Chapter 1

"Annyeonghaseyo hyungnim! (hyungnim refers to a boss, or a leader in a gang.)The Masquerade Party will be held at eight in the evening at Itaewon Room 135," one of the boss' men reported.

"Alright, great! Prepare yourselves, we'll be heading to Itaewon very soon. I personally want to capture Choi Minjung and make that despicable asshole pay for betraying the 'Diamond Kkangpae!" Hyun-woo exclaimed angrily.

His three loyal men, Hwangbu, Dong Hyun, and Gunwoo, accompanied him in the black van. These three individuals had served him faithfully for a long time and were his most trusted men.

The four of them looked like quadruplets because they dressed in identical suits and wore the same Venetial Full Masks. Their physical appearances were also similar, making it impossible for anyone to identify the true mafia boss. The only distinguishing feature was the number of diamond tattoos on their left arms. The boss had three, while his men had two. However, since the boss never revealed his face, none of them knew his true identity.

After a few minutes, they arrived in Itaewon.

"Stay vigilant! If you spot anyone suspicious, pursue them immediately! Understood?" Hyun-woo commanded.

"Yes, boss!" the men replied in unison, bowing their heads in respect. Then they headed to where the Masquerade Party was taking place.

On the other hand, when Hyun-woo made his way towards the elevator, a certain woman, wearing a red maxi dress, caught his attention. He couldn't see her face for she was wearing a mask, so he thought she would also attend the Masquerade Party. Out of curiosity, he wanted to get a closer look at her but the woman had vanished from his sight before he could reach the elevator.

Upon entering the hall, he immediately looked around to ensure his men were already in their designated positions.

After some time, Hyun-woo noticed a man wearing a masquerade mask and a leather jacket, engaged in a conversation with a group of people. However, as soon as the man spotted him, he quickly stood up and swiftly departed from the party venue. Hyun-woo immediately pressed the in-ear monitor and ordered his men to chase the possible target.

"You go on different ways and I'll go straight," Hyun-woo directed his men, as he hastened to trail the man who had just left. The man began to run upon realizing he was being chased, but Hyun-woo was determined to catch him at all costs. He noticed the man entering a ladies' restroom, but he was surprised when the man went out, holding a woman as his hostage. With the dress she was wearing and the mask she was holding in her hand, Hyun-woo was certain she was the woman he had seen earlier.

"Stop following me or I'll kill this woman!" the man spoke violently while pointing a gun at the woman's head.

"Choi Minjung, kesekki! (You're a son of a bitch). It seems you don't know me, you fucking asshole! I don't care even if you kill that woman! All I want is to kill you!" Hyun-woo shouted as he raised his gun.

The next thing happened so fast and the woman suddenly made a quick movement, disarming Choi Minjung and swiftly flipping him onto the cold tiles.

Minjung writhed in pain as he collapsed to the ground. Hyun-woo approached and removed his mask. "Shibal Shikya! (son of a bitch) You think you can escape me Choi Minjung?"

Shortly after, Hyun-woo's men arrived and he immediately instructed them to bring the traitor to the villa. However, he suddenly remembered the woman who had swiftly incapacitated Minjung. He looked at the area thoroughly, but she had vanished without a trace. He went back to the hall, hoping the woman was still there but she was totally gone out of sight.

He took a deep sigh as he quickly left the hall. He had to go back to the safe house to inflict punishment on the traitor Choi Minjung. When he was inside the van, he asked if his men had noticed a woman wearing a red maxi dress. 

"Well, I want you to find her as soon as possible. That woman was held hostage by Choi Minjung earlier, but in just a matter of seconds, she effortlessly threw him to the ground. I was impressed by her fighting skills, so I think I need her for a special mission. Check her background. Is that clear?"

"Ne, hyungnim. (yes boss) Hyun-woo's men responded in unison.

"Alright, let's return to the safe house. I couldn't wait any longer to unleash punches on that treacherous scum in our organization!" he declared, seething with anger.

After a short while, they arrived at the villa. Hyun-woo's men immediately took Choi Minjung and brought him to the spacious grounds of the safe house.

