evil prevails

part 33

After a long silence, the general raises an unreadable gaze at the captain, who stands quietly before her. Under the stare of the senior officer, the captain barely flinches but maintains military composure.

"How did this happen?" the low voice of Haerin finally breaks the established silence. "Was she really unprotected?"
"There was protection, General. A team of ten," the captain answers clearly. "The enemy sniper took out one after another from those patrolling on the roof."
"Ten people..." Haerin scoffs, shaking her head. "Ten people are nothing against Aspids. But this is Yuna's fault. She didn't allow more people to be assigned to her. Any news?"
"None, General. The Aspids didn't even let us know they took the colonel. We're searching everywhere. Not a single lead."
"If there's still nothing, that means Yuna might still be alive," Haerin says pensively, frowning. "Usually, they execute our people in front of the whole country almost immediately after abduction, and before that, they torture them in various ways," she adds, regaining firmness in her gaze. "Search for any hint. I also need an Aspid for interrogation."
"Yes, General, we will start the operation immediately," the captain replies decisively. "I will personally report on the progress."
"Excellent, you're dismissed," the general waves her hand briefly. The captain salutes and leaves the office, leaving Haerin alone with her thoughts.

Haerin sighs heavily, closes her eyes, and leans back in her chair with her arms crossed over her chest. She realizes that if Minji really captured Yuna, she won't kill her easily. And she isn't ready to reveal Mirai's identity yet, as losing that trump card so quickly would be incredibly foolish. One thing is clear: Minji no longer distinguishes between former friends and won't stop for anyone. But why did she need Yuna specifically—this is not clear.

Contemplating how Minji ended up on the side of the snakes leads to nothing but frustration, filling her with a disgusting feeling of betrayal stuck in her throat. Where did they all go wrong that Minji switched sides, becoming embittered and cutting down hundreds from the army at once? Where did Yuna go wrong?

Now, even recalling their shared past is difficult and unpleasant for Haerin. She feels not only hatred towards Minji, which flared up in a moment, but also regret. They fought for two years as they had never fought before. Throughout this endless war, so much blood has not been shed as it was with the emergence of Mirea, instilling terror not only in civilians but also in some soldiers, who would never admit this out loud. It turned out that all this time, Haerin had been fighting against her friend, a sister-in-arms for whom she would have given her life without a second thought. Captain Kim Minji is no more.

Hanni jolts awake, her tear-streaked eyes wide open as she gasps for the air missing in her lungs, quickly blinking to shake off the remnants of sleep, which frightens her. She knows that as soon as she closes her eyes again, the nightmare will continue. The omega steadies her breathing, slowly relaxing and regaining her composure. The familiar darkness of the spacious room no longer terrifies her as it once did. Hanni huddles and instinctively wraps her arms around her shoulders, turning her head to the side and inhaling the scent lingering on the shirt. It's the last thing she remembers: strong, tattooed hands adorned with snakes that won't let her escape, a warm whisper in her ear that sends goosebumps across her skin. Hanni squints for a moment and shakes her head; this cannot be. Minji couldn't have touched her with her lips. It's a figment of her imagination, a bizarre and not at all funny joke that makes her tremble for some reason. She feels disgusting because of it. Without noticing that the left side of the bed, where she never sleeps, is still rumpled, the omega retreats to the bathroom.

Minji lifts her cup and takes a short sip of hot coffee, savoring the bitter taste on her tongue. Today is a rare morning for the alpha, one without any sense of fatigue or irritation. Her mood is nearly normal, and the desire to unload a clip into someone's mouth doesn't even cross her mind. The delicate scent of wisteria still lingers on her fingertips, collected from Hanni's sleeping body beside her. This time, Hanni didn't act out; she didn't shower Minji with curses, threatening to tear her eyes out—something Minji usually finds amusing. The omega simply relaxed, curled up in bed like an embryo, brought into the room by her older sister.