. An Intense Showdown

"I wouldn't try anything funny if I were you!" A commanding, yet smooth voice permeated through the suffocating, bloodied mist, delaying her foreseeable demise.

Tensing up, a tinge of perplexity cloaked their faces; heads whipping toward the source.

The gunshot and timbre seemed to have originated from the opposite side, near the entranceway.

It was Park Min-ho, she realized belatedly, recognizing the distinct voice and sharp intonation.

Ri Chul-moo's grip had involuntarily slackened at the unexpected interruption, but not quite letting go of her jaw. For a split second, she felt his aura waver as some of his thoughts flooded her mind:

'What now?'

Perceiving a flicker of hope from his state of mild distraction, she battled the disorienting haze – repelling the darkness that threatened to overshadow her.

Min-ho's unexpected appearance had provoked some sort of agitation in Ri Chul-moo as he looked to be weighing his options cautiously, gaze fixated on the newcomer from over his shoulder. Slowly and discreetly, he withdrew the peculiar, blood-red smoke.

She had no idea what it was or how he was doing that. But one thing was clear – there was something about it that he didn't want Min-ho to see.

"Hah? Is that a friend of yours?" Having emerged from his daze, he sneered at Lee Ju-hee, eyes-wild and crazed.

He looked pissed – terribly pissed, with an edge of menace to his demeanor.

Palpable tension filled the air around them, and Min-ho sensed it keenly. Speaking with a hint of malice to his voice, his words were laced with a deadly implication.

"Which will be faster?" He declared, gaze flicking between Ri Chul-moo and his gun. "You or the bullet?"

It was a warning of some sort; implying that any attempt to harm her would result in him pulling the trigger.

A sense of relief and gratitude filled her at his intervention. Simply put, he wouldn't allow any harm to come to her.

A harsh scowl instantaneously carved Ri Chul-moo's brows, eyes veiled in ominous darkness, plunged underneath layers of eerie shadows. Inwardly, he cursed in resentment:

'Ugh, why these damn vermin keep poppin' up on my turf today? I'd have stomp 'em all out if I had my way!'

Unaware of Ri Chul-moo's inner turmoil, Min-ho's voiced boomed with authority, "Step back now and put your hands where I can see them!"

Lee Ju-hee had anticipated some resistance from him, but unexpectedly, he complied. She couldn't help but regard him with a tinge of wariness, wondering what ulterior motives might be at play.

Due to the ruptured skin contact, it was impossible for her to read his mind.

A nagging unease gnawed at her; something seemed off.

She was still thinking it through when Ri Chul-moo's voice broke the brittle silence. "Are you fuckers from the police?"

With a hint of sarcasm, Min-ho responded evasively, "Who knows? Maybe!"

His non-answer was deliberate, as he knew better than to reveal any information about himself to potential enemies.

Being a rookie detective with limited power of arrest and still subject to supervision by his superiors, Min-ho was no fool. In fact, he was known for his quick thinking and cunningness, always keeping others on their toes.

"Fucking shit!" Ri Chul-moo tried to piece together the intention of his opponent, but Min-ho's stoic expression revealed no hints.

"Hah? Is this the part where you gonna slap the cuffs on me?" His question hung heavy in the air, hands raised beside his face in a feint.

Approaching their location, Min-ho scanned the dim alley cautiously, ensuring that they were alone, before considering his next move. Despite his guard, he couldn't shake his concern for Lee Ju-hee and wanted to check on her well-being.

By the time he'd shortened the distance, he noticed Lee Ju-hee trembling on her knees, attempting to convey something.

"Are you okay, noona?" Min-ho asked, a hint of concern on his face.

Before he could examine her properly, Ri Chul-moo reacted swiftly by elbowing Min-ho's wrist, causing him to drop his firearm. The gun skidded on the ground at their feet before drifting to a halt.

Initially, he was momentarily stunned by the disarmament, but Min-ho hastily regained his composure.

With a spontaneous side-dodge, Min-ho skillfully sidestepped Ri Chul-moo's following attacks, his movements swift and precise. With a self-assured smirk, he couldn't help but taunt, "Impressive speed! But it seems you still can't catch up to me! Heh, were you expecting to gain the advantage?"

