[CONTENTID1]Phoenix[/CONTENTID1]

[CONTENTID2]Chapter Thirty-Four[/CONTENTID2]

[CONTENTID3]

Returning to the hospital was stressful for Seri. The moment she stepped into her and Wendy’s office, she was confronted with the aftermath of yesterday’s kidnappings and the damages caused by the fire. The entire building reeked of smoke, burnt plastic, and other strange smells she couldn’t identify. She opened all the windows inside the ransacked office to let fresh air inside. Yixing followed her and went through the patient files scattered over the ground. The papers had to be sorted again; the files couldn’t be used like this. Wendy’s hard work was completely ruined.

“I hope she’s safe,” Seri whispered, brushing her finger over the new name tag Wendy had made for her after the wedding. She turned away from the window and shared a glance with Yixing. His expression conveyed his thoughts—he was confident in the military’s plan and wanted Seri to have faith in everyone involved. The strategy devised by Junmyeon and the other leaders was as safe as it could be, but she and Yixing couldn’t discuss it in a place where they could be overheard, so neither mentioned anything that could be deemed suspicious.

“Let’s focus on our work and try not to worry,” he murmured, putting his hand on her shoulder. “I’m nearby if you need anything.”

He left the office to help the soldiers and volunteers with the clean-up and repairs. The second floor and the roof had taken the most damage, and unfortunately, the fire had rendered some medical equipment unusable. Windows, walls, and ceilings needed to be replaced or repainted—there was a lot to do. On the other hand, the walls and floors belonging to the ground floor were soiled with ash, which had to be cleaned as well. Consequently, the hospital was like a bee’s nest, with many people buzzing around, helping wherever possible. The combined efforts of the residents and soldiers were heartwarming, in Seri’s opinion, but couldn’t chase the cloud of worry hanging over her away.

Sorting the patient files and cleaning the office took longer than intended since it was hard to concentrate, but it was necessary. In order for the military’s trap to work, Seri needed to pretend everything was as usual. She had to follow her daily routines with as little changes as possible. If the traitors got suspicious, the trap might fail, and then the hostages’ fate would be unclear. Seri carried a tracker on herself, and Baekhyun had given her a small radio device, which was easy to hide in her clothes. Besides this, a soldier was always near her no matter where she went, dressed casually so as not to draw attention. The members of Taeyong’s unit, NCT, took turns throughout the day. At the moment, a soldier named Renjun stayed in the room next door, ready to alert everyone if the traitor took action. However, it was unlikely for this to happen right now—the hospital was filled with potential witnesses at every corner. Nobody would dare to start a kidnapping attempt at this rate.

If it happened, it would likely be on her way home or when walking through town without protection…

Two days passed, and no kidnapping attempt was made. Jung didn’t show himself either. Seri’s anxiety made her feel nauseous most of the time. She was waiting for something to happen all day long, putting herself on edge until she finally reached her apartment late in the evening. It was the only place she felt protected; Baekhyun’s and her safe haven.

It was late at night, and Minhee was already fast asleep when Seri stood on the balcony and watched the moonlit waves beyond the city’s buildings. In moments such as this, she liked to pretend they were on an extended vacation and not hiding inside a safe zone. Before the virus outbreak, she had been so focused on her career as a surgeon that she hadn’t taken the time to travel. However, in the past eight months, she had explored many places in South Korea and lived in countless different areas. She had experienced a beautiful, snow-covered forest, small towns in rural areas, and crystal-clear rivers. Thanks to her companions, she had learned how to survive in the wilderness without access to electricity or running water. She had even encountered many scary zombies and fought other survivors.

Regardless, none of these experiences could have prepared her for the task she faced now. Putting herself in harm’s way on purpose scared her. She would rather fight her attacker once they finally showed themselves, but she couldn’t. The carefully crafted plan would fail instantly, and the soldiers would never find Wendy and Dr. Kwon’s whereabouts. Seri felt like a rabbit waiting to be devoured by a snake. She would have lost her mind if the military hadn’t taken so many precautions to ensure her safety—she was currently the most well-guarded person on the island.

