"Guys, I got the package," I spoke into the radio while staring at the metallic briefcase resting on the desk.
"Proceeding to the extraction point. Move immediately."
"Roger!"
A loud synchronized response echoed through the radio.
I turned my attention back to the briefcase and tried opening it.
Locked.
Of course.
Only high-ranking military and research personnel knew the access code, and I wasn't one of them.
'They could've at least given me the code so I could confirm this was really the prototype.'
I sighed, clipped the briefcase to my waist and exited the room.
The hallway outside had been partially destroyed from Ho-gu's earlier handiwork. Rubble littered the floor, and a large section of the building had collapsed, exposing the lower floors.
Fastest route.
I dropped my backpack, brought out a grappling rope and secured it around a cracked pillar nearby. After tugging it several times to make sure it held, I slung my bag over my shoulder again.
My gloved hand wrapped around the rope as I looked down toward the distant ground.
'Here we go.'
I stepped off the edge.
The wind rushed past me as I descended, loosening my grip just enough to glide downward.
To most people, this would be terrifying.
To me?
Just another way of getting down a building without an elevator.
Unfortunately, things rarely stayed simple around me.
The rope suddenly loosened.
My eyes widened.
'Seriously?'
The hook slipped.
I was free-falling.
Instinct kicked in before panic could. I reached out and caught the edge of a balcony.
Pain shot through my shoulder, but I ignored it.
After steadying myself, I glanced down.
Second floor.
Could've been worse.
'Tsk, I hate when this happens.'
After a short breath, I let go.
Landing smoothly, I adjusted my bag and began jogging toward the extraction point.
A small forest stood between the facility and our rendezvous zone.
I raised my radio.
"Captain speaking. I'm outside and at the forest entrance. Move quickly, I'll wait here."
The radio crackled a few seconds later.
"Captain, I'm on the second floor, but we have a problem. Kang-Joon's badly injured. His right arm is nearly severed."
Dae-seong sounded worried.
"Tsk."
I quickly sent a success signal to headquarters before lowering the radio.
A few tense minutes later, figures finally emerged from the building.
My team.
But they weren't alone.
A motorcycle rolled slowly behind them.
"Captain!"
Dae-seong called as they approached.
I glanced at Kang-Joon and clicked my tongue.
He looked terrible. Blood soaked half his body, and his right arm barely hung on.
Then the biker stopped.
She removed her helmet calmly and placed it on the bike.
"I'll be taking that case."
I looked at her briefly.
"I'm afraid that's not possible."
She nodded once.
Then charged.
Fast.
Too fast.
My reaction was instant.
BANG!
I fired.
She dodged.
BANG!
Missed again.
"How?!"
She had already closed the distance.
Ho-gu rushed in, tackling her with full force.
Or at least trying to.
She didn't move.
Not even an inch.
"What the hell?!"
Before he could react, she grabbed him.
Actually grabbed him.
Despite his size.
"What the fu—!"
She lifted and threw him straight at me.
I barely managed to catch him before crashing to the ground.
Dae-seong moved instantly, drawing his twin blades as he charged.
SWISH!
SWISH!
SWISH!
His attacks were fast and precise, but she blocked and dodged with ease.
Then suddenly—
A thin cut appeared across her neck.
Hayoon.
A throwing knife.
The woman touched the cut briefly before grabbing Dae-seong's wrist and throwing him toward Hayoon.
Meanwhile, Kang-Joon, pale from blood loss, leaned against a tree and raised his gun.
BANG!
The bullet struck her ribs.
She looked down at the wound.
Then slowly—
At me.
Something changed.
Her eyes gradually turned bright red.
Like something straight out of an anime.
Danger.
I immediately raised my gun.
BANG!
BANG!
She disappeared.
Gone.
My instincts screamed.
I barely raised my arm before a terrifying punch slammed into me.
BOOM!
The force sent me sliding backward.
Pain exploded through my arm.
Broken.
She didn't stop.
Punch after punch came with terrifying speed.
