The captain pointed to a map with shaking hands. "Deck C, forward section. Room C-7. That's where they keep them before transfer."
Seongji memorized the location. Seongji grabbed the captain's collar and dragged him to a storage closet. He shoved him inside and locked it. The captain banged on the door, but Seongji was already leaving.
He descended the stairs to Deck C. His shoulder hurt from the metal piece. Blood soaked his sleeve. His hip ached from the fall. Thankfully Yenna was safe.
The corridor was narrow. He walked forward, counting doors. C-3. C-4. C-5.
Footsteps echoed ahead. Five men appeared around the corner, all armed.
"Who are you?!" one shouted. "Why the fuck are you carrying a baby?!"
They charged. Seongji sighed.
The first man swung a bat at his head. Seongji caught the bat with his left hand and yanked it away. He jabbed the end into the man's stomach. The man doubled over. Seongji struck his temple with the bat. He fell.
The second had a crowbar. He swung down. Seongji stepped aside. The crowbar hit the floor. Seongji kicked the man's knee. It bent wrong. The man screamed and fell.
Three more came together. Seongji threw the bat at one's face. It connected. The man stumbled back. Seongji rushed the other two. His palm struck one in the throat. The man choked and fell. The last one punched at him. Seongji caught the wrist, twisted, and stepped behind him. He grabbed the man's head and slammed it into the wall. The man slid down unconscious.
The one who got hit with the bat tried to stand. Seongji kicked his chest. He stayed down.
Seongji continued down the corridor. C-6. C-7.
Two guards stood outside the door. They saw him and raised their weapons—a pipe and a knife.
"Stop right there!"
Seongji kept walking. The one with the pipe charged. Seongji ducked under his swing and grabbed his arm. He twisted it and threw the man into the wall. The pipe clattered away. Seongji's foot came down on the man's back, pinning him.
The second guard lunged with the knife. Seongji turned his body. The blade missed Yenna by inches and cut his shirt. Seongji grabbed the knife hand and squeezed. Bones broke. The guard screamed. Seongji pulled him forward and kneed his face. The guard dropped.
The first guard tried to get up. Seongji kicked his head. He went limp.
Seongji adjusted the baby carrier once again.
He tried the door. Locked. He kicked next to the handle. The door frame cracked. Another kick. The door swung open.
The room was dim. Girls huddled in the corner—maybe twenty of them, different ages. They looked terrified.
Seongji scanned their faces. He found Sujin, Sally, Hyesun Oh.
Three girls stood up slowly. Sujin looked bruised. Sally's clothes were torn. Hyesun's face was pale.
"Teacher, are you here?" Sujin asked quietly.
"Yes. Stay close to me. We're leaving."
He turned toward the door. The girls started moving.
Something whistled through the air.
Seongji twisted. A steel wire wrapped around his left arm. It cut into his skin.
Jenny appeared behind the group, holding both ends of the wire. Her face morphed into a sadistic smile.
"Got you."
She yanked. The wire tightened. Blood ran down Seongji's arm.
The other girls screamed and scattered.
Jenny pulled more wire from her sleeve. "You look delicious..." She said with a sickening smile.
She threw another wire at Yenna. Seongji turned his body fast. The wire wrapped around his shoulder instead, cutting deep.
Jenny pulled both wires, trying to drag him down. Seongji stepped forward instead of back. The wires went slack for a second. He grabbed the wire on his arm with his hand and pulled hard.
Jenny stumbled forward. Seongji's foot swept her legs. She fell but rolled away, releasing one wire.
She stood and threw three wires at once. Seongji dodged two. The third caught his leg, wrapping tight. Jenny pulled. Seongji's leg was yanked to the side, but he kept his balance.
Jenny ran at him, pulling a longer wire from her waist. She swung it around. The wire cut through the air. Seongji ducked.
She swung again. Seongji caught the wire with his left hand. It cut into his palm. He didn't let go. He pulled her toward him.
Jenny tried to release the wire, but Seongji was faster. His hand grabbed her wrist. He twisted it. She gasped. He pulled her off balance and threw her into the wall. She hit hard but stayed on her feet.
She threw a wire at his face. Seongji tilted his head. The wire passed by. But another wire came low, wrapping around his ankle. Jenny pulled. Seongji's foot slipped, but he caught himself.
Jenny pulled wires from both sleeves now. She threw them in rapid succession. Seongji moved between them. One caught his arm. Another wrapped around his waist. The cuts burned.
