When the Clock Strikes|Pi Han Ul x Reader|

Chapter 65

The long journey had been exhausting. Five hours of travel—three by bus, one by taxi, and the last by foot through dense forest. The air was damp, the ground uneven beneath her steps, and branches scratched against her hoodie as she moved. But when Beak Cheonga finally stood before the massive building, every ache in her body was forgotten.

A towering structure loomed in  found. The words etched at the top of the building sent a chill through her spine.

National Intelligence Service.

She hadn’t expected this. A normal research facility? Maybe. Some underground hideout? Possibly. But this? This was far beyond what she imagined.

Her fingers curled slightly, pressing into the fabric of her hoodie as she observed the scene ahead.

The entrance was guarded. Two soldiers, both in black uniforms with rifles strapped to their chests, stood at the metal gate, their gazes sharp as they surveyed the area. Beyond them, massive steel fences enclosed the entire facility, topped with barbed wire that gleamed under the faint moonlight. Cameras blinked red, scanning every inch of the perimeter.

Getting inside wouldn’t be easy.

Cheonga stepped back slightly, lowering herself behind a cluster of thick trees. She watched as a sleek black car approached the entrance. The soldiers straightened as the window rolled down, revealing a man in a dark suit. He handed them a small card.

An ID.

The soldier scanned it with a device strapped to his wrist. A few seconds passed. Then, the red light on the scanner blinked green, and the gates slowly groaned open. The car drove through, disappearing beyond the entrance.

Cheonga clenched her jaw. She didn’t have an ID. She didn’t have a disguise. And she didn’t have a way of waltzing in like the others.

But she had to get inside.

Her mind worked quickly, scanning the surroundings. There had to be another way—something the guards weren’t paying attention to.

Then, she saw it.

To the far left of the building, partially covered by thick trees, was a maintenance area. A stack of wooden crates sat near the fence, leading up to a small service entrance. It was locked, but it was her best chance.

She moved fast, sticking to the shadows as she slipped through the trees, careful not to snap any branches under her weight. The closer she got, the clearer the obstacles became.

A security camera rotated slowly, covering the entire back area every five seconds. The fence was high, but if she timed it right, she could climb the crates and vault over before the camera swung back.

She exhaled slowly, crouching low.

Five seconds.

The camera turned.

Four.

She bolted forward, her steps soundless against the damp ground.

Three.

She leaped onto the crates, her fingers gripping the rough wood as she pulled herself up.

Two.

Her heart pounded. The barbed wire was inches away.

One.

With a sharp breath, she pushed off, twisting her body mid-air, her hoodie barely brushing against the metal spikes as she landed on the other side, rolling into a crouch.

Zero.

The camera turned back. But she was already hidden against the wall.

She didn’t stop to breathe. She couldn’t. Not yet.