Rain fell heavily over Seoul.

The city lights reflected across the wet streets like broken diamonds.

At the top floor of a luxurious skyscraper overlooking the Han River stood a man who controlled nearly half of South Korea's underground economy.

His name was Kang Tae-hyun.

Most people called him Kang Tang.

At thirty-two years old, he had achieved what many considered impossible.

Money.

Power.

Fear.

Respect.

Every criminal organization in Seoul knew his name.

Every politician feared his influence.

Every businessman wanted his protection.

Yet none of those things mattered tonight.

Because he had been betrayed.

Kang Tang slowly looked around the conference room.

Three men stood before him.

Men he once trusted with his life.

Lee Do-jin.

Han Ji-hoon.

Park Sung-min.

His closest friends.

His brothers.

The people who helped him build the Black Dragon Mafia from nothing.

Now each pointed a gun directly at him.

The irony almost made him laugh.

"You look surprised," Lee Do-jin said.

Kang Tang stared silently.

Surprised?

No.

Disappointed.

Very disappointed.

"I trusted you."

His calm voice echoed through the room.

Han Ji-hoon smirked.

"That's why you lost."

Rain crashed against the giant glass windows.

For several seconds nobody moved.

Finally Kang Tang sighed.

"How much?"

The three men exchanged glances.

"What?"

"How much money did they offer you?"

Lee Do-jin laughed.

"You still don't understand."

Kang Tang narrowed his eyes.

"It was never about money."

The answer shocked him.

Not money?

Then why?

For ten years they had fought together.

Suffered together.

Built everything together.

So why betray him?

Lee Do-jin stepped forward.

"Because nobody wanted to live under your shadow forever."

The words hit harder than any bullet.

Jealousy.

Simple jealousy.

Human beings had started wars for less.

Kang Tang smiled bitterly.

"So that's all?"

Han Ji-hoon nodded.

"You became too powerful."

"You became a king."

"And kings eventually die."

Silence filled the room.

Kang Tang slowly walked toward the giant window.

Below him, Seoul glittered beneath the storm.

The city he conquered.

The city that would soon forget him.

Strangely, he felt calm.

Perhaps because he already knew there was no escape.

Three guns.

No allies.

No way out.

The game was over.

"Do it."

Lee Do-jin blinked.

"What?"

"Shoot me."

For the first time, uncertainty appeared on their faces.

Kang Tang turned around.

His expression was cold.

Fearless.

Terrifying.

"If you're going to betray me, at least have the courage to finish it."

Han Ji-hoon pulled the trigger.

BANG!

Pain exploded through Kang Tang's chest.

Another shot followed.

Then another.

The world turned red.

His body collapsed onto the floor.

Blood spread beneath him.

The rain outside grew louder.

His vision blurred.

Yet even as death approached, one thought remained.

Regret.

Not for losing power.

Not for losing money.

Not even for dying.

He regretted never protecting the people he loved.

Especially one person.

Yoon Seo-ah.

The woman who waited for him.

The woman he pushed away because he believed power mattered more than love.

A tear rolled down his cheek.

For the first time in years, Kang Tang felt human again.

"If I had another chance..."

Darkness swallowed everything.

Then something impossible happened.

A voice echoed through the void.

A woman's voice.

Soft.

Distant.

"Kang Tae-hyun..."

His eyes suddenly opened.

Bright sunlight hit his face.

Birds chirped outside.

The smell of instant noodles filled the room.

Confused, he sat upright.

This wasn't his penthouse.

This wasn't the skyscraper.

This wasn't even his apartment.

It was a tiny one-room studio.

The room he lived in when he was twenty-two years old.

His breathing stopped.

Slowly he looked at the calendar hanging on the wall.

March 14, 2016.

Ten years earlier.

Kang Tang froze.

Then his eyes widened.

His heart thundered violently.

"No way..."

The impossible had happened.

The dead king of Seoul had returned.

And this time...

He remembered everything.

The betrayals.

The enemies.

The future.

The woman he lost.

A cold smile appeared on his face.

Outside, Seoul continued its normal morning.

People rushed to work.

Students walked to school.

Nobody knew what had just happened.

Nobody knew a future mafia king had been reborn.

