Whispers of the Underworld (SunSun)

Chapter 10

August 3rd, 2024

The conference room was vast and opulent, the kind of place designed to inspire intimidation and awe. Heavy crystal chandeliers hung from the ceiling, casting a warm, deceptive glow over the gathering of South Korea’s most dangerous people. It was a place where power was wielded, where lives were decided over casual discussions and expensive cigars. And today, I was seated at the table—a first for someone like me.

The room was filled with the heads of various mafia families, each one more ruthless and cunning than the next. To my left sat Jake, his expression calm and composed as always. To my right, Heeseung, his presence a reassuring weight beside me. They were both focused, their eyes sharp as they followed the conversation happening around us.

I, on the other hand, found it all dreadfully boring.

The voices of the other family heads blended together in a droning symphony of threats, negotiations, and alliances. They argued about territories, disputed assets, and petty slights, their words wrapping around each other like a tangled web. My gaze drifted around the room, taking in the details—the intricate patterns on the carpet, the polished mahogany of the table, the way the light reflected off the glasses of whiskey in front of each seat.

I couldn’t care less about the topics being discussed. None of it mattered to me. I was here because I had to be, because showing my face meant something now. It meant power. It meant defiance.

I glanced around, my eyes settling on the various faces in the room. Some I recognized, others were new. I saw a few raised eyebrows and narrowed eyes directed my way, but I ignored them. Let them look. Let them wonder.

It was then that my gaze landed on him—Park Sunghoon, the head of the most powerful family in the room. He was staring at me, his eyes intense and unblinking, his expression unreadable. I raised an eyebrow, meeting his gaze head-on. If he thought he could intimidate me, he was sorely mistaken.

We locked eyes, the room and its occupants fading away as we engaged in a silent battle of wills. His stare was calculating, assessing, but I wasn’t about to back down. I leaned back in my chair, folding my arms across my chest, a small smirk playing on my lips. What was he looking for? What did he think he’d see?

Our staring contest might have gone on indefinitely if not for the interruption. A voice, smooth and venomous, cut through the air, drawing my attention away from Sunghoon.

“I would like to discuss something,” Kim Minhan announced, his tone grating on my nerves instantly. I looked at him, my expression hardening. Minhan, the head of the Kim family, the very name that made my blood boil.

Minhan’s eyes flicked to me, his lips curling in a smirk that made me want to reach across the table and wipe it off his face. “Kim—” He caught himself, the correction in his voice only serving to infuriate me further. “I mean, Lee Sunoo has been going around terrorizing my people since he came back.”

I felt a slow, dangerous smile spread across my face. Terrorizing? That was putting it lightly. I hadn’t even started yet.

Before I could respond, Sunghoon’s voice cut through the tense silence. “What do you have to say on that, Sunoo?” His tone was casual, almost amused, as if he was enjoying the show. He leaned back in his chair, his eyes glinting with something I couldn’t quite place.

I turned my gaze back to Minhan, my smile widening. “It’s true,” I said simply, letting the words hang in the air. I could feel every eye in the room on me, but I didn’t care. Let them listen. Let them know.

Minhan’s face twisted with anger, his fists clenching on the table. “You’re starting a war with your actions.”

I shrugged, the motion lazy and unconcerned. “As long as your son is hiding away like the coward he is, let the war start and burn everything. I don’t care.”