It is now four thirty-four. We arrived at the location marked on the map. An abandoned house that looked old and worn out, as if it had been uninhabited for a long time. The paint on its walls was peeling, and large cracks were clearly visible. The roof at the far right corner of the house was nearly collapsed, leaving a hole that allowed the evening light to pour in. The blowing wind carried the sound of rustling dry leaves—the only sound accompanying our steps.

  “So this is the place?” Area asked, his eyes darting around, scanning the surroundings. He seemed to be on alert, perhaps made uneasy by the gloomy atmosphere.

  I nodded while taking a deep breath. “Yeah, that guy said the bag is inside this abandoned building.”

  We paused for a moment before stepping inside. The rusty door hinges creaked as the main door was pushed open. A musty, damp smell immediately greeted us. I tried to ignore the discomfort, while Area had already stepped in cautiously. The house looked like it hadn’t been touched in years, with a thick layer of dust covering everything. In the living room, old furniture was scattered about. A windowpane was broken, and the wooden floor creaked with every step we took.

  “This house is quite big,” I said while glancing around the room.

  “Yeah, it's like a luxurious mansion.”

  “There’s no other way. Area, it looks like we’ll have to split up. You search the rooms downstairs, and I’ll check the upper floor.”

  “Alright, Adam,” Area replied briefly before moving toward the room on the lower level.

  I began climbing the main staircase, which looked fragile. Each step creaked loudly, making me pause for a moment to ensure the stairs could hold my weight. Once I reached the second floor, I found two rooms—one located near the stairs, and the other at the end of a dark corridor.

  I chose the closer room first. The door creaked loudly as I slowly pushed it open. The space inside was filled with scattered items. There was an old bed with a torn mattress, a large wooden wardrobe, and a small table in the corner. I looked under the bed but only found cobwebs. The wardrobe was also empty, except for some aged and worn-out clothes.

  “Adam! Did you find anything?!” Area's voice suddenly echoed from below, breaking the silence.

  “Not yet! I just checked one room!” I replied while stepping out and heading to the second room.

  “I’ve finished checking both rooms down here. Maybe the bag’s upstairs. If you find it, Adam, meet me in the kitchen. There’s something I need to do.”

  “Alright, Area,” I replied while walking down the hallway.

  Without wasting any time, I headed straight to the last bedroom. The door looked heavier, possibly due to its rusted hinges. I pushed it with all my strength, and after a few attempts, it finally opened. My eyes immediately locked onto something on a small table in the corner of the room—a silver bag, oddly clean compared to the dusty state of the room.

  “Strange...” I whispered as I approached the bag.

  I tried to open it, but the lock was too tight. I gave the bag a little shake, hoping for some clue, but nothing moved. Not wanting to take any risks, I decided to bring the bag downstairs.

  “Area! I found it!” I called out while hurrying down the stairs.

  Area was already standing by the window, her face visibly anxious. “Be careful. We need to get out now!” she said in a low voice.

  I looked out the window. A black car had stopped in front of the gate, and several tattooed men stepped out. They wore black jackets with a skull pattern—an emblem I recognized.

  “Darkmetnest?!...” I whispered, my voice almost caught in my throat.

  We both quickly put on our face masks, concealing our identities in case we were recognized. At the same time, Area came closer to me.

  “Adam, looks like we have to go out through the kitchen door—they look like they're coming inside,” Area suggested, grabbing my arm.

  “But the back door might be locked,” I reminded her.

  “There’s no other way, Adam. Maybe they’re here on some business. Maybe they came to get this bag,” Area whispered back.

  “Maybe.” What exactly was Mafi’s intention? And what’s really going on? Why is Darkmetnest in the northern territory? I kept all those questions to myself—for now, we just needed to get out of this building.

  Seconds after they stepped out of their vehicle, we ran straight to the kitchen. Once there, Area quickly looked for something to unlock the door. I could hear loud noises from the front of the house—they were already starting to break down the main door.

  “Hurry, Area!” I urged, my heart pounding.

