That night, the dark sky was dotted with faint stars. On a small hill covered in bushes, Izzan Min-hoo lay still, a sniper rifle set up in front of him. In the distance, a large house was brightly lit, surrounded by armed guards patrolling the area. The large windows of the house revealed silhouettes of people inside, and strict security systems surrounded the premises.
"Target identified," Athena's voice echoed in Izzan's head, providing guidance and details. A small holographic display showed the image of a middle-aged man with an arrogant face. "Name: Jonathan Kim. Position: Dark business conglomerate. Task: Eliminate. Location: Main room on the second floor."
Izzan nodded slightly, even though Athena couldn't see him. He closed his eyes for a moment, took a deep breath, then opened them with full focus. "Okay, it's showtime," he muttered to himself.
Izzan placed his left eye on the sniper scope, targeting one of the guards standing at the front post. With remarkable calmness, he pulled the trigger. "Bang!" The bullet flew and hit the guard's head. The guard's body collapsed, not even making a sound. One by one, Izzan targeted the other guards, each shot hitting its mark. In just a few minutes, the courtyard was clear of guards.
"Athena, initiate a thermal scan," Izzan commanded.
Immediately, a holographic display appeared before Izzan's eyes, showing the heat signatures of people inside the house. Several red dots indicated the presence of guards in the corridors and other rooms. Izzan formulated a strategy, calculating the steps he would take. With swift yet silent movements, he crept down the hill and approached the house.
Izzan reached the house's fence, leaped over it with agility, and then slipped in through an unlocked back window. Once inside, he moved like a shadow, following Athena's holographic guidance. Each time he approached a guard, he moved silently, using his knife to stab precisely in the neck or back, ensuring no sound escaped. His presence remained undetected.
In the second-floor corridor, Izzan saw two guards standing outside the main room door. In a flash, he lunged at them, one hand stabbing a knife into the first guard's throat while the other hand fired a silenced pistol into the second guard's head. Their bodies fell to the floor with a dull thud, and Izzan immediately opened the door slowly.
Inside, Izzan saw his target, Jonathan Kim, sitting on a sofa with a glass of wine in his hand. Next to him, a young woman in a tight dress sat on his lap, giggling softly while whispering something in his ear. Izzan paused for a moment, his eyes fixed on the woman. Her curves were clearly visible, her long hair cascading down, and her smile almost made Izzan forget his mission. A sudden surge of emotion triggered a warning beep from the chip in his head.
[WARNING: EMOTIONAL SURGE DETECTED]
The warning jolted Izzan out of his daydream. He bit his lip, trying to calm his thoughts. Focus, Izzan, he reminded himself. This was a matter of life and death. There was no room for mistakes. With measured speed, he raised his silenced pistol, shooting Jonathan Kim right in the forehead. The man fell back, eyes wide open, the wine glass slipping from his hand and spilling onto the floor, creating a dark red puddle.
The woman beside him screamed, but Izzan quickly covered her mouth. Her eyes widened in terror, and Izzan could feel her heart racing. However, he wasn't there to kill the innocent. "Be quiet, and I won't hurt you," he whispered.
The woman nodded quickly, tears streaming down her cheeks. Izzan pulled a knife from the sheath at his waist, making the woman tremble even more. But he only cut the cord on the phone near the table, ensuring no calls could be made. After that, Izzan looked at the woman one last time before slipping out of the room, leaving Jonathan Kim's corpse behind.
---
With quick steps, Izzan exited the house through the same route. He moved through the yard, jumped over the fence, and returned to his position on the hill. After ensuring no trace was left behind, he opened a communication line with Athena. "Mission accomplished. Target eliminated," he reported tersely.
"Thank you for your swift and efficient work, Izzan," Athena replied in a formal tone. "Return to the research facility for debriefing and a physical check-up."
Izzan walked away, his body still full of adrenaline. This first mission proved that the hellish training he had gone through was not in vain. However, he knew this was just the beginning. In the future, missions would become more difficult and dangerous. With this thought in mind, Izzan felt a strange mix of fear and excitement. His life had changed drastically, but he would not allow himself to be broken. Not now.