Bang... Bang...
"Ahh, fuck… Why the hell did you shoot me, you motherf****r? I just came to shake hands!"
"You think we're fools? Who the hell shakes hands with a gun in their hand?"
"T-That… the gun has been in my hand for years… cough… cough…"
" Shit…shit.....shittt.... Hey, newbie, do you even know who you just shot? That's SKULL, the boss of the underworld!" One of the bodyguards recognized the man and started panicking in fear.
"What the.… That... that... infamous Skull, the underworld king. Are you sure it's really him? If it is, why the hell is he here at an award ceremony?"
The shooter stammered, terrified. Stories of the underworld often dominated the news, and the most infamous name was SKULL. His face was unknown to the public, but the bodyguard, a former member of the SKULL gang now working this job, recognized him.
"Shit… shit… I'm dead for sure," the newbie bodyguard muttered in panic, trembling like a madman.
At that moment, SKULL, coughing and groaning in pain, weakly said, "Y-your family…" But before he could finish, the newbie interrupted, screaming in fear.
"Noooo! I won't let you harm my family…!" His trembling hands raised the gun.
Click…
Bang...
One day earlier....
Sniff… sniff… fruhhhh… Ahh… Stalin, you bastard! How could you betray your own brother? If my brother ever did something like this—
Click…
Bang!
"What the hell? Is this guy insane?" Mark thought in shock, frozen in fear as the sudden gunshot rang out. In front of him, a man sat on the sofa, wiping his nose with a tissue, a gun in his hand. Tattoos were etched across his neck.
"Brother Trek… is the boss out of his mind?" Mark, standing behind Trek, whispered nervously. Around them, 25 people stood silently. As soon as Mark spoke, the others glared at him angrily.
"Shhhhh!" Trek quickly grabbed Mark's hand and dragged him out of the room.
Once outside, Trek shouted angrily, "You idiot! Are you trying to get me killed?"
Mark, confused by Trek's reaction, stammered, "B... Brother, what did I say wrong?"
"Yes, you're about to make a big mistake at this very moment," Trek said.
"In this moment? What do you mean?" Mark asked, confused. Trek looked at him in shock and asked, "You haven't read Skull's Rule ?"
"Oh… that? I threw it away at home," Mark admitted shyly, scratching his head.
Bam!
"You idiot! How could you forget something so important? That note is a lifesaver!" Trek got even more furious and smacked Mark on the head.
"Ouch… Brother Trek, why did you hit me?" Mark exclaimed, rubbing his head.
"After your shift ends, don't eat first. Read the boss's rule book . If you don't, there's no guarantee you'll make it to tomorrow," Trek warned seriously.
"W...what do you mean by no guarantee for tomorrow?" Mark stammered nervously.
Sigh...
Seeing Mark's innocent expression, Trek calmed down, placed a hand on his shoulder, and explained, "Listen carefully. Rule No. 1: During movie time, no one makes a sound. You almost broke that rule a little while ago. You're lucky the boss didn't hear you... If he had, your position would've been vacant with just one bullet."
Gulp...
"Crazy… Did I make a huge mistake by joining the Skull Syndicate?" Mark thought to himself, trembling. The idea that even a single sound could cost him his life sent shivers down his spine. His mind raced as he wondered how many absurd rules the syndicate had. Suddenly, a question surfaced in his head.
"Brother Trek, my senior—the one whose position I'm filling—how did he die?"
"Oh, that idiot broke one of the boss's rules, and that's how the spot opened up for you," Trek replied in an annoyed tone.
"What the hell... This guy's definitely lost it! Killing loyal members just for breaking some dumb rule?" Mark thought to himself, utterly shocked by Trek's explanation.
"B...Brother Trek, I'm outta here! I'm quitting this job right now!" Mark stammered, looking ready to run for his life.
"Are you really scared? The boss isn't exactly how you're imagining him," Trek said, trying to explain to Mark. Since Trek was the one who brought Mark into this, he felt it was his responsibility to clarify things thoroughly.
"Boss Skull has been obsessed with movies, not just recently, but since he was 20. He's been a crazy fan of films, and it was actually a movie that inspired him to become the underworld boss he is today. That movie became his lifetime treasure," Trek explained with pride. Hearing this, Mark's curiosity was piqued.
"Wh...which movie? What kind of film could transform Boss Skull from an ordinary man into the mafia don of the underworld?" Mark asked eagerly.
"MAFIA WORLD," Trek announced proudly.
"What?! Mafia World? Isn't that the same movie from 20 years ago, whose release date later became famous as 'Crime Day'? That movie single-handedly changed the entire underworld landscape! So many gangsters were inspired by it and started committing crimes after watching it," Mark said, recalling the past with shock.
