On the upper floor of the Seven Seas Company building, the atmosphere was still—so still it was tense—when the phone rang on Lee Sojun's desk.
He slowly picked up the receiver, as if expecting news he wasn't ready to hear. As soon as the device touched his ear, a sharp, clear voice came from the other end:
"Sir, Joseph has been found. He's in the hospital, unconscious."
A deadly silence followed. Then Sojun spoke in a cold voice:
"Notify me when he wakes up."
He ended the call with a firm press of the button, then muttered to himself with a tone of restrained anger:
"That bastard… where has he been for a whole month? He's hiding something… I'll kill him—but not before I know the whole truth."
Only moments passed before the office doors opened gently. His secretary entered quickly, her face carrying a hint of tension. She said in an official tone:
"Sir, Director Lee Sojo… he has just arrived at the building and requests to see you immediately."
Sojun raised an eyebrow, surprise flashing across his face.
"My brother? When did he arrive in Korea? And why does he want me so urgently?"
He paused in thought for a moment, then rose and said as he put on his coat:
"Alright, I'll go to him now."
He passed through the wide hallways of the company with steady steps, though his mind was swirling with questions. He hadn't seen his brother in many months, and wasn't informed of his arrival. His presence here today meant something.
He reached his elder brother's office, which was simpler than his own, despite Sojo's higher position. The door was open, and inside sat Lee Sojo—a stern-looking man with eyes that reflected the weight of experience, and a voice that carried authority without needing proof.
"Come in, Sojun," he said, pointing to the seat across from him.
Sojun sat quietly, then his brother sighed and said directly:
"Tell me, brother… what happened regarding the matter you told me about?"
Sojun replied in a low, tense voice:
"You mean Joseph? He started causing trouble from his first raid. He came out alive, while every other member of the team—who were stronger than him—were killed. I don't understand how he survived, nor how he disappeared for an entire month. And the worst part… before that raid, I sent an assassin to monitor him, and he was killed. No one knows who did it."
Sojo's brows furrowed slightly. He looked his brother straight in the eye and asked seriously:
"Then how did the team die on that mission?"
Sojun sighed deeply before answering:
"A giant snake… it devoured them."
Sojo raised an eyebrow with obvious sarcasm, then said mockingly:
"A snake? Did you just say a giant snake devoured them?"
Sojun replied without hesitation, as if recalling a muddled memory with clarity:
"Yes. That's what Joseph said… and the girl who came out alive with him."
Silence hung in the air for a few moments, then Sojo dropped a verbal bomb:
"What if I told you… they weren't devoured at all? They were all killed by a sharp weapon?"
Sojun's body jolted. Genuine shock appeared on his face.
"What are you saying… brother?" he stammered.
Sojo rose from his seat and walked toward the window overlooking the city. He spoke calmly:
"I recovered the bodies."
Sojun jumped from his chair, nearly disbelieving what he heard.
"How?! How did you retrieve them? That's impossible…"
His brother replied without turning:
"That's none of your concern. What matters is the truth is now in my hands… and you've been deceived, like a fool."
Sojun couldn't control himself. A firestorm of rage and humiliation erupted in his chest. He grabbed his head with both hands and shouted:
"Those bastards… they lied to me! I swear… I swear I won't forgive them. I'll kill them with my own hands, one by one!"
Sojo turned to him, his voice firm and his tone decisive:
"Don't rush, Sojun. Now… listen to me carefully."
Sojun's eyes burned with anger, but he fell silent.
"From now on, you'll do exactly as I say. You will not take a single step without my knowledge…"
Sojun sat back down. Despite his rage, he knew his brother rarely misjudged things.
Standing at the glass window, watching the cars winding through the capital's streets like serpents, Sojo turned to his brother and said in a tone that allowed no argument:
"You will go to Yugi Moto, and issue a direct order."
Sojun frowned.
"Yugi Moto? You mean the Yuhawai Mafia boss?"
Sojo nodded confidently.
"Yes, exactly. Tell him I ordered it. He must kidnap the girl immediately and interrogate her himself… then kill her."
Sojun stared at him for a few seconds, then asked slowly:
"Are you serious?"
