When Taeui opened the restroom door and stepped out, the men outside immediately fell silent. Even though they knew Taeui had been inside, they still eyed him with suspicion, as if they were watching a dubious character. Taeui quietly walked past them and washed his hands at the sink. In reality, he wanted to wash his brain clean of the things he had just overheard, but clearly, that wasn’t possible.

“Hey, you. You’re part of Instructor Jeong Changin’s team, right?”

One of the men suddenly spoke. With such a cold and threatening tone, Taeui didn’t need to hear more to know what they were about to say.

“Do whatever you want, I won’t interfere. But don’t waste your energy on me.”

Taeui looked into the mirror and responded indifferently. Having already overheard things he didn’t need to hear had put him in a bad mood, and if he had to listen to more baseless threats here, his mood would completely collapse. Most of all, he didn’t want to engage with these dangerous people, especially if they were part of Kipper Han’s crew.

“Anyway, we’re wrapping this up soon, so there’s no time to spread rumors. But don’t spout any useless nonsense. Got it? We’re all colleagues, right? We just want to make that bastard pay for what he did.”

The man continued, seemingly unsatisfied with Taeui’s response. Taeui sighed softly. Perhaps he needed to say something more to make these clueless men understand.

“It seems you haven’t realized, but I’ve never even heard the name of this ‘bastard’ you’re talking about. Since you didn’t mention anything specific, I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

“…..Right.”

At last, it seemed the man had understood what Taeui was saying. He wasn’t sure how much they grasped, but at least they got the main point—that he wasn’t involved and wanted them to leave him alone.

The man shrugged and said: “Alright, my friend.” Taeui thought to himself: ‘Friend, my ass’ but he didn’t say it aloud. He just hoped they had terrible memories so that if they saw him again in the hallway or somewhere else, they wouldn’t strike up a conversation and pretend to be friendly.

Meanwhile, an hour had passed. The bell rang throughout the building.

After a five-minute break, they would switch positions and start the training again.

The men left the restroom, and shortly after, those who had been running around, drenched in sweat, began to file into the restroom one by one.

Taeui stepped out of the restroom with a gloomy expression. Lately, it felt like bad luck had been clinging to him relentlessly. He would have preferred spending an hour running around, smashing rubber batons against walls, rather than hearing things he shouldn’t have.

In this world, there’s something called ‘aiding and abetting’. It’s the crime of assisting someone else in committing a crime.

Taeui tried to recall what he had learned in the past while pulling an electrolyte drink from the vending machine.

Although he couldn’t claim to have lived an entirely spotless life, he had always tried to follow the right path, staying within the law. But now, it seemed he had veered off that path in this situation. And worse, the crime of abetting this time was aiding a murder. Even though this was a special zone, where the law seemed to hold little sway, the thought of being complicit in a murder made him feel heavy. He took the drink in his hand with a sense of dread.

During the brief five-minute break, everyone recharged. Those being chased tried to meet the needs they couldn’t fulfill while on the run, preparing for the next round of pursuit. Those now becoming the chased moved to a different location, far from their hunters. Of course, there were also people who didn’t care who was chasing them, thinking that as long as they fought back, everything would be fine, continuing on with their usual business.

Taeui belonged to the latter group. While he wasn’t skilled enough at fighting to confidently think he could win by simply confronting his pursuers, he felt it all boiled down to the same thing. It was just a matter of time, whether he started running earlier or later—either way, he would end up fighting the baton-wielding enemies charging toward him.

During the previous hour, he had scouted the building, but it was clear there was nowhere suitable to hide. Escaping was also not easy. If enemies attacked from both the front and back simultaneously, he’d find himself in a dangerous situation. Besides, Taeui wasn’t Carl Lewis*, so fully outrunning them was a difficult feat.

(*Carl Lewis was an American track and field athlete who won nine Olympic gold medals in the 1980s and 1990s.)

So, what would be the best approach…..

“Dead ends, dead ends….. Is there any small, narrow dead end somewhere?”

He drank his electrolyte drink while walking quickly. Thinking about the layout of the building, he quickly remembered a suitable spot.

On the 5th basement, between the reading room and the west staircase, there was a narrow hallway where they had placed the water dispenser. A narrow path that barely allowed one person to pass through to get water—that was the ideal place. The downside was that it was right next to the staircase, so people occasionally passed by, but on the bright side, that also meant it was easy to escape if things went wrong.

