The biting cold was beginning to annoy SD. He pulled his hoodie over his head, trying to stop his ears from freezing but it was futile. He was standing outside an old gas station, waiting for Oleg. The tiny man had promised to meet him there but still did not turn up.

"Ugh, I hate the cold!" SD whined. "I'm a sunny person. This place just doesn't suit my bright personality at all!"

​​

He sighed in frustration. It was clear to him that Oleg was going to take his sweet time to get there. The guy hated SD because the latter 'borrowed' information on Oleg's illegal wine business. Oleg ran it in his home from his basement. The authorities almost caught him a few times but Oleg was several steps ahead of them. The winery was hidden behind layers of walls so that even if the police checked his home, they would not find it easily. SD had to literally dig a tunnel to the winery after noticing several inconsistencies in the house's blueprints. Since then, he had been coercing the tiny man to do his bidding.

"Where is my little pet?" he wondered. "Aish! This is annoying!"

The cold was getting worse. He hated visiting icy countries but there was no other option. Pacing back and forth, he waited for Oleg in the foggy weather. Finally, after an hour, he saw a pair of headlights heading his way. An old truck stopped in front of him and Oleg's face popped out of it.

"Have you been waiting for a long time?" the man asked in a smug tone.

SD smiled at him before replying, "Idi v zhopu! Go to hell."

Oleg snorted as SD got into his car. The tour guide revved up the engine of his ancient truck. It started with a roar and they slowly drove towards their destination.

"Can't you speed this thing up?" SD frowned. "At this rate, we'll reach it by next century."

"These are slippery roads," Oleg pointed out. "Either go slow or straight to heaven. In your case, hell."

"Yes, both of us have special reserved spots there," SD said absentmindedly. "I heard they use pitchforks in there and stick those things right up your-"

"I'd rather go to church everyday and pray to go to heaven!" Oleg retorted.

"If you're with me then that's just a pipe dream," SD shrugged. "But enough of that. Tell me the news. What is up with our dear friend Mikhael?"

Oleg's face darkened upon hearing that name. If there was someone he loathed more than SD, it was Mikhael.

"He's up to something for sure," Oleg said. "And nothing good will come out of it. He's in the country on some important diplomatic mission but we both know that he's trying to control the routes of the drug trade. It's a cold war between him and the Yakuza leader Kirishima."

"Kirishima sent his men here as well," SD said thoughtfully. "No doubt our dear Jonghyun is behind it."

"But we both know that the drugs are just a ruse," Oleg revealed. "The Company wouldn't sustain with drugs alone. They need gold."

"Ahh...the good ol' gold," SD said. "Where is the shipment coming from this time?"

"God knows," Oleg muttered. "But definitely from some third world country. The shipment will be sold tomorrow at midnight. And guess who else is coming?"

"Who?"

"The personal secretary to your Prime Minister," Oleg revealed. "Ahn Jaejun."

"Son of a bitch!" SD cursed. "He's the last person I want to see here."

This is going to complicate matters a lot, he thought. Ahn Jaejun was not a mere personal secretary but also the PM's right hand man. If he was going to arrive in Country R, that meant that the PM himself was involved with Mikhael's plans. Moreover, the shipment was being made by the Choi's which meant that the money involved would be used for the Sailors' Reef Bridge.

"The bridge is nearly complete," Oleg muttered. "Once it's operational, the Company will control all the drug and gold trade routes. It'll make them invincible."

"They'll use their new influence to fish out all the members of the Light," SD sighed. "Starting with me, Number 2."

"Aren't you scared, ya imbecile?" Oleg asked in a sharp tone. "You're not alone in this! If you fall, your comrades will fall too."

"I'm not worried about myself," SD admitted. "It's Orea who can't be caught."

"That hacker kid?" Oleg frowned. "I still don't get why that kid is part of the Light. It's not healthy, SD. She should have gotten a proper childhood, not spend it like a criminal!"

Oleg might be a criminal but he had two daughters of his own. On the rare occasions he met Orea, he pitied the girl for being tangled up in the mess that the adults had created.They got along surprisingly well and he berated SD for not giving her a good upbringing. Children belonged in school not in the hands of a vigilante organization.

"Well, too bad then," SD muttered. "She was born in the wrong family. Just like I was."

