The neon lights of Seoul bled into one another, streaks of red and blue washing the alley in unnatural hues. Lin felt the city pressing down on him — alive, crowded, and yet, in that narrow corridor between steaming food stalls and shuttered storefronts, it felt like the whole world had narrowed to a single figure blocking their path.
The scout was lean, dressed in an unremarkable gray jacket that made him blend into the background. But his stance was wrong. Too straight, too sure, too deliberately casual. His hood shadowed most of his face, but Lin caught the glint of a smile. The man hadn't come to pass by. He was waiting.
"You've made quite the mess underground," the scout said in Korean, his tone calm, almost mocking. "Jin sends his regards. He said you'd surface eventually. He was right."
