if it breaks rules, take action first if needed. Judge the situation yourself."
"Was planning to."
If reports checked out, I'd bring in anomalies to protect and manage them.
"Did my ears break? What did I just hear?"
9th Grade Park Seongho. According to Jang Namgyu, he had hearing enhancement fitting his big ears. Yoon Eunbyeol, my classmate, was with him.
"Sounds like bullshit about maybe breaking rules."
Nahee scowled at Park Seongho's words.
"Should we just watch people die while following rules? It's about saving lives."
Park snorted at Nahee.
"That's my point. Break rules, anomaly twists, how do you cope? One way: kill more, find new rules. More deaths."
"Anomalies change anyway without us. Better save who we can."
"That's why we maintain periodically. No need to stir shit."
"Killing savable people over hypotheticals?"
"To prevent bigger damage. That causes more casualties, including the agent."
"That's what the Response Bureau is for."
"Why your hardliners always lack numbers. You die pathetically."
Nahee's face hardened.
"Hey."
Nahee forced Park to his knees in a flash, then gripped his hair and smashed his face into the ground.
"This is...!"
"Mission time, so just this much."
Crunch—
Under the crushing pressure, Park's face turned beet red.
"Age and faction aside, respect ranks at least. Didn't they teach you?"
"......Let go."
"Public exam, training, a few missions—high on 9th Grade? Half those guys die pointlessly within a year."
"Not using power doesn't mean I can't."
"Prove it then."
'If he grabs me, I'm screwed.'
He struggled, but no chance. Her sewer diver-crushing monster strength was no joke.
"Not scared of backlash?"
"Regret picking a fight with a hypnotist? I could rewrite your mind unnoticed."
Turned out later her nickname was Mad Dog.
No wonder the barrage on stream org thugs looked familiar.
"We'll see."
"Half-ass casual again, and I'll crack your skull."
"......"
"Answer."
"......Yes. Sorry."
Only after permission did he stagger up.
His expression calm, but face flushed from strain.
Tension between them matched their factions' hostility.
Hardliners who exterminate and intervene aggressively vs. status-quo maintainers who keep predictables stable.
Both make and follow rulebooks, but differ on actions—per Jang Namgyu.
'Sigh.'
Wherever people gather, fights happen.
Stop bickering and fuck off or something.
Wasting energy. Just die already? I can't stand anomalies, though.
'Little bro, you didn't know that?'
'No, big bro Jang. First time hearing it.'
'Thought you'd know basics?'
'Me?'
No time for that with anomaly management short on hours.
People like me should take the middle path. Solid center.
'No time to care. I don't know that stuff.'
'What? You're hardliner.'
What the hell?
'Not? Thought that's why you hit 9th Grade.'
Never joined hardliner meets, no pulling strings.
My pure skill... well, not really, but steady missions with gallery help got me here.
'Really?'
'Yes.'
'No one'll buy it.'
'Why?'
'You solo-cleared the sewer.'
'Mission.'
Collected wandering anomalies as a bonus.
'No aftermath worries?'
'...Nope?'
Back then, only thought was divers losing minds. Had to catch mom before they turned fodder.
'Teammates all hardliners, you main actor?'
'......'
They were hooked on smashing anomaly heads. Quick to beat any anomaly.
Should've noticed when Nahee showed mom her unfilial moment.
But mom's gaze blinded me.
Not my fault, honestly.
How to resist two moms?
'Big bro Jang, sewer's better now. Rules distributed, more returnees.'
'For now. Status-quo guys are grinding teeth for later.'
'Lowbie like me fine?'
'Nah, you're easiest target.'
'Ah......'
'Not even hardliner line. No protection.'
'......'
'Fight on.'
Park eyed me like prey, picking a fight.
I dodged his gaze, signaling Nahee for help. Her eyes said:
'Smash him like an anomaly. I believe in you.'
'......'
Misunderstanding—I’m a philanthropist. Bought chain scythe to hurt no one.
"9th Grade Jeongchan. Checked your record. Unbelievable. No one buys it. 9th Grade in three months? Absurd."
"Ah, thanks."
"Be honest. Did you solo-kill Diver Mother?"
"Kill?"
Manage and love, maybe. Not kill.
"No idea."
"Ha!"
Park snorted.
"Figured. Even my seniors couldn't approach. Nonsense from start. Hardliners lack talent, so faked a super rookie."
He laughed big, slapping my back.
"Honest's good. No way you soloed that. Right?"
She was specialized in mental attacks, oversized. Mental barrier holders could solo. Like me.
"Why no answer?"
"Depends, but soloable."
"Not even 9th—mere 12th Grade?"
"Yes."
Park laughed in disbelief.
"Honest earlier, nonsense now. Jeongchan, hard to read you? Even geniuses can't. Act properly if acting. See this guy?"
He pointed to Yoon Eunbyeol, expressionless with watery hair globes.
"Executes rulebook understanding perfectly, finds rules fast orthodoxly. True genius. Aced 9th public exam."
Yoon didn't twitch at the hype. Looked pitiful, even.
"Same class as you. Fastest out. Under a minute? How long for you?"
"30 minutes. Anomaly twisted, took time."
"...Know that. You fixed it too? Stole Lee Pyeongan's credit after he vanished?"
"......"
Leading questions—no point arguing.
"Nothing to say? She's 14th despite 30x faster. You at 9th? Nonsense."
"So what's your point?"
He growled threateningly.
"Pre-mission handshake. Good luck."
Petty fucker.
Venting Nahee's anger on me.
His hand's fierce grip power crushed mine.
Instead of resisting, I Absorption Art'd it all in.
"What the... what're you doing?"
"What?"
"Eek..!"
Rich kids overflow power—drain it, they tame right down.
His energy piled in my dantian. Hunyuan Gong mixed indiscriminately.
Park's qi tastes like this. Human qi differs from anomalies. Male? Bland.
Diver Mother's was tasty.
Lick.
Anomaly thoughts made me smack lips unwittingly. Park freaked.
"What’s that mean?"
"...Misunderstanding."
"Then let go. Prove innocence."
"......"
Didn't wanna hold his hand either.
But annoying.
And couldn't ignore Nahee's satisfied gaze.
'Jeong lil bro, tips for team leader friendship?'
'Just be nice.'
'Yeah?'
'Good person. Treat casual.'
'Rumor: Turned rumor-spreader gay instantly.'
'......'
'Shipped to brothel, then back to normal.'
'Oof.'
'Mind manners with leader.'
'Will do.'
"Let go!"
Park whimpered fearfully. I eyed Nahee.
'Keep going?'
'Yes.'
Better end quick. Sucked faster.
"Please stop......"
"We good now, right?"
"Yeah...."
Qi drained, he collapsed limp.
A bit worn, but recovery time plenty, no heavy lifting—fine for mission.
"Good job, junior. Nailed the power play—no more pests."
*
"Ladies and gentlemen! Welcome to the Owl Show! I'm your host, Raopf! Let's begin!"
The survival began.
The MC was pretty.
I'm a fan.