Based on Tom account, things had unfolded in a way that surprised everyone.
A few days ago, after he had sold some stolen goods in a back alley on Street, he was about to leave when a group of people suddenly rushed out of a nearby house. The group consisted of both men and women, all looking fierce and determined. They were split into four different groups, and Tom, terrified, quickly hid behind a nearby trash can.
Moments later, he watched in shock as one group returned, this time carrying a young child with them. The child was no older than seven or eight, bloodied and pale, his face utterly devoid of life. In the dim light of the night, the scene looked especially gruesome.
At first, Tom thought it was just a family dispute, but as he overheard bits of their conversation—mentions of "the buyer has been found," and "this child's kidney..."—he froze in horror.
Traffickers. That's what these people were. And not just human traffickers—they were likely involved in something even darker.
Both Antonia and Ethan's eyes sharpened, clearly grasping the gravity of what Tom was implying. They exchanged a glance, signaling that this was no trivial matter.
Tom, noticing the look between the two, quickly reaffirmed: "I swear to you, everything I said is true. I'm not lying to you. I know I've made mistakes, but this—this is real. You can arrest me, but I promise you, I'm telling you the truth."
Ethan nodded, his expression serious. He understood that Tom was risking a lot by revealing this information. The urgency in his voice confirmed it.
"If what you say is true, then we will treat you leniently," Antonia said gravely. "But that only holds if you cooperate fully and do not commit any more crimes."
Tom eyes lit up with hope, but Ethan, ever the cautious one, wasn't so easily convinced.
He stepped forward, his voice low and firm. "Brother Antonia, what he's saying might not be accurate. We should report this to the higher-ups and get confirmation before taking any action."
Antonia paused, thinking it over for a moment. "Senior, time is against us, and our police station is already stretched thin."
Ethan was skeptical, knowing full well how dangerous it could be to act on unverified information. "But if he's lying, we could end up wasting valuable resources, and that would be a mistake."
Antonia's tone grew firmer. "Our mission is time-sensitive. We can't afford to wait. If it's true, and there's a real threat, we'll need to act now."
Ethan hesitated, clearly torn between his cautious instincts and Antonia's urgency. After a long moment, he reluctantly agreed, knowing that Antonia was set on this course. If he argued further, he wouldn't be able to change Antonia's mind.
"Fine," Ethan muttered. "But remember, we're doing this carefully. We're not invincible, and there's strength in numbers. If things go south, we need backup."
Antonia nodded. "I promise you, if we find this criminal den and they are indeed as dangerous as they seem, we'll wait for backup. I won't take unnecessary risks."
With that, Antonia turned to Tom, his eyes narrowing. "If you're lying, there will be consequences. But if you're telling the truth, you'll help us stop a crime much bigger than you can imagine."
Without wasting any more time, Antonia grabbed Tom by his yellow hair and lifted him to his feet. "Lead the way. No tricks, understand?"
Tom terrified and now fully aware of the severity of his situation, quickly nodded, his voice trembling. "No, no tricks. I swear on my life, I'll lead you to the place."
As they walked toward the alley, Tom looked back over his shoulder, and for a moment, it seemed like he might try to make a run for it. But then, he stopped himself, eyes wide.
"I won't run, I won't!" Tom said, almost as if he were pleading with the universe. "If I run, it's another charge, right? I'm not stupid."
Antonia chuckled quietly. "Good choice, kid."
Though Tom was no angel, Antonia couldn't help but acknowledge a certain cunning in the boy. If he had applied his wit to better things, he could have been capable of much more. Unfortunately, he had chosen the wrong path.
But if Tom information turned out to be genuine, and it led to the exposure of a trafficking ring, Antonia was ready to keep his word and ensure leniency when the time came.
The trio continued forward in silence for a few more minutes until they reached Shuitou Street. There, they found the alley where Tom had previously witnessed the illicit activities.
Antonia turned to Ethan. "You stay here and keep watch. The police uniform is too conspicuous; we don't want to alert anyone."
Ethan nodded. "Be careful. If anything goes wrong, call for backup immediately. We've got your back."
Antonia didn't respond with words, just a nod, and he continued with Tom down the alley.
Tom led him to a nearby house, his movements erratic as he glanced around nervously.
After a long, tense moment, he whispered, "This is it."
Antonia's heart rate increased slightly. He could sense the danger emanating from the place. It felt wrong, like the air itself was charged with something sinister.
As he looked at the dilapidated house, the weight of the decision to move forward sank in. This wasn't just about catching petty criminals anymore; they were on the brink of uncovering something much larger, something that could change everything.
The next few minutes would decide whether this was the breakthrough they'd been hoping for or whether it would spiral into a disaster.
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