Tess

Though his thoughts might be wrong, he had nothing to lose by testing them, so he casually threw out a line.

“If a situation is happening that you don’t want right now.”

The other looked at him with suspicious eyes. But he allowed Josh to slightly lift his sleeve to check the wounds. Violence with intentionality of any kind leaves marks. Josh tried to maintain a neutral expression, not wanting to surprise or fluster the other person.

“That Alpha, you know? The one you met then…”

Though he whispered very quietly, the other understood and reacted with a start.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

The beautiful young man pulled down his sleeve with his other hand to hide the wounds. Ah, so he’s pushing back after all. Not that it would be easy. Josh stepped back for now.

“I apologize for the intrusion.”

*

*

After a quick meal, they toured the village following the believers’ guidance. The investigation team that had entered earlier was nowhere to be seen. When they finally joined, the investigation team’s faces also looked exhausted. What was there to inspect for two days in a place that wasn’t even a tourist site? Though he inwardly sneered, he kept it to himself. He had hoped to see the cult leader’s face, but only his guards accompanied the investigation team. Josh kept looking around, wondering if he could contact the beautiful young man again.

The long show concluded with watching a Spiritual Church promotional video in the auditorium and receiving promotional materials. Inside the materials they handed out was a thick wad of cash. The faces of people who had been bored automatically lit up. Josh too pretended to be satisfied as he pocketed the money. Believing they had successfully recruited him, their vigilance relaxed a bit.

Only at sunset did they prepare to leave. The believers and guards who had been guiding them saw the investigation team off. The beautiful young man was among them. Josh glanced at his complexion. Though still showing dark signs, he tried hard to hide them. It would have been good to have more opportunity to talk. As he was turning away with regret, the young man handed Josh a water bottle.

“Journalist, please be sure to reveal the truth about our Spiritual Church, without the slightest falsehood.”

The young man’s hand almost gripped Josh tightly before pulling away. Though his expression was calm, there was a slight tremor in his voice. Josh nodded.

As the car started, dust rose over the wasteland. Under the setting sun, Holyland looked desolate. The cult leader advertised this place as a “miracle in the wasteland.” But the “sanctuary” now receding in the distance appeared as if drenched in blood.

*

*

Since someone might be watching, they couldn’t make contact immediately. After days of waiting for an opportunity, he rushed over.

“Look at this.”

Josh placed a note in Andrew’s hand. It revealed the writer’s identity and stated his desire to leave the Spiritual Church with his daughter.

“That young man you mentioned gave this to me. Isn’t that significant?”

“It only says they can’t leave on their own power, there’s nothing illegal. Like imprisonment or assault. Is this enough evidence?”

Andrew handed the note to Rus.

“At least it’s grounds for a visit.”

“Even so, the police are in on it.”

Josh wore a skeptical expression.

“The video?”

“I just kept it for fear of discovery. Let’s check it together.”

They hurriedly played the video. Andrew clicked his tongue.

“It’s like a college freshman party gone wild. It’s a complete mess.”

The people in the video displayed all kinds of shameful behavior. Josh, who was watching, broke out in a cold sweat.

“Judging by the lack of movement on screen, you must have just passed out drunk.”

“That’s strange. I have a high alcohol tolerance and was secretly dumping my drinks to avoid getting drunk. I wouldn’t lose consciousness after just a drink or two.”

“These people’s behavior seems too extreme for mere drunkenness.”

Though the video quality wasn’t good, Rus could identify the expressions and movements of people with large gestures. The eyes of someone drunk on alcohol differ from eyes affected by drugs.

“Another journalist mentioned drugs, and based on the circumstances, it seems they’re being controlled through alcohol and drugs.”

“Probably.”

“Drugs are common outside too, so there’s no reason to go all the way there. There must be something more.”

Rus ran his hand through his hair. Money and drugs were definite factors. If so, the remaining assumption was…

“A hallucination party.”

At the words Andrew uttered, Rus’s face remained calm, but a chill briefly ran down the back of his neck. Religious fanatics and drugs. Either way, they both wanted to live intoxicated by fantasy rather than reality.

