THE STREET KING

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1. The Room of Answers

Jinwoo followed his brother through a hidden doorway behind the VIP lounge.

The moment they stepped inside, the sound of music and laughter vanished, replaced by eerie silence. The room was dimly lit, walls lined with antique books and expensive whiskey bottles.

Joon-ho walked to the far end of the room and poured himself another drink.

"You're angry," he said without turning around.

Jinwoo's fists clenched. "You think?"

Joon-ho took a sip before finally meeting his gaze. "I didn't betray you."

Jinwoo's jaw tightened. "You're working with Kyung-min. The bastard who killed our crew, who tried to kill me."

Joon-ho sighed. "I had no choice."

Jinwoo stepped forward, his voice low and sharp. "There's always a choice."

For a moment, Joon-ho said nothing.

Then, he reached into his pocket and pulled out a small, silver locket—one Jinwoo hadn't seen in years.

Their mother's locket.

Jinwoo's breath caught. "Where did you get that?"

Joon-ho set the locket on the table. "From the people who saved my life."

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2. A Brother's Nightmare (Flashback Sequence – Shortened)

Jinwoo had always believed his brother died that night—left bleeding in a dark alley, their enemies closing in.

But the truth was far worse.

After Jinwoo had escaped, a group of masked men arrived. They took Joon-ho, barely alive, and dragged him into the shadows.

For months, he was kept in a secret facility, patched up just enough to survive. He had no idea who they were—until one day, they took off their masks.

The Phantom Syndicate.

They told him the truth:

His family had been targeted long before that night.

The attack wasn't just a random hit—it was a test.

They let Jinwoo escape because they wanted him to rise, to become a threat.

And Joon-ho? He was their experiment.

"They turned me into a killer," Joon-ho said, looking at Jinwoo. "And I didn't have a choice."

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3. The Hidden War

Jinwoo struggled to process it.

All these years, he had blamed himself. He had sworn revenge, torn through Seoul's underworld for a lie.

He looked at Joon-ho, trying to see the brother he once knew.

"What do they want from you now?"

Joon-ho exhaled. "The same thing they've always wanted."

He stepped closer.

"You."

Jinwoo's breath slowed. "What?"

Joon-ho's expression was unreadable. "Kyung-min was never the final boss. He's just a puppet. The real enemy is the one pulling the strings."

Jinwoo's blood turned cold. "Who?"

Joon-ho's voice was barely above a whisper.

"The Syndicate's leader. The Chairman."

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4. A Line in the Sand

Jinwoo didn't trust easily.

And he sure as hell didn't trust Joon-ho now.

"You expect me to believe you?" Jinwoo asked.

Joon-ho smirked. "I knew you'd say that."

He tossed something onto the table. A USB drive.

"Inside, you'll find everything. Bank records. Surveillance footage. Evidence of who really ordered our family's execution."

Jinwoo didn't move.

"Take it," Joon-ho said. "And then decide if you want revenge or the truth."

Jinwoo's mind raced.

Everything he believed, everything he killed for—was it all a lie?

Hye-jin's voice cut through the silence. "We should go."

Jinwoo looked at his brother one last time.

Then, without a word, he picked up the USB and left.

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5. The Moment of Truth

Back at their hideout, Jinwoo plugged the USB into his laptop.

The screen filled with classified documents, hidden bank transfers, assassination orders.

And then—

A video file.

He clicked it.

A grainy security feed appeared. The date was ten years ago.

Jinwoo's stomach twisted as he recognized the scene.

It was the night Joon-ho was taken.

He watched as masked men dragged his wounded brother into a black van.

And then—

The screen shifted. A man in a suit stepped into the frame.

Jinwoo leaned forward.

The man turned his face toward the camera, speaking to someone off-screen.

And Jinwoo's blood ran cold.

Because he knew that face.

It was their father.

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End of Chapter 32