The Won Group headquarters was in chaos from the terrorist attack as Shan Wolf faced his former child mercenary colleagues, confronting the ghosts of his past head-on.
001 and 078 launched their attack, sprinting toward Shan Wolf with killing intent in their eyes.
They struck simultaneously, but Shan caught both their wrists mid-motion, his arms crossing effortlessly as if stopping them meant nothing. His grip tightened, veins bulging slightly, his expression calm, almost bored.
Then 005 came from behind, aiming to stab Shan Wolf in the back. Shan wasn't impressed.
With the slightest shift of his hips, the blade missed him entirely, slicing through empty air. In the same motion, Shan drove his knee upward, striking 005 clean in the chin with a sickening crack.
As 005 staggered, Shan yanked both 001 and 078 forward, smashing their heads together with brutal precision.
A dull thud echoed as both men stumbled, disoriented.
Soon, 007 grabbed a heavy table and hurled it at Shan. The table spun violently through the air, but Shan stepped aside at the last second, letting it crash behind him.
Without missing a beat, he surged forward, using the momentum to leap, his body flowing like a predator in motion. His feet slammed into 007's gut with crushing force, driving the air out of him.
"Jesus, am I the only one losing my footing?" Shan taunted, rolling his shoulders as if warming up.
His tone was casual, but his eyes were sharp, watching every movement. "Seriously, did you guys go soft? Or have I gone…"
He paused deliberately, a faint smirk forming.
"Hold back."
Those two words ignited something deep inside them. Rage. Pride. Humiliation.
001, 005, 007, and 078 charged at Shan Wolf together, surrounding him in a tightening circle, each step filled with fury.
001 lunged for Shan's eyes, fingers aiming to gouge them out. Shan tilted his head forward and, in a shocking move, caught 001's fingers between his teeth, biting down just enough to stop him cold. The sheer audacity froze 001 for a split second.
005 aimed for Shan's neck, blade flashing toward his throat, but Shan shifted again, faster this time, and countered, striking 005's neck with brutal force, cutting off his momentum and breath at once.
078 dropped low, targeting Shan's Achilles tendons with a precise strike. But Shan reacted instantly, jumping up just as the attack came in.
While airborne, he twisted his body and slammed both his shoes down onto 007's hands as the man reached in to grab him, forcing 007 to release a pained grunt.
007, now desperate, grabbed an even bigger table and hurled it forward.
"Motherfucker."
The others muttered under their breath as they quickly let go and pulled back, realizing too late how reckless the move was.
"You idiot, are you trying to kill Grim or us, you dumb gorilla?" yelled 005, gasping for air, one hand clutching his throat as he staggered back.
Shan stood in the center, unmoved, his breathing steady, his gaze cold. Yet beneath that calm exterior, there was something else lingering in his eyes. Not anger. Not hatred.
Recognition.
These were not just enemies.
They were his past.
"Why are you all doing this? Why target me after everything we've been through?!" yelled Shan Wolf, his voice cracking through the chaos. His fists clenched, not from fear, but from frustration. "Stop this… I still see you all as my family!"
"Family?" muttered 001, a low chuckle slipping from his lips as he tilted his head, eyes cold.
"Oh, Grim… apparently you didn't know. Viper was your only family. Aside from that, you adopted her like some big stepbrother," 001 said, pulling out his knife, the blade catching the light as his smirk deepened.
"Don't you see?" he continued, his tone sharpening. "We all share a common fate. 005, 007, 078… and me. We have no family."
One by one, they drew their knives.
The air shifted.
No more hesitation. No more testing.
They moved.
All four rushed in at once, abandoning formation and going full hand-to-hand combat, blades flashing from every angle.
Their coordination was raw but deadly, driven by instinct and years of shared training.
"Shit," muttered Shan Wolf under his breath as he lunged forward instead of retreating, choosing to close the distance.
Not to kill.
To disarm.
