Several days had passed since that night's confrontation. Although the Han family home appeared peaceful on the surface, beneath it, strong currents were moving — slowly but surely.
Jung Joon was becoming increasingly distant from the family. He was often seen going out at night, alone, without any guards, and no one knew where he was headed. He was skilled at hiding his tracks — a talent he had mastered since his youth.
One night, he boarded a black, unmarked car and headed to an old, abandoned industrial area. The decaying building held the secrets of the past — and it was the past that would now become a weapon.
Inside a dark room sat an old man, his body still firm despite his age. His face was marked with old scars, and his eyes were sharp like an eagle's. He was Choi Dae-gun — the former gang leader who had once been Hwang's fiercest rival. Dae-gun had not been forgotten. He had only been waiting.
"So... you're Hwang's eldest son," said Dae-gun, his tone dripping with sarcasm.
Jung Joon stepped in confidently. "I'm not here to pay respects to the past. I'm here to reshape the future."
Dae-gun smirked. "And you need my help for that?"
"No. I need an ally. We have a common enemy — Jung Kok."
The old man paused. Then he chuckled quietly. "Hwang's son teaming up with his father's old enemy. The world really has changed."
"My father is no longer relevant. And my brother is trying to be a hero. He wants to turn our organization into a welfare group. You know as well as I do — the underworld doesn't bow to kindness."
Choi Dae-gun lit a cigar. "And what's your plan?"
"You still have influence. Your old men, they might be aged, but they're loyal. We bring them back in, build a new network. You get a chance to settle your old score. I... get to destroy Jung Kok's reform plan."
Dae-gun took a slow drag from his cigar. "And you'll take your brother's place?"
Jung Joon didn't answer. But the look in his eyes said everything.
"Alright," said Dae-gun at last. "But remember, boy — I'm not fighting this war for you. I'm fighting it for me. Don't forget who you've invited to play with fire."
Meanwhile, Min had something shocking to report to Jung Kok.
"They've worked together before," Min said as he laid out an old file. "Back in the day, your father and Choi Dae-gun nearly split the city between them. But one betrayal changed everything."
"And now Dae-gun's back…" Jung Kok stared out of his office window. "And he's with my brother."
Min nodded. "We've traced several transactions in a secret account linked to what's left of Dae-gun's gang. And some of our old men... they've started disappearing, one by one."
Jung Kok slammed his fist on the desk. "He's trying to bring us down from the inside."
"And it's working. One of the western territories just withdrew their support."
Jung Kok stood up. "We can't let this continue. But we can't strike openly either. If we fight now, we'll look like the old regime desperate to hold onto power."
Min leaned back. "So what's your plan?"
"We dismantle his support — slowly. Win back the trust of the old guard. And most importantly... we reveal who Choi Dae-gun truly is."
In a secret location, Jung Joon stood before a group of men — faces that once served under Hwang, now listening to his eldest son with focused interest.
"We used to rule," said Jung Joon. "We were feared. But now we're led by a boy who believes the world can be saved with mercy. Is that the legacy we want?"
"No!" the men roared.
"If we let him keep leading, we'll be the laughingstock of every enemy we've ever had. I won't let that happen. With Choi Dae-gun by our side, we will restore our strength. But this is not a coup. This is a correction of history."
The crowd erupted in cheers. But within that noise, Jung Joon knew — he had just crossed a line from which there was no return.
That same night, Jung Kok called a closed-door meeting. Only his most trusted allies were present.
"We're going to test who's friend and who's foe. Min, I want you to leak false intel about a weapons convoy. If that information gets out, we'll know who the traitor is."
Min nodded. "And if it gets attacked?"
"We let it happen. We capture them quietly. We won't let Jung Joon know we're on to him."
The night passed with plans and strategy. As the two brothers prepared for their game of shadows, Hwang sat quietly in his room, staring at an old photo.
He knew... a storm was coming. And it came from his own blood.
(To be continued...)