Chapter 28: Lean in,Let go

Lee Jinho's car sped down the lonely highway under a sky painted with stars and shadowed by clouds. The road stretched endlessly, the hum of his engine the only sound accompanying him. His mind swirled with thoughts of betrayal, violence, and his inner turmoil. But the faint light of the cigarette burning between his fingers kept him grounded, at least for the moment.

As the city lights faded into the distance, he glanced at his rearview mirror and noticed two cars tailing him. They weren't subtle, nor were they trying to be. Lee Jinho's sharp instincts screamed at him—they weren't just passersby.

He tightened his grip on the steering wheel and pressed harder on the accelerator, but the cars matched his speed. They wanted him to notice, and he did. With a frustrated sigh, he made a quick turn into an open park that stretched across the urban sprawl like an oasis. His car skidded to a stop near the park entrance. The cars following him pulled up moments later.

Lee Jinho got out of his car, casually adjusting his jacket. He didn't run at first, not until the vans arrived. Five vans rolled into the park one by one, headlights slicing through the darkness. Doors slammed open, and nearly forty gangsters poured out. They weren't just street-level punks—these were trained men, professionals who moved with precision.

Jinho ran deeper into the park, weaving between the trees and benches. The gangsters scattered, their boots pounding against the ground. Soon, someone yelled, "Found him!"

The horde converged on him like a pack of wolves. They found Lee Jinho seated on a bench in the middle of the park, smoking a cigarette, his posture relaxed.

"You're quite cocky for someone cornered," one of the gangsters sneered.

Jinho stood up slowly, his eyes vacant, yet there was a strange intensity in his expression. He wasn't scared, nor was he calm. He looked lost, as though he was fighting something within himself.

"Am I weak?" he muttered, more to himself than to the gangsters. "Why me? Why do I always lose? Why do I want to save people? Who am I?"

The gangsters exchanged wary glances. Jinho's voice trembled, yet there was an undertone of rage and sorrow that made their hairs stand on end.

He lit another cigarette with shaking hands and exhaled a cloud of smoke. "Let's get this over with," he murmured.

Five gangsters charged at him simultaneously, wielding weapons. Jinho moved in a blur. Slam! It happened so fast that the others didn't even process what had occurred.

The five attackers lay sprawled on the ground, coughing blood, their weapons scattered. The concrete beneath them had fractured, evidence of the sheer force behind Jinho's strikes.

The remaining gangsters froze, their confidence shaken. This wasn't just a man—they were up against something monstrous.

"I'm tired," Jinho said, his voice hollow. "I just want to let it go. No more fighting, no more saving. I'm tired of it all."

The gangsters knew better than to fight someone like this. Years of experience told them that victory was impossible. They turned and ran.

But Lee Jinho didn't let them. He moved faster than they could react, catching up to the stragglers at the back. The night was filled with screams as one by one, the gangsters fell, clutching broken ribs and arms.

The remaining five gangsters, armed with tasers, stood trembling. They aimed at Jinho and fired. Crack! The electric pins hit their mark, sending thousands of volts surging through his body.

Jinho stumbled but didn't fall. They fired again, and again, the voltage intensifying. Sparks lit up the night as Jinho ripped the taser pins from his body and ran in the opposite direction. He leapt over a tall hedge, landing in a deeper section of the park.

The gangsters hesitated, glancing at one another. "What the hell is this guy made of?" one of them muttered.

"Don't stop! After him!" shouted another.

They reached the stairs leading to the lower section of the park, but before descending, one of them looked back. The two gangsters who had been standing guard at the entrance were now lying motionless on the ground.

"Forget this!" he yelled.

Panic overtook them, and they bolted for the entrance. They didn't care about the mission anymore—survival was their only priority.

Lee Jinho didn't chase them this time. He stood in the shadows, leaning against a tree. His cigarette had long since burned out, but he didn't seem to notice. He stared at his hands, flexing his fingers.

He wasn't himself. Something had changed—something that scared even him.

As the gangsters fled the park, Jinho made his way back to his car. He lit another cigarette and leaned against the hood, staring at the stars for a moment. Then, without a word, he got into the driver's seat and started the engine.

The road ahead led to another city, another mission, another fight. But as the car disappeared into the distance, the weight of the night lingered in the air, heavy and suffocating.