1 Chapter 1. A pawn among many

City Valor, Port Sear, 1:52 AM

The hour of darkness coupled with the calmness of the ocean, along with twinkling stars accompanying the moon, following with slow sounds of crashing waves along the docks, and the chilly breeze sweeping past the area. As expected, the Port Sear was beautiful in its dark silence.

However, that beautiful serenity is broken by a streak of bullets, followed by men trying to capture the young lad who is currently trying to find a hiding place to protect himself.

In this pitch darkness, when the world is sleeping and planning for the next day, the underworld would be alive and thriving, doing their target works.

Just like one could guess, the harbour is filled with screams and gun shots because a stranger sneaked in during a transaction, who is on his way to complete his mission, uncovering the truth behind the mystery of the drugs shipment.

" Search every nook and corner. He should not- at any cost-escape this place alive. Anyone who cuts his life by the crack of the dawn will be rewarded by the boss," The intermediary boss ordered the men, baiting with money for best results. On a normal night, they wouldn't have to put such efforts to silence the perpetrator.

Since it's business hours, when the esteemed client may knock their door at any time and it's this time money flows into their lockers, this deal is of high value, so they should find him before the buyer comes. No one messes with the dark world in their functioning hours and this boy interrupted a high end, risky exchange and effectively dug his own grave.

" He must be hiding near the yachts. Check the area!" The second-in-hand commanded again. As his orders echoed the harbour, soon his men began the search mission, while few flew to the highest tower of the dock, torching the whole area.

No matter how skilled one is at camouflage it's impossible to stay hidden in a closed space, where every single person is a seeker for him. With men increasing in number and the area getting narrower with each passing second, the tension in the lad's body grew. It's one against tens of men, cold sweat dropped his forehead, as he tried to remain calm even in the face of death.

This is it. He can't fail nor can he die. This is the first mission his father entrusted him with, if anything were to go wrong.... No, he couldn't even think what happens if things go downwards. Will it end with mere punishment? But that should be a concern when he leaves this damn place, alive.

He could clearly see through them, knowing he would get narrowed down if he were to hide in a yacht. So he avoided the area, and came near the small, greasy fishing boats, which helped him to save some time to think of a plan to get out of here.

He is not stupid enough to come here without knowing the blueprint of the area. He did his research, so it wouldn't be hard for him to devise a plan if he could give his brain a little boost and have handy equipment to protect himself. He obviously, would not get out here unscathed, but atleast he would be breathing.

His planning was cut short when a man shot a bullet his way, which narrowly missed his head and got stuck in the old wooden boat, "There! Shoot him!"

Hyuk, the young lad whose appearance didn't suit the place ducked behind a small boat, as the bullets continuously hit the wood in front of him. He needed to find a place to hide. He ducked his body low and tried to crawl away to the best of his abilities on the slippery floor, while fending himself from the bullet rain.

One glance back and he knew, he was not getting out of here without getting hurt in worst ways. He reached towards his back pocket and took a deep breath in. In a flick of a second, bullet sounds and the screams from people echoed at once. He knew, he can't miss this chance.Though the path is risky, this is the shortest distance to the end of the dock.

Before the people who ambushed him could reciprocate his attacks, Hyuk ran with all his energy. He swiftly ducked and jumped on the small boats arranged on the dock, while shooting back at the men. However, what he didn't expect is, people began to shoot bullets his way from the tower. Snipers. He had no idea, this gang has snipers.

Is he just naive or incapable? How could he dive into a situation which he isn't even sure of? He should call for back-up. He can't just die yet and that too here. He needed to repay what he received and to witness that day, he should get out of here. He can't remain as the ant till the end of his life.

He should give back tenfolds the pain he received and prove his worth. He wants everyone to know he isn't the kid who can be tossed around anymore. So, he need to quickly take his standing in the house. To happen that, this mission is important to him.

