Choi San, a revered and feared mafia boss, reigns over Seoul's underworld with an iron fist, his influence extending seamlessly across both legal and illegal domains. But his empire is shaken to its core when his beloved daughter, Eun-ji, is kidnapp...
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.·:*¨¨* ≈ᴊᴜɴɢ ᴡᴏᴏʏᴏᴜɴɢ≈ *¨¨*:·.
I knew that keeping her here was perhaps the worst decision I'd ever made. The rumors of how Choi San dealt with those who crossed him or vanished were well-known—merciless and unforgiving. Going off the radar might have been a smarter move to protect Eun-Ji, but with San's relentless search, even that carried immense risks. Above all, her safety was paramount, and I couldn't jeopardize that, no matter my own fate.
Since the death of Seongjun, the Midnight Reapers meant nothing to me. He was the only one who truly believed in me, who saw my value. Seongjun wasn't just about power; he was about loyalty and hard work, values that earned him deep respect among many drifters. But after his death, everything he built seemed to crumble under the new leadership of Viper and Blaze. The gang's ethos shifted, and I felt increasingly out of place.
Death wasn't what I feared—I had come to terms with that possibility a long time ago. It was Choi San's wrath that truly terrified me, especially now that I harbored his daughter, even if my intentions were good. There was a gnawing fear inside me that I was signing my own death warrant.
It had only been a week since Eun-Ji appeared at my door, yet in that time, she had nestled into a corner of my life unexpectedly. She sought comfort in simple interactions—playing, singing, and dancing—trying to make light of the situation that was anything but childish. She was just a child, needing her father, not a stranger like me. Yet, I couldn't return her to San, not with the danger that constantly circled us, prowling like starved dogs. Watching her color and sing to herself, a wave of guilt washed over me. She was innocent, a sweet little girl who had already lost her mother and now was separated from her father because of the circumstances I had found myself in.
Yeosang came up behind me, his hand resting reassuringly on my shoulder. I turned to find his gaze not on me, but on Eun-Ji, watching her with a mixture of affection and sorrow. Then his eyes met mine, serious and urgent.
"We have something—Jongho has been digging, and we might know who's actually after Eun-Ji," he whispered, his voice barely audible.
I felt a flicker of hope, mingled with apprehension. Without a word, I followed him to the small, cramped room I had set up with multiple CCTV feeds and computer screens. The air was thick with the tension of surveillance and the buzz of running hardware.
Jongho was already there, his eyes glued to the screens, fingers flying over the keyboard as he pulled up various feeds and data points.
"Show me what you've got," I said, my voice steady despite the pounding in my chest. If we could find out who was behind this, perhaps we could end this nightmare, protect Eun-Ji, and maybe, just maybe, find a way to resolve this without any more bloodshed. Jongho nodded, clicking on a series of images and video clips that could hold the key to Eun-Ji's safety—and quite possibly, our own.
