Fog hung over the streets of Seoul, heavy with its own mist, as neon lights of the city weakly flickered against the creeping darkness. In the underbelly of the city, where law and order were nothing more than faint whispers, there was an empire built on fear and blood-the Red Hand.

Years of existence have passed, all in silence by the infamous mafia. Corruption amongst all aspects of the city, bribed politicians, and on the take policemen. There were hundreds of cold-blooded mercenaries to complete their task without any reservations. No man would risk crossing Kim Jae-hyun-the Red Hand boss, cold blood making them both respectful and terrifying.

In the darkness of the night, there was movement in the alley. This figure was as dark as the shadows, moving soundlessly. Y/N was a tenacious investigative journalist who had been working on the case for months gathering evidence, creeping closer and closer to revealing the truth about the Red Hand. She wasn't afraid of it; she had seen it all before, but tonight was different. Tonight was when she received the message that could bring it all down.

"Meet me at the old warehouse on Kimsan Street. Midnight. The Red Hand's meeting will take place there."

No name. No sign-off. Just a promise of truth.

But Y/N knew better than to blindly trust anyone. The message may have been a trap. It may have been a lie. Yet something inside of her said it was real. This was her chance to bring down the Red Hand for good. With Kang Mo-yeon, her best friend and an ace doctor, silently backing her up with information, Y/N had made up her mind. She would go, no matter the danger.

The warehouse stood there like a shadowed monster, forgotten by most and unknown to all but the few who knew its sinister purpose. Y/N approached it, her heart pounding in her chest and screaming that something was wrong. She paused at the entrance, her eyes scanning the darkness.

Suddenly, the screech of a door opening echoed down the alley. Y/N tensed, instinctively pulling her coat tighter around her frame. From the darkness, a group of masked men appeared-Red Hand members. Her breath caught in her throat. She had been set up.

Before she could say a word, the men had closed in, their hands reaching for her, their faces cold with menace. Panic began to rise in her chest, but she fought it down. She couldn't afford to lose control-not now.

Just as she convinced herself of her fate, the unmistakable thud of footsteps cut behind her. It did not feel like the sounds thugs typically made. But these felt different-precise, calculated, and extremely powerful. Figures in black suits stepped from the shadows. The people moved with militaristic precision.

With a swift, synchronized attack, the members of Red Hands were knocked to the ground. Their bodies thudded and slumped together in a heap of lifelessness. Y/N's heart ran and her breath caught as she turned to face her rescuers.

Before her, unperturbed by the carnage, were seven men. Their faces were cool, but something was steely in the eyes, something dangerous.

"We're here to help," the man in front said, his voice calm but commanding.

Y/N's eyes narrowed, taking them all in. They were not ordinary men. There was an air about them, a sense of authority and precision. And then it hit her-their presence was too calculated, too methodical to be coincidence.

"Who are you?" she demanded, her voice steady despite the adrenaline pumping through her veins.

He was the tall one, composed and serene, standing up to speak for his group. "We're not who you think we are," he said, mysteriously. "But if you want to get out of here alive, you're going to have to trust us.".

Y/N's eyes flicked over to each of them: the silent hacker, the hand-to-hand combat expert, the con artist, the forger, and the others. They were more than just mercenaries-they were something more. Something bigger. But as the fog grew thicker around them, one thing became clear: The Red Hand wasn't the only threat lurking in the shadows.

"We're undercover agents, working to take down the Red Hand from the inside," the leader continued, his eyes meeting hers with an intensity that sent a chill down her spine. "And now, you're involved."

The words hung in the air heavy with implications. Y/N's head was racing, and despite being unsure of what she just stepped into, something was telling her she had stepped into a war far bigger than anything she had prepared herself for.

The blood bath has begun.

---