OMH Chapter 71

Oh My Hero – Episode 71

71. Guide (16)

Today is definitely the weekend, but Chief Kim called Cha Woojin again without fail. He’s the type of person who calls whenever he feels like it, whether it’s the weekend or in the middle of the night, so it’s nothing new.

And it wasn’t really surprising that Director Chae Suji had asked Cha Woojin for research cooperation and that Chief Kim knew about it beforehand.

Chief Kim always knows what’s going on with us before we even say it ourselves.

Cha Woojin, sitting across from Chief Kim, looked anxious.

He had refused Chae Suji’s request as he pleased, so it was understandable that Chief Kim would ask him why.

But Cha Woojin is good at talking smoothly, so he’ll explain it well to Chief Kim too.

I held Cha Woojin’s hand from the side to give him strength.

Cha Woojin, slightly surprised by the sudden contact, looked at me and smiled gently.

Looking at that smile, which seemed endlessly pure like a magnolia bud rising in early spring and somehow shy, made me feel like my blood sugar was rising as if I’d eaten something very sweet.

I was about to smile back in return, but Chief Kim interrupted.

“So! I asked why you refused the offer, you guys. Stop flirting and answer.”

Chief Kim tapped the table with the document folder, showing his annoyance.

I was worried that Cha Woojin would be intimidated by Chief Kim’s prickly attitude, but fortunately, Cha Woojin remained composed without showing any signs of it.

Cha Woojin calmly answered Chief Kim’s words.

“Even if they are improved monsters, there are still many people who fear the monsters themselves. The team isn’t even formed yet, and even if it is, there won’t be any trust in each other right away, so I don’t want to add another stress factor.”

Wow, as expected, Cha Woojin had clear thoughts and was systematic. And he speaks so eloquently!

I wanted to applaud Cha Woojin’s wonderful opinion, but I refrained because Chief Kim was glaring at me.

Chief Kim, who had been glaring at me, looked straight at Cha Woojin again. And opened his mouth.

“Yes. Our Team Leader Cha’s opinion makes sense. A choice to avoid causing confusion to the team. A very good judgment as a team leader. But you see. The role of a team leader is not only to lead the team, but also to communicate smoothly with the higher-ups. What do you think is the reason why I’m bringing this up?”

“…Do you want the team to help with the monster research?”

“Hmm, the intention has been distorted. We’re not helping with monster research.”

Chief Kim folded his arms and refuted Cha Woojin’s words, but his expression was quite gentle. Chief Kim seems to like Cha Woojin quite a bit.

Even though he’s acting eccentrically towards Cha Woojin.

“The field Guide team must be the most noticeable of all. And they must master all the cutting-edge technology and it must revolve around the field Guide team. Do you understand what I mean? Cutting-edge technology, whether it’s monsters or Ability equipment, must go through this team. It must always have and maintain the highest value within the Association.”

Chief Kim seemed to want to make sure that the field specialized Guide team could secure an absolute position within the EGA Association.

It was completely different from when they formed the previous field specialized Guide team, which only received equipment that researchers had thoroughly verified for safety. Back then, it was just a somewhat unlucky elite team equipped with only skills.

Well, if the field specialized Guide team hadn’t relied solely on skills and had solid power within the Association, they wouldn’t have experienced something like that incident back then.

Two years ago? No, is it three years now? That mission that drove all the field specialized Guides to their deaths.

Even if there hadn’t been controversy over whether field Guides were necessary when there were Espers in the field, Chief Kim would have prevented that incident. He himself must have been the most devastated.

Anyway, Chief Kim seemed to be thinking of giving the field specialized Guides solid power this time around so that they wouldn’t get caught up in such controversies.

“Team Leader Cha. Remember this. Even if we accept the research institute’s request, it doesn’t mean we’ll be swayed by the research institute’s experiments. We’re just the first to embrace the trends of the times. Go ahead as a pioneer.”

I feel like it’s getting more and more far-fetched every time Chief Kim adds something, but it’s okay because Cha Woojin isn’t in trouble right now, right?

Whether Chief Kim was earnestly preaching or not, the seven-year-old child was busy playing with the baby monster.

Cha Wooreen put the monster on the table and was diligently poking at it.

Unable to withstand Cha Wooreen’s touch, the monster finally let out a cry.

-Beeeep

It was a sound smaller than a whistle, but it was enough to catch Chief Kim’s attention.

“Yes. You said this is the sample of that monster.”

Chief Kim reached out his hand to the palm-sized monster.

But the monster didn’t like Chief Kim and immediately started hissing.

-Kyaaaak

Chief Kim frowned and withdrew his hand when he saw the monster.

This monster, who likes Cha Wooreen the most, resembled Cha Wooreen in personality, and continued to hiss until the end while looking at Chief Kim’s receding hand.

“Didn’t they say they succeeded in improving it to be human-friendly?”

“Until now, when I went to the breeding ground every time, there wasn’t a single one that showed aggression. Only that one is particularly like that.”

I sincerely answered Chief Kim, who had been rejected by Cha Wooreen’s monster like me.

“Did they come to a conclusion whether it’s because it’s a baby or because it’s a mutant?”

“The director said they don’t know exactly yet, but it seems like it’s due to individual differences.”

“Hmm, is that so.”

Chief Kim looked at Cha Wooreen and the monster alternately with a strange expression.

Cha Wooreen, uncomfortable with Chief Kim’s gaze, said.

“Why are you like that, ma’am? Bbippi is nice. And my brother is nice too.”

-Bbi! Bbiiit!

The monster barked, following Cha Wooreen. Cha Wooreen liked the monster’s behavior and petted it. To adore a monster when it’s doing bad things. It seems like that monster will become more spoiled because of Cha Wooreen.

However, the monster was not only becoming spoiled, but its condition was also deteriorating.

The monster, who was rubbing its head against Cha Wooreen’s finger, suddenly started coughing.

“Bbippi! What’s wrong? Don’t be sick, you can’t die!”

Cha Wooreen’s cries and the monster’s cough filled the director’s office.

Cha Wooreen wasn’t the only one worried about the monster. Me and Chief Kim don’t want the monster to suddenly die either.

If the monster dies in the Guide director’s office, the research institute won’t look favorably on the Guide Bureau, and me and Cha Woojin’s reputation will be tarnished.

I’m sending the monster unspoken support, but the monster’s cough became more violent.

The coughing sound grew louder and shorter, and the monster finally spat something out.

Tok.

A transparent lump smaller than a baby fingernail fell out of the monster’s mouth.

I was staring blankly at the lump that the monster had vomited out of curiosity when Chief Kim hit my head and said.

“Find out what it is right away.”

‘He could have just said it, but he always has to hit me once.’

I grumbled inwardly and touched what the monster vomited out with my finger according to Chief Kim’s request.

“Huh? This is cold. What on earth is this?”

I tapped the small, transparent lump with my finger. The lump was not soft but hard, and a transparent liquid was Buried