They would have to get back to Seoul. Yoon Hwan managed to contact his closest colleague and friend, Dae Won for a private jet. The group went through their plans again on the jet. They will split into 2 groups.  Hae Ri and Chanyeol would infiltrate the headquarters and confront the Chief. The 2 agents suggested that the rest sneak into the forbidden library to find out more about the current situation with the Bloodsuckers. After all, the library had provided the both of them with valuable information before. They may be able to find something useful there. As the group caught some rest on the jet, Hae Ri clenched her fists in anger as she recalled what she had seen back in Jeju.

They were on their way to the pick-up point for the jet and it was the first time they had left the forest in days. Chanyeol had once again casted a spell on all of them to mask their presences and scent. The group stealthily made their way to their destination. Hae Ri’s heightened sense of smell made her more aware of her surroundings than usual. Right after they had set off, there was no one in the vicinity but the closer they got to their pick-up point, a horrible stench was in the air – rotting corpses. The corpses were completely dry, evidence of the bloodsuckers’ massacre. The corpses were piling up and Hae Ri felt that there must be something terribly wrong. She knew that there would be many people like Kyung Rim and her gang who would rather believe in Mother Nature’s protection than the NSA. Even though the people have become a lot more attached to Mother Nature, governmental bodies were more hesitant to believe in things that did not come with scientific proof. Those with weaker affinity with Mother Nature would never believe that She would be able to protect them. However, something was terribly wrong here. There was no way She would fail in protecting the people. Hae Ri sincerely believed that those who seek protection from Mother Nature would definitely be safer than those who have evacuated under NSA’s orders.

Hae Ri touched a nearby tree. Her hands burnt from the contact and she immediately broke the connection. Her fingers turned dark purple and she started to have slight spasms. Her breath was coming in gasps and she was on the verge of having a fit. Lay immediately rushed to her.

“Poisonous venom…Vampire venom…Your human side is reacting to the poison,” Lay evaluated as he carefully removed the venom from her system.

“The Nature here is poisoned,” Baekhyun commented as he observed the trees in the vicinity.

“The Bloodsuckers have managed to break through Mother Nature’s defences. No wonder there are so many corpses here…” Hae Ri whispered, still weak from the poison that was in her system.

A terrifying scream pierced through the day.

The surroundings of the NSA headquarters were heavily guarded. Officers stood guard around the building, equipped with guns and silver bullets. Tanks were on patrol and the army looked like they were ready to take on anyone anytime. Chanyeol had drawn the blueprint of the headquarters and explained to the group on which route to take. The group split up and they headed towards their destinations.  

Hae Ri and Chanyeol observed the equipment on the officers. They saw the motion sensor on their uniforms. Even with their presences hidden, there is no way they can simply walk into the headquarters unnoticed. Time for plan B. They went to the back of the building where the back garden was. Chanyeol casted a temporary spell on the duo to make them invisible. Hae Ri stretched out her hand and vines emerged from the trees and stretched out in various directions towards the officers. The motion sensors were going crazy because there was too much foreign movement. They stealthily slipped past the officers and went into the headquarters. Something was amiss. The security within the building was too relaxed. There were only a few officers and they were not even equipped with motion sensors. Only the usual surveillance cameras were switched on and the atmosphere within the building was too comfortable. The spell wore off and they hid behind the walls. In the blind spot of the camera, Hae Ri did a spinning kick and knocked down an officer. Chanyeol picked up the officer’s ear piece and listened.

“Relax the security within the building in accordance to Mission Maximus”

Mission Maximus?

Chanyeol took the officer’s information device and typed in ‘Mission Maximus’. A box popped up, asking for the password. Chanyeol and Hae Ri tried a couple of number combinations but none worked. They gave up and Hae Ri typed in ‘Agent 104’ in the agent search function. A box popped up stating ‘No such agent found’. Chanyeol typed in ‘Agent 105’ and the same result popped up. The duo was stunned.

The other group searched for the unnatural cave that would lead them to the forbidden library. The restricted area of the headquarters was no longer quiet. If the headquarters was heavily guarded, this area can be considered to be impenetrable. It was easy to know why as well. This area contained the ammunition for the NSA. Truckloads of silver bullets were being transported to various places. The area was bustling. The group wandered around the forest, in search of the cave. They finally found it in an area where there were no guards at all. This was the only area where security was not tight. It was too easy. They hurriedly entered the cave and into the forbidden library.

The entire library was black, charred. Someone had set fire to this place. The group searched around for remnants.  All the books were burnt and the only thing left was black ash. However, after some time of searching, they found one book left in the library. Yoon Hwan picked up the book and flipped through it. The rest gathered around him. Only the Keepers were able to understand the language in the books.

“This confirms that there is a way to reverse the Unlocking Blood Ritual…” Yoon Hwan muttered. The moment he and his wife had found out about the impending war, they had tried to find out more about what would happen and what they could do to stop it. Though they could not tell anyone about it, it does not mean that they would simply sit there and wait for the events to unfold. Over the years, they have heard rumours about the reversal of the Unlocking Blood Ritual and now that it is written in black and white, they felt relieved that there was hope to end the war. On the last page of the book there was a little note:

“I’ll be waiting for all of you…

- Savant”

Yoon Hwan smiled at the message.

