Chapter 36: Echoes of Fear

Mind Reading

Yoo Minseong, the owner of a unique ability that allows him to read a person’s thoughts just by locking eyes with them, had risen to a mid-C-level rank among the Awakened by leveraging this power to detect monsters’ attack patterns and traps effortlessly.

We can’t let a dangerous hunting dog like him level up any further.

His eyes should be used for us alone.

If Yoo Minseong’s level rises any more, he’ll see what he shouldn’t, and we can’t afford to lose such valuable eyes.

Only once had he ever been invited to a high-level meeting. While the executives showered him with polite remarks, their true thoughts behind those smiles were bone-chilling.

Understood? Conduct yourself accordingly.

They made it clear, revealing their thoughts with a blatant lack of fear, as if daring him to pry. From that day forward, Yoo Minseong stopped entering the Gates altogether. If he continued to level up and one day reached the ranks where he could read the minds of those very executives, any suspicion of him knowing forbidden information would be his death sentence.

‘I have more than enough money.’

Gaining further strength would only increase their wariness and lead to more dangerous missions, something he had no interest in. Yoo Minseong was content to toe the line, meeting the Association’s demands by reading the thoughts of designated targets and uncovering their secrets.

This routine had led him from a shabby basement studio to a luxurious 60-pyeong apartment with a view of the Han River. No more sighing alone on a park bench—now he looked out over the city from his lofty perch.

A life free from chaos. A safe, undisturbed existence, sheltered from the world’s storms. He believed his life would never change. Or rather, he once believed that.

‘Not even 25 meters…’

But the serenity of his life was shattered in an instant.

“This is C1. I failed to read the target’s mind from a distance of 25 meters. Requesting permission to abort the mission.”

CO reporting: mission abort denied. Keep closing in until mind reading succeeds.

Estimated to be B-level.

Despite knowing his ability required a direct line of sight, the higher-ups were forcing him to proceed with the mission.

‘What makes this woman worth the risk?’

Her beauty was undeniable. He had never seen anyone so stunning, in either real life or virtual reality. But she also had secrets as deep as her beauty was striking.

The higher the target’s level, the closer he needed to be to read their thoughts. Despite closing in to a distance of 10 meters, he still couldn’t get a clear reading of her mind.

‘I absolutely can’t get caught.’

He remembered how a previous surveillance team had barely escaped death at her hands. She wouldn’t issue a second warning; if he were discovered, he might be killed on the spot.

‘Please, let it work at 3 meters.’

Mimicking her jogging routine, Yoo Minseong gradually closed the distance to 3 meters, blending into her path on the opposite side of the trail she took every morning. If he failed here, the next step would require direct proximity, possibly even physical contact—a risk he dared not take.

‘She’s like a ghost.’

There was no sound of her footsteps, no breathing, not even the faint rustle of her clothes. She moved as silently as a specter. As she passed by him, he steadied himself, suppressing the urge to let his blood run cold.

@#$^%@%#

Yoo Minseong’s face stiffened. Even though he knew better, he struggled to keep his expression neutral. Only after confirming through his earpiece that she was far enough away did he finally speak, his voice trembling.

“Her thoughts…were in Chinese.”

What?

“Yes, the target was thinking in Chinese.”

…This was unexpected. Even if a person knew a foreign language, it was rare to think in it as well. If she was thinking in Chinese, it implied that her true nationality was likely Chinese. Her impressive skills and extraordinary beauty now pointed to one conclusion: she was very likely a spy from China.

It wasn’t unusual, of course, for martial arts incantations to be in Chinese. Using stealth techniques while moving, she could mask her presence, but increasing speed made it exponentially harder. Here, the recitation of stealth incantations helped. By consciously directing her inner energy through specific meridian points, her martial techniques flowed with greater ease.

‘It’s nice to see quick progress in at least one area.’

Maybe tomorrow, I’ll try running even faster, she mused idly as she finished her early morning training.

At last, Yoo Minseong had been able to read her thoughts, though only when her guard was completely down and he was within a mere 3 meters. But even then, understanding and reporting her thoughts fully was impossible.

He didn’t understand Chinese.

If you can’t understand Chinese, then we’ll just have to make her think in Korean, came the directive.

“Is there a way?”

Speak to her in Korean. She’ll have to think in Korean to respond.

“It won’t be easy to extract useful information that way.”

There’s no difficulty. Just ask key questions that make her think about what we need.

“You mean… ask her directly? Sensitive questions?”

Prove your worth. If you want to keep enjoying the benefits the Association provides.

It was a veiled threat, urging him to push forward, no matter the risk. Yoo Minseong clenched his fist, slamming it on the table, his knuckles aching from the impact. Yet he barely felt the pain, so consumed by frustration.

‘Are they trying to get me killed?’

Someone in the ranks might be wary of his mind-reading abilities. Unless the Association intended to dispose of him, there was no logic behind forcing him into such a dangerous mission. His abilities had clear value, and yet they were sending him out on a reckless operation.

Even worse was the realization that, no matter how reckless it seemed, he couldn’t refuse. He was bound to the Association, trapped by their authority.

‘The Association’s dog.’

What he’d once dismissed as bitter slander now rang true. His leash was tightened firmly around his neck, leaving him powerless to break free. Resigned to his fate, Yoo Minseong braced himself, going over his plan once more before moving to approach Hae Eung Eung.

The key information the Association demanded fell into three categories:

  1. The target’s exact Awakener grade.
  2. The nature of her abilities.
  3. Her purpose for infiltrating the country.

None of these would be easy to uncover. Still, Yoo Minseong was a seasoned veteran, having survived the industry’s brutal demands for seven years.

