New World

Lee Ja-Sung has spent eight years undercover within Goldmoon International, the largest corporate crime syndicate in South Korea. He constantly teeters on risk of exposure, balancing his police oath with the dangerous cover he maintains. The pressure is relentless as the company's power grows around him.

Chief Kang keeps postponing the overseas reassignment he promised to Ja-Sung and uses the threat of exposure to pin him to Goldmoon. He hints at an escape route, but only as leverage to keep Ja-Sung compliant. The threat reveals how Kang weaponizes Ja-Sung's dual identity to steer the company’s fate.

Ja-Sung warns that he might quit the police force if the pressure continues. Chief Kang counters by threatening to leak Ja-Sung's true identity to the crime syndicate, guaranteeing a painful death if he refuses. The intimidation shows Kang's readiness to use personal risk to achieve control.

The Goldmoon chairman dies in an accident, triggering a brutal power struggle. Jung Chung is backed by the Northmoon clan while Lee Joong-gu commands the Jaebum faction, each vying for control of the company. The stage is set for a ruthless corporate battle at the top.

Chief Kang engineers a contest between Jung and Joong-gu, hoping their factions wear each other down and leave the company ripe for a takeover. Nominal vice president Su-Ski is positioned as a weak figurehead who could be steered by whoever controls the board. This setup aims to tilt power toward Kang’s preferred outcome.

Kang blackmails Jung into leaking evidence against Joong-gu in exchange for a pardon for his own crimes. Jung goes ahead and arrests Joong-gu, and Chief Kang informs Joong-gu that Jung betrayed him, reshaping their power dynamic. The manipulation deepens the rift and accelerates the looming conflict.

Enraged by the betrayal, Joong-gu's men ambush Jung, fatally wounding him. The attack signals the collapse of Jung's faction and intensifies the deadly power struggle within Goldmoon. The leadership vacuum sparks a dangerous scramble for control.

Joong-gu's men break into Ja-Sung's house while Jung lies dying. Ja-Sung's wife is saved by the police but suffers a miscarriage from the shock of the assault. The incident compounds Ja-Sung's fear and cements his resolve to change sides.

Terrified and desperate after the attack, Ja-Sung begs Chief Kang to reassign him and let him disappear. Kang refuses to keep his promise and destroys Ja-Sung's police profile to force him to stay in Goldmoon. The move traps Ja-Sung in the syndicate and proves Kang's leverage over him.

Ja-Sung goes to see Jung at the hospital, where Jung, before dying, tells him to decide where his loyalty lies. Jung senses that Ja-Sung is an undercover cop, but he pretends not to know to protect their friendship. The moment crystallizes the choice Ja-Sung will make.

With Jung's death behind him, Ja-Sung consolidates control over Jung's faction and wins the loyalty of Su-Ski's men. He begins shaping the organization to his advantage, signaling the end of his old undercover cover. The shift marks the start of his ascent to real power.

When Su-Ski tries to have Ja-Sung executed, his own men turn on him and kill Su-Ski. The coup clears the way for Ja-Sung's leadership and removes a rival from the board. The betrayal solidifies Ja-Sung's hold over Goldmoon.

Ja-Sung's underlings murder Chief Kang, Police Director Ko, and Joong-gu, tightening his grip on the company. With rivals eliminated, his past undercover identity remains a secret while he ascends to become the new chairman. The ruthless execution marks the completion of his takeover.

The scene cuts to six years earlier, when Ja-Sung and Jung started out as small-time thugs. Their friendship is evident as they eliminate a rival gang together. After their victory, Ja-Sung smiles for the first time, hinting at the roots of their uneasy alliance.