How to survive for one hour. If he could, then he would have one hour to rest – or if someone became his enemy in the next hour, he might spend that break chasing them down, plotting revenge. If he was unlucky, he might get beaten repeatedly for an entire hour, but hopefully not to the point of death. Aside from being a member of the Asian branch, he had never personally offended anyone from the European branch. Only once had he caught the attention of someone extremely troublesome.

Thinking about that person made him feel gloomier. More than that, it made him feel uneasy.

Knowing that others were scheming something unpleasant, yet doing nothing to stop it, was certainly not a comfortable feeling. Even if that person was someone Taeui had once wished would disappear completely.

As he mulled over these thoughts, the five-minute break passed. By the time he reached the 5th basement, he could hear loud shouting from behind him, echoing in the distance, and he quickly ran toward his target.

The area near the water dispenser next to the reading room was empty. It was a fairly secluded spot, one that few people frequented. Taeui stood just next to the water dispenser, in the small space that could only fit one person, and he crushed the empty electrolyte drink can in his hand.

Voices floated nearby, sometimes closer, sometimes farther away. Somewhere not too far off, he could hear shouts and the sounds of scuffling. Taeui lightly twirled the baton in his hand.

If he could hide here for an hour without being found, that would be a great outcome. If he was unlucky and someone discovered him, well, he’d just have to deal with it.

In just an hour, his mind had gone through a lot of turmoil. From the moment he entered the restroom and overheard things he shouldn’t have, he had thought about many things.

Afterward, all he could do was go with the flow.

No matter the outcome, he couldn’t guarantee everything. Even when you took the most careful precautions, there were always things you couldn’t prevent. He couldn’t foresee every possible scenario.

Taeui took a slow, deep breath and exhaled.

And just like that, an hour had passed.

His grip on the baton was tight, and his body had tensed up without him even realizing it. But in the end, he had made it through the hour.

No one had found him. Maybe this was the least expected hiding spot, or perhaps they thought someone else had already discovered him and didn’t bother searching further. Whatever the reason, Taeui was relieved that an hour had passed without any incidents.

The light sense of relief faded, but Taeui still couldn’t fully relax. He quietly stood up, glanced around, and quickly left his hiding spot.

However, luck wasn’t on his side.

As soon as he stepped out, he came face-to-face with a European man holding a steel pipe. Not rubber—steel.

No matter how much Taeui tried to convince the guy that using a steel pipe was against the rules, it wouldn’t make a difference. But still…..

“Then go grab a steel pipe for yourself” – The man said before swinging the pipe down. Taeui could only click his tongue.

Damn it. If this was a training session where people risked their lives to participate, then the unwritten rules hidden within it should have been made clearer. If he ended up getting killed by this steel pipe, that would be an unjust death.

Thinking back, there were rumors in the military that there were plenty of ghosts. Especially when Taeui was stationed on the frontlines, finding someone who hadn’t seen a ghost during night watch was harder than finding someone who had. Even though Taeui had never seen a ghost and didn’t believe in those rumors, he knew they existed.

Maybe now he understood why. Surely, many people had died unjust deaths like this. Even Taeui, if he were killed so senselessly here, might become a ghost. And even as a ghost, that vicious man would probably tear him apart with joy.

Taeui thought of Ilay again. In his panic, the guilt he had momentarily forgotten resurfaced. He clicked his tongue and used his rubber baton to knock the steel pipe out of the man’s hand. And immediately after – whether he was seen as cowardly or not didn’t matter – he jabbed the baton into the man’s eye.

A rubber baton couldn’t cause any severe injuries like puncturing the eyeball, but the man was certainly in far more pain than if he’d been punched in the eye. He screamed in agony and dropped the steel pipe. Seizing the moment, Taeui quickly picked up the pipe. The warmth from the man’s body still lingered on the steel, and holding it gave Taeui a sense of reassurance far greater than the rubber baton ever did. Now, he understood why they discarded the rubber batons. It provided a psychological advantage.

As the man crumpled to the ground, clutching his eye, others screamed.

“Coward!”

“This bastard has to pay!” – They charged at Taeui. It was only then that he realized the advantage of his position.

The space around the water dispenser was so narrow that only one person could step inside. Unfortunately for them, they couldn’t attack him in groups of two or three at once—it was a cowardly trick, but effective. They could only face him one by one, in this cramped space where there wasn’t enough room to swing freely.

