Premonition of Ruin, Prelude to a Cruel Destiny
The garden froze, plunged into a heavy silence. The shocking report delivered by Alex was like a tempest violently kicking open the tightly shut gates of destiny. Baek Kang-ho, Baek Jang-mi, and Cheon Su-ryeon—all three of them stood frozen in place, robbed of movement like dolls isolated from the flow of time.
A flicker of bewilderment crossed Baek Kang-ho's features, but the confusion was instantly replaced by a sharp, manic excitement. His voice rang out, low but carrying an unmistakable edge of steel.
"Say that again. Exactly as it is."
At Baek Kang-ho's strict command, Alex struggled to catch his ragged breath. His lungs rapidly contracted and expanded, and his throat trembled. Though cold sweat beaded on his forehead, he did not avert his eyes from Baek Kang-ho. Baek Jang-mi seemed to temporarily forget her scarred calves, watching Alex with intrigued eyes, while Cheon Su-ryeon slightly lifted her bowed head, focusing every ounce of her attention on Alex's lips. As the gaze of all three converged on a single point, the air in the garden seemed to tighten even further.
Alex finally managed to steady his uneven breathing and continued in a trembling voice.
"The scouts we stationed around the estate... they spotted a black van and tailed it. They have discovered the hideout of the Revolutionary Army."
The moment those words left his mouth, a demonic joy began to ripple across the lips of Baek Kang-ho and Baek Jang-mi. A chilling thrill sparked in Baek Kang-ho's eyes, and Baek Jang-mi's lips curled into a cruel sneer. In their minds, they could already vividly picture the rebels' hideout engulfed in a sea of fire—a landscape of ruin filled with screams, shrieks, and raging flames.
But inside Cheon Su-ryeon, a completely different storm was raging. Her heart plummeted as if falling into a bottomless abyss, and her face drained of all color, turning deathly pale. Her eyes shook with profound anxiety, and cold sweat soaked her collar.
No... Abel... Risa...
Only those two names echoed terrifyingly in Su-ryeon's mind. Her entire body grew ice-cold, as if she had been plunged into freezing water. Her agonizing terror stood in stark, vivid contrast to the cruel smiles of Baek Kang-ho and Baek Jang-mi under the bright garden sunlight.
Baek Kang-ho's face was now flushed with a mixture of madness and excitement. Highly satisfied with Alex's report, he burst into a booming, violent laugh.
"Splendid, Alex! To think you would bring me such delightful news...! Hahaha!"
His laughter echoed throughout the garden, casting an even deeper, chilling shadow over the grounds.
Seizing the opportunity of Baek Kang-ho's pleased reaction, Alex added in an excited, flattering tone, "Yes, Your Grace. Those rats are as good as trapped in a cage now!"
"Hahaha! Yes, exactly! Nothing but annihilation awaits those pathetic insects now. I must head to the Imperial Palace immediately to gather my forces! Tonight at midnight, we shall wipe them out!"
His voice was as sharp and terrifying as a blade. It sounded like a final sentence of judgment, sealing their fates.
At those words, Cheon Su-ryeon's entire body froze even colder. Her heart ached as if it were tearing apart, and her pupils dilated wildly with terror.
It's dangerous... too dangerous... What do I do? What can I possibly do? At this rate, everyone will die...! But... I... I can't do anything... I am so utterly pathetic, completely powerless...!
She lamented, a surge of fury rising within her at her own helplessness as a mere sex slave. Her hands and feet grew numb with cold, and sweat poured down her skin like rain. Her beautiful face was now painted with absolute despair.
At that moment, Baek Jang-mi's eyes caught Cheon Su-ryeon's despairing expression. A cold, cunning smile bloomed on the corners of her lips, her eyes gleaming with the sadistic pleasure of a hunter quietly watching its prey.
"What is it, Cheon Su-ryeon? Are you worried about your father's remaining lackeys?"
Her voice dripped with mockery, the sharp edge of her ridicule cutting through the air.
At Baek Jang-mi's words, Baek Kang-ho's laughter abruptly ceased. His face hardened instantly, his brow furrowing into a deep scowl. He turned his gaze to Cheon Su-ryeon. The excitement and madness from before had vanished, replaced by a cold, burning fury.
"Cheon Su-ryeon!! Are you actually worrying about them right now? Do you dare harbor treasonous thoughts as well?!"
Baek Kang-ho's voice thundered, shaking the entire garden. His face distorted with rage, and the murderous aura radiating from his body froze the very air around them.
Cheon Su-ryeon felt her heart drop to her stomach at his immense wrath. Her body trembled violently with fear, and she did not dare lift her head. The entire garden fell into a suffocating silence, crushed under the weight of Baek Kang-ho's fury.
"..."
Despite his furious reprimand, Cheon Su-ryeon remained silent with her head bowed, which only drove Baek Kang-ho's anger to its absolute peak. Cold reason vanished from his eyes, replaced by a flashing, violent madness. Without waiting another second, he raised his massive hand.
Slap!
Like a sudden bolt of lightning from a clear sky, Baek Kang-ho's large hand mercilessly struck Cheon Su-ryeon's delicate cheek. The impact was incredibly violent. Her slender body snapped backward like a broken reed, her head forced to the side as a vivid red handprint bloomed on her pale cheek. Unable to even let out a short scream, she fell backward, her voluptuous figure collapsing as gracefully as a fluttering autumn leaf.