001 slashed toward Shan's face. Shan deflected the wrist with a sharp parry, twisting it just enough to redirect the blade past his cheek.
At the same time, 005 came in low, aiming for Shan's ribs. Shan pivoted, using his elbow to crash into 005's forearm, forcing the knife off course.
007 charged in like a battering ram, his sheer size turning his movements into blunt force weapons.
Shan ducked under a wide swing, feeling the air split above him, then drove his shoulder into 007's torso to halt his momentum.
078 moved in silently from behind, precise and calculating, blade aimed for Shan's kidney.
Shan sensed it at the last second, stepping aside just enough for the strike to graze past, then hooking 078's wrist with his foot to break his stance.
"If you don't have a family, y'all could've come to me!" Shan shouted, his voice strained as he fought them all at once, redirecting, blocking, never striking to kill. "So why?!"
"Because…" 007's voice cut through the clash, low and heavy.
They paused for only a fraction of a second, circling again.
"We are nothing but weapons reformed by the camp," 007 continued, stepping forward, knife in hand. "Like Hephaestus trying to forge his Pandora to perfection."
His grip tightened.
"But the strings… are pulled by another. By orders. By commandments."
007, codename Gorilla, stood firm, his massive frame casting a shadow over the broken floor. Shan Wolf knew 007 like the back of his hand.
Every movement.
Every habit.
Every tell.
And right now—
He knew.
They were hiding something.
And 007… was giving him hints without giving anything away.
"Hehe… I admit, guys. Our five fucking teachers really took an interest in Grim. Helean taught him seduction, Roger taught him ballistics, Faruk trained his sensory, Daniel drilled him in brute force, and Tosaki-sensei's bladed arts…"
005 spoke with amusement, almost nostalgic, twirling his knife slightly between his fingers. "Though, aside from that, he rarely chose you… or Grim, 001."
"I can't complain," said 007, rolling his shoulders as he stepped forward, his massive frame steady despite the tension. "They all took an interest in 000. He was the perfect embodiment—"
TUK!!!
A knife slammed into the wall between 007 and 005, embedding itself deep into the concrete with a sharp, echoing crack. Dust and fragments chipped off, scattering across the floor.
Both men froze.
Slowly, they turned their heads.
Shan Wolf stood a few steps away, his arm still slightly extended from the throw. His gaze burned with wrathful hatred, something far colder and heavier than before. The air around him felt suffocating, like a storm about to break.
"Don't forget," Shan said, his voice low and dangerous, each word laced with restrained fury, "who solo killed those five commanders… just to get you lot out of that hellhole camp eleven years back."
Silence fell.
005's smirk faded.
007's jaw tightened.
Even 001 looked away for a brief second.
They all knew.
Not one of them—not even together—would have dared face those former commanders head-on. The very men who trained them, who shaped them into mercenaries, were monsters in their own right.
And Shan Wolf…
He had killed them.
Alone.
Comparing those commanders to him—bringing them up like that—
It wasn't just disrespect.
It was the one thing that would truly provoke him.
"Still… I don't understand one thing," said 001, narrowing his eyes as he tilted his head slightly. "Why would Helean—a female commander who teaches little girls… adult stuff—get interested in you, Grim…?"
"Ah, that?" Shan replied, scratching the back of his head casually, as if it were nothing important.
He gave a half-baked shrug.
"Because my boy down there was enough to satisfy that freak of a woman." He let out a dry laugh. "Literally. Just remembering what she did to me still gives me chills."
There was a brief pause.
005 blinked.
007 slowly raised a brow.
001 just stared.
Shan's expression twitched slightly, the humor not quite reaching his eyes.
He didn't want to remember.
The things Helean put him through… the twisted lessons, the suffocating control—it wasn't something he ever wanted to revisit.
"Aside from the serum she rewarded me with for full completion," Shan added, waving it off like it was nothing, though his tone was tighter now. "That nympho woman had a weird taste for young boys."
A visible shiver ran down his spine as he shook his head, trying to physically throw the memory away.
