The dim lights flickered again, casting an eerie glow over the high-tech facility. Seojun's breath came in shallow bursts as he and Hana made their way through the winding corridors, their footsteps heavy and purposeful. The countdown was already ticking down. They couldn't waste another second.
"We need to find that control room," Hana said, her voice steady but urgent. "Victor's plan has already started. We're running out of time."
Seojun nodded. His mind raced, processing everything Victor had revealed. The Syndicate's plan, Phase Three, the new world order—it was all a carefully orchestrated scheme. But Seojun wasn't about to let Victor win, not after everything they'd been through.
They rounded a corner, the faint hum of machinery growing louder. The sound of distant alarms rang through the air, signaling the impending threat. Seojun's hand instinctively went to his sidearm, the cold metal offering him a brief moment of comfort.
"There," Seojun pointed ahead, his eyes narrowing. In the distance, he could see a heavily guarded door, reinforced with metal plating and equipped with security systems. That had to be the control room.
"Let's go," Hana said, her voice sharp with resolve.
They moved quickly, their bodies pressed against the walls to avoid detection. Each step brought them closer to their objective, but also deeper into enemy territory. The Syndicate's forces were everywhere, and they couldn't afford to be caught off guard.
As they approached the door, Seojun held up his hand, signaling for Hana to stop. He crouched low, peering around the corner. The guards were positioned at regular intervals, their weapons raised and ready. It would be a difficult fight, but not impossible.
"I'll take the left side," Seojun whispered, his voice barely audible. "You cover the right."
Hana nodded without a word, her focus unwavering. They knew their roles well by now—no time for mistakes.
With a quick movement, Seojun lunged forward, his body a blur as he closed the distance to the nearest guard. The man never saw it coming. Seojun's fist connected with his throat, knocking him out cold before he could even react. The second guard barely had time to turn around before Hana's silenced pistol fired, the shot precise and deadly.
The rest of the guards had no time to react as Seojun and Hana made their way through the corridor. They were unstoppable, a perfect team. As they reached the door to the control room, Seojun paused for a moment, his hand resting on the cold metal surface.
"This is it," he said, his voice quiet but full of determination. "We end this now."
With a swift motion, Seojun used the electronic keypad to bypass the security system. The door slid open, revealing a dimly lit room filled with rows of monitors and complex machinery. At the far end of the room stood Victor, his back turned to them as he manipulated the controls.
"Victor!" Seojun's voice rang out, cutting through the tension in the air. "It's over."
Victor turned slowly, his lips curling into a sinister smile. He didn't seem surprised.
"You're too late," he said calmly, his eyes gleaming with satisfaction. "Phase Three has already begun. The world you know is about to change."
Seojun stepped forward, his fists clenched, his resolve hardening.
"Not if I have anything to say about it."
Hana moved to Seojun's side, her eyes locked on Victor.
"What's Phase Three? What exactly is your plan?" she demanded, her voice filled with a mix of anger and disbelief.
Victor's smile only grew wider as he took a step toward them.
"Phase Three is the final step in the Syndicate's vision. The world is too fractured, too unstable. The people are weak, their governments corrupt. But I have the power to change that. To reshape the world in my image."
He gestured to the monitors behind him. The screens flickered to life, showing images of major cities around the world—each one experiencing widespread chaos, their infrastructure crumbling, buildings collapsing in flames.
"You see," Victor continued, his voice cold and calculating, "I've already set the wheels in motion. The chaos you see unfolding is just the beginning. It will spread across the globe, destroying everything in its path. Only those who bow to the Syndicate will survive."
Seojun's heart raced as he took in the horrifying images on the screens. The Syndicate had planned this all along. They wanted global chaos, to break down governments and establish themselves as the rulers of the world. But Seojun couldn't let that happen.
"You won't get away with this," Seojun said, his voice steady but filled with fury. "We'll stop you."
Victor let out a dark laugh.
"You think you can stop this? The countdown has already begun. The world's collapse is inevitable." He stepped closer to the control panel, his fingers hovering over the final activation button. "There's nothing you can do now."
Seojun's mind raced. There had to be a way to stop it. He looked around the control room, scanning the screens, searching for any sign of a way to reverse the process.
Hana stepped forward, her expression determined.
"We can't let him activate the final phase," she said, her voice low. "We need to destroy the control panel, now."
Without hesitation, Seojun sprinted toward Victor, his body moving like a blur. In an instant, he was on him, tackling him to the ground before Victor could hit the activation button.
The two men struggled, Victor snarling as he tried to push Seojun off. Hana quickly followed, using her pistol to disable the security system controlling the room.
"This ends now, Victor," Seojun grunted, pinning him down. "You're not in control anymore."
Victor's eyes flashed with desperation.
"You think you've won?" he spat, his voice dripping with venom. "You have no idea what's coming. This is just the beginning of the end."
With a final, decisive move, Seojun slammed his fist into Victor's face, knocking him unconscious.
The countdown had stopped.