UNDERCOVER CODES: THE HIDDEN ALGORITHM

CHAPTER 3: CROSSED WIRES

Disclaimer:

This story is a work of fiction and a fan-created alternate universe. The characters do not belong to me unless stated otherwise; all rights go to their respective creators. Events, settings, and interpretations are purely products of imagination and are not intended to reflect reality. Please read with an open mind - this is for creative and entertainment purposes only.

-Written with dreams, Ser_eia^^
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SVT University Cafeteria, 7:28 a.m.

The morning after the storm tasted of caffeine and half-kept secrets. Wonwoo sat at the corner of the cafeteria, the hum of chatter barely reaching him through the noise-canceling calm he wore like armor. His laptop was open, but his eyes weren't reading-just replaying last night's scene over and over again.

The hidden line of code.
The ghost connection.
And Mingyu's voice.

"Guess I'll leave the hacking to you, Phantom."

The way he said it-half teasing, half testing-still lingered like static in Wonwoo's chest.

He didn't notice the shadow that fell across his table until Jeonghan slid into the seat opposite him, tray in hand and a knowing smirk ready.

"Still thinking about him?"

Wonwoo didn't flinch. "I'm thinking about the breach."

Joshua appeared right after, placing a third cup of coffee between them. "The breach has a name, and it starts with 'Kim.'"

Wonwoo sighed. "You two are insufferable."

Jeonghan leaned forward, chin resting on his hand. "You mean observant. The Golden Boy has been asking around. Word is, he tried to request access to the server logs this morning."

That made Wonwoo's jaw tighten. "He what?"

Joshua nodded. "Apparently, he told the IT admin he wanted to 'check cross-department data flow.' Classic excuse. Sounds like he's onto something."

Jeonghan's grin softened. "Or someone."

Before Wonwoo could reply, his phone buzzed under the table.
One look at the encrypted message and his blood ran cold.

[SOURCE TRACE: COMMANDER // PRIORITY ALERT]
A new signal entered your network at 00:32. Not university-made. Syndicate-level encryption. Check your mirrors, Phantom.]

His reflection stared back from the black laptop screen-sharp eyes, blank face, calm breathing. But his pulse was a different story.

The Commander's messages were never just warnings. They were orders disguised as suggestions.

"Something wrong?" Joshua asked softly.

Wonwoo shut his laptop. "Everything's wrong. The server isn't just a remnant-it's active."

Jeonghan frowned. "Meaning?"

"Meaning," Wonwoo said quietly, "someone reactivated the syndicate channel inside the university's system."

Meanwhile - Business Administration Building

Mingyu leaned against the hallway window, phone in hand, brow furrowed.
He wasn't sure why he was still thinking about the phantom line he found on his laptop last night. It should've been nothing-a glitch, a temporary crossover. But the way it pulsed on his screen, the pattern of numbers-it looked deliberate.

"Yo, Golden Boy!" Hoshi called, jogging toward him, tossing a gym bag over his shoulder. "You skipping practice again?"

"Later," Mingyu muttered. "Got some files to check."

Hoshi raised an eyebrow. "You're starting to sound like the CompSci kids."

Mingyu's lips twitched. "Maybe they're not as boring as I thought."

"Please," Hoshi snorted. "Wonwoo's the only one you ever look twice at, and that's because he looks like he's hiding world domination plans behind that laptop."

Mingyu didn't respond, but the corner of his mouth twitched. Hoshi had no idea how close he was to revealing the truth.

When he reached his office, Mingyu sat down and opened his system logs. The alert from the night before blinked again.
He zoomed in, tracing the source line.

IP Origin: CompSci Council Main Server
User Tag: PH4NT0M_001\

He blinked. "Phantom...?"

He had seen that name before-last night, from his own taunting words. But this? This was actual data.

He leaned back in his chair, whispering, "Jeon Wonwoo... what are you hiding?"

Back to the Lab - Evening

The Computer Science Council room buzzed quietly under fluorescent light.
Seungkwan (The Echo) typed away, sending status updates through the secured council network. Woozi (The Cipher) was running diagnostic checks, though his eyes flicked toward Wonwoo more often than the screen.

DK arrived last, tossing his bag onto a chair and greeting them all with his usual sunshine grin. "You look like you've all seen a ghost."

Jeonghan smirked. "More like a Phantom."

DK's smile faltered for just a second before returning. "We're really doing this tonight?"

Wonwoo nodded. "If the server's live, we trace it before the syndicate traces us."

Woozi's voice was low, careful. "And what if they already have?"

Wonwoo looked up. His gaze, usually unreadable, carried something sharp. "Then I'll make sure they only find me."

The room fell silent. The air thickened with unspoken loyalty, fear, and something like pride.

As lines of encrypted code began to glow across the dark screens, the network reconnected-faster, stronger, more dangerous.

And far across campus, in the Business Admin office, Mingyu's monitor flickered again-an unfamiliar signal flashing once before disappearing.

His lips curved into a smirk. "Found you."

The web between them was no longer digital.
It was personal.

And the next time they met, it wouldn't be by accident.

TO BE CONTINUED..