EPISODE 62 – Unveiling the Serpent's Shadow
The alley reeked of stale refuse and fear. Moonlight barely cut through the oppressive darkness, highlighting the brutal tableau. Minjae was a force of nature, a shadow moving with lethal intent. Around him, a dozen figures lay crumpled like discarded rags, groaning in various stages of broken agony. His enemy, a gang of street thugs, had made a grave mistake. They'd kidnapped and brutalized Suho, his childhood friend, who now lay a few feet away, unconscious and bleeding, a stark testament to the brutality he'd endured.
Minjae lunged, his jaw clenched, every strike fueled by white-hot fury. He kicked a cursing gang member, sending him sprawling against a grimy dumpster. "You think you can touch what's mine?" he growled, advancing, his eyes burning with a dangerous light.
Just as he raised his foot for another devastating blow, a small, desperate figure darted into the alley. Micha. She'd been on her way home, humming a tune, when the sounds of the brawl had cut through the night. Now, she stood frozen, the violence painting Minjae in a terrifying new light. But fear quickly gave way to a desperate need to stop him.
"Minjae! Stop!" Micha cried, her voice trembling but surprisingly strong. She ran, stumbling over the prostrate bodies, and grabbed his arm, pulling with all her might. "Minjae, no! Please, don't!"
He didn't even look at her, his gaze locked on the still-conscious thug. "Let go, Micha!"
"You've already won! Look at them! They're all down!" she pleaded, tears pricking her eyes as she saw the extent of the carnage. One gang member, with a broken arm, was whimpering, trying to crawl away. Minjae took a step towards him, his face a mask of cold rage.
"Minjae, please!" Micha screamed, digging her heels in, pulling harder. "You can't! He'll die! You're not this kind of person, Minjae! Please!"
Minjae snarled, shoving her. "Get out of my way!"
Micha stumbled back, hitting the wall of the alley, but her gaze snapped back to the cowering thug. With a surge of adrenaline, she lunged forward, placing herself directly in front of him, arms outstretched. "No! You can't!" she begged, facing Minjae, her small frame shaking.
Minjae stopped, his eyes widening in disbelief, then narrowing into slits of pure fury. "Micha... get out of the way. Now. Or I swear to God, I'll kill you too." His voice was a low, dangerous growl, echoing ominously in the narrow space.
Micha squeezed her eyes shut, a sob escaping her, but she didn't move. "No," she whispered, tears streaming down her face. "Please, just run! He'll kill you!" she urged the thug behind her, her voice barely audible. The man, seeing his chance, scrambled past her and disappeared into the darkness.
Minjae let out a frustrated roar. He snatched the knife that one of the thugs had dropped, his eyes blazing with untamed rage. Micha flinched, her breath catching. He was on her in an instant, pinning her against the rough brick wall, the cold steel of the blade pressing against her cheek, just below her eye. Their faces were inches apart, their warm breaths mingling in the frigid night air.
"Don't... don't kill me," Micha whimpered, her voice cracking, tears flowing freely down her cheeks. "I'm sorry... I'm sorry..."
Minjae's eyes, blazing moments ago, slowly, incrementally, lost some of their savage fire. He saw the terror in her wide, tear-filled eyes, the desperate fear. The knife trembled slightly. His grip on her arm loosened fractionally.
"Minjae, please... That guy!" Micha gasped, her voice barely a whisper, a desperate plea to shift his focus.
The name cut through his rage like a cold blade. Minjae's eyes flickered to his friend lying motionless. The anger didn't vanish, but it was redirected. He pulled the knife away, his expression still dark, but the immediate threat to Micha gone. He released her, turning abruptly to Suho. Micha slid down the wall, trembling uncontrollably, her heart hammering against her ribs. She was terrified, but a wave of profound relief washed over her. She was safe.
