Bound by Shadows .jc

CHAPTER 63

The Fall of Viktor Kwon

The basement of the SVT headquarters was cold and dimly lit, the air thick with the metallic tang of blood and tension. Viktor Kwon sat slumped in a metal chair in the center of the room, his arms and legs bound tightly, blood seeping from the knife wounds that had pierced him during his capture. His once-imposing figure looked diminished, yet his presence was anything but weak. Despite his injuries, Viktor's face wore an infuriatingly calm smirk, as though he were the one in control.

Seungcheol entered first, his footsteps echoing ominously against the stone floor. He dragged a chair across the room, the screech of metal on stone grating on everyone's nerves and placed it directly in front of Viktor. For a moment, Seungcheol simply stared, his sharp gaze taking in the man who had been a constant shadow and a thorn in his side for years.

Yet, to Seungcheol's surprise, he felt nothing—no anger, no pity, no satisfaction. Just a hollow curiosity as he leaned back in the chair, folding his arms. "You're smiling, Viktor," Seungcheol remarked, his voice cold and laced with sarcasm. "It's a strange expression for someone sitting where so many of your victims have before."

Viktor chuckled, the sound raspy but oddly light. "Thrilled," he replied with a smirk. "That's how it feels. I'd call it poetic, don't you think?"

Seungcheol's jaw tightened, his tone dropping. "Why did you do it?" he asked, his voice carrying a restrained fury. "Even after all the things you've done, I trusted you—trusted your word when it came to Jeonghan. You've always been a man of your word, Viktor. So why break it now?"

Viktor tilted his head, the smirk never faltering. "Ah, life's tough, Seungcheol," he replied lazily. "Not everyone in this world is as virtuous as you'd like to believe. Consider this a lesson—trust no one, not even someone like me."

Seungcheol's eyes darkened, his voice gaining a sharper edge. "If this was about teaching me a lesson, why the hints? Why give me the message before you went after Jeonghan? What was the point of mocking me before you even made your move?"

The room grew heavier with confusion as the others shifted uncomfortably, their attention now fully locked on the conversation. Wonwoo was the first to break the silence. "What message?"

Seungcheol exhaled, his gaze fixed on Viktor. "I got a message from him—apologizing in advance, mocking me. It came exactly an hour and fifteen minutes before Viktor entered Jeonghan's home."

Jun leaned against the wall, his sharp eyes narrowing. "The timeline doesn't add up," he muttered. "You were at the business meeting then, weren't you?"

"I was," Seungcheol confirmed. "There were network jammers in place. I couldn't alert anyone directly, but I managed to send a bodyguard to relay the message to you all. That bodyguard, however, was one of Viktor's rats."

Viktor let out a low, almost approving laugh, the sound cutting through the room like a blade. "Smart boy," he said, his voice filled with amusement. "Exactly what I expected from you, Cheol-ah. You're learning."

Seungcheol's glare sharpened, but his tone remained even. "What I don't understand is why you made it so easy for us to capture you. It's like you walked into the trap yourself."

Wonwoo stepped forward, his piercing gaze scanning Viktor. "Is that what happened? Did you plan for this to happen?"

Viktor smiled faintly, his voice soft but carrying an undeniable power. "Of course I did," he admitted. "It's an ego thing, you know. Not just anyone gets to take me down—not even death. Everything has to happen according to my plan."

"You're insane," Vernon said bluntly, his voice tinged with incredulity. "What was your purpose then? All of this, the fighting—what did you want to achieve?"