THE STREET KING

Chapter 23: The King's Last Stand

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1. The Meeting in the Dark

Jinwoo arrived at the docks, the night wind biting at his skin. The air smelled of salt and oil, thick with the quiet hum of an unseen presence.

Hye-jin stood near the water, arms crossed, her silhouette sharp against the flickering city lights.

"You're late," she murmured.

Jinwoo didn't reply. He studied her carefully, searching for signs of deception.

"Why did you call me here?" he asked.

She turned slightly, her dark eyes unreadable. "Because you're walking into a trap."

Jinwoo stiffened. "What do you mean?"

"Tae-sung isn't as weak as you think," she said. "He's not running. He's rebuilding."

Jinwoo scoffed. "With what army? I killed half of his men."

"You killed the ones in the open," Hye-jin corrected. "But Tae-sung had another force. A hidden one. And now…"

Jinwoo's grip tightened around the gun in his coat. "And now what?"

Hye-jin hesitated. "He's made a deal with the Black Dragon Syndicate."

The words hit Jinwoo like a bullet.

The Black Dragons.

A brutal faction that had been dormant for years, known for their merciless tactics. If Tae-sung had secured their loyalty…

This war was far from over.

Jinwoo exhaled sharply. "Why are you telling me this?"

Hye-jin looked at him, and for the first time, he saw a flicker of something real—something vulnerable.

"Because I need to know who the real king of the streets will be," she said softly.

Jinwoo studied her.

Was she betraying Tae-sung? Or playing them both?

Either way, he knew one thing for sure—

Tonight, everything would change.

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2. The Assassin's Betrayal

Do-yun awoke to the sting of disinfectant and the dull ache of broken ribs.

He was alive.

But why?

His last memory was Tae-sung's furious gaze, the gunfire, the pain—

And then darkness.

Now he was here, in an unfamiliar apartment, bandaged but breathing.

He turned his head and saw Seok watching him from across the room.

"You should be dead," Seok said flatly.

Do-yun tried to sit up, but the pain stopped him. "Why am I not?"

"Jinwoo spared you."

Do-yun frowned. "Why?"

Seok smirked. "Because he thinks you can still be useful."

A sharp laugh escaped Do-yun's lips. "To him? Or to you?"

Seok leaned forward. "That depends, Do-yun. Do you still want to be a pawn in someone else's game? Or do you want to decide the ending yourself?"

Do-yun stared at him.

The words held weight.

And for the first time in years—

He realized he had a choice.

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3. The King's Return

Tae-sung tightened the bandages around his shoulder, his face a mask of cold fury.

The Black Dragons stood before him—twenty of their most elite fighters.

"This war isn't over," Tae-sung said, his voice like steel. "Jinwoo thinks he's already won. Let's show him how wrong he is."

One of the men, a towering figure with a jagged scar across his cheek, stepped forward. "And if we take him down, what do we get?"

Tae-sung's lips curled into a smirk.

"You get the city," he said. "I just want him dead."

The man studied him for a moment, then nodded. "Then let's burn it all."

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4. The War Begins

Seoul erupted in chaos that night.

Tae-sung struck first.

His men ambushed Jinwoo's top lieutenants, leaving bodies in alleyways, clubs, and high-rise suites.

Jinwoo retaliated just as fast.

Gunfire echoed through the streets as both sides tore into each other, turning the city into a battlefield.

Hye-jin watched from a rooftop, her heartbeat steady despite the bloodshed below.

She was waiting.

Waiting for the perfect moment to make her move.

Because in the end—

This wasn't about Tae-sung.

This wasn't about Jinwoo.

This was about her.

And when the dust settled—

She intended to be the one left standing.

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5. The Final Betrayal

Jinwoo stood in the ruins of his hideout, his men dead around him.

It had happened too fast.

The Black Dragons had hit harder than he expected.

And now, he was alone.

Or so he thought.

Footsteps echoed behind him.

He turned—

And saw Do-yun.

The gun in Do-yun's hand didn't shake.

"Do-yun…" Jinwoo's voice was quiet. "You're making a mistake."

Do-yun's eyes were unreadable.

"You made the mistake first," he said.

Then—

He pulled the trigger.

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End of Chapter 23