The X Guide-Chapter 43: The Stronghold Under Snow Storms (5)

Ayen understood why they would be surprised. An E-class getting dispatched on the red zone once was unheard of, but twice?

After a few seconds, their expression mellowed and finally calmed down. Although the shock was still there.

Lucian glanced at Ayen with a complicated expression. He lifted his hand to rub his head and shook his head.

"Someone wants to get rid of you real bad. I’m sure of it."

Nolan did not say anything, but he more or less agreed with Lucian. Unlike him, though, he would not say this out loud.

Without much reaction, Ayen let the topic be dropped. He was not yet comfortable talking much about himself. His silence was also a tacit agreement to what Lucian said.

After all, he was right. Someone wanted to make his life harder, and Ayen had been fighting all these years by surviving. So, he always strives for survival for as long as he can and pisses them off.

That was all he could do.

Lucian still knew how to read the room, and so without adding more, he let the matter rest as well. As for Nolan, he had long fallen silent about it.

"I’m hungry," Nolan suddenly spoke after a while when everything subsided. There was probably a hell of a battle outside, but he appeared not to be worried in the slightest.

Compared to his earlier tense expression, he looked a lot better and casual as always.

Lucian had long known he was the only one normal in this room.

"Then, eat." 𝙛𝓻𝒆𝒆𝒘𝙚𝓫𝙣𝙤𝒗𝙚𝓵.𝙘𝙤𝙢

"Ayen, do you want to eat with me?"

Normally, Ayen would refuse. Keeran was the only one who acted as if she did not hear him and always accompanied him to lunch. Now, Ayen found himself agreeing.

And so the three, with Nolan dragging the shivering Lucian with them, went to the cafeteria downstairs.

The reception and the cafeteria were not as chaotic as Ayen expected. The sense of urgency could be felt, but everyone was still orderly. The kitchen staff was around to supervise the cafeteria.

Most Guides and ordinary staff were around to eat dinner. Half of the espers were dispatched, and the other half were waiting for their time to enter the battle. So, some could be seen lingering around as well.

"I wonder how the frontlines are doing," Lucian spoke, sitting together with Ayen and Nolan at one table. They still managed to get one, and that was already when the cafeteria was not packed with people.

"You’ll know after they call you later," Nolan calmly answered him. As Guides, they would be needed later, and so they could ask for information then.

Ayen paused, then continued. He was sure that no one would call for a guiding session from him. That was not the reason for his pause.

He was reminded of the two espers far away. He wondered if the mana toxins he cleansed were enough to not make them uncomfortable before their next guiding session.

Ayen inwardly shook his head. Of course, they would be fine. Devion and Khal had lasted for years without being guided, after all. He pushed the thoughts about the two away and continued eating.

Still, he could not help but do so and thought.

Devion’s cooking... was better.

About three hours later, Lucian was finally called through the alarm on his phone. It beeped like three times. It basically meant three espers had already selected for him.

Lucian quickly sat up, brushed his eyes, and put on another layer of the coat.

"Perfect timing. I’m already sleepy." He sounded so sarcastic and looked unwilling, but had to comply. He nodded to Ayen and Nolan and then directly left, his footsteps rushing.

When Lucian left, a whistle sounded. Nolan smiled at Ayen. "Good for us with a lower rank. We won’t be called much."

Ayen was not one to feel curious or ask about ranks, and so he did not know their Guide rank. Suppose it would be a higher one unless they were like him, being targeted.

After saying that and hearing no answer from Ayen. Nolan’s smile faded slightly, and soon he coughed awkwardly. He belatedly realized that he was saying this to someone basically in a much lower rank than everyone else.

"I’m not mocking you." Nolan lowered his gaze and came clean.

"I know." Ayen knew as much.

"I heard Lucian’s A-class." Nolan became energized again after hearing the answer. "As for me," he smiled meaningfully, then continued. "I’m B-class."

Ayen nodded. Although he noticed that meaningful smile, he did not probe. He always ignored something that did not concern him.

He lay down on the bed, preparing to sleep.

"You’ll sleep already?"

Ayen hummed.

"Why? It’s still too early. And..." Ayen did not let him finish and responded while his eyes were closed.

"No one will ask for me."

And so he could sleep more comfortably than the others. What Nolan said only applied to Ayen the best.

Hearing no answer from Nolan, Ayen calmed his mind and fell asleep.

Nolan stared at him without him knowing for a few seconds before lying down on the bed as well. He hugged himself and shut his eyes.

After all, no one would ask for a guiding session with him.

While the two were sleeping peacefully in their room, the situation on the front lines had become more intense. For some reason, the cold beasts were more aggressive than usual.

Espers who needed a guide and those who needed medical attention more could be seen everywhere. The loud sounds of the mana gun could not overwhelm the chaotic sounds that came from the insane cold beasts.

"Damn it!"

"My hand, ahhhhh!"

"Get him the fuck out of here!"

There are always unfortunate espers that would be bitten, especially in a chaotic battlefield that was magnified by the snowstorm. It was hard to fight in such conditions already, but they also needed to endure the cold.

It had been hours, and the cold beasts just kept coming, and they looked endless.

"What is this?" A higher-up standing in the wall asked, face pale.

"Sir. I’m afraid..." The woman at his side, holding a huge spear, trailed off. "...we’re witnessing the most unprecedented cold beast tide in years."

The man’s expression sank, and he could not help but stumble on his feet.

"Do we have S-class right now?" Despite the worry and fear, the man still managed to ask that.

S-class espers were few in number, and the known names did not even reach 50. They are mostly scattered in a lot of zones, and there was no permanent area of activity. Not to mention, S-class espers were a private entity; the government could not easily assign them tasks.

Only in the forbidden zones did there have to be a permanent S-class esper stationed to control the situation.

The woman bit her lips, and her grip on her spear tightened while trembling.

"No, sir. Right now... we don’t have an S-class esper."

The man’s heart dropped, and he almost fainted.