Nobody knew the balance of power was about to change forever.

Kang Tang stood before the mirror.

His younger face stared back.

Young.

Alive.

Dangerous.

He clenched his fist.

"Ten years."

"I have ten years to change everything."

The smile on his face slowly grew darker.

Lee Do-jin.

Han Ji-hoon.

Everyone who betrayed him.

This time would be different.

This time he would build an empire no one could destroy.

And this time...

He would never lose Seo-ah.

The second life of Kang Tang had begun.

End of Chapter 1.

The morning sunlight poured through the cracked window of the tiny apartment.

Kang Tae-hyun stood motionless in front of the mirror.

Everything still felt unreal.

Ten years.

He had gone back ten years.

His younger face stared back at him. No scars. No expensive suit. No signs of the countless battles that had shaped the future King of Seoul.

Just an ordinary twenty-two-year-old man.

A poor university dropout with less than fifty thousand won in his bank account.

The irony was almost amusing.

In his previous life, he controlled billions of won.

Now he was practically broke.

Kang Tang looked around the room.

The old mattress.

The cheap desk.

The small refrigerator.

He remembered this place.

He had lived here while struggling to survive after his father's death.

Back then, every day had been a fight.

Every meal had been uncertain.

Every opportunity had seemed impossible.

But now things were different.

Because he knew the future.

A slow smile appeared on his face.

"I know where every piece on the board will move."

He walked toward his desk and opened an old notebook.

Inside were unfinished business ideas.

Dreams.

Plans.

Ambitions.

All abandoned because he lacked money and influence.

This time he would not fail.

This time he would build his empire much faster.

A lot faster.

His phone suddenly vibrated.

The screen displayed a familiar name.

Lee Do-jin.

For a moment, Kang Tang froze.

The traitor.

The man who had shot him in the heart.

His fingers tightened around the phone.

Rage rose inside him.

The memory of gunshots echoed through his mind.

Yet he quickly forced himself to calm down.

No.

Killing Lee Do-jin now would be stupid.

The future version of Lee Do-jin had betrayed him.

The young man calling him now had not done it yet.

Not yet.

Kang Tang answered.

"Hello."

"Tae-hyun! Where are you?"

Do-jin sounded cheerful.

Exactly as he remembered.

Friendly.

Loyal.

Trustworthy.

A perfect mask.

"I'm home."

"Come meet us. Ji-hoon is here too."

The second name made Kang Tang's eyes darken.

Han Ji-hoon.

Another future betrayer.

Fate truly enjoyed its jokes.

"We're at our usual place."

"I'll be there."

The call ended.

Kang Tang grabbed his jacket.

A cold expression appeared on his face.

Time to meet the ghosts of the future.

---

One hour later.

A small restaurant near Hongdae.

The smell of grilled meat filled the air.

Young students laughed at nearby tables.

Life seemed peaceful.

Normal.

Kang Tang entered quietly.

At the corner table sat two familiar faces.

Lee Do-jin.

Han Ji-hoon.

Ten years younger.

Ten years more innocent.

At least on the surface.

"Tae-hyun!"

Do-jin waved enthusiastically.

"You're late."

Kang Tang sat down.

Han Ji-hoon smirked.

"You look terrible."

"I didn't sleep much."

Not technically a lie.

Coming back from the dead tended to disrupt sleep schedules.

Humans complained about alarm clocks.

Try dying first.

The conversation continued casually.

Do-jin talked about work.

Ji-hoon complained about money.

Everything appeared normal.

Yet Kang Tang noticed details he had missed in his first life.

The greed in Ji-hoon's eyes.

The jealousy hidden beneath Do-jin's smile.

Small cracks.

Tiny flaws.

Seeds that would eventually grow into betrayal.

He finally understood.

Their betrayal hadn't happened overnight.

It had been growing for years.

Slowly.

Silently.

Like poison.

"What's wrong?"

Do-jin looked at him curiously.

"You've been quiet."

Kang Tang smiled.

"Just thinking."

"About what?"

"The future."

Both men laughed.

If only they knew.

---

That afternoon, Kang Tang visited a place he had not seen for years.

A small bookstore.

His heart began beating faster.

