The storm had intensified. Snowflakes whirled in chaotic patterns, biting at Nam's face as he sprinted through the dense pines. The battle had temporarily subsided, but the hunt had only just begun.
Nam's eyes scanned the landscape. His heart thudded in his chest, not from exertion but from the urgency of the task. He couldn't afford to lose Kai. Not now. Not after everything.
He had to end it.
The path he was following had been deliberately chosen. Kai knew him too well. The fugitive was skilled at leading people astray, leaving false trails and false hopes. But Nam was no amateur.
The trees around him thickened, the light from his torch flickering as he forged ahead. His instincts guided him—every step calculated, every movement deliberate.
Suddenly, a soft crack echoed from his right. Nam froze. His pulse spiked.
He's here.
Nam whipped around, just in time to see a figure darting between the trees—a blur of black and red. Kai.
"Clever," Nam muttered, pushing forward, his legs burning with effort. Kai was faster than him, but Nam had something his adversary didn't: determination.
"Stop running, Kai!" Nam shouted. "It's over!"
There was no response, just the rustling of leaves and the wind howling through the branches. The chase continued.
Each time Nam thought he was gaining ground, Kai found a way to vanish—slipping through the trees, disappearing into the night. But Nam knew the forest. He knew the hidden paths, the secret places. It was only a matter of time.
A flash of movement to the left. Nam snapped his head, but too late. Kai had already made the jump over a ravine.
Clever bastard.
Nam gritted his teeth and followed.
He leapt across the gap, his feet skimming over the icy rock below. The wind howled, tugging at his jacket as he landed.
Kai's silhouette was now clearer ahead, just within reach. His breath visible in the frigid air, a reminder of how close they were.
One last chance.
Nam gathered all his strength, pushing himself forward with every ounce of energy he had left.
The gap between them narrowed.
Kai stumbled. He had been running for too long, and the exhaustion was showing.
Nam didn't hesitate. He closed in, hands outstretched, ready to grab.
Just then, a voice rang out from the darkness.
"Nam!"
He froze. His heart skipped a beat.
The shadow was no longer just a silhouette in front of him. It was a trap.
Kai's face turned, smirking.
"Not today, my friend." The cold glint in his eyes was all too familiar.
In the blink of an eye, a sniper rifle's barrel gleamed from the darkness. A sharp crack echoed, and everything went white.