UNDERCOVER CODES: THE HIDDEN ALGORITHM

CHAPTER 4: ECHOES IN THE DARK

Disclaimer:

This story is a work of fiction and a fan-created alternate universe. The characters do not belong to me unless otherwise stated; all rights belong 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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The underground library of SVT University was more myth than reality.

Most students thought the door at the end of the Archive Wing led to nothing but dead records and dust.

But those who knew — those who belonged to the shadows — called it The Vault.

Inside, the Syndicate gathered under flickering fluorescent lights.

Cables snaked across the floor, connecting servers that hummed like sleeping beasts. The air reeked of metal, ozone, and secrets.

Inside the Vault, 12:13 a.m.

"Connection secured," Seungkwan announced, his usual humor gone. His voice echoed softly in the vast space. "No external signals. We're clean."

At the head of the long table stood Cheol, eyes sharp beneath the dim light.
"Then let's get started," he said, his tone clipped. "ALPHA, pull the latest trace logs."

Jeonghan's long fingers danced across his holographic keyboard. "Pulling now... and—huh." His voice faltered.

"What is it?" asked Jun, glancing up from his tablet.

Jeonghan's brow furrowed. "Someone accessed the hidden directory last night. The old one. The one we buried years ago."

Jun's pen froze mid-tap. "You mean the Alpha Build?"

"The one before the current Syndicate protocols," added Joshua, calm but alert. "That's practically a fossil."

"Not anymore," Jeonghan muttered. "Someone dug it up."

The screen flickered, revealing a single phrase in glowing red text:

// FERAL //
"The fox always leaves prints — even when it runs in circles."

The Syndicate stared at the screen in silence.

"What the hell does that mean?" Dino muttered, gripping the edge of the table.

"Could be a riddle," Vernon offered from the back, his voice cool but wary. "Or a warning."

Minghao, ever composed, adjusted his glasses. "Or both."

All eyes turned toward Wonwoo, who stood quietly against the far wall — arms crossed, eyes glinting behind black frames.

Wonwoo's voice was low, deliberate. "It's a signature. Whoever left it knows our encryption. That message wasn't meant for anyone random."

"Who was it meant for?" DK asked, his usual warmth gone.

Wonwoo's jaw tightened. "Me."

Jihoon stepped forward, studying the display. "If someone accessed the Alpha Build, they'd have to bypass five encryption layers, two of which are mine. That's not easy."

Wonwoo's gaze flicked to him. "But it's possible."

Jihoon didn't look up. "Not unless they have access to my encryption key."

"Or they are your encryption key," Jeonghan murmured.

That earned him a sharp look from Jihoon, but the tension broke when Cheol spoke.

"Enough. We don't accuse family without proof."

He turned to Seungkwan. "Is there any trace of where this 'Feral' message came from?"

Seungkwan shook his head. "It's like chasing smoke. Whoever did this wanted us to see it... but not find it."

The Vault, 4:28 a.m.

The meeting adjourned at 3:14 A.M., but Wonwoo stayed behind, sitting in front of a glowing terminal. The others left one by one until only faint footsteps echoed down the corridor. He typed into his private console.

// TRACE_COMMAND – USER: FERAL //
Processing...
Result: UNKNOWN SOURCE – MATCH 98.3% (SYNDICATE ORIGIN)

Wonwoo leaned back, heart heavy.
Someone close. Someone inside.

His phone buzzed.

A message from DK.

DK: "Hyung, you still at the Vault?"
WONWOO: "Yeah. Go home. You've got morning classes."
DK: "You said that yesterday. You haven't slept."
WONWOO: "I can't. Not until I know who Feral is."
DK: "You already know, don't you?"
WONWOO: "I hope I'm wrong."

Business Administration Lounge

Mingyu's phone vibrated with a security alert from his company network.
Another unauthorized access attempt — this time from a university IP.

He sighed, closing his business plan on the desk. "Wonwoo, what are you up to?"

Vernon looked up from his laptop. "You good, Gyu?"

Mingyu leaned back, eyes on the window. "Just another ghost in the system."

"Then catch it," Vernon said.

Mingyu smirked. "That's the plan."

He didn't know it yet, but the "ghost" he was chasing was closer than he thought.

Back in the Vault

The room felt colder now.
Screens blinked, cables glowed, and Wonwoo's reflection stared back at him through lines of code.

He re-ran the trace one last time — and for a fraction of a second, the result flickered differently.

USER: CIPHER (ALIAS: FERAL)

Wonwoo's blood ran cold.

He stared, motionless, until the terminal blinked out.

Then, quietly, almost too quietly to hear—

"...Jihoon."

The Cipher's Screen — Minutes Later

Jihoon sat alone in his own workspace, dim light flickering off his monitor.
The words he'd typed earlier still glowed at the top of the screen.

TRANSFER NODE 23 ACTIVE
NEW HANDLE: FERAL.

He hesitated for a moment, finger hovering over the Enter key.
A small smile ghosted his lips.

"Sorry, Wonwoo," he murmured. "But codes evolve."

He pressed Enter.

The system blinked once, and The Syndicate's trust shattered silently in the dark.

TO BE CONTINUED..