I dodged where I could, blocked when necessary, but still got hit several times.
Then my radio crackled.
"Captain! Extraction has arrived!"
Perfect timing.
"Guys!" I shouted while narrowly avoiding another punch. "Get up! Move out! Now!"
The others struggled to stand.
Still, they looked ready to fight.
"Don't!" I snapped. "Leave!"
Dae-seong hesitated before lifting Kang-Joon.
"Don't take too long!" he yelled as they disappeared into the forest.
I exhaled slowly.
Good.
No distractions.
Pulling out my dagger, I looked at her.
"With them gone, I can finally take this seriously."
"You think the outcome will change?" she asked coldly in Mandarin.
Interesting.
"Yeah," I replied in the same language.
Ignoring the pain in my broken arm, I dashed forward and slashed toward her abdomen.
She ignored it, throwing a punch toward my head.
I tilted backward, narrowly avoiding it.
But my real target wasn't her stomach.
Slash.
Her wrist.
Blood spilled instantly.
Before she could react, I tossed something at her feet.
A stun grenade.
Then ran.
BANG!!!
The explosion thundered behind me.
Cheap tactic?
Maybe.
But surviving mattered more.
I sprinted through the forest.
Then—
Tick.
Tick.
Tick.
I froze.
Slowly, I looked at the briefcase hanging from my waist.
"…No way."
Bomb.
I unclipped it and threw it as far as possible before running harder.
BOOM!!!
The explosion shook the forest behind me.
I didn't stop.
By the time I reached the extraction point, the helicopter had already landed.
I climbed inside silently.
No celebration.
No relief.
Only one thing lingered in my chest.
Failure.
For the first time in twenty-nine successful missions
I had failed.
~~
One week later, news of our failure had spread across the agency. After twenty-nine successful missions, Phantom Squad had finally failed.
And somehow, I became the face of it.
I had spent the week recovering in the hospital, but this morning, I was summoned before the board.
The meeting room felt colder than usual. Former military veterans and senior agency officials sat around the long table, their expressions unreadable.
Among them sat two familiar faces.
General Hyunwook.
And Samuel Yeon, Anna's older brother.
I stood straight.
"Squad Commander Jin-hun salutes the board."
The director of information adjusted his glasses.
"Jin-hun, you've maintained an outstanding record so far, so tell us. What caused this mission to fail?"
I explained everything.
The retrieval.
The biker.
Her abnormal strength.
The exploding briefcase.
And finally
My suspicion.
Silence followed.
General Hyunwook leaned slightly forward.
"So, in conclusion, you believe there is a traitor among us?"
"I mean no disrespect, sir," I replied calmly. "But yes."
The room stirred.
The director of defense rubbed his temple.
"You have no evidence."
Samuel folded his arms.
"You failed a mission, Jin-hun. Don't let emotions cloud your judgment."
"With all due respect," I replied, "the biker knew where we'd be, what we carried, and the briefcase exploded. That doesn't feel like coincidence."
The director of operations scoffed.
"We served this country before you were born. For you to accuse us over assumptions is disappointing."
"Enough."
General Hyunwook's voice silenced the room.
He looked directly at me.
"Your accusations are baseless and insulting. Combined with your mission failure, disciplinary action is necessary."
My fists tightened slightly.
"You are suspended until further notice."
My expression stiffened.
"All military benefits are revoked during this period."
The words landed harder than expected.
"You may leave."
"…Yes sir."
I saluted and walked out.
Frustration burned inside me, but there was no point making a scene.
As I packed my belongings
"Jin!"
I turned.
Anna hurried toward me.
"Why didn't you come see me before leaving?"
I looked away briefly.
"I couldn't."
Her expression softened as she placed a hand against my cheek.
"Don't worry," she said gently. "I'll talk to General Hyunwook. He'll listen to me."
For the first time all day, relief settled into my chest.
"You'd really do that?"
She smiled faintly.
"Of course."
A small smile escaped me.
"Thanks."
