Han, sitting cross-legged on one of the boxes in the warehouse, was lost in deep thought. Clearly, he had been followed since his arrival in this city. They knew the hotel he chose, even the room he was staying in. This enemy was very dangerous.
Han felt like a toy in the enemy's palm. He needed a place to hide from their eyes. Since he didn't know who the enemy was, everyone he saw was a potential enemy for Han. Therefore, he couldn't just wander around aimlessly.
Leina's unexpected job offer presented the opportunity Han was seeking. He accepted the job without a second thought. He knew that Leina, who had caught him off guard while he was sleeping, wasn't his enemy. Otherwise, he would have been captured or even killed long ago.
All day long, he kept his job and observed everyone around him. Leina, Ali, the large man whose name he didn't know, the people coming and going from the bookshop… Except for the large man, he sensed no sign of hostility from any of them. He occasionally stepped out of the shop and checked the street.
The bookshop was located on a less busy street. From what he'd learned from Ali, it was in an area populated by low-income, middle-class people. He'd wandered far from the hotel he'd been raided in during the night, ending up in a different neighborhood.
He took out the map and located his current position and the hotel's location on the map. His location was quite far from the hotel. The chances of the enemy searching for him there were slim. But Han had to get to the hotel somehow. Because that hotel was the only clue he knew, the only one leading to his enemies.
He'd wait a few days and then pay a visit to the hotel. He had to contact the staff who took care of him and the people who prepared his meals. If they were still working at the hotel, he'd need to have a private conversation with them.
He folded his map and put it in his pocket. He jumped out of the box he was sitting in and then walked toward the stairs leading to the upper floor, having made up his mind.
…
Han approached Leina, who was checking the daily account books at the counter.
- Good evening, madam.
- Good evening, Demir. You're quite tired today. Still, you worked better than I expected. Come (gesturing to the small chair next to you.) You can sit here. A little rest will do you good.
- Thank you, madam. That's very kind of you, but I don't want to sit. I'm in a bit of a rush. I just came to tell you that... As agreed, I worked for you today and organized the books with Ali. I feel like I've repaid my debt to you in some way. That's why I came to say goodbye.
- (Leina, not wanting to lose such a good worker, who does it for free, stopped Han.) Wait a minute. Our agreement was to empty all the crates in the warehouse and arrange them on the shelves. But you only opened a quarter of the boxes. Shouldn't you also take out the books from the remaining boxes and arrange them on the shelves?
- But madam. I only spent one night in your warehouse, and in return, I worked a whole day in your shop. I think a day's work in return for my one night's stay is enough to repay my debt to you. Anything more than that, isn't it unfair?
- I don't want you to think I'm pressuring you. I simply expect you to fulfill our agreement. You gave me confidence and said, "I can do this." I took your word for it and didn't feel the need to look for someone else.
I trusted you... But now you're telling me, 'I won't work anymore.' You want to leave your work unfinished. That's not right. You know that, don't you? (Seeing a moment of hesitation in the Han, she jumped at the opportunity.)
People, especially trustworthy ones, should keep their promises. What I expect from you is to come back here tomorrow morning and finish any unfinished work. Don't leave me in a difficult situation.
- Your words make me hesitate. I have a hard time contradicting you. Because from your perspective, what you're saying is true and logical. But I'm right, too.
I don't know if it's right for me to tell you this, but if I don't, my innocence will be ignored and you will think I am a liar. I never want to be in that position.
- What's your problem? Tell me. If you're right, I won't hesitate to cancel my agreement with you. And I won't blame you for it.
- Madam, I don't know how to put it, but if I return home today, I won't be able to come back here. I've been having some family problems for a while. After a long struggle, I finally got permission from my family for my friend's farewell dinner. They won't be able to give me permission again. Therefore, I won't be able to come here.
Even if I wanted to stay somewhere else, the only friend I could stay with in this city joined the military camp today. So I have no place to spend the night. I have to go home. And if I do go home, there's no way I'll be able to go out again.
- Place to stay? (Leina immediately found a way to take advantage of Han and make him even more indebted to her.) Since you need a place to stay, you can stay here until your work is done. We have a room in the back. A room I use occasionally.
Whenever I don't feel like going home, I'll stay there. Not like a warehouse. A clean room. What do you say? That way, you can keep your word and fulfill our agreement.
- I don't know... (Han paused for a moment, pretending to think.) If I'm not going to be a burden to you...
- What burden are you talking about? (Leina stepped out from behind the counter and took Han's arm.) Come, I'll show you where you'll stay. I'm sure you'll be comfortable in this room.
As I said, I don't mind staying in my room until you're done. Because you won't make me dependent on others... (Leina dragged Han towards the back room.)
When the sun set and it was getting dark, Leina left the shop to Han and went home. Han, lying on his new bed, waited for the time to pass. When more time passed and it got darker, he would go out and start looking for Berfin.
