The room was dimly lit, the only light coming from a few wall sconces that cast long, flickering shadows.
Seongji sat on the sofa, his forearms wrapped in thick layers of gauze. Dark patches of dried blood had already begun to seep through the white fabric. Across from him, Eugene sat with a grim expression, the light glinting off his spectacles. Behind him, Mandeok stood as silent and immovable as an iron statue.
Eugene was the first to break the silence. "I owe you an apology for my negligence. This time, I'll admit it—I was thoroughly outplayed by James Lee."
Seongji eyed him with cold suspicion. "And why exactly should I trust you, kid? For all I know, you and James are just playing two sides of the same coin."
Eugene pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose with a single finger. "We were on the same side at some point. But I also know there's only room for one person at the top. I thought I could catch James off guard with this move, but he had already factored my betrayal into his calculations."
Seongji leaned back against the cushions, his voice remaining hard. "Even so, that doesn't make you a reliable partner."
Eugene offered a thin, hollow smile. "You don't need to trust me. This is about mutual benefit. Since you asked me before, I'll be blunt. What do I want? I want the leverage James Lee holds over Workers—the 'weakness' he keeps in his pocket. While I know his secrets as well, his transition into politics makes him a difficult target to strike head-on. That is why I need this alliance."
Seongji narrowed his eyes, studying the young man's face. "But why me?"
"Because," Eugene said, his tone turning sharp, "I know for a fact that you and Baki Hanma are among the few who can actually stand against James Lee. We share the same goal. I had originally planned to approach the other First Generation Kings, but they've started vanishing. Those who haven't disappeared have already bent the knee to James Lee's faction."
Seongji's eyes widened, his posture tensing. "James Lee's faction? They're joining him?"
Eugene nodded. "By any chance, have you heard the name Kitae Kim?"
Seongji shook his head. "I have heard a little."
"He is the son of the legendary Gapryong Kim," Eugene explained. "The bloodline of your teacher's greatest rival."
Seongji went quiet for a moment, processing the weight of the name. "So, Kitae Kim and James Lee are working together?"
"Yes. He recently returned from Mexico. From what my sources gathered, he's from the Mexican Cartel. He came back to South Korea with a single objective: to plunge this entire country into a state of war. He wants to drag us back to the era of the Pre-Generation."
Seongji's hands trembled slightly beneath the bandages. "So that's it... that's why he's been hunting the Kings. He's rounding them up like cattle, and anyone who refuses to follow gets erased. And James Lee is providing the cover."
Eugene's smile returned, though it lacked any warmth. "I see you've caught on."
Seongji cut him off, his voice heavy with fatigue. "I don't care about your power struggles or the era of war. Right now, my priority is my friends. I'm going to save them first."
Eugene's expression turned solemn. He looked Seongji in the eye, his voice dropping to a low, quiet register. "To be honest with you... I don't think they are alive. At this point, the only people who know their true fate are James Lee and Kitae Kim themselves."
---
Inside a barbecue restaurant in Busan, the charcoal glowed a steady orange. Slabs of pork belly sizzled against the grill, dripping fat onto the embers with a rhythmic hiss.
Baki, Daniel, Vin Jin, Zack, Vasco, and Jake were gathered around the table. Joining them was Eli Jang, who had arrived from Area 3 at Daniel's urgent request.
Baki was focused entirely on the food, devouring the grilled pork with an appetite that defied the carnage he had just walked away from.
Finally, Vin Jin couldn't hold back any longer. He looked at Baki's bandaged arm, where faint traces of blood were still visible through the gauze.
"Hey... are you seriously okay? You went toe-to-toe with Kitae Kim. The fight was very brutal."
Baki swallowed a mouthful of meat and let out a soft chuckle.
"Don't sweat it. That barely counted as a warm-up. More importantly, what are you guys even doing here? You're a long way from home."
Daniel set down his chopsticks, his expression turning solemn.
"We came to save Jinrang Gang. And we're here to form an alliance."
Baki stopped eating and looked up, his gaze traveling across the group.
"And why go through all that trouble?"
"I'm going to stop James Lee," Daniel said, meeting Baki's eyes without blinking.
Jake Kim spoke up from the side. "And my goal is Kitae Kim. Since the two of them are working together, Daniel and I decided to do the same. Kitae is already building an empire by absorbing the 1st Generation Kings. To match them, I'm going to gather what's left of the 1st Generation and form an alliance of our own."
Baki listened in silence. He reached for another piece of pork, chewed it slowly, and then dropped a bombshell.
"I think you guys should stay out of this."
"What did you just say?" Zack's brow furrowed in irritation.
Baki wiped his hands, his voice calm and detached.
"Whether it's James Lee or Kitae Kim, I'll handle them myself. Letting Kitae slip away today was a mistake, but I promise you—there won't be a second time."
'Is he looking down on us?' Vin Jin slammed his palm against the table and stood up.
"Are you kidding me?! You think you're the only one in this fight? We'll prove it to you. We'll show you that we have every right to be on this board!"
Vasco nodded, his gaze intense. "This is for justice. We aren't backing down."
Eli didn't say a word, but the cold determination in his eyes spoke for itself.
Baki looked at the circle of defiant faces and shook his head with a sigh. He took a tissue, wiped his lips thoroughly, and stood up to leave.
"Suit yourselves. Just try not to trip over your own feet when things get ugly."
The group remained at the table, their gazes fixed firmly on Baki's retreating back.
'James Lee... Kitae Kim... we're coming for you.'
What they couldn't see was the subtle, knowing smile playing on Baki's lips as he stepped out into the cool Busan night.