The corridor fell silent for a moment, as if time itself had frozen.
Then, like a volcanic eruption, everything exploded in an instant.
Min was the first to open fire. Three consecutive shots blazed toward them, shattering the wall behind Jung Kok, narrowly missing his head. Yong Jin quickly retaliated, rolling to the side while firing straight at Min's guards. Two dropped instantly.
Jung Joon charged forward like a shadow, moving at insane speed, wielding a heavy weapon, striking down anyone who got close. With a brutal swing, he shattered a guard's protective mask, sending blood and fragments flying through the air.
A Battle Without Mercy
There was no room for mistakes. No mercy.
Min moved like a wounded tiger—fast, cunning, and merciless. He pulled a tactical knife from his belt and hurled it toward Yong Jin—Yong Jin managed to dodge, but the blade grazed his left arm, blood dripping rapidly.
"Don't back down!" Jung Kok shouted, his eyes blazing.
The three of them advanced in a tight formation, their attacks like a deadly wave, unstoppable.
Min retreated slightly, chuckling.
"I'm impressed," he said, his voice hoarse. "But you'll still fall tonight."
As he spoke, Min pressed a small remote control in his hand.
BOOM!
An explosion shook the lower floors of the complex. The building started to crack, debris falling from the ceiling. Smoke and dust filled the air.
Chaos
It was no longer just a battle; they now had to fight while avoiding a collapsing building.
"Plan's changed!" Jung Kok shouted through the rumble. "Split up! Focus on Min!"
They chased Min into the central hall—a vast space with metal grids and concrete pillars. The final battlefield.
Min stood in the center, clutching a fully automatic rifle, his face smeared with blood from a cut on his forehead. But his eyes... his eyes were filled with madness.
"Who would've thought," Min said, raising his weapon, "we're all just children of this world... a world soaked in blood."
"The difference," Jung Kok replied, stepping forward, "is I want to change this world. You just want to drown in its filth."
Min laughed bitterly. "You're too late, Jung Kok. The world will never change."
And once again, bullets rained down across the hall.
Blood for Blood
The fight turned even more brutal. No more refined tactics. Only raw violence.
Despite his injuries, Yong Jin fought like a wounded beast, wielding a piece of broken iron to slash the throat of a guard trying to attack him. Blood sprayed wildly in the air.
Jung Joon fought ruthlessly, giving no mercy. Every move was meant to kill. Bones snapped under his strength, enemies falling one after another.
At last, Jung Kok faced Min, one-on-one.
They fought hand-to-hand after running out of bullets.
Min struck first, landing a brutal punch to Jung Kok's ribs, making him stagger. But Jung Kok grabbed Min's wrist and countered with a knee to the stomach, forcing Min down.
Min stood up, spitting blood.
"Good," he said with a crazed smile. "You really are Hwang's son."
Jung Kok glared at him with hatred. "I'm not like him... and I'll never be like you."
They clashed again, like two fallen gods locked in a crumbling war.
The Final Betrayal
Just as Jung Kok was about to bring Min down, suddenly a masked man emerged from the shadows—one of Min's surviving henchmen—and fired a shot at Jung Kok.
But before the bullet could hit, another figure dashed forward.
Yong Jin.
Yong Jin leapt in front of Jung Kok, shielding him, and the bullet tore through his body.
"ARGHH!" Yong Jin collapsed onto the floor, blood soaking his clothes and the concrete beneath.
Jung Kok screamed, fury flooding his veins.
With a roar, he lunged at Min, punching and beating without mercy. Min tried to fight back, but Jung Kok had lost all control. His relentless blows crushed Min's face until he collapsed unconscious.
Jung Joon shot the masked man without hesitation, ensuring no further threats remained.
The Final Moments
Jung Kok crawled toward Yong Jin, lifting his weakening friend in his arms.
"I'm sorry... I was too late..." Jung Kok whispered, his voice breaking.
Yong Jin smiled, even as blood filled his lips.
"You... were never late, Kok... The world... needs you..." he said faintly.
And with that, Yong Jin fell silent—his last breath fading into the blood- and dust-filled air.
Jung Kok bowed his head, his tears falling onto his friend's face.
The world seemed to crumble around them.
Jung Joon approached, placing a hand on his younger brother's shoulder.
"We're not done yet," he said hoarsely.
Jung Kok lifted his head.
Inside him, a new fire was born.
Not just for revenge.
But to fulfill a promise.
To end it all.
With a gaze full of determination, he stood over his friend's body, bloodied but now unshakable in spirit.
The war wasn't over.
But for Jung Kok, there was no longer any choice but to win.
To be continued in Chapter 23