Days of Grace | vkook

°34: Epitome of Humiliation

The intense smell of blood and sweat welcomed Jungkook and Yugyeom as soon as they entered the room, and it took both men a couple of seconds to handle the repugnant scent and rising nausea.

Right in front of them stood a monk with striking jug ears who was in the middle of raising the baton, the words "Father, cleanse this soul" being the last ones he preached before he let the item collide with the reddened flesh of the soldier's back. Another horrific scream pierced the air, and based on his hunched figure, Jungkook assumed this was the final strike to render the man unconscious.

It was hard to believe that the spindly monk found the strength in his bony arms to punish the soldier with such force. Jungkook could hear his companion gulp as he observed their colleague lying unconscious on the cold, dirty floor.

"I wasn't expecting to see you that early, Choi."

Both averted their gazes from the cruel spectacle, focusing on the newcomer: the General.

"Me neither," a nervous chuckle escaped Yugyeom's mouth. "But he did a good job."

General Min raised an expectant brow, though his mouth remained a thin line. Jungkook's gaze briefly rested on the man's chin, where he noticed a lilac-blue blotch.

"Lost your tongue, Jeon?" Yoongi berated the gawking soldier, displeased with his fixation on the chin where the epitome of humiliation screamed for everyone's attention.

The soldier quickly redirected his gaze to his superior's eyes. "No, Sir."

"Report. Now."

There was no need for a second call.

"After interrogating the orphans, we've concluded that the butcher's son should be our next target. He incited the kids to help. I made sure to deliver the rightful punishment, Sir. With your command, I'll instantly locate the mentioned man and continue with my mission."

"Very well," the General's face lit up, and it was truly the first good news he had heard that day. "And no, the chance of you being seen is too high. It was risky enough to send you to the orphanage."

Yoongi shifted his attention to Jungkook's companion. "Find two men and set off immediately. There should be no wasted time."

Yugyeom bowed, signaling his understanding. "Yes, Sir."

"The rest will be up to Agma. I'm sure he'll have his fun."

Speaking of the devil, the door suddenly opened again, and Jungkook barely had a chance to register the chubby silhouette approaching before he felt a stinging sensation on his right cheek.

The echoing sound of the slap hung in the air, and everyone watched the scene with wide eyes. Tension surged from zero to a hundred, causing Jungkook's teeth to clench and his anger to boil in his blood. His knuckles began to creak as he formed his hand into a fist, ready to repay the blow a thousand times worse; he'd make sure that the Pastor would never dare to raise his sickening hands against him.

It was only the warning gaze he received from his superior that saved him from a grave mistake, and Min's disapproving head shaking was enough for Jungkook to ease his tension. The taste of defeat weighed heavily on his tongue, and the burning throb on his cheek urged him to do otherwise, but he knew it was wiser to suppress his emotions. So, he did. Reluctantly.

"You should consider yourself lucky that it'll end with this reprimand! I should hang you upside down from the roof and let your incompetent self get a beating until the next sunrise!" Agma spat his words, literally spitting on Jungkook's face. "It's your fault that our name, as well as the King's, has been degraded to such a tasteless extent! How dare you even look me in the eye, you scum!"