I kissed her softly before leaving.
Maybe things weren't hopeless.
Afterward, I went straight to my parents' house and explained everything to my father.
He listened quietly before sighing.
"I'll see what I can do."
Though disappointment lingered faintly in his eyes.
~~
{Anna POV}
I couldn't let Jin-hun lose everything.
No matter what.
I made my way toward General Hyunwook's office and entered after knocking.
He stood near the glass window overlooking the city lights.
"Anna," he said calmly. "What brings you here?"
"I came to ask for a favor."
He turned slightly.
"A favor?"
"Please reduce Jin-hun's punishment. He made a mistake, but he doesn't deserve this."
The general remained silent for a moment before taking his seat.
"Anna, perhaps you don't understand the situation."
"What situation?"
"Politics."
He folded his hands.
"Jin-hun accused senior officials of betrayal. Whether he was right or wrong no longer matters."
My fists tightened.
"There has to be something that can be done."
"There is."
Hope flickered inside me.
"What is it?"
His eyes settled on mine.
"Marry me."
My body froze.
"…What?"
"You heard me."
"That's not funny."
"Do I look like I'm joking?"
A chill ran through me.
"There's Jin-hun—"
"The suspended soldier?" he interrupted calmly. "Without my support, his future is finished."
My breathing became uneven.
"You wouldn't…"
"I already have."
Silence filled the room.
"If I wanted, I could make sure his career never recovers."
I stared at him in disbelief.
"You care about him, don't you?"
I stayed silent.
"Then choose carefully," he said calmly. "His future… or yours."
My chest tightened painfully.
If I refused, Jin-hun's life would be ruined.
If I accepted, tears gathered in my eyes.
'I'm sorry, Jin.'
"…I accept."
A faint smile crossed the general's face.
"Good choice."
Five days passed.
Five painfully boring days.
After spending only one night at my parents' house, I returned to mine. At first, the break felt nice.
No missions.
No danger.
No paperwork.
But boredom quickly became unbearable.
"Ugh…"
I stretched on the couch.
"I can't take this anymore."
RING!
I grabbed my phone immediately.
"Siri, who's calling?"
"General Hyunwook."
My eyes widened.
"Yes!"
I jumped to my feet.
"I love you, Anna!"
She actually convinced him.
I answered instantly.
"HELLO SIR! SQUAD COMMANDER JIN-HUN SALUTES!"
"Hm."
The general sounded calm as usual.
"The board has decided to let you off this time."
Relief washed over me.
But then
"You still need to prove your worth."
The excitement faded slightly.
"A mission file will be sent shortly."
"Do not disappoint."
"Yes sir, thank—"
The call ended.
Still rude.
A few hours later, an encrypted message arrived.
Mission details.
A terrorist group suspected of ties to Exodus had reportedly been spotted at a warehouse in Busan.
My objective:
Eliminate them.
Easy enough.
I packed quickly and began the three-hour drive.
By the time I arrived, night had already fallen. The warehouse stood isolated and quiet.
Perfect terrorist hideout material.
I climbed to a good vantage point and checked through my thermal scope.
Fifty-four heat signatures.
No civilians.
No signs of hostages.
Still, something felt slightly off.
But intelligence from the general's office was rarely wrong, and the blueprint attached to the mission file showed no underground section.
A direct assault felt unnecessary.
Bombs were faster.
Cleaner.
I planted explosives around support pillars and key exits before retreating to a safe distance.
Click.
BOOM!!!
The warehouse erupted violently.
Concrete collapsed.
Fire spread.
Mission complete.
Or so I thought.
Days passed.
No call from the general.
No update.
Nothing.
I tried calling him repeatedly.
No answer.
An uneasy feeling settled in my chest.
Eventually, I turned on the television.
And froze.
Breaking news.
Destroyed warehouse.
Busan.
My stomach dropped.
"The site has now been confirmed as a kidnapping den tied to a trafficking operation," the reporter said.
My breathing slowed.
Fifteen kidnapped children.
