Rain hammered Haedong City the night Lin Jun inherited something men had killed for centuries.
He just didn't know it yet.
Neon lights bled across the wet streets like spilled paint. Wind rushed through narrow alleys, rattling loose metal signs and scattering trash across the pavement.
Most people had already gone home.
Only a few stubborn lights remained on in the old district.
One of them belonged to a narrow motorcycle repair shop squeezed between a noodle restaurant and a closed convenience store.
A faded sign hung above the entrance.
Jun's Garage
Inside, the air smelled of oil, rust, and hot metal.
Lin Jun leaned over a half-disassembled motorcycle engine, tightening the last bolt with a wrench. Grease coated his hands and forearms, and a thin layer of sweat clung to his forehead despite the cold rain outside.
The fluorescent lights above flickered faintly.
Another long day.
Jun straightened slowly, stretching his back until it popped.
"Finally," he muttered.
Being a mechanic wasn't glamorous.
But it paid the bills.
Most months.
He wiped his hands with a rag and glanced toward the old wall clock.
10:58 PM.
Two minutes to closing.
Outside, rainwater flowed along the street like a shallow river, reflecting the red glow of neon restaurant signs.
Jun walked toward the front counter and grabbed the shop keys.
His life was simple.
Wake up.
Fix bikes.
Eat cheap noodles.
Sleep.
Repeat.
No danger.
No drama.
And honestly—
He liked it that way.
Just as he reached for the door lock—
The bell above the entrance rang violently.
Jun frowned.
"At this hour?"
The door burst open.
A man staggered inside.
At first Jun thought the stranger had slipped in the rain.
Then he saw the blood.
Dark stains spread across the man's coat, dripping onto the concrete floor in thick drops.
Jun rushed forward.
"Hey! Sir—are you okay?"
The man didn't answer.
His breathing came in ragged gasps.
Jun quickly dragged a chair forward and helped him sit down.
"You're hurt bad," Jun said, reaching for his phone. "I'm calling an ambulance."
But the stranger suddenly grabbed his wrist.
Jun froze.
The man's grip was incredibly strong for someone who looked half-dead.
His eyes locked onto Jun's.
They weren't filled with pain.
They were filled with terror.
"They found me," the man whispered.
Jun blinked.
"Who found you?"
The stranger shook his head weakly.
"No time."
With trembling fingers, he reached inside his coat.
Jun expected a wallet.
Or a phone.
Instead—
The man pulled out a ring.
Jun frowned.
It was unlike anything he had ever seen.
Black metal.
Perfectly smooth.
Strange symbols were carved along its surface.
The symbols seemed to shift slightly under the fluorescent lights.
Almost like they were alive.
The stranger forced Jun's hand open.
"You must take this."
Jun stared.
"Take what?"
"The ring."
Jun pulled his hand back.
"I don't even know you."
Suddenly the stranger grabbed Jun's collar and pulled him closer.
"Listen carefully," he rasped.
His breath smelled faintly like iron.
"If they get the ring… everything ends."
Jun frowned deeper.
"What are you talking about?"
The man ignored the question.
Instead, he grabbed Jun's left hand.
Before Jun could react—
The stranger shoved the ring onto his finger.
The moment the metal touched his skin—
Pain exploded through Jun's arm.
"AH!"
Jun stumbled backward.
It felt like molten fire had been poured directly into his veins.
The ring burned against his finger.
The symbols ignited with a faint crimson glow.
"What did you do to me?!" Jun shouted.
The stranger leaned back in the chair, breathing heavily.
A weak smile crossed his blood-stained face.
"It chose you…"
Jun grabbed the ring and tried to pull it off.
It didn't move.
He twisted it.
Nothing.
"What the hell is this?!"
The stranger's voice grew faint.
"You are the heir now…"
Jun stared.
"Heir to what?"
The man lifted his gaze slowly toward the shop window.
His voice became barely audible.
"The throne."
Jun shook his head.
"You've lost too much blood."
But the stranger's eyes widened suddenly.
He was staring outside.
"No…"
His voice trembled.
"You must run."
Jun frowned.
"Run from who?"
The stranger's lips moved slowly.
"They are—"
Bright headlights flooded the shop.
Jun turned.
Three black SUVs screeched to a stop outside.
Doors opened.
Men stepped out.
They wore black armored suits.
Their faces hidden behind reflective helmets.
Each carried a rifle.
Jun's stomach dropped.
"Who the hell are those guys…?"
Behind him, the stranger tried to speak again.
But the strength left his body.
His hand slipped off the chair.
His head fell sideways.
Silence filled the garage.
Jun stared.
"Hey…?"
No response.
The man was dead.
Outside, one of the armored soldiers spoke into a radio.
"Target located."
Another voice answered through static.
"Confirm ring bearer."
The soldier turned his helmet toward the shop window.
His visor reflected the neon lights.
"Confirmed."
Jun whispered under his breath.
"Oh no."
The soldier raised his weapon.
And fired.
The front window exploded.
Glass shattered across the workshop floor.
Jun dove behind the counter as bullets ripped through the shop.
Metal tools crashed to the ground.
Wood splintered.
Jun's mind raced.
This can't be happening.
He had never even been in a fight before.
Now soldiers were trying to kill him.
And somehow—
It had something to do with the ring stuck on his finger.
Heavy boots stepped inside the shop.
"Target inside," a soldier said calmly.
Jun's breathing became shallow.
Think.
Think!
Behind him was the garage door leading to the alley.
His only escape.
Jun grabbed the nearest thing within reach.
A heavy wrench.
Not much of a weapon.
But it would have to do.
The soldier approached slowly.
Rifle aimed directly at Jun.
"Hands where I can see them."
Jun stood up slowly.
The soldier's helmet tilted slightly as he noticed the ring.
"There it is."
Jun forced his voice to stay calm.
"Look, I don't know what's going on, but you've got the wrong guy."
The soldier ignored him.
"Remove the ring."
Jun pulled at it again.
It didn't budge.
"I can't."
The soldier stepped closer.
Then he calmly pulled a combat knife from his belt.
"Then we remove the finger."
Jun's eyes widened.
Nope.
He swung the wrench.
CLANG!
The metal slammed into the soldier's helmet.
The man barely moved.
But the surprise gave Jun a second.
And one second was enough.
Jun ran.
He burst through the back door into the rain-soaked alley.
Cold water hit his face as he sprinted into the darkness.
Behind him—
Shouts erupted.
"Stop him!"
Gunfire exploded through the alley.
Bullets sparked off dumpsters beside him.
Jun ran faster than he ever had in his life.
His lungs burned.
His legs screamed.
But he didn't stop.
Because one thing had become painfully clear.
If they caught him—
He would die.
And somewhere deep inside him…
The ring pulsed.
A faint crimson glow spread across the symbols.
Then—
For the first time—
Jun heard a whisper inside his mind.
Run, Heir.
They must not take the throne.