The Seeds Of Ruin

The moon hung low in the sky, casting pale silver light over the blood-streaked alley. Kaito—no, Jin Tae-Hyun—stood motionless, listening to the distant sounds of the city. The bodies at his feet were already cooling, their last breaths stolen away by his blade.

But this? This was only the beginning.

He wiped his dagger clean against the sleeve of one of the corpses, his mind already moving ahead, calculating, predicting. Every step he had taken until now had been deliberate, leading up to this point. And now, it was time to turn his sights toward Wu-Jin.

The so-called rising power of the sect. The man who believed himself untouchable. A fool drunk on his own invincibility.

A Meeting in the Dark

Jin moved swiftly through the streets, unseen and unheard. His next move had to be precise. One wrong step, and everything could crumble before it even began.

His destination? A tea house—one that operated under the guise of a neutral ground, but in reality, was a den of spies and informants.

Inside, the air was thick with smoke and quiet whispers. Men and women lounged in dimly lit corners, exchanging words more deadly than weapons.

Jin slid into a booth near the back, his fingers tapping lightly against the wooden table. He didn't wait long. A man in his late thirties, face partially hidden beneath a hood, sat across from him. His name was Kang Mu—an informant who specialized in selling secrets for the right price.

Kang Mu smirked. "Didn't expect to see you alive, Jin Tae-Hyun. Word is, you were cornered like a rat last night."

Jin met his gaze with a slow smile. "And yet, here I am."

The informant chuckled. "Fair enough. So, what brings you here?"

Jin leaned forward, lowering his voice. "I need information on Wu-Jin. Everything. His movements, his allies, his enemies. Even the ones hiding in the shadows."

Kang Mu raised an eyebrow. "That's a tall order. And a dangerous one."

Jin tossed a small pouch onto the table. The coins inside clinked softly. "Double if you get me something useful."

The informant weighed the pouch in his hand before smirking. "Well, I do like a challenge. I'll get you what you need."

Jin stood, adjusting his cloak. "Be quick. Every second wasted is a second Wu-Jin breathes."

Laying the Trap

As he stepped out into the cold night, Jin's mind was already assembling the pieces.

Wu-Jin had spent years rising within the sect, gaining power through brute force and underhanded tactics. He crushed opposition, silenced dissent, and expanded his influence through fear. But fear was a fragile thing.

It could be twisted. It could be turned against its wielder.

Jin would not strike directly—not yet. That would be foolish. Instead, he would rot Wu-Jin's foundation from within.

Disrupt his alliances. Break his trust in his subordinates. Corrupt his power base.

And when the moment was right, he would strike.

The First Crack

By dawn, the first sign of Wu-Jin's unraveling had already begun.

A key enforcer of Wu-Jin's operations had disappeared overnight—his body found in a river miles away. There were no witnesses, no leads. Only a clear message.

The underlings of the sect whispered among themselves. Fear crept in. Uncertainty spread.

And at the heart of it all, Jin Tae-Hyun watched.

He had set the first domino in place.

Now, all he had to do was keep knocking them down—one by one—until Wu-Jin had nothing left.