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Chapter 20 - Chapter 20: The Calculation of Conflict

The Iron Presser?" Min-jun asked, his voice low.

​"He's the man who taught me everything I didn't teach you," Kang grunted, stepping forward. "He doesn't use steam, kid. He uses pure, crushing pressure. He's the Syndicate's lead executioner. And he's never left a wrinkle... or a survivor."

​Ji-hoo smirked, checking his platinum watch. "You have ten minutes to decide, Min-jun. Give me the drive, or prepare to be flattened."

​Min-jun looked at Elena. He looked at the "Ghost Files" glowing on his monitor—data that could bring down the entire corrupt infrastructure of the city. Then, he looked at Ji-hoo's perfect, unblemished white suit.

​"Ten minutes?" Min-jun asked.

​"Ten minutes," Ji-hoo confirmed.

​"I only need thirty seconds," Min-jun said.

​In a move so fast it was almost invisible, Min-jun grabbed a bottle of "Extreme Concentration" red dye from the shelf. He didn't throw it at Ji-hoo's face. He aimed for the suit.

​Splatter.

​The vibrant, permanent crimson bloomed across Ji-hoo's chest like a gunshot wound.

​"WHAT HAVE YOU DONE!" Ji-hoo shrieked, clutching his lapels in horror. "This is Italian silk! It cost more than your life!"

​"It's a stain," Min-jun said, his voice ringing with a new, terrifying confidence. "And like every other stain in this city, I'm going to wash it out. Tell your 'Iron Presser' to come. I've got a fresh batch of starch waiting for him."

​Ji-hoo scrambled toward the door, his composed "scholar" persona shattered into a hundred screaming pieces. "You're dead! Do you hear me? Dead!"

​As the door slammed, Elena stepped up beside Min-jun. "That was incredibly satisfying," she admitted. "But we're in trouble, aren't we?"

​"Massive trouble," Min-jun agreed. He turned to the monitors. "Master, how do we fight a man who uses 'crushing pressure'?"

​Old Man Kang grabbed a heavy, industrial-sized box of baking soda and a gallon of vinegar. "We don't fight him with strength, kid. We fight him with chemistry. Elena, grab the high-pressure hoses. Min-jun, start the 'Centrifuge' training. It's time you learned how to spin."

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