THE STREET KING

---

1. The Calm Before the Storm

Jinwoo and Hye-jin stood over Jisoo's lifeless body. The weight of betrayal still lingered in the cold night air, but there was no time for grief. The real enemy was still out there.

Mirae.

Jinwoo clenched his fists, his mind replaying the last time he saw her. Not the wounded girl begging him to stay—but the woman who had orchestrated everything. The one who had turned his closest friend against him.

Hye-jin holstered her gun. "We need to move. The cops will be here soon."

Jinwoo nodded, stepping over Jisoo's body as he walked toward the car. His mind was already planning his next move.

This wasn't just about survival anymore.

It was war.

---

2. A Ghost from the Past

Jinwoo's hideout was a small apartment in Itaewon. He closed the blinds as he sat on the couch, staring at a map of Seoul pinned to the wall. Red marks scattered across it—each one a location tied to Mirae.

Hye-jin placed a bottle of soju on the table. "We should talk about this."

Jinwoo remained silent.

She sighed. "Jinwoo… You need to tell me everything."

He looked up at her, his eyes dark. "Mirae wasn't just my past. She was my future."

Hye-jin frowned. "What do you mean?"

Jinwoo took a deep breath. "Before I left her behind, we weren't just lovers. We were planning to take over Seoul together. We wanted to be kings."

Hye-jin's eyes widened. "You and Mirae?"

Jinwoo nodded. "But when the war started, I made a choice. I sacrificed her to survive."

Hye-jin folded her arms. "And now she wants revenge."

Jinwoo nodded. "She doesn't just want me dead. She wants me to suffer."

Hye-jin took a sip of her drink. "Then we make the first move."

Jinwoo smirked. "I was hoping you'd say that."

---

3. Enter the Queen

A black limousine pulled up in front of a luxurious penthouse in Gangnam. The doors opened, and a woman stepped out.

Mirae.

She was no longer the fragile girl Jinwoo had abandoned. She was powerful, dressed in a designer suit with cold, calculating eyes.

Two men in suits followed her inside, their movements precise, disciplined.

Inside the penthouse, several of Seoul's most dangerous gang leaders were waiting. They rose as she entered, their eyes filled with fear and admiration.

One of them, a burly man with a scar across his cheek, spoke first. "You called us here. What do you want?"

Mirae smiled, her voice smooth as silk. "Jinwoo."

The room went silent.

Another man scoffed. "Jinwoo's dead. Jisoo took care of him."

Mirae's smile didn't falter. "If Jinwoo was dead, Jisoo would have reported back by now."

The room shifted uncomfortably.

Mirae poured herself a glass of whiskey, taking a slow sip. "Jinwoo is alive. And that means we need to handle this ourselves."

The scarred man leaned forward. "So what's the plan?"

Mirae set her glass down. "We burn everything he loves."

---

4. The First Attack

Jinwoo woke to the sound of his phone buzzing. He grabbed it, his heart pounding as he saw the message.

"Burning Bridges. – M."

Before he could react, the sound of an explosion rocked the building.

Jinwoo jumped to his feet as flames erupted outside the window. The street below was chaos—fire, screams, gunshots.

Hye-jin ran into the room, breathless. "Jinwoo… they found us."

Jinwoo grabbed his gun, his mind racing.

Mirae wasn't wasting time.

This was war.

And it had just begun.

---

End of Chapter 50

(Next Chapter: Fire and Blood.)