"I'm disappointed," Sun-ho said, eyes across the injured faces before him "Especially with some of our old executives, Getting beaten by drug thugs, If Choyun hadn't made it in time, you two would've been dead."
The unit that had taken the hit in South Gangbuk sat before him, limbs bandaged, Dominic Min shifted in his seat, jaw clenched over a bruise blooming at his temple, Mark Sa refused to sit still, fingers probing a stab wound at his leg with stubborn irritation Only Scott Kwon, Daniel, Choyun, and Haru looked relatively unscathed.
Sun-ho walked slowly in front of them, hands into his pockets "You've been Injured by amateurs tonight," he continued "Drug thugs, Not an organized crew, Just desperate violent men who prey on weakness, If we get complacent, if we think numbers or arrogance are enough, we'll be the ones hunted."
"You've been battered," Sun-ho said "So you will be rebuilt, Ivan Park, Hope Park, Mark Sa, and Dominic Min, you are demoted." The word landed like a missile "You will keep positions in the crew when your deserved, but not as higher executives Until you demonstrate consistent improvement and the humility to learn, you will not wear those ranks."
A ripple of shock rolled across the room Eyes flicked to Ivan and Hope, to Mark's hand digging into the bandage, to Dominic's tight jaw, Pride is a dangerous thing to lose, and yet here it was, stripped away.
"You'll get wild training," Sun-ho added, gaze hard "Combat drills until your bodies remember what your minds refuse to accept, No privileges and leniency from now on."
Johan, who'd been watching then walked forward, placing a palm on Dominic's shoulder "This isn't punishment," Johan said quietly "It's remediation, The crew isn't about titles, Learn or get left behind."
Sun-ho nodded "Now, new operations at South Gangbuk High, They're selling drugs, They're organized gang, and they're strong."
He tapped the map on the table "Their leader is Seok Kang, the Rhino, He runs a network that uses the school as a front."
Hajun, Jaeha and Sechan exchanged looks.
"Hajun, Jaeha and Sechan I want you three to take point on the South Gangbuk High task alone, Facing South Gangbuk High is a easy thing for those three."
"And everyone else, we'll reorganize ranks in a few days, New rankings will be announced based on strength, potential, and growth, Not past, This crew will be a meritocracy If you can't prove your worth, you won't hold that badge."
Jin Jang, who'd been watching quietly, tapped his pen against the map and began calling out logistics, training schedules.
Choyun, who'd arrived timely and saved the twins, watched Sun-ho with a complicated expression.
---
NAME:|- CHOYUN
HEIGHT:|- 181 CM
STRENGTH:|- { S+ }
SPEED:|- { S+ }
POTENTIAL:|- { S }
INTELLIGENCE:|- { S }
ENDURANCE:|- { S+ }
---
Sun-ho turned his gaze to the demoted men, then to the room at large "You will start tomorrow, We protect Gangbuk, We don't terrorize it, If we're going to lead, we do it with strength and responsibility Remember that."
As the meeting finished, guy's left
Behind him, Johan "We make them into what we need them to be," he said "Or we make space for those who will."
----
Bam!
The sound of Sechan Kang's fist slammed into the nearest mob's jaw, and the man folded to the floor in a heap, The motion was clean just a single decisive strike that ended the fight before it began.
Around him, bodies was collapsed, Hajun Gu stood a few steps away, already looming over three men he'd put down, precise blows, Jaeha Han leaned against a pillar, cigarette at his lips as he watched two other mobs groan on the ground at his feet.
"Didn't expect Seok Kang to be a drug dealer." Sechan said wiping a smear of blood from one knuckle with the back of his hand His tone was flat and surprise
"Neither did I." Hajun replied, He kicked one mobs shoulder which was unconscious.
---
NAME:|- HAJUN GU
HEIGHT:|- 186 CM
STRENGTH:|- { SS }
SPEED:|- { SS }
POTENTIAL:|- { A }
INTELLIGENCE:|- { C }
ENDURANCE:|- { SS }
---
Jaeha flicked ashes, He took a long sip from cigarette "From the very start, that bastard's been selling drugs," he said "You can put innocent smile, but that don't change what you do in the dark." He ground the cigarette out with the heel of his boot and looked at the group assembled.
Jaeha continued "He's got tough guy, Yugyeom Na, he was no joke, Kick-boxing base, low center of gravity, I fought him a few months back, Quiet types scare me more than loud ones, They watch, they learn, then they hit where it hurts."
---
NAME:|- JAEHA HAN
HEIGHT:|- 181 CM
STRENGTH:|- { SS }
SPEED:|- { SS }
POTENTIAL:|- { A }
INTELLIGENCE:|- { S }
ENDURANCE:|- { SS- }
---
Sechan nodded.
"And, Sun-ho said to bring the Recruit ones."
Hajun glance "Yugyeom or not, they join or they rot, Simple."
...
"Seok." Beomsang Jeong the advisor, the schemer, the man who kept an entire corner of South Gangbuk running, stood with one hand braced against the windowframe, the hideout hummed with a nervous energy, Around him, Seok Kang's top Executives sat or leaned.
"We're in trouble, Seok." Beomsang's voice was low.
Seok didn't move, He sat back in his chair, Then, slowly, he folded his hands and looked up.
"The God Dogs know," Beomsang continued "They've figured out we're the ones moving product, Yesterday they rolled through a rival Gangs, the ones who were handling most of our buyers, They flattened them Seok, Left no one standing."
Seok closed his eyes, After another long Seok's voice finally came "The God Dogs have underestimated us, They sent only three this time, the same three we've faced before, We have the strength to beat them."
Beomsang chuckled "Last time they had backup with them, Even then they struggled to put us down, Now they come alone That's not luck, that's opportunity."
"If we think with any pride, if we think that South Gangbuk will stand simply because we want it to, we're chasing a fantasy," Beomsang said, voice hard now "We're not as large as the God Dogs, We don't have numbers on paper, But we have what matters in a fight, we have each other, we have the streets, and we have the will not to fall."
His eyes swept the room, landing on each man like a charge "But pride won't keep our doors open, Strategy will We need to hit without heavy risk."
Seok stood then, He walked to the window and looked down.
he said "We don't start a war we can't finish, No spectacles and recklessness. "
Heads nodded, What they lacked is manpower against god dogs, Yugyeom Na sat at the back Yugyeom seemed somewhere else entirely, Thoughts skittered across his mind.
"Yugyeom, Jingu Oh, Changgyu Min, Seongman Lee, you four will hold against them" Beomsang barked.
"Be rough, Don't give them chances Keep your guard up These aren't boys on a dare, they are monsters when they decide to be You slip up and it'll cost more than a bruise."
Yugyeom's eyes met Beomsang's then nodded.
"Now move," Beomsang finished. "You will have all top members support, You will stand as the line between this place Go, and win"
They left the room in a flurry.
Seok remained by the window a moment longer His reflection stared back at him, pale and uncertain in the glass, He thought about the boys who had joined this life thinking it was a path to power.
He stepped away from the window and turned "We take no unnecessary risks," he said quietly "We protect what's ours."