The first stage of the mission was to reach the northern border town. The second step was to locate Berfin. To do this, Han would scour the entire city, waiting for the rings that would reveal Berfin's location to appear before his eyes.
He opened a map of the city and plotted a route. First, he would search his current area, then check the lower-class neighborhoods on the far side of the city, where crime rates were high.
If he couldn't find Berfin there, he would expand his search to the most dangerous parts of the city, the areas where the military junta's elite lived. "I hope I find Berfin before I get to the nobles," he said, and lay down on his bed and slept for a while.
It was already dark, and hour's was nearing midnight. It was time for the military to take over the streets. Military police, invisible during the day, began to roam the city streets for their nightly vigils.
By day, the invisible military administration gave the impression of a social state. During the day, the military regime kept a low profile, giving the impression that the city was governed by a social state. But at night, it unleashed its repressive, authoritarian, even tyrannical and torturous style of governance on the entire city, spreading terror.
When darkness fell on the city, no one without permission from the military administration could wander freely. Without military permission, they couldn't even let their patients out of their homes for treatment.
Han woke up after three hours of sleep. He left his room, approached the shop window, and watched the street in front of the shop for a while. There was no commotion or incident. The military police walked calmly.
As the military police left the street, Han went downstairs to the warehouse. He stepped out of the window opening onto the back alley and walked calmly into the darkness of the night...
…
She had come home late at night. When she learned from her mother that Demir was staying at the shop, she couldn't control her anger and was furious with her for allowing a complete stranger in. They argued with her mother for a long time, but all she achieved was a headache.
She was furious. As she was pacing around her room, she suddenly made a decision and left her house and went to the shop. Aila couldn't just sit around and wait while this unknown man was in their shop. She absolutely had to check on him.
As she came to the shop from the back streets, she noticed the warehouse window was open. Her mother used to leave the window open so the books in the storage room could breathe. But wasn't this window a bit too open? A suspicion crept into her mind. Praying to herself, "Please, let nothing be stolen" she jumped out the window and went inside.
She lit the gas lamp hanging on the wall and examined the storage room. Then she went upstairs and looked around, checking for anything missing. Thankfully, everything was in its place. There was no sign of a robbery. She was angry with herself for yelling at her mother and blaming Demir.
After looking around one last time, she turned to go back home, but her arm accidentally touched one of the books and caused it to fall to the floor. The sound of the book falling echoed loudly in the dark and silent room.
She waited for Demir to come to investigate the noise, but it didn't happen. "Why didn't Demir come to check on the noise?" Aila was suddenly curious and had an urge to look in the back room. She calmly went back room and looked, but Demir wasn't there.
"Where is this kid? Or is he planning to bring his friends and rob the shop? If so, I'll gather my friends too." Although it was a ridiculous thought, the suspicion that Demir was a thief was etched in Aila's mind. She quickly left the shop and went to look for her most trusted men...
...
Han, unable to locate Berfin despite searching all night, returned to the bookshop before sunrise. A sense of unease gripped him as he entered through the warehouse window he'd left open. The warehouse was dark, yet something about it felt different. A thick, oppressive atmosphere permeated the warehouse.
Had his enemies found him? He thought he'd hidden well, but it seemed he had nowhere to hide from the enemy. There was no way back now. He would either die here or kill everyone here. As he tried to avoid the moonlight streaming through the window and grab the karambit knives from his waistband, Aila's voice was heard.
- You picked the wrong shop to rob. Whatever it is you're looking for, I won't let you take it.
- Aila?
While Han was wondering why Aila was here, Aila made her way through the boxes and stopped in the light of the window. She raised her head and looked toward the window.
- Where are the others? You're not planning on carrying all that stuff alone, are you?
- Lady, I don't know what item you're talking about, but I sense you've got the wrong idea about me.
- So, it's not the books or the items here you're after... Then what are you after?
- My lady, I'm not a thief. I have no intention of stealing anything from you. I had to leave because something important and absolutely essential, came up...
- ENOUGH! You can't impress me with your fancy talk. You can only fool my mother with these lies. Who would believe a lying thief like you? GUYS! What are you waiting for? Get him...
Except for the two people who were well hidden behind the boxes, the other three lunged at Han. Realizing he'd entered a point of no return, Han stopped pretending. He drew the karambit knives from his waist, gripped them tightly, and braced himself for the oncoming attacks.
The one who wanted to strike Han first was the large, muscular man who had been watching him all day. The person who wanted to strike Han first was a large man who had been watching him all day. When he punched Han in the jaw, Han pretended to punch him back and attacked him with his karambit knife.
The sharp blade severed two of the man's fingers, severing them, and the man groaned in pain. Han's attack didn't stop, and he delivered a powerful knee blow to the man's abdomen, sending him sprawling to the ground. As the man fell to the ground and clutched his severed fingers, Han moved toward the other men.