Hae Ri and Chanyeol took careful steps towards the Chief’s office even though the surveillance cameras along the corridor were all switched off. The door of the office suddenly banged open and Chanyeol immediately chanted the invisible spell. A miffed Sang Hun walked out of the Chief’s office. Hae Ri and Chanyeol exchanged looks. Hae Ri felt certain that Sang Hun was involved in this web of events. She had seen him on the night of the Shadows’ attack as well.

The spell wore off and the two of them barged into the Chief’s office.

“I’ve been waiting for the both of you,” Jong Hun simply said, his hands clasped together as he looked directly at the two of them. He knew that his two agents would return and interrogate him.

“What in the world is going on?” Hae Ri growled.

Seeing the two people he loved the most in the world again, a shade of tenderness came over Jong Hun’s eyes. He spoke gently,

“I’m sure you know about your true identity,” he looked at Hae Ri.

“And you, about your parents.” he nodded at Chanyeol.

The duo nodded.

“Well, I’m just another chess piece in the game. I was placed on an Order as well,” Jong Hun began.

“The Order made me adopt you, take care of you and send you back to where you belong on your 18^th birthday.”

“So all the care and concern you’ve given me were all forced out of you?” Hae Ri said bitingly.

“Of course not! You were all I have!” Jong Hun protested, his voice cracking. He had lost his family back then and Hae Ri, who was given to him, was the only one he had in his life.

Hae Ri knew that she had accused him wrongly. The broken look on his face tells it all.

“The Order made me do things against my will, like sending you away but the love I have for you as a father is completely true and of my own accord,” Jong Hun stated.

“18 years ago, Yoon Hwan was bitten by a vampire. I escaped before the vampire could get to me, only to meet up with another one. He passed an infant to me and placed an Order on me. He told me of the war that will occur when you turn 18. He also told me that Yoon Hwan’s child would soon be sent to the NSA and he was to be sent back with you, when the time comes.” Jong Hun continued.

“The Order prevented me from telling anyone anything. The only thing I could do was work my way up in the NSA and control things from within. Within a few years I became the head chief and I changed the NSA. It was all for the preparations for the war that is to come. The NSA became the National Supernatural Agency. For years, we have prepared for the current situation. Mission Maximus was the plan. The plan included keeping the both of you alive and strong enough to defend yourselves, so that I could send the both of you back.”

Everything, right from the moment Hae Ri and Chanyeol met was part of the ploy. They led their lives thinking that they had freedom in doing whatever they want, only to now find out that whatever it was that they were doing was just part of Mission Maximus. The duo was speechless.

“I’m sorry…I have the responsibility to protect the humans in the war and the Order left me with no choice but to do what is required of me,” Jong Hun spoke softly.

The scene of the army officers killing the vampires that had saved the people from the Bloodsuckers flashed through Hae Ri’s mind and she started to feel agitated.

“Protecting the humans is your responsibility but why are the officers given the orders to kill off even the good vampires?” Hae Ri demanded.

Jong Hun was shocked. He had not given such orders. Their utmost priority is to keep the humans safe and annihilate the Bloodsuckers. Vampires that are willing to stand on the humans’ side are most welcome to support them in the attack. A shadow like mass appeared out of nowhere and it floated towards Jong Hun. It went into his ear and entered his mind unnoticed.

“All vampires are the enemies of us humans and they have to be exterminated,” Jong Hun replied mechanically.

Hae Ri and Chanyeol did not notice Jong Hun acting weirdly.

“Even me?” Hae Ri asked, her heart aching.

Jong Hun felt his heart clench but in his current state he was simply a puppet.

“All vampires are the enemies of humans. There is no exception,” he simply said.

Hae Ri’s heart broke. She scrutinized the man before her that she had once loved and considered her only family. Many things have changed and things are no longer the same. She had to move on and stay strong. Words are meaningless. She has to find a way to stop the war. It is the only way she can save the humans and save the good vampires.

“Then there’s nothing left for me to say,” Hae Ri mumbled and turned around, rushing out of the office, tears threatening to fall from her eyes.

Chanyeol clenched his fists and jaw tightly and ran after Hae Ri. He was very angry. They are like chess pieces, to be moved and used however the player pleases but what had really pissed him off was the way the Chief was handling the war. They had to find a way to stop all these before more innocent lives are taken. They have to go to Savant right now.

“Yes…Anger anger and more anger. Convert the fire of your anger into motivation to live, motivation to reach Savant. Soon it'll be checkmate...” A mysterious man chuckled as he witnessed all that had happened. 

HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE!

I'm sick on the first day of 2014 T.T super bad omen ><

Thank you to the new subscribers! pris7696 and Brittster0829 and thank you for the upvote, Brittster0829 <3

A cute picture of Chanyeol in the jungle to start the year :D