EPISODE 2

EPISODE 2

ANGELICCA SEVERIA

I listened attentively without interrupting, keeping my posture straight.

I simply gave him a small nod. 

Without saying another word, I turned my back on him and slowly walked away from his office.

I moved toward the exit.

I headed toward the staircase and began descending the steps.

By the time I reached the long hallway leading toward the locker room, distant voices were already beginning to fill my ears.

The deep voices of men talking inside echoed loudly through the corridor walls. Some sounded amused, others loud and competitive, while a few carried the roughness of exhaustion after training. 

Their conversations overlapped into an indistinct mixture of laughter, arguments, and casual banter that only made the entire place feel even more crowded and chaotic.

I continued walking toward the locker room.

Eventually, my steps came to a halt right in front of the closed double doors.

I gripped the two cold metal doorknobs tightly in my hands and slowly twisted them open. The heavy double doors creaked softly as they parted inch by inch, and with every small movement, the loud noise coming from inside gradually faded. 

Then, finally, the doors opened completely.

The first thing that greeted me was the sight of our enormous locker room, brightly lit and filled with the scent of sweat, soap, and freshly washed uniforms. Rows upon rows of massive black lockers lined the walls, while benches were scattered across the tiled floor.

And there are the Warriors.

Each of them was occupied with their own business, some changing clothes, some sitting lazily on the benches while wiping sweat from their skin, others laughing with teammates only moments ago. Most of them barely had anything covering their bodies. 

A few only wore towels hanging low around their waists, while others were halfway dressed, exposing toned muscles, tattooed skin, and bodies built from years of brutal training and endless games.

But the moment they saw me standing there, everything changed.

The energy inside the room shifted instantly.

One by one, I noticed them avoiding my gaze. Some suddenly focused on tying their shoes even though they had already finished. Others turned their backs toward me or pretended to search through their lockers. 

A few awkwardly cleared their throats, but none of them dared to speak. 

The loud locker room that had been bursting with noise just seconds ago fell into an almost uncomfortable silence.

Not even whispers remained.

Ignoring the tension surrounding me, I started walking deeper inside. My footsteps echoed softly against the tiled floor as every pair of eyes secretly followed my movements despite their attempts to look away.

I headed straight toward my own large locker positioned near the far side of the room.

Without saying a single word, I reached for the handle and pulled the locker door open.

Keeping my eyes fixed on the inside of my locker, I slowly lifted my hands toward the buttons of my long-sleeved shirt. 

My fingers worked calmly, unfastening them one at a time starting from the very top. 

The fabric of my shirt gradually loosened against my body as more skin became exposed to the cool temperature of the room.

Then, out of curiosity, I briefly glanced sideways toward the Warriors.

The moment my eyes landed on them, I immediately noticed how every single one of them deliberately avoided looking at me again.

I finally slipped my long-sleeved shirt off completely. The fabric slid down my arms before I casually tossed it inside my locker. Right after that, I reached for my long pants and loosened them just as calmly.

The soft sound of my belt coming undone echoed sharply through the room.

I pushed the fabric down my legs and stepped out of it without hesitation, leaving me standing there in nothing but my underwear.

And yet, not a single Warrior dared to look at me.

Not one of them even attempted to steal a glance.

Their eyes remained turned away, their expressions tense and restrained.

I began putting on the layers of my uniform in complete silence.

First came the fitted inner garment that clung tightly against my skin, followed by the dark armored fabric designed for combat. I carefully adjusted every strap, every buckle, and every piece of protective material until everything sat perfectly against my body. 

After fixing the last piece into place, I reached for my black cloak hanging inside the locker.

The thick fabric draped heavily over my shoulders the moment I wore it, its dark material falling all the way down near my boots. Without hesitation, I lifted the hood and pulled it over my head, allowing the shadows to partially conceal my face.

Then I started walking.

The moment I stepped away from my locker, the Warriors immediately moved aside to clear a path for me. The sound of my combat boots echoed steadily across the tiled floor as I walked between them, their bodies parting almost instinctively wherever I passed.

And the second I passed through them, the noise behind me returned all at once.

