**Arc 5: The Veil of Betrayal**
**Chapter 9: Unraveling the Web**
Jae-min sat quietly in the sleek black car as it sped through the city, the flickering lights of skyscrapers passing by in a blur. Beside him, Yuna stared out the window, lost in thought. The events at the hidden facility had shaken them, but they had no time to dwell on it. They were heading to a private meeting with one of the few people who could help them decipher the encrypted data they'd extracted—Dr. Ren Kwon, a former high-level executive of the Horizon Corporation.
"You're unusually quiet," Yuna said, breaking the silence. Her voice was soft, but her gaze was sharp as she turned to Jae-min. "What's on your mind?"
Jae-min glanced at her, his expression unreadable. "I'm trying to piece it all together. Calder wasn't lying about being just a pawn, but I doubt he told us everything. Whoever's behind this is operating on a scale we didn't anticipate."
Yuna nodded, her lips pressing into a thin line. "You think Dr. Ren will actually help us?"
"She doesn't have a choice," Jae-min said, leaning back in his seat. "She owes me a favor."
---
The car pulled up to an inconspicuous building on the outskirts of the city. Jae-min and Yuna stepped out, greeted by a chill in the air. They entered through a side door, navigating a dimly lit hallway until they reached a reinforced steel door. Jae-min knocked twice, and after a brief pause, the door creaked open.
Dr. Ren stood on the other side, her eyes narrowing at the sight of them. She was in her late thirties, with sharp features and a no-nonsense demeanor. "You've got nerve showing up here," she said, stepping aside to let them in. "What do you want?"
"We need your expertise," Jae-min said bluntly. "We recovered data from a hidden facility. It's encrypted, and we need it decrypted—fast."
Ren crossed her arms, eyeing Jae-min skeptically. "And why should I help you? I left that life behind."
"Because you don't want the Horizon Corporation to succeed," Jae-min said, his tone calm but firm. "If you help us, you'll be stopping them from whatever they're planning. And trust me, it's something big."
Ren hesitated, clearly torn. Finally, she sighed. "Fine. Show me what you've got."
---
They moved into a small, cluttered office filled with monitors and old servers. Jae-min handed over a portable drive containing the encrypted data. Ren plugged it into her system, her fingers flying across the keyboard as she began working.
As Ren decrypted the files, Yuna leaned closer to Jae-min. "Do you trust her?"
"Not entirely," Jae-min admitted. "But she's the best we've got."
Minutes passed in tense silence until Ren let out a low whistle. "You weren't kidding. This is next-level encryption… and the data's fragmented. It's going to take time to piece it all together."
"How long?" Jae-min asked.
Ren shrugged. "A few hours, maybe more. You can wait here if you want."
Jae-min exchanged a glance with Yuna before nodding. "We'll wait."
---
As Ren continued working, Jae-min's mind drifted. He could feel Aria's presence, a comforting warmth in the back of his mind.
"You're handling this well," Aria said softly. "But be careful. Something tells me this is only the beginning."
"I know," Jae-min replied silently. "But we'll figure it out. We always do."
Yuna nudged him, pulling him back to the present. "You okay?"
"Yeah," Jae-min said with a small smile. "Just thinking."
---
After what felt like an eternity, Ren finally leaned back, wiping her brow. "Got it. The files are decrypted."
She handed Jae-min a data chip. "This is everything. But there's something else you should know…"
Ren's expression turned grim. "This isn't just about money or power. The Horizon Corporation is working on something called 'Project Nexus.' If they succeed, it could change everything."
Jae-min took the chip, his grip tightening. "Then we'll make sure they don't."
---
**End of Chapter 9**