Crimosa Lake — 10:05 AM
The sound of flowing water filled the air around Crimosa Lake.
A gentle breeze moved across the sandy shore as a flock of white herons flew low over the water, searching for fish.
A short distance away, Dongo sat inside his car, watching the road through the windshield.
His red checkered tie moved slightly with the breeze coming through the open window.
Dongo checked the time.
10:05 AM.
Fizo looked at his watch and frowned.
"Sir, five minutes have already passed. Do you think Eva Ma’am is coming late?"
He glanced toward the road.
"Or maybe she isn’t coming at all."
Dongo remained relaxed.
"She’ll come."
Fizo looked at him.
"You’re sure?"
"She will."
Dongo’s eyes remained fixed on the road.
Traffic continued moving across the bridge nearby. Cars passed one after another, accompanied by the occasional sound of horns.
Then a dark blue-black vehicle appeared in the distance.
Fizo noticed it first.
"Sir."
The vehicle approached them and stopped near Dongo’s car.
The door opened.
A woman stepped out.
A peacock feather rested in her hair. She placed one high heel on the ground, followed by the other, then adjusted her black sunglasses.
With one sharp movement, she closed the car door.
Dongo watched her for several seconds.
Then he turned his face toward the lake.
Eva walked toward them with confidence, her posture relaxed.
Fizo immediately stepped aside.
"Eva Ma’am."
Eva didn’t answer.
Dongo looked at her.
"So, how’s everything going, Moyuri?"
Eva stopped.
Her smile disappeared.
"Again with that name."
Her hand immediately went into her bag.
A pistol appeared.
She raised it and aimed directly at Dongo’s forehead.
Fizo instinctively moved forward.
Then he stopped.
Dongo hadn’t moved.
Not even an inch.
Znuma, who was standing nearby, looked at Fizo and started laughing.
"If Ma’am pulls the trigger, you’ll lose your job for the rest of your life."
Fizo stared at her.
"What?"
Znuma shrugged.
"Thinking like a fool doesn’t work everywhere."
Eva kept the pistol aimed at Dongo.
"Let’s see what happens."
She loaded the weapon.
Dongo smiled.
"You don’t even know how to hold a gun properly."
Eva’s expression changed.
Dongo looked at her hand.
"Your hand is shaking."
Eva’s fingers tightened around the weapon.
Dongo raised two fingers.
He calmly pushed the barrel away from his forehead.
"Can we get to the important part?"
Eva stared at him for a moment.
Then she lowered the pistol and placed it back inside her bag.
"Talk."
Dongo turned slightly toward the lake.
"Unknown Z is creating serious obstacles for several businesses."
Eva listened.
"He’s becoming almost impossible to catch. Even getting a clear look at him has become difficult."
Dongo paused.
"That’s why I’ve given special jackets to all the members working under Zero and me."
Eva slowly clapped her hands.
"That’s what you wanted to tell me?"
She tilted her head.
"You called me all the way here just to say that?"
Her smile returned.
"Do you think I’m stupid?"
Dongo looked at her.
"So you understand why I did it."
"Of course."
Eva blew lightly across her freshly painted nails and moved a strand of hair away from her face.
"You don’t need to worry about my business, Mr. Cyber Eye."
Dongo studied her.
"Then tell me something."
Eva raised an eyebrow.
"How are you planning to stop Unknown Z?"
Eva looked at her nails again.
A faint smile appeared on her lips.
"I’ve made a name for myself too."
She slowly looked at Dongo.
"Eva is known as a Mafia Lady."
Her confidence didn’t waver.
"Don’t underestimate me."
She turned around and started walking toward her car.
Dongo called after her.
"Where are you going?"
Eva stopped.
"There is a five-star restaurant nearby."
He pointed toward the road.
"Come with me. We can eat something."
He paused.
"And have a drink."
Eva slowly turned around.
Her eyes widened slightly.
Then she smiled.
She walked closer to Dongo.
"Why are you suddenly being so nice to me?"
She leaned closer.
"Don’t tell me you’ve fallen in love with me because of my looks."
Dongo looked at her through his Cyber Eye.
He adjusted the device slightly.
"What if I have?"
Eva stared at him for a second.
Then she burst into laughter.
"Y-You..."
She shook her head.
"What did you think?"
Her smile remained.
"You’re not my type."
She turned around and walked back toward her car.
Znuma immediately opened the door for her.
Eva got inside.
The engine started.
The dark blue-black car pulled away from the lake and disappeared into the traffic.
Dongo watched the vehicle leave.
Fizo looked at him.
"Sir..."
Dongo said nothing.
His Cyber Eye remained focused on the road.
The meeting had ended.
But the mystery surrounding Unknown Z had only grown deeper.
College
Yemir was walking toward the washroom when he noticed Vion standing nearby.
Vion stepped into his path.
Yemir stopped.
Vion looked directly at him.
"I know you probably don’t like Sakura that way."
Yemir raised an eyebrow.
"Probably?"
"I could be wrong."
Vion took a step closer.
"But there’s something I want to make clear."
Yemir waited.
Vion’s expression hardened.
"Don’t start thinking of Sakura as yours."
Yemir stared at him.
"She is only mine."
Yemir’s expression remained calm.
"What makes you think I need your permission to decide what I do?"
Vion’s jaw tightened.
"I’m telling you to stay away from Sakura."
Yemir looked at him.
"And if I don’t?"
Vion suddenly grabbed Yemir by the collar.
"I’m warning you. Leave Sakura alone."
Yemir looked down at Vion’s hand.
