Questism : The Quest For Eternity

The hospital was eerily quiet, save for the occasional shuffle of nurses and the faint beeping of machines keeping Jae-hwan and Seung-min alive. The emergency room staff worked tirelessly, their faces pale and drawn after hours of treating the broken bodies of two of North Gangbuk's most feared enforcers. Even the most seasoned doctors, used to dealing with the aftermath of gang fights, struggled to process the sheer brutality of the injuries.

Jae-hwan lay unconscious, his chest heavily bandaged. His ribs had been shattered so completely that fragments had punctured his lungs, forcing the doctors to perform emergency surgery. His right shoulder was dislocated beyond repair, requiring reconstructive procedures that would leave him permanently weakened.

Seung-min, his loyal enforcer, was in no better shape. His left ankle was twisted at an unnatural angle, the tendons completely torn. The surgeons had debated whether to attempt saving the joint or amputate altogether. His body was covered in deep bruises and lacerations, evidence of the systematic beating Yun Jo had delivered.

The nurses whispered to one another as they passed the two rooms.

"Did you see his chest? It looked like his ribs exploded…"

"They said he begged for mercy. Jae-hwan, of all people."

"And that other guy, Seung-min? He was crying in the ambulance. Crying."

"Who could do something like that?"

"One man. Yun Jo."

The whispers spread beyond the hospital, circulating through the streets and alleyways of Gangnam like wildfire. Jae-hwan and Seung-min weren't just feared—they were symbols of power, figures who had once been untouchable. And now, they were in pieces, their reputations shattered along with their bodies. The fear was palpable, settling over the district like an oppressive fog.

---

Gangnam North High – Rooftop

Yun Jo stood on the rooftop of Gangnam North High, overlooking the city as the faint glow of neon lights illuminated the distant streets. The cold night air brushed against his face, but he didn't flinch. His sharp eyes scanned the horizon, his mind quiet yet calculating.

The fight with Jae-hwan and Seung-min had served its purpose. It wasn't about the thrill of battle or proving his strength—it was about sending a message. And the message had been received loud and clear. He could feel it in the way the students avoided his gaze, the way the whispers trailed off whenever he walked by. But Yun Jo knew better than to let his reputation blind him to the truth.

He wasn't ready.

The system chimed softly in his mind, cutting through the silence.

**[Side Quest Triggered: Hunt North Gangbuk Area.]**

**[Reward : ???]**

Yun Jo's lips curled into a faint smirk. He didn't need the system to tell him what needed to be done. Sechan Kang and his second-in-command, Daniel, weren't like Jae-hwan and Seung-min. They were smarter, stronger, and more dangerous. Confronting them now would be suicide. But Yun Jo wasn't planning to confront them. Not yet.

He crushed his cigarette beneath his heel and turned, his footsteps echoing faintly against the rooftop as he descended into the shadows.

---

North Gangbuk's Stronghold – Sechan and Daniel

Sechan Kang sat at the head of the long table in North Gangbuk's stronghold, his sharp eyes locked on the map spread before him. Around him were the district's top fighters and strategists, their usual bravado replaced with tense silence. Reports of Jae-hwan and Seung-min's defeat had reached them hours ago, and the weight of the news was suffocating.

Sechan's expression was calm, calculated, but there was a cold edge to his gaze that made the room uneasy. He wasn't the kind of leader to explode in anger or make rash decisions. His strength came from his discipline, his ability to think several steps ahead. It was what had kept North Gangbuk at the top for so long.

Across the table sat Daniel, his closest friend and second-in-command. Where Sechan was calm and composed, Daniel was fiery—a man who thrived on action. His jaw was clenched as he tapped his fingers against the table, his frustration barely contained.

"They're in the hospital," Daniel said finally, breaking the silence. His voice was low, but there was an unmistakable anger simmering beneath his words. "Jae-hwan and Seung-min. Both of them."

Sechan nodded slowly but didn't look up. "How bad?" he asked, his tone measured.

Daniel's jaw tightened as he flipped through the report in front of him. "Bad enough that they might never fight again. Jae-hwan's ribs are shattered, his shoulder's gone. Seung-min's ankle is… well, they're trying to save it, but it doesn't look good."

A murmur rippled through the room. For fighters like Jae-hwan and Seung-min, their bodies were everything. Losing their ability to fight wasn't just a physical blow—it was the destruction of their identities.

"This wasn't just a fight," Daniel continued, his voice growing darker. "This was a message."

Sechan finally looked up, his sharp eyes meeting Daniel's. "And the message is clear," he said. "Yun Jo isn't like the others. He's not here to challenge us. He's here to dismantle us."

One of the younger lieutenants, Min-jae, spoke up hesitantly. "So… what do we do? Do we go after him?"

Sechan's gaze swept over the room, silencing the murmurs. "No," he said firmly. "Not yet. That's exactly what he wants. Yun Jo is smart. He's trying to bait us into making the first move. If we rush in without a plan, we're giving him exactly what he wants."

Daniel frowned but didn't argue. He trusted Sechan's judgment, even if waiting didn't sit well with him. "So what's the plan?" he asked.

Sechan leaned back in his chair, his expression unreadable. "We watch. We gather information. Yun Jo's power isn't as strong as he wants us to believe. He's still building. And when the time is right…" He trailed off, his gaze hardening. "We'll strike."

---

Gangbuk's Outskirts – Midnight

Yun Jo walked through the dimly lit streets of Gangbuk's outskirts, his footsteps echoing faintly in the quiet night. The area was a patchwork of small territories, each controlled by minor gangs clinging to scraps of power. They weren't part of North Gangbuk's core, but they still operated under its shadow. Weak, disorganized, and perfect for Yun Jo's purposes.

He stopped in front of a small, rundown billiards hall. The flickering neon sign above the entrance read "Lucky Cue," its glow casting eerie shadows across the cracked pavement. Yun Jo had done his research. The hall was controlled by a gang called the "Red Fang Boys," a group of low-level fighters known more for their arrogance than their skill. They were nothing more than stepping stones.

The muffled sounds of laughter and clinking bottles echoed from inside. Yun Jo pushed the door open, stepping into the smoky, dimly lit room. Six heads turned toward him, their owners pausing mid-drink as they registered the stranger in their midst.

The leader, a stocky man with a scar running down his cheek, scowled. "Who the hell are you?" he growled, setting his beer down with deliberate force.

Yun Jo's cold gaze swept across the room before settling on the scarred man. "I'm here to take what's mine," he said calmly.

The room fell silent before erupting into laughter. The leader stood, cracking his knuckles. "You've got some nerve walking in here alone. Let me show you what happens to cocky kids like you."

The man lunged, his fist swinging in a wide, clumsy arc. Yun Jo moved like a shadow, sidestepping the attack with ease. Before the man could recover, Yun Jo struck.

[Martial Arts Technique: Muay Thai – Clinch Knee Strike]

---

The aftermath was brutal. Bodies lay sprawled across the billiards hall, groaning in pain. Yun Jo stood in the center of the destruction, his expression calm, his movements precise. The system chimed softly in his mind.

**[EXP Gained:Red Mixed Martial Arts Card Rank – D+ → C-.]**

"This is how it works," Yun Jo said, his voice cutting through the silence. "You work for me now. And if you don't…" He trailed off, his cold gaze sweeping over the room.

The gang members nodded weakly, their fear palpable.

Yun Jo lit another cigarette as he turned toward the exit. "Clean yourselves up. We've got work to do."

**[ Quests Completed : Hunt North Gangbuk Area]**

**[Reward : 5 Bronze Card, and 2 Silver Card]**

---

Sechan and Daniel stood on the rooftop.