The night grew gloomier as cold winds crept through the gaps between empty buildings. In the distance, faint sirens echoed, but they were no match for the pounding hearts of Jung Kok and Jung Joon speeding toward Yong Jin's location. Their phones had been silent since the last warning—something far more terrifying than any noise.
"If Hydra has made a move, that means Min really wants to end this game," said Jung Joon, gripping the automatic weapon hidden in the car compartment.
Jung Kok nodded. "He's deployed his final weapon. Now it's our turn."
When they arrived at the hideout, half of it was already destroyed. Smoke billowed from the rubble of collapsed walls. They leapt from the car, sprinting into the dark building, lit only by their phones and small flickering flames.
"Yong Jin!" Jung Kok shouted. No response.
They moved quickly down the narrow corridor. Several bodies dressed in black lay lifeless, each shot cleanly in the head or chest. This wasn't amateur work. It was Yong Jin's.
Inside a partially locked data storage room, they found him—leaning against the wall with a bleeding shoulder, but alive.
"I managed… to erase all our info," he said weakly.
"Good," replied Jung Kok. "But we're not safe yet. We need to get out—now."
Without wasting a moment, they helped Yong Jin toward the back exit. But as they neared the emergency stairwell, the sound of fast footsteps echoed from below.
"He sent more," said Jung Joon, readying himself.
A fierce battle erupted. Bullets flew in the dark. Jung Joon fired precisely at their attackers while Jung Kok flanked from the side with a silenced weapon. Though injured, Yong Jin still managed to throw a smoke grenade into the enemy line.
After nearly five minutes of combat, they escaped to the rooftop and jumped to the neighboring building. There, a black car awaited—sent by one of their loyal informants.
They sped off, leaving the now enemy-occupied area behind. But deep down, they knew… this was just the beginning.
TEMPORARY BASE
At a makeshift base, Yong Jin received medical treatment from their private doctor. Meanwhile, Jung Kok examined the salvaged data from Min's server.
"Something's not right," he murmured. "Min… he knew we'd go after that server. He intentionally left certain files."
Jung Joon stepped closer. "You mean this was bait?"
"Yes. But why?"
Before they could continue, the computer screen turned on by itself. A video began playing automatically. Min's face appeared.
"This game has just begun," Min said in the recording. "You may have disrupted my system, but you forgot one thing… I know all your weaknesses."
Then, the video showed a picture of an elderly woman living in a rural village. Jung Kok's eyes widened.
"Mom…"
Min laughed in the video. "Don't worry. I haven't touched her… yet."
ACTION ESCALATES
Without wasting time, the trio rushed toward the village where Jung Kok's mother lived. But they knew—it could be a trap.
On the way, two black unmarked vehicles began chasing them. A high-speed pursuit unfolded on the highway. Jung Joon aimed his weapon out the rear window and shot the enemy's tires. One vehicle spun out and crashed.
But the second kept chasing them all the way to the village outskirts. Jung Kok made a sharp turn into a narrow lane only known to locals. They reached his mother's house just before the enemy.
Jung Kok's mother looked confused but remained calm. She was immediately taken into a secret underground room prepared long ago.
As soon as they were done, bullets rained on the house. Jung Joon and Yong Jin returned fire from inside, while Jung Kok slipped out the back to flank the enemy.
It was an intense battle. But the advantage of terrain helped them take out the attackers.
Jung Kok returned inside and hugged his mother. "You're safe now. But I have to end this."
His mother held his hand tightly. "Don't let revenge control you."
Elsewhere, Min watched satellite footage on a large screen.
"He saved his mother. Just as expected," he said.
Ha Do-wan looked at Min. "What's our next move?"
Min smiled.
"Now… we take someone they'd never expect."
(To be continued in Chapter 20)