"Won-bin." Hawk's voice wasn't loud, but it pierced the silence like an ice pick, drilling clearly into Won-bin's ears.
The name, spoken from his lips, made Won-bin's body tremble violently.
"Why do you think I've kept you alive?" Hawk slowly paced closer, his tall figure casting a massive shadow under the light, enveloping the woman curled up on the floor.
Won-bin's teeth chattered, and a muffled whimper caught in her throat. She didn't dare answer. Was it pity? Was it a fallback intelligence source? Or was a more brutal torment waiting? Every possibility sent shivers down her spine.
"It's not pity," Hawk said, as if reading her mind. "Your abilities, while a joke in my presence, are still… a scarce resource in this world." His gaze swept over her scarred arms; the Witch's self-healing ability was meaningless before him. His eyes finally rested on her face, which, despite the torture, was still exquisitely delicate. He continued, "Besides, death is too cheap for you. Valuable assets should be put to good use."
Hawk handed the glass to Andy, tucked his hands into his robe pockets, and looked down at her. "I'm giving you an opportunity, Won-bin."
A faint, incredulous flicker crossed Won-bin's eyes, only to be immediately drowned by deeper fear.
"Work for me," Hawk's voice was absolute. "Become a tool in my hand—a sharp, obedient tool. Prove your value. Prove you deserve this life I'm granting you."
He leaned in slightly. The sheer pressure made Won-bin nearly suffocate. "There is an opportunity right now to prove yourself. A Vow of Allegiance. Complete it, and you pass the test. You will become my employee, receive appropriate treatment and protection, and you'll live very comfortably in this city, full of sunlight. No one will force you to do what you don't want to do—except, of course… me."
"If you refuse…" Hawk paused, his tone dismissive. "Goo Ja-yoon will be right here to efficiently end your suffering. I guarantee the process will be much shorter than what you endured in the interrogation room, though it certainly won't be pleasant."
Won-bin's heart pounded madly, threatening to burst from her chest. Work for him? Become a tool for this man who was like a demon god? Betray the Busan base? Every thought made her head spin, directly contradicting the ideology she had been indoctrinated with since childhood.
But the words "live," and "live better," flickered like a candle in the darkness, weak but stubbornly drawing her in. She recalled Hawk's all-crushing power, his icy, all-controlling gaze during the interrogations, and the intermingled physical and psychological pain… A strange, twisted emotion quietly blossomed.
He was too powerful, strong enough to command a Witch of Goo Ja-yoon's caliber. His power made her despair, but also birthed a pathological sense of dependency in that despair—was obeying the strong one not the worst choice? Especially when that strong one offered her a path to life, even if it was a thorny path requiring the sale of her soul. Moreover, his description made it sound like she could live quite well.
The seeds of Stockholm Syndrome quietly sprouted in the soil of extreme terror and desperate hopelessness.
Her breathing quickened, her body no longer trembling just from fear, but also from intense internal struggle. She raised her head, looking for the first time truly and clearly at Hawk's face. His handsome yet cold features were like a sculpture in the light, his eyes deep, as if capable of swallowing everything.
"I…" Her voice was hoarse and dry, barely a whisper. "I… I don't have a choice, do I?"
"You have a choice," Hawk straightened up, his tone aloof. "The path of life, or the path of death. Choose."
Won-bin's gaze darted past Hawk to Goo Ja-yoon leaning against the bar. Ja-yoon's eyes were still empty and indifferent, as if looking at an inanimate object. Won-bin knew that if she spoke the word "no" or hesitated for a few more seconds, this woman—Goo Ja-yoon, a legendary figure among the Witches—would end her life as easily as squashing an insect.
"I…" Won-bin took a sharp breath, a breath that seemed to drain her remaining strength. She closed her eyes and spoke in a raw voice, one that suggested both release and utter submission: "I choose the path of life. I am willing to work for you, Mr. Hawk. I am willing to… prove my value."
"Very good." There was no surprise on Hawk's face; everything was under control.
He took the wine glass back from Andy, his tone returning to its former calm. "Ja-yoon, take her to treat her injuries, clean her up, and get her into some decent clothes. Let her rest for the night. Tomorrow, give her the briefing for that task—the one that will be easier than crushing an ant."
Goo Ja-yoon nodded and walked toward the prostrate Won-bin. Won-bin instinctively flinched as Ja-yoon approached, but under Hawk's cold gaze, she forced herself to relax, allowing Ja-yoon to help her up.
Before leaving the room, she cast one last look at Hawk. In those eyes, once defiant, there was now only total submission and a hint of an unspeakable, complex emotion.
The door quietly closed.
Andy looked at Hawk. "Are you sure you want to keep her? A monster from Busan?"
Hawk swirled the Port in his glass. The deep red liquid refracted a strange, seductive light, reflected in his profound eyes.
"Monster? Andy, in this world, power has no morality. The key is who holds the reins." He looked out at the endless prosperity outside the window. "Bates Capital is gone, but the greedy vultures will never disappear. We need more 'claws' in our hands to tear them apart. She's sharp enough and pretty enough… Most importantly, she now knows the consequences of betraying me or disappointing me."
He finished the wine. "And that fear will be the strongest collar."
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