Ten days had passed. Alia had not found a moment to breathe amidst Viktor's suffocating dominance. But today, with Viktor away on urgent business outside the estate, Alia seized the opportunity. She secretly contacted CIA headquarters. However, as soon as the connection was made, her temper flared. The CIA operator on the other end, Chip, kept urging her to stay calm.
Chip: "Calm down, Alia! You are in a place unlike any other. Get a grip on yourself."
Fuming, Alia entered the clandestine 'Red Room' at headquarters. An image file was open on the computer screen, but it was strangely blurred and shrouded in darkness.
Alia stared at the screen, a chill running down her spine. She whispered:
"That shadow... it's deliberately obscuring his face, even in a bad photo. His entire form is just a dark void."
Chip replied in a grave tone, "Yes, I know... we still haven't been able to capture a clear image of him."
Alia's voice was laced with a mix of deep terror and astonishment. She said to Chip, "Because, Sayori... there is something else you should know. Anashia Kim isn't just your ex-boyfriend. He is a high-ranking NLS Agent, code name 'Dragon Lord'."
Chip was stunned into silence by the revelation. Alia continued rapidly, "We have intercepted communications... He's here for a specific operation. I believe he is using your presence as a cover... We are a target, Sayori."
A cold, lethal gravity settled into Chip's voice. He asked Alia the question that would determine their next move:
Chip: "Tell me, Alia, do we confront him, or... do you become my asset?"
Alia looked out the window at the falling snow. Anashia Kim known as the Dragon Lord was likely laughing as he orchestrated his empire. Alia stood in the middle of a terrifying, double-edged game. She knew there was no turning back from this path. Alia's heart hammered against her ribs as she spoke to Viktor on the phone. She laid everything out the mission, the danger, the precarious nature of her position. To her surprise, Viktor remained chillingly calm. There was no trace of shock or anger in his voice, only a cold, calculated gravity. He agreed to everything she proposed, as if he had been expecting this outcome all along.
Alia steadied her voice, her resolve hardening. "Viktor, if we are to survive this and bring an end to it all... I believe we have to get married. It's the only way to secure the leverage we need. I cannot take any more risks."
There was a brief, heavy silence on the other end of the line before Viktor replied, his tone low and resonant. "I know, Alia. I have known. But now is not the time for sentiment. You must go. You need to head to Korea tonight to extract the intel on Anashia Kim. That information is our only key."
A furrow formed on Alia's brow. She realized Viktor was sending her into the heart of the storm alone, because he was already orchestrating the endgame.
Alia: "Korea? Going straight into the Dragon Lord's lair... isn't that just calling for my own death?"
Viktor: "Death is my servant, Alia. You just focus on watching Anashia. I will handle the rest. Your marriage and this game of ours... it will all fall into place exactly when the time is right."
The line went dead. Alia stood in the silence of the room, realizing Viktor had just pushed her onto a path leading toward the most dangerous mission of her life. She began to pack, her mind racing. Caught between the CIA's demands and Viktor's cryptic, dark authority, she was now a central piece in a complex, deadly puzzle. The flight to Korea was waiting, and ahead of her lay a shadowed mission where every step could be a fatal trap. Alia boarded the private jet bound for Korea. Standing before the mirror, she transformed her appearance—her hair was now dyed a deep, midnight black, and her eyes were hidden behind dark contact lenses. She was unrecognizable, a ghost of her former self.
Upon landing, she arrived at a heavily secured safe house in Seoul. As she entered the flat, the CIA team gathered around her, wasting no time. They led her into a dim, secure briefing room.
CIA Agent: (Placing a dossier in front of her) "According to our intel, Anashia Kim the Dragon Lord is currently overseeing the biggest deal of his career in this city. His security network is ironclad; even our best operatives haven't been able to get within a mile of him."
Alia stared intently at the maps displayed on the wall, her expression unreadable behind the dark lenses.
Alia: (In a cool, steady voice) "He isn't expecting me. He has no idea I'm here. Just give me the floor plans for his private auditorium and the security codes. I'll handle the rest."
The CIA agents exchanged wary glances. They knew the odds of surviving this mission were slim to none. But there was a new, chilling resolve in Alia's posture and the coldness in her gaze that left them with no room to argue.
Agent: "Remember, Alia whatever Viktor is planning from the outside is beyond our control. Inside this building, you are entirely on your own. One wrong step will be your last."
Alia said nothing. She walked to the window, watching the neon lights of Seoul shimmer below. She knew she was now directly in the Dragon Lord's lair. She thought of the secret pact she had made with Viktor. She was no longer just a CIA operative; she was the most vital piece in the dark empire Viktor was building. Alia pushed deeper into her mission. The CIA intel revealed that Anashia Kim was set to marry a woman from an elite family—a tactical alliance to secure his criminal empire. Alia knew that crashing this engagement was her only chance to get within striking distance of the Dragon Lord.
She adopted a new identity. With her midnight-black hair and dark lenses, she donned an exquisite gown, making her appear like just another socialite in a sea of beautiful women.
The venue was filled with hundreds of high-society women, all vying for the attention of the ruthless Dragon Lord. Alia slipped into the crowd, her eyes acting like scanners, tracking Anashia's every move.
Alia: (To herself) "He's not looking for me in this crowd, because he has no idea that his former lover has arrived as the harbinger of his downfall."
As she entered the main lounge, she saw many women attempting to catch Anashia's eye. He sat on a throne-like chair, sipping a drink with an indifferent, cold expression.
Alia took a daring step forward. She knew ordinary banter wouldn't work here. She glided past the others and stopped directly in front of him. The air around them seemed to thicken, and the chatter in the room faded into the background as he finally noticed her.
Alia: (In a low, confident voice) "Aren't you tired of seeing so many faces, Don? Or is it just that difficult to find a suitable partner for your dragon empire?"
Anashia Kim set his glass down. He narrowed his eyes, studying her. He had never seen Alia like this before, but the intensity burning behind her dark-lensed eyes caught him off guard, leaving him momentarily speechless.Anashia leaned in and kissed Alia without a second's hesitation. Alia was taken aback, a cold shiver racing down her spine. Her mind raced with panic: "Have I been caught? Does he recognize me?"
But the panic subsided as quickly as it had come. Anashia pulled back with a wry, arrogant smirk—it was clear she was just another trophy in his eyes. He hadn't recognized her at all. Alia felt a wave of relief, realizing her disguise was holding up.
However, her relief was short-lived. Anashia grabbed her hand and led her to the center of the auditorium. To her shock, he announced to the room that he had chosen this mysterious woman to be his bride.
The wedding was organized immediately. Alia was dressed in traditional Korean wedding attire (Hanbok). She found herself in a surreal, suffocating situation she had come to destroy this man, and now she was forced to walk down the aisle as his wife.
As she sat beside Anashia, completing the wedding rituals, she felt the small transmitter hidden in the palm of her hand. She whispered to herself, "You want to marry me, Anashia? Know thisthis marriage will be the very thing that drags you from your fortress down to your ruin."
The room was filled with music and the chatter of guests, but Alia's gaze remained locked on Anashia's eyes. She knew this Korean wedding was merely a tactical step in her mission she was now closer to him than anyone else, yet she remained his deadliest enemy lurking in plain sight.