"Yeah… nope. Not going back there."
He straightened up, rolling his shoulders as he refocused, his eyes sharpening again.
"Enough of that. They're all dead. Now I'm going to—"
BOOM!!!
The floor beneath them suddenly exploded.
A violent shockwave tore through the structure, cracking the ground under their feet. The tiles shattered as the entire section collapsed without warning.
"—oh, you've gotta be kidding me—!"
Shan's sentence was cut off as the ground gave way.
All of them lost their footing instantly.
In the next second, they were sent crashing downward together, debris, dust, and chunks of concrete falling with them as the battlefield literally dropped out from under their feet.
They slammed onto the floor below, the impact cracking tiles beneath them as dust filled the air. Groans echoed, but none of them stayed down for long. One by one, they pushed themselves back up, shaking off the pain like it was nothing.
Then they moved again.
One by one. Team by team.
All of them against Shan Wolf.
Blades flashed. Guns were drawn. Fists came from every direction. Their movements were chaotic, yet precise—years of training showing through every strike. And in the middle of it all, Shan moved differently.
He flowed.
He slipped between attacks, twisted his body just enough to avoid lethal blows, stepped around them like he was reading every move before it happened. His footwork was light, almost rhythmic.
"Are you dancing while we're trying to—!"
078 didn't finish. Shan's strike came fast and clean, slamming into the side of his head and dropping him to the ground.
One by one, they went down.
And one by one—
They got back up.
001 staggered, then rushed again.
005 coughed, wiped blood from his mouth, and charged.
007 growled low, steadying himself like a beast refusing to fall.
They kept coming.
Again.
And again.
"Stop this, all of you!" Shan shouted, his voice cutting through the chaos as he deflected another blade and shoved 005 back. "Why do you keep getting up?! I don't want to kill you! I just want to live a normal life!"
His breathing tightened.
"Isn't that what you all wanted?!"
"DO YOU THINK WE FORCE OURSELVES TOO—!"
078 yelled, but suddenly stopped.
Mid-sentence.
His body froze.
His eyes widened.
"You idiot…" 005 muttered, panic flashing across his face. "Do you even know what you just—"
A faint sound slipped into the silence.
Bip… bip… bip…
Shan frowned, turning his head slightly. "Where is that sound coming fr—"
"AHHH!!!"
078 screamed.
His body jerked violently before he suddenly lunged forward, sprinting straight at Shan. Not coordinated. Not controlled.
Desperate.
Like a man who had lost everything.
"078!!! WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!" Shan shouted, stepping back instinctively.
"LET ME KILL YOU!!! LET ME KILL YOU!!!" 078 screamed, his voice breaking apart. "I WANNA LIVE!!! I WANNA FUCKING—!!!"
BOOM!!!!
The sound tore through the floor.
For a split second, everything froze.
Then—
078's head exploded.
Blood and fragments scattered outward as his body dropped to its knees, twitching once… twice… before collapsing completely.
Silence fell.
Heavy.
Suffocating.
And Shan—
Didn't move.
"Oh… you really shouldn't reveal the spoiler, you wanker."
A voice crackled through 078's comm, smooth and mocking, laced with a clear British accent.
"You see, truth be told… we all go way back to where we were. Pity that we lot meet again under such… unfortunate circumstances."
Shan Wolf didn't respond immediately.
He walked slowly toward 078's body, boots grinding against broken concrete and blood. He crouched down, his hand hovering for a brief second before picking up the comm. His fingers tightened around it.
"Who is this?" Shan said, his tone cold, but something beneath it trembled.
"Hehehe… soon, love. Real soon, mate," the voice replied, amused. "Till then, I've already got what I wanted. They're useless now."
A pause.
Heavy.
"But the real question is…" the voice dragged out, almost savoring it. "How are you going to escape?"
BOOM!!! BOOM!!! BOOM!!!!
Shan's head snapped up.
His body turned instantly—
Too late.