Sprawled on the dusty ground of the garden, her state was wretched, yet it carried a tragic, haunting beauty. Her pale, bloodless face was visible through her disheveled hair, and a single trickle of crimson blood ran down the corner of her mouth. The blood stood out in stark contrast against her fair skin and her maid uniform, serving as a brutal testament to the violence she had just endured.
The enraged Baek Kang-ho's eyes gleamed as cold as a blade. Looking down at the fallen Cheon Su-ryeon, he delivered a chilling decree.
"I will drag those filthy rats out and tear them limb from limb right before your eyes. I will make sure you watch every single moment as I scatter their shattered bones to the wind."
"...Ah..."
At his words, Cheon Su-ryeon couldn't even scream. She could only let out a weak groan, as if all the life had been drained from her. She desperately forced her head up to look at Baek Kang-ho. In her wide, terror-stricken eyes, his cruel vow was clearly reflected. Her gaze was filled with agony and despair, her face completely devoid of color.
Baek Jang-mi looked down at Cheon Su-ryeon, who lay sprawled on the garden floor. An elegant yet cruel smile played on her lips, her eyes flashing with unspeakable malice. As if she had found the most entertaining spectacle in the world, she indulged in Cheon Su-ryeon's despair with a deeply satisfied gaze.
That night, the Revolutionary Army's hideout was as quiet as any other, completely unaware of the bloody storm that was about to descend upon them. The shadows of the old buildings stretched long under the moonlight, and only the occasional gust of night wind rattled the worn windows. The revolutionaries were either carrying out their duties at their posts or taking brief rests, preparing for the approaching dawn.
Risa completed a lap of the hideout on patrol. Her footsteps were silent in the darkness, her sharp eyes constantly scanning the surroundings. Everything was as it always was—a perfectly peaceful night.
Having finished her rounds, her footsteps naturally brought her to a halt in front of Abel's room. In truth, Risa and Abel shared a deep, secret relationship that they had told no one about. Because they had to suppress all personal feelings under the grand cause of the revolution, their time together was always precious and clandestine.
Abel's rough wooden door was firmly shut. Risa stared at it for a moment, hesitating. A complex mix of emotions crossed her face—tender concern for her lover who had finished his day, and anticipation for the private time they would share at the end of this long night.
After a moment of hesitation, she slowly raised her hand. Just before her slightly trembling hand touched the wood, she took a quick breath. Then, she knocked softly but firmly.
Knock, knock.
"Yes, come in."
At Abel's low, gentle voice from within, Risa quietly opened the door and stepped inside. In the dimly lit room, illuminated by a single flickering candle, Abel sat at his desk, writing diligently. The pen in his hand moved without pause, his eyes fixed intently on the logbook.
Abel looked up at the sound of Risa entering. The moment he saw her, his face lit up with joy, and he quickly stood up from his chair.
"Risa, you're back?"
His voice carried a warm sense of relief for his lover who had returned from her duties. Without hesitation, he approached Risa and wrapped his arms around her waist.
Risa leaned into his embrace, looking up at him. Their lips finally met. It was a long, deep kiss. All the tenderness and longing they had to suppress for the sake of the revolution, along with the blind comfort of each other's presence, melted into that single kiss. Their lips parted and met again with ragged breaths, sharing their warmth—a fleeting peace found in the eye of the revolutionary storm. The candlelit room filled with their soft sighs, and their kiss was tender and deep, as if silencing all the chaos of the world.
As their lips reluctantly parted, a faint blush bloomed on Risa's cheeks. Catching her breath, she glanced at Abel's desk.
"What were you writing?"
Her eyes darted curiously toward the open logbook.
Abel smiled gently and replied, "Ah, just the log... A record of how much our revolutionary preparations are progressing day by day."
At those words, Risa's face darkened slightly. The progress of the revolution only meant that a massive clash was drawing near. She asked, her voice tinged with anxiety, "When do you think Las will return?"
Abel gently squeezed her hand and said, "We received a message from Las. It seems he has gathered nearly eighty percent of the revolutionary forces scattered across the country. Perhaps our great cause is not far off now."
His voice was filled with hope and conviction. Yet, Risa's expression remained troubled.
"Las really is a dependable leader. If it weren't for him... we might not have even made it this far..."
Her words held deep trust in Las, but also a quiet sorrow for the heavy burden he had to carry.
Abel nodded with a gentle expression. "Yes, that's true. If it weren't for Las... we wouldn't have survived up to this point."
Risa looked at Abel with a worried expression once more, whispering softly, "I wonder if Lady Su-ryeon is holding up well at the estate... I can't put my mind at ease. That devil Baek Kang-ho must have subjected her to atrocities beyond imagination... Just thinking about the horrific things he might be doing to her makes it hard to breathe..."
Her voice was a mix of sorrow and helplessness.
Sensing Risa's anxiety, Abel pulled her into his arms and comforted her.
"Don't worry too much, Risa. Once Las returns, we will naturally rescue Lady Su-ryeon as well. Our great cause is just around the corner. So, let's put those painful thoughts aside for a moment."
His comforting words did not completely erase Risa's anxiety, but the warmth of his embrace offered a brief sanctuary for her trembling shoulders.