Minjae carefully lifted his friend, whose eyes fluttered open weakly, a low groan escaping his lips. Minjae carried him to his car, gently laying him in the back seat before speeding off towards the hospital, leaving the broken men and a traumatized Micha behind.
Morning After Chaos
The next morning, the sterile calm of CHIPER HQ was shattered by a most unexpected argument.
"Seriously, Kevin?! You have to change! We're wearing the exact same t-shirt!" Guen exclaimed, pointing at Kevin's perfectly identical grey, V-neck tee.
Kevin smirked, leaning back in his ergonomic chair. "And what's your point, Guen? It's a classic. Why should I change? You change, witch."
"Witch?! You rude beast! I bought this shirt first!" Guen retorted, hands on her hips, her own grey V-neck mirroring his.
"Oh, really?" Kevin stood up, a dangerous, charming glint in his eyes. He slowly stepped closer, a bad-boy smile playing on his lips. "You think I'm rude?"
Guen instinctively took a step back, then another, until she bumped into the edge of a sleek, modern sofa. She stumbled, and in a desperate attempt to catch herself, her hand shot out, grabbing Kevin's collar. With a surprised yelp, she pulled him down with her. They landed on the soft cushions with a muffled thud, Kevin tumbling right on top of her.
Their eyes met, wide with shock. Kevin's face was inches from hers. Too close. Their lips accidentally brushed. A soft, unexpected, silent kiss.
Kevin froze, then swiftly scrambled off her, his face flushing crimson as he heard approaching footsteps. "Uh, gotta go!" he muttered, practically bolting from the room.
Guen lay on the sofa, dazed. Her first kiss, and it was... an accidental ambush by a "rude beast" over a t-shirt. She touched her lips, a mix of mortification and something else entirely swirling inside her.
Dohee and Alex walked in, their conversation cutting off as they saw Guen on the sofa. Minjae followed, but Micha entered almost stealthily, her face mostly hidden behind a large, colorful scarf, her eyes darting nervously. Everyone exchanged surprised glances.
"Micha? What's with the scarf?" Dohee asked, narrowing her eyes.
"Oh, uh, nothing! Just a little... chilly in here," Micha mumbled, avoiding Minjae's gaze, trying to shrink into herself. She was trying to hide, but the memory of last night was still raw, making her skin crawl and her heart race whenever she saw Minjae.
Guen, still recovering from her own moment, suddenly looked at Minjae, a dawning realization on her face. "Minjae, what did you do?" she demanded, remembering Micha's terrified reaction.
Before Guen could delve deeper, Minjae interjected smoothly, extending his hand towards Guen. "Guen, could I borrow your laptop for a minute? Urgent data transfer."
Guen, still flustered, just nodded and walked away to retrieve it. Minjae turned to Micha, his expression unreadable, a hint of steel in his eyes. He leaned in, speaking in a low, dangerous whisper that only she could hear. "Micha. If you tell anyone about last night, I will make you pay. You understand?"
Micha's eyes widened, the fear from the alley rushing back. She didn't say a word, just turned and ran, practically fleeing the room.
Alex watched her go, then looked at Minjae with a confused frown. "What was that about?"
Minjae just shrugged, a picture of nonchalance. "Teenage drama. Anyway," he announced, walking into the meeting hall, "we need a break. A team tour? Somewhere far away?"
Kevin, still a bit red-faced from his encounter with Guen, cleared his throat. "Maybe, but... I've just found a new case." He tapped on the main screen, bringing up a series of archived police reports.
"It's a serial killer case. Police marked it as cold after six months without activity, but there are too many unanswered questions. The victims are all women, specifically married women. It's the work of a psycho. There's no certainty he won't strike again. Justice is still needed, even if the police have moved on."
The lighthearted atmosphere vanished, replaced by the grim reality of their mission. The CHIPER team, a strange mix of heroes, a mafia boss, and a genius hacker, now faced a new, chilling challenge: a hidden predator preying on the seemingly secure lives of married women.