Chapter 59: As planned

Steam curled through the air, thick and hazy, as it clung to the muscular forms of the two men seated in the private sauna. The dim lighting cast faint shadows across their bodies, highlighting the raw power beneath their skin. Droplets of water trickled down their defined frames, cutting through the mist like silent streams.

One of them, Gapryong Kim, sat with his back against the wooden bench, his broad shoulders relaxed yet imposing. His compact muscles were dense, as if each fiber had been refined through years of dominance. Unlike the man beside him, his skin was relatively smooth, save for a few deep scars, each a story of a past battle.

The other man, Baekho Kwon, exuded a different aura. Where Gapryong's presence was controlled and commanding, Baekho was brutality given form. His body, equally massive, was marked by countless scars, crisscrossing his bald head and running down his chest like a map of war. He sat hunched slightly forward, arms resting on his knees, as he focused on the phone in Gapryong's hand.

Gapryong chuckled, the deep, gravelly sound reverberating through the small room. He tapped his thumb against the phone screen, where the news report of Jin Lee's robbery played. The image of the young delinquent, screaming with a banana in hand, then single-handedly dismantling police officers before getting into a fight with Mu-Jin, flashed across the display.

"These youngsters... they're really something else these days." He grinned, his teeth gleaming under the soft sauna lights.

Baekho, seated beside him, watched the video in silence for a moment before shaking his head.

"That Jin Lee..." he muttered, his deep voice carrying a natural authority. "He's the complete opposite of Gun."

Gapryong raised a brow, waiting for him to continue.

"Gun is composed, methodical." Baekho tapped his scarred finger against the screen, pausing on an image of Jin grinning wildly as he sprinted from the police. "This kid? He's reckless. A fool."

Gapryong let out a low laugh, shaking his head. "You're too harsh, Baekho." His voice carried an undeniable amusement, but his eyes gleamed with something sharper, something more calculating. He set the phone down on the bench beside him, wiping the sweat from his forehead.

"I bet Gun will be even crazier than this Jin."

Baekho's brow lifted slightly. He tilted his head, curiosity flickering through his scarred expression.

"Why?"

Gapryong leaned forward, resting his forearms on his massive thighs. The mist coiled around his frame, making him seem even more monolithic. His fingers absentmindedly tapped against his knee.

"Because Gun hasn't found his spark yet."

Baekho remained silent, but the way his scarred lips pressed together showed he was listening intently.

Gapryong exhaled slowly, the heat of the sauna mixing with the intensity of his words.

"Gun is good, we all know that. He's got the talent, the intelligence, the brutality… But right now, he's just moving forward without a real reason. He doesn't have that fire yet. That madness that makes someone truly terrifying."

Baekho narrowed his eyes. "And you think this Jin Lee will change that?"

Gapryong's lips curled into a knowing smirk, his old features looking almost smug.

"Maybe. Gun needs something to push him. A catalyst. If this Jin stirs things up in that juvenile prison, then maybe…"

He leaned back again, rolling his shoulders, letting his words linger in the thick, humid air.

"Maybe Gun will finally wake up."

Baekho remained silent for a long moment, then let out a low grunt, closing his eyes as he leaned against the wall.

"Hmph. If that happens... things are going to change."

Gapryong chuckled again, his chest rising and falling with the motion.

"They already are."

The steam continued to swirl, filling the room with a heavy silence, broken only by the sound of water dripping onto the hot stones.

....

The cold, sterile air of the temporary holding cell pressed against Jin's skin as his consciousness stirred. His body felt light, almost refreshed, as if the brutal fight against Mu-Jin had never happened. He blinked, adjusting to the dim lighting, and slowly sat up on the stiff cot beneath him.

'Recovery worked.'

Jin lifted his arms, his fingers grazing the metal cuffs around his wrists. They were standard police restraints, thick and heavy, but they felt meaningless against his strength. He briefly tested his range of motion before standing up and walking toward the bars of the cell.

Beyond the bars, two officers stood near a desk, flipping through files while occasionally glancing at the security monitors. One of them, a younger officer with short-cropped hair, turned just in time to see Jin calmly watching them from behind the cell door.

His eyes widened.

"What the, he's already awake?"

The older officer, a grizzled man in his forties, looked up from the paperwork. His gaze flickered with disbelief before his brows furrowed. "No way. He should still be out cold after that beating."

The younger officer took a step closer, eyeing Jin up and down. "And he's completely fine? That Mu-Jin guy dropped him like a sack of bricks!"

The older one let out a slow exhale, rubbing the bridge of his nose. "Monsters. The new generation is full of damn monsters."

Jin didn't react outwardly, but inwardly, he was satisfied. 'I managed to get arrested. Now, it's only a matter of time before they send me to juvenile prison.'

As if on cue, the sound of heels clicking against the tile floor echoed through the corridor. A woman entered, dressed in a dark police uniform, her posture straight and professional. Her sharp eyes locked onto Jin before she gestured toward the cell door.

"Open it."

One of the officers hesitated but complied, unlocking the bars and stepping aside. The woman motioned for Jin to follow. "Come with me."

Jin stepped forward, his movements smooth and controlled. The officers flanked him as they led him down a hallway and into a stark, fluorescent-lit interrogation room. The room was bare, just a table, two chairs, and a large one-way mirror spanning the wall.

He took his seat across from the woman as she placed a file on the table. She flipped it open, revealing a printed image, his identity photo, along with information pulled from a database.

"Name: Jin Lee." She read aloud, her voice neutral. "No known family. Orphaned. Disappeared a few months ago."

Jin remained silent, but his mind clicked into place. 'So the system created a background for me. That explains the orphan status.'

The woman tapped her fingers against the folder, watching him closely. "Where's the money?"

Jin tilted his head slightly. "What money?"

Her brow twitched. "The money you stole from the bank. Where did you hide it?"

Jin exhaled through his nose, as if thinking deeply. Then, with complete seriousness, he answered, "I robbed the bank to buy chicken."

A long silence stretched between them.

One of the officers behind her sighed, muttering, "You've gotta be kidding me."

The woman pinched the bridge of her nose, clearly exhausted. Then, without another word, she turned to the officers. "Begin the procedures. He's going to juvenile."

Jin sat back as they stood, getting ready to escort him.

'Perfect.'

Everything was going exactly as planned.

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