Ri Chul-moo's scowl deepened. "What are you so happy about? You haven't defeated me yet!"

"Tch!" Her cousin scoffed mockingly, unfazed by his statement.

Exploiting this opportunity, Lee Ju-hee kicked the gun away from the two men, eliminating the threat it might posed to her or her cousin. However, her decisive action only elicited a nasty stare from the gang leader.

"Yo, don't be stupid shorty. Sit tight and keep quiet! Don't wanna end up in a world of hurt, do ya?"

The underlying implications in his statement sent a shiver down her spine. She was momentarily astounded, not sure how to react to that.

Was he seriously looking down on her? What the hell?

"Don't drag her into this, you jerk!" Min-ho's heated warning flipped the attention from her.

"Hah? Your overconfidence will lead to your own downfall! Don't think you can handle the consequences!"

"I've seen and heard scarier things!"

Gritting his teeth at his opponent's complacency, Ri Chul-moo charged, attempting a roundhouse kick. Min-ho ducked underneath his attack and countered with a rapid, but powerful spinning back kick to Ri Chul-moo's midsection. The man stumbled backward.

Capitalizing on this opening, Min-ho launched forward with a flurry of rapid punches, each one precisely aimed at vulnerable points on his rival's body.

But Ri Chul-moo parried each strike with rapid finesse. His footwork was agile and precise, his blocks and counters executed with graceful efficiency.

Lee Ju-hee helplessly watched as the two men exchanged blows, her frustration growing as she realized her powerlessness. An unease settled in her stomach, struggling to keep up with their lightning-fast movements as they twisted and turned, attempting to outmaneuver each other.

As the fight wore on, it became evident that Ri Chul-moo was the superior fighter, his motions fluid in the confined area and his punches packing more power.

Min-ho, on the other hand, relied on his speed and agility, swiftly darting in and out of reach.

"You ain't half bad," Ri Chul-moo admitted, taking a momentary break in between his relentless attacks. "But you're going down!"

"We'll see about that!" Min-ho gritted his teeth, sweat pouring down the sides of his forehead.

This was getting tough. Despite having the advantage, he could feel his energy depleting faster than his resilient opponent.

With a relaxed heave, Ri Chul-moo resumed the fight. But the young detective was ready for it, sidestepping in time to deliver a sharp elbow-strike to his rival's back. The impact caused the gang leader to reel forward, his knees buckling beneath him.

Without hesitation, Min-ho threw himself at Ri Chul-moo, tackling him to the ground with brute force. The two men rolled on the gritty floor, grappling for control.

Eventually, Ri Chul-moo's back hit the ground hard, gasping for air as Min-ho hastily moved in to pin him down with a knee to his chest.

"H-hah! It's all over now!" Min-ho declared amidst his raspy breath.

Ri Chul-moo clenched his teeth, frustrated that he was struggling against someone much weaker. He summoned a surge of strength and adrenaline, twisting his body to make Min-ho stumble.

Before Min-ho could recover, Ri Chul-moo swiftly rose up, his muscles rippling with power as he launched a strong punch. But Min-ho was skilled; he dodged the attack and countered with a quick kick. Ri Chul-moo blocked it and pulled Min-ho off balance by yanking his leg.

As Min-ho staggered, Ri Chul-moo's fist finally landed to his side, causing him to double over in pain.

"How did ya like that, huh?" He sneered; voice loaded with mocked satisfaction.

Ri Chul-moo relentlessly attacked Min-ho with punches and kicks, while Min-ho struggled to defend himself. Exhausted and low on stamina, Min-ho was eventually knocked down by a final blow from Ri Chul-moo.

As Ri Chul-moo stood over his defeated opponent, Lee Ju-hee grabbed Min-ho's discarded gun. Without hesitation, she pointed it at Ri Chul-moo, catching him off guard.

"Drop it and surrender," she said firmly, her cold-blue eyes sharpened by dark-circles, never leaving his.

"Hah? Fucking shit!" He cussed under his breath, weighing his options.

