Clandestine Vow //Taehyung X Reader |

Chapter 22: If she's trapped in that world, she's already in hell.

"Shadow Scales is hosting a party in eight days," he began. I didn't interrupt. Something in the way he spoke told me that this was worse than I was prepared for.

"It's not a normal party. Buyers are coming from abroad. It's a gathering of businessmen, politicians, and mafia gangs. And Shadow Scales' workers—"

"Serve as customers," I cut him off, gritting my teeth. My jaw tightened as I said these words, but Jungkook shook his head.

"Well, it's not just about serving customers," Jungkook continued. "The old workers—the girls who've been there for years—serve the buyers at this party. But the new girls..." He paused, and I hated how much my heart pounded as he paused. "They get auctioned off."

I knew what he meant before he even said it. My jaw clenched, and the taste of bile rose in my throat. "Auctioned off? You mean like—"

Jungkook hesitated for a moment before looking at me. "They auction them to the highest bidder. The girls who are fresh on the VIP list—who... are teens, or virgins. Some of them are taken overseas, some stay locally. It's how Shadow Scales works. A few girls are brought back, but most stay there permanently. The ones sent to North Korea or certain Arab countries... they disappear completely. No one knows if they're alive or dead. They vanish like they never existed"

My hands curl into fists while my nails dug into my palms, but the pain wasn't enough to distract me from the anger rising inside me.

He paused. "And the few who return... they're not the same. It's like they died a hundred times before coming back."

I tried to keep my voice steady, but it was hard. "So, Y/N... she's one of them? VIP list? One of the girls they're going to auction off?"

"Yeah, that's what we heard a few minutes ago, isn't it?" Jungkook sighed. "You said you found the location, tell me where it is."

"Gimpo," I muttered, not looking up from the screen in front of me. My voice sounded distant, even to my own ears. "We have to go now and get her out. This might be our only chance, but..." I hesitated. "After this gun deal mission, I think we shouldn't overestimate our enemy. This organization is as powerful as the Black Dragon Gang. They have high-security areas. Getting in won't be easy."

Jungkook's fists slammed onto the table. "I don't care how hard it is," he said. "We're getting her back. One day. That's all I need."

I knew that no matter how firm Jungkook was about not letting me out of bed, when it came to Y/n, I wouldn't listen to him. I had already accepted my fate and made my decision.

I nodded but I was still hesitant. "We need a solid plan if we're going to pull this off in one day," I said, while my mind raced through all possibilities. "We need someone who knows their layout, someone who can guide us past security checkpoints or else, we don't stand a chance."

Jungkook sucked his teeth. "I'll talk to Viper," he said. "He might know something about this organization. After all, its structure is similar to the Black Dragon Gang."

I glanced at Jungkook. "I still need time to gather intel. This time, we shouldn't decide in haste."

Just then, my phone vibrated on the table, startling me. It was a call from Jimin. I glanced at Jungkook, who was busy typing something on his phone. Without saying anything, I swiped the screen to answer.

On the phone.

Me: "Hey, Jimin."

Jimin: "Taehyung, today Yoon sir asked you to call him as soon as possible. He's worried you're missing classes."

Me: "Oh, okay. I'll talk to him."

Jimin: "When are you coming back to college?"

I hesitated for a moment.