The Shadows of power

6

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Chapter 6: The Dark Truth Unveiled

Namjoon stood in front of the group, his expression grave. He clicked through the images on the projector, projecting a series of reports and charts. Clearing his throat, he began, "Well, you all might be amused or shocked by this, but as of today, I can confirm that the ratio of human trafficking has increased from 5% to 10%, and it is rising at an alarming rate. If we don’t put a stop to this now, we have no idea how many children, women, and innocent human beings will become victims of human trafficking and sex slavery. We need to take immediate action."

The room fell silent as the weight of Namjoon’s words settled in. After thoroughly explaining the data, Namjoon sat down, his sharp eyes scanning his team. “Yoongi, I asked you to gather some additional information. Can you share what you found?”

Yoongi stood up, moving to the front of the projector. “Yes, Namjoon,” he said. “I’ve come across some things that… well, they’re disturbing.” He sighed deeply, adjusting the projector to show another series of images. “Something strange is happening in random colleges. When I looked into it, I found something consistent. On the farewell day of several colleges, bomb blasts occurred. In some colleges, the explosion was blamed on a kitchen accident, in others, student recklessness, and in some cases, a lack of security. But here's the disturbing part: after the bomb blast, not a single student’s body was found intact. They were all in such a state that even the forensic teams couldn’t identify specific individuals. It wasn’t just a coincidence; it happened multiple times.”

Yoongi’s voice grew heavier as he continued, “If this had happened two or three times, we could dismiss it as a coincidence. But this... it seems connected to human trafficking. There’s a pattern here.”

Namjoon nodded as the team absorbed Yoongi’s findings. Then, Jimin stood up, his voice steady but laced with his manipulative charm. “I’ve been working with younger victims. I spoke with the principals of the colleges affected by these bombings since the students were the primary victims. In one college, the principal survived the blast. I found it strange, so I went to talk to him personally.”

Jimin paced as he recounted the conversation. “The principal said that their college lacked security, which allowed the bomb to be brought in. But when I asked him if there was any unusual activity or involvement of a specific person, he denied it.”

Jimin paused, his expression darkening. “But it’s not just colleges. Similar incidents have occurred at Littles Care Centers—places where age regressors live. And it’s not limited to one or two centers; this is happening on an international level. Multiple care centers have been targeted.”

Jin, who had been quiet until now, furrowed his brow. “I know what Littles are, but what’s the connection between them and human trafficking? Why would they be targeted like this?”

Namjoon, always composed, turned to Jin and started to explain. “Look, Jin. A person who knows that what is happening to them is wrong will resist, protest, or fight back. But a person who doesn’t know the difference between right and wrong? They can’t resist. These Littles, they regress mentally to the ages of around three to six years old. They don’t have the mental capacity to understand that they’re being victimized. And that’s why they become prime targets in human trafficking.”

Jin listened intently, still processing Namjoon’s words.

Namjoon continued, “The rich buyers involved in human trafficking prefer Littles because of their innocence. They don’t know what’s happening to them is wrong. They follow the commands of their masters, even if it involves sex or worse. This is why Littles are so sought after in human trafficking rings. And as for college students, young, beautiful individuals, sometimes even virgins… they become commodities in this dark industry.”

Jin’s eyes widened. He had been a doctor for years, skilled in performing complicated surgeries and working inside the human body to save lives, but this was different. The sheer cruelty of it all left him stunned.

Sensing Jin’s shock, Namjoon gently gestured to Jimin. “Jimin, get some water for Jin.”

Jimin quickly poured a glass of water and handed it to Jin, who sipped it slowly, trying to regain his composure. The room remained silent, each member lost in thought, trying to grasp the enormity of the situation.

After a few moments, Jin, now a little more composed, placed the glass down. Namjoon, noticing that the team was back in focus, turned back to the projector. “Alright, we need to start working on this immediately. We’ve got some leads, and we need to dig deeper to uncover the truth behind this trafficking ring. Let’s move fast.”

The room buzzed with determination as the team gathered around the files, discussing the next steps. The gravity of the case weighed heavily on them, but they were ready to fight back, to protect the innocent, and to uncover the dark secrets lurking behind this human trafficking network.

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