Because he knew exactly who would be there.

The door opened.

A bell chimed softly.

Rows of books stretched across the room.

And near the back shelf stood a young woman.

Long black hair.

Elegant posture.

Bright eyes.

Yoon Seo-ah.

The woman he had loved.

The woman he had lost.

For a moment, the world became silent.

In his previous life, they had met months later.

This time he found her immediately.

Seo-ah was reading a law textbook.

She looked serious.

Focused.

Beautiful.

Kang Tang simply watched.

A strange feeling filled his chest.

Relief.

She was alive.

Safe.

Smiling.

The painful memories of the future flashed before him.

The tears.

The arguments.

The distance he had created between them.

His pursuit of power had destroyed everything.

Not this time.

Never again.

As if sensing his gaze, Seo-ah looked up.

Their eyes met.

For a second neither moved.

Then she frowned slightly.

"Do I know you?"

Kang Tang almost laughed.

In his previous life she had asked exactly the same question.

Some things never changed.

"No."

"Then why are you staring?"

Direct.

Confident.

Very Seo-ah.

He smiled.

"Because I think we're going to become important to each other."

The moment the words left his mouth, he realized how strange they sounded.

Seo-ah blinked.

Then narrowed her eyes.

"That's either very romantic or very creepy."

For the first time in days, Kang Tang laughed.

A real laugh.

Not the cold laughter of a mafia king.

Not the fake laughter of a businessman.

A genuine one.

Seo-ah looked surprised.

Then, despite herself, she smiled.

The future shifted slightly.

A tiny change.

A small butterfly effect.

But Kang Tang knew it was only the beginning.

---

That evening, Kang Tang climbed to the rooftop of his apartment building.

The city lights stretched endlessly before him.

Seoul.

His future kingdom.

His future battlefield.

He remembered every major event that would happen over the next decade.

Business crashes.

Gang wars.

Political scandals.

Secret alliances.

Every opportunity.

Every threat.

Every enemy.

He would use them all.

A cold wind blew across the rooftop.

Kang Tang stared at the city below.

"This time..."

His voice was quiet.

"This time I won't become a pawn."

The weak young man of the past was gone.

The ruthless king of the future had returned.

But this time he would move carefully.

One step at a time.

One victory at a time.

One enemy at a time.

Far away, dark clouds gathered above Seoul.

A storm was coming.

And Kang Tang intended to stand at its center.

Even if the entire city had to burn.

End of Chapter 2

The next morning, Kang Tae-hyun woke before sunrise.

The city outside remained asleep.

Most people were dreaming.

Kang Tang was planning a war.

He sat at his desk, staring at a notebook filled with names.

Hundreds of names.

Gang leaders.

Businessmen.

Politicians.

Corrupt police officers.

Every important person he had encountered during his previous life.

In the future, these people would shape Seoul's criminal world.

Some would become allies.

Some would become enemies.

Some would die.

And some would regret ever crossing paths with Kang Tae-hyun.

He slowly wrote one particular name.

Kim Eun-woo.

A loyal friend.

One of the very few people who never betrayed him.

In his previous life, Eun-woo had saved his life countless times.

Unfortunately, Kang Tang remembered exactly where Eun-woo was right now.

Working part-time jobs.

Drowning in debt.

Living a miserable life.

The future right-hand man of the Black Dragon Mafia was currently carrying food deliveries on an old motorcycle.

Life truly had a strange sense of humor.

Kang Tang closed the notebook.

"First, I need money."

No empire could be built without money.

Power required resources.

Resources required capital.

Fortunately, he knew exactly where to find it.

---

Three hours later.

A crowded internet café in Seoul.

The room buzzed with noise.

Students played games.

Office workers browsed the internet.

Nobody paid attention to the young man sitting quietly in the corner.

Kang Tang stared at a financial website.

Numbers filled the screen.

Stock prices.

Investment reports.

Company announcements.

Most people saw random data.

Kang Tang saw the future.

He remembered several major stock surges that would happen over the next few months.

In his previous life, he had watched wealthy investors make fortunes.

This time he intended to join them.

He invested every won he possessed.

It wasn't much.

But it was enough to begin.

As he clicked the final button, a strange feeling appeared inside him.

