Bound by Shadows .jc

CHAPTER 42

The Rise of a KING

The warehouse loomed ahead like a shadow of despair, its walls cracked and stained with years of neglect. "Is this even a place?" Seungcheol murmured, his voice filled with doubt.

Viktor didn't respond, merely gesturing for him to follow. Inside, the air was damp and heavy, the faint smell of rust and mold making Seungcheol's stomach churn. Dust clung to every surface, and the distant sound of machinery added an ominous undertone.

They entered a cleaner room, starkly different from the rest of the warehouse. It was neat, almost clinical, with a long wooden table and several chairs. Around the table sat four men, each radiating a sense of authority and danger.

"This is Choi Seungcheol," Viktor announced. "He'll be joining us."

One of the men stood, his smirk as sharp as the knife he twirled between his fingers. "Jared," he said, his eyes lingering on Seungcheol with unsettling interest.

The others introduced themselves-Damien, with a cold, unreadable expression; Ryker, whose massive frame and cruel eyes made him look more like a predator than a man; and Daniel Park, whose soft smile and calm demeanor felt out of place in the room.

"I'm Daniel," he said, his voice smooth and almost welcoming. "Stick with me, and you might just survive."

The days that followed were brutal. Viktor and Daniel pushed me beyond my limits, teaching me to fight, to think, to survive.

"You want to make them pay?" Viktor asked one day, throwing a knife at my feet. "Then stop whining and start doing."

Daniel, ever the calmer of the two, offered a different perspective. "Revenge won't bring you peace," he said as we watched the others train. "But it will give you control. And control is everything."

Their words burrowed into my mind, reshaping the boy I had been into someone colder, sharper. I trained until my body screamed in protest, every bruise and scar a step closer to my goal.

Months later, Seungcheol found himself back at the warehouse, this time seeing the ugliest truth behind the operations Viktor had brought him into. The once-dusty building now felt suffocating, filled with a low hum of murmured voices and metallic clinking. What caught his attention most, though, was the row of children standing silently along the far wall.

They were younger than him-some barely able to stand on their own, their hollow eyes staring at nothing, their small frames trembling under the weight of fear and exhaustion. Seungcheol froze, his breath hitching as a wave of nausea rolled through him. This wasn't survival. This was exploitation.

"This..." Seungcheol's voice cracked as he turned toward Daniel, who stood beside him with his hands casually tucked into his pockets. "This is wrong."

Daniel glanced at him, his face as calm as ever, though there was a glint of warning in his eyes. "Wrong?" he repeated, his tone almost amused. "That's a luxury people like us can't afford, Seungcheol. This is how we survive."

Seungcheol clenched his fists at his sides, his nails digging into his palms. The words hung heavy in the air, each one driving a sharper edge into his conscience. He wanted to argue, to scream at the man standing so calmly beside him, but the cold, practical part of his mind reminded him where he was and what would happen if he pushed too far.

Instead, he turned away, forcing himself to walk through the warehouse. His heart ached with every step. The children moved listlessly, like ghosts tethered to a life they couldn't escape.

"Hey, mister."

The soft voice made him pause. He looked down to see a small boy standing by his side, his cheeks smudged with dirt and his dark eyes wide with innocent curiosity.