The Shadows (Underworld 4) JH

14: Yulan Escaped Again

In the dimly lit study of her Seoul mansion, Yulan sat behind an ornate mahogany desk, her eyes cold and calculating as she reviewed the latest intelligence reports. The city's underworld was always in flux, and power shifted with every calculated move. But Yulan had her sights set on a very specific target: Junhui.

The enmity she harbored for him was unlike anything she felt for the other members of Seungcheol's Midnight gang. While the rest were mere obstacles in her quest for dominance, Junhui was personal. His very existence gnawed at her, a constant reminder of something she couldn't quite place—something buried deep within her memories, yet potent enough to stir a visceral hatred.

Yulan's fingers drummed rhythmically on the surface of the desk as she stared at the screen in front of her. The footage she had obtained of Minghao's exhibition played in a loop, showing the moment when Junhui had arrived at the gallery, his eyes fixed on Minghao with an intensity that sent a chill down her spine. That same look was there when Junhui had attended another exhibition years ago—when he first saw Minghao and, even then, seemed to claim him as his own.

"How dare he..." Yulan muttered to herself, her voice laced with venom. Junhui's obsession with Minghao was not just a threat; it was an affront, a challenge to her authority and control. Minghao was hers, not in the possessive way Junhui seemed to believe, but because she had nurtured his talent, given him the means to rise to fame. She had been his patron, his guide, his protector—and now this man threatened to take it all away.

Her thoughts churned, a dark plan forming as she envisioned the steps she would take to bring Junhui to his knees. Seungcheol and his gang were powerful, but Junhui was the linchpin, the one who held a strange sway over the rest. If she could remove him, the entire gang would crumble, leaving Seungcheol vulnerable and isolated.

Yulan's gaze sharpened as she tapped a button on her desk, summoning her most trusted lieutenant, Lin. A few moments later, Lin entered the study, her expression neutral but her posture attentive.

"Lin," Yulan began, her tone measured, "we need to accelerate our plans. Junhui is becoming more of a nuisance than we anticipated. I want to know every detail about his operations—his movements, his contacts, his weaknesses. And I want them now."

Lin nodded, already anticipating the orders. "I'll have our network intensify surveillance on him. But, Yulan... what about Minghao? He's still in the dark about everything. Do we involve him?"

Yulan's eyes flickered with something unreadable before she shook her head. "No, Minghao stays out of this. He's too valuable to be dragged into our world of blood and violence. He'll return to Shanghai soon, and I'll ensure he stays safe. But Junhui... Junhui has overstepped his bounds. He needs to be reminded of who holds the real power."

Lin's gaze remained steady as he processed Yulan's instructions. "And Seungcheol?"

Yulan's lips curled into a thin, dangerous smile. "Seungcheol will fall with Junhui, but the real blow will come from within. We'll turn their own against them, destabilize them from the inside. By the time we're done, the Midnight gang will be nothing but a memory."

Lin bowed his head slightly in acknowledgment before leaving the room, his footsteps echoing softly as he disappeared down the hallway.

Left alone with her thoughts, Yulan leaned back in her chair, her mind already working through the details of her plan. The first strike would come soon—swift, precise, and devastating. Junhui wouldn't know what hit him, and by the time he realized the danger, it would be too late.