As his brain worked and body pumped with resolve, a siren went off at a distance and Hyuk almost tripped in relief, when he realized the cops were coming in. The people in the neighborhood must've rung them in because of the sounds of bullets. He turned back to shoot again, but the only thing heard was the sound of the trigger being pressed. Oh shoot. He was out of bullets. And, out of magazines.

Gritting his teeth, Hyuk clutched the gun in his hand and fell to the ground, quickly crawled towards a wall, which was the corner of the dock. If he managed to reach and jump this wall, he can escape from here unharmed.

He did a quick scan and realized the men were searching for him, while shooting at possible hideouts. It was clear, they are here to kill, and not even bothered to know his origins or motive to sneak into this place. They only want to silence anyone who knows their dirty tricks and he is one among their targets now.

Blood pounded in his ears as he quickened his pace when he reached and tried to fling his body over without being seen. He managed to get on the wall, but sharp stinging pain shot up his shoulder. A scream caught up in his throat, and made him collapse on the other side of the wall. Soon, blood streamed out on the cemented road beneath him.

He successfully managed to get out of the harbour. Nevertheless, that's not the end of his hardships. If for anything, his hardships just took a form. The cops who came to get the situation under control already lost their lives, and the buyer along with his men already took the place into their control.

Is it the dead end? He couldn't go back inside the harbour, nor go his way ahead filled with enemy troops. His breathing began to get ragged, sweat covering his body. Blood began to drip out of his chest, covering his whole body in red. The last person he could think of in this narrowed situation is the person who he calls father.

He came to this dangerous place under his father's command. So he is sure his father would help him get out of here and will help him at any cost. Maybe he might have already sent reinforcement for him? In any case, he should first report what happened and ask for his wisdom.

Not alerting the enemies, he tried to cover himself behind a tree, and reached out his phone to make a call.

Clutching his hands at the wound, he deliberately fought the will to sleep till he reached a safe place. His eyes began to loose focus, his body winced in pain, his brain urging him to not close his eyes. He is a complete mess in this gore comprised premises.

Using the last strength left in his hands, he called his father.

Ring~ ring~

Unexpectedly, the call went through. Signals have always been a problem here. Maybe God doesn't want him dead yet, the call with least probability to get through actually did, but the line didn't connect.

Thinking his father is busy, he tried calling his father's secretary. Ring ~ ring~

As expected, the secretary answered the call on first ring. Not dilly-dallying anymore, he straight got to the point.

" Mr. Se...seo ah.. ha...., " trying to get a grip, he fought his inner self to get the strength, " Please pass the phone to my father. I need back-up here, " saying that he closed his eyes, tightly clutching onto the phone, his chest heaved up and down rhythmically, the pain from the bullet coursing through all his body, unable to distinguish the root of his pain.

It's a good thing that the bullet didn't hit any vital parts, so he won't die, but it hit his ribcage, making it hard for him to take long breaths, leaving him only with short quick breaths,which were becoming unbearably painful, forcing him to use more energy. It wouldn't have been this dire if he got some muscle in his body, been this thin and lean like him made things even worse.

While the young lad who is still in his puberty held onto his last lifeline, all his thoughts got collapsed by the unperturbed voice coming through the call.

It's his father. Though his father seemed indifferent in tone, he surely won't leave him to die right? or maybe he is wrong to think otherwise?

He could hear discussions between his father and his secretary in a light voice even though the phone is in speaker. He is indeed losing focus and all his senses getting started numb.

" Who told him to act out when I only told him to use his eyes and brain? He went against my orders and now wants me to clean up his mess? Tell him to get back here in one piece. If he is unable to get out alive from this small attack, how is he going to protect himself and the empire? If he couldn't come back alive, well his presence is not needed to reign my territory after me, " saying that, his father smashed the phone and line beeped too loud in Hyuk's ears.

Hearing the call getting disconnected, a scoff left the boy's mouth, soon blood began to ooze out of his mouth.

"Indeed it hurts getting hit at ribcage, " saying it out loud, he tried to console himself diverting the cause of his pain. His heart began to throb. Not because of the pain, but because of people who he thought as his family and ended up getting cold shoulder when he desperately clung to them and did everything as commanded. This ain't the first time. But it happened after many years. So for a second, he mistook everything as true.

