The night sky over Hanlim City was overcast, as if understanding the weight in Jung Kok's chest. From his bedroom window, he watched the drizzle fall softly, creating a mournful rhythm that matched the turmoil in his thoughts. In his left hand, he held an old note discovered in the drawer of his late mother's heirloom desk:
"Not only your brother bleeds."
The sentence echoed endlessly in his mind. He knew it wasn't a simple threat. Someone was trying to say something—something buried deep within the bloody history of his family.
He took a deep breath and leaned back in his chair. His mind drifted to his childhood, back when his mother was still alive. He vaguely recalled her mentioning another "child" who was never given the chance to live alongside them. But no one had ever explained who that person truly was.
A soft knock interrupted his thoughts. Min entered, his face serious, carrying an old file envelope.
"I found this near your father's old dojo," Min said, placing the file on the table.
Jung Kok slowly opened it. Inside were handwritten documents and a metal badge engraved with a symbol—an eye pierced horizontally by a red arrow.
"This symbol…" Jung Kok examined the badge closely.
"Red Eye," Min said quietly. "A secret organization believed to have vanished three decades ago. But last night, I ambushed three men trying to break into the dojo. The way they fought… they weren't amateurs. They were trained."
Jung Kok gave a slow nod. One by one, the shadows began to form a clearer shape. They weren't just facing a sibling rivalry. A far greater force was watching from behind the curtain.
Elsewhere, in a pitch-dark room, Jung Joon awoke from a nightmare. He was breathing heavily, his face drenched in sweat.
"Why is that dream coming back…?" he whispered, clutching the edge of his bed tightly.
A figure from his past had returned in his dreams—someone who was supposed to be long gone. He quickly got up and called one of his informants.
"Investigate every name ever linked to the 'Red Eye' organization. I want a full report within 48 hours. And one more thing… check the list of family members who were cast out or forgotten."
Jung Joon's voice was firm, his eyes fixed on the wall covered in maps and photographs connected by red thread.
That night, Min sat alone on the balcony of their headquarters. His old phone vibrated. The screen lit up with a single word: "Ready?"
Min clenched the phone. His expression remained calm, but inside, a storm raged. He was still playing two roles—loyal friend and hidden puppet master. He knew, when the time was right, he would make his final move.
But for now, he only typed one reply: "Not yet."
The next day, Jung Kok visited the family grave. Hwang was already there, waiting.
"Why are you here?" Jung Kok asked bluntly.
"Because you've started a search that was never meant to begin," Hwang replied calmly. His face, as always, was hard to read.
"I found a note from Mom. And the Red Eye symbol. What really happened, Father?"
Hwang was silent for a moment before answering, "Some legacies aren't meant to be inherited. You think it's just you and your brother who have a claim? You're wrong, Kok. There was another once. But he was sacrificed… for our future."
"Who was he?" Jung Kok pressed.
"If you keep digging… you'll destroy everything," Hwang said, then turned and walked away without looking back.
Jung Kok stood firm at the gravesite. The wind began to howl. He knew the real answers were still far away—but his steps would not falter.
In a decaying tower overlooking the entirety of Hanlim City, a man in a black coat sat watching monitors. The screens showed Jung Kok and Jung Joon, each with their own schemes.
In his hand, he held a new version of the Red Eye badge—this one engraved with a snake coiling around the arrow.
He smiled faintly.
"They still don't know who truly inherited the blood."
"True legacy doesn't belong to those who are chosen—but to those who were never given a chance."