NOGEUROPTTA

IV

In the dimly lit quarters, Jinmo and his men were busy dealing with their illicit trade. They moved quickly, packing and securing the drugs with practiced efficiency. The low hum of conversation and the rustle of plastic bags filled the room when suddenly, the power went out, plunging the basement into darkness.

A loud, metallic clatter echoed as the basement's roller door opened. Silhouetted against the faint outside light stood In-Sung, Seungryeong, and Sungkyun, their faces obscured by the shadows of their hoodies. Without a word, they entered and closed the door behind them.

Jinmo squinted into the darkness. "Who are you?" he demanded, but received no reply.

Frustrated, he gestured to one of his men. "Go see who they are."

The man approached the trio cautiously. Just as he reached out to pull back In-Sung's hood, In-Sung grabbed his hand and began pummeling him with swift, brutal punches until the man collapsed, unconscious. He rolled towards Seungryeong, who finished the job with a swing of her baseball bat.

Another of Jinmo's men lunged forward, but In-Sung was ready. He moved with deadly precision, taking down attacker after attacker while Seungryeong and Sungkyun backed him up, ensuring no one else got close enough to harm him.

The room filled with the sounds of grunts, thuds, and breaking bones. None of Jinmo's men could lay a hand on In-Sung. In-Sung finally reached Jinmo, his eyes burning with fury. He grabbed Jinmo by the collar and began to rain punches on him, shoving his face into the piles of drugs before throwing him across the room.

Seungryeong and Sungkyun moved quickly, dousing the piles of drugs with oil. In-Sung pulled out a match, struck it against the box, and watched the small flame flicker for a moment before he tossed it onto the oil-soaked drugs. The fire ignited instantly, flames hungrily consuming the contraband.

Jinmo, struggling to get up, looked at In-Sung with fear. "You've messed with the wrong guy. If the Queen gets her hands on you, you'll suffer more than you can imagine."

In-Sung stepped back into the shadows, his face now a dark silhouette. "Then tell her my name."

He pulled his hoodie back over his head, turning away from the burning pile. "Tell the Queen that Byungdoo has come."

the aftermath of the destruction. The acrid smell of burnt drugs lingered in the air, and the remnants of Jinmo's operation were still smoldering. She turned to Jinmo, her expression cold and calculating.

"How much did they take?" she demanded.

Jinmo, still nursing his wounds, shook his head. "They didn't take anything. They just burned all the drugs."

The Queen's eyes narrowed as she stared at him. "And how long will it take you to tell me who this jerk is?"

Jinmo swallowed hard. "Byungdoo," he muttered.

The Queen took a step back, her eyes widening slightly. "Byungdoo?" she repeated, as if trying to grasp the name's significance.

Jinmo nodded, wincing as he moved. "The guy they beat up, he has a brother. It might be him."

A man standing beside the Queen, one of her trusted lieutenants, interjected, "How can it possibly be him? the brother is known as a kind and respectful man in the village."

The Queen considered this, her sharp mind working through the possibilities. "There's nothing wrong with investigating," she finally said, her voice calm but deadly serious.