When the movie released 20 years ago, it didn't just entertain—it turned ordinary people toward the world of crime. A peaceful society descended into chaos as countless individuals were inspired to pursue a life of lawlessness. The government faced tremendous challenges in maintaining order. During the day, every street, every corner had to be monitored, and police were stationed everywhere. The sheer number of arrests overwhelmed the system; jails ran out of space, forcing authorities to detain people in their own homes.
All this chaos stemmed from a single movie, which fundamentally altered how people viewed crime. The director of the movie, Tames Kamron, was even arrested for creating such a controversial film that inspired a wave of criminal activity.
It took the government nearly two years to restore control. The movie's release date became so infamous that the public began referring to it as 'Crime Day.'
By the time peace was restored, a new shadow had emerged in the underworld—a figure who would later be known as Skull. His real name and face remain unknown to this day, but the name Skull alone is enough to strike fear into both the underworld and the surface world.
"Yes, it was that movie that inspired the boss, and now he rules the underworld," Trek said, puffing out his chest confidently. Talking about it, Trek's eyes sparkled with pride.
"Um... Brother Trek, if Boss is so powerful, why doesn't he reveal himself to the world?" Mark asked, his curiosity piqued now that the fear of death had subsided. He wanted to know more about the enigmatic Skull. After all, how could someone so powerful remain unseen by the world? "If Boss showed his face, his influence would skyrocket. People would write stories about him, and maybe even make a movie based on his life," Mark thought, growing excited at the possibility.
Trek, amused by Mark's enthusiasm, replied, "I don't know either, but a few days ago, even Boss's right-hand man asked him the same thing..."
---
"Boss, why don't you show your face to the world?" Skull's right-hand man had asked. He was a towering figure with long, thick hair and a physique that could take down 15–20 men without breaking a sweat. Despite his power, even he spoke with a mixture of respect and fear. He knew Skull's reputation too well—one wrong word, and his life could be forfeit. It was a question that had to be carefully considered and calculated before being spoken.
Skull, seated in the shadows, replied in a calm and cryptic tone, "I prefer the solace of the shadows over the blinding light of day."
His words carried a poetic rhythm, accompanied by a mysterious smile. The right-hand man, observing that smile, realized there was far more to Skull's thinking than he could comprehend. Skull's mind operated on a level so advanced that it seemed impenetrable.
It became clear that Skull wasn't hiding his face out of fear or shyness. Rather, it was a strategic decision—a calculated move that amplified his mystique and commanded respect. Like a predator hidden in the jungle, Skull thrived in the shadows, watching his prey, always prepared to strike. His anonymity wasn't a weakness; it was a weapon, carefully wielded to maintain control and supremacy.
"Hmm... so Boss isn't totally insane," Mark muttered absentmindedly, letting his thoughts slip out.
Bam! Trek smacked Mark on the head without hesitation.
"Idiot! It's one thing to say that in front of me, but don't ever say it in front of the other members. Boss only gets like that when it comes to watching movies—especially ones directed by Tames Kamron."
"Wait, Boss is a fan of Tames Kamron?" Mark asked, scratching his head in disbelief.
"Fan? That's an understatement. He's obsessed! Boss has watched every single movie directed by Tames Kamron at least 100 times. He's that crazy—but only for this one director's movies. The movie he's watching right now? It hasn't even been released in theaters yet! Honestly, calling him a 'fan' doesn't do it justice—he's more like a devotee, and for him, Director Tames Kamron is practically a god."
"My first guess was right," Mark thought to himself after hearing Trek's words, feeling validated in his earlier assumption about how obsessed Boss Skull was.
"Oi! What nonsense are you thinking about Boss Skull now?" Trek asked suspiciously, noticing Mark's expression and sounding a bit annoyed.
"What? No, no! I'm just shocked that such a powerful man was inspired by a movie," Mark said, skillfully dodging the accusation with a clever twist.
"Yeah, even I find it kind of absurd when I think about it..." Trek was in the middle of agreeing when their conversation was interrupted by a loud voice from outside the room.
"Boss! Boss!"
"Hey, idiot! Are you trying to get yourself killed? It's Boss's movie time! Don't go inside!" Trek snapped angrily, warning the man approaching them.
"Fu*k you, Trek ! This is important! I have to tell him, no matter what," the man retorted, pushing the door open to Skull's private room where he was watching his movie.
The sound of the door opening caught the attention of all the gang members inside, dressed sharply in their suits. Their eyes locked on the intruder, and a collective thought crossed their minds: "Is this idiot suicidal?"
Without hesitation, the man stepped forward, his voice defiant as he blurted out,
"Boss… Director Tames Kamron is retiring!"