Chapter 86: The Streets Never Sleep

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1. A City Without a King

Seoul's underworld had no patience for uncertainty.

Haneul was gone.

But that didn't mean the war was over.

If anything—it was just beginning.

Jinwoo sat in the dimly lit office of a luxury high-rise, overlooking the city.

He wasn't alone.

Hyun-seok leaned against the desk, arms crossed.

Minji sat in the leather chair opposite him, legs crossed, a smirk playing on her lips.

The three of them—once enemies, now reluctant allies.

Because whether they liked it or not—they had just inherited the throne.

And the streets were watching.

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2. The First Challenge

"The problem," Minji said, twirling a pen between her fingers, "is that Haneul's death left a power vacuum."

Jinwoo nodded.

"I know."

"Every gang in this city is going to come for a piece," Hyun-seok muttered.

Minji's smirk widened.

"Let them come."

Jinwoo raised an eyebrow.

"You're not worried?"

Minji leaned forward, her voice a whisper of amusement.

"Oh, I'm terrified," she said. "That's what makes it exciting."

Jinwoo didn't smile.

Because he knew the truth.

This wasn't a game.

This was survival.

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3. The First Move

The first attack came faster than expected.

A nightclub in Gangnam—one of Haneul's old businesses.

By the time Jinwoo arrived, the place was in flames.

His men were already engaged in a brutal fight in the alleyway behind the building.

Gunfire. Screams. Blood.

Jinwoo didn't hesitate.

He moved like a shadow, his gun flashing in the darkness.

One shot. A man dropped.

Another step forward. A knife slashed toward him—he caught the wrist, twisted, snapped.

The fight was over in minutes.

But Jinwoo wasn't smiling.

He crouched over the body of one of the attackers, pulling down the man's mask.

His jaw clenched.

"This isn't just some street gang," he muttered.

Hyun-seok exhaled sharply.

"Then who the hell are they?"

Jinwoo stood slowly, eyes dark.

"Someone worse."

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4. A Name from the Past

Minji walked into the warehouse an hour later, her face unreadable.

She tossed a bloodied folder onto the table.

Jinwoo picked it up, flipping it open.

He froze.

Hyun-seok glanced over his shoulder.

The name on the file made his stomach drop.

"No way," he muttered. "That bastard's supposed to be dead."

Jinwoo's grip tightened on the paper.

Because the name written there—

The man behind the attack—

Was someone they had all buried years ago.

And now, somehow—

He was back.

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End of Chapter 86

(Next Chapter: Ghosts of the Past.)