Chapter 91.2

Chapter 91.2

Chaos.

Even though communications continued over the earpiece, few seemed to understand what was happening. It was pure disorder.

Was the cyber operations commander the real target after all? Most of the security guards were protecting him, so they had probably averted any immediate danger to him.

Yet the constant blaring of the emergency alarm and the smoke clouding his vision were wearing him down.

As he continued to evacuate the guests with a pale face, he kept looking for Han Seoryeong, who had disappeared into the smoke.

She’ll be okay, right? I’ve heard she’s tougher than she looks. He let out a heavy sigh.

“Cough!”

Finally, a sense of relief.

***
It wasn’t time to relax just yet. Her adrenaline was racing, her heart pounding in her chest, and her mouth dry.

Was it because she had finally achieved what she had long desired? Or because she had committed a crime? Probably both. The hope of getting closer to Kim Hyun swelled inside her.

Seoryeong, still supporting the staggering Deputy Director Joo Seolheon, quickly exited the Final Hall.

She didn’t lead them toward the evacuation area where the other guests had gathered. Instead, she turned in the opposite direction, heading toward the wedding hall on the same floor.

“Guh… Haa…”

When the Deputy Director tried to remove the disposable gas mask, Seoryeong stopped her.

“Keep it on, just in case.”

The Deputy Director still couldn’t open her eyes, only shedding meaningless tears like a broken faucet.

Seoryeong held onto her arms and shoulders, carefully supporting her, but her fingers had turned white from the pressure.

Beyond the bride’s waiting room, where there were no security cameras, was a stairwell leading straight to the basement.

“The emergency stairs, right?”

A raspy voice mumbled from behind the mask. Seoryeong pushed open a small door with all her strength and replied.

“Yes, these are the emergency stairs that lead directly to the basement. This area isn’t open to regular guests, and only a few facility staff members know about it.”

“Then you should have evacuated people through here earlier!”

“It would have been too chaotic.”

“…!”

“Don’t worry, no one will get hurt. Most of the attendees are men, and I’m sure they’ve all had a taste of this in the military. I didn’t mix it that strongly either.”

“….”

The only sound that echoed through the silence was the steady clicking of shoes on the stairs.

Deputy Director Joo hadn’t spoken since earlier, but it didn’t bother her. This stairway only led to the second basement level, so there was no exit before they reached the bottom.

Checking the time on her smartwatch, Seoryeong noticed that Joo Seolheon was slowing down. She began to drag her along like a stubborn ox. Just then, the Deputy Director yanked off her gas mask with a sharp motion.

“Huff… Huff…”

Though she looked a mess, her heavy breathing seemed to bring some relief. And as she barely managed to lift her eyelids, Seoryeong leaned in, as if she had been waiting for this moment.

“Do your eyes hurt a lot?”

Joo Seolheon’s lips trembled, as if she had just encountered something unreal. Seoryeong, meanwhile, pulled off her own gas mask, pushing her sweat-soaked hair back.

“I’m surprised by how much smaller you are than I thought.”

Joo wiped her face with her palm in response to the unsettling smile that followed.

Bang!

A loud noise suddenly reverberated, making the handrail on the stairs tremble. Seoryeong frowned, glaring upwards.

This wasn’t part of the plan.

Someone was hurrying down the stairs. Judging by the footsteps, it was probably just one person. She could handle it. Seoryeong tightened her grip around the Deputy Director’s neck with her elbow, mercilessly dragging her again.

Thump, thump. The footsteps behind them were heavy and rough, skipping two or three stairs at a time. Joo Seolheon, who had been following meekly until now, wiped her face again and let out a small chuckle, regaining some composure.

“I never trusted the Blast Agency.”

The man who finally came into view looked like a college student, wearing a baseball cap and a backpack.

Seoryeong tapped her smartwatch, sending a coded message of “delayed arrival” to Lee Wooshin, who was somewhere in the hotel. If it hadn’t been for his preparations the day before, sneaking into the hotel and setting things up, they wouldn’t have made it this far.

Suppressing a brief urge to reflect on the situation, she extended a baton toward the approaching man. As she looked at him, possibly an accomplice of the Deputy Director, her eyes widened.

“――.”

Her eyes twitched at the familiar face. It felt like she had been struck in the head, her brows furrowing sharply.

“…Dong Jiwoo?”