A year had passed since Jahm's recruitment into NICA. Time moved quickly, but the shadows of the past never faded.
Two years ago, a tragedy struck South Korea's journalism world. Han Joon-Seok, a respected investigative journalist, was found dead in his apartment. The official report said suicide. But his eldest daughter, Han Hanni, never believed it.
"He wasn't depressed," Hanni said sharply to her younger sister one cold morning, her eyes staring blankly at the old news clipping. "He had just told me he was onto something big… about Minister Kang."
Min-Yoon, wearing her nurse's uniform, slowly stirred her tea. "Unnie, it's been two years. Maybe Appa really couldn't handle the pressure."
"No." Hanni stood, pacing the small apartment they shared. "He told me—Minister Kang. He had proof. But the next day, he was gone. And suddenly the government called it suicide."
Min-Yoon looked down. The pain was still there. But unlike Hanni, she had chosen to bury it.
"If he really had evidence, where is it now?"
"That's what I'm going to find,Even if it kills me."
Little did she know, that piece of evidence was still hidden, somewhere only one man knew of—an anonymous contact who had helped her father protect the file before his death.
Meanwhile, in her apartment in Busan, Justice Park leaned back in his spinning chair inside a cluttered room filled with wires, monitors, and empty snack wrappers. For the past year, he had taken freelance hacking jobs, stealing from shady businessmen and selling digital information to the highest bidder.
"Easy money," he muttered as another firewall collapsed under his fingers.
His phone buzzed. A call from justice filipino friend.
> MIGUEL CALL:
"I have something to ask you, bro. The director of an agent I told you about before talked to me again. They said they need someone who is good at hacking and computers from South Korea."
"What should I do, bro? Isn't that dangerous for me? It might be heavy, right? That's hard."
"They said they need a background check on Minister Kang Dae-jung, bro. Full scope. No trace. they said full payment will be given, bro, if you do it well"
"Minister Kang Dae-jung is a big shot, bro, and a dangerous person here in South Korea, but how much is it? and that's all he has to do, so it's easy money again"
"18 thousand dollars bro but that's not all, bro, you have to do it. They said to get a nice car, even if it's just second-hand, and bro, there's an agent you'll be working with there."
"huh, am I going to take care of an agent?"
"It's kind of like that, bro, but if you don't want to, I'll just talk to someone else. I don't want to put you in a dangerous situation because I really consider you like a brother, bro. But it's a shame, bro, they said it's double pay."
"Wait, bro, I'm not refusing yet. What are you talking about? It's like I'm only taking care of one agent. Also, send the money for buying a car tomorrow, and add a bit more because my apartment is falling apart."
"Thanks a lot, bro, that's why I talked to you. But don't get too excited yet, bro. I'll message you again, bro, once they send the money they need."
"Alright bro, thanks too!"
"It's just an agent who doesn't matter, so it's easy money again, and 18 thousand dollars. Plus, if the agent completes their mission here, it will double. After this job, I'm really leaving this south hell and starting a family in America. I might just be the luckiest person today."
He had no idea the agent mentioned was Jahm.
Back in Manila, Jahm stood alone in the NICA rooftop gym, drenched in sweat, punching the bag hard. Over the last year, he had undergone intense training—weapon mastery, deep cover protocol, cyber infiltration support, and language immersion. His mind could now switch between Korean, Chinese, and Japanese with ease.
He had also been deployed on several small-scale missions—capturing syndicate leaders in Mindanao, tailing black-market smugglers in Vietnam, and protecting diplomats in Malaysia. Each one sharpened his instincts and hardened his resolve.
One morning, while cleaning his firearm, an agent tapped his shoulder. "Director Estrella wants to see you."
Inside the dimly lit briefing room, Director Bruce Estrella placed a folder on the table.
"South Korea," he said.
"This one's different." Estrella slid the folder closer. "Target: Minister Kang Dae-jung."
Jahm's fingers paused before opening it. "That name's come up before."
"Not officially. But yes. We believe he's expanding his criminal network. Drugs, trafficking, political control… all disguised under his public image."
"And you want me to bring him down."
"Yes. You'll pose as a professional driver under a new identity—Lance Gonzalez. Your contact in Seoul will be established. You'll live there, work for Kang, and get close enough to destroy his world."
Jahm leaned back. "Any contacts?"
"There is, I talked to one of our intel, he said he has a friend who is good with computers and is half Filipino too, he said he will talk to him."
"And I'm a professional driver for that minister, aren't you joking, director?"
"Yes, I'm not joking with you, because our intel heard yesterday that the minister removed his driver, so that's the only way to get close to him."
"Okay,I trust you, director."
"Good thing, but you also need to win his favor. That minister wants to be able to trust you and for you to be loyal to him, because his previous driver was dismissed, and there's a rumor that he was killed because he stabbed that minister in the back."
"It looks like another difficult mission."
"Oh, by the way, before I forget, no one should know your true identity, and after this mission, you should erase your fake identity. You know that in every mission, love is our biggest and toughest enemy, so avoid it. Also, you shouldn't trust anyone, even if they can help you, even if they are our fellow countrymen."
"Okay, director, but when is my flight?"
"It's still the next 72 hours, so you have time to prepare or relax. But if you fail this mission, you know we won't have any idea about it and we'll be out, so just be careful there."
"I'm really tired of hearing that from you, director, but please just trust me. I still have a long time before I leave, so before I go, I'll first say goodbye to my parents."
"I have great trust in you, that's why I brought you here, right? Please take care of yourself there. By the way, you'll be landing at Incheon airport. I'll also tell Miguel's friend to pick you up at the airport."
"Thank you, director. I'm heading home now, please take care always here!"