She pulled all the wires at once, trying to bind him. Seongji's left hand grabbed the wires on his waist. He pulled hard. Jenny was dragged forward. His knee came up and hit her stomach. She gasped and let go of some wires.
Seongji grabbed her shoulder with his left hand. His fingers dug in. She screamed. He squeezed harder. Her shoulder bone cracked.
She swung a wire at his neck with her other hand. Seongji caught her wrist mid-swing. He twisted both her arms behind her back. She struggled. He swept her legs and took her down face-first.
His knee pressed on her back. His hand grabbed the back of her neck and slammed her face into the floor. Once. Twice. Her nose broke. Blood pooled under her face.
She went limp.
Seongji stood. He unwrapped the wires from his body. They'd cut deep in places. Blood ran down his arm, shoulder, and leg. But nothing vital was hit.
The other girls cowered in the corner.
"It's okay now," Seongji said. "Let's go."
Sujin stepped forward carefully. "Is she...?"
"Just unconscious. Come on."
Sujin and Sally also stepped away from Hyesun Oh. At this point, it was better to not trust them anymore.
Hyesun Oh noticed it, but didn't say anything. Actually, Hyesun Oh was innocent. She came here because of Heesu Pi. They were both from the same dance club. She had a crush on Heesu Pi, so when he proposed to go to Jeju island for summer vacation, she readily agreed.
He led them out of the room and down the corridor. His wounds ached with each step. The girls followed close behind him.
They reached a stairwell. Seongji stopped. Something felt wrong.
A man stepped out from the shadows at the top of the stairs.
He had long, shaggy black hair with bangs. He smiled.
"I didn't expect you guys to really find them even after I tried to divert your attention." the man said. "Who are you guys actually? "
Seongji's eyes narrowed.
Minyul Cheon walked down the stairs slowly. "I've been watching. You're quite impressive, fighting with a baby strapped to your chest. Very entertaining."
Minyul laughed. "But you see, this operation took a lot of planning. I can't let you ruin it. You can take away your girls, but the rest should remain here."
He stopped a few steps above Seongji. "Those girls are valuable merchandise. And you've caused a lot of damage to my people."
"I can't do that." Seongji said. His voice was flat.
"Really?" Minyul's smile faded. "Then I'll have to break you."
He cracked his knuckles and started down the stairs.
Seongji Yuk opened the strap of the baby carrier and handed it to Sujin, "Can you take her for while?"
Sujin nodded and took Yenna.
Minyul charged down the stairs.
Seongji met him halfway. Minyul threw a straight punch. Seongji stepped inside and grabbed his wrist. His fingers dug in. Minyul's wrist bone cracked. Minyul grunted but twisted free.
Minyul planted his foot on Seongji's chest and backflipped, his other foot kicking upward. The kick hit Seongji's chin. His head snapped back. Minyul landed and immediately spun into a roundhouse kick. The kick caught Seongji's ribs. He stumbled against the railing.
Minyul rushed in. He threw two punches, an elbow, then a roundhouse. Seongji blocked the first punch with his forearm. The second punch hit his shoulder. The elbow came for his face. Seongji turned his head. It grazed his cheek. The roundhouse came high. Seongji ducked under it.
He grabbed Minyul's leg mid-kick and pulled. Minyul hopped on one foot. Seongji twisted the leg. Minyul spun and kicked with his free leg, hitting Seongji's arm. Seongji released him.
Minyul slid forward low. His leg swept Seongji's ankle. Seongji's foot slipped but he caught the railing. Minyul was already moving. He jumped up the wall, pushed off it, and came down with both hands clasped. The elbow drop aimed for Seongji's head.
Seongji rolled aside. The elbow hit the stairs. Metal dented. Seongji grabbed Minyul's arm and pulled him down. He wrapped his arm around Minyul's elbow and squeezed. The joint bent wrong. Minyul yelled and drove his other elbow into Seongji's wounded shoulder. Pain shot through. Seongji's grip loosened. Minyul pulled free.
Minyul backed up and suddenly dashed forward. He moved fast. As he closed in, he dropped into a sliding kick. Seongji jumped over it. Minyul was already standing. He spun and threw a sidelong wheel kick. It hit Seongji's side. Seongji grunted and grabbed Minyul's leg. He lifted and threw Minyul against the wall.
