Chapter 24 – Breaking the Chains

The war had officially escalated. Joon's calculated attack on the Phoenix Conglomerate had struck deep, but Hwan wasn't the type to crumble under pressure. He would retaliate, and Joon knew the next move had to be even more devastating.

"We're shutting them down," Joon said, his voice calm but laced with finality.

Min-soo grinned. "You mean financially or physically?"

"Both."

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Soo-ah had been working behind the scenes, tracking every weakness in the Phoenix Conglomerate's infrastructure. What she found was gold—several shell companies operating under the conglomerate's name, each laundering millions.

Joon made his move.

The media exploded when leaked documents revealed that Phoenix had been funding illegal activities, bribing officials, and silencing opposition. Within hours, government agencies launched an official investigation, freezing several of their assets.

Hwan's empire was starting to shake.

But Joon wasn't done.

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While the financial war raged, Joon had another team working in the underworld. Tielen, the enforcer feared by even the most notorious crime syndicates, had personally ensured that Phoenix's underground operations faced… unexpected difficulties.

Warehouses filled with illicit goods were raided. Key suppliers mysteriously pulled out. Transport lines were compromised.

By the time Hwan realized what was happening, half his empire was in flames.

---

But Joon had underestimated Hwan's cruelty.

The retaliation came swift and brutal.

Soo-ah barely escaped an assassination attempt when a masked figure attacked her outside her apartment. Min-seo was poisoned during a high-profile meeting, though she managed to survive.

And then came the worst blow.

A video was sent directly to Joon's phone.

A dimly lit room. A man tied to a chair, blood dripping from his forehead.

It was Dae-suk.

"You think you can take from me without consequences?" Hwan's voice was eerily calm. "Watch as I remind you who holds the real power."

A gunshot echoed.

The screen went black.

Joon's grip on his phone tightened, his knuckles turning white. His mind was calm—too calm.

He turned to Soo-ah, his voice like ice.

"Burn it all down."

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