Chapter 104 – Experience Collector (2)

Shortly after talking and refilling her ability, Sophia returned to the Association’s conference room together with Sun-woo.

Thanks to that, Sun-woo and Sophia received warnings from the Association’s people.

“Sun-woo-ssi who knows well that the Association’s situation is complicated recently shouldn’t take erratic actions like this. We’re giving maximum consideration to Sun-woo-ssi who isn’t even an Association member, but if you do things this way, we can also reconsider treatment.”

Director Albert who sent Sophia to lodgings first spoke to Sun-woo with a serious expression.

“Understood. Will be careful.”

Since he said everything he needed to say, there was no need to unnecessarily argue before them. Sun-woo obediently heard his words and left that place.

And Sun-woo immediately requested a meeting with Director Douglas.

Fortunately, Sun-woo became able to meet Chairman Douglas before departure.

Sun-woo requested at that place to be able to go to the Korea branch together with Sophia.

“…That’s difficult. Spatial movement ability is a very dangerous ability. If the person has other thoughts or falls into enemy hands, it’s hard to keep secrets. If she hadn’t entered inside the Association, perhaps. Since already entered inside, can’t leave at will.”

Chairman Douglas refused Sun-woo’s request. His words were quite plausible but just that.

“Aren’t we the same summoners? Can’t trust fellow summoners under the Summoner.”

“You’re not an Association member either. Moreover, you’re summoners from another dimension that collapsed. Plus, as you know too, summoners are beings who could become contaminated anytime.”

“Then you’re saying you’ll keep imprisoning her?”

“Planning to release when work finishes. Or can go together when crossing dimensions by obtaining things called amplification stones.”

Looks like they had no intention of releasing her. Sun-woo placed his hand on the table in the chairman’s office and closed his eyes.

It was an appearance like immersed in thought, but he was now activating the ability to see the past!

His mind began climbing to the past going back through the table’s history.

Morning reports, the quiet night before that, and the directors’ meeting following Sun-woo and Michael’s report, and before that Sun-woo and Michael’s appearance.

Rewinding further ahead, Sun-woo could find the part where stories about Sophia were heard. It was at the meeting right before Sun-woo and Michael appeared.

“The spatial ability user keeps asking to be sent to Korea branch. What should we do?”

“Didn’t we talk before? Make excuses and keep holding her.”

At Director Garcia’s words, Director Albert answered bluntly.

“Still, since her situation is bad, it looks bad to other summoners too…”

“Still can’t. Even now, people who defected from their dimension are flocking to the Korea branch side…”

“I think the same as Director Albert. Right now when Association and <Cleanse> all uniting together to overcome this difficulty is already not easy, the Korea branch is moving independently. Better not to do things that empower there.”

At Director Albert’s words, Chairman Douglas drove the wedge.

“Can’t we just change that branch chief?”

“That’s difficult. The majority are summoners who performed missions together with defectors and received help from support teams, so if we oppress them, good sounds won’t come from among other summoners. Moreover, when we also need to receive their support, it’s hard to pressure.”

At the chairman’s words, Garcia sighed.

“Anyway looks bad so wanted to find some method, but looks difficult.”

“Yes, then let’s conclude the talk with keeping her at headquarters.”

During those words, Sun-woo and Michael revealed their appearances. And at that moment, Sun-woo stopped the ability and exited from the past.

Sun-woo who opened his closed eyes looked at the chairman before his eyes. Time seemed barely to have flowed.

At Chairman Douglas’s appearance seeming to hope for understanding, Sun-woo sighed inwardly.

All power struggles with valid reasons, so Sun-woo couldn’t step forward.

But maintaining neutrality here was also difficult. Looking at the situation, even maintaining neutrality probably wouldn’t be trusted…

For Sun-woo, he had no choice but to take the side of Korea branch where there were people he knew and was close.

But couldn’t reveal that. Sun-woo nodded at the chairman’s words.

“Understood. Didn’t know such circumstances existed.”

“Fortunate you understand the Association’s circumstances. And how about perhaps coming to stay in America?”

Looks like they wanted to recruit Sun-woo with this opportunity. Certainly they seemed to recognize Sun-woo’s abilities here too, but he had no intention of leaving Korea.

“Sorry. Acquaintances live there.”

Though acquaintances were only friend Min-seok besides summoners, the chairman couldn’t know.

Eventually, the interview ended without achievement concluding with the chairman’s regretful words.

Then from the secretary, he immediately heard the story that a flight to Korea was prepared. Looks like they intended to quickly send him to Korea.

Sun-woo came to exit the Association building guided by the secretary.

A situation where he couldn’t tell if it was help or surveillance, but Sun-woo who packed his things pressed the floor once with his hand then left the lodgings.

The lodgings soon became empty and only faint moisture remained on the floor Sun-woo pressed.

At the same time, Sophia sitting alone in the female lodgings living room on the lower floor saw water flow out from the glass cup before her eyes like alive and draw a large circle on the table.

It was Sun-woo’s signal to proceed with the plan. What Sun-woo promised with her on the island, a signal decided to send when talking with the chairman didn’t go well.

Sophia who saw the signal didn’t change until the last wiped the water with tissue and began acting as usual.