Dressed in his Association uniform, he chose a more direct approach. Instead of quietly tailing the target from afar, he moved confidently toward her the moment he spotted her.

Hae Eung Eung.

An Unknown without an Awakener license or confirmed grade, and suspected of infiltrating under orders from Chinese intelligence. She was incredibly dangerous. However, in public areas with CCTV, even someone like her would hesitate to attack openly.

He blew his whistle loudly, signaling her to stop.

“I’m an Awakener Association patroller. We received a tip that a villain has hidden an explosive nearby, so I’ll need to conduct a brief security check.”

At a distance of three meters, facing her directly, Yoo Minseong could feel his anxiety heighten. ‘It worked at this distance this morning!’

Yet now, only hours later, he was drawing a blank—he couldn’t read a single thought from her.

‘Her guard is up!’

The issue became clear immediately. Awakeners with strong mental fortitude could raise their guard, making it exponentially harder to read their thoughts.

“There will be a quick scan to confirm your Awakener status.”

Beep.

He aimed a scanner at Hae Eung Eung, waiting as it processed her data based on the Association’s database.

[Hae Eung Eung]
[Resident ID: 300930-4******]
[Residence: Myeongho 2-dong, Gangbuk-gu, Seoul *******]
[Criminal Record: None]
[Awakening Status: Non-Awakened]
[Scan Result: Civilian]

“Wait, this can’t be right… Sorry, let me try again.”

Yoo Minseong felt compelled to run another scan. How could someone unreadable from a mere three meters away be a non-Awakener? The results didn’t add up. Normally, he could read thoughts of a B-level Awakener from this distance without issue. The only ones who’d ever resisted his mind-reading like this had either been high-grade mental defense specialists or A-level Awakeners.

‘Either case is bad news.’

If she had advanced mental defense training, she might be a carefully prepared elite spy from Chinese Public Security. If she was an A-level Awakener, he’d stumbled upon a situation so dangerous he should abandon the mission and escape immediately.

Could you stop doing that? It’s annoying.

He recalled a similar instance before: an A-level Awakener, picking up his mind-reading attempt in seconds, had scowled and warned him. He didn’t fully understand the mechanics, but someone of that rank could likely sense what he was doing. And if Hae Eung Eung truly was a spy, was it likely she’d let someone attempting to read her thoughts walk away unharmed? Perhaps she’d release him if she was being cautious, but if she’d already made up her mind, ending him could be just a matter of seconds.

[Awakening Status: F-Level]

“What?”

He had imagined countless possible scenarios, each terrifying in its own right, but even he hadn’t anticipated this.

[Grade]
[C-Level]
[D]
[F-Level]
[Non-Awakener]

The scanner’s results continued to fluctuate wildly, jumping from one reading to another.

“I’m sorry. It seems this scanner might be malfunctioning.”

Hae Eung Eung looked at him with increasing irritation as he nervously pulled out a backup scanner.

[B-Level]
[F-Level]
[Non-Awakener]
[Non-Awakener]
[Grade]
[Non-Awakener]

The measurements swung back and forth, displaying erratic readings. It wasn’t just one faulty device—the chances of two scanners malfunctioning simultaneously were almost nil.

[Can I go now?]

“Sorry, but the scan isn’t working properly, so I’ll need you to accompany me to the nearest Association branch…”

That’s what Yoo Minseong intended to say, but a chill ran down his spine.

The target’s gaze was fixed on him, looking up with an irritated stare that pierced through the veil of her straw hat. Just for an instant, he could clearly hear her surface thoughts.

Did she catch on?

“!!!”

This wasn’t a mere malfunction. Somehow, this woman was disrupting the scanner’s ability to accurately measure her rank. Although he didn’t get an exact answer to her Awakener level, he now knew enough: the target was at least a B-level Awakener capable of interfering with scanner readings.

Now, all that was left was to uncover her specific ability and purpose for infiltrating the country.

‘No matter how you spin it, approaching her again won’t be easy. Now might be my only chance.’

“Technically, it’s protocol, but if you answer a few questions, I’ll forgo the escort.”

[Make it quick.]

“Have you ever encountered a villain planting bombs or a spy acting on Chinese Public Security orders?”

His plan was to complicate her thoughts, hoping to provoke a mental response that would reveal more information.

[I haven’t.]

The answer was curt, but what was happening in her mind? Leaning in as if stumbling, Yoo Minseong closed the distance between them to within three meters.

‘If I can make physical contact, I should be able to read at least a few thoughts, even if she’s on guard. And if she’s feeling unsettled, it’ll be even easier.’

As he forced himself closer to the point where his shoulder brushed against her hand, his mind was flooded with a torrent of her thoughts.

Should I slice him in half along this path?
I could hit an acupoint and paralyze half his body.
Rupturing his organs would work too.
No, that’s too risky.
There are CCTV cameras.
Adapt to civilized society. This isn’t the other world where slashing at anything that gets close is the norm.

In the few seconds that her hand made contact with his shoulder, she had already contemplated over thirty ways to kill him. Yoo Minseong felt every one of those methods vividly—his body shredded, organs crushed.

“Hah!”

[Are you okay?]

“Yes, it’s… just an old illness acting up. Sorry for the trouble.”

Petrified, Yoo Minseong stumbled away, putting at least ten minutes of distance between them before finally clutching his chest to calm his racing heart. The combined effect of psychological shock and his sprint had left him breathless and dizzy.

C1, report the situation immediately…

Barely aware of what he was saying, he clutched his chest so tightly it bruised, but his vision dimmed, and he crumpled to the ground.

Neurocardiogenic syncope. The psychological impact of reliving over thirty potential deaths and the intense physical exertion had combined to trigger a stress-induced fainting spell.


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