[Do you seriously think an omega could lead us to victory?]
[With how weak he is, I'm sure this war would end within hours.]
[Just look at how long until he took his first action against the white faction! Why do you think we get summoned to this place by Uola? It's been months and this indecisive omega hasn't planned anything against our enemy!]
Those were the curses of my teammates in my previous life.
Back then, I was still in a state of disbelief. Running away from the mansion and hide was the best decision I could think of.
'I can't do it.'
'There's no way I could kill Keith.'
Those two thoughts kept swirling in my mind as I kept myself as far away from Keith as possible. I never wanted a clash between the two of us to happen.
That's why I kept delaying it.
But three months was the limit.
The moment I, and my members got force summoned by Uola into an enclosed island, I knew I had to fight to death with the opposite faction – whether I wanted it or not.
Fight between members happened because of my indecisiveness. Breaking the nonexistent bond between us.
But I wouldn't make the same mistake in this life. I'd lead my members with a vision in mind, making them rely on me as their waypoint.
Leaning on the balcony of my house, I silently gazed at my dim phone screen. It showed a name I had put on top of my contact list.
I sighed as I rubbed my hair – my long bangs pricked my skin. In days like this, where all I could think about was the past, I would usually drown in cigarettes or alcohol.
But today, looking at the name on my phone screen, I carved something sweet.
Something like citrus…
"I wonder what he's doing now."
My thumb had been hovering over the call button for a while now. I knew I shouldn't do this, but my feelings betrayed me.
His touches, his sweet whispers and his warm breath trickling against my skin… I was yearning for that feeling.
When I closed my eyes, all I could think of was that smug handsome face and those blood-red eyes that softened upon meeting my gaze.
He was the only one who could give me comfort, the one I felt safe to be with.
Haide.
"I miss you." I muttered as I sighed.
I had already formed a resolve in my heart to go through with this plan. I had also told myself countless times to not get swayed by my emotions.
'But humans are fickle.'
Only two days and I had already felt suffocated from the lack of Haide's presence around me. That guy had been hovering around me so much that his inexistence made me feel empty.
Once I'd tasted a little bit of kindness and love from another person, I became greedy and craved for it.
Even though I couldn't say 'I miss you' in front of him, my mouth freely said it when he wasn't here.
'I'm truly a hypocrite.'
"Let's check if the convenience store sells that candy he usually buys."
Giving my phone screen one last glance, I threw it on the bed as I walked toward my front door. I didn't feel like bringing it to me. I felt like I might actually give Haide a call if I brought my phone with me.
Because of that, I didn't realize Haide gave me a call – one that I would regret not calling back.
.
.
As soon as sunrise approached, I went to the base and gathered my teammates. For Cassius, Azazel, Baretta and Ornil – who's an adult that could take care of themselves – going in and out of the base was not a problem for them. Eliot was a different case, as he's still a minor and didn't have his own house, he made the base as his home.
The damp air of the basement filled my lungs as I opened my mouth to speak.
"We will now proceed with our plan."
I had acquired the bombs needed for our operation, we just needed to do it. According to the info I acquired in the black market, Rachel was the type to come to her company at dawn.
I didn't know the details of why she did it, but that would be a plus if she got injured from the bombs we planted.
"I, Azazel and Cassius will be the ones planting the bombs while Ornil, Baretta and Eliot will be the guards."
Pointing at the map on the table, I continued, "There's actually a side entrance in this alley that's connected to the building. We can use that."
"How do you even know these things…" Ornil muttered as he glanced at me, to which I replied with a silent smile.
I pulled out earpieces and black full-body suits from a bag beside me and smiled brightly.
"Let's do some cool action movie scenes."
.
.
Under the cover of the shadow, the six of us sneaked into a dark alley and opened the sewer cover as silently as possible.
Signaling my teammates with my hand, we entered one by one with me being the first in line. Eliot would be the only person on the surface to keep watch and inform us of our surroundings.
Climbing down the stairs, the dark, murky water touched my shoes. The foul smell became even sharper the more I stayed here.
"Ornil, Baretta, you guys stay here."
"Yes."
"Alright."
Once I got their confirmation, I signaled Azazel and Cassius to scatter. We went to different direction and started working.
Dashing along the tunnel, I recounted the shape of the sewer's map in my head – there were a total of six bombs that we needed to plant, with each of us carrying two.
"This is the place."
One of the bombs I carried would be planted under the parking lot while the other would be in the front lobby.
BZZTT!
My earpiece buzzed and Eliot's voice came from the other line.
