Unevitable | Ryeji |

Chapter 47: Shadows of Protection

Ryujin's Pov:

As we rush into the tunnel, the ground beneath us trembles, and a deafening roar fills the air. Another explosion-far bigger than the first two. The walls of the tunnel groan and crack, and before we can react, chunks of debris rain down, sealing the way ahead. Dust clouds fill the space, and we're forced to stop, staring helplessly at the blocked path.

Panic surges through me. My chest tightens as I stare at the massive pile of rubble. We can't get through.

"Yeji!" I scream, my voice echoing off the cold, stone walls. I listen desperately for a response, for any sign that she and Niki are okay.

Nothing.

The silence that follows is suffocating. My heart pounds, my breaths short and erratic. I let her go in alone. I let her go in, and now-

"Yeji!" I shout again, louder this time, praying for any sound-any sign she can hear me. But the tunnel remains eerily quiet, the weight of the collapsed debris pressing down on me like a lead blanket.

Hyunjin's hand grips my arm, pulling me back. "Ryujin, we need to move," he says, his voice strained with urgency, but I can hear the fear in his words too.

"I can't-she's in there," I stammer, my voice breaking as I stare at the blockage in disbelief. "We have to get her out."

"We will. But we can't do it from here," Hyunjin insists, his grip tightening as he pulls me toward the exit. "We need another way."

I turn back to the tunnel, eyes burning with tears of frustration and helplessness. I want to scream, to tear through the debris with my bare hands, but I know he's right. We need a plan, not desperation.

Still, I can't shake the feeling gnawing at my gut-the fear that I've lost her.

We stumble back out of the tunnel, gasping for fresh air, hearts pounding from both the exertion and the fear gnawing at us. The cold night air stings against my skin, but I barely feel it. All I can think about is Yeji and Niki trapped on the other side of that rubble. I glance at Hyunjin, and his expression mirrors my own-frantic and determined.

"We have to find another way in," I mutter, already scanning the surroundings. My mind races, trying to recall any possible alternate entrances we might have missed.

Hyunjin nods, his face tight with worry. "There should be something-an emergency exit, maybe. Let's move."

Without wasting another second, we take off, rounding the building, looking for any sign of another entrance. My pulse is racing; every second feels like a countdown to disaster. The blast-the bigger one-it could've caused more damage. I don't even want to think about what might've happened to Yeji and Niki.

Suddenly, Chaeyeon and Yuna appear, rushing toward us from the other side of the building. "What happened?!" Yuna shouts, her eyes wide with panic.

"The tunnel collapsed," I explain quickly, my voice barely steady. "We need to find another way inside, now!"

Chaeyeon takes a breath, trying to think. "There's an old service entrance on the west side. It's a narrow path, but it should lead us back into the tunnels."

"That's it," I say, already moving. "Let's go."

We sprint toward the west side of the building, the faint sound of sirens in the distance barely registering in my mind. The world is a blur as we round the corner and spot the entrance Chaeyeon mentioned-a rusty door, half-hidden by overgrown vines.

Hyunjin kicks the door open without hesitation, and we all rush inside. The air is musty and stale, and the narrow corridor seems to stretch endlessly in front of us. But we push on, hearts racing with each step.