Chapter 24 - The Front (2) (1/2)

The Front (2)

“When did you awaken, specifically?”

“I don’t know exactly… about three months ago? “

“If you’ve been awakened for three months, why did you hide your ability from the people around you and didn’t start working in the field immediately?”

“Then, I had no intention of being an Awakener. I awakened at a late age and simply thought it was a great ability to have.”

The reporter nodded to Il-hyun’s response.

Many people were awakened but inactive. In some cases, people were satisfied with their normal lives and did not want to get involved in dangerous things.

Others have awakened at a late age when their old bodies are incapable of handling the physical demands of an Awakener’s job.

The reporters continued the onslaught of questions.

“If so…”

“Have you been sent right away to Russia?”

“How did you connect to Aegis?”

“Uh… Please ask the questions one after the other.”

Il-hyun felt overwhelmed by the avalanche of questions.

Immediately after he answered one question, other reporters raised their hands to ask more.

He had not expected that this would happen right away for him.

It was natural for reporters to focus on an Aegis newcomer, but Il-hyun did not expect that the interest would be this much.

The reporters’ looked stressed and seemed like they were about to blow up. They had a good reason. It’s a very hot topic, and it means that they are pressed for time.

Unlike those who often face the media, such as entertainers, athletes, and politicians, the Awakeners were not precisely the sort of people that required public attention.

Their income comes from the ether core. It was enough for them to hunt monsters and earn profits, and the public opinion and popularity were just an additional issue to handle.

A low-level company would need recognition to get more jobs, but if in a company like Aegis, even the hiring of an unknown name becomes big news, as was in the case of Il-hyun.

Il-hyun looked around and saw other teams being interviewed like him. Reporters spend time with each team, but they favor Team A because they are the most frequently exposed.

Il-hyun organized his thoughts and replied calmly.

“I didn’t expect much, but I got myself tested with Aegis. I was considered good enough and was able to blend in with the team’s talented members.”

“Who exactly considered you good enough?”

“Oh, it was Lee Soo-yeon, the team leader.”

As he gave out this answer, the reporters who were in front of him blushed.

“Huh…”

“Oh my…”

Il-hyun turned his head involuntarily. He saw Lee Soo-yeon sitting cross-legged casually behind him.

The reporters knew that Il-hyun’s ability would not have been normal if it caught Lee Soo-yeon’s eyes, and if he was recruited even as a late-age beginner with no experience.

“What kind of abilities did you have to get signed up at Aegis?”

“Please tell me about your level of performance.”

“I can’t tell you that.”

When a question about his ability came out, Il-hyun tried to avoid the question.

However, the reporters did not give up easily; they were persistent.

“Why? Do you have any reason to hide it?”

“The public wants a more convincing answer.”

As the reporters pressed him to answer, Il-hyun panicked and hesitated. Lee Soo-yeon grabbed the microphone and interrupted.

“Of course, we can’t tell you about his ability. We don’t need to expose his power to criminal organizations out there.”

Overseas crime organizations were increasingly becoming a big problem along with the Gates’ monsters.

When the demand for ether core exploded on the black market, it became the criminal organizations’ main objective.

It was not uncommon for criminals to try going through control sites to get ether cores, and as a result, there were frequent conflicts with companies and the government.

Of course, criminals avoided clashing with a company like Aegis, but there was often friction. There were even teams in Aegis assigned to deal with criminals separately.

Reporters nodded in understanding after Lee Soo-yeon’s answer.

Il-hyun was a little sorry for not knowing the reason.

Thanks to Lee Soo-yeon, Il-hyun, he sighed.

The questions being asked are now directed to Lee Soo-yeon.

“Since he’s already a member of Aegis, can he be considered a great talent?”

“I saw his potential and let him join the team. I think his ability is still lacking, but his potential is great.”

“Kang Il-hyun awakened at a fairly late age. Do you think that he could still reach his potential?”

“It’s not a common case, but sometimes a person who woke up late has explosive growth. I am hoping it would be the case for him.”

“Then…”

“Now, can we move on to another question?”

Lee Soo-yeon said after briefly glancing over at her wristwatch.

“Yeah? I still have a lot to ask.”

“The public’s interest is all…”

“No. I don’t want to talk anymore. Let’s end this interview.”

The reporters shut up.

* * *

The press conference was over. Lee Soo-yeon was talking to the staff, while the other team members left the building.

“Team, do you think there will be more work coming in today?”