Chapter 26.1

Chapter 26.1

Seoryeong dragged the fallen Channa into the kitchen storage. Though every step she took left long traces of blood like a trail, it didn’t matter.

She swiftly overturned a large pot, meant for making eight servings of soybean paste soup, onto the floor with a loud bang.

She hastily wiped away the bloodstains with the soles of her shoes, erasing the traces of blood as best she could. The abrupt noise seemed to halt the high heels momentarily.

Seoryeong eventually locked the storage door and held onto Channa tightly.

“…Channa, your condition is really bad. We need to get to the hospital quickly. There’s too much blood coming out like you’ve been stabbed in the neck…!”

“……”

Receiving no response but silence, Seoryeong merely chewed on her lips. She understood the meaning behind that silence well.

She knew they couldn’t go to the hospital right away, and it would be difficult to escape from there. Still, she appreciated that Lee Woo-shin didn’t add any unnecessary words like, “See, I told you so.”

Instead, Lee Woo-shin began to assess the new situation.

“Where are you currently?”

“…There’s an unused storage in the corner of the kitchen. That’s where we are.”

“Try putting your thumb on the wound.”

“What?”

“Press firmly. Whether it’s this way or that way, you have to try.”

Seoryeong pressed her finger into Channa’s neck, where blood was still flowing relentlessly. Oof…! Channa whimpered, but the blood no longer gushed out fiercely.

“Do not take your hand off. Removing it means death.”

The weighty words caused her entire body to be drenched in cold sweat. But her fingers were holding back the blood, which was trying to surge out. She felt Channa’s weak pulse against her fingertips.

Seoryeong couldn’t let Channa die, not just for that reason alone.

“Perhaps Channa was the target of an assassination.”

Lee Woo-shin reported in a voice devoid of emotion as if reporting a matter of fact.

“It’s our negligence for not considering that she was a key figure from North Korea. As soon as Channa went abroad, the order for assassination would have been issued.”

It had been about 7 years since Channa defected. This incident was unexpected by anyone.

“… No, it’s rather strange that Channa is still alive.”

Seoryeong frowned at his gruff words as if implying it couldn’t be possible that Channa was still alive.

“Be careful with your words.”

“Trained assassins never make mistakes. Not cutting the throat in one stroke…”

He trailed off his voice as if pondering something.

“They might have intended to interrogate or persuade her. After all, Channa is originally from North Korea, and she could be useful as a double agent.”

“……”

“Because it hasn’t started yet, Channa is still alive.”

“What…?”

– It’s torture.

“…!”

– They’ll be there soon to finish her.

Simultaneously, clack… clack… The sound that had momentarily stopped resumed, causing Seoryeong’s body to stiffen.

“They’re approaching the kitchen. It seems I’ll be discovered soon.”

As she whispered, the old kitchen door began to shake wildly.

The intruder muttered in a foreign language and banged on the door as if trying to break it down. Amidst the loud noise, Lee Woo-shin remained silent for a moment beyond the door.

He cursed under his breath.

—F*ck. Load your gun.

The man calmly instructed as he regained his composure.

– Pull the slide and aim towards the door.

“…”

—Seoryeong, it’ll be your first shot, so you might miss it. Don’t panic when it happens, just pull the trigger again for the second shot. You don’t have much skill and your luck is bad, so you’ll probably end up losing your gun and being attacked, but…

Listening to the realistic and cold words, any semblance of hope seemed to disappear.

—They are here.