The message on Seojin's phone burned into her mind.
Welcome to the next phase, Seojin.
A chill ran down her spine.
She had destroyed everything—hadn't she?
The system. The facility. Her mother's plan.
But this message…
It meant that something survived.
And worse—someone was watching.
Kade and Minji leaned in, studying the screen.
Minji frowned. "It's an unknown number. No traceable origin."
Kade scowled. "Which means whoever sent it knows what they're doing."
Seojin's fingers tightened around the phone.
She wouldn't run.
She needed to know the truth.
She quickly typed a response.
Who are you?
A pause.
Then, a new message appeared.
Not who. What.
Seojin's pulse spiked.
She turned to Nari, who was listening in. "Can you trace this?"
Nari sighed. "No metadata. No IP. It's like it was sent from… nowhere."
Kade crossed his arms. "So, what? A ghost?"
Seojin's grip tightened.
She didn't believe in ghosts.
But she did believe in something worse.
Minji suddenly cursed. "Seojin… what if your mother's consciousness didn't die?"
Seojin's breath caught.
Kade exhaled sharply. "You mean, what if she had another copy?"
Minji nodded. "Think about it. She always planned ahead. What if she uploaded herself somewhere else before the Geneva facility was destroyed?"
Seojin's stomach twisted.
What if this message… was from her?
The phone buzzed again.
Another message.
I have something you want.
Meet me where it all began.
Seojin's blood ran cold.
Minji read the text over her shoulder. "Where it all began?"
Seojin's mind raced.
Her mother had started everything with the Council.
But the first real memory she had of uncovering the truth?
The orphanage.
Where she had grown up.
Where she had first realized she was different.
She turned to her team. "We're going back to Busan."
Kade sighed. "I knew you were gonna say that."
Minji loaded her gun. "Then let's finish this."
Seojin took a deep breath, looking at the dark sky.
She thought she had destroyed her past.
But her past was calling her back.
And this time, she wouldn't stop until she uncovered everything.
End of Chapter 123