Chapter 333 - The Beginning of the End (Conclusion)

KJ slowly walked up to the stage while glancing at the clock every now and then. It was 7:51 PM and within exactly 9 minutes the Cartel's henchman would turn off the lights and attempt to kidnap Mirae. She was seemingly unguarded but Sunye was nearby at a safe 10 meter distance while SD was serving guests right next to Mirae.

As soon as the lights would be turned off, SD would completely shroud Mirae while a female member of Abyss, wearing the same clothes and mask as their CEO, would step in to take her place. This member would voluntarily get kidnapped and the team of Abyss, led by Riggs, Hyun Jung and Eli, would follow the henchman's vehicle to the President's mansion and conduct an attack. 

They were sure the President was waiting for them to attack and had escaped the place but their main target to capture was Junhyung. According to Songil, Junhyung was still at the mansion, orchestrating everything. Once he was caught, the President and Ash were not far away.

Mirae watched as her husband took the stage. He raised a toast and began.

"Welcome," he greeted everyone. "To the 25th anniversary of Mystic Entertainment!"

Everyone clapped hard at the Nation's Idol who looked regal as ever. Behind him, the pictures of the past and current artists were being played on a loop. The images of the EXOTIC members were being displayed: KJ during his recording sessions, Jinhyun with a guitar and Dasom in a photoshoot. Some of the guests were surprised to see Ash Park's picture as well but he, too, was a member of EXOTIC. They could not wipe his contributions away from the company.

"For twenty five years, Mystic Entertainment has been the home to numerous celebrities and artists," he went on. "Our pride was not in the visuals and talents of the artists but rather in their self sufficiency. Being the company which focused on art rather than money, our vision gave rise to a new form of entertainment which was based on hard work and sincerity."

"As the leader of EXOTIC, I can proudly say that at Mystic Entertainment, we were given a home. Four boys from different backgrounds came together to create a magic which could never be recreated."

There was another round of applause at his words. Mirae was checking the clock. It was 7:56 and they had only four minutes left. She glanced sideways to where SD was standing but he was frowning as if something was wrong. Sunye, too, saw that SD looked a little worried. She slowly slid towards him.

"What happened?" she hissed.

"There's something wrong," he said, feeling a little agitated. For the first time in his life, he felt as if something was amiss. He bent his hand as if to check his watch but Sunye noticed that it was not a regular watch. Instead, it showed the map of the mansion.

"What's this?" she frowned.

"This is a tracker," he replied. "I had a client make it for me. This shows me the locations of all the people in this room."

He was indicating at the red dots on the watch which were clearly the number of people present in the room.

"How are you seeing this?" she asked in shock.

"I hacked their phones," he shrugged.

"You what-" she began to scold him but he did not care.

"Mirae is completely surrounded by the Abyss guards," he went on. "From a safe distance of course but there isn't a single loophole around her. As for the henchman…"

He clicked some buttons on the watch and a blue dot appeared around the garden.

"What's he doing there?" SD frowned.

"Is that the henchman?" Sunye demanded. 

"Yes! I put a tracker in his pocket when I walked past him a while ago," he explained. "But why is he outside? He's supposed to be here!"

"Maybe they have another henchman?" Sunye suggested. But SD was not convinced. His information clearly said that only one man would arrive that night. And he was never wrong.

"Stay here," he said. "Tell that Heroine to be with Mirae and Hyun Jung too! Do not leave this venue."

"What-"

"Just shut up and stay!"

He dashed off towards the exit. His information was never wrong but that was when he had the full data. SD that the information he received was not complete and just the half truth. Songil had given them data which the spy thought was the truth but SD was sure that it was fed to him deliberately. The Cartel's President would not be stupid enough not to realize that he had a spy in his midst.

...

Nida was almost at the party's gate. She frantically checked her watch. It was 7:56 PM and she had less than four minutes to warn them. I must hurry! She thought. I must hurry otherwise it'll be too late!

...

Outside, Dasom and Eli were walking towards the van. Hyung Jung's team will directly chase the henchman's vehicle and deliberately lose it while Eli and Dasom's team would tail the Cartel's vehicle secretly towards the mansion.

"It���s 7:58," Eli said, checking her watch. The henchman's vehicle was seen a few hundred yards away from the mansion. No doubt he would take the sewer route again."

She pointed at the manhole which was slightly open.

"It'll take him five minutes to kidnap the fake Mirae and get here," Dasom stated. "At exactly 8 PM, the lights would be turned off. As soon as the lights are off, we have to move this van out of sight and follow the route towards the henchman's car."

"Yes," Eli nodded. "All we gotta do is to wait."

Meanwhile, SD was rushing towards the place where the blue spot was moving to. Contrary to their belief, the man was not walking towards Mirae but headed for the opposite end of the mansion's garden, away from the crowd. Why? Why was he going there? 

His watch read 7:59 PM. Only one minute to go. He ran through the doors and was heading for the spot where the henchman was when he noticed the guards at the main gate trying to stop someone from coming in.

"You can't go in!" one of the guards yelled at someone. It was a girl who looked brutally abused and yet, determined to enter the mansion. Upon one look, he knew who it was. It was the same girl who had tried to debut in the idol industry which ended up in a disaster. And also the President's current mistress.

"You don't understand!" She yelled. "I must warn them! I must warn KJ and the CEO!"

"But-"

SD changed course and headed for the girl instead. The guards raised their guns upon seeing him but he did not care.

"I'm with Abyss!" he told her. "You're Nida aren't you?"

"I have to talk to the CEO of Abyss!" she shouted. "Let me in!"

"Why?" SD demanded. "What do you want to say-"

"It's not her!" Nida revealed. "They're not after the CEO of Abyss!"

....

KJ had ended his speech. Glancing at the clock, he counted until the last seconds. Mirae clenched her fists as Sunye stood by her side with the fake Mirae ready at their beck and call.

Five...four...three...two...one…

The guests clapped loudly at KJ who looked perplexed. Nothing happened. The lights remained on and Mirae was standing with Sunye, safe and sound but looking confused. KJ was shocked.

"What the hell?" he muttered. 

At that moment, he was not sure what made him turn. Was it an instinct or a premonition but he craned his head towards the south.

The monstrous sound thundered throughout the area, shattering the windows and the force of the explosion threw him backwards.

That moment was the beginning of the end.