As soon as the door swung open, Winter released her grip on Karina and lunged forward. In a flash, she was atop a man who had stumbled backward, caught off guard by Winter's sudden attack. The group stood frozen, taking a full minute to process the chaotic scene unfolding before them.

Karina reacted first, rushing forward to try and restrain Winter. But Winter easily shook off Karina's grasp, inadvertently striking her in the face in the process. Despite Karina's minor injury, her concern was solely for Winter's well-being, fearing the wraith might harm herself in her frenzied assault.

Wonbin was next to intervene, but to his astonishment, Winter's strength seemed insurmountable. Even with Jeno's assistance, the two boys struggled to contain Winter's overwhelming power.

Winter screamed and sobbed as she rained blows upon the man beneath her, who was helpless to defend himself. The rest of the group hesitated, unsure of how to proceed. Seulgi and Taeyeon stood back, their expressions unreadable yet tinged with tears, silently observing Winter's outburst.

"Stop, Wonbin. Let her be." Taeyeon commanded, her voice chillingly firm. Wonbin complied immediately, stepping back from Winter. The others dared not question Seulgi and Taeyeon's authority, sensing an unspoken intensity in their demeanor.

Witnessing Winter's fury and profound sadness, the group felt a shared resonance with her emotions, as if they were experiencing them firsthand. The emotional tumult emanating from Winter overwhelmed them, leaving them feeling raw and vulnerable.

As the emotional tide became too much to bear, Seulgi and Taeyeon finally stepped forward to intervene. But before they could reach Winter, she abruptly ceased her assault, panting heavily and sobbing softly. Her energy waning, Winter lost consciousness, and Taeyeon caught her before she could fall.

Seulgi checked on the man, who surprisingly hadn't lost consciousness entirely. With Taeyeon's guidance, Wonbin helped carry Winter out of the room, followed closely by Jaemin, Jeno, and Karina. Meanwhile, Giselle, Ningning, Haechan, and Seulgi remained behind, along with the man who had been the target of Winter's outburst.

Seulgi seized the man by his collar, yanking him upright. Despite his groans of pain, he attempted to speak, but Seulgi swiftly silenced him.

"Didn't take us long to track you down, Kim Daehyun." Seulgi remarked before delivering a single, decisive blow that rendered Daehyun unconscious.

---

Seulgi explained that Winter had displayed a similar trait before. During the first week after becoming a wraith, Winter emitted weak, sporadic waves, though their significance was unclear due to their faintness. However, the intense display they witnessed earlier was unlike anything they had experienced before. After that initial period, Winter seemed to cease emitting these waves altogether, suggesting she had gained control over them.

Currently, Winter remained unconscious, resting with Taeyeon and Karina in another room, guarded by Wonbin, Jaemin, and Jeno. Meanwhile, Giselle and Ningning prepared dinner, while Haechan assisted Seulgi in monitoring the unconscious Daehyun, who was securely bound to a chair. Seulgi emphasized the importance of refraining from causing further harm to Daehyun, despite the group's collective desire to enact vengeance. Their primary goal was to extract information from Daehyun regarding Winter's condition and the events leading up to the apocalypse. Keeping Daehyun alive was imperative to achieving this objective.

The tension among the group was palpable, each member silently grappling with their own emotions. Wonbin briefly left to survey the surrounding area, ensuring their safety for the night. Meanwhile, Karina tenderly Winter's hair as the wraith lay with her head on Taeyeon's lap. Despite Taeyeon's initial reluctance, Karina gently encouraged her to eat, emphasizing the importance of maintaining her strength for Winter's sake. Eventually, Taeyeon relented and began to eat, tears streaming down her face as she did so, a poignant reflection of her emotional turmoil.

They all ate in silence, mechanically consuming their food without truly savoring it. Despite their lack of appetite, they forced themselves to finish their meals before taking a brief rest. Throughout the interlude, no one dared to break the silence.

Eventually, Seulgi entered their room to check on everyone, ensuring they had all eaten and rested adequately. She also confirmed their readiness to confront Daehyun once more.

"He's awake. Let's go." Seulgi announced, prompting the group to follow her back to the room where Daehyun was being held.

---

Winter appeared to calm down in Karina's presence, who had remained steadfastly by her side since she woke up. Karina hugged Winter tightly, offering comfort as Winter nestled her head against Karina's chest. Despite Winter's apparent weakness, Karina could sense her distress even though the wraith didn't outwardly show it.

"I'm sorry, truly." Daehyun spoke, eliciting glares from both Taeyeon and Seulgi. The rest of the group, along with Karina and Winter, watched and listened in silence, each struggling to contain their own emotions. Wonbin set aside his own feelings, prepared to intervene should anyone attempt to harm Daehyun.

Winter let out a sigh upon hearing Daehyun's voice, and Karina was quick to soothe her. Gently Winter's hair, Karina offered reassurance, occasionally planting a light kiss on Winter's forehead. Unnoticed by the others, this small gesture seemed to calm Winter completely. Karina settled onto the floor, guiding Winter to lean against her as she rested her head on Karina's shoulder, eventually drifting off to sleep.

"It's too late for apologies, don't you think?" Taeyeon's voice was ice cold. "Tell me you can turn Minjeong back to normal." she demanded sternly.

With his head still bowed and eyes closed, Daehyun coughed softly before responding. "I can't." he admitted, prompting Wonbin to restrain Taeyeon when she