THE STREET KING

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1. A City on the Brink

The underworld of Seoul was shifting.

With Mirae dead, the streets were restless. Gangs that once bowed to her rule now whispered in alleyways, debating their next move. Would they swear loyalty to Jinwoo, or would they take their chances with Baek Sung-min?

Jinwoo had no intention of giving them time to decide.

In a darkened warehouse on the docks, he stood with Jisoo, watching as his men loaded crates of weapons into black vans. Hye-jin stood beside him, arms crossed. Her expression was unreadable, but Jinwoo could sense the tension in her posture.

Jisoo exhaled smoke from his cigarette. "Sung-min's making offers to the smaller gangs. Money, territory, protection."

Jinwoo scoffed. "Protection from what? Me?"

Jisoo smirked. "Exactly."

Jinwoo's jaw tightened. "Then let's give them something to be afraid of."

Hye-jin finally spoke. "You're planning to go to war with him?"

Jinwoo turned to her. "It's not a war if we end it before it starts."

Hye-jin met his gaze, searching for something in his eyes. "And how many bodies is that going to take?"

Jinwoo didn't answer.

She sighed. "Just don't forget—Mirae thought she was untouchable too. And now she's dead."

Jisoo chuckled. "Difference is, Jinwoo's smarter than Mirae."

Jinwoo gave Hye-jin a small smile. "And I have you to remind me when I'm being reckless."

She rolled her eyes, but he could see the worry behind them.

He had to end this quickly. Before it consumed them all.

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2. The First Move

The nightclub was packed, music thrumming through the floors like a heartbeat.

Jinwoo moved through the crowd, his presence commanding. He wasn't here to party. He was here to send a message.

Baek Sung-min's right-hand man, Kang Min-ho, sat in a VIP booth, surrounded by bodyguards and women. He was laughing, enjoying himself.

Jinwoo slid into the seat across from him, his expression calm but cold.

Min-ho's laughter died. "Jinwoo." His smile returned, but it was forced. "Didn't expect to see you here."

Jinwoo poured himself a drink from Min-ho's bottle. "I heard you've been busy."

Min-ho tensed. "Business is business."

Jinwoo swirled his glass. "You work for Sung-min now?"

Min-ho hesitated. "It's nothing personal. Just looking out for my future."

Jinwoo set his glass down. "Then let me tell you about your future."

In one swift motion, he grabbed Min-ho by the wrist, twisting until the man groaned in pain. The music drowned out their conversation, no one noticing the violence happening in the dim booth.

Jinwoo's voice was low, deadly. "Sung-min can't protect you. If you work for him, you die with him."

Min-ho swallowed hard. "Jinwoo, come on—"

Jinwoo tightened his grip. "Choose wisely."

He let go. Min-ho clutched his wrist, breathing hard.

Jinwoo stood. "I'll be watching."

And then he walked away, leaving Min-ho with a decision to make.

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3. A Deadly Warning

By the time Jinwoo returned to his penthouse, his phone buzzed.

A text from an unknown number.

"You should have stayed out of my way."

Attached was a picture.

Hye-jin.

Jinwoo's blood turned to ice.

His grip on the phone tightened until his knuckles turned white.

Jisoo, standing across the room, noticed the change in his expression. "Jinwoo?"

Jinwoo's voice was lethal. "They have her."

Jisoo cursed. "Sung-min doesn't waste time."

Jinwoo's hands clenched into fists. "Neither do I."

He grabbed his gun and headed for the door.

Jisoo followed. "What's the plan?"

Jinwoo's eyes burned with fury. "We burn him to the ground."

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End of Chapter 46

(Next Chapter: A Rescue in Blood.)