1 Prologue

Night can hide. Night can transform. Night can make things vanish as well as get reborn.

3 years ago

03:21

Oak Street, 329 km out of Tesu City, Krora

The wind travelled across the night, through leaves and mud that were being swirled away by the vicious raindrops that had filled the ground. Among the sound of thunders and the echo of death, it travelled freely and took everything that happened to fall on its road, swaying forcefully.

And like that, it ended up blowing harshly against a plastic bag that despite the incredible strength of the wind, didn't move an inch.

Under the heavy sound of the rain that was strongly colliding with the concrete, above that bag stood three men dressed in black. The veil of the night had made them almost invincible as they had reached near the cliff with their vehicle, in which inside of, remained two eyes that were watching over them and their doings.

A smile crept on the lips of the individual as he observed the men throw down the cliff, the big plastic bag that they had carried to the edge. Unfortunately, even though he had his window down, because of the vicious rain he wasn't able to hear the splash that the bag would make once it came in contact with the sea that was lying under it, yet even like that, the man closed his eyes and left a quick prayer for the soul that he had just sent back where it had come from.

His hands, which were placed in a praying position, revealed the scar that lay on his skin. A tattoo of a crescent moon was placed on his right hand, across his thumb which was a symbol of where he belonged. A sign that symbolized his loyalty as well as his future.

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11:35

Yongsan Police Station, Tesu, Krora

His steps hurried through the corridors of the police station, making his dark mid-long hair sway up and down along with his necktie that was resting on top of his firm chest. He passed the corner smoothly and bowed at some coworkers that he happened to come across before continuing down his path, towards the meeting room which he had to have been into by now yet the time had slipped off his mind while he was working on some paperwork on his desk.

He took a deep breath once he reached the door and quickly entered the room, an action that made his coworkers turn their attention on him slightly before he proceeded to follow the mannerisms and bowed quickly then he walked further inside, being able to finally manage to reach to his seat were on the desk laid a coffee cup, that had his name on it. Ian Lee.

The team captain didn't seem to be bothered whatsoever by his late arrival to his fortune and he continued speaking about the issue that they currently had at hand.

"..22 victims in just the past week. All held the same tattoo in different parts of their body. A settlement between mafia groups." He heard as he proceeded to open the folder that was in front of him which contained the information that they had at hand related to the case, however, while doing so, he tried to make sure to keep his attention and listen to his team captain that was still speaking but his intention didn't come to be successful because as soon as his eyes fell on the first page of that folder, his attention got drawn like a sponge while he kept observing the pictures of the lifeless bodies that were found.

The tattoos that they held were quite familiar to his memory. Whoever held one was known to be part of a certain criminal organization. They were well known to the police even though until today, they hadn't managed to fight right against them and shut their illegal activities down completely. They had strong roots as far as he knew and their activities spread worldwide.

"..As you may have noticed, this is a case out of our capacities yet for some reason, NIS assigned us this case and as such we have to do our best to solve it..." The voice of his captain entered his ears again, making him look up from the file and give him a surprised gaze as his statement was indeed unexpected.

How were they supposed to solve such a case when the National Intelligence Services of the country themselves seemed to have dodged it? It was obvious after all that the only reason they might have given them such a case was to see them fail at it. Maybe this was one more trap from them to make the Police force get ridiculed and belittled by the citizens.

" Ian. Are you listening?" His team captain, known by the name Hwa Kwan, drew his attention and he brought his eyes to him again before he nodded positively.

"As a former member of the KNP {Krora national police(SWAT)}, I hope that you have realized that we will need your experience and skills on this mission." He told him and Ian straightened his posture, before letting him know that he was more than ready to do whatever it was asked of him. His job was of utmost importance to him, after all. It came above everything.

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21:32

Tesu, Krora

Tears were wetting the floor accompanied by sobs and weeps of many individuals that like everyone else around her, were dressed in black.

In their faces, was visible their pain. Their sorrow. The lives that had unexpectedly turned the tables on them, taking away from them what they had more dear.

The eyes of a mother who seemed to have stopped living along with her son. The eyes of a wife whose chest had never felt heavier than today. The eyes of a child who remained lost before the tragic moment that he was living.

The atmosphere sure was heavy but it was way too familiar to tag on her emotions and make her sad. Despite all that however while she looked at them, she couldn't help but sympathize, just like she had with all the other 21 families whom she had attended the funerals of today.

It sure was a hectic day for Eden yet she knew well that her actions weren't exactly appreciated by anyone around. Under their tears, their emotions for her presence were visible. Their hatred and despise were too strong to be hidden by keeping their head low and their mouths shut. Most though had sure done so. They had swallowed their words and feelings and had thanked her for coming. But this one didn't even try to lie before her. Even though no one had dared to say a word till that moment.

"I curse you! Burn in the flames of hell. You and whoever has your blood. May you never find peace. May you die in the most horrible way. I curse you!" The old lady yelled as she tried to approach Eden but was held back by some of the other family members who quickly took her away.

"I apologize for her behaviour, Miss San. Grief has made her lose her logic. Please excuse her behaviour." A man begged on the floor at a small distance before Eden's feet and she just passed him by without saying a word.

She had come to pay her last respects to the deceased one and that was all she was going to do. Who's fault was it, it was something that was none of her business. She was sure either way that their lives were to be avenged.

Whether she liked it or not, lives wouldn't stop from being lost. From her side or their side. But there was nothing abnormal about that. People die all the time after all. Especially the ones that live lives like these.

Each individual that was laying on their coffin today, knew well that this day would come for them. Each was more than aware of whom they served and what they were doing with their lives. Each had taken the decision that like every other that held that tattoo on their skin, was one day to bring them none else but to this place.

A grave.