Stepping outside the building, my stallion was already waiting for me nearby.

Without wasting another second, I climbed back onto the horse and tightened my grip on the reins before heading straight toward Hideout 10.

I dismounted my stallion smoothly.

The moment my combat boots touched the ground, a heavy thud echoed beneath me. At the same time, I lowered the thick hood covering my head, letting it fall behind my shoulders as I walked straight toward the entrance of the towering building without slowing down.

The large doors opened for me immediately.

As I made my way through the long hallway leading toward the main hall of the hideout.

Then a Warrior suddenly approached me from the opposite direction.

“Miss Angelicca, it’s a good thing you’ve already arrived…” he said quickly, relief obvious in his voice.

I glanced at him briefly while continuing to walk.

His face seemed vaguely familiar, but honestly, I couldn’t even remember his name anymore.

The moment I stopped walking, the Warrior in front of me immediately lowered his head as well.

“Our new comrades have been waiting for quite some time already,” he added after slowly lifting his head again.

I responded with a nod.

I continued walking down the long hallway toward the massive double doors standing at the far end.

Even before reaching them, I could already hear the voices coming from the other side again.

The hall beyond those doors was clearly filled with Warriors.

The Warrior who had greeted me earlier suddenly rushed after me, quickly moving ahead so he could open the doors for me himself.

He grabbed the large metal handles.

Then the doors slowly opened.

A deep grinding sound echoed through the hallway as the massive wood scraped against the floor, the loud creaking instantly overpowering the voices coming from inside.

And the moment the doors finally parted wide enough, my eyes landed on the  Warriors gathered inside the enormous hall.

When I stepped into view, I immediately drew everyone’s attention toward me. They turned to look at me, and it did not take long for me to notice the different reactions spreading across their faces. 

Some of them furrowed their brows deeply, confusion clearly written in their expressions. Others stopped in the middle of their conversations, their mouths slightly open as if they had momentarily forgotten what they were about to say. 

Despite all the attention fixed on me, I continued walking as though none of it bothered me.

I kept my composure steady and my expression calm while their stares followed my every movement. I could feel their eyes trailing behind me with intense curiosity as I made my way toward the staircase. Without slowing down, I began climbing.

When I finally reached the fifth step, I came to a stop.

Slowly, I turned around to face them.

For a brief moment, I remained silent, allowing my eyes to roam across the crowd before me. 

I carefully studied each unfamiliar face, taking in every expression, every pair of curious eyes staring back at me. 

If we were to observe them closely, it would be impossible not to notice how well-built the recruits already were. 

Their bodies had been shaped and hardened by relentless training, leaving them tall, broad-shouldered, and packed with solid muscle.

“For now, I’ll be the one assigning your duties."

My voice rang throughout the entire hall.

But instead of acceptance, the expressions staring back at me only worsened.

The disbelief on their faces became even more obvious, as though they could not fully process what they had just heard. Some narrowed their eyes at me, while others exchanged looks with one another in silent skepticism. A few even looked insulted, their pride visibly bruised by the thought of someone like me standing before them and giving orders.

Then a voice suddenly pierced through the silence. “What did you just say, woman?”

The mocking tone in his voice immediately drew my attention.

My eyes shifted toward the man who had spoken, locking onto him without hesitation. I watched him carefully as he began walking slowly toward me.

He casually pulled both of his hands out of his pockets before finally stopping at the bottom of the staircase where I stood above him. From that position, he had to slightly tilt his head upward to meet my gaze.

“You’re the one who’s going to command us? What kind of joke is that?" A bitter laugh escaped his lips immediately after. Then he turned his head toward the warrior who had accompanied me earlier, his expression hardening even more.

“Why is there a woman here in the hideout? Are you people messing with us?” he demanded coldly.

“Well... she’s—”

“Leave.” I cut the warrior off before he could finish speaking. He immediately sealed his lips shut, clearly understanding the meaning behind my order. He quickly turned his back and hurried toward the exit. 

I shifted my attention back to the man standing below the staircase.

I looked at him normally, only to find him already staring directly at me.

For several long seconds, neither of us spoke.

