THE STREET KING

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1. A Name Stained in Blood

The Butcher.

Jinwoo had heard the name before—whispered in dark corners, muttered by men who had seen too much blood. But no one had ever lived long enough to describe his face.

What he did know was this: wherever the Butcher went, bodies followed.

And now, he was coming for Jinwoo.

Hye-jin's voice cut through the silence. "So, where do we start?"

Jinwoo clenched his jaw. "We don't wait for him to come to us. We find him first."

Min-seo had given them one lead—a name. Kang Dae-hyun. A weapons dealer who supplied Mirae's syndicate. If anyone knew where the Butcher was, it was him.

Jinwoo checked his gun. "We pay Dae-hyun a visit."

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2. A Night of Fire and Smoke

The warehouse smelled of oil and gunpowder. Crates of weapons lined the walls, each one labeled with military-grade serial numbers.

Dae-hyun sat in the center, sipping whiskey like a king on his throne. He didn't flinch when Jinwoo and Hye-jin entered.

"I was wondering when you'd show up," Dae-hyun mused, swirling his drink. "Word travels fast."

Jinwoo didn't waste time. He grabbed the man by the collar, slamming him against a steel container. "Where is the Butcher?"

Dae-hyun chuckled. "You're bold, I'll give you that."

Hye-jin pressed a knife to his throat. "He won't ask twice."

The amusement in Dae-hyun's eyes vanished. He exhaled sharply. "He's already here."

Jinwoo's stomach twisted.

"What do you mean?"

Dae-hyun's smirk returned. "He's been watching you."

The lights flickered.

Then the gunfire started.

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3. The Butcher's Message

Bullets ripped through the warehouse. Jinwoo pushed Dae-hyun aside, diving behind a crate. Hye-jin moved fast, returning fire as shadows swarmed through the entrance.

These weren't just mercenaries. They were executioners.

Jinwoo counted at least ten. All masked. All moving with precision.

Then, the voice came. Deep. Gruff.

"I was hoping for a challenge."

Jinwoo turned slowly.

And there he was.

The Butcher.

A towering man, clad in a black trench coat. His face was covered in scars, his eyes cold and calculating. In one hand, he held a massive machete—stained with fresh blood.

Jinwoo met his gaze. "You talk too much."

The Butcher grinned. "Then let's skip to the good part."

He lunged.

Jinwoo barely dodged in time, the machete carving through the crate behind him. The Butcher moved like a monster—fast, brutal, relentless.

Jinwoo fired three times.

The Butcher didn't even flinch.

Hye-jin shot at the mercenaries, but they kept coming, their movements eerily coordinated.

They weren't here to fight.

They were here to kill.

Jinwoo ducked another swing, kicking the Butcher back. "Hye-jin! We need to go!"

Hye-jin threw a smoke grenade, filling the warehouse with thick, choking fog.

Jinwoo grabbed Dae-hyun and sprinted for the exit.

Bullets followed.

But they didn't stop.

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4. The Cost of Survival

The safehouse was a small, abandoned apartment in Itaewon. Jinwoo slammed the door shut, his chest heaving.

Dae-hyun collapsed against the wall, blood leaking from his shoulder. "You… you brought the devil to my doorstep."

Jinwoo wiped the sweat from his brow. "You're alive, aren't you?"

Dae-hyun let out a dry laugh. "For now."

Hye-jin reloaded her gun. "The Butcher isn't just a man. He's a message."

Jinwoo clenched his fists. He knew what she meant. The Butcher wasn't here to take over.

He was here to erase them.

Dae-hyun coughed. "You can't kill him."

Jinwoo turned. "Then I'll do the next best thing."

Dae-hyun smirked. "And what's that?"

Jinwoo's eyes darkened.

"I'll make him bleed."

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End of Chapter 54

(Next Chapter: The Trap is Set.)