Rain fell softly over Heukseong. It tapped against the glass window of the café, blurring the neon lights of the dock district into smears of green and red. Inside, the air smelled of roasted beans and damp wool.
The broker sat in the corner booth. He checked his watch for the third time in a minute. His leg bounced under the table. A nervous tick he couldn't suppress. He was waiting for a routine check-in. A drop-off of funds. A simple signature. He didn't expect Dante.
The bell above the door chimed. Dante walked in. Water dripped from the hem of his black coat. He didn't shake it off. He didn't look around. He walked straight to the broker's table.
The broker froze. "You're early," the broker said. His voice cracked slightly. He cleared his throat.
Dante sat down opposite him. He didn't take off his gloves. He didn't order anything. He just placed his hands on the table.
"We need to talk," Dante said.
"There's nothing to talk about. The job was canceled. The funds were transferred."
"The job wasn't canceled. It was completed."
The broker's eyes widened. "The target is dead. We verified the files."
"You verified what I sent you."
Silence stretched between them. The café was quiet. Only the hiss of the espresso machine broke the stillness. The broker leaned forward. His voice dropped to a whisper. "Are you saying you lied?"
"I'm saying I need information."
"I don't have information. I'm a middleman. I pass messages. I don't ask questions."
Dante tilted his head slightly.
(Kairo): "He is lying. His pulse is elevated. Cortisol levels high."
(Mūn): "He knows more than he admits. He is afraid of the person behind the message."
(Dante): "I know."
Dante didn't raise his voice. He didn't threaten. He simply reached into his coat and pulled out a photograph. He slid it across the table. It was a picture of the broker's daughter. She was walking out of a school gate. Smiling. Unaware.
The broker's face went pale. "This is not necessary," he whispered.
"It is leverage," Dante said. "I don't want to hurt her. I want a name."
"I can't give you a name. They'll kill me."
"If you don't," Dante said, "I will find them myself. And when I do, I will bring them to you."
The broker swallowed hard. He looked at the photo. Then at Dante. He knew the reputation. He knew what Dante was capable of.
"He uses an encrypted server," the broker said quickly. "Located in Macau. But the identity… it's routed through three proxies."
"Give me the first proxy."
The broker hesitated. Dante didn't move. He didn't blink. He just waited. The pressure in the room grew heavier. It wasn't physical. It was psychological. The broker felt like the air was being sucked out of the booth.
"192.168.50…" The broker started reciting.
He gave the IP. He gave the access code. He gave the contact email used for the initial handshake. He talked for five minutes straight. Dante listened. He didn't write anything down. He didn't need to. His memory was perfect.
(Kairo): "Data stored. Pattern recognized."
(Mūn): "He is breaking. Stop pushing."
(Dante): "Not yet."
When the broker finished, he was breathing heavily. Sweat beaded on his forehead.
"Is that everything?" Dante asked.
"Yes. That's everything. I swear."
Dante picked up the photograph. He slid it back into his coat. "Good." He stood up.
"Wait," the broker said. "You… you won't come back here?"
"No."
"And my daughter?"
"She is safe. As long as you don't lie to me again."
Dante turned and walked toward the door. The bell chimed again as he left.
The broker sat alone in the booth. He stared at his hands. They were shaking. He reached for his coffee cup. He couldn't hold it steady. The liquid rippled. Spilled over the saucer. It was only then that he realized what had happened.
He hadn't just given up data. He had given up his protection. By sharing the proxy details, he had breached his contract. The people behind the contract didn't forgive breaches.
His phone buzzed in his pocket. He pulled it out. Unknown number. He answered.
"Speak," he said.
"You met with him," the voice on the other end said. It was distorted. Mechanical.
"Yes. He… he forced me."
"Forced you to do what?"
"To give the details. The proxy. The codes."
Silence on the line. Then, a low laugh. "Then he knows the trail."
"I'm sorry. I—"
"Dispose of the phone," the voice said. "Leave the city. Tonight."
The line went dead. The broker stared at the screen. Call Ended.
He looked around the café. The patrons were drinking their coffee. Reading books. Living normal lives. He stood up abruptly. His chair scraped against the floor. He threw cash on the table. Too much. He didn't count it. He ran out into the rain.
Outside, Dante stood under the awning of the building across the street. He watched the broker run to his car. He watched the headlights flare to life. He watched the car speed away, tires screeching on the wet asphalt.
(Mūn): "He will not make it far."
(Dante): "He doesn't need to."
(Kairo): "The trail is clear. The first proxy leads to a server in Macau. But the signal origin is closer."
(Dante): "Where."
(Kairo): "Jōkan. Within the city limits."
Dante pulled out his own phone. He dialed Lisa. She answered on the first ring.
"Did you get it?" she asked.
"Yes."
"And?"
"Trace the proxy. But don't look at the server. Look at the bounce-back signal. It's local."
"Local?" Lisa's voice sharpened. "You mean someone in Jōkan is pulling the strings?"
"Someone who knows me."
Dante ended the call. He looked up at the sky. The rain had stopped. The clouds were breaking. He could feel the city breathing around him. Hidden dangers. Hidden allies.
The broker was a pawn. The client was the king. And Dante was coming for the king. He turned his collar up against the wind. He began to walk. He didn't look back at the café. He didn't look back at the fear he had left behind. There was only the path forward. And the blood waiting at the end of it.
Author Note: Thank you for reading Chapter 14! Dante doesn't need violence to win; his presence is weapon enough. The trail leads back to Jōkan… someone close is pulling the strings. Who do you think it is? Drop your theories below! Don't forget to add Shadow Contract to your library and vote with power stones. See you in Chapter 15!