Shadows of Truth

The hours following their realization that a mole was in their midst were tense, filled with uncertainty and paranoia. Seojin barely slept, her mind whirling with thoughts of betrayal. Someone within their group had tipped off the syndicate, and now they had to figure out who before they became targets.

The safehouse was no longer a place of safety. It had become a ticking time bomb.

Seojin leaned over the table, the documents and decrypted files scattered around her like pieces of a puzzle. Her fingers traced the names and faces in the photos, but none of it made sense. Everyone in the team had a role to play, and none of them seemed likely to betray her. Still, she couldn't shake the feeling that someone was hiding something. She had to trust her instincts—instincts that had always kept her alive.

---

As dawn broke, Jiwon and Kyungmin gathered around the table with her, all eyes focused on the problem at hand.

"We can't trust anyone outside this room," Jiwon said, his voice firm. "We need to move fast, and we need to start with the basics. Who had access to the files? Who was in the warehouse with us?"

Seojin's eyes flickered to Kang, who was leaning against the wall, arms crossed. He remained silent, seemingly unfazed by the growing tension.

"That's the issue," Kyungmin added. "We all had access to the files, and the warehouse was a mess. Anyone could have leaked information."

"But not everyone knew about the Phoenix," Seojin said, her voice sharp. "Whoever tipped off the syndicate knew exactly what they were looking for, and it wasn't just the files—it was the name we'd been chasing."

"Which means someone here is compromised," Jiwon said bluntly.

Seojin shot him a look. "I know. I'm working on it."

---

It was time to test their loyalty.

Seojin stood, her back straight and her expression unreadable. She turned to Dojin, who had been quiet for the last few hours, his fingers still running over his laptop's keyboard. His focus was elsewhere, but his body language told a different story.

"Dojin, I need you to do something," Seojin said, her voice cold. "I need you to send a fake lead to the syndicate, something that'll pull them into the open."

Dojin raised an eyebrow, glancing up from his screen. "A fake lead?"

"Yes," Seojin replied, narrowing her eyes. "We'll use it as bait. If someone here leaks it, we'll know who the traitor is."

Dojin hesitated, then nodded. "Understood."

---

The next few hours were agonizing as the team waited for the results. Seojin kept her eyes on each of them, studying their movements, their faces, searching for any signs of guilt or nervousness.

Kang, ever the enigma, didn't show any signs of suspicion. But that was exactly what bothered her. He was too calm, too collected. It was as if the pressure didn't affect him at all.

As the clock ticked on, Seojin couldn't help but replay every moment in her mind—the first time Kang had appeared, how his involvement had seemed too convenient, and the fact that he had so much access to information. Was he really just another ally? Or was he orchestrating his own game?

---

The hours of waiting finally paid off. A notification flashed on Dojin's laptop, and the room went silent.

"I got something," Dojin said, his voice steady. He clicked on the link, and a map appeared on the screen, showing coordinates leading to a location outside the city—exactly where the Phoenix's operations had been traced.

"It worked," Dojin said, his eyes scanning the data. "The syndicate has picked up the lead."

Seojin's heart pounded. "Good. Now, we wait."

But as she turned to face the others, her eyes fell on Kang again. His unreadable expression gave her chills. Something was off.

---

An hour later, the unthinkable happened.

The team had just finished gathering their gear when a sudden crash sounded from the front door. Before anyone could react, armed operatives stormed into the safehouse, weapons raised.

Seojin's instincts kicked in, but before she could give any orders, she saw a figure standing among them. A familiar face.

Kang.

Her breath caught in her throat. It wasn't possible. He had been with them—he had *pretended* to be on their side.

"Kang!" Seojin shouted, disbelief in her voice. "What the hell is this?"

Kang stood tall, a cold smirk on his face. "It's over, Seojin. You should have known better than to trust me."

"You were the mole?" Jiwon shouted, his voice breaking with anger.

Kang's expression softened, but only slightly. "I wasn't the mole. I was the one who gave you the bait. You never saw the bigger picture, did you?"

Seojin's stomach twisted. "What do you mean?"

"I've been working with the syndicate from the beginning," Kang admitted, his voice low. "You all were just pawns in a much larger game. The Phoenix... he needed you to find his weaknesses. And now, you've done just that."

Seojin's blood ran cold. Kang wasn't just a mole. He was playing both sides, manipulating them all from the start. And now, he was leading them straight into the syndicate's trap.

---

Before Seojin could react, Kang turned to the operatives. "Secure the premises. We'll take them in one by one."

Jiwon lunged at Kang, but the operatives quickly subdued him, holding him back. The rest of the team was caught off guard, unable to react fast enough.

"Don't do this, Kang!" Seojin shouted, her voice breaking through the chaos. "You don't have to go down this path!"

But Kang simply smirked, his eyes cold. "I've already made my choice."

---

**End of Chapter 17**