THE STREET KING

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1. The Cost of Victory

Jinwoo's body swayed as Hye-jin held him up, her arms wrapped tightly around his waist. Blood seeped from his side, darkening his clothes. The once-roaring gunfire had faded into eerie silence, leaving only the scent of smoke and death in the cold night air.

Jisoo jogged toward them, his pistol still smoking. "We need to move. Now."

Jinwoo's breath was ragged. "Did we get them all?"

Jisoo nodded. "Most of them. But some escaped. Word will spread. The streets will know Mirae is dead by sunrise."

Hye-jin pressed her hand against Jinwoo's wound, her voice sharp with worry. "You're losing too much blood. We need to get you to a doctor."

Jinwoo exhaled slowly. "Not yet. There's still work to do."

Hye-jin shot him a glare. "You're half-dead, Jinwoo."

Jisoo smirked. "He's always half-dead. But he's not wrong. If we don't take control now, someone else will."

Jinwoo's eyes darkened. "Then let's move. This city is mine."

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2. The Next in Line

News of Mirae's death spread faster than wildfire.

By dawn, every gang, every syndicate, every street hustler knew: The Queen of the Underground was dead.

But in the shadows, a new enemy was already rising.

Baek Sung-min, a ruthless underboss from the North, sat at his desk, watching the footage of the ambush. His sharp eyes lingered on Jinwoo, still standing even after being stabbed.

"Impressive," he muttered, swirling a glass of whiskey.

A man in a dark suit stepped forward. "With Mirae gone, the city is unclaimed. Jinwoo won tonight, but he's weak. Vulnerable."

Sung-min smiled. "Which means it's the perfect time to strike."

His fingers tapped against the wooden desk. "Jinwoo has always been a survivor. But let's see how long he lasts when everyone he loves starts dying."

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3. A Throne Made of Ash

Jinwoo sat in his penthouse, fresh bandages wrapped around his torso. Hye-jin leaned against the window, arms crossed.

"You should be resting," she said.

Jinwoo took a slow sip of whiskey. "If I rest now, I'll wake up in a grave."

Hye-jin sighed. "Is this how it always is? One war after another?"

Jinwoo met her gaze. "You already know the answer."

She walked over, placing a hand on his. "Then let's make sure this is the last one."

Jisoo entered, tossing a folder onto the table. "We have a problem. Baek Sung-min."

Jinwoo's jaw tightened. "I should've known."

Jisoo nodded. "He's already making moves. Buying loyalty. Offering protection. He wants to take Mirae's place."

Jinwoo picked up the folder, flipping through the reports. "Then we send him a message."

Jisoo smirked. "What kind of message?"

Jinwoo's lips curled into a deadly smile. "The kind written in blood."

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End of Chapter 45