Chapter 76
In her outstretched hand was a sharp blade. It was as if she had anticipated an abduction, reacting with swift and precise movements. As the lethal weapon flew toward him, Sweeper’s pupils dilated for a brief moment.
But she was too slow.
The ambush was well-intended, but she had chosen the wrong opponent. Sweeper barely moved his upper body to dodge the blade, brushing past it with ease before grabbing her wrist and upper arm, twisting them sharply. A sickening crack echoed as the joint dislocated.
“Mm—!”
The moment Kim Seol-hwa felt the pain and tried to scream, Yohan, moving as though he were one with Sweeper, clamped a cloth over her mouth.
It happened almost simultaneously with Sweeper twisting her arm. Her shrill scream was absorbed into the fabric, muffled beyond recognition.
For a high-ranking officer of the Seoul Survival Union who had instilled fear in many, it was an anticlimactic takedown.
As she struggled under his grip, Yohan leaned in close and whispered softly into her ear.
“Sleeping lightly in an unfamiliar place and always keeping a weapon in hand—commendable. But tonight, your luck ran out.”
He wasn’t one for unnecessary words, but this moment called for it.
“I’ve been looking forward to this for a long time.”
“Mm! Mmm—!”
Kim Seol-hwa’s muffled voice gradually faded into silence.
Yohan pressed the hilt of his dagger against the back of her head, knocking her out. Her frail body convulsed briefly before going limp. He hadn’t hit hard enough to kill her. At his signal, Sweeper covered her face and upper body with a sack, tying it securely.
Meanwhile, they gathered up all of her belongings and anything else useful nearby. If only her body disappeared, suspicions would arise. Instead, Yohan made it appear as though she had taken advantage of the dark night to run away, stealing supplies in the process. When people awoke, they would blame themselves for their carelessness rather than suspecting foul play.
With their plan executed flawlessly, the two carried her to an abandoned building near the search party’s quarters. The room was dimly lit by a single flickering candle.
“This girl is heavier than she looks.”
Sweeper caught his breath before seating her in a prepared chair and removing the sack from her head.
Her eyelids remained tightly shut, framed by her disheveled hair, which stood on end from static electricity. She looked delicate—her thighs were thinner than an average arm. She resembled a kidnapped princess from a fairy tale.
But to Yohan, she was a loathsome sight. That innocent façade had led many men to their doom.
No, calling them victims was inaccurate. They had made their own choices. They had played right into the hands of a cunning and manipulative queen of deception.
“Wake her up.”
At Yohan’s command, Sweeper tapped her head lightly. Even after a few tries, she didn’t react.
“She’s not waking up. How hard did you hit her, boss?”
“She could be faking it, observing the situation while pretending to be unconscious.”
“Seriously? You’re giving her too much credit.”
It wasn’t an exaggeration. It was a logical suspicion based on experience.
Yohan strode forward and splashed water from a canteen onto her face.
“What a waste of water.”
Kim Seol-hwa’s eyes snapped open as she jerked her head, shaking off the excess droplets. As soon as she regained her senses, she glared at them through her damp bangs.
“What the hell is this? Who are you? Have you lost your minds? Do you really think you’ll get away with this?”
In the dimly lit room, illuminated only by the small candle, Yohan methodically organized an array of tools—pliers, nail clippers, and a knife. It resembled the preparation of a torturer before an interrogation.
“Should I gag her?”
“She won’t bite her tongue to kill herself. She clings to life too desperately for that.”
Kim Seol-hwa’s expression shifted instantly. She swallowed hard, her face transforming into one of sweet affection, as if she were addressing a lover.
“Oh, come on now. What is this about? What do you want? Is that what this is about? You could’ve just asked. I’d let you have me as much as you want. Hmm? If you like the forced scenario, I can play along. Just untie me, okay?”
Despite her unease, she remained composed. On the third day of infiltrating the camp, everything had been going smoothly—until this unexpected incident. But if two men had kidnapped her, their intent was obvious.
They were going to violate her.
To her, it was no big deal. The fact that there were two of them wasn’t an issue either. Even if they were both preoccupied, she would still have an opportunity to slit their throats. Dealing with the aftermath was secondary.
Bastards, making things troublesome.
Kim Seol-hwa kept a bright smile, but internally, she cursed them.
“Wow, did you see that? The way her expression changed? She could be an actress.”
“That’s just how she is.”
Sweeper smirked with his arms crossed while Yohan quietly continued arranging his tools. He picked up a shuriken-like blade, slipping it onto his index finger and spinning it effortlessly.
This was not the reaction she had anticipated. Watching them, Kim Seol-hwa’s calm façade finally cracked, and she screamed.
“I said let’s talk, damn it! You bastards!”
Are they psychopaths?
No, there was no way they would simply kill her. They were probably going to toy with her first—that would be the normal course of events.
As she frantically assessed the situation, Yohan slowly turned to her and walked forward.
He leaned in until his gaze was level with hers. His emotionless eyes sent a chill down her spine.
“Nice to meet you, Kim Seol-hwa of the Seoul Survival Union.”
Her expression twisted as if a dozen exclamation marks had appeared above her head.
How does he know?
“How many have you killed so far? Twenty? Thirty?”
“W-What are you talking about…?”
