Chapter 30: Danger Draws Closer

Alina nodded. "Show us the way… and don't expect us to come back empty-handed."

The mist crept slowly as Alina and Leo followed the old man. The air grew colder, biting through their bones. In the distance, the sound of crickets echoed, blending with the whisper of the wind carrying the scent of damp earth.

"The shaman lives deep in the forest," the old man said hoarsely. "People rarely go there… except those who work for him."

Alina studied the man's face, catching the shadow of fear in his eyes.

"Those who work for him… do any of them return?" she asked quietly.

The man swallowed hard, hesitating before answering, "Some return with money. But some… disappear and are never seen again."

Leo clenched his fists. "So this isn't just an illegal operation. There might be something even more dangerous."

Silence enveloped them as they ventured further into the forest. Moonlight barely pierced through the thick canopy, casting eerie shadows around them. The damp scent of leaves mixed with an ominous presence thickening in the air.

After several minutes of walking, the old man stopped. In front of them, a narrow path was nearly swallowed by overgrown bushes.

"This is as far as I go," he said, his voice trembling. "If you continue… you'll have to face him on your own."

Alina and Leo exchanged glances. There was no other choice.

"Thank you," Alina said.

The old man nodded quickly before turning and vanishing into the darkness.

Leo took a deep breath. "Are you ready?"

Alina smirked. "I'm always ready."

They stepped further into the forest, the darkness growing thicker, the silence heavier. Even the crickets had gone quiet, as if nature itself was holding its breath. Then—rustling.

Alina froze. Leo narrowed his eyes, muscles tensing. From the shadows, a pair of glowing red eyes stared at them. Alina's heart pounded. What was that? Suddenly, something shot out from the bushes!

Leo moved fast, yanking Alina aside. The wind whooshed past them as the creature darted by. A moment later, they saw it—a massive owl, its wings flaring wildly before soaring away.

Alina let out a relieved breath. "Damn… I thought it was something else."

Leo remained silent, his eyes locked on the path ahead. That was where their destination lay. Moving cautiously, they approached an old, dimly lit hut. It was far from any village, yet strangely bustling with people.

Alina and Leo exchanged glances, understanding that every move had to be calculated. They crept to a gap between the wooden planks, peering inside. Several men in casual clothing were busy stacking large crates.

No sign of the old shaman they were looking for. But the answer to their suspicions came quickly.

A man stood in the corner, speaking into a phone with a low, firm voice.

"The candle has gone out."

Leo tensed. Alina's eyes widened. They knew what that code meant—the old shaman had been executed.

"The port is foggy, but the sea breeze is still calm."

Alina clenched her fists. That meant there was a minor setback, but the shipment was still proceeding. Then, the final sentence sent chills down her spine.

"Winter is coming early."

Her heartbeat spiked. There was another execution target. And it could be her.

From that code, Alina instantly realized who was behind this chaos. Her stomach dropped as she concluded that the old shaman was merely a pawn—one who had failed. Failure meant death.

And Marco had executed him himself. Beside her, Leo remained silent. But his eyes revealed that he, too, had realized something.

Alina glanced at him, trying to probe, "You know something, don't you?"

Leo inhaled slowly. "I know who their boss is."

Alina frowned. "How do you know?"

Leo turned to her, his gaze sharp yet filled with an unreadable emotion. "A girl from my past told me."

Alina was taken aback. "What do you mean?"

"That code…" Leo continued. "She once taught it to me. A code commonly used in mafia dealings."

Alina stiffened. She had indeed taught Leo some basic codes before… but why did he still remember them?

As if sensing her confusion, Leo suddenly asked, "By the way, do you remember the girl I once told you about?"

Alina eyed him warily. "A girl?"

Leo smirked. "Yes. The girl who's always on my mind. The one who's still in my heart."

Alina's heart pounded. Her face felt hot despite the cold night air.

Leo… had he remained loyal to her all this time?

She should be happy. She should feel relieved. But for some reason, something tightened in her chest.

"What's wrong with me? I should be happy… but why do I feel sad?"

Alina bit her lip, trying to make sense of the strange emotions rushing through her. She tore her gaze away, looking back into the hut. Yet, her mind was still clouded with Leo's words.

"The girl who's still in his heart… Was that really me?"

But before she could dwell on it any longer, Leo spoke again.

"We need to get out of here."

His tone was serious, full of caution. Alina nodded, shaking off the emotions gripping her.

They both slowly backed away from the hut, staying within the shadows. But before they could slip away, the creak of a wooden door stopped them in their tracks.

"Who's there?!"

A flashlight swept in their direction. Alina and Leo exchanged looks. They had been spotted.

"Run!" Leo whispered harshly before grabbing Alina's hand and sprinting toward the forest.

Shouts erupted behind them. Footsteps pounded after them. Then, the distinct sound of a gun being cocked. They weren't just being chased. They were being hunted.

BANG!

A gunshot rang out. The bullet whizzed past Alina's foot.

Leo pulled her along, pushing forward. "Keep running! Don't stop!"

But just a few meters ahead, Alina tripped over a tree root, hitting the ground hard.

Leo immediately turned back, bending down to help her. "Aileen, are you—"

BANG!

Another shot. Leo staggered. Alina's eyes widened in horror as she saw blood seeping from his shoulder.

"Leo, are you okay?" she asked in panic, her voice shaking at the sight of his blood-stained sleeve.

Leo gritted his teeth but nodded. "I'm fine. We have to keep moving."

Without hesitation, Alina pulled him up, supporting his weight. But they barely took a few steps before a chilling sound echoed through the night.

A howl. Followed by the clinking of chains being unfastened. They had released the hunting dogs. The chase was about to become even deadlier. Leo, wounded, was slowing down. He knew that at this rate, they wouldn't make it.

"Aileen, leave me. You can still run faster."

"Shut up!" Alina snapped without breaking stride. "I'm not leaving you!"

The pounding of paws grew louder. Alina's breath hitched. Then, in the blink of an eye, a massive black dog lunged at her, fangs bared, ready to tear into flesh.

Reacting instinctively, Alina kicked out, striking the dog square in the jaw. It yelped, momentarily knocked back—but not enough. It quickly recovered, growling even more ferociously.

Leo yanked her arm. "You can't fight them! We need cover!"

But Alina couldn't just run. If they didn't do something, the dogs would never stop. More pairs of glowing red eyes emerged from the darkness. The trained killers were closing in.

Alina took a deep breath, steadying herself despite the danger. She had a knack for handling dogs. But these… were different. They were trained to hunt. And to kill. Leo tensed beside her, clearly disapproving of what she was about to do.

"Aileen, don't be reckless! These aren't ordinary dogs!"