Chapter 2

Hyun-woo was totally in a bad mood and wanted to go out first. He grabbed his towel and walked into the bathroom of his condo unit. His hands were stained with blood again but he had no regret because a traitor deserved it! And if there were more like this within the organization, he would never hesitate to kill and punish anyone who would be caught defying his rules.

He soaped his body thoroughly and erased the three diamond tattoos on his left arm. After he showered, he left the bathroom and got dressed. He chose a blue polo shirt, paired with black denim pants. He put on his black jacket and hid his gun underneath. It was different from the gun he used earlier because this one was provided by the agency he was connected to.

Then he took the hyperreal mask he used to wear whenever he wanted to shift his personality. He had three different masks, imitating people's real faces. They came from Japan and he bought them for ¥98,000 each, which was exactly 96,400 when converted to Korean won.

The hyperreal mask he was wearing looked like a real one so nobody would suspect that it wasn't his real face. After everything was fixed, he left in his black Toyota Corolla. Seeking to alleviate his anger, he decided to visit DM Lounge in Gwangju.

When he reached the place, he immediately looked for an available table. The place was not yet crowded since it was still seven in the evening but there were already various customers who were coming in.

As soon as Hyun-woo was seated, he ordered two bottles of Casillero del Diablo, a renowned wine in South Korea. His eyes wandered around the room until someone caught his sight. The woman sat alone, consuming a bottle of tequila in one gulp. Due to the dim lighting, he could hardly recognize who it was yet a sense of familiarity washed over him.

When the bar light shifted and illuminated her location, he was able to recognize the woman from the Masquerade party who had forcefully knocked down Choi Minjung. He did not expect he would see her at this place, at this time. When the bar lights moved and cast their glow, the woman's face became even more distinct and recognizable.

The woman was indeed pretty much more when seeing up close. She had an angelic and innocent face that could captivate any mortal soul. He got even more interested in her because he didn't think that such a beautiful woman would be drinking alone in a bar.

"Annyeong oppa! (oppa refers to an older Korean guy) Can I join you?" another woman approached him with a flirty smile. Her dress was so daring, flaunting her full cleavage.

"I don't want to be with anyone. I want to be alone!" Hyun-woo snarled, showing the woman his frowning look.

The woman was quite intimidated by his rudeness, so she left in a hurry without any word.

His gaze landed again on the woman who drew his attention, but his brow furrowed when three men approached her table, trying to harass her. But to his surprise, the woman unleashed a powerful strike, causing the first man to collapse onto the floor. When the second man brandished a gun, she swiftly seized it without any second thought. Anticipating an attack from the third man, she deftly evaded his punch and retaliated with a swift kick to his stomach.

Hyun-woo was greatly impressed by the woman's remarkable fighting abilities, which only intensified his eagerness to meet her that evening. However, his attention quickly shifted when he noticed the third man rising to his feet, retrieving a concealed dagger from his jacket. Hyun-woo rushed over and seized the man, preventing him from harming the woman. With a powerful kick, the assailant stumbled once more. He delivered forceful punches to the other two companions, causing them to writhe in pain. The security guards arrived immediately, removing the three men from the bar premises.

"Hi, gwaenchanayo? (Are you okay)," Hyun-woo asked.

"Ne..komawoyo. (yes thank you)

"By the way, my name is Gwan Ji-hoo, from the Rifle Squad Team. Panggawoyo (nice meeting you)," he introduced himself and offered his hand.

"Park So-hee, imnida. Panggapseumnida. (I'm Park So-hee, nice to meet you)," she responded but immediately averted her gaze.

Their conversation was brief because Park So-hee left soon after. Hyun-woo was a little bit disappointed because the woman was distant and unresponsive, as she did not even accept his handshake. However, he had to control his emotions, as he was shifting into another identity.

As he continued to pour wine into his glass, he couldn't help but think of Park So-hee's impressive fighting skills earlier. He realized he badly needed her in the organization for a particular mission.

When his anger subsided, he decided to go back to his condo but the thoughts of Park So-hee kept lingering in his mind. He could not understand why he suddenly got interested in her and for the first time, he admired a woman not only for having a great fighting skill but also for possessing an irresistible beauty and charm.

As soon as Hyun-woo was already at his condo, he immediately removed the hyperreal mask and put on again the temporary tattoo on his left arm. He had to go back to his villa or else, his men would become suspicious of him and find out his secret. His transition between different personalities should be kept confidential until he would be able to carry out his mission.