“Sexually exploiting believers seems too much like a cult cliché, but…”

“It’s also the most plausible assumption.”

All three agreed. As if to confirm their assumption, the scene in the video changed.

“Good Lord!”

Andrew was shocked. The guards brought in female believers. All of them could barely control their bodies. The men freely violated the drug-intoxicated believers. Unable to watch until the end, Andrew turned off the video. A heavy silence weighed on their shoulders. After a long while, Andrew spoke.

“This isn’t something we can handle alone. We need to hand it over to the police.”

“The police are in on it too.”

“I understand how you feel, but this won’t be solved just by pushing. If we misstep, we’ll be exposed while they erase the evidence. They could claim the note or video is fabricated, and it might lose its evidentiary value in court. Your testimony could be doubted since you didn’t witness it directly. What if they claim you’re seeking revenge for your father?”

“So we just sit and watch? We should at least send it to a broadcasting station.”

Josh questioned with an irritated voice. He thought money and power would make things easier, and wondered if he had chosen the wrong backers.

“We’ll need to borrow other powers.”

Rus, who had been thinking heavily with his arms crossed, spoke. To bypass local police colluding with influential figures, they needed greater power. Rus began to formulate combinations using the inspection team information in his mind. Whether it was politicians trying to stand out or journalists packaging ambition as justice, he needed to mobilize whoever was necessary. But these inexperienced men in their early twenties lacked the practical power to handle such cunning players.

“I’ll look into legislators or legal figures who are friends with my father in the central government.”

Though he didn’t want to burden his ailing father, he had learned too much to stop midway. He silently asked Andrew with his eyes, “What are you going to do?” Andrew heaved a deep sigh.

“Though I don’t like it, I guess I’ll have to talk to the esteemed Congressman Nevilles.”

There would probably be cursing first, but given the nature of the case, he would have to endure playing the role of a punching bag.

“I’ll have this video analyzed by an expert to see if there’s anything useful.”

“Um… then I’ll keep watch and monitor for any other movements.”

They began to act in unison, just as they had when they gathered.

*

*

Rus’s father, Adam Briane, carefully reviewed the investigation report his son had presented. His complexion was so dark that it wouldn’t have been surprising if he collapsed at any moment. Tap. After putting the paper down on the desk, he pressed his strained eyes firmly.

“Isn’t it too early to take action with just this evidence?”

The Rus his father knew was never one to handle matters hastily. Yet, it didn’t seem to be an issue worth contesting from any angle. He worried his son might have misjudged due to youthful zeal.

“You could be accused of religious persecution. The potential gain is minimal, and a mistake would be extremely costly.”

He was a businessman. Even if Andrew Nevilles gained reputation, it would only benefit them in the distant future. He was perplexed, as his son wouldn’t be swayed by friendship.

“We discovered a wanted criminal in the video. And there are many minors in the village.”

“That’s for the prosecutor to decide. Just hand over the materials and step back.”

“I can’t do that.”

“Why not?”

Though he lacked his son’s sharp senses, he had years of experience. His son, who didn’t make emotional judgments, was prematurely fixated on this matter. There must be another reason he wasn’t sharing.

“Because I think I would regret it.”

But he had no intention of prying into what his son wouldn’t disclose. “To avoid regret,” he said. Quite a flimsy reason, but the corner of his mouth curled up slightly. All this time, Rus had walked only along rigid, straight paths. Sometimes his cold, flawless demeanor created a sense of distance. It wouldn’t be bad for him to take an adventure for once. Whether he succeeded or failed, it would still be an experience.

“Yes, it’s better not to leave regrets in life.”

“Yes.”

To his father, he publicly presented it as pursuing justice, but his true reason was deeply personal. He wanted to see with his own eyes. How involved was that man? Was he really an omega? If they met again, he wanted to know his name first. Though he wondered if the man would readily answer.

Thinking of him, Rus couldn’t help but smile faintly. How difficult it was to learn just one name.