He dodged the lead man's attack with a quick left turn, then immediately lunged with his karambit knife, slicing through the man's right kidney. Before he could make another attack, the man fell to the ground.
The other man was the weakest of them all. When Han encountered him, he struck the man's neck hard with the back of the karambit knife in his left hand. The force of the blow sent the weak man flying toward the crates, while Han quickly advanced and stood in front of Aila.
Aila was shocked to see the three men fall to the ground, writhing in pain. Her eyes were wide and filled with fear. She couldn't understand how the three men had defeated so quickly. Who was this man before her? What dangerous business had she gotten herself into?
The other two men left behind took advantage of Han's pause and attacked him, seeking revenge for their friends. It was impossible for Han not to see the men attacking from behind Aila. These men are complete idiots.
He took two steps, passed Aila, and kicked the first man hard between the legs. Then he punched the other man hard in the jaw. As they both rolled to the ground, Han approached Aila. Another sudden attack, and before Aila could turn around, Han caught him.
- You're the only one left. Won't you attack?
- (Seeing all five of his men lying on the ground, writhing, Aila asked.) Who are you?
- (He pressed the tip of his karambit knife lightly against Aila's shoulder.) I'll be the one asking the questions now. I expect you to answer truthfully. Or I'll be the only one breathing in this warehouse.
- (A momentary fear and the thought of her mother being left alone in this life made Aila hesitate.) What? What do you want to know?
- First, I want to know who asked you to catch me...
…
Aila went to gather her own men, believing Han would return with his friends in the middle of the night and rob the shop. The city had several prominent houses, stores, and warehouses where mafia and thugs congregated.
When she visited several houses and warehouses within her territory, she came across a strange wanted notice, said to be an order from the Night Lord. A young man, seventeen or eighteen, was wanted from the capital. Anyone with knowledge of his whereabouts was asked to report to headquarters as soon as possible.
Aila thought of Han. His strange speech, behavior, and age seemed to match the wanted notice. Was he the wanted man? Just in case, she returned to the shop with five men instead of two. First, she would capture Han, then interrogate him.
If he was the wanted man, she would personally take him to headquarters and receive a large bonus from the Night Lord. This would also enhance her reputation within the hierarchy. Perhaps they would even make her the ruler of her own territory, who knows?
Aila and her men quickly returned to the shop to apprehend Han, but events didn't unfold as Aila expected. Now Aila was the one being interrogated.
…
- What are you talking about? You're a thief. And I'm a shop owner who wants to teach a thief a lesson...
- What a nice excuse you've come up with. If you really wanted to teach me a lesson, you wouldn't have ordered your men to catch me.
When Han pressed the karambit knife even harder, trying to stab Aila's shoulder, Aila quickly turned her shoulder and tried to strike Han's jaw with the elbow of her other arm. But the intended blow didn't land.
He stopped the elbow coming toward his chin and immediately kicked Aila in the back of the knee, causing her to fall to the ground. He grabbed her hair and pulled her head to the side, then held the karambit knife to her throat.
- If you think I won't kill you, you're mistaken. Tell me what I want to know, and I'll let you live. It's a simple deal. What part of this didn't you understand?
- (Aila realized that bringing her men here was a big mistake. Because if she sold the Night Lord to save her life, these men would speak, and the Night Lord would come to take Aila's life.) If I tell you, I'll die. If I don't tell you, I'll die. What kind of deal is this?
- Fine... I'll give you a way out. If you remain silent, I'll make sure your mother comes after you too, just so you know.
- (The Night Lord would definitely kill everyone in her family. So now, dying and saving her mother was the best option, but this man was threatening to kill her mother.) Tell me your solution. If I'm convinced, I'll talk.
- First, I'll get rid of these men. Then, together, we'll go to the enemy who wants to capture me. If what you say turns out to be true, I'll let you go.
While I deal with the enemy, you and your family can escape from this city. Life and death are now in your hands. Either you lose your trail and live, or you get caught and killed...
What do you say? I think it's a good deal.
After thinking for a while, Aila finally confessed that it was the Night Lord who wanted to capture his. Upon learning the identity of his enemy, Han killed all the men around him and went with Aila to where the Night Lord was.
As they passed through the area where the middle class lived, the sky was beginning to lighten. It was the twilight before sunrise. Everything was now brighter, and it was time for the military police to change shifts.
The two took advantage of the chaos and made their way to the luxurious neighborhoods where the standard of living was higher and the houses were single-story. After passing a many houses, a mission notification suddenly appeared before Han's eyes, followed by rings indicating Berfin's location.
The rings clearly showed that Berfin was in the house across the street. Han stopped in his tracks.
- Why did you stop? We'll be there in a few streets. Let's go.
- Our paths part here. Go save yourself. I don't need you anymore.
Han was staring directly at the house across the street. When Aila left without saying a word, Han drew his karambit knives and headed toward the house indicated by the rings…