Excitement.

The future had officially changed.

No longer was he merely surviving.

Now he was moving.

The first domino had fallen.

---

That evening.

A narrow street near the Han River.

Kim Eun-woo sat beside his motorcycle.

His face was bruised.

His clothes were dirty.

Three men stood around him.

Loan sharks.

Their leader kicked him in the stomach.

"Still can't pay?"

Eun-woo gritted his teeth.

"I need more time."

The leader laughed.

"We already gave you time."

Another kick landed.

Eun-woo collapsed.

Pain shot through his body.

Yet he refused to beg.

That stubbornness was exactly why Kang Tang respected him.

The loan shark raised his fist again.

Then a voice interrupted.

"Three against one."

Everyone turned.

A young man stood beneath a streetlight.

Hands in pockets.

Expression calm.

Dangerously calm.

The leader frowned.

"Who are you?"

Kang Tang smiled.

"Someone who dislikes unfair games."

The loan sharks laughed.

One stepped forward.

"You want to be a hero?"

"No."

Kang Tang's smile widened.

"I want to test something."

The thug blinked.

"What?"

Kang Tang's fist slammed into his jaw.

CRACK!

The man crashed onto the pavement.

The other two froze.

Even Eun-woo stared in surprise.

The future mafia king moved forward.

Fast.

Precise.

Brutal.

Ten years of fighting experience remained inside his mind.

His body was younger.

Slower.

But his instincts were still deadly.

Another thug charged.

Kang Tang dodged.

Elbow.

Punch.

Kick.

The man dropped instantly.

The leader attempted to run.

Bad decision.

Kang Tang grabbed his collar and slammed him against a wall.

Fear appeared in the man's eyes.

"Who are you?"

Kang Tang leaned closer.

His voice became ice cold.

"Remember my face."

The man trembled.

Because for a brief moment, he felt something terrifying.

The presence of a predator.

A future king.

Kang Tang released him.

"Get lost."

The three loan sharks ran.

Within seconds they disappeared.

Silence returned.

Kim Eun-woo slowly stood.

"Thank you."

Kang Tang looked at him.

Loyal eyes.

Strong spirit.

Unbreakable character.

Exactly as he remembered.

"No problem."

Eun-woo scratched his head.

"You seem familiar."

Kang Tang nearly laughed.

Apparently everyone in this timeline thought that.

"We've never met."

"Really?"

"Really."

Eun-woo nodded.

Then extended his hand.

"I'm Kim Eun-woo."

Kang Tang shook it.

The moment their hands met, history changed.

Because this simple handshake would eventually create one of the most feared partnerships in South Korean criminal history.

"Kang Tae-hyun."

"Nice to meet you."

"The same."

For the first time since returning to the past, Kang Tang felt genuinely hopeful.

One loyal ally had returned.

Many more would follow.

---

Late that night.

A black luxury sedan stopped outside an expensive hotel.

Inside sat Chairman Jang Min-seok.

The undisputed ruler of Seoul's underworld.

At least for now.

A bodyguard approached the vehicle.

"Chairman."

"What is it?"

"We received interesting information."

Jang looked up.

The bodyguard hesitated.

"A young man fought three loan sharks alone."

The chairman laughed.

"That's your interesting information?"

"No, sir."

The bodyguard handed him a photograph.

Jang examined it.

The image showed Kang Tae-hyun walking beneath a streetlight.

Alone.

Calm.

Dangerous.

Something about the young man's eyes caught his attention.

Those eyes did not belong to an ordinary person.

They belonged to someone who had already seen blood.

Someone who understood power.

Someone who possessed ambition.

The chairman studied the picture for several moments.

Then smiled.

An unusual smile.

"A dragon hiding among ordinary people."

The bodyguard looked confused.

"Sir?"

"Keep watching him."

The chairman placed the photograph inside his jacket.

"I want to know everything about Kang Tae-hyun."

Outside the window, Seoul sparkled beneath the night sky.

Neither man realized what was coming.

The city was changing.

A storm was rising.

And at its center stood a young man who had already died once.

This time Kang Tang intended to take everything.

Power.

Money.

Revenge.

And perhaps...

The love he lost.

End of Chapter 3