Minyul hit the wall but pushed off it immediately. He jumped up the wall again and kicked off it, spinning in the air. His foot extended. The spinning kick came at Seongji's head. Seongji raised his arm to block. The kick hit his forearm hard. His arm went numb.
Minyul landed. He turned and shoved his shoulder into Seongji. The shoulder hit Seongji's chest. He was driven back into the railing. Minyul followed with another shoulder strike. Seongji's back hit the railing hard.
Seongji grabbed Minyul's shoulders as he came in. His fingers dug into the muscle. Minyul tried to pull back but Seongji's grip was iron. He squeezed. Minyul's shoulder bone started to crack. Minyul clasped his hands together and drove both elbows down. The strike hit Seongji's collarbone. Pain shot through. His grip weakened. Minyul broke free and kicked Seongji's knee. Seongji's leg buckled.
Minyul jumped forward and spun multiple times in the air. As he descended, he stopped mid-air and dropped with his elbow. The elbow aimed for Seongji's head. Seongji shifted. The elbow hit his shoulder instead. The wound there opened more. Blood ran down.
Seongji grabbed Minyul's arm as it hit. He pulled Minyul forward and threw him down the stairs. Minyul rolled but landed on his feet. He ran back up. As he reached Seongji, he delivered two punches and an elbow, then stopped mid-combo. He grabbed Seongji's collar and pulled him forward over his shoulder.
Seongji twisted in mid-air. He grabbed Minyul's arm and pulled. They both fell. Seongji landed on top. His elbow drove into Minyul's ribs. Bone cracked. Minyul gasped. He kicked up at Seongji's face. Seongji blocked with his arm but was pushed off.
Both stood. Minyul held his side but smiled through the pain. Blood dripped from his mouth.
"Not bad," Minyul said. He spat blood. "But I've taken worse."
Minyul dashed forward again. He stopped suddenly and entered a counter stance. Seongji threw a punch. Minyul disappeared and reappeared behind him. Minyul's elbow struck Seongji's back. Seongji turned and grabbed Minyul's neck. He squeezed. Minyul's eyes widened. His windpipe compressed.
Minyul drove his knee into Seongji's stomach. Once. Twice. Three times. Seongji's grip loosened slightly. Minyul grabbed Seongji's wrist and threw him. He kneed Seongji three times in rapid succession, then grabbed him by the collar and pulled him over his shoulder. Seongji was thrown to the ground hard. His back hit the stairs.
Minyul jumped up. He somersaulted forward in the air. He grabbed Seongji mid-air and flipped over him. They spun. Minyul drove Seongji head-first into the stairs. Metal rang out.
Seongji's head hit hard but he moved immediately. He grabbed Minyul's leg and pulled him down. Both were on the stairs now. Seongji's hand grabbed Minyul's ankle. He twisted. The ankle joint snapped. Minyul screamed. He kicked Seongji's face with his other foot. Seongji's nose broke. Blood poured out.
Minyul rolled away and stood on one leg. He tested his weight on the broken ankle. Pain shot through but he grinned. "Still got one good leg."
He suddenly shoved his shoulder forward. The shoulder hit Seongji's chest. Then Minyul entered the counter stance again. Seongji grabbed at him. Minyul teleported behind him. He delivered a shoulder strike to Seongji's back, then another shoulder strike. Seongji stumbled forward.
Minyul limped back a few steps, then dashed forward despite his broken ankle. He slid low and swept Seongji's legs. Seongji fell. Minyul jumped up and came down with both elbows clasped. The double elbow strike aimed for Seongji's chest. Seongji rolled. The elbows hit the floor. Metal bent.
Seongji stood. His hand shot out and grabbed Minyul's hair. He pulled Minyul's head back and drove his knee into his face. Minyul's nose broke. Blood sprayed. Minyul fell back but caught himself on the railing.
He wiped the blood from his face and laughed. "You hit hard. I like that."
Minyul pushed off the railing. He jumped up the wall and kicked off it. As he descended, he grabbed for Seongji. Seongji stepped aside. Minyul landed and immediately spun, his heel coming around in a wheel kick. The kick caught Seongji's temple. His vision blurred.
Minyul followed up. He threw two punches, an elbow, then started to grab Seongji's collar. Seongji grabbed Minyul's wrist first. He pulled Minyul forward and headbutted him. Minyul's head snapped back. His eyes lost focus for a second. Seongji didn't let go. He pulled Minyul close and drove his knee into Minyul's broken ribs. Minyul gasped. Air left his lungs.