“Well, I took your advice and picked up a nice long steel pipe. It’s quite handy for fending off others. Thanks for the tip. Sometimes it’s good to listen to advice when it counts.”

Taeui realized that the steel pipe he picked up was the longest among their weapons, and he used this advantage skillfully. Anyone who approached was met with a thrust to the throat, keeping them at a safe distance. The ones with shorter batons or steel pipes couldn’t get close enough to engage him.

Taeui smiled faintly and whispered: “Thanks” which only enraged the man standing opposite him. In a sudden move, the man pulled out a cold, sharp object from his side – a tactical knife, about the length of two hands. Taeui frowned.

“I told you, that mouth of yours would get you into trouble” – A voice echoed in his head, sounding like Tou’s mocking tone. He hadn’t expected his taunting to provoke such a dangerous outcome.

“Hey, no need to bring out a knife. I was just joking, alright? Just a joke. Don’t you get it?”

“Shut up, you bastard!”

The situation had escalated dangerously.

Even though the man had drawn a knife, the dynamics hadn’t immediately changed. His comrades behind him were still impatiently muttering,

“It’s too tight, I can’t get through.”

The man with the knife found it even harder to reach Taeui due to the limited fighting space compared to when he held the steel pipe.

However, if the man decided to make a reckless, full-force attack with the knife, Taeui would be in serious danger. And since Taeui had considered this possibility, his anxiety only heightened.

This was truly a dangerous situation. The best option would be to escape. But how? If he could push the man out of the way and get past him, the other two would immediately charge in and attack. Even so, if he managed to break free, he could sprint straight down the stairs.

In this situation, stalling for time might have been a valid option, but unfortunately, there was still enough time for the man to pose a serious threat to him.

What a dilemma, such a difficult situation.

Taeui clicked his tongue and swung the steel pipe when, through the glass, he saw a familiar figure walking up the stairs. There was no mistaking it, even from the back—that was Ilay Riegrow.

Just like in the video from that day, Ilay was walking up the stairs casually, hands bare except for his black gloves. As he gently touched the railing while ascending, he left behind black, bloody handprints. The gloves were still soaked in blood.

Ilay didn’t glance in Taeui’s direction; he seemed more interested in whatever awaited him above. The next floor was the 4th, a restricted and locked area. Above that was the 3rd floor, where the martial arts room was located.

Taeui suddenly recalled the conversation he had overheard from the men earlier.

“I’ll push him in there no matter what, and we’ll end it there.”

“But is it really okay? Using a Cluster could blow up the whole martial arts room.”

“That’s the only way to kill him….. there’s nowhere else. If we want him dead, we have to do it.”

Taeui clicked his tongue. Ilay was probably heading there. Or maybe somewhere else. But the words those men had spoken weren’t lies, and the plan had clearly been set in motion. Ilay was walking straight toward it.

Should he warn him? But if he said anything, it was possible that man would kill them all. Still, he couldn’t just stand by and watch someone he knew walk into death.

A vague sense of guilt welled up. Seeing Ilay in person made the sense of impending danger much more real, and it morphed into a dark regret in Taeui’s heart.

Oh yes, it was better to chase after him and change his direction, just make sure he didn’t enter the martial arts room on the third floor. No need to explain anything more. Just stop that plan from being executed.

The urgency grew stronger. The man in front of him, with the knife in hand, seemed more irritated by the moment.

“Hey, sorry, but could we meet later? Could you let me through now? I just remembered something urgent.”

“What the hell? You unlucky Asian bastard!”

But the man wasn’t listening. His grip tightened around the knife.

Taeui clicked his tongue again. By now, Ilay had likely already reached the fourth floor and was making his way toward the martial arts room on the third floor. He might even already be there, walking straight toward the trap.

Anxiety bubbled within him. He had to distract this guy quickly. Even if he ran now, Taeui wasn’t sure if he could stop the plan in time. If what they intended went through, Ilay wouldn’t survive stepping into that martial arts room. Or perhaps Ilay would kill them all first, but that wasn’t guaranteed. If they used the Cluster, no one could save him.

“Don’t make me wait any longer, you bastard” – The man in front said, but Taeui had run out of patience. He swiftly stepped back, then launched himself forward with force, slamming into the man with the knife. In that moment, Taeui ducked, flipped, and struck the man hard on the chin.