Pain began to course all over him, his eyes into closing and opening motion, while vision began to blur out everything in front of him. He couldn't even find anymore energy to hold the phone. He just wanted to close his eyes and when he opened them, he wished all the painful memories were just a dream.

This is the reality. No matter how much he deny them, it's the shit he should face at the end of the day. He is just a pawn in many who will be disposed even for the slightest mistake. He understood at that time, that only he could save himself and only he could in future.

A 17 years old boy, who felt helpless, desperate and hope leaving him had a change of perspective towards this world and the people living in it that day. Getting turned away by the world to a corner, he understood the need to gain power.

No longer trying to cower in fear, he decided to face the situation at hand and prove his capabilities. He went to face death, not to die, but to overcome it.

...

City valor, at 4:15 A.M:

Woojin paced around the room, worrying about Hyuk. He wanted to join him, but the master ordered him to not go along. This is a test, to put Hyuk's theoretical study in application, and show himself worthy of his position as next leader after the master. So it's decided none to butt in this mission and incase if anyone did get in middle, then they couldn't get to see the daylight anymore.

Being a simple employee, Woojin could never disobey his master. Not to mention, he doesn't want to die this early in his life. So he only wished Hyuk to return back safe, without any harm.

Clang ~ someone in the backyard broke the window. Woojins eyes opened wide in shock, preparing himself to capture the trespasser. Running into the backyard through the front door, Woojin's eyes again bulged out as he took in Hyuk's form. He rushed forward and held the unconscious Hyuk in his lap, trying him to wake up from his knocked out state.

The gentle yet handsome face of Hyuk is now covered with blood, and his whole body trembled in cold and pain, which Woojin is uncertain, but sure to know it's not a view to behold. He knew it's not right to send a boy to such dangerous places and yet, their master disguised it as a test to prove his worthiness. How can someone be this ruthless to his own kin?

He couldn't decipher it. His brain began to panic as he took in Hyuks body. It's not just his face, his whole body oozed out blood, where maximum of it dried, indicating it's not his blood, while fresh blood still hung to his shirt, showing his wound.

Woojin lifted the hands with which he held Hyuk. His hands covered in blood came to his view. He couldn't understand what Hyuk gone through, but one thing is certain, it must have been painful seeing the boy who couldn't just sit in one place and turn the world upside down is now at the brink of death, not budging an inch.

"Bloody fuck. What the hell happened. Who did this?" The young secretary rambled on while trying to figure out the source of blood that now covered his whole torso.

"I need to pop out a bullet," Hyuk wheezed out and winced as the slight shift in his neck was setting off jolts of pain, which were becoming unbearable. One could see his determination to not pass out, while his eyes, lifeless clung onto Woojin. Maybe because he is afraid, the boy didn't utter any word asking for help and silently took in the pain.

Is it so hard to ask for a helping hand? Woojin could never know why Hyuk is so hesitant to borrow someone's hand, but seeing him present in this state surely means he defied death and seen much worse for him to behave like this.

A person could never change overnight. If he changed, then it only means he had gone through past his limits, resulting the now he is.

Woojin felt a pang of pain in his heart. He gently propped Hyuk against the wall and scrambled to get his phone. He quickly dialed and the doctor turned up within a couple of minutes.

Woojin observed as Hyuk slept. The bullet in his ribs was out and wounds were patched up. It was a relief the bullet didn't puncture his lungs. Since he always had a frail body, it takes him longer to get well compared with others. He'd be fine within a couple of weeks, but Woojin worried about his mental health.

He heard what went down between the father and son duo of the Wang family through his father. His father also works for the same family, which is coming from generations. He couldn't imagine thier master would say something like to his own son. He knew it must have grave effect on Hyuk. He also knew, Hyuk won't talk or say anything about this. A sigh left his lips.

Now, it's just a matter of time.