He did not elaborate but Oleg did not ask him anything else. The two of them were fighting against the world for a reason which no one could fathom. Even if Oleg did not like SD, he admired the man for giving his all to protect someone else. It was well known among their inner circles that if something happened to that kid, not even God could save people from SD's wrath.

"We're here," he declared. He had parked the truck in a remote area of the port which was engulfed by fog. Everywhere they looked was only a curtain of white mist, making it hard for them to see anything.

"Walk carefully," Oleg cautioned. "This port isn't safe if you're not being careful. The deck is made of wood and it softens easily. If you're not careful, you'll fall right into the icy water."

SD took out a torchlight and directed it on the ground. They took each step with care, trying to avoid all the holes and broken wood. It was difficult to maneuver because if they fell into the water, it would be almost as good as being dead. The waves in the freezing water were dangerous and within seconds, they could carry a person far off into the ocean. Even if the waves became miraculously generous, a minute into the water would mean instant hypothermia or even death.

"Careful!" Oleg snapped when SD nearly stepped on a broken wood.

SD followed him until the tiny man finally stopped.

"That's it," he said, pointing in front of them. SD looked at the direction he was pointing at.

At first, there was nothing other than fog but SD was patient. Slowly, some of the fog shifted and he found himself standing inches away from a large metal ship which swayed slightly in the water like a ghost ship ready to plunge them all into infinite darkness.

"It's empty now," Oleg whispered. "But within twenty fours hours, it'll be loaded with the Company's loot."

….

Sunye was in her office, going through some files when she heard a knock on the door.

"Come in," she said, not looking up from the files in front of her. She vaguely heard the clanking of heels and assumed it was her new assistant, Wang Sally, who was supposed to bring her a new file full of cases.

"Sally, keep the file on the pile," she ordered, her eyes still on her documents.

"Hello, Ms. Han."

Sunye frowned. The voice sounded familiar but she could not fully recognize the person. She looked up and to her surprise, it was Hyeri.

"Hyeri," she said, not bothering to use honorifics.

"Long time, huh?" Hyeri asked. She sat opposite to Sunye and crossed her legs. She smirked at her rival, looking at her from top to bottom.

"You've changed," she remarked. "Where is the weak little servant girl who used to chase the Crown Prince?"

Sunye was unabashed. "I was his friend," she replied. "If I recall correctly, you used to chase him around the palace more than me. San used to hate it when you came over."

Hyeri hid her growl but smiled widely. "You've become more courageous," she whispered. "Talking to the future Empress like that."

"Empress?" Sunye raised her eyebrows. "What Empress? There is no monarchy left! What are you going to rule over? It's a dead institution. No one is left to rule it."

"Both of us know very well that Kim San is alive!" Hyeri scoffed. "Cut the crap, Sunye. Isn't that why you've joined Jonghyun's firm? To find Kim San? You know that the Prime Minister is also looking for him and he might have found Kim San already-"

"As much as I'd love to find Kim San," Sunye said. "There is no guarantee that I'll find him. And even if I find him someday, what makes you think that he'll become the Emperor?"

"We both know that the Prime Minister has worked hard to restore the constitutional monarchy!" Hyeri claimed. "And as long as the Crown Prince's corpse isn't found, he'll be-"

"Considered alive," Sunye finished for her. "That is if the last Emperor had officially named an heir. As far as I know and recall from history lessons, after the coup, the Emperor's will went missing. The real heir was named in it."

"Of course the heir is his son!" Hyeri snapped. "And I know it! I also know…"

She stooped up to lean closer to Sunye. "That you're planning to become the Empress," she hissed. "That won't happen, Han Sunye. It's my right and I won't let you have the throne! Not when Kim San and I were the one who were betrothed."

Sunye merely shrugged and replied, "Go ahead. If he comes back, you can gladly marry him. But then again…"

She leaned back and smirked. "You were betrothed to the male heir to the throne. Right?"

Hyeri frowned but said, "And that makes me the Empress! So you better stop using Jonghyun to find Kim San! I'll not let you go anywhere near him once he returns!"

WIth that she stormed out. Once she was gone, Sunye could not help but shake her head in amusement.

"Too bad," she muttered, going back to her files. "Because the Emperor named a woman to be his heir."