The balcony door behind her was pushed open further, and Baekhyun’s familiar-sounding footsteps approached her. He stopped beside her and put his palms on the railing, following her gaze.

“It’s a quiet night,” he murmured.

“Yes.”

Silence spread between them, and Baekhyun took the chance to study her from the corner of his eye. She was dressed in her pajamas and ready to go to bed, but she also seemed restless. Her gaze moved back and forth between the ocean, the streets below, and nearby buildings. She reminded him of a cornered animal, and the image sparked anger in his chest. It shouldn’t have to be this way.

“We can still change our strategy at any given time,” he said, touching her arm. She turned in his direction, frowning. “You don’t have to go through with this, Seri.”

“No, I made my decision and will help however I can. I’ve been very worried about Wendy and Boah, and I couldn’t rest easy without doing anything in my power to find them.” Her shoulders straightened, and she raised her chin, meeting his eyes with newfound resolve. “I won’t let these people win.”

Baekhyun’s lips twitched, and he leaned in to embrace his wife, cradling her head. “That’s what I wanted to hear, angel.”

“Huh?” she mumbled into his shirt, too astonished to reciprocate his embrace.

“Stay focused, and don’t let insecurities distract you,” he muttered in her ear. “I can’t say I’m happy about the military’s plan and your involvement, but I admire your courage and will support you.”

“Courage? I’m pretty scared.”

“And yet you won’t relent. You don’t let fear control your actions.” Baekhyun’s voice softened. “Always remember you’re not alone; I got your back. Me and EX9 are ready to infiltrate the enemy’s hideout. All we need is its location, and we’ll get you out of there faster than you can blink.”

“Right… you and your team are a force to be reckoned with,” she smiled faintly. “Be careful, though. Don’t get reckless.”

“Says the one who agreed to play the bait. I’m only reckless when necessary, angel,” he playfully reminded her, her back with his palm. “We should go to sleep soon. It’s late.”

A pout appeared on her face. “I don’t want to sleep yet.”

He laughed. “You’re starting to sound like Minhee.”

“Yeah, so?”

“It wasn’t a suggestion, by the way,” he added and winked. “Come on, you need sleep.” Seri’s pout deepened, but her husband remained firm this time and didn’t cave in. Taking matters into his own hands (literally), he adjusted his embrace to pick her up. She found herself lying in his arms and instinctively wrapped her arms around his neck.

“You always need to have the last word,” she sulked.

“Not always, but most of the time,” he smirked, passing through the balcony door. He brought her to the bedroom and let her down on the mattress, where she sneakily stole a kiss from him.

“I love you,” she whispered.

“I love you too, my angel,” he said as he cupped her flushed cheeks, leaning in for another kiss.

The hospital’s waiting room was particularly crowded today. While the fire damages on the second floor had not been fully repaired yet, the ground floor was safe to enter and had been cleaned thoroughly. Therefore, the doctors’ and nurses’ work could proceed nearly as usual.

In Seri’s case, this meant having consultations for most of the morning. Yixing and Irene shared the shift with her and occupied the consultation rooms next to hers. Whenever an unfamiliar patient walked through her door, she wondered if this person was affiliated with Jung Kiyoung. The ever-present doubts haunted and distracted her. She was hyper-focused on the patients’ mannerisms and words, wondering if any of them posed a threat to her. It was exhausting to always be on guard—frankly, Seri just wanted to get this over with.

When would Jung strike? How much longer would he lay in wait? Perhaps she needed to give him a better opportunity; maybe she should leave the hospital more often and wander through town instead. Her lunchbreak was approaching, so leaving the building for a while wouldn't look suspicious. Surely, Jung or someone else was watching the hospital. She was playing with fire here, but Seri needed to reach Wendy and Boah quickly. Three days had passed since the kidnapping, and every hour could be crucial to ensure her survival.

A heavy sense of unease weighed on her shoulders as she grabbed her bag with lunch and headed towards the exit. She let Yixing know where she was going on the way and said goodbye with a shaky smile. As she left the hospital, she ran into Jeno and made eye contact before passing him. He was a soldier from Taeyong’s team and supposed to follow her inconspicuou