  “Just a second!” Area replied calmly, her hands moving quickly with a paperclip she had found on the kitchen table. Within moments, the door unlocked—but to our surprise, it was blocked by a box leaning against it. Without hesitation, I told Area to move aside and began kicking the metal door. It let out a loud noise as it swung open, and the two of us sprinted into the backyard.

  We tried to find a way to escape and move far from the abandoned house. However, our path was blocked by a barbed fence surrounding the property. I looked around, searching for a way out, but all I saw were crumbling wooden walls, thick underbrush, and a fence that was nearly impossible to climb without serious injury.

  “What now?” I asked, my voice slightly raised.

  Area quickly inspected the fence, her hand touching the rusted metal. “Here,” she said, pointing to a part of the fence that was slightly bent. “This part looks weak. We can break it down.”

  I looked toward where she pointed. That section was indeed sagging a little, but it didn’t seem weak enough to break through easily.

  “Are you sure?” I asked doubtfully, but Area didn’t answer. She immediately searched the ground and found a long, decaying piece of wood.

  “Hold this. Let’s try to break it,” she said, handing me the wood.

  I took the wood, and together we pushed against the fence with all our strength. The sound of rusted metal scraping filled the air, and I could feel the wood almost snapping in my hands.

  “I don’t think it’s strong enough,” I said, panting.

  Area glanced around. “I’ll find something heavier. You stay here.”

  She ran off to search the yard, leaving me alone by the fence. I looked around uneasily, my eyes catching shadows moving inside the house.

  Suddenly, the sound of shattering glass came from the front of the house. I knew they had gotten in. The moment filled me with growing dread.

  “Area, hurry…” I whispered softly.

  A few minutes later, Area reappeared with a rusty metal pipe. She looked a bit sweaty, but her eyes were sharp with determination.

  “We don’t have much time,” she said, handing the pipe to me.

  We used the pipe as a lever, pressing against the fence with all our strength. Finally, after several pushes that nearly made me lose my balance, that section of the fence collapsed, creating a narrow gap just wide enough for us to crawl through.

  “Adam, you go first,” Area said as she held the opening open.

  I crawled out first, making sure the ground outside was stable before helping Area through. Our clothes snagged on the sharp barbs, leaving a few small tears in our shirts, but we didn’t care.

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  Just as we stepped out beyond the fence, the sound of the back door slamming open echoed behind us.

  “Run!” Area shouted, pushing me forward.

  We sprinted toward a small forest behind the house. My breath was becoming ragged, but I knew we couldn’t stop.

  Area grabbed my arm, guiding me into a thick patch of bushes. “In here. They won’t see us if we stay quiet,” she said, crouching down.

  We slipped into the brush, trying to hold our breath and move as little as possible. I could see the men stop where we had just been, scanning the area angrily.

  “Damn it! Where did they go?” one of them shouted.

  “Search the woods! They can’t have gone far!” another barked, ordering his group into action.

  They began to spread out, but luckily, none of them headed in our direction. I turned to Area, who was signaling for us to stay silent.

  After several minutes that felt like hours, things finally grew quiet again. We slowly crawled out of the bushes, making sure no one was nearby.

  “We need to keep moving,” Area whispered.

  I nodded, still feeling adrenaline pumping through my entire body. We continued our path, walking through the small forest until we reached a quiet, unpaved road.

  “Which way now?” I asked, looking left and right.

  Area took out her phone, quickly checking a digital map. “This way,” she said, pointing west.

  I followed her without asking much, but my mind was full of questions. Why can they be here? Why did they want the bag? What exactly were we carrying?

  “What do you think is in this bag?” I finally asked, breaking the silence.

  Area didn’t answer right away. She just stared ahead, her expression serious. “I don’t know, Adam. But if they’re willing to chase us this far, it must be something important.”

  I nodded, not wanting to press her further. We kept walking until we finally reached a park. Area stopped at the park gate and looked at me.

  “I can’t believe we made it,” she said, leaning against a wooden bench.

  I placed the bag on my lap, still staring at it with curiosity. “Now, the most important question… what’s actually inside this bag?”