Before either of them could continue, the washroom door opened.
Karin stepped outside.
He stopped when he saw them.
"Hey! What are you two doing?"
Vion didn’t release Yemir.
"Stay out of this, Karin."
Karin moved closer.
"Let him go."
Yemir suddenly pushed Vion away.
Vion flew backward and slammed hard into a cupboard against the opposite wall.
The impact made the cupboard shake.
Karin stared at Yemir.
That much strength?
Vion slowly slid down and ended up sitting on the floor.
He looked at Yemir in disbelief.
Am I really this weak? One push,and I got thrown away like that.
Yemir adjusted his collar.
He picked up his bag and walked away.
Outside the building, he opened his umbrella.
Casia noticed him and hurried over.
"Yemir!"
He turned.
Casia smiled.
"Thank you. You helped me a lot today."
Yemir looked at her.
"It was for the team’s victory."
Casia stopped.
She stared at him.
That’s it?
He had said one sentence and continued walking without even stopping.
Casia quickly tried to follow him.
"Yemir—"
Karin stepped in front of her.
Casia stopped.
"What?"
Karin looked toward Yemir, who was already walking away.
"Leave him alone for now."
"Why?"
Karin sighed.
"His head is extremely hot right now."
Casia looked at Yemir again.
She wanted to say something, but decided against it.
Yemir continued down the path, his umbrella shielding him from the sunlight.
Chicha Palace
On another side of the city, Irin was walking along an old road.
The houses around the area had an older design. Some walls were damaged, and several parts of the road were broken.
Her white cane tapped against the ground.
Tap.
Tap.
Tap.
The sound echoed between the old houses.
Irin slowed down.
"What kind of place is this ?"
She turned her head slightly.
Her fingers tightened around the cane.
"Is this the place?"
A large bungalow stood ahead.
It looked old and neglected. The surrounding area was quiet, and very few people could be seen nearby.
Irin stopped in front of the building.
She removed the lollipop from her mouth.
Before she could take another step, a young boy’s voice came from nearby.
"Hey! You’re such a big girl, and you still eat lollipops?"
Irin turned toward the voice.
"Yes."
She smiled.
"I like them."
Then she tilted her head.
"But who are you?"
The boy stepped closer.
"My name is Cherry. I live in this neighborhood."
Irin nodded.
"Cherry?"
"Yes."
The boy pointed toward the large bungalow.
"Are you looking for Chicha Palace?"
Irin turned her face toward the building.
"Can you tell me which way it is?"
Cherry pointed straight ahead.
"You’re already standing in front of it."
Irin paused.
"What?"
She turned slightly toward the building.
"Seriously? I came directly here?"
Cherry nodded.
"Yes."
Irin smiled.
"Then I guess I was lucky."
She took a few lollipops from her bag.
"Here."
Cherry looked at them.
He didn’t immediately take them.
"No, that’s okay."
Irin held them out again.
"Take them."
Cherry finally accepted them.
"Thank you."
He put one lollipop into his mouth.
Then his expression became serious.
"You should be careful if you’re going inside."
Irin looked toward him.
"Why?"
Cherry pointed toward the building.
"There are some scary people inside."
"What kind of people?"
"Some of them wear black clothes."
Irin gave a small sound of understanding.
"Oh..."
Cherry looked at her.
"I’ll guide you there."
Irin smiled.
"You will?"
"Yes."
He took a few steps toward the gate.
"Although a girl like you probably shouldn’t go there."
Irin followed him.
"What’s wrong with the place?"
Cherry looked toward the bungalow.
"There are people inside."
"Are they dangerous?"
Cherry nodded.
"Probably."
Irin smiled slightly.
"And you’re still going to take me there?"
Cherry laughed.
"I’m not scared."
He walked toward the gate.
Irin followed behind him.
Cherry placed his hands on the old metal gate.
He pushed it slowly.
Creeeak...
The gate opened with a long, rough sound.
Beyond it, the path leading toward the bungalow was covered in shadows.
There wasn’t much light inside the compound.
Cherry stopped.
For the first time, he seemed uncertain.
He looked toward Irin.
She was standing calmly beside him.
Cherry swallowed and took another step.
Irin noticed.
"Are you okay?"
"I’m fine."
He continued walking.
The large entrance of Chicha Palace came closer.
Cherry slowed down again.
Irin suddenly stopped.
Her head turned slightly.
She heard something.
A faint sound.
Then another.
Footsteps.
Someone was moving inside.
Cherry didn’t seem to notice.
Irin’s hearing caught the movement clearly.
Her fingers tightened around her cane.
"Cherry."
The boy looked at her.
"What?"
"Stay behind me."
Cherry stared at her.
"Why?"
Irin didn’t answer.
She listened again.
The sound was getting closer.
Someone was approaching them from inside the building.
Irin’s posture changed.
Her head turned toward the exact direction of the footsteps.
Then she suddenly raised her voice.
"Move!"
Cherry jumped backward.
Irin stepped forward and positioned herself between him and the approaching figure.
The dark entrance of Chicha Palace remained ahead.
A shape moved inside.
Then another step echoed through the building.
Tap.
Tap.
Someone was coming toward them.
Irin tightened her grip on the cane.
"Don’t come any closer."
The footsteps stopped.
For a brief moment, everything became still.
Then—
A figure stepped out from the darkness.
Irin immediately turned her head toward it.
Cherry stood behind her, holding the lollipops tightly in his hand.
Whatever was waiting inside Chicha Palace had finally appeared.
And Irin was standing directly in its path.