Daniel stood before Incheon Station and stared at the ruins of the terminal. The plaza looked like a graveyard of concrete and rusted steel. Not a single structure in his line of sight remained unbroken.
The street was littered with overflowing trash and jagged debris. Abandoned cars had crashed into the sidewalks like hollow metal carcasses. Deep potholes filled with stagnant water stretched across the asphalt.
Daniel's eyes widened in surprise as he adjusted the strap of his bag.
"I only heard of the rumors... So this is Incheon...!"
He dragged his luggage alongside the cracked street and the wheels rattled loudly against the uneven ground. He looked at a collapsed storefront where a mannequin head lay in the dirt.
"Did a bomb go off here or what? How did this even happen?"
Daniel walked for a long time while his stomach growled. He searched for a restaurant to dine in but most buildings were boarded up with rotted wood.
In the distance, he heard the sharp sound of glass shattering followed by angry shouts. He dropped his luggage into a run and headed toward the noise.
"Oi, old hag! We know they were lurkin' 'round here!"
"Our boys got pulverized by some posh outsiders! We ain't lettin' that slide!"
A group of men in dirty jackets were destroying the small restaurant belonging to the old woman. They kicked over tables and smashed the remaining windows with metal pipes.
Daniel skidded to a stop in front of the shop and held out his hand.
"Stop! What are you guys doing?"
The men stopped their destruction and turned toward him with predatory grins. One of them stepped forward and pointed a jagged pipe at Daniel's chest.
"Well now, lookie here. Another little outsider scallywag. Are you the cheeky bugger who beat our boys yesterday?!"
Another goon spat on the floor and cracked his knuckles with a wet sound.
"Come on then, don't ya be wastin' our time with that pretty face!"
Daniel blinked and looked back and forth between the men with a confused expression.
"I just arrived now though. I don't know what you are talking about. Just stop destroying this shop!"
The goons laughed and circled him like a pack of starving dogs.
"It don't matter if ya be the same lad or not. Incheon's locked up tight to outsiders!"
The leader raised his weapon high into the air.
"Boys, let's vent a bit o' steam on this fancy prick!"
"Aye! Let's do 'em in!"
The goons rushed at Daniel from all sides. He was utterly confused about the situation since he hadn't even found a hotel yet.
He gripped the handle of his luggage in his right hand and ducked under a wild swing. He used the suitcase as a platform and vaulted into the air with a sudden burst of agility.
Daniel spun in mid-air and delivered a two-footed dropkick to the chests of two attackers. They flew backward and smashed through a wooden fence.
CRASH!
He landed lightly on his feet and swung the luggage in a low circle. The heavy bag caught three men at the ankles and sent them face-first into the dirt.
One goon tried to sneak up behind him with a glass bottle. Daniel didn't even look back as he performed a handstand on top of his suitcase.
He snapped his legs out in a wide split and his heels connected with the man's temples. The goon spun like a top before collapsing into a heap of limbs.
THWACK!
Daniel pushed off the bag and performed a backflip to distance himself from the remaining circle. He caught the suitcase by the strap and whipped it around his body like a flail.
The reinforced plastic collided with a man's ribs and produced a sound like a hammer hitting a drum. The man was lifted off his feet and sent skidding across a rusted car hood.
BOOM!
Daniel finished the move by sliding into a low sweep that took out the final attacker. He pulled the luggage back to his side and checked the wheels for damage.
Within a few minutes, the street was silent except for the groans of the fallen men. Daniel stood in the center of the wreckage and wiped a bead of sweat from his forehead.
He checked the wheels of his suitcase for damage and let out a long sigh of relief.
The old woman watched him from the doorway with wide eyes as the groans of the fallen men filled the alley. Daniel suddenly spun around when the sound of slow clapping echoed against the brick walls.
A man wearing a blue shirt and a ponytail walked toward him with a relaxed gait. His narrow fox eyes crinkled as he continued to strike his palms together.
"Interesting."
Daniel narrowed his eyes and shifted his weight into a defensive stance. He didn't trust the timing of this stranger who had only appeared after the danger had passed.
"Who are you?"
The man stopped a few feet away and showed a calm smile that didn't reach his eyes.
"Some people call me the King of Incheon. It is not a title I claim for myself though."
Daniel's grip tightened on the handle of his luggage as he processed the name.
"You are Yujae Seon!"
Yujae nodded and gestured toward a black sedan parked at the end of the street.
"It seems you have done some research before coming here. Now, shall we talk further in a private place?"
Daniel hesitated for a moment but eventually followed Yujae to the car. He figured it would be better to get answers than to wander through the ruins alone.
Yujae opened the heavy back door and pointed inside with a polite tilt of his head.
"Hop in."
Daniel climbed into the leather seat and pulled his luggage in after him. Yujae sat directly across from him as the car began to move smoothly through the pothole-filled streets.
"By the way, I am Daniel Park. So, what is this about Incheon being closed off to outsiders? Is this something I should know about?"
Yujae smiled and leaned back into the shadows of the interior.
"Do you know something, Daniel Park?"
Daniel looked at him with a confused expression.
"What?"
"You are very gullible."
Daniel started to lean forward and his brow furrowed.
"What are you talking ab—"
A hand reached out from the trunk area and pressed a cloth firmly over Daniel's mouth. The sweet and chemical scent of chloroform filled his lungs instantly.
Daniel struggled for a brief moment and his hands clawed at the air before his vision went dark. His head slumped against the window as he lost consciousness.
A man with lush black hair tied into a bun rose from the back seat and adjusted his black coat. Ryu looked down at the sleeping boy with a bored expression.
"Was there any need to go so far for one person?"
Yujae's smile vanished and his eyes turned cold as he stared at the city passing by outside.
"This guy could be the key to finally eliminating Speed."
Ryu gestured toward the bulky suitcase taking up space on the floor.
"What do we do about his luggage?"
Yujae didn't say a word and simply looked away. Ryu opened the car door slightly while the vehicle was still moving and shoved the bag out.
The luggage hit the asphalt and rolled several times before coming to a stop in the middle of a deserted intersection.
Inside the suitcase, second body of Daniel Park opened his eyes.