After putting on his Venetian mask, he set off to his villa situated in Mokpo. Typically, the trip from Gwangju to his villa would take around thirty minutes, but by driving at a high speed, he managed to reach his destination in just twenty minutes.

His car entered the wide gate of his luxurious abode. It has a two-story building with a wide ground and in front of the building, there was a large swimming pool. There was also a secret tunnel leading to his safe house which was just a walking distance from the villa. It was a place where his men gathered together to discuss operations or any other activities related to the organization.

The villa was surrounded by bodyguards while the safe house was guarded by 500 men. With him inside the house were his three most trusted men Hwangbu, Dong Hyun, and Gunwoo. They had served him for a long time, but still, his real identity remained unknown to them.

"Annyeonghaseyo hyungnim," his men greeted him, showing a 15-degree bow. He just nodded at them and continued his way inside, while his men followed him two steps behind.

Hyun-woo entered his room, while his three men were stationed outside. Each of them had a particular schedule for resting, as it was important to ensure that he was never left unattended.

******

It was the day of the competition and Hyunwoo woke up to the sound of his alarm. He looked at his watch and it was already nine in the morning. He immediately called one of his men and told him to get inside.

He was standing, facing the window when Hwangbu entered. He was not yet wearing a mask, because he removed it when he slept, so he couldn't yet face any of them.

"Annyeonghaseyo hyungnim!" Hwangbu greeted and bowed to him.

"What's the update? Is everyone who will participate in the competition, already on the ground?" he asked.

"Ne, hyungnim."

"Oh okay, I'll be down in fifteen minutes. I hope this time I can choose someone to be with us. Alright, wait for me outside."

"Yes boss," Hwangbu answered, and left the room.

Hyun-woo dressed in a fitted black t-shirt, paired with black jeans and loafer shoes. He also wore his black leather jacket where he tucked his M1911 gun and his metal hand. He kept them in possession at all times. Even though he was just inside the villa, these were still attached to his body, just in case someone would betray him. He also put his cellphone in his jacket pocket. A dagger knife was placed under his pants, in case he ran out of ammunition. The last thing he wore was his full-face Venetian mask. This particular item held an immense significance for him, as it was being used to conceal his face. The revelation of his identity would only expose the haunting secrets from his past, potentially leading to his demise. He would never allow this to happen not until he could exact vengeance for the tragic loss of his family.

He left the room and went down to the first floor. As he instructed, his men waited for him. They went to the safe house where the competition would be held. His men were already on the ground because he ordered all of them to witness the said competition. When everyone saw him coming, they immediately cleared the area to let him pass at the center while bowing their heads in great respect. His three men followed him and were also given the utmost respect.

Until they reached the middle where four chairs were lined up. The seat at the center was intended for him, on his right side was for Hwangbu, while the seats on his left were intended for Dong Hyun and Gunwoo.

When everyone was already settled in, Hyun-woo stood up and began to speak. "Those who will compete in the competition, fall in one line in three counts..."

Hana.. (one)

Dul... (two)

Set… (three)

"You know why you are here. This is not merely a game, rather, it is a deadly competition. Take each other's lives, with your bare hands. No weapon is allowed. Anyone caught cheating will be killed, and the one who will be left standing will work with me, and will be called the "Star of the Diamond Kkangpae". Aside from that, she will sleep with me for one night."

He understood the true motivations of these women who sought to compete. Their primary objective was not to join the ranks of the Diamond Kkhangpae, but rather to have the opportunity to share with him in bed. 

Every woman within the organization aspired to catch his attention, but it was no simple feat. He possessed discerning tastes when it came to selecting partners and did not easily commit. From what he could recall, he had engaged in sexual relations with only three women throughout his entire 33 years of existence. These encounters were devoid of emotional attachment, purely driven by physical desire. Once he had satisfied his desires with a woman, he felt no inclination to engage in further intimate encounters with her.

He looked one by one at the women who were ready to fight just to sleep with him in bed. They were all stunningly beautiful and captivating, making it difficult to fathom that they possessed the ability to engage in combat.

With everyone in their designated positions, Hyun-woo rose to his feet and addressed the group. "The first contestant will face off against the third, the second against the fourth, the third against the fifth, and so forth."

"Moduga junbidoemyeon, Sijak!! (Start when everyone is ready)," he commanded.