Bang! Bang! Bang!

The gunshots that struck the target dead center made the shoulders of the gathered recruits flinch in unison.

Inside the indoor shooting range, where the recruits who had just completed their recovery round were assembled, the air was heavy with tension.

Despite wearing bulletproof vests and shooting earmuffs, the vibrations from the shots still rattled through their bodies, making them involuntarily tense up.

“Mozambique Drill is a shooting technique that involves two shots to the torso and one to the head,” Lee Wooshin said calmly, standing in front of the target with his handgun holstered over a black rash guard.

“If you recklessly aim for a headshot and end up just grazing their face, all you’re doing is giving them more time to strike back. That’s why the Mozambique Drill was developed — two shots to the torso and one to the head to eliminate that risk.”

Despite holding a loaded weapon, there was no trace of tension in his demeanor.

His movements as he casually tapped his thigh and slid the magazine out were smooth, almost bored. The way he handled the gun wasn’t so much impressive as it was unsettling — like someone who might just as easily shove the muzzle into his own mouth.

Splinters of wood scattered from the °• N 𝑜 v 𝑒 l i g h t •° perforated target, and in that brief moment, Seoryeong’s eyes met Lee Wooshin’s.

His otherwise indifferent eyes flickered, and his expression twisted slightly as he fixed his gaze on her, a look that was both ambiguous and menacing.

“If you’re skilled enough, three bullets are all it takes to neutralize a human target. The Mozambique Drill is about ensuring the target is immobilized — even if it means killing them on the spot.”

“......” 𝒻𝘳𝘦𝘦𝘸ℯ𝒷𝘯𝘰𝑣ℯ𝑙.𝘤𝑜𝘮

“With the fewest bullets possible, you can inflict lethal damage.”

There was a strange smile playing on his lips as he said this, and the nauseating feeling in Seoryeong’s stomach grew worse.

Seoryeong furrowed her brows, glaring at him as if trying to read his intentions. But the shooting range was as calm and collected as ever, as if the ominous feeling gnawing at her was nothing but a figment of her imagination.

By this point in the training, there were barely twenty recruits left in the program.

Under Instructor Kim Taemin’s supervision, they had spent hours handling various firearms, disassembling and reassembling them, and learning how to properly grip and aim. They practiced with rubber bullets, using them to get accustomed to the sensation of actual combat.

And now, they had finally reached the stage where they were watching the instructor’s live demonstration.

Lee Wooshin silently loaded bullets into the magazine, one by one, before extending his arm and aiming. His half-lidded eyes remained fixed on Seoryeong.

“――!”

A chorus of gasps erupted from the recruits. It was impossible to tell which came first — the sound of the gunshot or the impact that sent Seoryeong staggering backward. A heavy, throbbing pain spread through her side.

Bang!

The rapid gunfire echoed through the range, like the shattering of glass, and the clinking of spent casings hitting the floor resonated in her ears.

Wait, what the hell just happened?

“Even if the first two shots don’t work, don’t panic. Take the third shot to the head swiftly. That’s the core of the Mozambique Drill — making sure you finish them off with the final bullet,” he said, his expression calm as ever, the slide of his pistol clicking into place.

Did that bastard just shoot me?

Before she could even process it, another bullet struck her square in the chest.

Technically, it was her bulletproof vest, but the impact felt as though someone had driven their fist into her ribs. The pain was enough to make her lose her breath. Seoryeong staggered, grabbing onto a nearby recruit for support as she glared at Lee Wooshin.

The acrid scent of gunpowder stung her nostrils. She looked down at her vest — there they were, two undeniable bullet marks embedded in the thick layers of Kevlar.

The moment the reality of it sank in, a searing fury shot up from her spine to her scalp.

“Does it hurt?”

Lee Wooshin, now casually emptying the chamber, threw her a sideways glance.

“These are just .22 LR bullets. Small caliber, low firepower. I specifically chose a small and light one to avoid bruising our precious Han Seoryeong too much.”

“......”

“They’re lodged in there as a souvenir. Want to pick up the casings and take them home?”

Seoryeong yanked off her vest, throwing it to the floor with a furious snarl. Her chest rose and fell as she marched forward, ready to tackle him right there and then. But Lee Wooshin merely smiled, that lazy, indifferent grin of his, as though completely unbothered by her rage.

“Instructor, this time you really crossed the line...!”

“What, are you going to accuse me of workplace harassment?”

“......!”

“Personally, I think bullets are better suited to Han Seoryeong than anything else.”

Lee Wooshin’s smile remained fixed, his expression as unreadable as ever. Seoryeong’s face flushed with anger, but he continued to speak in that same calm, measured tone.

“Remember this until the end. If the headshot misses and only grazes the cheek or the ear—”

Like he was flicking her forehead, his thick fingers tapped her brow, her cheek, and finally, her earlobe. Before she could swat his hand away, his thumb pressed against her collarbone, rubbing at the center of her clavicle.