A loud *Thud!* echoed as the man collapsed. Taeui tossed aside the steel pipe and bent down to snatch the knife. But then he remembered he couldn’t leave any weapons behind. So, he tucked the knife into his jacket, grabbed the steel pipe again, and bolted up the stairs.

If necessary, Ilay might kill him too. The only way to survive was to kill or be killed. Their fates were already intertwined.

Ilay had already climbed several steps ahead. He couldn’t see Taeui from behind, but Taeui didn’t dare call out his name.

Ilay Riegrow was a very cautious man, and that made it difficult for Taeui to give any kind of warning.

As he climbed the stairs, Taeui could feel his heartbeat pounding in his chest as he closed in on him.

Taeui immediately realized that the bloodstains weren’t his. In fact, Ilay’s own blood might have mixed in, but most of it belonged to others.

Not just one person—3 or 4, maybe even more.

It was only then that Taeui saw two more men lying behind Ilay, their bodies hidden by his broad shoulders and large frame. They were already corpses, their bodies torn apart far worse than anything he had seen before, lying in a pool of blood.

When Taeui recognized one of them, he winced slightly.

He had intended to distract Ilay, but now that was no longer the case. He had to act immediately. However, the man behind him kept targeting his body. Of course, he knew exactly where to strike to cause the most damage.

What now? Time slipped by as he hesitated and worried. The tension mounted.

*BOOM!* – Just then, a loud explosion echoed from above.

Taeui and the other men froze for a moment. Then, another series of explosions rang out. Faint screams and cries for help followed.

“…..!”

Taeui gritted his teeth. His heart felt like it was about to drop.

“You idiots! This is what happens when you block the way! Get out of my way, you fools!!”

Taeui shouted. A surge of anger filled his chest, a fury not directed at anyone in particular – or perhaps at everyone. He wasn’t even sure why.

He swung the steel pipe as if he were about to smash the man’s head. The man ducked, and then lunged at Taeui, slashing at him with the knife.

Taeui jerked his arm back. Although a long gash appeared on his arm, bleeding and burning with pain, he didn’t care. As soon as the man’s knife sliced his arm, Taeui brought the end of the steel pipe crashing down on his head. The man collapsed with a faint groan, and two others immediately rushed in.

There was nothing holding Taeui back anymore. What’s more, he was holding the perfect weapon.

He didn’t like fighting and usually avoided it, but now he was in a dilemma. One man had already fallen, but the other two wouldn’t move aside.

Taeui shook his head. The sound of hard blows echoed loudly. Meanwhile, Taeui took a hit to his side, but it was lighter compared to the jab he delivered to the other man’s stomach.

“If only you had moved when I asked, idiots.”

Taeui cursed at the men sprawled on the ground, wiping the blood from his arm roughly before sprinting toward the staircase.

The stairs were right next to him, so he quickly reached the third basement level. Furthermore, the martial arts room was near the western staircase. Taeui ran as fast as he could toward the martial arts room, cursing under his breath.

Damn it. Whether Ilay got hurt or died didn’t matter to him at all – or maybe, if Ilay died, it would actually make him feel better – so why was he enduring all this pain?

No matter how he thought about it, the only conclusion Taeui could reach was: It was all because of that damn uncle.

Luckily, the wound wasn’t too deep, but it might have cut a blood vessel, as the bleeding wouldn’t stop. It wasn’t surprising that with each swing and step, blood kept dripping.

By the time he reached the martial arts room, he might have witnessed a horrifying scene. The entire room could be destroyed, blood splattered across the walls, bits of flesh scattered everywhere, and human bodies beyond recognition, like those old videos he had seen before.

That day, he couldn’t eat. Many people had run straight to the bathroom to vomit. He hadn’t done that, but he skipped meals and didn’t eat meat for quite some time.

If he saw that kind of scene again. And if the victim was someone he knew.

“……….”

Taeui shook off the complicated thoughts and kept running. Just imagining it sent a chill down his spine. His chest felt cold.

As he neared the martial arts room, he saw no one. It seemed like no one had arrived yet. But the explosions were so loud that they could be heard from two floors below. It wouldn’t be long before people rushed over.

The area around the room was in chaos. The walls were charred black, debris scattered everywhere. One side of the martial arts room wall had been completely blown away, leaving nothing intact. There was no sign of life moving in that space.

An eerie silence.

************************************

*Cluster bombs: