Chapter 8: Chapter 7: The Edge of Collapse
The sun had barely crested the horizon when Hyun-soo stepped into the cold, sterile lobby of Soorin's headquarters. The building, with its gleaming walls and echoing hallways, felt like a mausoleum—lifeless, oppressive, and filled with ghosts of choices he could no longer escape. His every footstep rang out, his mind heavy with the weight of what lay ahead. The flash drive tucked securely in his coat pocket felt like it was burning a hole through his chest. It held the truth, but the truth had its own price, and he knew he was about to pay it.
He had a plan—loosely, at least. It involved getting this information into the hands of someone outside the web of Soorin's influence before Ji-eun's father's deal could go through. But there was a catch: Ji-eun. Even now, her words echoed in his mind. She wasn't going to let him walk away easily, and if he acted too soon, her family could silence him before he even had a chance to make a move. He needed to act fast, but cautiously. He couldn't afford any mistakes.
The elevator ride to the top floor felt interminable. The doors slid open with a soft chime, and as he stepped out, he wasn't surprised to find Soo-jin waiting for him outside his office. She was leaning against the wall, arms folded, her expression unreadable. In her hand, she held a slim manila envelope—more evidence, he assumed.
"You're cutting it close," she said quietly, her eyes flickering with something he couldn't quite place. "The deal's happening today. If you don't move soon, you're going to be too late."
"I know," Hyun-soo replied, his voice tight as he unlocked his office door. "I need to get this to the right people. I can't just dump it all out there without a plan."
Soo-jin followed him inside, closing the door behind her. "And what's the plan? You think Ji-eun's going to let you walk out of here with that?" She nodded toward the flash drive in his pocket. "She's not stupid, Hyun-soo. She's probably already figured out that you're planning something."
"I know," he said, rubbing his temples. "But I don't have a choice. If I do nothing, I'm as guilty as they are."
Soo-jin raised an eyebrow. "You could just walk away. Leave the city, leave the country. There are ways to disappear, you know."
Hyun-soo shook his head. "I'm not running. I can't."
Soo-jin studied him for a moment before sighing, her shoulders slumping just slightly. "Then you're going to need help."
---
The hours ticked by in a blur of tense conversations and covert phone calls. Hyun-soo had contacted a journalist—someone Soo-jin trusted, someone with the power to blow this story wide open. They had agreed to meet that afternoon, just hours before Ji-eun's father was set to finalize the deal that would tie Soorin Corporation to the underworld forever. It felt too close, but it was the best they could do. Timing was everything.
As Hyun-soo prepared to leave the office, his phone buzzed. It was Ji-eun.
"Come to my office," she said, her tone sharp. "We need to talk."
His heart raced. She knew. She had to know. There was no other explanation for her sudden demand. His fingers trembled slightly as he pocketed his phone, glancing at Soo-jin, who stood by the window, watching the city outside.
"She's onto me," he said quietly.
Soo-jin's eyes narrowed. "Be careful. She won't hesitate to throw you to the wolves if she thinks you're a threat to her family."
Hyun-soo nodded, swallowing the lump in his throat. "I'll be careful."
---
Ji-eun's office was a testament to power. Massive windows framed the skyline, the city stretching out far below, while sleek, modern furniture exuded control and precision. Ji-eun herself sat behind her imposing mahogany desk, her posture as rigid and poised as ever. But there was something different about her today—an edge in her eyes, a coldness in her demeanor that chilled Hyun-soo to the bone.
"You've been busy," she said, her voice like ice.
Hyun-soo remained silent, closing the door behind him as he stepped into the room.
"You think I don't know what's happening?" she continued, rising to her feet. "I know about the journalist, the flash drive, all of it." Her words were sharp, each one cutting deeper than the last. "Do you have any idea what you're doing?"
Hyun-soo's heart pounded in his chest, but he forced himself to remain calm. "I'm doing what's right."
Ji-eun laughed, a harsh, bitter sound. "What's right? Do you even understand what's at stake here? If this deal doesn't go through, my father's enemies will tear him apart. This isn't just about business anymore, Hyun-soo. This is about survival."
"Survival?" he shot back, anger rising in his chest. "You're talking about laundering money for criminals, Ji-eun. People are going to get hurt. People are going to die."
"And you think exposing them will make it better?" she snapped. "You're naive if you believe that. The moment this gets out, they'll come for you. They'll come for all of us."
The silence between them was deafening, the weight of her words crashing down on him like a tidal wave. He had known there would be risks, but hearing them laid out so plainly, so coldly, shook him to his core. She was right, in a way. There would be consequences—dangerous, deadly consequences—and no one involved would come out unscathed.
"You don't have to be part of this," Hyun-soo said quietly, taking a step toward her. "We can stop this together."
For the briefest moment, he saw something flicker in her eyes—regret, perhaps, or doubt. But it was gone as quickly as it appeared, replaced by the hard, impenetrable mask she always wore.
"I can't," she whispered, her voice trembling just slightly. "I'm already too deep."
Before Hyun-soo could say another word, the door behind him swung open, and two men stepped into the room. They were dressed in dark suits, their expressions blank, but their presence alone sent a jolt of fear through him. Ji-eun's security, no doubt. Her father's enforcers.
"We're done here," she said, her voice regaining its icy composure. "Escort Mr. Kang out of the building."
One of the men stepped forward, his grip firm but not aggressive as he motioned for Hyun-soo to follow him. Hyun-soo's mind raced. He couldn't let this happen—not now, not when he was so close. But he also knew that if he resisted, it would only make things worse.
As they led him toward the elevator, Hyun-soo's mind was a whirlwind of thoughts. He had to get out of the building, had to get the evidence to the journalist before it was too late. But Ji-eun's warning echoed in his mind: *They'll come for you.*
---
The moment he stepped outside, the cold air hit him like a slap to the face. He had barely taken a few steps when his phone buzzed again. Another message from Soo-jin.
*"Change of plans. Meet me at the docks. Now."*
The docks? It was a strange location for a meeting, especially one this critical. But something in the tone of her message made him uneasy. This wasn't just a change in venue—it felt like a shift in the entire situation.
With his heart pounding in his chest, Hyun-soo flagged down a cab and gave the driver the address. The city blurred past him as they sped toward the waterfront, his mind racing with possibilities. What had changed? Why the sudden urgency?
---
The docks were quiet, save for the sound of the water lapping against the old wooden piers and the distant hum of industrial machinery. It was an odd place for a meeting, especially one so fraught with danger, but as Hyun-soo stepped out of the cab, he realized that the isolation was part of the plan.
Soo-jin was waiting for him near the edge of the pier, her arms crossed, her expression tense. But she wasn't alone. Standing next to her, flanked by two men, was Ji-eun.
"What is this?" Hyun-soo demanded, his voice tight with confusion and anger.
Soo-jin glanced at Ji-eun, then back at him. "We don't have time to explain everything. You need to listen to me, Hyun-soo. There's more going on here than you realize."
Ji-eun stepped forward, her eyes cold but steady. "You're in over your head, Hyun-soo. My father… he's not the one pulling the strings."
Hyun-soo blinked, taken aback. "What do you mean? Who else is involved?"
Soo-jin took a deep breath, her expression grim. "It's bigger than Soorin. Bigger than your boss, bigger than Ji-eun's father. There are people involved—powerful people—who won't let this go public. If you expose this, they'll kill you. They'll kill all of us."
The weight of her words hit him like a freight train, sudden and overwhelming, knocking the breath out of him. His mind spun, trying to process the magnitude of what Soo-jin had just revealed. He had known the stakes were high, but this? This was something far worse, something far more dangerous than he had ever imagined. The powerful forces she was talking about were faceless, nameless shadows lurking behind every decision, every move, and if they were truly as ruthless as she suggested, he was already a marked man.
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