After extracting every piece of information we could from the VIP, Katherine and I didn't waste another second. It was time to infiltrate the so-called celebration—the sick gathering where Pastor Jun and his powerful allies indulged in their crimes, believing themselves to be untouchable.
Fortunately, the VIP had revealed the locations of various blind spots—unguarded entry points that could be exploited to slip inside unnoticed. He had intended to smuggle in an uninvited guest through one of these routes, and now, that knowledge would serve us instead.
We didn't bother restraining him any further. Instead, we let him go. But before he could even think of running, I stepped closer, my masked face mere inches from his. My voice was low, deliberate, and laced with a quiet, burning threat.
"If you even think about alerting anyone inside, if a single word about us leaves your mouth, I promise you… I will find you. And when I do, you'll wish you never spoke at all."
His face paled, a cold sweat breaking out on his forehead. He nodded frantically before scrambling away into the night, disappearing into the darkness.
With that settled, Katherine and I exchanged a glance. No words were needed. We knew what had to be done.
We moved quickly, keeping to the shadows as we made our way toward the abandoned school building. The structure loomed before us, its broken windows and faded walls barely illuminated by dimly flickering streetlights. From inside, we could hear the faint murmur of voices, the clinking of glasses, and occasional bursts of laughter.
The celebration was in full swing.
With silent precision, we slipped into one of the blind spots—a small service entrance at the side of the building. The door was rusted but slightly ajar, just as the VIP had described. Katherine went in first, her movements quick and fluid, while I covered our rear.
Inside, the atmosphere changed instantly. The stale air carried the mingling scents of expensive cologne, cigar smoke, and alcohol. The distant hum of music reverberated through the walls, masking the sounds of our footsteps.
We had successfully infiltrated the den of monsters.
Now, it was time to burn it all to the ground.
As Katherine and I observed from our hidden vantage point, we were filled with absolute disgust. The air was thick with arrogance, the self-importance of these so-called VIPs oozing from every corner of the room. Their laughter echoed through the dimly lit space, their conversations laced with entitlement, as if they truly believed they were above the rest of humanity.
But nothing compared to the sheer rage and revulsion that struck us when we saw them.
The women.
Bound. Lined up along the side of a grand stage, their terrified eyes darting across the crowd as if pleading for salvation. They were being paraded like objects, prizes for the amusement of these wretched men.
Katherine trembled beside me, her body rigid with barely contained fury. Her breath came in sharp, uneven gasps, and for a moment, I feared she might lose herself to rage and blow our cover. I quickly moved closer, placing a firm hand on her shoulder.
"Stay with me," I whispered, my voice steady, but laced with the same cold fury that burned within me. "This is the last time these bastards will ever smile. I swear on everything, none of them are making it out of here alive."
She closed her eyes for a moment, inhaling deeply before nodding. When she opened them again, there was only steel-like determination in her gaze. "Then let's make this count," she murmured.
And then, the moment we had been waiting for arrived.
The host of the event took center stage, his smarmy grin stretching wide as he basked in the sick anticipation of the audience. The microphone in his hand crackled to life, amplifying his voice throughout the hall.
"Ladies and gentlemen," he began, his tone exaggeratedly cheerful. "I hope you've enjoyed this wonderful night of revelry, of celebration, of unity for our dear soon-to-be Mayor, the honorable Pastor Jun!"
The audience erupted into cheers and applause. I clenched my fists.
Everything was going according to plan. I was preparing to possess one of the guards standing watch, using his weapon to control the room and force confessions out of these corrupt bastards. Katherine was ready to guard my body, her fear and trembling slowly fading as her determination took hold.
But then—everything changed.
I turned to glance at one of the girls being brought forward onto the stage.
And my world stopped.
Lara.
It was Lara. Bound. Helpless. Forced to stand before these disgusting monsters.
My breath caught in my throat. The dim lighting of the hall seemed to blur, my vision darkening at the edges. A deep, suffocating rage ignited in my chest, spreading through my veins like wildfire.
The pepper spray. The uneasy feeling. The ignored calls.
It had all led to this.
Lara was in unimaginable danger, and I had been seconds away from missing it.
I barely heard my own voice as I muttered, "Lara…"
My hands clenched into trembling fists, my nails digging deep into my palms. The world around me was beginning to distort, an overwhelming storm of fury clouding my thoughts.
A voice at the back of my mind screamed at me to move, to act now.
To make them pay.
But before I could give in to the chaos surging through me, Katherine's hands were suddenly on my face, gripping me with unexpected force.
"Daniel!!!" she hissed, shaking me hard enough to rattle my senses. "Hey! Wake up! Don't lose yourself now!"
Her voice barely cut through the deafening roar in my head.
"Listen to me!" she demanded, forcing my gaze to meet hers. "Do you want to ruin everything?! You're about to throw our whole plan away!"
I struggled against my boiling emotions, my entire body locked in a silent battle between reason and unrelenting rage.
"I swear to you,** we will save her.**" Katherine's voice softened, but it remained firm. "But if you lose control now, we might never make it out of here."
I could feel my breathing slowing, though my chest still burned with fury.
Lara was in danger. But Katherine was right.
If I lost control, if I acted without thinking, I might not just fail to save her—I might doom her.
I exhaled sharply, forcing the air from my lungs. My fists slowly unclenched, though the fire in my veins remained.
"Good." Katherine studied me closely, making sure I wasn't about to spiral again. "Now tell me—how do we fix this?"
I swallowed hard and focused.
New plan. New strategy.
Lara was priority number one.
And I would burn this entire place to the ground to make sure she left here alive.