  “I think it’s better if we give it to Mafi before it’s too late.”

  “You’re right, Area. Better we hand it over before anything worse happens,” I replied briefly, pushing away the urge to find out more.

  The evening atmosphere was gradually enveloping the surroundings, and I glanced at my watch. It was 7:12 PM. The night had already fallen, and the sense of anxiety was escalating—we needed to hurry and deliver the bag to the man waiting.

  We arrived in front of the man’s house precisely at 8 PM, standing there with unease. The house was located in a quiet area, with dim porch lights and an eerie silence, only broken by the sound of crickets. Area pressed the doorbell, and a few moments later, the heavy wooden door creaked open. The man appeared, his gaze suspicious, scanning us from head to toe. We handed him the bag he had requested without saying much. However, his expression changed when he saw our dusty appearance and torn clothes.

  “Why are you late? What happened to you two?” he asked, taking the bag from Area’s hands.

  Area took a step forward to answer. “We took the long way to get here. We had to wait for nightfall to allow the silence before coming,” she said briefly, but her voice sounded steady and slightly sharp, reflecting a mixture of fatigue and determination.

  Before the man could say anything further, Area continued, this time with a more serious tone. “Actually, what’s in this bag? And why is the biggest gang in the city after it?” The question hung in the air, making the atmosphere between us feel increasingly tense. I held my breath, realizing just how brave Area was to ask such a question to a man who clearly had significant power.

  The man didn’t answer immediately. Instead, he smiled faintly before speaking in a soft tone, almost mocking, “Aren’t you the one who’s been meddling in our affairs lately, Area? For the sake of money to take care of your family, you’ve been borrowing from thugs around to survive. What’s worse, you’ve been willing to do dirty work just to get money.”

  His words struck like sharp thorns into Area’s heart, and I could see her expression change—her eyes widened slightly, and her jaw clenched. She fell silent, but the man didn’t stop. “Do you want to follow in your father’s footsteps?” he asked softly, his tone sharp enough to pierce the soul. “So your question will go unanswered,” he added.

  After a brief moment of silence, Area finally spoke, her eyes locking onto the man. “I’m just doing a job that’s on the list. For today, I have nothing to do with this neighborhood gang. As promised, where’s the money?” she said in a firm and serious tone, without a hint of hesitation.

  The man gave a thin smile, like someone enjoying a power play. He casually placed the bag into his house, deliberately showing no rush, as if trying to provoke more emotion from Area. After that, he pulled out some cash from his wallet. Before Area could snatch it aggressively, he stared at her with a cold smile. “You’re lucky, Area. I’m still being kind,” he said before handing her the money.

  Area grabbed the money without a word, and we turned to leave the house. The journey home felt quieter. We took the train to the residential area, sitting in an almost empty carriage. Throughout the trip, Area didn’t say anything. Her face was blank, her eyes staring out the window as though searching for something that wasn’t visible to others. I didn’t dare ask anything, afraid it might cause trouble or anger Area. In silence, I just hoped she was okay, even though my heart was full of questions.

  We finally reached the intersection that separated our paths toward home. Area, with quick steps, headed to the right, while I took the left path. But before we truly parted ways, I couldn’t help but ask.

  “Area, actually, what’s the deal with that man?” I asked, my voice trying to sound as indifferent as possible, although my heart was filled with curiosity.

  Area’s steps stopped. She stood still for a few moments before slowly turning toward me. Her face was hard to read in the dim streetlight, but her eyes looked sharp, full of mystery.

  “You don’t need to worry about that, Adam. They just like to play power games. So don’t think too much about them,” she replied briefly. Her tone was firm, as if trying to close the door for further discussion.

  She quickly turned back and continued walking, but I wasn’t satisfied. I asked again, this time with a more cautious tone.

  “What about the other three?”

  Once again, Area stopped. She turned back, but this time there was a small smile on her lips.

  “I’ll handle it,” she said. That was all.

