The Party That Killed || Hyunlix

75 🕸️

3rd person pov.
The office was crowded, and unsettling conversations filled the air. Piles of documents were scattered across the table, and a board in the corner displayed interconnected information — red strings tied together unnatural links. Minho stood over one of the desks, flipping through papers that revealed increasingly disturbing details. His fingers turned pages listing names, dates, and places. None of it seemed to make sense.

“Cult” — the single, unassuming word wouldn’t leave his mind. He examined photos of the group’s members captured in strange attire, their faces concealed in masks resembling ritualistic symbols. But what if these masks hid something more? What if someone they knew was connected to all of this?

Meanwhile, Changbin stood near the window, talking to another officer. The mention of rituals still gnawed at his mind, and the suspicion that this entire case might be tied to something far darker grew heavier in his thoughts.

“You know this entity is linked to these people, right?” he asked, walking back to the table where Minho was rifling through documents. “This isn’t just about murders — they truly believe in something we can’t understand. Look at this.”

Minho looked up. “I’ve noticed. This isn’t random. They knew exactly what they were doing. Look at this symbol... it’s repeated in every photo. As if it holds some meaning.”

“Maybe it’s the key,” Changbin suggested, pointing to the documents in Minho’s hands. “There’s something else… this cult has ties to places that resemble ancient sanctuaries.”

“And what about this entity? Do we know how to capture it?” Minho frowned, sifting through more papers. “From what we’ve gathered, it doesn’t seem like we can stop it using traditional means.”

“That’s where you come in,” Changbin smirked slyly. “You know how it goes — when in doubt… blow things up.”

“And you’re always sticking to the plan, huh?” Minho laughed, though tension underlined his tone.

“We need more intel,” Changbin added, turning toward other officers handing over details about the entity. “But we can’t let this spiral out of control. This isn’t a typical criminal case.”

≈🎃≈

Minho ran his finger along the edge of a stack of documents, not looking at them. His thoughts lingered on what had happened, unable to find clarity. Finally, he looked up at Changbin, who stood in the doorway, waiting for an explanation.

“You know there was no other choice. We had to shoot it…” Minho said, his voice heavy with exhaustion, as though he still couldn’t believe what had transpired. “That entity… it wasn’t normal. It was something completely otherworldly.” He paused, struggling to extract meaning from the events, but it wasn’t easy.

Changbin stepped closer, his gaze tense. “I don’t get it, Minho. What happened to it?”

Minho closed his eyes, trying to recall every detail. “Remember that tube with the brain? The one we saw in that room? After it died… something started leaking out of it. It wasn’t just fluid. Something… it was as if this entity couldn’t truly die, even after we killed it. Something in its body was trying to survive.”

Changbin felt his stomach tighten at the words. What Minho described sounded like something spiraling out of control. “And the fluid? What happened to it?”

Minho sighed, his gaze fixed on the computer screen as though searching for answers he hadn’t yet found. “I sent someone to examine it. In an hour or two, we should have some results. But if what we’re dealing with is connected to what we’ve seen… this isn’t over. It’s just the beginning. If this keeps repeating, it’ll only get worse.”

Changbin interrupted, his tone now filled with urgency. “So this wasn’t an accident, was it? That entity… there was something off about it from the start.”

Minho avoided his gaze, silent for a moment. “No. This was deliberate. They did it on purpose. But we have no idea what the consequences are. It’s possible this is just one piece of something much bigger.”

The darkness creeping into their office seemed to amplify the unease that had hung over them from the beginning. Every step they took could lead them closer to danger. But Minho had no other choice. He knew they had to get to the bottom of this before it was too late.

“Let’s leave it for now,” Minho said, setting the documents aside. “We need to gather more information. But one thing’s for sure — what we’re seeing here is just a small piece of the puzzle.”

Changbin nodded, feeling the tension grow in his body. “We’ll be ready. Whatever happens, we can’t let this slip through our fingers.”

≈🎃≈

Changbin rewound the tape, pausing it when the symbol appeared on the screen.
“I’m starting to think these symbols aren’t random. I’ve seen them in other places,” he said, pointing to the board where crime scene photos also featured similar markings.

Minho, who had been leaning against the desk with a thoughtful expression, straightened up and moved closer to the screen.
“They’re not just one symbol. Look – they’re everywhere. On walls, floors, even on the clothes these people wore.”

The two exchanged a glance, as though an idea had just dawned on them.
“Do you think those documents we found in the basement have anything about this?” Changbin asked.
“If the cult used these symbols so frequently, they must have recorded their meaning somewhere. Maybe it’s more than decoration — maybe it’s the key to understanding how this ritual and… this entity work.”

Minho grabbed his coat from the back of a chair and tossed it to Changbin.
“Let’s go. We’ll go through those papers again. This time, we focus on the symbols.”