Seojin's breath hitched as she locked eyes with Donghae. He stood there, his tall figure silhouetted against the eerie glow of the forest, his expression unreadable. The once-trusted colleague, now a ghost from her past, was the last person she expected to face in this life-or-death situation.
Her hand instinctively tightened on her gun, but she didn't raise it. Donghae hadn't moved, his hands held loosely at his sides, as though he wasn't here to attack—but she couldn't trust that.
"Donghae," she said, her voice sharper than she intended. "What are you doing here?"
Dojin stumbled to a halt beside her, his eyes darting nervously between her and the figure ahead. "You know him?" he whispered.
Seojin didn't answer. Her focus remained locked on Donghae.
"Seojin," Donghae said, his voice calm, almost soothing. "You need to leave. Now."
Her jaw tightened. "Funny. That's what you told me back in Seoul before you betrayed us. Why should I trust you now?"
He flinched, the faintest crack in his otherwise composed demeanor. "This isn't about trust. It's about survival. If you don't get out of here, none of you will make it out alive."
Jiwon and Kyungmin caught up to them, their weapons drawn and aimed at Donghae.
"Stand down," Kyungmin growled. "Or we'll shoot."
"Wait!" Seojin held up a hand, her instincts warring with her emotions. Donghae had betrayed her once, but there was something different about him now—something almost desperate.
"I'm not your enemy," Donghae said, raising his hands slowly in a gesture of peace. "I'm trying to save you."
Seojin narrowed her eyes. "Save us? You're with the Phoenix. You're the reason we're in this mess to begin with."
Donghae's lips pressed into a thin line. "I was with the Phoenix. Not anymore."
A bitter laugh escaped Jiwon. "Convenient timing for a change of heart."
"You don't understand," Donghae said, his voice rising. "The Phoenix isn't just after Inferno. They're after you, Seojin. You and your team. They've been tracking you from the start, manipulating every move you've made."
Seojin's stomach twisted, but she didn't let it show. "Why me? Why us?"
Donghae hesitated, his gaze flickering toward the trees, as though expecting someone—or something—to appear at any moment.
"Because of what you know," he said finally. "And because of who you are."
Seojin felt the ground shift beneath her, the weight of his words sinking in like lead. But there was no time to process them. The sound of distant footsteps shattered the tension, and she knew their time was up.
"Move!" Seojin barked, shoving Dojin forward.
Kyungmin and Jiwon took defensive positions, their weapons trained on the shadows emerging from the trees. Phoenix operatives, armed and ready, closed in with deadly precision.
"Dojin, find cover and finish the upload!" Seojin shouted.
Dojin hesitated, then bolted toward a fallen log, his laptop clutched tightly to his chest.
Seojin turned back to Donghae, who had drawn his own weapon but hadn't aimed it at them.
"If you're really on our side," she said, "prove it."
Donghae didn't hesitate. He raised his gun and fired at the approaching operatives, taking one down with a clean shot.
"That good enough for you?" he asked, his tone dry but his eyes blazing with determination.
Seojin didn't respond. She joined Kyungmin and Jiwon in the firefight, their movements coordinated and precise. The Phoenix operatives were well-trained, but Seojin's team was better.
Still, the sheer number of enemies threatened to overwhelm them.
"Seojin!" Kyungmin called out, his voice strained. "We can't hold them off forever!"
Seojin's mind raced. They needed a way out, and fast. Her eyes darted to Donghae.
"You said you're here to help," she said. "Do you have an escape plan?"
Donghae nodded. "There's a hidden tunnel about fifty meters north of here. It'll lead you out of the forest."
"And you're just now telling us this?" Jiwon snapped, his tone laced with suspicion.
"I didn't think you'd believe me," Donghae replied, firing another shot.
Seojin made a split-second decision. "We don't have a choice. Kyungmin, Jiwon—fall back! We're heading for the tunnel!"
The team moved as one, retreating under the cover of gunfire. Donghae led the way, his movements swift and deliberate. Seojin stayed close to Dojin, shielding him as he carried the precious data they'd risked everything to obtain.
The tunnel entrance was hidden beneath a thick tangle of vines, nearly invisible in the dim light of the forest. Donghae pushed them aside, revealing a narrow passage that sloped downward into darkness.
"Hurry," he urged.
Kyungmin hesitated. "How do we know this isn't another trap?"
"You don't," Donghae said flatly. "But you don't have any other options."
Seojin didn't wait for further debate. She grabbed Dojin's arm and ducked into the tunnel, the others following close behind.
The air inside was damp and cold, the walls of the tunnel rough and uneven. Seojin's pulse pounded in her ears as they moved deeper, the sound of gunfire fading behind them.
For the first time in hours, there was silence.
As they reached a wider section of the tunnel, Seojin turned to Donghae, her gun still in hand.
"Start talking," she demanded. "What aren't you telling us?"
Donghae sighed, his shoulders slumping. "The Phoenix isn't just an organization. It's part of something much bigger—something that goes back decades. You've stumbled onto something you were never meant to find, and now they'll stop at nothing to eliminate you."
Seojin's grip on her gun tightened. "What does this have to do with me?"
Donghae hesitated, his gaze meeting hers.
"Because you're the key, Seojin," he said. "You're the only one who can bring them down."
End of Chapter 31