  After saying that, she turned and walked away. I could only stand there watching her leave, realizing that she was probably hiding something from me. From a distance, Area’s silhouette faded, eventually disappearing into the dark shadows of the night. I took a deep breath, trying to calm the tumultuous feelings inside me.

  “Maybe it’s her personal problem... and I shouldn’t meddle in Area’s affairs with the thug neighborhood,” I thought, trying to convince myself, although my inner voice whispered otherwise. But I chose not to ask any further.

  I looked at the road ahead, realizing that it was getting late. Without wasting any more time, I continued on my way home. When I arrived, the clothes I was wearing still showed the marks from earlier—dirt, dust, and slight tears in some places. But I felt a little relieved. Fortunately, my school clothes were at the Hate headquarters. So, I didn’t have to worry about my appearance the next morning.

  I decided to stop by the headquarters tomorrow to pick them up, with mixed feelings of exhaustion and unanswered curiosity.

  The events of yesterday still lingered in my mind, making my steps feel heavy. However, I had no choice but to go inside. I needed to clean up and find some peace.

  Slowly, I turned the doorknob, trying to avoid making any loud noises. The door creaked slightly as it opened, and I quickly closed it again carefully. In the dark, I stepped into the living room, relying on the faint light from my phone to guide my way.

  After taking a few steps toward the bathroom, suddenly the living room lights turned on. I jumped, seeing my sister standing in front of me. Her face clearly showed dissatisfaction.

  “Adam, where did you go?” she asked firmly, her eyes glaring at me.

  I stood silent for a moment, trying to figure out what to say. However, instead of answering, I chose to walk toward the bathroom. But she immediately blocked my path, standing firmly in front of me.

  “Just walking around the city,” I replied briefly, trying to calm the situation.

  “And?” she interrupted, forcing me to explain further.

  “That’s it.”

  Without waiting any longer, I slipped into the bathroom. However, inside, a sense of regret began to envelop me. I sat there, thinking about how I would give the money I had collected back to my sister. Was tonight the right time, or should I wait for another opportunity?

  After cleaning up, I headed to the kitchen to find something to eat. From the kitchen, I could see my sister still sitting in the living room. She looked lost in thought, her mind uncertain.

  I tried to approach her, but she immediately stood up and walked upstairs to her room. I could only watch as she left, before deciding to settle this matter tonight.

  I grabbed the small bag containing the money from the task with Area earlier. Carefully, I climbed the stairs toward my sister’s room. Standing in front of her door, I knocked softly. Her gentle voice called for me to enter.

  “Why, Adam?” she asked as soon as I stepped in.

  I took a deep breath before answering, “I want to apologize for spending the money you saved before.”

  I took the small bag out of my pocket. “I worked to get this money to replace what I took from you.”

  My sister fell silent. She looked down at the floor for a moment before standing up from her seat and walking slowly towards me.

  “Why did you do all this? Where did you get this money?” she asked, her tone a mixture of concern and curiosity.

  “I worked for a day. Did whatever I had to do, just to replace your money. Maybe it's not enough, but I'll try to gather more,” I replied.

  She stared at me for a long time, as if trying to read the sincerity in my words. “You didn’t go out with them, did you?”

  “For today, no,” I replied briefly, though in truth, that was a lie.

  She lowered her gaze slowly, then took the small bag from my hand. She walked back to the bed and sat, quietly opening the bag.

  “Adam,” she said after a while. “I know you have talent. But why don't you use that talent for something better?”

  I remained silent, looking at her from where I stood by the door.

  “I don't want you to keep getting involved in things that could hurt you. Please, stop all this before it's too late.”

  Her voice was soft, filled with hope. I could only remain silent, unable to speak.

  “Alright,” I said quietly. “I promise I won't do anything that could cause problems again.”

  I stepped out of my sister's room, closing the door quietly. From behind the door, I knew she was still watching me, but no more words were spoken.

  The night grew late, and my body felt utterly exhausted. I lay down on the bed, pulling the blanket over myself. My hopes were simple — that tomorrow would pass without any issues. With that thought, I slowly drifted off to sleep, sinking into the quiet darkness of the night.