The worn file in Jung Kok's grip felt heavier than it should. The years of facts and notes about Min—the man he had once believed to be loyal—now became a burden, entangling his thoughts. In his silent office, only the sound of his breathing filled the air.
"Since 2007...?" he muttered quietly. "Father has been watching him for so long. But why didn't I know anything?"
There was a soft knock on the door. Hana peeked in, her face filled with concern. "Are you okay? You've been in here for two hours."
Jung Kok quickly hid the file under the desk and nodded. "Just tired. There's too much to think about."
Hana moved closer and gently placed her hand on his shoulder. "If you need someone to listen, I'm here."
But Jung Kok only smiled faintly. "I need to handle this myself."
Elsewhere, Jung Joon stared at his subordinates, who were beginning to show signs of unease.
"Sir… we're not sure if this information is reliable. Last night's operation failed because the coordinates conflicted with Jung Kok's team," said one of the unit leaders.
Jung Joon's face hardened. "Are you questioning my orders?"
"It's not like that, it's just… something doesn't add up."
Jung Joon slammed a file onto the table. "You should be asking who sabotaged us, not questioning me!"
But deep inside, he knew—the confusion wasn't a coincidence. And only one name came to his mind: Min.
Min smiled faintly in his dark room, watching two large screens showing footage of Jung Kok's and Jung Joon's teams.
"A single seed of doubt is enough to bring down a tree of trust," he whispered.
He typed something on his computer and sent out another fake file—information supposedly related to a new syndicate involved in the murder of Hwang's informant. The location provided would cause the two teams to clash unknowingly.
"Let them suspect each other. Little by little, I'll pull out the roots of their strength."
In a small hidden room in an old building, Rina focused intently on her computer screen. A hacker beside her had just managed to open a secret folder—belonging to Hwang.
A recording of Hwang's voice played. "If Min returns with a new face, remind them… the shadow never disappeared. He's not just a man skilled with words. He is a living history."
Rina swallowed hard. "We can't wait any longer. I need to show this to Jung Joon."
The meeting between the two brothers grew tense. They exchanged sharp glances—full of suspicion.
"Why did you take so long to act?" Jung Kok asked.
"You followed the wrong information and almost caused our operation to fail," Jung Joon shot back.
"I didn't make a rash decision. There's something you don't understand."
"And you think I'm stupid? I know something's wrong with Min! But we don't have enough proof."
Rina and Hana stood between them, trying to calm the storm. "Stop! This is what Min wants. He wants you to turn on each other," Rina said.
But the cracks had already started to form—the trust that was once solid now wavered.
At the end of the chapter, a hidden camera in the corner of the ceiling captured the meeting between the two brothers.
In his dark room, Min watched calmly. In his hand, a cup of tea still steaming.
"It's almost time," he whispered.
His shadowed face glimmered in the neon light, but his intent—clear and sharp.
He didn't just want to be the mastermind.
He wanted to be the ruler.