Confirmed dead.
"No…"
The remote slipped from my hand.
"That's impossible."
I checked.
There weren't any kids.
"I wasn't informed," I muttered weakly. "I wasn't told…"
Then the reporter continued.
"Authorities have reportedly received footage linked to the perpetrator."
The screen changed.
Security footage.
My car.
Me.
Leaving the scene.
My blood ran cold.
"How…?"
Then I heard it.
Police sirens.
Close.
Very close.
"Shit."
I grabbed my emergency bag and left immediately.
The following weeks became hell.
For nearly two months, I stayed hidden, constantly moving between abandoned buildings and cheap motels while the media tore me apart.
"Murderer."
"Monster."
"Child killer."
My name became poison.
Then my family suffered because of me.
My parents' house was vandalized repeatedly.
My father's political career collapsed.
My older brother eventually fled the country with his family after constant threats nearly ruined his hospital.
And through all of it—
The general vanished.
No calls.
No answers.
Nothing.
Confusion slowly turned into rage.
The suspension.
The mission.
The false intel.
The leaked footage.
Too perfect.
He had set me up.
My fists clenched.
'I'll kill him.'
But revenge could wait.
First, I needed to survive.
And leave Korea.
But not alone.
I couldn't leave Anna.
That night, I quietly left my hideout and headed for her house.
Dark.
No sign of her.
'Her parents' house.'
Security there was tighter than usual.
Still not enough.
After sneaking inside, I climbed through the balcony into Anna's room.
"Anna."
Her head snapped toward me.
"Jin?!"
She rushed over.
"What are you doing here?"
"I came for you."
My voice stayed firm.
"We're leaving."
Her expression shifted slightly.
Something felt off.
"Jin…"
I stepped closer.
"You know I was framed, right?"
A pause.
"…Yes."
"Then come with me."
Silence.
Too much silence.
My chest tightened.
"Anna?"
She lowered her gaze.
"…I can't."
"What do you mean?"
Her fingers curled slightly.
"Things changed."
Something suddenly felt very wrong.
"Things changed."
Something about those words made my chest tighten.
"What changed?"
Anna stayed quiet.
Too quiet.
"Anna."
She finally looked up.
Her eyes were red.
Guilty.
"I'm sorry."
A strange feeling settled in my stomach.
"Sorry for what?"
She hesitated before speaking.
"…I'm engaged."
For a second, I thought I misheard.
"…What?"
"I'm engaged."
My expression stiffened.
"To who?"
Her lips parted slowly.
"…General Hyunwook."
Everything suddenly felt quieter.
I laughed once.
Dry.
Disbelieving.
"That's not funny."
"I'm serious."
"No."
I shook my head.
"No, Anna. Stop joking."
Tears gathered in her eyes.
"I tried to help you."
My chest tightened further.
"What are you talking about?"
"He said he'd destroy your future," she whispered. "He said if I refused, your career would never recover."
My jaw clenched.
That bastard.
"So you agreed?"
The question came out quieter than I intended.
Her silence answered me.
I looked away and laughed bitterly.
"Wow."
The room suddenly felt cold.
"So while I was out there trying to survive…"
I swallowed hard.
"You got engaged to him?"
"Jin…"
"I trusted you."
The words escaped before I could stop them.
Tears rolled down her cheeks.
"I was trying to protect you."
'Protect me?'
Somehow, those words hurt more.
I ran a hand through my hair.
"…Fine."
The word felt heavy.
Painfully heavy.
"We'll figure something out."
Her expression tightened.
"There's more."
My chest sank.
"What?"
She hesitated for a moment.
Then quietly said
"…I'm pregnant."
Silence.
The words didn't register immediately.
"…What?"
"With his child."
Everything stopped.
No anger.
No shouting.
Just silence.
The kind that comes when something inside you breaks.
I stared at her, waiting for her to laugh.
To say it was a joke.
But she only cried.
And somehow, that hurt more.
My breathing steadied.
Then I spoke