001 dropped first. Then 005. Then 078's already lifeless body jerked again from the blast.
Their heads—
Gone.
Shan's eyes widened, his breath catching in his throat as his grip on the comm tightened.
Fragments hit the ground.
Silence followed—
Broken only by one sound.
Bip… bip… bip…
He turned slowly.
7.
Still standing.
Still alive.
The ticking sound was coming from him.
"Stop this!!!!" Shan roared, his voice cracking as he stepped forward, one hand reaching out instinctively. "If you want me, I'm your target! Come at me!!! Leave them alone!!!"
There was desperation now.
Real.
Raw.
Not the composed killer.
Not Grim.
Just… Shan.
But the only response was laughter echoing through the comm.
Cold.
Detached.
Cruel.
"Puhahaha… yes… yes… OH FUCKIN' YES!!!" the voice cackled. "Beg, Grim!!! Beg!!!"
Shan froze.
Not because of the voice—
But because of 007.
Gorilla.
He was… smiling.
A low chuckle escaped 007's lips, heavy and strained. Blood trickled down the side of his face, but his eyes—his eyes were clear.
For the first time—
Free.
He looked straight at Shan.
Not as a soldier.
Not as a weapon.
But as… something else.
Something human.
"Joker," 007 muttered softly.
A memory flickered.
A younger version of them.
Laughing in the dark.
Sharing scraps of food.
Calling each other names like it actually meant something.
"GORILLA!" Shan shouted, stepping forward, reaching—
BOOM!!!
The sound tore everything apart.
007's head exploded.
His massive body stood still for a split second… then collapsed to the ground with a heavy thud.
Dust rose.
Silence followed.
"Puhahaha… yes. This is what I want…" the voice continued, almost breathless with excitement. "To see the great 000… codename Grim… like this. RAHAHAHAHAHAAAA…!!!"
Shan didn't respond.
He didn't move.
Around him, the bodies of the only people who understood his past lay scattered—broken, lifeless, erased in an instant.
Memories flooded in whether he wanted them or not.
Training together.
Bleeding together.
Surviving together.
Fighting like animals just to see another day.
They weren't family by blood—
But they were all he had.
And now—
They were gone.
Just like that.
Shan slowly lowered his head.
His hand trembled slightly as he brought the comm closer to his lips.
When he spoke, his voice was quiet.
Cold.
Empty.
"Face me…" he said.
A pause.
"Or you will meet the Grim I once was."
The air felt heavier.
Darker.
Like something buried deep inside him—
Was starting to wake up.
Soon, the building began to collapse, the lower floors giving way one by one. The Won Group tower crumbled under the weight of the explosions, concrete cracking, steel bending, and glass shattering as the structure started to fall apart from within.
From afar, on the rooftop of another building, a man watched through his binoculars.
A grin spread across his face.
"Don't worry, my dear old friend," he said, voice dripping with amusement. "I can't wait to meet you."
He adjusted the lens slightly, tracking the chaos below.
"Now… who was that woman you were talking to half an hour ago? Oh right… Ingrid Mikage? Eva Kim? Or maybe Rae Yoorin?" he mused, chuckling softly. "They seem… precious to you."
His grin widened, something darker creeping into his tone.
"I do wonder what would happen if I took that away from you."
He let out a low laugh before adding, "Just make it out in one piece. I can't wait to kill the Grim himself."
BOOM!!!
The Won Group building finally gave in.
The entire structure began collapsing, floors sinking into each other as the tower folded and crashed downward.
Inside—
The ground beneath Shan Wolf gave way.
But instead of panic—
He smirked.
Calm.
Unshaken.
"Be ready," he muttered.
Then—
Everything fell.
Outside, Eva Kim, Ingrid Mikage, Rae Yoorin, and Mei Yoo Jun had just made it out. They turned back just in time to see the massive building collapse sideways, crashing into itself in a deafening roar.
Dust and debris filled the skyline.
And Shan—
Was nowhere to be seen.
