Zero Point

#008

“A three-year contract seems too long. I want a one-year contract to start.”

“And?”

Choi Hanseo asked, as if sensing that Eunseok wasn’t finished.

“There’s no mention of the proposal you made earlier. I have no intention of just sitting in the back doing Guiding. You made that offer because you know what I want, right?”

When Eunseok gave him a challenging look, Choi Hanseo smiled faintly, curling the corner of his mouth. Seeing the slight curl at the corners of his eyes as he smiled, Eunseok thought, Ah, this time it’s a real smile.

“I have no intention of keeping an S-class Guide who can cover the Guiding of numerous hunters idle in the rear. I scouted you not just because you’re S-class, but because I judged you capable of being a comrade to fight alongside.”

“Did you allow the kidnapping attempt to make that judgment?”

When Eunseok boldly asked, Choi Hanseo nodded without hesitation.

“Of course, if your response hadn’t been appropriate, we would have rescued you at the right time. Even if you weren’t going to be a member of our guild, we couldn’t let an important talent of the country be stolen by foreigners.”

After mechanically reciting this obligatory, exemplary excuse, Choi Hanseo paused briefly before speaking again.

“Unfortunately, we can’t include a contract clause guaranteeing your entry into gates, at least not on paper. It would violate the Special Law for Guide Protection.”

This was something Eunseok hadn’t known. As Eunseok slightly raised his eyebrows, Choi Hanseo smiled and added:

“So, write plenty of statements in advance declaring your voluntary entry into gates. You’ll probably need them every time you enter a gate.”

“A single statement wouldn’t be enough to completely bypass the law, would it?”

“It’s fine. That’s why we use expensive lawyers.”

Choi Hanseo replied lightly.

Right on cue, Lee Eunju placed a new file of documents in front of Eunseok and said:

“The other clauses are all the same as the previous contract, just for a one-year exclusive contract.”

She was indeed a thoroughly prepared secretary.

Eunseok quickly skimmed through the documents, confirming that all clauses except the contract period were identical, then picked up a pen and signed.

Thud-.

As soon as he finished signing and closed the file, Eunju swiftly snatched the contract away as if afraid it might be taken from her.

“Welcome, Mr. Lee Eunseok.”

For the first time, Choi Hanseo extended his hand.

Eunseok recalled information that a handshake between an Esper and a Guide was entirely different from a handshake between ordinary people – it was a procedure for deep exploration of each other.

Eunseok briefly looked at the large hand with its unusually straight shape before grasping it and shaking it lightly. The moment their skin touched, their hands locked together strongly, as if the opposite poles of magnets were snapping together.

As he took the hand, Eunseok was completely overwhelmed by Choi Hanseo’s fierce and enormous energy and his wavelength, which seemed to crash over him like 3D. A thrill he had never felt even in the most dangerous mission moments washed over his entire body like a massive wave.

He’s a real monster.

Eunseok thought to himself, unconsciously wetting his lips with his tongue. Seeing this, Choi Hanseo gave a deep eye smile.

“Delicious.”

Choi Hanseo said with a deep smile. And before Eunseok could react, he added:

“This is the first time I’ve tasted such delicious Guiding. I look forward to working with you, Mr. Lee Eunseok.”

Somehow, “I look forward to working with you” sounded like “I look forward to eating you well.” It could have been taken as teasing, but his tone was too matter-of-fact to get upset about. Eunseok slightly wrinkled his nose and withdrew his hand. Choi Hanseo readily let go. The hand he lowered below the desk still tingled as if it had received an electric shock.

***

Everything proceeded quickly, as if it had all been prepared in advance.

Surprisingly, Eunseok was assigned a personal secretary named Kim Hyunji. Secretary Kim, who appeared to be in her late twenties, poured out various information to Eunseok kindly and gently.

“This is your accommodation, Guide.”

Kim said, pointing to a door after descending to the middle floor of the building and walking a bit down the corridor. Next to the door, which looked like the entrance to an officetel, was a nameplate with Eunseok’s name.

Eunseok held his employee ID card to the pad above the doorknob. With a beep, the sound of the lock turning was heard.

Secretary Kim opened the door and entered first.

The interior was set up exactly like a fully-equipped officetel.

