Chapter 14: The Truth Unveiled
1. Darkness and Silence
Pain.
That was the first thing Jinwoo felt.
A deep, searing agony in his side.
His body was heavy, his limbs sluggish. The world was cold.
Slowly, his eyes fluttered open.
White walls. Beeping machines. A hospital bed.
He was alive.
But why?
The last thing he remembered was Hye-jin pointing a gun at him.
A gunshot.
Then… nothing.
Jinwoo's heart pounded.
Where was she?
And more importantly—who had saved him?
A voice interrupted his thoughts.
"You should be dead."
Jinwoo turned his head, gritting his teeth at the pain.
A man stood by the window.
Dressed in a black suit, his expression unreadable.
Jinwoo's eyes narrowed.
Kang Seok.
Min-jae's former rival.
And one of the most dangerous men in Seoul.
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2. A Deal with the Devil
Jinwoo forced himself to sit up, ignoring the burning pain in his ribs.
Kang Seok smirked. "You're tougher than I thought."
Jinwoo's voice was hoarse. "Why am I still breathing?"
Kang Seok walked over, pulling up a chair.
"Because I wasn't ready for you to die."
Jinwoo's hands clenched into fists. "Where's Hye-jin?"
Kang Seok chuckled.
"She's gone."
Jinwoo's stomach twisted. "Gone where?"
Kang Seok leaned forward. "Back to her real boss."
Jinwoo's heart pounded.
"Her what?"
Kang Seok sighed. "You really didn't know?"
Then, he tossed a folder onto Jinwoo's lap.
Jinwoo hesitated, then flipped it open.
And his blood ran cold.
Inside were photos of Hye-jin.
With Min-jae.
With Kyung-ho.
With another man Jinwoo didn't recognize.
Jinwoo's fingers trembled. "Who is this?"
Kang Seok's expression darkened.
"The real mastermind. The man who played all of us."
"Jung Tae-sung."
Jinwoo's breath caught.
The name wasn't unfamiliar.
Jung Tae-sung.
The ghost of the underworld.
No one saw him. No one knew his face.
Yet he controlled everything.
And Hye-jin…
She had been working for him all along.
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3. The Ghost's Game
Jinwoo clenched his fists, his vision blurred with rage and betrayal.
Kang Seok watched him carefully.
"You were never Min-jae's real enemy, Jinwoo."
Jinwoo exhaled sharply. "Then what was I?"
Kang Seok's eyes gleamed.
"A pawn."
Jinwoo's pulse thundered in his ears.
Everything—Kyung-ho's betrayal, Min-jae's downfall, Hye-jin's deception—
It had all been orchestrated by Jung Tae-sung.
Jinwoo gritted his teeth.
"Where is he?"
Kang Seok smirked.
"I thought you'd never ask."
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4. The Path to Hell
Two nights later, Jinwoo left the hospital.
Bandaged. Weak. But more dangerous than ever.
Kang Seok provided him with everything—guns, intel, an escape route.
Because this time, there was no turning back.
Jinwoo wasn't just hunting a killer.
He was hunting a ghost.
A man who had orchestrated every betrayal, every death, every war.
And Hye-jin…
She had made her choice.
The next time he saw her, he wouldn't hesitate.
This wasn't about love anymore.
This was about revenge.
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5. The Beginning of the End
Jinwoo stood on the rooftop, staring down at the glowing city.
The streets below were filled with life. Unaware of the war about to begin.
His grip on the gun tightened.
He was done playing games.
The next bullet he fired—would be the last.
And when it was over…
Either Jung Tae-sung would die.
Or Jinwoo would.
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End of Chapter 14