Against Time | k.th. ✔

三十 : the final summon

"Do you hear the drums?" Sangcheol addressed Taehyung, who was busy repeating the loading- unloading process of the guns to get the hang of them in time.

However, Sangcheol's befuddled face immediately prompted Taehyung to jolt up from where he was sitting and head straight towards the window that provided to them a peek of the outside world, whilst self-assuring concurrently that he was not as much exposed to the fleet of the Imperial Troops that had queued up on either sides of the street. Adjusting himself in accordance with the same precaution, Taehyung somehow managed to collect a comparatively extensive vision of the road beneath, donning a sardonic grin instantly after he realized that the awaited moment had finally come. 

A high, mounted vehicle was approaching the other end of the road, and following it were the people of Hansung who were deceiving the Emperor and his agents with the former's own trick. The mood was ecstatic and the crowd seemed excited upon witnessing the mighty Japanese Emperor with their bare eyes, though none of those serving the king would ever have imagined— even in their wildest dreams— that such unending multitudes of people could ever be so unanimous in their thought.

Thought that evidently was not favorable to their interests.

Taehyung snickered at the slyness of his people, not forgetting at the same time that he had to dispatch a signal for the rest of his comrades too— who stayed camouflaged in the other buildings— about the apparent development that was gradually taking place. And so, when he tumbled himself across the room to reach the adjacent corner of the same window, instead of wearing the stern expression of a leader conveying commands, his face languished dramatically.

In a manner that lucidly denoted that something unprecedented had transpired for them to confront.

And they, in no manner, were prepared to stand their ground against such a surprise.

What Taehyung had caught betiding in the hideout closest to his was, the comrades who had been assigned that spot being grappled to the floor by a pair of Imperial Guards. Of all the glitches Taehyung and his team had considered, being forced to deal with such a situation never made it to their list. It may have been that they grew overconfident, putting immense faith in a phenomenon whose efficacy could as easily be sabotaged as the schemes that they would have concocted without it.

Did the supposed boon— in the form of modern rifles— really end up outwitting Taehyung and his friends at such a critical time?

Taehyung's face progressively fell wan, his eyelids quivering in disbelief whilst he himself shuddered in horror. His steps floundered as he reeled backwards, perfectly portraying the tumult that had ensued in his head. He would have possibly been halted in his tracks by the wall— that had not moved an inch yet seemed like caving in on him— had it not been for Sangcheol. The latter rested his hand on the frenzied man's shoulder, urging him to pivot and face him.

"We got caught, Sangcheol. Someone told on us... The— It's all over, Sangcheol, everything's over! We failed! We failed our country! The future, we failed to protect our future! I can't believe this... It doesn't make sense at all." Taehyung could not hold back the impending meltdown, the tears gushing out through his eyes further adding on to the commotion.