“That’s the bedroom, and this is the living room. All the bedding has been replaced with new ones, so you can use them right away.”

Sunlight pouring in through the floor-to-ceiling windows brightly illuminated the approximately 60 square meter accommodation. Everything that should be there was present – a sofa, TV, bed, desk, and appliances. It was set up so that one could live there with just their body.

“Of course, living in accommodation might feel confining, but given your special circumstances, living inside the company building will be safer and more comfortable for you, Guide.”

Secretary Kim said kindly while discreetly observing Eunseok’s expression, seemingly checking for any signs of dissatisfaction.

“Is this alright with you?”

Secretary Kim asked.

For someone who had lived just fine in cramped military quarters, this clean accommodation was more than welcome.

“I like it.”

When Eunseok nodded and answered, Secretary Kim smiled brightly.

“I’ll send you the schedule every day. Urgent calls will be notified simultaneously on both your smartwatch and phone. And thinking you might need information about Guides, I’ve left related materials on the desk, so please read them.”

Secretary Kim said, pointing to a stack of booklets on the desk.

“Well then, you must be tired, so I’ll take my leave. The cafeteria is open 24 hours, so you can use it anytime. And my number is saved in your phone, so feel free to contact me anytime if you need anything, regardless of the hour.”

Having said that, Secretary Kim politely bowed and turned to leave the accommodation. Finally left alone in his new quarters, Eunseok walked to the desk while exploring the interior.

On the desk, not only books but also a new laptop was neatly placed. Eunseok pushed the laptop aside and flipped through the high stack of books one by one.

[Introduction to Guiding]

[Basics of Guiding]

These were educational booklets about Guiding. By the book, he should have entered the Ability User Management Bureau after awakening as a Guide to study and train, but now he had to self-study this content.

Eunseok opened the built-in refrigerator, took out one of the fully stocked 500ml water bottles, and sat down at the desk. Then he began to skim through the booklets page by page in the order Secretary Kim had stacked them.

After reading three books straight without moving from his seat, Eunseok, instead of flipping through the remaining booklets, just glanced at their titles as he pushed them aside one by one. All the scientific and analytical stories about Guiding didn’t seem like they would be of any help in actual practice.

As he was pushing the books aside one by one and looking at almost the last booklet, Eunseok finally felt like reading a book again.

[The Practice of Guiding]

I should have started with the last booklet.

Eunseok thought to himself as he opened the book.

Unlike the previous basic textbooks that were just full of text, this book was clearly filled with pictures, photos, and short, practical explanations about the actual act of Guiding.

The most efficient method of Guiding is physical contact between the Esper and Guide.

It started with basic handshakes and deeply grasping arms, then progressed to removing clothes and pressing bare skin together.

[Mucous Membrane Guiding]

Eunseok frowned as he looked at the various kissing and make-out scenes that filled an entire page of the book. The kissing illustrations and photos were arranged with a diverse mix of ages and genders.

Man and woman. Woman and woman. Man and man.

As if trying to eliminate the reader’s social norms, conservative thinking, or aversion to kissing, all kinds of same-sex kissing scenes were explicitly and blatantly embedded. And next to them, it was repeatedly written that mucous membrane Guiding was the essence of the Guiding act and the most efficient method.

Eunseok’s brow furrowed even more as he turned the page.

After the explicit kissing came even deeper sexual contact. Friction between genitals. Insertion, the joining of genitals. All sorts of positions and methods were expressed in detailed illustrations. It felt like looking at introductory material for porn actors.

Eunseok could now clearly understand all the romances, pornography, and sexual expressions involving Espers and Guides that had been plastered all over mass media and the internet. This was practically encouraging indiscriminate sexual contact with multiple partners, regardless of gender, once you became an ability user.

“So this is what they mean by ‘practice’…”

Eunseok rubbed his forehead as he practically threw the book onto the desk.

Of course, Eunseok didn’t have any grand illusions about Confucian chastity, nor did he have any aversion to fully enjoying one’s sexual self-determination rights. But this was a completely different dimension of issue. Sexual contact with partners he wasn’t even attracted to? That was something he absolutely wanted to decline.

“I didn’t expect the level to be this intense…”

Eunseok muttered dejectedly.