Amid the chaos, Akashi and Shiho quickened their pace.
Before long, they reached the end of the ventilation duct on the third floor, arriving at an empty room.
With practiced ease, they dismantled the exhaust fan once again, their petite frames wrapped in bandages for support.
Silently, they lowered themselves down.
The room was sealed tight with no surveillance cameras—
No one noticed the two extra children who had just arrived.
Without wasting time, Akashi approached the iron cabinet on the wall.
Inside was a garbage chute leading downward—just wide enough for children to pass through.
This was the same route he had used to climb up earlier.
Without hesitation, he reached out and grabbed Shiho's small hand.
The white bandages coiled around them like living shields, securing them both.
"Hold on. We're taking off."
With that, the two leapt into the chute—
Sliding down the grimy, narrow passage.
Moments later—
They landed with a dull thud in a garbage truck.
Luckily, this truck was stationed at the back wall of the Black Dove Pharmaceutical Factory.
A security camera on the corner of the wall moved from side to side, scanning the area.
Meanwhile, a few Organization operatives hurried down the nearby road, their presence a constant threat.
Akashi kept still, watching the rhythmic movement of the camera.
Then—timing it perfectly—
He swiftly rolled off the truck, pulling Shiho along with him.
In one smooth motion, he lifted the nearby manhole cover, slid inside, and pulled Shiho in after him.
A bandage shot out, wrapping around the cover—sealing it back in place.
Naturally, the metal made a faint clanking noise—
But the heavy rain drowned out the sound completely.
So no one noticed anything amiss.
Inside the sewers—
The darkness was punctuated by the sound of water droplets splashing onto the damp stone floor.
Occasionally, rainwater streamed down through cracks, pooling in uneven patches along the tunnel.
Shiho's short brown hair was already soaked—strands sticking to her pale cheeks.
But she didn't care.
Her blue eyes shone even brighter, fixed on Akashi in front of her.
This is real!
They actually made it out!
So easily!
It felt like a dream!
Akashi suddenly reached out and patted her slightly dirty, yet undeniably cute face.
"Snap out of it. Let's keep moving."
"If the rain gets any heavier, the sewers could flood. That'll be a real problem."
Shiho snapped back to reality, quickly adjusting her pace to follow him.
As they moved deeper into the tunnel, she instinctively reached out—
Her small fingers wrapped around Akashi's hand.
The two children ran through the pitch-black sewer, their footsteps echoing against the damp walls.
Between them, the murky rainwater surged forward, carrying their escape further away from the factory.
Shiho would never forget this moment.
Meanwhile—
Back at Black Dove Pharmaceutical Factory.
Inside the surveillance room, Vermouth replayed the footage of Sherry's cell.
Everything seemed normal—
Sherry had definitely gone inside, and the guards were still posted at the entrance.
But when Vermouth arrived at the scene—
There was no one there.
Impossible.
A deep frown creased her face.
Something wasn't adding up.
Before she could think further, she turned to check on Gin—
But he still hadn't returned.
Without hesitation, Vermouth headed toward the corridor.
Yet, before she even got close—
Gunfire erupted.
Multiple shots—one after another.
Vermouth's expression hardened.
In an instant, she drew her weapon and rushed toward the source of the gunfire.
As soon as she turned the corner—
She spotted Gin.
For a split second, she prepared to engage—
But then she saw the scene in front of her.
And froze.
The corridor was littered with bodies.
Every single corpse belonged to Organization foot soldiers—
Low-ranking personnel.
And in the center of the massacre—
Only two figures remained.
Gin.
And Vodka.
But something was very wrong.
Gin's signature top hat was completely shredded.
His long silver hair was in absolute disarray—strands sticking out wildly.
His usually pale face was covered in scratches and… bite marks?
Meanwhile—
Vodka was already subdued.
Gin had him pinned to the ground—one of his arms twisted and dislocated.
Yet—
Even in that state—
Vodka refused to let go of Gin's leg.
Instead, he clung to him, trembling—
Like a drugged-up, desperate little mutt.
The entire scene was so utterly absurd—
That even Vermouth, who had seen her fair share of madness, was momentarily at a loss for words.