[I saw her, a woman in her thirties wearing colorful clothes. She has entered the building.]
'Great.'
I smiled when I heard the news.
Tapping the earpiece, I swiftly replied, "Report if she shows any suspicious movement."
[Yes, huh? Wait-]
"What is it?"
[Ah, no nevermind.]
Eliot's hesitant tone made me frown, but because he didn't continue, I was left wondering what words he left unfinished were.
'Hopefully it's not a mistake to let him become our surface guard.'
"One has been planted on my side."
I informed my teammates and immediately moved my feet after I was done with the bomb in my hand. I had calibrated it to detonate within 15 minutes, so me and my team shouldn't linger long.
Hearing the beeping sound every time the second ticks, I once again dashed along the tunnel. The deeper I went, the deeper the water level became – it had reached the height of my waist.
BZZTT!
The earpiece buzzed again, this time Cassius' voice was heard. [One is already planted.]
And a few seconds after Azazel's voice followed, [One done.]
'The progress went faster than I thought.'
I thought Azazel would struggle to keep up with Cassius and me considering this was her first time doing these acts, but I guess I was wrong.
Just like my past life, she was a reliable ally thorough and thorough.
"Alright, I'm sure it's here."
I planted my last bomb and was about to inform my teammates, but before I could do it, I heard a warning coming from the earpiece.
BZZTT!!!
[Everyone! Quick! A security guard is patrolling the area!]
"What?"
I immediately ran back toward the entrance. From the information I gained, security patrol had never happened in the sewer. I was sure my source of information wasn't false so what happened for things to suddenly change?
"Everyone regroup. Even if you haven't finished planting the bombs, leave it."
I spoke through the earpiece and focused my attention on my surroundings. There were indeed several heavy footsteps coming from different directions around the sewer.
'Is their intent to surround us?'
[They are coming! We can't guard the entrance anymore!]
Ornil's muffled shout went through my earpiece. I quietly answered, "Leave the place and hide! Stick together and meet us at point B."
I pulled out my Cecily and was ready to confront my enemies.
BANG!
"Argh!"
Until rushed steps and gunshot rang in the tunnel. The sting on the back of my hand indicated my enemies were close.
'That's Baretta's scream.'
I peeked from the corner, my teammates were just a few meters from my current position – wounded from the gunshot. Ornil was trying his best to pull Baretta who was shot in the leg.
A woman, dressed in red dress and heels with flamboyant accessories full of colors, walked elegantly like a peacock doing a mating dance. With her chin raised high, she led her bodyguards toward the two.
"Well, well, look at these rats trying their best to sabotage my company this early in the war. Guess you guys are that bold huh? Don't you think so my King?"
She glanced behind her shoulder. A low baritone laugh echoed as the man behind her steadily walked forward.
"True, you guys really are playing a dangerous game."
The blood red eyes glowed as he stood shoulder to shoulder with her – glaring at the two in front of him.
'Why is he here?'
"Ugh!"
"Kghk!"
Ornil and Baretta groaned in pain – covering their nose while trembling in fear. Looking at those pale faces, I knew what tricks Haide used on them.
'They are being forced to submit by Haide's pheromone.'
Haide was a dominant, but Ornil and Baretta weren't. As they were all alphas, Haide could gain control over the two because of the hierarchy and the more prominent pheromone Haide had.
A cold, icy tone came out of his mouth.
"Kill them."
The bodyguards moved forward and raised their guns over my members' heads. I immediately moved my body.
'They can't defend themselves.'
I went out from my hiding place and pulled my gun's trigger, shooting one of the bodyguards who was aiming for my teammates.
BANG!
"Ugh!"
'One down. Two left.'
Continuous shots from the bodyguards couldn't hinder my advance as I ran in zigzags to avoid the bullets.
"Kghk!"
I pulled the trigger and another one of the bodyguards went down.
"Ugh!"
And another one of my shots killed the bodyguard. Now all of them were down.
"The King… An omega at that."
I aimed at Rachel as she also aimed her gun at me.
BANG!
I pulled my trigger and so did Rachel. I thought I could dodge the bullet at the last minute, but my calculations were wrong.
"Ugh!"
"Tsk!"
She got shot on the shoulder, while her bullet grazed my side.
Unlike Rachel who immediately clutched her shoulder as she couldn't endure the pain, I steadied my hand as I aimed at Rachel.
We were now in a stalemate.
"That pheromone…!" Baretta muttered between her breaths, catching my attention. But what she said next shook me to my core.
"There's no way I wouldn't recognize it. That's the underworld's most renowned family member's unique pheromone, Torentto."