Then I noticed the subtle change in his expression.

The arrogance in his eyes slowly transformed into something else. His gaze began trailing over me little by little, moving from head to toe in an almost shameless manner, as though he were carefully examining every inch of my appearance.

I could feel the weight of his stare dragging slowly downward before climbing back up again.

“What rank do you have here, and which clan do you belong to?” he asked me again.

Before I could even respond, another warrior suddenly spoke from the crowd. “Yeah, and aren’t women strictly forbidden inside hideouts? Why didn’t the commanders say anything to us about this?”

“It just doesn’t feel right having a woman ordering us around,” another warrior added with a mocking laugh.

The moment those words left his mouth, insulting laughter echoed throughout the entire hall.

“Well...” I slowly shifted my gaze back toward the warrior standing closest to me, the same man whose stare had already become shamelessly filthy the longer he looked at me.

His eyes slowly traveled over my appearance again, no longer hiding the lust behind them. The way he looked at me made it obvious that he no longer saw me as someone with authority. 

“I think I’d actually enjoy working if I had a woman like you with me on duty...” 

As he spoke, he started climbing the staircase.

Eventually, he stopped directly in front of me.

The distance between us was now dangerously close. I could clearly see the arrogant curve of his lips and the disgusting amusement flickering in his eyes as he looked down at me.

“What’s your name, baby girl?”

His voice came out rough and husky, carrying a teasing tone that instantly. A slow grin curved across his lips.

“You’re quite hot...”

But instead of reacting to his remarks, I spoke in a formal and controlled voice.

“The task you’ll be doing today is delivering the bullets to Hideout 2.”

My voice echoed clearly throughout the hall, enough for everyone to hear.

“You will load all of them into the carriage, and the entire task must be completed before five o’clock this afternoon.”

Even while giving my orders, I never once looked away from him. My eyes stayed locked onto his the entire time.

Then his smirk slowly deepened.

“You’re pretty arrogant for a woman,” he whispered.

“Do you want me to take that arrogance away from you?”

As he spoke, he stepped even closer toward me.

“Go ahead,” I muttered.

The moment I answered him, the grin on his face stretched even wider. He bit down on his lower lip.  Around us, the other warriors immediately burst into loud teasing, whistles, and mocking laughter, their voices echoing throughout the area like a crowd desperate for entertainment.

The noise only grew worse.

“Like this, baby?” he taunted.

Before I could even respond, he lifted his left hand and shamelessly grabbed one of my breasts, squeezing it firmly.

The crowd erupted even louder after that.

Slowly, I lowered my eyes toward the hand gripping my chest. I could feel the pressure of his fingers through the fabric.

Then I slowly lifted my gaze back toward him.

Our eyes met.

“Damn, this is huge, baby—”

He never finished the sentence.

Before another word could leave his mouth, I grabbed him by the neck.

Everything happened in a split second.

My fingers tightened around his throat mercilessly before I lifted him straight off the ground with one hand. 

His body immediately rose into the air, his feet dangling helplessly as shock instantly replaced the arrogance on his face.

The cheering around us abruptly stopped.

Then I twisted my grip sharply to the side.

A horrifying cracking sound echoed through the air the moment his neck snapped.

I heard every brittle pop of bone beneath my hand.

His body went limp almost immediately.

I still wasn’t satisfied.

I clenched my other fist tighter, putting all my strength into it until the tension traveled through my entire arm.

Then I struck him.

My fist slammed hard against his face with enough force to send his entire body flying violently across the hall.

Everything happened in a blur.

He was hurled straight toward the main door.

A deafening crash echoed throughout the entire hall the moment his body collided with the entrance.

The wooden door shattered instantly upon impact.

Pieces of broken wood exploded everywhere as his body tore straight through it.

I slowly lowered my fist while staring emotionlessly at the destroyed entrance. Around me, the other warriors had gone completely still.

Their eyes were wide.

Some looked horrified.

Others stared at me as though they were seeing me clearly for the first time.

The arrogance and amusement they carried earlier had vanished completely.

“Before you proceed with the task I assigned to all of you...” I said calmly. “I suggest you bury that warrior first.”