Gin's face was the very definition of rage.
As a high-ranking assassin in the Organization, he had never suffered such a humiliating experience.
Especially not one like this—
Where his own trusted subordinate had pounced on him and—
Started licking him.
The psychological damage alone was enough to haunt him.
His fingers tightened around his gun.
He was one step away from putting a bullet through Vodka's skull.
If not for the fact that something about Vodka's expression seemed unnatural—
Clearly drugged—
Gin would have ended this idiot's life right then and there.
But the peripheral members of the Organization who witnessed the scene couldn't stay.
Gin couldn't allow them to spread what they had seen.
Without hesitation—he silenced them all.
Every last one of them.
A brutal, swift execution.
This is what it meant to cross him.
But just as he finished—
A familiar figure appeared at the end of the corridor.
Vermouth.
Gin's expression darkened instantly.
Killing expendable subordinates was one thing—they were just disposable pawns.
No big deal.
But high-ranking operatives with codenames?
Untouchable.
Without direct orders from the Boss, even he couldn't act against them freely.
Especially this woman.
Vermouth's connections to the Boss were vague, but undeniable.
Gin clenched his jaw.
And Vodka, still clinging to his leg like a deranged mutt, only made the situation worse.
Enough.
With one swift motion, Gin raised his gun and slammed the butt against Vodka's neck.
A precise hit.
Vodka's body went limp as he collapsed to the ground.
But from across the hallway—
Vermouth chuckled.
"Well, well. I came here looking for Sherry, but instead—"
Her lips curled into an amused smirk.
"I got front-row seats to quite the show."
She tilted her head playfully.
"Gin, I had no idea you were like this."
A pause—
Then, her voice dripped with teasing amusement.
"No wonder you and Vodka are always together.
Inseparable, side by side, all day long."
She let out a melodic laugh.
"Ahh… I finally understand now~"
Gin's face twisted with fury.
His grip tightened around his gun, his patience hanging by a thread.
"Enough, Vermouth!" he snapped.
His voice was sharp—deadly.
"Have you not realized the base has been infiltrated?"
His eyes gleamed like a serpent ready to strike.
"Even Vodka fell for it!"
He took a step forward.
"Where is Sherry? Did the surveillance catch anything?"
Vermouth's amusement faded.
A flicker of seriousness crossed her face.
"No."
Her voice was lighter now, but firm.
"According to the footage, once Sherry's door closed, no one entered or left."
Gin's golden eyes narrowed.
Calmly, he ejected the empty magazine from his gun, replacing it with a fresh one.
"Then there's only one explanation."
A click.
His voice was cold.
"The footage was tampered with."
"Whoever infiltrated us has deeper access than we thought."
Without another word, he turned sharply—striding toward the detainment cells where the bodyguards had been held.
But the moment he stepped forward—
His movement halted.
Something tightened around his leg.
His eyes flicked downward—
Vodka. Again.
Even in his semi-conscious state, he was clinging onto Gin's leg.
Like a possessed dog.
Gin's patience finally snapped.
With a vicious kick, he sent Vodka flying across the floor.
The frustration in his chest boiled over.
But Vermouth—
She only smiled.
Turning away, she sauntered down the hall, unconcerned.
"Infiltrated, huh?"
Her voice was smooth—laced with amusement.
"And all under your command, no less."
She let the words linger, before adding—
"I don't have time for this mess. I'll leave the clean-up to you."
Then, she paused.
Without looking back, she spoke again—
"Just one thing, Gin."
"Find Sherry.
And bring her to me."
Her tone sharpened—
"Otherwise… this little incident between you and Vodka?"
She let out a soft laugh.
"It might just become the talk of the entire Organization."
"Maybe even the whole underground world."
At that, she glanced over her shoulder.
Her piercing green eyes met his.
For a split second—her expression was unreadable.
Then, her lips curved into a sweet, almost innocent smile.
She turned away—
And left.
Gin's eyes darkened.
Everything about today was off.
Too many unknowns.
He exhaled sharply, his grip tightening on his weapon.
Then, without hesitation—
He strode toward the detainment cells.
Soon—
Bang! Bang! Bang!
Gunshots rang out once more.