Far away from the underground tunnels of the Speed Faction, inside a dimly lit warehouse in Incheon's Chinatown, a scene of cruelty unfolded.
Mugak Wang, the brutal No.2 of the Dark Crocodile Society and one of its thousand-squad leaders, stood towering over a battered young man. His massive frame filled the space, his shadow stretching across the floor like a predator circling its prey. His thick arms held chains like toys, and his expression carried nothing but malice.
The victim—a captured Speed Faction foot soldier—was bound to a chair, bruises littering his body, his lips split from repeated blows.
Mugak crouched down, a cruel grin splitting his face. Switching between Korean and harsh Mandarin, his words sliced through the air.
"告诉我… (Tell me…) Where is your little hideout? Where does that half-assed brat Jaegyeon Na crawl to when my men smoke him out?"
The soldier spat blood at his feet, glaring. "I'll never tell you."
Mugak's grin widened, his hand tightening around the man's leg—until the sickening crack of bone echoed in the room. The soldier screamed in agony.
"你会说的 (You'll tell me)," Mugak said coldly, leaning close. "Because if you don't… I'll tear you apart piece by piece, and when I'm done, I'll feed what's left of you to the crocodiles."
The soldier's screams filled the air, but Mugak only laughed, his cruelty echoing in Chinatown's shadows. Then, as he straightened, his tone shifted into a cruel mockery.
"And if you think we don't already know your little secrets… you're wrong. We even know about Yeowool Ha. The daughter of the old Incheon King, Yugang Ha."
The soldier froze in horror.
Mugak grinned wider, his gold tooth glinting in the dim light.
"Did you think you could hide her forever? Nothing stays hidden from us. She's the key, and when we get our hands on her… Incheon will crumble faster than your bones."
The soldier's eyes widened in panic. That was the moment Mugak knew fear had sunk in.
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Meanwhile, deep in the tunnels of Incheon, the Speed Faction's hideout simmered with tension.
Daniel, still cloaked in his disguise, sat across from Na Jaegyeon and his closest members.
Before any negotiation could begin, Jaegyeon raised his hand, signaling his crew. His calm, cold voice carried weight.
"Before we talk… I want you to know who stands before you. My men will introduce themselves."
But Daniel lifted his hand, his lips curling into the faintest smirk.
"No need," he said coolly. "I already know."
The room stiffened instantly.
Daniel's finger pointed at Jaegyeon first.
"You are Na Jaegyeon, the Half-Assed King. Rank 1 of Speed. One of the Kings of Incheon."
Jaegyeon's eyes narrowed, unease flickering across his face.
Then Daniel turned his hand to the first man—the one who had shouted at him earlier, his hostility never hidden.
"You are Sung Jegal. The self-proclaimed Rank 2 of Speed."
Jegal froze, his mouth snapping shut, shock replacing his anger.
Daniel's gaze slid to the second man, the one who had entered earlier and tried to calm the situation before Jaegyeon appeared.
"And you… Roy Kwon. Another self-proclaimed Rank 2 of Speed."
Roy's jaw clenched. He leaned back but said nothing, studying Daniel with suspicion.
Next, Daniel turned to the lone girl in the room. His voice lowered slightly, carrying weight.
"And you are Yeowool Ha, Rank 3 of Speed… and the daughter of former Incheon King, Yugang Ha."
The room exploded in shock.
"What…?" Jegal whispered, eyes wide. Roy's mouth fell open. Even Jaegyeon's sharp composure faltered for a brief moment. Yeowool herself remained stone-faced, but her fingers tightened against her arm.
It was Sebastian Kang who broke the silence, his voice low with disbelief.
"How do you know that? Yeowool's bloodline isn't something outsiders should know. Not even the Dark Crocodile Society… or at least, we thought they didn't."
Daniel's cold eyes met his.
"You're wrong. They know. My king's intelligence confirmed it already. That's why you're in more danger than you realize."
Then Daniel leaned forward, his voice cutting sharper than a blade.
"You forget… Yujae Seon is their leader. And you thought they wouldn't know about Yeowool? Or who her father was? Don't fool yourselves. Yujae was one of you once. He was a Speed Faction member before he betrayed you all and backstabbed your former King, Yugang Ha. Do you really think he wouldn't keep tabs on the daughter of the man he murdered?"
The words slammed into the room like thunder. Even Jaegyeon's calm façade cracked, a ripple of fury flashing in his eyes. Sung Jegal clenched his fists, veins bulging, while Yeowool's eyes lowered slightly, her mask barely holding.
Daniel's voice carried on, merciless.
"My king makes sure he never walks into war blind. He has every detail about his enemies—whether it's you, or the Dark Crocodile Society. Incomplete information means death."
The weight of his words pressed into the room like a blade against their throats.
Daniel didn't stop. His finger turned to the man silently chewing gum, the one who had said nothing but kept his gaze on Daniel earlier.
"You are Boknam Lee, Rank 4 of Speed."
Finally, his hand lowered slightly, gesturing at the man who had already tested him before.
"And of course… Sebastian Kang, Rank 5 of Speed. We've already met."
The Speed Faction members stared at him in stunned silence. Every secret, every name, every ranking—they were laid bare.
Then, unexpectedly, Na Jaegyeon laughed.
Leaning back in his chair, he shook his head with amusement, though his eyes still gleamed with wariness.
"You already know everything about us, don't you? Then tell me, Cheon Ma… isn't your king simply planning to conquer Incheon? His reputation precedes him. Crushing cities, taking territories from regional kings. Is that not his goal here as well?"
The silence that followed was heavy—until Daniel's cold voice cut through.
"No."
Jaegyeon's brows rose, surprised.
Daniel leaned forward, his eyes sharp and gleaming like a predator.
"My king doesn't seek blind conquest. He seeks the upper hand. Yes, he enjoys conquest. Yes, he craves power. But he also makes alliances where profit lies. Why shed blood when words can buy satisfaction?"
He paused, his gaze sweeping across each Speed Faction member before locking back on Jaegyeon.
"And tell me… what is wrong if my king does conquer Incheon? Would you rather let it rot under those Chinese bastards in the Dark Crocodile Society? My king would rebuild this land. Make it something greater than a battlefield."
The chamber fell into silence again.
But this time, no one shouted. No one mocked.
Every eye was on Daniel—the stranger from Gwangseong, the dragon cloaked in human skin.
And in that silence, they all began to wonder… whether this boy might truly be more dangerous than the Dark Crocodile Society itself.
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