Seojin's fingers hovered over the control panel.
One button would end Project Nocturne forever.
The other would bring her father back.
Her heart pounded. Which choice was the right one?
Minji and Kade stood behind her, waiting, trusting her to decide.
Seojin closed her eyes.
Her father was the last piece of the puzzle—the only person who could explain the truth about Phase Two.
And if she didn't wake him… she might never know.
With a deep breath, she pressed the button.
The cryostasis chamber hissed, releasing cold steam into the room. The glass slid open.
And the man who had been frozen in time… took a breath.
Seojin felt her throat tighten as her father's fingers twitched.
His skin was pale, his hair streaked with gray, but his eyes snapped open with terrifying clarity.
For a moment, there was silence.
Then, his lips parted.
"Seojin?"
Her breath caught.
His voice was weak, but he recognized her.
"Dad…" Seojin whispered, her chest tight with emotion. "It's me."
He blinked, struggling to focus, his breathing unsteady.
"How long…?" His voice was hoarse.
"You've been gone for years," Minji said, her tone unreadable.
His brows furrowed. "Years…" He exhaled sharply. "Then it's too late."
Seojin's heart stopped.
"Too late for what?"
Her father's tired eyes locked onto hers.
"For you to stop Phase Two."
The words sent a chill down Seojin's spine.
Kade stepped forward, his jaw clenched. "What is Phase Two?"
Her father let out a shaky breath. "The compliance system… it was just a prototype. A way to test the limits of control."
Seojin's stomach twisted.
"We already shut it down," she said firmly. "It's over."
But her father shook his head.
"No, Seojin." His voice was stronger now, his expression dark. "That was only the beginning."
He struggled to sit up, but his body was weak. Seojin instinctively reached out, steadying him.
"The real project," he continued, "was never about simple compliance. It was about something much bigger."
Minji narrowed her eyes. "Then tell us."
Seojin's father took a deep breath.
"Phase Two… is about rewriting the human mind."
Seojin froze.
"What do you mean?" she asked, dreading the answer.
Her father's eyes were filled with regret.
"The first system was designed to control people externally—tracking them, influencing their behavior." He exhaled. "But that was flawed. It required too much maintenance, too much oversight."
Seojin felt her pulse quicken.
"And Phase Two?"
His gaze was grim.
"It's designed to be permanent."
Minji's fists clenched. "Permanent?"
Her father nodded. "A way to rewrite thoughts at their source. A program that would modify neural pathways, erasing independent thought completely."
Seojin's blood ran cold.
Kade's face darkened. "You mean—brainwashing?"
Her father shook his head. "No. Worse. It's not about programming people temporarily—it's about removing their ability to resist forever."
Seojin's breath hitched.
This wasn't just control.
This was enslavement.
Seojin swallowed hard. "Who has access to Phase Two now?"
Her father's hands trembled. "If I've been frozen this long… then the only ones who could have activated it are the Hidden Faction."
Seojin's pulse spiked.
"The Hidden Faction?" Kade repeated. "Who the hell are they?"
Her father exhaled. "They were never part of the Council. They worked above it. Watching. Waiting. Letting the world tear itself apart until the moment was right."
Minji's jaw tightened. "And now that the compliance system is gone…"
Her father's voice was a whisper.
"Phase Two is their endgame."
Seojin took a step back, trying to process.
They had been so focused on destroying the Council, but in doing so… they had cleared the path for something even worse.
And now, the real enemy was about to rise.
The War Begins
Her father gripped Seojin's wrist suddenly, his strength surprising.
"You need to stop them." His voice was urgent now. "They won't hesitate. They will erase humanity as we know it."
Seojin met his gaze, and for the first time in a long time…
She saw fear in his eyes.
She nodded.
"Tell me where to find them."
Her father took a shaky breath.
"The Hidden Faction operates from an underground city." He hesitated. "In Geneva."
Kade's brows furrowed. "Switzerland?"
Her father nodded. "It's buried beneath the financial sector. Hidden in the systems of the world's most powerful institutions."
Seojin's hands curled into fists.
She had fought so hard to take back control.
But now, she realized—
The war had only just begun.
End of Chapter 114