Their footsteps echoed softly along the narrow stone corridor. Ji Seong led the way, his body tense as he glanced left and right. Behind him, Yu Jin supported the still-weak Do Kyung, his shoulder acting as a crutch to prevent the man from collapsing onto the damp floor again.
"How much further to the back gate?" Yu Jin asked in a low voice.
Ji Seong turned briefly. "Three more turns. But we need to pause at the central chamber. Palace guards often patrol that area."
Yu Jin nodded. He could feel the danger still lingering. Do Kyung's breath was heavy and uneven. Every movement brought him pain, yet his eyes were filled with determination.
"We can't fail tonight," Do Kyung whispered.
They stopped when Ji Seong raised a hand, signaling them to halt. Ahead, the dim light of a torch moved slowly. The voices of two guards could be heard—chatting casually as they patrolled.
Yu Jin and Do Kyung hid behind a stone pillar while Ji Seong pulled a small dagger from his belt. He didn't intend to kill, but if necessary, he wouldn't hesitate.
The guards stopped near a small staircase, facing the wall and chuckling over something they had heard in the palace kitchen. Ji Seong moved swiftly—in two silent steps, he was behind them. His left hand covered one of their mouths while the dagger in his right hand pressed a clear warning at the neck.
"Quiet. I don't need a reason to make this permanent," he whispered.
The guards, terrified, nodded. Ji Seong took the keys from their belts and tied their hands before hiding them behind the wall.
"We don't have much time," he said again. "Hurry, before someone notices."
They descended a narrow staircase leading to a hidden wooden door behind the palace storeroom. The air grew cooler—but also more dangerous. Outside, the night deepened, and rain began to fall softly.
Meanwhile, in the secret pavilion…
Areum stood by the window, watching raindrops soak the wooden floor. Her voice trembled as she read the newly arrived note sent through their secret channel:
> "Ji Seong and Yu Jin are on their way out. But Lord Baek may already know someone has breached his security."
Areum clenched the note tightly. Her face remained calm, but her eyes carried a thousand worries. She turned toward a wall hidden behind an old painting—where she kept her weapons and secret maps of the palace.
She knew if they succeeded in getting Do Kyung out tonight, the balance of power within the palace would begin to shift. But if they failed, not only would their lives be at stake, but hundreds more who still believed in the truth would also perish.
Areum looked into the small mirror beside her. She took her hairpin—actually a poisoned needle passed down from her mother.
"If this is my last night, I won't die without a fight."
At the palace's back gate…
The night wind blew gently, carrying the scent of rain and wet earth. Ji Seong opened the door slowly, the creaking sound seeming far too loud. They were only a few steps away from freedom.
But before they could move, Yu Jin stopped. His eyes locked onto something within the shadows of a large tree near the storeroom.
The shadow moved. Not one—but three figures.
"Stay still," Yu Jin whispered, pulling Ji Seong and Do Kyung to the side.
From the darkness, three men in black cloaks emerged. One of them removed his mask.
"We knew you'd come here, Ji Seong."
That face… the same assassin who had appeared underground earlier. But this time, he wasn't alone.
Ji Seong unsheathed his sword.
"Yu Jin… take Do Kyung and go. Now."
"But—"
"I said go!"
Without hesitation, Yu Jin pulled Do Kyung toward the corner. The sound of struggle erupted behind them—metal clashing against metal, short, muffled cries.
Do Kyung grabbed Yu Jin's arm. "We can't leave him behind."
"I know… but if we all die here, who will tell the world about Lord Baek?"
Yu Jin lowered his gaze and quickened his pace, guiding Do Kyung through the narrow passage toward the small forest beyond the palace. They had to reach safety before sunrise.
And in the darkness of the night, filled with the sound of rain and final breaths, their fate kept moving—one step at a time, into ever-deepening shadows.