Seongji threw Minyul against the wall. Minyul hit hard but pushed off immediately. He jumped and spun multiple times in the air. He came down with a flying wheel kick. The kick hit Seongji's head. Seongji fell to one knee.
Minyul landed on his good leg. He limped forward and shoved his shoulder into Seongji twice. The shoulder strikes drove Seongji back. Minyul entered his counter stance again. Seongji threw a punch. Minyul teleported behind him and drove his elbow down at Seongji's neck.
Seongji turned and caught the elbow. He grabbed Minyul's arm with both hands. He twisted and pulled. The elbow joint dislocated. Minyul screamed. His arm hung wrong. But he kicked with his good leg. The kick hit Seongji's knee. Seongji's leg buckled.
Minyul backed away, holding his dislocated elbow. He popped it back into place with a grunt. His face twisted in pain but he kept moving. "Come on. That all you got?"
He dashed forward again. His movements were slower now. The broken ankle dragged slightly. But he still moved. He slid low and swept at Seongji's legs. Seongji jumped. Minyul was already rising. He threw a jab that caught Seongji's jaw. Then a barrage of punches and kicks came. Each one hit. Seongji was pushed back. Punch, kick, punch, kick. Minyul kept the combo going despite his injuries.
Seongji grabbed one of the punches. He held Minyul's fist. Minyul tried to pull back. Seongji's grip was too strong. Seongji pulled him close and grabbed his throat. He squeezed. Minyul choked. His hands grabbed Seongji's wrist but couldn't break free.
Minyul brought his knee up into Seongji's stomach. Then again. Then again. Seongji's grip loosened. Minyul broke free and immediately jumped up. He somersaulted forward in the air. He grabbed Seongji and flipped over him. They spun together. Minyul drove Seongji head-first into the stairs. The metal bent under the impact.
Both fell to the lower landing. Seongji's head was bleeding. Minyul's ribs were broken. His ankle was broken. His elbow was barely functional. But he still stood.
"Not done yet, I can't let you take away the merchandises" Minyul said through bloody teeth. He spat blood and limped forward.
Minyul jumped up the wall and pushed off. He spun in the air and came down with his elbow extended. The elbow drop aimed for Seongji's head. Seongji rolled. The elbow hit the floor. Seongji grabbed Minyul's arm and pulled him down. He wrapped his arms around Minyul's neck and squeezed. Minyul choked.
Minyul drove his elbow back into Seongji's ribs. Once. Twice. Three times. Seongji's grip loosened. Minyul spun and threw a wheel kick. The kick hit Seongji's side. Seongji grunted and grabbed Minyul's leg. He twisted. Minyul's knee bent wrong. Another joint popped.
Minyul fell but rolled away. He tried to stand. His leg wouldn't support him anymore. He used the wall. He pulled himself up with his good arm. His face was covered in blood. His breathing was ragged. But he smiled.
"Still... standing," he said.
He pushed off the wall. He couldn't run anymore. He limped forward. He threw a punch. Seongji caught it. He threw another with his bad arm. Seongji caught that too. Seongji pulled both arms and headbutted Minyul. Minyul's head snapped back. Blood sprayed from his mouth.
Minyul tried to kick. His leg gave out. He fell to one knee. Seongji grabbed his collar and lifted him. He threw Minyul into the wall. Minyul hit hard and slid down. But he still moved. He grabbed the wall and tried to stand.
"Come on," Minyul said. Blood poured from his mouth. "Keep going."
Seongji walked over. Minyul pushed off the wall and threw a wild punch. Seongji caught his wrist. He twisted. The wrist broke. Minyul screamed. Seongji grabbed his throat with his other hand and slammed him back into the wall.
Minyul's hands grabbed at Seongji's wrist. He couldn't break free. He brought his knee up weakly. It barely connected. Seongji slammed his head into the wall. Once. Twice. The wall cracked.
Minyul tried to enter his counter stance. Seongji didn't let go. He slammed Minyul's head again. Three times. Four times. Blood ran down the wall. Minyul's skull cracked.
Minyul's eyes lost focus. His hands fell from Seongji's wrist. But he still tried to move. His body twitched. Seongji slammed his head one more time.
Minyul went limp. His body slumped. Seongji dropped him. Minyul fell to the ground unconscious. Blood pooled under his head.
Seongji turned back to the girls. Blood covered his face.
"Let's go," he said.