The boss, who had taken a few cautious steps back when Areum took down his men, suddenly stopped and tilted his head with a smug expression returning to his face. His lips stretched into a wide smirk that didn't reach his eyes, and he slowly raised his fingers.
"Oh, dear," he said mockingly, voice thick with amusement. "The show is not over yet."
With a sharp snap of his fingers, more movement erupted from the village entrance and the surrounding shadows.
Figures began to emerge.
More men, dressed in the same tight black suits, stormed into the clearing, some with guns, others gripping katanas, machetes, or iron rods—any weapon they could carry. Their boots pounded the dry earth like thunder, and the sight of their numbers made the villagers gasp again.
Areum narrowed her eyes, stepping back slightly. Her fingers twitched in preparation. She knew this was different.
She exhaled once, calmly.