Sojo replied while heading to his desk and glancing at some files:
"Yes. As for Joseph, he'll be busy with the investigation that's about to open. The Authority won't overlook this lie, especially after they receive the reports on the real corpses."
He paused for a few seconds, then spoke in a voice as cold as ice:
"We'll use the chaos. While everyone is focused on the investigation, we'll kidnap Joseph… and make it look like he committed suicide. We'll hang him like any foolish criminal, and his end will seem completely natural."
A long silence followed. Then Sojun said with amazement and a tinge of admiration:
"Brother… you truly are a genius… I didn't expect such poise and cunning."
Sojo gave a faint smile, the kind devoid of emotion, then said softly:
"Just… leave now, and get to work."
Sojun stood immediately and nodded without another word. He left the office, his face a mix of enthusiasm and vengeance. Meanwhile, Sojo sat quietly, gazing at the files before him as if planning the next phase.
Once the door shut behind Sojun, silence returned to the room. Sojo remained standing at the window for a few moments, then calmly returned to his desk. He pulled out his chair and sat, but something still troubled him… as if a thread in this dark game remained untied.
He muttered to himself, quietly:
"But… Joseph… it's a foreign name."
He glanced at the computer screen, then typed quickly on the keyboard. A few keystrokes were enough to open the company's confidential database. He entered the full name from the reports… "Joseph."
A digital record appeared before him, full of detailed information. Full name: Joseph Yaman.
At that, his eyebrows drew together for a moment, then his lips parted in a faint smile—part revelation, part malice.
"Ahhh… Joseph Yaman…" he muttered as he reread the name.
He laughed quietly, like someone who just found the missing puzzle piece.
"So… you're the brother of that bastard…" he said under his breath, hatred seeping into the very air of the room.
His laughter widened slightly before he shut off the screen and whispered:
"Seems I won't just stop with you… I'll end your brother too."
_______________
In a dim room lit only by a faint light seeping through the window, Joseph's fingers stirred atop the bed sheet. He opened his eyes slowly, as if returning from another world, from a place of nothingness and silence. He blinked several times, trying to process his surroundings. White walls. A ceiling with cold lights. The scent of disinfectants filled his nose.
"A hospital?" he whispered hoarsely, then looked at his bandaged shoulder—surprisingly healed.
He turned his head right… then left. No one. No sounds except the beeping machines and his heartbeat.
"How did I get here?" he murmured as he pulled off the blanket.
He rose slowly from the bed. He didn't feel much pain—just a faint fatigue, nothing compared to what he expected. His feet touched the floor, and he walked cautiously toward the door. He placed his hand on the handle and opened it gently.
And as the door opened… he froze.
His sister was standing in front of him, and behind her a nurse holding a file, seemingly just about to enter. Joseph's eyes widened, his heart clenched, and all the memories he had buried over the past month came flooding back like a tidal wave.
But what he didn't expect happened next.
Before he could speak… his sister slapped him.
It wasn't the pain of the slap that struck him—but the grief and tears packed in it.
Her eyes were wide, full of both anger and pain.
"I thought you were going to die!" she cried, voice trembling. "I thought you left me… left me all alone, Joseph!"
He stared at her for a long moment before whispering with real remorse:
"I'm sorry… I didn't mean to disappear."
But she wasn't convinced. She stepped toward him again, grabbing his shirt sleeve and saying:
"A whole month! A month without knowing whether you were alive or dead! How could you?"
He raised his eyebrows in genuine confusion, then asked incredulously:
"Wait… a month? I was gone that long?"
She nodded, nearly breaking into sobs, then whispered:
"Just tell me… what's going on? Why all this?"
He wanted to answer. To tell her. To pour out the pain and darkness and fear… but the words couldn't find their way to his tongue.
Only silence… silence was his reply.
Suddenly, the moment was interrupted by a strange voice at the door. They both turned to see a man in black formal attire, wearing an Authority badge.
"Mr. Joseph Yaman?" he said in a dry tone.
Joseph nodded.
"You are officially summoned for investigation at the Guardian Authority headquarters. The appointment is tomorrow morning. Be sure to arrive on time."
He then turned and left, leaving behind an open door… and questions far too big for Joseph to answer in that moment.
Joseph looked at his crying sister, then toward the gray sky outside the window.