The rescue, in the end, was nothing more than throwing down some rock climbing gear from the top of the cliff.
At that moment, Seoryeong didn't waste the opportunity.
She raised Lee Wooshin's still-bound wrist high—like lighting a torch of victory.
*Better to declare it now, in front of many people, so everyone could see and acknowledge it.*
The descending instructors stared with wide eyes.
"Agent Han Seoryeong."
Lee Wooshin—who had just released his hand from Seoryeong's grip—frowned and spoke. He stood up and took the equipment from Jin Hoje's hands.
"Don't act like it's all over just because someone came to rescue you."
As if nothing had happened before, Lee Wooshin returned to his stern and cold demeanor. The wildness in his eyes—the heat that had burned so fiercely minutes ago—was gone, replaced by ice.
"Do you know why life and death are often decided in the last second?"
He asked while attaching a climbing rope to Seoryeong's waist, fitting metal spikes to her boots, and handing her an ice axe.
Seoryeong looked into the instructor's eyes—now cold, no longer burning.
"Because there's no energy left to take even one more step."
"…"
"That's why we train hard. Even pay a lot to learn how to force ourselves to take one more step when our bodies feel like dying." His gaze briefly stopped at Seoryeong's still-chapped lips. "So, what should you do now?"
He paused.
"From now on, Han Seoryeong will climb on her own."
"What?"
"You need to get used to saving yourself."
He quickly untied the wire from her wrist and tossed his jacket to Seoryeong.
What had initially seemed like a disaster was now turning into training.
He began to climb the ice wall, wearing Jin Hoje's jacket that he had forcibly taken. Jin Hoje—who frowned with a tan darkened by weeks in the sun—muttered "*Follow orders… follow orders…*" while moving nimbly like a veteran.
He whispered something to Lee Wooshin, but the sound was lost in the blizzard.
Left alone, Seoryeong clumsily slammed her tool into the ice wall.
Amidst the chaos, she faintly heard that heavy voice again:
"Push yourself to the limit. Without me, you are not allowed to die."
Lee Wooshin didn't look back even once as he climbed to the top of the cliff.
---
Every time she struck her tool, small pieces of ice flew and slapped her face.
Occasionally, Jin Hoje glanced down to check on her—but never helped. He only showed a worried expression, alternately looking at Lee Wooshin and Seoryeong, wanting to speak but always interrupted by a sneeze.
After hours of arduous climbing, Seoryeong finally collapsed to the ground.
Her wrists trembled as if her ligaments were strained. Her body was completely exhausted from dehydration. Although her stomach was empty, she felt nauseous—bile rising in her throat.
At that moment, a smooth face appeared upside down above her.
*She thought she had been abandoned, but…*
"Good job."
Lee Wooshin knelt down and looked at her expressionlessly.
Seoryeong didn't even have the strength to move a finger—but she immediately grabbed his wrist.
In response, he only smiled thinly and flicked her forehead hard.
"One member stabbed. Another fell. So this quarter's training is over two days early." His voice was matter-of-fact. "Out of all the team members, only Han Seoryeong managed to capture an instructor."
"…!"
"Congratulations." He met her eyes. "Upon returning to headquarters, you will be officially assigned to the Special Security Team."
Hearing the direct confirmation from Lee Wooshin, her chest swelled like a balloon.
Many of the expletive-filled moments she had gone through flashed through her mind like lantern shadows. Although she had once thought she might have been too reckless, she had never dreamed that the reward would be this sweet.
At that moment, Lee Wooshin—with a meaningful gaze—pinched Seoryeong's still-bleeding lips from the bite.
"How is it now? Han Seoryeong, you have no choice but to follow all my orders."
"What…"
"In the field, my word is law." His smile was cold. "How do you, this rookie, plan to resist?"
"…!"
"Once you refuse my order, there won't be a second chance."
He released her lips with a firm grip and stood up. His gaze was sharp, piercing Seoryeong, who was still lying on the ground.
"Of course, your actions will be restricted, and you'll have to keep those troublesome promises."
*That…*
Seoryeong mustered her remaining strength and sat up.
"Why should I accept your help, Instructor, when I don't know what orders you'll give after this? It feels like a leash, and I don't like it. I don't want my actions restricted, and having to keep promises is annoying."