"Bring that traitor to me!"  Hyun-woo shouted angrily as he placed a metal hand.

"Boss, please have mercy on me! Joesonghamnida! (I'm sorry)," Choi Minjung begged.

"How many times did I tell you, I hate traitors! For me, there is no room for mistakes, as I will never grant second chances!" Hyun-woo screamed, unleashing a barrage of stomps, kicks, and punches upon the man. He continued relentlessly, repeating the brutal assault until blood streamed from Choi Minjung's nose and mouth.

"That's enough boss! Joesonghamnida!" Choi Minjung's voice cracked.

"Now, tell me the truth. Why did you betray the organization? How much did the Black Eagle pay you to spy on the 'Diamond Kkhangpae?" Hyun-woo seethed with anger. 

"Because of you, our gun operation last week failed miserably! The Black Eagle ambushed my men and stole all the valuable firearms. Do you have any idea how much we lost?" His eyes were burning with rage as he relentlessly delivered painful blows to the man lying on the ground.

"Now, you can rot in hell! Just say hello to Satan, because a traitor like you has no place in this world!" he shouted, raising his gun and pulling the trigger without hesitation.

Three consecutive shots pierced the air. Choi Minjung fell lifeless to the ground.

"Clean up this mess within five minutes!" Hyun-woo ordered with an overpowering voice. His men quickly carried out his command, moving with lightning speed. 

Afterwards, he strode into his elegant mansion without even glancing back.

He was Lee Hyun-woo, known as Baek Chang Seol, the ruthless mafia boss of the "Diamond Kkhangpae." No one had seen his face, so only the three-diamond tattoo on his left arm was his distinguishing feature. No one dared to defy him, or else suffer the most painful and cruel punishment he was capable of doing.

*****

A beautiful woman was on her way home from the Masquerade Party. She lost the desire to return to the hall after the unsettling incident that happened earlier in the ladies restroom. Her sole purpose for attending the party was to gather information about the people responsible for her father's death seven years ago. Besides, she wanted to find her long-lost mother although she was uncertain if her mother was still alive or was already six feet below the ground like her father. She vowed to never stop searching for the people behind her misery until she would be able to venture her revenge.

Thoughts of what happened earlier flashed back in her mind. She was only attending to her necessities at that time when a man wearing a mask suddenly seized her, brandishing a gun. She was shocked and unable to move as she was forcibly dragged out by the man, taking a strong grip on her neck. Just as she believed all hope was lost, another masked man appeared. She considered the second man heartless, as he told her hostage-taker that he didn't care even if the man would kill her. If she lacked self-defense skills, something bad might have happened to her.

But no! She could not allow herself to die now, not until she would carry out her mission. She had endured seven years of rigorous training for this very purpose. Countless hardships had befallen her since the heartless men took her father's life and captured her mother. So she had to fulfill her ultimate desire to seek revenge no matter what the cost.

Upon arriving at her condominium, she took a glimpse of her reflection in the large mirror as she moved closer, looking at her transformed appearance. She was undeniably beautiful before, but she found herself even more captivating now. Her hazel eyes added a striking attraction to her features, accentuated by long, fluttering eyelashes and a petite, pointed nose. Her V-shaped face and luscious, rosy lips completed the picture of her enhanced beauty.

Glancing at her watch, she realized it was too early for her to sleep. A sudden wave of boredom washed over her, prompting the idea of heading out to a bar. For her to be more comfortable, she changed into a simple blouse and a pair of blue jeans. Then she put a knife beneath the lapel of her jacket and tucked her gun into the waistband of her pants to ensure that she had something to use in case of emergency.

Riding in her car, she made her way towards the bar she used to hang out. It was a renowned bar throughout Seoul that attracted influential and powerful individuals from all corners of the country. It was here that she sought to gather vital information about her mission.

Her name was Jeong Hyeo-ri, known as Park So-hee, an undercover agent with exceptional martial arts skills, working in the Private Investigative Unit in Yongsan-gu, Seoul, South Korea. To the outside world, she appeared strong and resilient, but deep within, she carried the weight of a shattered soul.