About an hour and a half later, Axel pushed the door open and stepped out into a corridor littered with bodies.
Nearly eighty corpses lay scattered across the floor, their blood pooling into dark streaks that stained the walls and soaked the carpet. The air was thick with the metallic stench of death.
Axel wrinkled his nose. The smell was dense, almost suffocating, like compressed gas.
He pulled out a cigarette and lighter, lit it, and took a slow drag, proving in his own way that the air was not quite as volatile as it seemed.
Down the corridor, a pile of bodies shifted.
Ci Yun emerged from it, drenched in blood, her expression cold and distant.
"She's the eldest daughter of Samsung," she said flatly. "If something happens to her, the consequences won't be small. In the past ninety minutes, two SWAT teams have already arrived, and there are U.S. military units stationed outside."
She paused, her jaw tightening.
"So what now? Do we eliminate everyone, or do we follow your plan and move on to abducting the First Lady?"
The words came out sharp, but beneath them was strain.
She had spent ten years hiding from violence, trying to escape that life.
Yet today alone, she had killed more people than she had in all those years combined.
The irony was not lost on her.
She stepped off the pile and walked toward Axel.
Axel casually reached into the air and gathered floating gold fragments into a small pouch, sealing it as if it were nothing more than loose change.
"Haha, you've done enough," he said lightly. "There's no need to keep going."
He smirked.
"Honestly, that Samsung princess had excellent taste. Made me lose interest in tracking down that so-called First Lady."
He glanced at her.
"Next, I'll take you back with me. But before that, don't you want to say goodbye to your family?"
He draped an arm over her blood-soaked shoulder without hesitation.
Ci Yun narrowed her eyes, but said nothing.
His repeated mention of "his world" lingered in her thoughts. Whether real or not, she understood one thing, if she left with him, she might never return.
After a brief silence, she nodded.
"I should see them. I caused trouble today. I'll be on every news channel. They took care of me for ten years. Even if I can't repay that… I should at least say goodbye."
She took a breath, then reached for his hand, leaving a bloody imprint as her fingers tightened.
"Let's go."
"Alright. Oh, one more thing," Axel said casually. "Your mother has Alzheimer's, right? The treatment you used should help her too."
He reached out, and a box of vials appeared in his hand.
He took two for himself and handed the rest to her.
"Give these to them later."
Ci Yun accepted the box, her expression still cold, but something faintly shifted in her gaze.
"I understand."
Before she could think further, the world blurred.
In an instant, they stood in her living room.
Do Mingxi, her police officer father Do Gye Hong, and Ci Yun's adoptive father sat on the couch, watching the news in stunned silence.
Axel and Ci Yun had appeared behind them.
"Honestly, I always knew that child was different," Do Gye Hong was saying. "Top of every class, even nationally ranked. But this… I never imagined this."
He stared at the screen, his voice unsteady.
"Even the U.S. military is involved now. This has escalated too far… but she'll escape, right?"
"Dad," Do Mingxi said, hugging herself. "Don't say that. Ci Yun is my best friend. She won't get caught."
She hesitated, then added bitterly, "But she really fooled me. Acting so innocent… and now she's with a guy like that…"
"Do Mingxi."
Ci Yun's voice cut through the room.
All three froze and turned.
The sight of her left them speechless.
Her uniform was soaked in blood. Her hair clung to her face in thick, matted strands. Something unidentifiable was stuck to her forehead.
And she smiled.
Bright. Warm. Completely wrong.
Her teeth, stained red, made it worse.
"Siba?!" Do Mingxi gasped, her body locking up.
"Ci Yun…" her adoptive father whispered, fists trembling.
"Don't move!" Do Gye Hong shouted, drawing his taser with shaking hands.
He glanced at the television, then back at her.
"You were just on the news… how are you here?"
His eyes shifted to Axel.
Axel met his gaze and grinned.
He walked forward and sat beside Ci Yun's adoptive father, crossing his legs casually.
"Gentleman, Ci Yun has something for you and your wife," he said. "Why don't you head to the bedroom and talk? I'll keep your friends company."
With a flick of his hand, Ci Yun and her adoptive father vanished.
Silence fell.
Do Mingxi stared at Axel, her fear overwhelming her. Her body trembled uncontrollably.
Then she broke.
Tears streamed down her face as she realized she had lost control of her bladder.
She couldn't even run.
Do Gye Hong stepped in front of her, forcing himself to stand between her and Axel.
"Go," he whispered urgently. "Find Ci Yun."
He pushed her away.
He knew he couldn't stop Axel.
Not someone like this.
Axel caught his wrist mid-motion and smiled.
"Relax," he said. "That toy won't do anything."
A gold-plated M1911 appeared in his hand.
He shoved it into Do Gye Hong's grip, along with two boxes of ammunition.
Then he placed six gold bars on the table.
"Consider it repayment. Ten years of raising her isn't cheap."
He leaned back.
"She's leaving with me. This is all I can offer. I can't exactly make you President, that might upset certain corporations."
He laughed and pulled the stunned man down onto the couch.
"Still, once we're gone, your safety won't be guaranteed. So I'll leave you something useful."
He waved his hand.
The room filled instantly.
Dozens of people appeared, crammed into the space.
The President of South Korea, the First Lady, corporate leaders, prosecutors, and other elites.
Confusion erupted.
"What is this?!"
"Where are we?!"
"Is that him?!"
"Silence!" Axel snapped.
The room fell quiet.
The group quickly composed themselves, exchanging looks and silently pushing the President forward.
He forced a polite smile.
"Hello. I'm the President of South Korea. How can I assist you?"
He hesitated.
"Perhaps… it would be better to send the women away. They might complicate things."
Axel chuckled.
"No, no. Women are very important for what comes next."
He raised his hands as if holding a rifle.
A moment later, an AR-15 appeared in his grip.
The front row recoiled, only to be trapped by the crowd behind them.
Axel flicked off the safety.
"Alright. Listen carefully," he said with a smile. "Take off your clothes."
No one moved.
He stepped forward and smashed a man's skull with the rifle.
The body dropped instantly.
The room erupted in panic.
Axel lifted the bloodied weapon and pointed it at them again.
"That was to clarify my instructions," he said calmly. "I'd rather not repeat myself. Now, all of you, strip."
"Yes!"
"Understood!"
The room descended into frantic compliance.
Within moments, the most powerful figures in the country stood exposed.
Axel pulled out a phone from Do Gye Hong's pocket and began recording.
"Good. Now interact. Make it convincing," he said. "No hiding behind your spouses. Keep it… professional."
He tilted his head toward a grieving woman.
"You, you're lucky. Go stand next to the President."
He smiled wider.
"Let's make this memorable."