Shadows: The Black Star

Chapter Twenty Four

"No! We have... We have to get out of there and rescue her! We can't..." Seulgi said, grabbing her gun and almost storming out if not for Jeongyeon and Seungwan holding her down.

"There are innocent people there, Seulgi-ssi! My friends are there, Moonbyul eonnie's sister is still there! We have to think this through." Yeji said, as Seulgi began to cry.

"Soyeon-ssi, can I talk to you and Yeji for a moment?" Yong Sun said after Mina finished treating her.

Soyeon and Yeji obliged, going with Yong Sun to a room while the others tried to stop Seulgi from storming out.

After only thirty minutes, Soyeon and Yeji came out, Yong Sun following them as they said that they had finally formulated a plan.

"Here is what we will do."

[Joohyun]

A buzz shook Joohyun awake as she looked at her phone, ringing nonstop as she grabbed it and turned it on--

UJ: Irene, you know what to do with this.

Joohyun smiled as she saw the same trick she did with Jennie a few years back, as she frantically typed in a response to the hacked screen.

I: what is it?

UJ: we have a plan to storm there and rescue you. The only thing you have to do is to make sure that Yeji and Moonbyul's loved ones and people who became important to you will stay out of that wedding.

I: Understood.

The phone went back to normal after that, as Joohyun decided that she couldn't sleep after what she had received.

She made her way to the custom made bathroom and filled up the bathtub, complete with bubbles as she sat in the tub, drinking wine.

Her muscles relaxed, her thoughts disappearing one by one--

Thoughts of Seulgi came into her mind, as she found herself crying.

Is Seulgi alright?

Will she storm here after hearing that I will get married?

Will we get out of this alive?

I miss her so much.

She cried for the first time in a long while, gritting her teeth as she let weakness overcome her, invading all her senses--

"Eonnie? I didn't mean to intrude, but I heard you crying..." Shin Ryujin said, the assistant Eric had assigned to her, as Joohyun managed to smile at the girl.

"I'm fine, Ryujin."

"Then if you want, I will leave you here--"

"No, please stay. I don't want to be alone, being alone in the silence makes me think dark thoughts. Sit down, please." Joohyun said, as Ryujin happily obliged.

Joohyun frowned at Ryujin's visible scars on her thighs and wrists, a punishment inflicted on the slaves, no wonder a policy made by Eric.

"I heard you helped Sojung and Eunha get out alive?" Joohyun asked, as Ryujin smiled and nodded, but Joohyun could see her wince.

"Yeji ordered us to do so. They say she's a pawn of Eric, but she has her own principles." Ryujin said, as Joohyun smiled at her.

"How are your other friends? Are they in the slave system as well?"

"I... I exchanged my freedom to get them out of the border of Seoul. The only ones in here that are close to the leaders that are your friends are me and Byul eonnie's sister, who is still imprisoned somewhere here." Ryujin said, as Joohyun nodded.

"Thank you for that information, Ryujin-ssi. I promise you, we will get out of this alive." Joohyun said, as Ryujin smiled.

"Is it true that you were part of an agency that fought against this?" Ryujin asked, as Joohyun nodded.

"We are going to get out of this hell hole, Ryujin-ssi. You just have to follow my every order, alright?"

Ryujin nodded, as Joohyun made her leave as she washed herself up.

After taking a nice, warm bath, the girl went to the control room where she knew all about how to activate the controls of the gates.

She slowly went to a computer in the far end of the room, turning it on and hacking into the manual control of the gates, opening it to the side where she knew the syndicate's defense was the weakest.

She pulled up footages of security cameras and saw the rebels going inside cautiously, before storming inside the borders of Seoul with the others.

Joohyun smiled as she watched the footage, of the rebels (not seulgi's group) fight the guards who did not have a chance to defend themselves.

Umji knew that there were rebels that were fighting for the same cause as theirs. Umji was right about letting them inside, for it will paralyze the system--

"What are you doing here, Mistress Joohyun-ssi?" a familiar voice said, making Joohyun jump in shock.

"Mark. Why are you awake at this hour?" Joohyun asked, as Mark shrugged and sat next to Joohyun, without even scolding the girl, to Joohyun's curiousness.

"You should delete the footages of you opening the gates. There are also cameras here, you should disable the ones here and delete the recording." Mark said, as Joohyun had her mouth open at what Mark said.

"Why... Why are you helping me? I thought you're loyal to Eric?"

Mark smiled, as he took over and deleted the recordings, and opening the gates wider for the rebels to get in easier.

"Can't you see that I'm truly in love with you, Joohyun?" Mark said, as a long silence followed.

"But--"

"But you're in love with someone else, I know that, of course. But I've already fallen hard, and I'll do anything to help you with your cause, even if I die doing it." Mark said, as Joohyun widened her eyes.

"You... You don't have to do that, Mark. You have to leave to save yourself from this war that's about to happen." Joohyun said, as Mark gently took her hand and kissed it, smiling at her sadly.

"My team is ready to help you and your friends, Joohyun-ssi. Even if death is certain to follow." Mark said, as Joohyun smiled sincerely.

"Thank you... But you do know I can't marry you, right?"

"Yes, of course." Mark said, as he smiled sadly, then left.

Was it a trap? Joohyun was unsure.

If it was a trap set by Eric, she had to be cautious.

Oh, Seulgi... Please be here quick.