EPISODE 53 – The Catalyst's Test & The Hunter Becomes The Hunted
The North Seoul Plaza was a maelstrom of fear and confusion. Emergency vehicles, sirens wailing, struggled to navigate the throngs of panicked citizens and the growing number of casualties. Overwhelmed paramedics and doctors, their faces grim, moved with desperate urgency, doing their best to stabilize victims, but the sheer scale of the attack was too much. The iridescent mist of Pandora's Breath continued to spread, claiming more victims with its agonizing effects.
Micha, her face grim with determination, moved through the chaos like a ghost, Guen a silent, vigilant shadow beside her. Her hand, steady despite the tremors of the ground from distant explosions, guided the discreet spray device. She had carefully transferred the lollipop-infused antidote into its reservoir. They found a young woman convulsing violently near a shattered storefront, a harried paramedic desperately trying to administer oxygen.
"Severe respiratory distress, neural spasms," Guen murmured to Micha, confirming the immediate need. "Start there. We need to be quick, blend in with the emergency response."
Micha approached, her heart pounding. This was it. The moment of truth for her improbable cure. "Excuse me, sir," she said to the overwhelmed paramedic, her voice calm amidst the chaos. "We're here to assist. Experimental rapid stabilizer." Before he could question, she aimed the nozzle, a barely audible hiss as the ultra-fine mist settled on the woman's face. Within seconds, the tremors began to subside, the harsh gasps eased into shallower breaths. A faint, greenish tinge on the woman's skin seemed to recede, replaced by a healthier pallor.
The paramedic, wide-eyed, stared as the woman stabilized. "Wha... what was that?"
"Rapid counter-agent," Micha whispered, already moving. "Get her to the nearest field hospital, code critical but stable. We'll move on to others."
Guen, observing closely, nodded. "Partial reversal. The Seraph's effects are still present, but the neurotoxin is being neutralized. It's buying time. We'll identify more critical cases for you, then direct the rescue teams to them." They continued their perilous work, discreetly applying the antidote, then signaling to nearby, overwhelmed rescue teams to transport the newly stabilized patients. Emergency doctors, arriving on specialized response vehicles, quickly checked the vitals of those Micha had treated, their expressions shifting from despair to cautious hope as they saw the immediate, albeit temporary, improvement.
Minjae's Fury
In the SUV, Minjae watched the raw, unfiltered feeds from Alex's improvised drone network. The suffering in the plaza, the overwhelmed rescue teams, combined with the sickening revelation of the true ZEROFACE, fueled a cold, burning rage within him. He gripped a tactical knife, repeatedly plunging its tip into the worn leather of the dashboard, leaving small, precise nicks.
"He played us," Minjae snarled, his voice a low growl. "He used Miran's brother as a shield, a distraction, while he built this 'masterpiece' in the shadows."
Kevin, his expression hardened, placed a hand on Minjae's shoulder. "We were all fooled, Minjae. He's a ghost, operating beyond the reach of conventional intelligence for years."
"Doesn't matter," Minjae snapped, shaking off Kevin's hand. "That thing out there... he made me think I finished it. Made me think I had closure. He stole that, too." He watched a feed showing Micha, almost lost in the crowd of paramedics and doctors, meticulously administering the antidote. "And now we're relying on her... and a lollipop." He scoffed, but the underlying anxiety in his voice was clear. "Alex, anything? A lead? Anything on ZEROFACE's actual location?"
Alex's fingers flew across his keyboard, sweat beading on his forehead. "He's gone silent again, Minjae. Deep encryption. But I'm tracing the origin point of the drone deployment. It's not a direct signal; it's bouncing through a complex network of compromised North Korean proxy servers. This isn't just one guy; he has an entire infrastructure. Looks like he's built his own private army."
Dohee, monitoring comms, picked up frantic police chatter and hospital overload reports. "Casualty numbers are still climbing, despite Micha's efforts. The antidote needs to be mass-produced, and fast. But the public still doesn't know the full scope."