Yohan slowly pressed the sharp edge of his blade against her neck, tracing it lightly. He didn’t apply pressure, so it didn’t draw blood. But a cold sweat trickled down Kim Seol-hwa’s spine.
“Don’t worry. I won’t torture you. If you get wounded and infected, that would be troublesome. And obviously, don’t even think about leaving this place alive.”
“······.”
“But if you answer my questions honestly, I’ll at least grant you a painless death.”
“Why the hell are you doing this, you crazy bastard?!”
Her mind was in chaos. The man in front of her was a complete stranger. She was sure of it—someone with such an aura was impossible to forget. And yet, he knew her name and affiliation.
Kim Seol-hwa was overwhelmed by the situation and the suffocating tension. Instinctively, she turned her gaze toward the other man.
“Hey, if you kill this guy, I’ll give you whatever you want. How about it? Women, money, even killing someone you want dead—I’ll make it happen. Just kill him and let me go!”
Even now, she was trying to drive a wedge between them. Watching her, Sweeper clicked his tongue.
“Wow, she’s a real piece of work.”
“This is nothing,” Yohan cut in decisively. Truly, this was nothing compared to her real crimes. If anyone had seen her full list of atrocities, they would be terrified.
“Let me go. I’ll answer anything you ask. What do you want to know?”
“Not yet.”
Yohan shook his head and gagged her again, then pulled the sack back over her head.
Interrogating her while she was still in her right mind was dangerous. He needed to push her to the edge, to strip away any chance of cunning deception.
Yohan blew out the candle.
As the last flicker of light disappeared, pitch-black darkness swallowed the room. It was a void where neither sight nor sound could reach—an abyss designed to unravel the human mind.
“Try not to cry too much, lady.”
Sweeper tossed in one last remark as he followed Yohan out. The iron door creaked shut, followed by the sharp click of a lock.
Left alone in the void, Kim Seol-hwa thrashed desperately.
—
The next morning, Yohan sent out a scouting team. The supplies they had brought would only last a day, and it seemed they would be stationed here longer than planned, so they needed more.
“Hyuk, Hajin, Seri, Sergeant Ong—search the surrounding areas and gather supplies for the next few days. Skip Glory Plaza—there’s nothing useful there. Stay alert and move carefully.”
“Got it.”
Meanwhile, Sweeper assigned a mercenary veteran to keep an eye on things and spent the morning scouting nearby properties, securing maps of the area.
He needed to pinpoint possible battlegrounds—places ideal for ambushes or surprise attacks. As he analyzed the maps, various scenarios played out in his mind.
Shortly after noon, a radio transmission came in from Jung-hwan.
“-Hyung, it’s Jung-hwan.”
“Yeah. How’s the camp?”
“-Nothing major, but that woman, Suhee, has been telling people she was assaulted. She’s claiming you’re siding with Jinsu just because you’re part of the search team. Dong-seok hyung is having a hard time dealing with it. What should we do?”
Yohan pressed his lips together in thought. She had made her move while he was away. It was obvious what was happening.
“-It’s causing issues with this week’s supply distribution and the personnel rotations. We haven’t been able to do anything.”
“Proceed as planned. Rotate the personnel on schedule, and distribute the supplies based on last week’s numbers.”
“-But what about the rumors…?”
“Ignore them. Just keep going.”
Jung-hwan hesitated, but Yohan remained firm. This was a problem that would resolve itself.
Whatever Suhee’s motives were, Yohan was beginning to see the bigger picture.
“-Understood, hyung. I’ll handle it.”
“Good. No need to meet up—just check in every three days and update me.”
“-Got it.”
“Be on alert. There might be an attack on your end. Secure the armory and the supply depot.”
“-An attack? You really think—”
“Yeah. Watch the supplies closely.”
Jung-hwan’s voice tensed with concern. Yohan ended the transmission and exhaled sharply.
The short range of the radios was an inconvenience.
“You’re using low-power transmitters, huh? Must be frustrating.”
The old mercenary, who had been listening, commented from the side. Yohan nodded. A 5W radio had its limitations.
“We’ve got two PRC-999Ks.”
Yohan’s eyes flickered with interest. A military-grade radio—bulky, but reliable over long distances.
“What’s your price?”
The old man raised his wrist, jingling the handcuffs still binding him.
Outside of Sweeper’s presence, they kept him cuffed at all times—especially at night, when they locked him to a radiator. He had grumbled about it all night.
“Let me out of these. What am I, a dog?”
“Sorry. That’s not happening.”
A string of colorful curses erupted from the old man. Even after hearing them multiple times, Yohan couldn’t help but smirk.
“What’s your plan for dealing with the enemy? You look pretty relaxed.”
“We’re gathering intel. Spread out the men and keep an eye out for anything unusual. I’ll get you more details soon.”
“Fine. Tell your boys to stay sharp.”
Yohan nodded.
—
Forty hours later, Yohan returned to see Kim Seol-hwa—alone.
As soon as he entered the room, the stench of ammonia filled his nose. His face scrunched slightly in distaste.
She thrashed violently at the sound of his footsteps. He yanked away the cloth covering her head and removed the gag from her mouth.
“Even animals aren’t treated this badly, you bastard!”
“Don’t compare yourself to animals. You’d just offend them.”
“What the hell do you know—”
“How’s Gae Baek-jeong doing?”
The moment he spoke the name, her expression twisted in horror.
