CHAPTER NINE

The cheers inside LoL Park reached a crescendo as T1 secured their final victory of the match. The crowd roared, shaking the arena, with fans waving T1 banners, chanting Oner's name, "Oner! Oner!" over and over again. The massive screens above flashed victory highlights, and fans snapped selfies, their faces glowing with excitement.

In the VIP section, Khynny and Hye Jin stood, clapping along with the rest of the spectators. Hye Jin nudged Khynny, grinning wide. "Told you he'd pull off that Lee Sin play! Classic Hyeon Jun, right?"

Khynny chuckled, still impressed despite seeing Oner's talent countless times now. "He makes it look effortless, even though I know it's not."

Hye Jin flipped her hair confidently. "Well, he lives and breathes this stuff. But enough about my genius brother. Ready to celebrate?"

"Definitely," Khynny replied, her heart still racing from the excitement of the game. The adrenaline in the arena made her feel alive, and seeing Oner perform on that stage only fueled the thrill. The connection between his in-game prowess and the steady, protective presence she'd come to know was intoxicating.

As the crowd began to file out, Khynny and Hye Jin lingered near the exit, deciding to wait for Oner to finish his post-game interviews and obligations. The arena still buzzed with energy, but a different kind of tension was about to find them.

Khynny felt it first. Her eyes scanned the remaining crowd, picking up small movements that felt... wrong. A figure, dressed in a hoodie, was weaving through the lingering spectators. The figure's head was down, face hidden, but they were moving quickly—too quickly for someone who should be casually enjoying the post-game atmosphere.

Khynny narrowed her eyes, her instincts kicking in. That's not just a fan.

Before she could voice her suspicions, the figure came into clearer view. Her heart skipped a beat when she recognized the woman beneath the hoodie.

"Seol Ji Won?" Khynny blurted out.

Hye Jin turned, her face puzzled. "Who—wait, what?"

Ji Won rushed toward them, her pale face marked by fear, eyes darting around like a hunted animal. The once-polished actress was a shadow of her former self, her makeup smudged and her body trembling as though she had been running for hours.

"Professor Khynny," Ji Won gasped, her breath ragged. "I didn't know where else to go. He found me... he found out where my family is."

Khynny's blood ran cold. "What? You're supposed to be at the safe house, Ji Won. What are you doing here?"

"I panicked," Ji Won sobbed, clutching Khynny's arm. "I got a message. He said if I didn't come back, he'd kill them. My family—I didn't know what to do! I thought I could find you."

Khynny's eyes flicked to Hye Jin, who now looked equally alarmed. "This isn't good," Hye Jin muttered. "Who exactly are we dealing with, Ji Won?"

Before Ji Won could answer, Oner appeared, striding over to them with purposeful steps after catching sight of the tense conversation. "Ji Won?" he said, his voice sharp. His protective instincts kicked in immediately, his eyes darting to Khynny before narrowing at Ji Won. "You shouldn't be here."

"She's in serious trouble, Hyeon Jun," Khynny interjected, sensing his frustration.

Ji Won took a shaky breath, her voice breaking. "He... the man behind the heist. The one who used me. He's after me again. And now, he's threatening my family. He—he used me to get close to the artifacts."

Oner's jaw tightened. "You were supposed to stay hidden."

"I couldn't! He found out where my family is. I didn't know what else to do. I was scared!" Ji Won's voice cracked.

Hye Jin looked from Ji Won to her brother, her mind racing. "We should call Lieutenant Han—get his team on this fast before it escalates."

"No!" Ji Won protested. "He has people watching my family. If they see the cops, he'll kill them."

Khynny's mind raced as she tried to piece together Ji Won's story. "There's something bigger at play here. What's his next move? Does he want you back, or is he after something else?"

Ji Won swallowed hard, fear twisting her features. "There's another artifact—something even more valuable. He wants it. It's connected to the one from the heist."

Before Oner or Khynny could react, Khynny's gaze shifted. She noticed something off—a group of men standing too close to the exits, their movements deliberate, eyes trained on Ji Won.

"Uh, guys," she whispered, tugging Oner's arm. "We've got company."

Oner followed her line of sight. His body tensed. Those men weren't fans—they were too calculated, too professional.

"They found me," Ji Won breathed, panic rising in her chest.

"Move," Oner ordered, his voice low and steady as he grabbed Ji Won's arm and led them quickly toward a side exit. Khynny and Hye Jin followed, the tension thickening with every step.

But the henchmen didn't wait. One of them moved forward, his eyes locking onto Ji Won. That was all the signal she needed—Ji Won bolted, her fear fueling her sprint.

"Ji Won!" Khynny called after her, but it was too late.

"Go after her!" Oner barked, sprinting after Ji Won, with Khynny and Hye Jin on his heels.

The narrow corridors of LoL Park echoed with their footsteps, fluorescent lights flickering overhead as they weaved through the back hallways. Oner's reflexes, honed from years of gaming, guided him. But this wasn't a game—this was life or death. The henchmen's footsteps were growing louder, and time was running out.

"Left!" Oner yelled, spotting an opening in the maze of hallways. They ducked into a side corridor, narrowly escaping the henchmen.

But as they rounded the next corner, they came face-to-face with more men. Hye Jin's eyes widened. "They just keep coming!"

"There," Khynny whispered urgently, pointing to a side door. "It leads to the alley. If we make it outside, we can lose them."

Without hesitation, they pushed through the door, the cold night air hitting their faces like a wave of relief. But the men were still on their trail, their shadows looming behind.

"We need to lose them," Oner muttered, eyes scanning the alley for an escape route.

But before they could act, a tall, shadowy figure stepped into their path—the mastermind himself. Flanked by more henchmen, he smiled darkly, as if this had all been a game for him.

"Well, well," he drawled. "Running won't save you this time."

Oner instinctively stepped in front of Khynny, his protective instincts kicking into overdrive.

The mastermind took a slow, menacing step forward. "It's a shame, really. All this trouble because of one frightened little actress."

Oner's fists clenched, the weight of Ji Won's situation and his past crashing over him. But he couldn't act recklessly—not now.

Before anyone could move, two of the henchmen lunged, grabbing Ji Won. She let out a terrified scream, her struggles futile as they dragged her back toward the mastermind.

"Let her go!" Oner shouted, but Khynny grabbed his arm, stopping him from doing something rash.

"We can't take them all," she whispered urgently. "Not like this."

The mastermind smirked. "You're smart, Professor. Smarter than I gave you credit for." He paused, then gestured toward Ji Won, his tone soft but threatening. "You're going to stay out of this. Or she dies."

Oner's eyes burned with anger, but he held back. Not now. Not like this.

"Let's go," the mastermind ordered, and in a flash, they disappeared into the shadows, taking Ji Won with them.

As their footsteps faded into the night, Oner stood frozen, his frustration simmering beneath the surface.

"I… I should've done something," he muttered, guilt thick in his voice.

Khynny placed a firm hand on his arm, her touch grounding him. "No, Hyeon Jun. You couldn't have stopped them. But we'll get her back."

Hye Jin nodded, already pulling out her phone. "I'll call Lieutenant Han. We need a plan—fast."

Oner exhaled sharply, his jaw set with determination. "We'll save her," he said, his voice low but resolute. "No matter what."