Chapter 30: A Web of Intrigue

The scene was a chaotic mess as Taewoo's gaze shifted back to where Chin had been standing moments ago. Paramedics and police officers flooded the hall, their sirens and commotion filling the air. Hazel took charge, confidently introducing herself as an NIS agent from Korea to one of the police officers, establishing their presence and relevance at the scene.

Amid this commotion, Taewoo was caught in a whirlwind of emotions. He stood there in disbelief, torn between his overwhelming concern for his dead aunt and his burning worry for Chin. He turned to Mark, urgently imploring him, "Go and look for Chin. I'll stay here."

The police officer, meanwhile, approached Taewoo with a stern but empathetic expression, "We need you to come with us to the police station for questioning. Your aunt will be taken to the hospital by the ambulance, and we'll conduct our investigation."

Taewoo, his eyes reddened with grief, couldn't help but ask about his aunt.The officer assured him that she would be taken to the mortuary , but they needed Taewoo to answer their questions at the station. In a moment of desperation, Taewoo requested a brief reprieve, and the officer granted his request.

Taewoo hurriedly exited the hall, scanning the surroundings for Mark, who stood in a corner, smoking. He reached Mark, urgency in his voice, "Have you reported the police about Chin?"

Mark, cigarette in hand, exhaled a plume of smoke before responding, "No, I haven't."

Taewoo pressed on, anxiety creeping into his voice, "Have you looked for her?"

Mark delivered disconcerting news that sent a shiver down Taewoo's spine, "I think Devil took her."

Taewoo's voice quivered with a mix of fear and concern, "You know where Devil is, right? Tell me where he is."

Mark, maintaining his trademark calm demeanor, exhaled another puff of smoke, replying cryptically, "Do you think you can find him where I met him? I think he's taking her away from here."

Taewoo was relentless, "Where? Do you know where he's taking her?"

Mark responded smoothly to Taewoo's concerns, his voice laced with a touch of sympathy, "It was as sudden for me as it was for you. Devil's actions were completely unexpected. I initially thought that he would take this step as a last resort, but he did it right away. It was all part of a plan. When you rushed to save Chin, I spotted the sniper. Chin wasn't his target. It was Mrs. Jack at that moment."

Taewoo's worry for her intensified, and he urgently inquired, "Where can I find her? I fear that he might harm her to obtain the map."

Mark responded with a grave tone, emphasizing the complexity of the situation, "You know better than me that no one can handle this situation better than Chin. I believe he'll try to take her to Korea."

Taewoo, however, couldn't shake his concern for Chin. He insisted with a touch of apprehension, "But we also know that no matter how brave and strong a woman is, she still needs the support of a man. Despite her intelligence, she's still a woman. I'm afraid she won't be able to handle this alone."

Mark, while silently acknowledging the truth in Taewoo's words, chose to avoid agreeing explicitly. Their shared mission to find Chin was not without its underlying rivalry, and Mark continued smoking his cigarette, maintaining a veneer of composure while their concern for Chin hung heavily in the air.

Chin slowly regained consciousness in a disorienting haze. Her vision remained blurred, making it difficult to grasp her surroundings. Panic set in as she realized she was handcuffed and bound with ropes, her eyes covered by a blindfold. She couldn't see the person in the room with her.

With a trembling voice, she stammered, "Who are you?" Her words hung in the air, met with an ominous silence. Instead of responding, her captor forcefully grabbed her by the hair, violently slamming her head against the wall. The brutality of the attack caused blood to seep from her wounded scalp.

Despite the excruciating pain, Chin made no pleas for mercy. She bore the assault in silence, as if the physical pain paled in comparison to the emotional agony she endured. It was evident that her assailant harbored deep-seated grudges and a profound hatred for her.

As the relentless violence continued, Chin eventually lapsed into unconsciousness. The blood from her head wound flowed steadily, and her captor's aggression had been enough to cause severe trauma to her skull. The room fell into an eerie silence, save for the ominous presence of her tormentors.

Suddenly, a new voice that, pierced the tension. The newcomer sternly ordered, "Stop! You're going to kill her. What will we show to Devil then?" Chin, even in her unconscious state, felt a flicker of familiarity with that voice, but before she could unravel the connection, darkness enveloped her once more.

Taewoo, consumed by frustration and despair, stormed back to the base station. He abruptly took a seat and unleashed his fury upon his surroundings, sending objects crashing to the floor. It was a rare display of aggression from him, as he seethed with internal turmoil. While he screamed within, he fought to suppress any tears that threatened to escape his eyes.

In the midst of this tumult, a member of his team entered the room, seemingly unfazed by Taewoo's outburst. The team member hesitated for a moment before addressing Taewoo, "Taewoo, you have mail." Taewoo shot the team member a fierce, warning glare, but the message was delivered, and the team member placed the mail on the table before making a hasty exit.

Taewoo, now somewhat calmer, retrieved the mail, which, unsurprisingly, was yet another ominous black envelope. He read its contents, which read, "TODAY WAS YOUR GUILT DAY. YOU WILL FEEL GUILTY BECAUSE YOU WEREN'T ABLE TO MEET A PERSON LAST TIME, AND YOU WEREN'T ABLE TO TELL A PERSON YOUR TRUE FEELINGS WHOM YOU MET FOR THE LAST TIME. MIND YOU, YOU SAW BOTH OF THEM FOR THE LAST TIME. LOL."

Taewoo crumpled the letter in his hand, a mixture of anger and helplessness overwhelming him. He hurled it into the nearby trash bin, rejecting its taunting message. However, his respite was short-lived, as his phone rang, signaling a call from the police station. He answered with a curt "yes."

On the other end of the line, the police officer's voice bore regret as he delivered the unfortunate news, "I'm so sorry to inform you, Mr. Taewoo, that the ambulance carrying the body of your aunt has gone missing. We've scoured the area, but there's no sign of the ambulance anywhere." Taewoo's initial anger turned into a profound sense of dread as his mind echoed the chilling words from Devil's letter: "you saw both of them for the last time."

When Chin regained her consciousness,A man, concealed behind a mask, approached Chin , removed her blindfold and fixed his gaze upon her. In a low, threatening tone, he declared, "We are going to Korea, and once we arrive, you will have to reveal the location of the map, or we will kill you."

A single tear trickled down Chin's cheek, betraying the fear and uncertainty that gripped her. But then, in a shocking turn of events, her fear gave way to laughter. Her captor stared at her in astonishment, clearly taken aback by this unexpected reaction. Chin's laughter filled the room, echoing eerily in the silence.

However, just as abruptly as she had started laughing, Chin's demeanor shifted. She locked eyes with the man, her voice steady and determined, "Do you think that by wearing that mask, you can hide your identity from me? I can identify you even in a dark, crowded room, just by your eyes." Her words carried an air of defiance and a hint of familiarity, leaving her captor to wonder how she could possibly know so much about him.