"Since childhood, I've done everything for him... and he never gave me credit for it. In front of the world, he's always first, and I'm just his shadow."
Mr. Han understood the depth of his words — and a plan began to take shape in his mind. He thought,"A war has broken out between two powerful lions of the jungle… if I add more fuel to this fire, their mighty bond might break. Then neither of them will remain, nor their reign... only I will."
He softly spoke, adding a touch of sympathy to his voice:"Sir, what you said... it's absolutely true. I've always seen it — you do all the work, and he always takes the credit. Joon Hyunk never actually gets involved in anything... yet it's always his name in the spotlight."
"When have you ever received your rightful share, Sir? Never. You're the one who runs the system… but the spotlight is always on him."
Min Jae listened quietly, though his expression stayed tense. Mr. Han felt that he had successfully trapped Min Jae in his web — but he didn't realize that he wasn't the one hunting... it was Min Jae.
Inside, Min Jae thought:"The trap is set... but who's the prey and who's the predator — that's still unclear."
He looked at Mr. Han and said in a cold tone:"Yeah... you're right. I don't want to work with him anymore. I'll show Joon Hyunk that I don't need him for anything."
"I'm everything even without him. And now, I don't need him — not anymore."
A faint smile appeared on Mr. Han's face. He was now ready to make his final move.
Mr. Han looked at Min Jae, and after a short pause, said:"Sir… are you sure? Do you really want to go through with this?"
Min Jae met his eyes. There was a cold smile on his face — he now knew for sure, Mr. Han had walked straight into his trap.
"Yes," Min Jae said in a calm but definite tone."Now I'm really going to do all of this."
Hearing this, Mr. Han slightly tilted his neck, like a strategic chess player considering his next move. Then, in a soft tone, he dropped a subtle hint:
"Sir, if you leave Joon Hyunk so suddenly... you'll need someone — someone who can be a temporary stepping stone... to help you get one step ahead of Joon Hyunk."
Min Jae narrowed his eyes slightly, as if weighing the words deeply. Then he spoke directly:"What are you trying to say, Mr. Han?"
Mr. Han paused for a moment to think."Look, Sir… if you want to defeat Joon Hyunk, you'll need more power than him. And that power — you'll only get when you shake hands with someone who is even more powerful than him."
Min Jae stayed silent for a moment. Then a cold hint of doubt appeared in his eyes:"But who could possibly be more powerful than Joon Hyunk?"
Mr. Han leaned in slightly, speaking softly and flatteringly:"Sir, you already know how loyal I am to you, and I've always worked in your 'best interest.' And I know someone... someone even more powerful than Joon Hyunk. He has direct access to the underworld. That man can help you — if you want."
Min Jae looked at him with slight suspicion and asked:"Who is he?"
Mr. Han smiled faintly and said:"Who he is, where he is — no one knows. No name, no face. Only his system operates. But... I can reach him. Just for you. There's only one condition."
Min Jae narrowed his eyes in irritation:"What condition?"
"You'll have to join hands with me. Work with me. Leave Joon Hyunk behind... and walk a new path by my side."
Min Jae paused for a moment.That's exactly what he wanted — for Mr. Han to try to pull him to his side.He suddenly remembered Beast's words: "Mr. Han is a foolish man."And yes... he really was foolish. He had fallen into Min Jae's words so easily.
Then, in a cold but clear voice, Min Jae said:"Fine. I agree. Tell me — what do I need to do?"
A wicked smile appeared on Mr. Han's face. A smile that held neither joy nor respect — just the taste of power.
Mr. Han said to Min Jae,"Sir, this place might not be... appropriate for such matters. Let me take you somewhere more suitable for this discussion. Please come with me."
Min Jae nodded with a focused calm in his eyes."Let's go."
Mr. Han started walking ahead — out of the bar and toward the VIP hallway. Min Jae followed behind him. His face was neutral, but inside, everything was highly alert and active.
As soon as the two entered the hallway, Min Jae discreetly activated his Bluetooth earpiece — it connected directly to Joon Hyunk's office laptop through an encrypted system. Every word, every sound was now being recorded.
Mr. Han crossed a narrow corridor that led to the casino section. This area was restricted — only for black access holders. It was a high-energy zone filled with music, crowd, neon lights, and the scent of alcohol.
Standing near the private entrance to the casino, Min Jae subtly installed a small pocket-sized hidden camera in a discreet spot, without drawing any attention. It was placed in a way that anyone looking would assume it was part of the decor.
As soon as the camera activated, its live feed began streaming to Joon Hyunk's laptop screen. Min Jae was planning every move carefully. Now, every step was being recorded.
Mr. Han led him inside the casino. From the inside, the entire casino radiated a high-end luxury vibe — crystal lights, velvet lounges, expensive suits, flowing drinks… everything looked classy.
But Min Jae's trained eyes didn't linger on the surface for long — his focus shifted to the people who revealed the place's real face.
Everyone inside the casino belonged to the city's elite class — businessmen, high-profile criminals, even politicians. And entertaining them were the young men and women whose faces Min Jae had seen before — the same ones who had gone missing, the same ones reported as having disappeared from the hotel.
Some were serving drinks, some were flirting, some were behaving boldly — emotionally attaching themselves to VIP guests, acting like high-end private club hosts or hostesses.
This wasn't just part of the entertainment... this was a systematic human exploitation.
Min Jae's heart filled with rage. The faces flashed before his eyes — innocent, silently suffering faces.
He thought to himself:"The man we trusted for so many years... turned the hotel into a den of crime."