"They can't know," Kevin stated, his eyes fixed on the screen showing ZEROFACE's lingering broadcast image. "Not yet. Not until we understand the full extent of this 'Pandora's Breath' and who ZEROFACE truly is. We're fighting a phantom."
The Hunter Becomes The Hunted
As Micha and Guen continued their perilous work among the emergency responders, Alex's voice cut through their earpieces, sharper than before. "Hold on, Micha! Guen! I'm detecting something. Unidentified thermal signatures. Not drones. Too large. Moving rapidly towards your position in the plaza, converging. They're heavily armed."
Guen immediately pulled Micha behind a derelict food stall, just as a group of exhausted medics passed by, pushing a stretcher. "Ambush! ZEROFACE anticipated our move."
Minjae slammed his palm on the dashboard. "He's watching! He knew we'd try to counter. Alex, can you give me a clear visual on them?"
"Negative, Minjae. They're using thermal cloaking, but their heat signatures are... highly organized. Military-grade. Definitely North Korean spec-ops, operating under ZEROFACE's command. They're moving to intercept Micha and Guen."
Micha's heart hammered against her ribs. She glanced at the dwindling supply in her spray device. "Minjae, I'm almost out of the emergency batch! We need to get back to the SUV for more, or people will start dying again when the first effects wear off!" She pointed to a young, female doctor collapsing from exhaustion beside a casualty. "We need to get this antidote to the hospitals!"
"No kidding, Ms. Lollipop," Minjae growled, already slamming the SUV into reverse. "Hang on. We're coming to you. Kevin, Dohee, prepare for extraction. Alex, give me a clear path through this madness."
The SUV tore through the side streets, bypassing emergency blockades, drawing curious and terrified glances. Minjae's driving was reckless, fueled by a desperate urgency and blinding fury.
"Three bogies, 200 meters, closing fast!" Alex yelled. "They're circling the area where Micha and Guen are. Looks like they're trying to cut off your escape route!"
"He's playing with us," Kevin murmured, his eyes scanning the surrounding buildings. "He wants to see how we react. He wants to know our limits."
The Grudging Reliance
As Minjae skillfully navigated the tight alleyways, he watched a different feed showing Micha and Guen, now pinned down behind some debris, surrounded by more and more collapsing citizens and overwhelmed rescue workers. The thermal signatures of ZEROFACE's operatives were closing in. He felt a fresh surge of dread, mixed with a frustrating acknowledgment. For all her eccentricities, Micha was crucial. Her bizarre, lollipop-fueled science was their only hope.
"Micha, can you reach the south exit of the plaza? It's less crowded, more emergency personnel are staging there!" Minjae barked into the comms, his voice gruff.
"Negative, Minjae! We're surrounded by casualties here. And one of them... he's in critical condition. Too unstable to move. He needs the antidote now, but my spray is empty!" Micha's voice, for the first time, showed a flicker of despair. "We're stuck! And these emergency doctors are at their breaking point!"
Minjae swore under his breath. "That crazy woman. Always putting herself in the thick of it." He clenched his jaw. "Alex, override traffic signals. Give me a straight shot to their position. Kevin, Dohee, get ready. We're going in."
"You heard the man," Kevin said, already checking his weapon. Dohee, her face determined, grabbed a medical kit.
"Minjae!" Alex yelled. "Just got a new decryption! ZEROFACE isn't just watching from the drones! He's patched into your comms! He's listening to us! He's been baiting us!"
A cold shiver ran down Minjae's spine. The true ZEROFACE wasn't just observing; he was actively manipulating them, playing them like puppets. The hunter had indeed become the hunted. And this was just the beginning of ZEROFACE's elaborate game.
The SUV screeched to a halt, tires smoking. Minjae threw open the door, his eyes blazing, a single thought echoing in his mind: This isn't over. Not by a long shot.