The veil of retribution

Chapter 13: Behind the Masks

Jihoon’s heartbeat thundered in his chest as he crept through the dark hallways of the CEO’s mansion. The night air was thick with tension, and the eerie masks worn by the party guests earlier still haunted his thoughts. But this was it—the moment where everything could unravel or fall into place. Yura’s words echoed in his mind: "Don’t do anything reckless." Yet, here he was, sneaking deeper into the mansion, far away from the party where he was supposed to be serving drinks.

He had to find out what was happening behind the scenes of the Namwon project, especially now that the unknown person had made it personal. The masked figure at the party had been watching him closely, and Jihoon couldn’t shake the feeling that he was being played.

The mansion felt like a labyrinth, every turn revealing another hallway, dimly lit and ominous. He moved quickly, his footsteps silent against the marble floor, heading toward the private quarters where he suspected more guests were gathering for a secret meeting. His plan was simple: blend in, listen, and leave without a trace. But something felt wrong. The tension in the air was palpable, and an uneasy feeling crept over him.

As he reached the end of the hallway, a large oak door loomed ahead, slightly ajar. Voices whispered from inside, barely audible. Jihoon pressed himself against the wall and edged closer, hoping to catch some of the conversation. He held his breath, straining to hear. It was too quiet to make out any words, but there was no mistaking the importance of the discussion. These were the power players behind Namwon.

Suddenly, a creak sounded from behind him. Jihoon froze.

He turned slowly, his eyes widening in shock.

A group of masked figures stood at the end of the hallway, blocking his escape. They were all dressed elegantly, but the masks made them seem like ghosts, faceless and unreadable. There had to be at least five or six of them, standing still, watching him. A cold sweat broke out on Jihoon’s forehead as panic began to set in.

This wasn’t part of the plan.

He had expected to find executives in a private meeting, not to be confronted by a crowd of masked figures waiting for him. How did they know he was here? Had the unknown person tipped them off? Or was this all part of some sick game?

Jihoon stepped back, his mind racing. He was trapped. The only way out was through the door behind him, but there was no way he could just walk into the meeting without raising alarms.

As he backed away, his phone buzzed in his pocket. He didn’t need to look to know who it was.

Unknown: “Looks like you’ve found some new friends. They’ve been waiting for you.”

Jihoon’s jaw tightened in frustration. Who the hell are you? he wanted to scream, but he didn’t have time to dwell on it. He had to get out of there—fast.

He turned to make a run for it, but as soon as he took a step, a voice called out from behind him.

“Well, well, well, Jihoon. Look at you, sneaking around like a bad kid who doesn’t know his place.”

The voice was unmistakable. A mix of amusement and condescension, dripping with a taunting familiarity. Jihoon froze, his fists clenching at his sides. He didn’t need to turn around to know who it was.

Seungmin.

Slowly, Jihoon turned to face him, his heart pounding in his chest. Seungmin stood a few feet away, casually leaning against the wall with that same mocking grin on his face. His eyes gleamed from behind his own mask, the ornate design doing little to hide the smug expression beneath it.

Seungmin chuckled softly, pushing himself off the wall and sauntering toward Jihoon with an air of superiority. “You should be at the party, Jihoon. You know, serving drinks like the good little worker you’re supposed to be. Not here, snooping around in places you don’t belong.”

Jihoon’s fists clenched tighter. “What are you doing here, Seungmin?”

Seungmin tilted his head, his grin widening. “Oh, me? I’m just keeping an eye on you. Making sure you don’t get yourself into trouble. Or worse.” His eyes narrowed, his voice lowering to a dangerous whisper. “You don’t want to make things harder for yourself, do you?”

Jihoon’s blood boiled. Seungmin had always been a thorn in his side, ever since the day they first met. But this was different. There was something darker, more sinister, about his presence here.

Seungmin stepped closer, his voice dripping with sarcasm. “You’re really bad at this, you know? Investigating isn’t exactly your strong suit. You should leave it to the professionals.”

Jihoon glared at him, his mind racing. Seungmin knew more than he was letting on. He had to. “Why are you involved in this, Seungmin? What do you know about Namwon?”

Seungmin laughed, the sound cold and mocking. “Oh, Jihoon. You really have no idea what you’ve gotten yourself into, do you? Namwon is just the tip of the iceberg. But you? You’re in way over your head.”

Jihoon took a step forward, his anger rising. “What are you talking about?”

Before Seungmin could respond, the masked figures began closing in around them, their movements slow and deliberate. Jihoon’s heart raced as he realized he was completely surrounded. There was no way out.

Seungmin’s grin widened as he watched Jihoon’s panic grow. “You see, Jihoon, the problem with people like you is that you think you can control everything. But the truth is, you’re just a pawn in someone else’s game. And right now, you’re losing.”

Jihoon’s mind raced, trying to find a way out of this mess. He couldn’t fight all of them, not here, not now. He needed a plan. He needed Yura.

Seungmin took a step closer, lowering his voice to a whisper. “But don’t worry, Jihoon. I’m not here to hurt you. Not yet, anyway.” He paused, his eyes gleaming with amusement. “I’m just here to remind you of your place.”

Jihoon’s jaw clenched as he met Seungmin’s gaze. He wasn’t going to let him win. Not this time.

But before Jihoon could say anything, Seungmin stepped back, his expression shifting to one of mock disappointment. “It’s a shame, really. You could’ve been something. But now? You’re just another pawn to be sacrificed.”

The masked figures closed in, their presence suffocating. Jihoon’s pulse quickened as he backed up against the wall, trapped.

Just when he thought there was no way out, a voice called from the shadows, cutting through the tension like a knife.

“Enough.”

Everyone froze, including Seungmin. The voice was calm, authoritative. Jihoon’s eyes darted toward the source, and a figure emerged from the shadows, their face hidden behind an elaborate, gilded mask.

Seungmin’s smirk faltered as the figure approached, and for the first time, Jihoon saw a flicker of uncertainty in his eyes.

The figure stopped in front of Jihoon, their gaze piercing through the mask. “Leave him.”

Seungmin hesitated, his eyes narrowing in confusion. “What? But—”

“I said, leave him.” The figure’s voice was cold, unwavering. “He’s not your concern.”

For a moment, Jihoon thought Seungmin would argue, but after a tense silence, he stepped back, his grin returning, though less confident this time. “Fine,” Seungmin muttered, turning away. “But don’t say I didn’t warn you, Jihoon.”

With that, Seungmin disappeared into the shadows, followed by the masked figures.

Jihoon’s breath came in ragged gasps as he stared at the mysterious figure before him. Who were they? And why had they just saved him?

The figure tilted their head, their voice softening. “You should be more careful, Jihoon. There are dangerous people in this house.”

Jihoon swallowed hard, his mind still reeling. “Who are you?”

The figure paused for a moment, then turned to leave, their voice barely above a whisper. “You’ll find out soon enough.”

And with that, they were gone, leaving Jihoon alone in the dimly lit hallway, his mind spinning with more questions than answers.

One thing was clear: the game had just gotten a lot more dangerous. And Jihoon was right in the middle of it.