{The time}
After pulling the gun from his pocket and taking a few steps toward the car, a sudden wave of dizziness slammed into him.
His vision blurred.
The world spun violently around him.
Then everything went black.
...
Beep.
Beep.
Beep.
A sharp white light pierced through his closed eyelids.
Ian groaned softly before opening his eyes.
The bright hospital lights immediately hurt.
He blinked several times, trying to focus.
The smell of disinfectant filled the air.
A heart monitor echoed beside him.
Hospital.
His head throbbed painfully.
He slowly raised his hand, touching the thick bandage wrapped around the back of his head. His other arm was heavily bandaged, an IV needle attached to it.
On the couch nearby sat Doo Hwan.
The moment he noticed ian awake, he jumped to his feet.
"Hyung!"
He rushed over immediately.
"Are you okay? How do you feel?"
Ian ignored the pain.
Ignored the hospital.
Ignored everything.
His heart searched for only one person.
He pushed himself up despite the agony shooting through his body.
"Where am I...?"
His voice came out rough.
"How did I get here?"
Doo Hwan sighed heavily.
"You collapsed. You lost too much blood and your blood pressure dropped dangerously low."
Ian barely heard him.
His eyes widened.
"Tyla."
His voice shook.
"Where is Tyla? Did you find her?"
Silence.
The look on Doo Hwan's face was enough.
Ian felt his stomach drop.
Doo Hwan lowered his gaze.
"We searched everywhere."
His voice was filled with frustration.
"Our men searched every location we could think of."
He clenched his fists.
"But there's no trace of her."
A painful silence filled the room.
"It seems Gong Nam Min hid her somewhere impossible to find."
Ian's jaw tightened.
Without warning, he ripped the IV out of his arm.
"Hyung!"
Doo Hwan grabbed him immediately.
"What are you doing?! You're still injured!"
Ian slowly looked at him.
The calmness in his eyes was terrifying.
"I have to find her."
His voice was quiet.
Deadly.
"I don't care if I die."
Doo Hwan froze.
Ianlowered his head slightly.
"As long as Tyla lives."
Suddenly...
A phone rang.
Unknown Number.
Ian answered instantly.
Before he could speak-
A twisted laugh echoed through the speaker.
A laugh that made everyone's blood run cold.
Gong Nam Min.
"Well..."
he said mockingly.
"The Black Monster is still alive."
His laughter grew louder.
"I was worried my men hit your head too hard."
"Would've been a shame if you died before my beautiful story ended."
Ian's eyes darkened.
"If you hurt Tyla..."
His voice was ice cold.
"I'll destroy you."
Gong Nam Min laughed again.
Then suddenly-
İan heard crying.
A broken.
Terrified.
Familiar cry.
His heart stopped.
"Tyla?!"
"She's been crying for hours."
Gong Nam Min sighed dramatically.
"It's becoming annoying."
Then he moved the phone closer.
And Ian finally heard her voice.
Weak.
Shaking.
Filled with fear.
"Ian..."
she sobbed.
"Please save me... this place is scary... I'm so scared..."
Something shattered inside him.
"Tyla, baby-"
SLAP!
A loud smack echoed through the phone.
A painful scream followed.
"AHH!"
"Tyla!!"
Ian shouted.
Pure panic flooding his voice.
Gong Nam Min chuckled darkly.
"The third old warehouse."
His voice became serious.
"I'll send you the address."
"You have two hours."
İan's grip tightened around the phone.
"Come alone."
"No guards."
"No men."
"No Doo Hwan."
"Just you."
Then his voice dropped into a dangerous whisper.
"If I see even one person with you..."
A cruel smile could be heard in his tone.
"I'll send Tyla's head back instead."
The call ended.
...
CRASH!
The phone shattered against the hospital wall.
Pieces scattered everywhere.
İan's chest rose and fell heavily.
Rage.
Fear.
Desperation.
All mixing together.
Minutes later...
He stood fully dressed.
A black suit.
White shirt.
Black dress pants.
Despite the bandages.
Despite the injuries.
Despite the blood he had lost.
He strapped his gun behind his waist.
Picked up his car keys.
And walked toward the exit.
SEO Joon stepped in front of him.
"S-Sir."
His voice trembled.
"This is suicide."
Ian didn't answer.
His eyes were darker than Ian had ever seen.
Empty.
Cold.
Terrifying.
He simply pushed Ian's hand away and continued walking.
...
For two hours he drove through the rain.
The GPS guided him through deserted roads.
His hands tightened around the steering wheel.
His mind replayed Tyla's cries over and over.
Every second felt like torture.
Tonight...
Someone was going to die.
Finally.
He arrived.
A deserted area in the middle of nowhere.
No people.
No buildings.
Only rain.
Silence.
And darkness.
Ian stepped out of the car.
Gun already in his hand.
Ready for anything.
The rain soaked his black suit as he approached the warehouse.
He opened the door.
Darkness greeted him.
The entire building was silent.
Only one hanging light illuminated the center.
Underneath it...
A girl sat tied to a wooden chair.
A brown sack covered her head.
İan's heart pounded violently.
"Tyla...?"
he whispered.
He took a step forward.
Then-
CLICK.
CLICK.
CLICK.
Every light in the warehouse exploded to life at once.
İan froze.
His eyes widened.
Hundreds of armed men surrounded him.
More than two hundred guns pointed directly at his head.
From every direction.
Every exit blocked.
Every escape impossible.
Ian immediately raised his weapon.
His eyes scanned the crowd.
Then the men parted.
A path opened.
And slowly...
Gong Nam Min appeared.
Wearing a long black coat.
A cruel smile stretched across his face.
He spread his arms dramatically.
"Welcome..."
he said.
"To the end of your story, Black Monster."
İan never lowered his gun.
Never looked away.
"I came."
His voice was cold.
"Release Tyla."
Gong Nam Min smiled wider.
Then glanced toward the tied girl.
"Not yet."
His eyes gleamed with madness.
"First..."
He looked back at Ian.
"She gets to watch her hero die."