His hands inched upward, revealing a strategic purpose. The surrender was merely a trick, a deliberate act to create an opportunity for his next move. He carefully observed his surroundings, looking for any advantage he could exploit.

"Tsk! Get your head back in the game! We can't afford any mistakes here!" Lee Ju-hee's voice pierced through the haze that clouded Min-ho's mind.

He blinked rapidly, trying to shake off the grogginess that had settled in after the fight. Slowly, he pushed himself up onto his elbows, feeling the bruises and soreness in his body.

"What happened?" he asked, his voice hoarse and strained.

"You took quite a hit there," Lee Ju-hee stated matter of factly.

Gritting his teeth as he struggled to stand up, he noticed the situation, with Lee Ju-hee holding Ri Chul-moo at gunpoint. Min-ho took a deep breath, adding with a hint of gratitude, "Thanks for having my back!"

"Just try not to blackout on me!"

"I won't!" He scoffed, before rushing forth to tackle his foe to the ground.

"The fuck?!" The brisk attack took Ri Chul-moo off-guard.

Hadn't he knocked that fucker out, already? How was he back on his feet and already engaging combat?

'Such persistent rat', Ri Chul-moo thought to himself.

Taking advantage of his opponent's weakened state from their previous encounter, Min-ho rapidly gained the upper-hand. Just when they thought the battle was coming to an end, the detective's confidence wavered when Ri Chul-moo let out a chuckle.

"Bloodlust!" Ri Chul-moo sneered, releasing a crimson mist into the air.

Min-ho was startled as a peculiar smoke surrounded him, filling the air with an ominous presence.

The mist felt suffocating, weighing him down like molten iron, and confusion clouded his mind. He staggered backward, desperately reaching out for support, but found nothing to steady himself.

Even Lee Ju-hee, who had prudently kept a safe distance to avoid being caught in the crossfire, could feel the crushing weight of Ri Chul-moo's peculiar power. It was a palpable force that made her skin crawl and her hairs stand on end.

"T-the heck is that?" Min-ho's voice shook in confusion, his breathing raspy.

"That's one of his abilities!"

"Ah? Cause he's got more?"

"No fucking idea!"

"Shouldn't you be keeping your eyes on your enemy?" With a violent gust of wind creating a gaping hole in the murky mist, he disappeared, leaving Min-ho bewildered.

In the blink of an eye, he reappeared behind the detective, his movements blurred and indiscernible, and launched a devastating blow that sent Min-ho crashing into Lee Ju-hee, knocking the firearm out of her hands.

The impact sent both hurtling to the ground, their bodies jarring with a violent tremor. Min-ho winced in agony, his face contorted with pain, as he slowly spat out a mouthful of blood.

It was excruciating, like a million needles piercing his insides.

Shifting his attention to Lee Ju-hee, he wheezed in pain, "You okay? Can you get up?"

Lee Ju-hee, who was just as breathless and battered, managed a weak nod, "Yeah!"

With strenuous effort, Lee Ju-hee gathered her strength and mustered the energy to get back on her feet, ignoring the pain coursing through her body. She dusted off her clothes, her gaze fixated on her cousin who was struggling to stand.

Lee Ju-hee's body briskly tensed; a fierce and inexplicable energy surged through her, rising, and boiling over like a fierce storm about to break free. For a moment, the mist seemed to shrink, as if cowed by the ferocity of her will.

"Hey? You still got some fight left in you?" Her voice was low and menacing, the blue in her eyes darkening as she stared at Ri Chul-moo with a glint of something terrifying and dangerous.

The air around her seemed to crackle with unknown energy.

Min-ho was caught off guard by her peculiar demeanor. "Don't worry! I'll end this quickly!"

"No need!"

"What are you--"

"I'll take it from here," she interrupted with a cold determination.

Min-ho hesitated for a fleeting moment before nodding in agreement. He watched as Lee Ju-hee cracked her knuckles warningly and faced their enemy with an icy stare.

It was a side of her he had never seen before.

"We're not just taking him down," she announced with an air of lethal conviction, her voice dripping with a palpable threat that made Min-ho's blood run cold. "We're making sure he never gets back up again, got it?"