*Wasn't that what I said in the recovery room before?*
"Exactly. Why take my hand if you don't know my orders?" His smile widened. "But it seems like you don't have a choice now."
"…!"
"Too bad, Han Seoryeong."
Seoryeong looked at him, silent.
Her lips throbbed with pain.
*Haa…*
She swept her hair back in frustration.
Even though she had passed the test and won, there was a strange feeling—like she had walked directly into the mouth of a shark.
And that was the last time she saw Lee Wooshin during the training.
Even when she said goodbye to the instructors who had made her comfortable, and when she finally left the camp by bus, Lee Wooshin was nowhere to be seen.
Every time Seoryeong glanced around, her colleagues would approach and say, "I heard about that bastard Song Ukchan," while patting her shoulder.
"What happened to him?" they asked.
But whoever was asked couldn't give a clear answer about the man's punishment or whereabouts.
And so, the grueling ten-week journey finally came to an end.
---
## — Home —
*Beep, beep, beep.*
It felt strange to press the door lock button after so long.
While adjusting the bouquet of yellow freesias in her arms, Seoryeong carefully pressed the last digit.
"I'm home."
As soon as she entered, her gaze went straight to the wedding photo at the end of the hallway.
The frame was so thin and fragile, it should have been thrown away a long time ago. Yet, she still greeted it cheerfully.
Although her chest always felt cold whenever she looked at the photo, for some reason today she felt relieved that the photo wasn't in its place.
She was willing to do anything to find Kim Hyeon—but seeing the empty frame actually made her cough.
And at that very moment, she vaguely noticed a cliff-like shape emerging within the emptiness of the frame.
Seoryeong frowned deeply.
The bag on her shoulder fell to the floor.
"What kind of crazy woman is this?!"
Just then, a loud noise echoed—and the door to her small bedroom opened violently.
The room that had been tidy two months ago was now filled with dark computer screens glowing brightly in the dim light.
The young face that appeared—Channa—widened in surprise.
"Oh my gosh, sis! What happened to you to make you like this?!"
"Congratulations on your recovery."
Without the slightest surprise, Seoryeong handed over the bouquet of flowers.
Channa, still shocked, accepted them with her characteristic bluntness.
"Why are your lips cracked? Your face all scarred! What kind of thug attacked you—your cheeks are so hollow, and your eyes are dark!" She gestured wildly. "Didn't they feed you there?!"
"Hmm…"
"And your nose is sunburned! You know winter UV rays are dangerous, right? You didn't even use sunscreen, did you?!"
*All she had used during training was mud and camouflage cream.*
"And what is this… the muscles in your arms…"
Channa gasped, groping Seoryeong's bicep.
Wanting to tease her, Seoryeong deliberately tensed her muscles every time Channa's hand passed. Channa's wide-eyed shocked expression was truly amusing.
"This isn't the skill I was imagining."
Channa's face turned gloomy.
"You keep the flowers. I can't accept them calmly."
As she was about to return the bouquet, Seoryeong pretended not to care and stepped into the small room.
After completing the grueling training, the agents were given ten days for recovery before being recalled by the company.
Humming softly, Seoryeong looked around the one-room space, which had now been transformed into a perfect workspace.
*A plan they had often discussed over the phone.*
"You won't get hurt, Channa. All you need to do is—"
"Haa…"
Channa sighed deeply, still in disbelief.
Seoryeong just smiled.
"Just trap me with my home IP."
"How can I do that to my savior?"
"You once said you wanted to be a magpie who knows how to repay kindness, right?"
"Yes…!" Channa's voice rose. "But why do I have to become a **North Korean spy?!**"
The hottest news in the public sphere lately was about the severance pay of former Assemblyman Park Kwangdu's son.
> *"The man in his 30s, Mr. Park, received severance pay of five billion won. He is the nephew-in-law of the current First Lady. This means that Park Kwangdu and the President have a family relationship through marriage."*
Moreover, the National Intelligence Service—the target Seoryeong was aiming for—was directly under the President's control.
It was clear where his hand would reach if the five billion went missing.
"I've been waiting for a long time," Seoryeong said quietly, "but now I have to get caught again."
*So, the target was the relatives.*
*Tampering with family was the basis of psychological warfare strategy.*