Chapter 41: Chapter 41: The Ghosts of the Past – Old Enemies Return
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1. Shadows in the Dark
Jinwoo stood on the rooftop of an abandoned building, the cold night air biting at his skin. Below him, the city stretched endlessly, neon lights flickering like dying stars.
He had killed Baek Joon. Crushed the last remnants of Seo's empire. Claimed the throne.
But there was an unease in his chest—a feeling that something was coming.
Hye-jin stepped beside him, her gaze sharp. "You're tense."
Jinwoo exhaled, watching the streets below. "It's too quiet."
Hye-jin nodded. "We've crushed our enemies. No one's stupid enough to move against us."
Jinwoo wasn't convinced. Silence in this world meant something worse was brewing.
A soft buzz in his pocket made him tense.
His phone. An unknown number.
He answered. "Who is this?"
A familiar voice chuckled on the other end. Cold. Dangerous. A voice from the grave.
"It's been a long time, Jinwoo."
Jinwoo's grip tightened. It couldn't be.
"You're dead," Jinwoo said, his voice calm but his heart racing.
The laughter on the other end was slow, deliberate. "Not quite."
Seo was alive.
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2. A Ghost from the Grave
Jisoo stormed into the room moments later, face pale. "Boss, we have a problem."
Jinwoo already knew what he was going to say. "Seo's alive."
Jisoo froze, then nodded. "How did you—"
"He just called me."
Hye-jin's hand clenched into a fist. "That's impossible. You put a bullet in his skull, Jinwoo."
Jinwoo's mind raced. He had seen Seo's body. Watched him bleed out.
But if Seo was really alive…
Then the war wasn't over.
Jinwoo turned to Jisoo. "Find out where he is. Now."
Jisoo nodded, already dialing contacts.
Hye-jin's voice was barely above a whisper. "If he's alive… he won't stop until he takes everything from you."
Jinwoo met her gaze. "Then I'll have to kill him again."
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3. The Truth Unveiled
It took two days to track Seo's whereabouts.
He was in Incheon, hiding in an underground casino.
Jinwoo didn't wait. He and his men stormed the place in the dead of night.
Gunfire erupted, screams echoing through the halls. Jinwoo cut through the guards like a storm, relentless and precise.
Then, at the far end of the casino, he saw him.
Seo.
Alive. Smirking.
Jinwoo raised his gun. "I should've made sure you were dead."
Seo laughed. "You really thought a single bullet could kill me?"
Jinwoo's trigger finger twitched. He wasn't going to make the same mistake twice.
But before he could fire—a dozen armed men stepped into the room.
Seo grinned. "Let's see if you survive this time."
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4. The Battle for Survival
The room exploded into chaos.
Gunfire. Blood. Screams.
Jinwoo moved like a phantom, dodging bullets and returning fire. His men fought fiercely, but they were outnumbered.
Jisoo took a bullet to the shoulder but kept fighting.
Hye-jin was a blur of motion, taking down enemies with brutal efficiency.
But Seo—Seo was untouched. Watching. Waiting.
Jinwoo locked eyes with him.
This wasn't just another fight.
It was the beginning of a new war.
And this time, Seo wouldn't die so easily.
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End of Chapter 41