High above the collapsing structure, Shan Wolf was falling through the air, the wind rushing past him as gravity pulled him down.
"Sigh… what is does this makes it now… the 900th? 999?" he muttered to himself, strangely calm despite the fall. "Yeah… definitely 999."
A faint smirk crossed his lips.
"So… happy 1000th death anniversary to me."
He closed his eyes.
And let himself fall.
Seconds before impact—
Everything shifted.
Instead of concrete—
Softness.
A bed.
Shan's eyes snapped open.
He stared at the ceiling, breathing steady, as realization set in.
His penthouse.
Before the attack.
"Sigh… fuck my life," he muttered, dragging a hand down his face. "First that… now my colleagues…"
He turned his head slightly.
Beside him, Ingrid Mikage lay asleep, her breathing soft and steady, completely unaware.
Shan stared at her for a moment, his expression softening just slightly.
His ability—
Deathborn—
Had triggered again.
He had returned.
Back before everything went wrong.
"Hm…" he exhaled quietly, brushing a strand of her hair aside, his gaze lingering. "Still can't believe how that night turned out…"
The memory flickered briefly—chaos, danger, and the moment he saved her daughter, Kim Yeon Mikage. What followed after had been complicated, emotional… and intense in its own way.
Shan closed his eyes for a second, then opened them again, sharper now.
"I've said it once… and I'll say it again, Ingrid," he murmured under his breath.
"No matter what happens… I'll be there to protect you."
Carefully, he slid his arm around her, pulling her slightly closer, holding her gently from behind.
He leaned in, pressing a soft kiss against her hair.
For a moment—
Just a moment—
He allowed himself to rest.
After an hour, Shan Wolf was in the kitchen, making breakfast the same way as before. Every movement was precise, almost mechanical, as if he were replaying a memory step by step.
"I didn't know you could cook, bastard?" she called out, her voice carrying a mix of sarcasm and lingering warmth.
Shan turned slightly.
Ingrid Mikage stood there wearing nothing but one of his buttoned shirts, two buttons undone, revealing part of her cleavage.
Her hair was still slightly messy, her posture relaxed, yet her eyes were observing him carefully.
They sat down and ate.
Everything felt the same.
Almost too the same.
But this time, Shan moved differently.
Instead of letting her leave first like before, he stood up as she was about to.
"We're leaving together."
Ingrid paused mid-motion, raising a brow. "You're crazy. Yoo Jun already thinks we're dating."
"Good," Shan replied flatly. "Let her."
Ingrid studied him for a moment, catching the seriousness in his tone. There was no teasing. No playfulness.
Just intent.
"…Fine," she muttered, letting it slide.
Soon, they arrived at the company and stepped into the elevator together. The quiet hum filled the space as the doors closed.
Then—
Two electricians stepped in.
The same ones.
Shan's eyes shifted slightly.
He remembered.
As the elevator reached the Investors Relations Department floor, one of them moved.
A hand reached out.
Toward Ingrid.
But before it could land—
Shan caught it.
Firm.
Unyielding.
The air changed instantly.
Shan's grip tightened as he slowly turned his head, his gaze locking onto the man with a cold, suffocating intensity.
"Touch my woman," he said quietly, "and you're dead."
The man froze, feeling the pressure in Shan's grip.
Then Shan released him.
"Alright, alright… fuck you," the man muttered under his breath.
The elevator doors opened.
Shan didn't respond.
He simply walked out.
Ingrid stood there for a second, arms folded, watching him.
"…Thanks," she said.
"Mhmm," Shan replied without looking back, heading straight to his cubicle.
Ingrid narrowed her eyes slightly before turning and walking into her office. She immediately began checking records.
Those electricians—
Something wasn't right.
Meanwhile, back at Ingrid's condo—
Kim Yeon Mikage sat quietly as her friends entered, their usual energy filling the room.
"Yo, Kimmy! We came to check up on your modeling career!" one of them said with a grin.