“Here, the middle of the collarbone. If all else fails, sever the cervical spine and incapacitate them.”

Seoryeong couldn’t move, unsure whether it was the heat radiating from his touch or the lingering ache in her side.

Lee Wooshin, who had been addressing the recruits, suddenly leaned closer and whispered, his breath hot against her ear.

“Well, whose fault is it for walking around with all their vital points so exposed?”

This... He wasn’t talking about the collarbone, was he?

Seoryeong’s brows knit together, a sinister suspicion gnawing at her gut.

***

Time flew by like an arrow.

By the time Seoryeong returned from the mountain march, it was the ninth week of training.

They had moved from the coastal training camp to a grueling itinerary that covered Deogyusan, Minjujisan, Yeongdong, Songnisan, Mundeoksan, Baekhwasan, Gongdeoksan, and Danyang.

It was a relentless schedule that saw them hiking through paths that barely existed and clambering over increasingly treacherous rocky terrain. Boots wore out, legs gave way, and they often ended up stumbling into ditches. But in the end, not a single recruit was left behind.

“In the end, a mercenary is someone who has to keep walking and walking. That way, when the time comes to run, they can do that too,” Lee Wooshin had repeatedly emphasized during the march. But every time he said it, Seoryeong had a defiant response ready in her mind.

How many times in my life am I going to have to run away? Oh, right... When I finally bash that bastard in the back of the head and run, I’d better have learned well by then.

With that rebellious thought, Seoryeong would purse her lips, tuning out whatever he was saying.

They walked through untamed paths for hours each day, climbing over cliffs as the terrain became increasingly rugged. With every step, her feet swelled, blisters formed, and walking became nearly impossible.

During those nights of bivouacking, Lee Wooshin would find her and personally pop the blisters on her feet. His hands were as ruthless as the needle he used to pierce her skin, but the way he held her ankle was almost gentle — unsettlingly so.

That disconcerting thought jolted her awake more than once, and Seoryeong kicked his solid chest as if she were a wild horse trying to buck off a rider.

The very idea that the only remaining way to measure her husband’s presence was through this kind of distorted sensation made her feel both anxious and sick to her stomach.

What had his reaction been back then...? She could only remember the sudden sting that shot through her trapped foot.

She wasn’t sure if it had been the needle or something else, but what she could remember vividly was the hot, sticky sensation of flesh against her skin.

“Good work, everyone.”

“......!”

And at last, after completing the march, the recruits received their final briefing.

“The introductory training program for Blast Corp officially ends today. From now on, you will all be assigned to various domestic and international teams as official members of Blast Corp. Congratulations on making it this far.”

They had endured those grueling two months for the sake of hearing those few words.

At the foot of the mountain, the recruits were gathered, their faces flushed with an indescribable sense of accomplishment despite their near-exhaustion.

It’s over...! Finally, we can get out of these damned uniforms and go outside...!

A deep sense of triumph welled up from within Seoryeong, and for the first time in weeks, her pale, haggard face began to regain some color.

She felt like a loaded gun, chambered and ready. It had been a torturous period, but her stamina, skills, knowledge, and combat readiness had all been honed to a razor’s edge. She was nothing like the cleaning lady who had first stepped into the company.

But then, Dong Jiwoo, who was standing nearby, suddenly muttered as if pouring cold water over the mood.

“But it’s the ninth week.”

“What?”

“I mean, our training... Wasn’t it supposed to end after the tenth week?”

“......”

“So doesn’t that mean we still have one more week left?”

Before the words had even finished leaving his mouth, Lee Wooshin’s low, deep voice sliced through the air, striking their eardrums.

“As I mentioned during orientation, those who complete the basic training will have a chance to qualify for the Special Security Team through a final test.”

“......!”

A silent wave of agitation swept through the recruits. It was as if they were all starting to piece together what that final week would entail.

“It’s simple. From now on, your objective is to capture the instructors.”

“......!”

“But only two instructors will enter the mountains with you. The first team to successfully capture one of those instructors will be inducted into the Special Security Team as new recruits.”

In that moment, Seoryeong’s eyes met Lee Wooshin’s. He smiled confidently, lifting a finger to tap against his chest as if to say, I’m the target.

“Oh — but how do you plan to catch me?”

He laced his fingers behind his neck, his eyes narrowing with a smug, almost flirtatious gleam. Seoryeong clenched her fists quietly, fury seething beneath her skin.

“The instructors have no intention of getting caught.”

Those words twisted a knife in her gut. Every taunt she had thrown at him until now suddenly felt meaningless.

What was he doing if not projecting her own trauma back at her?

No intention of getting caught...

Seoryeong’s fierce, ravenous eyes locked onto the man who stood there, grinning with that infuriatingly casual smile.

A blizzard was coming.