Welcome to the Underworld.

The morning light filtered weakly through the rain-streaked windows of the Velvet Orchid’s back office. The storm had passed, but the air still hung heavy with damp and tension. Lee Jae-min sat behind his desk, the faint scent of cigarette smoke curling around him like a second skin. Across from him, Linh stood rigid, his damp blonde hair still clinging to his forehead, eyes sharp and unreadable.

Lee’s dark gaze measured the boy. “You’ve been quiet.”

Linh’s voice was calm, steady. “I listen.”

A thin smile ghosted Lee’s lips. “Good. That’s the first thing you need here.” He paused, fingers tapping lightly on the mahogany surface. “Strength alone won’t keep you alive in this world. You need more—patience, control, loyalty.”

Linh shifted his weight but remained silent.

Lee reached into the drawer and pulled out a small black handgun. He slid it deliberately across the desk. “Learn to use this.”

Linh’s eyes flicked to the weapon, then back to Lee. Without hesitation, he reached out, fingers wrapping around the cold metal. His grip was steady, but there was something tentative in the way he held it—a mix of respect and curiosity.

“This isn’t a toy,” Lee said, voice low and hard. “It’s a tool. A means to protect yourself—and me.”

Linh nodded slowly, eyes never leaving Lee’s. “I understand.”

Lee leaned forward, the room narrowing to the space between them. “From this moment on, you’re not just a stray kid from the streets. You’re my bodyguard.”

The words landed with weight. Linh’s jaw tightened, but his posture didn’t falter. “Why me?” His voice was quiet but direct.

Lee’s eyes sharpened. “Because you have something the others don’t—discipline. You watch, wait, and when it’s time, you act. That kind of control is rare. You survived alone for a reason.”

Linh’s fingers tightened on the gun. “I won’t fail you.”

A flicker of something—approval, perhaps—passed through Lee’s eyes. “Good. Failure in this world means more than losing a fight. It means death. For you, for me, for everyone who follows this path.”

At that moment, Soo-jin knocked lightly and entered, his eyes curious but respectful. “Boss, the men are ready.”

Lee stood smoothly, the faint outline of his tattoo visible as he rolled up his sleeves. He gestured toward Linh. “Come. It’s time you meet the crew.”

As they moved through the Velvet Orchid’s smoky interior, Linh’s senses sharpened—the low hum of whispered conversations, the heavy scent of whiskey and cigarettes, the sharp glances from men who understood the weight of power.

The crew parted with a respectful nod as Lee and Linh passed. Soo-jin leaned toward Linh and whispered, “This is where you step up. Where you show them who you are.”

Linh nodded, feeling the weight of the moment settle into his bones.

Lee glanced back at him. “Stay close. Watch, learn, protect.”

Linh’s sharp eyes met Lee’s, no words needed.

Outside, the city breathed on—neon flickering through puddles, the quiet after the storm. Inside, a new chapter had begun. Not born of mercy, but necessity; not trust, but respect.

Linh was no longer just a survivor. He was part of something greater. A bodyguard. A soldier in the silent war that shaped shadows.

And as the rain dried on the streets of Incheon, Linh understood one thing clearly: this was only the beginning.

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