But the moment they saw her—
Their expressions shifted.
Kim Yeon sat there, unmoving.
Emotionless.
Like something inside her had been hollowed out.
"Dude… the hell's wrong with you?" one of them asked, frowning.
"What the hell, Kimmy. You look like shit," another added bluntly.
"My princess must've been working too hard," Jon Kin Kon said lightly, stepping forward with a small smirk. He raised his hand to give her the usual head pat.
But the moment his hand came close—
Kim Yeon flinched.
Her body shook.
Her eyes widened slightly, something dark flashing through them.
Jon stopped instantly.
He saw it.
Something was wrong.
"Get out," he said.
The others blinked. "Huh? Come on, man, we just got—"
"I SAID FUCKING GET OUT!!!"
His voice exploded through the room.
They froze, then quickly backed off, the atmosphere suddenly too heavy to stay.
The door shut.
Silence.
Jon walked toward her slowly.
He saw the tears forming, slipping down her cheeks, her body trembling as if she was barely holding herself together.
Without a word, he pulled her into a gentle embrace.
Not as a delinquent.
Not as a jokester.
But as someone who cared.
"Kim Yeon… look at me," he said softly.
He leaned in and placed a gentle kiss on her forehead.
"Hey… look at me," he repeated.
Slowly, she lifted her gaze, her eyes filled with tears.
"Something happened to you, princess," he said quietly, his voice steady. "Go on… tell me."
A pause.
"Don't leave anything out."
Back at the Won Group, Shan Wolf looked to his left and right, then got up and headed to the coffee machine to get a can of black coffee.
It has been 2 hours past, but nothing happen. There was no terrorist attack happening in his past life.
"Something is not right."
He muttered in his thought. He recalled the last words 007 mentioned, 'joker'. Shan Wolf swirled the can half drank.
"Joker...., I know one person who goes by that name."
He muttered to himself, then he looked up and see's Ingrid talking to one of the staffs. They're eyes met but nothing.
They continued their personal life as both pass each other. Ingrid stop her tracks and looks over to see Shan Wolf heading back to his cubicle.
"What's gotten into him? Could it be stress? Did I ask too much last night? I mean, he did fuck the soul out of me. God, his endowment was 13 inch when hard. Almost cut me in half with that rod. Should buy some fried eels for him? He did made breakfast for me."
She waved her head and light tap her cheek to brush off the memories of their intense sex.
Calmed yourself Ingrid. She muttered in her thought.
A call rang on her smartphone. She answered the call. "Yes, this is Ingrid Mikage speaking—!!?!"
Shan Wolf leaned back on his chair for a stretch and yawn, but got pull back and fell. He looked up to see Rae Yoorin.
"Do you like it?" She asked, clearly she can tell her was looking at her stoking with covered panties.
"Are you crazy, Yoorin?!" Shan said, scolding.
"Oh? What are you going to do? Tie me up?"
"You arrogant brat!!!"
Shan Wolf got up and pin her ben over the desk.
"Ah they're at it again." Said a male co-worker.
"It gonna be a wild afternoon, huh? Said another.
"Kyaa, you naughty Wolf." Yoorin said, giving a pouty and sad look in a teasing tone.
"You gonna forgive, bitch!" Shan said scolding her.
"Hell no, fuck face. It's no tiring and its so fun!"
"You really leave me no choice, huh?!
As Shan Wolf was thinking of taking her to the stairway and fuck her throughly, another voice came in.
"You two seem to have grown a lot friendlier since the last time I saw you."
Their eyes widen to see it was Rae Yoorin's former lover, Gang Si Won entered the IR Departement.
"I remember," he continued calmly, stepping forward with a composed posture and a faint smile, "before I left the IR team… you couldn't stop fidgeting. You could never quite catch up to me."
He said, with a sly smile and a clam tone on his posture and face. Table has turned as his presence seemed different to he he was before.
As the chess board, the pieces, are setting the motion.
---
Chapter 73 — End.