Much time still remained until the time promised to move.

Shortly after, Sophia buried her body in the sofa and became absorbed in the TV screen.

***

That day, Sun-woo boarded a flight to Incheon heading to Seoul. Unfortunately left without even greeting Michael, but Michael who became wasted with alcohol couldn’t possibly answer Sun-woo’s call in the morning.

The Association returned to daily life. The information Sun-woo and Michael brought was extremely important, but things the Association could do weren’t many.

The contaminated neidan worth analyzing was handed from the chairman’s hands to the Summoner.

The information Sun-woo and Michael brought ended at just adding missions to search if similar facilities existed throughout the world.

Even that alone was major work, but anyway the Association and <Cleanse> were organizations created to find and respond to contamination sources and contamination.

They had no choice but to finish work at the level of adding facilities Sun-woo informed to the surveillance network spread to find contamination.

The Association that received major damage from land mines enemies set up now had absolutely no mental capacity with just rebuilding collapsed branches and reconstructing lines between governments and corporations of each country.

Thanks to that, surveillance on Sophia ended at about wiretapping devices installed in lodgings and guards bringing meals.

Therefore, learning Sophia disappeared from lodgings was through the guard who brought breakfast the next morning.

The Association judged she went to the island again and waited for return, but she didn’t return that day or the next day.

***

The Association’s thought that she did spatial movement to the island wasn’t wrong.

At dawn the next day eighteen hours after Sun-woo left, Sophia did spatial movement to the island she first crossed to this dimension.

On the island where tropical sunset shone, unlike before when always empty, one seaplane floated near the white sandy beach.

And on the white sandy beach stood a Caucasian woman with blonde hair.

Sophia who did spatial movement saw the woman appearing before her eyes and made a bright smile while saluting.

“Hello, Major. Happy to meet again.”

At her words, Caroline also smiled while raising her hand to her chest. Though not military uniform, the disciplined motion looked like she still hadn’t forgotten.

“Welcome. Sergeant. Or did you say Staff Sergeant now?”

After finishing mutual greetings, the two began walking toward the seaplane guided by Caroline.

“But you came quickly. Summoner Sun-woo said it seemed like we’d have to wait long.”

After Sun-woo and Sophia did spatial movement to the island, hearing the story of wanting to meet Caroline, Sun-woo immediately took out his phone and checked the map app.

The phone had GPS. Since this place wasn’t another dimension, GPS would clearly work well.

As expected, GPS worked well and Sun-woo could know this island’s location. Fortunately, this island was an island in the western Pacific.

Precisely an uninhabited island of the Solomon Islands above Australia, 6,000 kilometers away from Seoul.

Sun-woo contacted Caroline about Sophia before boarding the plane, and Sophia who received Sun-woo’s contact hurriedly flew to this island.

“Had to hurry since Sophia was coming. Rushed putting everything aside.”

She who was in Caroline’s unit but thought she alone survived by having returned to mainland during unit annihilation wasn’t ordinarily happy to meet living Caroline.

Sophia who was talking with Caroline with a joyful expression saw Caroline’s two subordinates riding the seaplane and screamed delightedly once more.

“Staff Sergeant Dmitry! Staff Sergeant Ryan! You’re alive!”

Because they too were Caroline’s unit members and Sophia’s colleagues.

When Sophia and Caroline boarded the plane, the plane soon began floating up while crossing the sea.

“Don’t tell me, are all other people alive too?”

Sophia threw a question with a happy heart at unexpectedly meeting colleagues, but Caroline shook her head with a slightly sad expression.

“Though there are more people who survived, most lost their lives there. Some people fell into worse situations too.”

At Caroline’s words, Sophia’s expression darkened again too. Because she realized some among colleagues became contaminated and became enemies.

But soon she relaxed her expression. That this many survived was already something to be thankful for.

She who was talking with Caroline and colleagues briefly looked out the window curiously then tilted her head.

“But seeing on TV, when crossing countries you have to go through various procedures. Are there no problems?”

At her worry, Caroline smiled.

“Prepared all documents and made a passport too. And came together with two people just in case.”

Sophia recalled the two former staff sergeants’ abilities and could feel reassured. Because there wasn’t a single bar the two couldn’t pass through while going together.

Sophia who came to set down all worries suddenly thought of Sun-woo who left first.

“Should give thanks to Summoner Sun-woo. Believed only Lieutenant Hayden’s words and asked him for help, but he handled it really well.”

“Let’s go together after returning and resting a bit. I should also say thanks. Will be resting after arriving home now, so let’s visit a bit later.”

At Caroline’s words, Sophia nodded and the plane continued flying toward the airport.

At that time, Sun-woo wasn’t at his house. He was summoned to another dimension as soon as arriving home.

[Cannot connect with Holy Maiden. To remove contamination from contaminated amplification stones, please find Holy Maiden.]

Looks like the Summoner tried to call Yeonhwa to solve contaminated amplification stones but failed.

Thanks to that, Sun-woo ended up summoned before a giant gate with fearsome-looking general sculptures erected on both sides.

A large nameplate hung above the gate and written there were words Sun-woo also knew.

[Divine Cult]

Here seemed to be the Demonic Cult, no, Divine Cult’s stronghold.