Clear Skies and Government Probes
I barely remembered anything after collapsing. Using spatial magic in a place with thin mana had come at a hefty price. But I'd heard that Baek Seol-yeon played a big role in cleaning up the mess. As the Elf Management Bureau's rep for the incident, she'd stepped up front and center, handling explanations and official statements on everyone's behalf.
Surprisingly, after I shattered that lump, all the anomalies blanketing Incheon vanished clean away. The monsters the truck team was fighting, the cracks and sparks in the sky, even the ginkgo tree—gone. No one knew why, but they were all history. Thanks to that, there was one sight I hadn't seen in ages.
Bwoooong— A plane was taking off from Incheon Airport. The airport was starting up again. Everything was slipping back to normal.
"Phew."
I sighed, gazing out the window. I was in the hospital now. The truck team's soldiers and hunters got shipped to the National Armed Forces Capital Hospital, but thanks to the Bureau's support, I'd landed in a VIP single room at the country's top university hospital.
According to Baek Seol-yeon during her visit, I'd been bumped to the Bureau's highest care level. Her pressure had let me skip the annoying stuff, so I didn't feel much different. But there was one major change: my pension had quadrupled. Pre-tax 10 million. Basically, do nothing but breathe, and 10 million won would hit my account every month like clockwork.
"……"
Watching planes rise from Incheon Airport, I faced the crisp autumn breeze blowing in through the window. Something felt good. Couldn't put my finger on why—feelings are like that sometimes. I turned my head absently.
An IV was hooked to my right arm. Nothing major—just fluids for nutrition. The doctors and nurses here said they'd never seen a patient like me. Despite all the trauma and blood loss, my body had fixed itself. Self-repair. Since my body was half-made of spatial mana, the spatial mana soaked into my flesh had kicked in, mending everything on its own. No need for surgery. But my stamina was shot, so they wanted me to rest and monitor.
I didn't need to, of course. I was good to discharge right then. But Baek Seol-yeon had asked me to stay.
I didn't know why, but if she wanted me here, fine. She'd gone through hell because of me—I could grant her this much.
Click— I unfolded the bed table and set my laptop on it. A gaming rig Baek Seol-yeon had left for when I got bored.
Whirr— The laptop hummed softly, screen lighting up. I dove straight into the internet.
First up: the mage gallery and hunter gallery's front pages. I'd checked them first thing when I woke up too.
I'd been worried the boards would be flooded with my story. Someone must've witnessed it all. But...
My fears were way off base. No trace of Yang Jia or the quantum whatever in the mage or hunter galleries. They touched on the Incheon mess a bit, but it was all about the city itself. Finding my story? Impossible.
The reason the public hadn't heard my hero tale was elsewhere.
A short clip from a public broadcast news channel's YouTube. A familiar face popped up.
"Uh, hello. I'm Lieutenant Kim Pil-jin, who was at the scene."
The lieutenant from back then. He looked haggard, eyes weary and shadowed—totally different vibe.
The reporter in the video asked, "Tell us about the situation back then!"
"The details are classified. We were there, and some incident made the bastards vanish in a flash. That's the most I can say. I don't know much myself anyway."
They clearly didn't want the full story leaking to civilians. Fair enough—it wasn't everyday stuff. A massive incident big enough to seal off Incheon just ending abruptly? Unprecedented worldwide. Airing it raw on TV would've sparked chaos. Conspiracy nuts would've gone wild: "They're popping up somewhere else!" "They just relocated!" The Korean government was playing it safe. Figure out exactly what happened first, then manage the PR.
Beep— Midway through my browsing, the interphone buzzed. VIP room perks—no nurses barging in. Admin messaged first; I replied to confirm.
Tap— I poked the touchpad to check the message from admin.
Visitor waiting. Shall we send them up?
No name listed—probably government.
"Eh, not like saying no keeps 'em away."
They'd just ask about what went down, what I did, how I felt. Annoying, but dodging now might mean bigger headaches later. I okayed it.
Slide— Door opened right away. Like they'd been hovering outside.
"Hello, Archmage Yang Jia. I'm Deputy Director Park Kwang-deok of the Republic of Korea Gate Safety Agency."
A slick-suited middle-aged guy bowed 90 degrees. Different face every time, same awkward bow. I'd told them no need, but handoffs sucked. I just nodded back, resigned.
"This is our last direct visit. Not just you—Professor Chen Zuiyuan's cooperating too. You've both been a huge help. Thank you again."
Sounded like Chen Zuiyuan had recovered well. Not badly hurt, but taming the rampaging spatial mana in him took time.
The guys behind Deputy Director Park pulled files from bags. He skimmed one, glancing between it and me, then frowned.
"That monster—what our government calls the Melting Flesh—did you know anything about it before the incident?"
Hmm. I nodded faintly after a beat.
Park's eyes flickered at my reaction. Poker face cracking.
I spoke first. "I've seen it, but honestly, I don't know much about it."
He shot me a surprised look. I laid out what I knew.
"First time, I screamed and ran. This time, I faced it down. Never thought it'd show up here again. Want me to share what I picked up from our two clashes? It's slim, but..."
I didn't know jack about it in detail. It was my nightmare. No sane person studies their phobias. But clashing with it this time, beating it—I'd felt something. Couldn't logic it out. Just a gut sense.
I gauged his reaction. He nodded.
"Please do."
I spilled what I'd seen and sensed.
"It's... like a thought-form of spatial mana."
"A thought-form?"
"Yeah. Spatial mana, that predator, mashes up everything it swallows beyond recognition... into a thought-form."
The Incheon one differed from the Yggdrasil one long ago—size, shape, attacks, all. But it gave off the same vibe. Déjà vu, emotions, whispers. Dismissing it as panic hallucinations was too optimistic.
"A thought-form... so you mean..."
"It can come back anytime. As long as spatial mana keeps devouring lives."
That was all I had. Park looked troubled, packed his papers, and left. Didn't forget the 90-degree bow on exit.
"Thank you, ma'am. Next time, it'll be Director Baek Seol-yeon."
Baek next? Wait.
"Hold up—Director Baek Seol-yeon?"
"Yes. She's been appointed the new director of the Elf Management Bureau over this."
No way. She'd been swamped, but snagging director already? Way too fast a climb.
"We'll take our leave."
I was still stunned as Park withdrew. The room felt emptily hollow once they were gone. I flopped back, checked the message panel—and something fun filled the void.
Visitors here: Elf Lee Ga-eun and Professor Chen Zuiyuan. Send them up?
Dunno why, but a weird duo was coming to see me.