Will you obey or be slaughtered?

WARNING: abuse

A charcoal-colored sports car sped down the well-kept street and quickly parked in front of rows of high-end houses. The driver jumped off and rushed to a door at the far end of the road, ringing the buzzer twice in quick succession.

"I'm sorry to bother you so late. Is it okay if I come in?" the man wearing a leather jacket asked as he wiped sweat beads from his thick brow. He shifted his weight and scanned around nervously as if expecting trouble at any moment.

The door clicked open and the man swiftly stepped inside.

The apartment was a tech geek's paradise, stuffed with gadgets and electronic devices. Wires snaked across the floor and technology littered the surfaces. The rooms were dark, lit only by screens and the dim lighting from the streetlamps outside.

The man navigated his way to a certain office.

"Thanks for seeing me. I really need your help," Jiro said as he glanced at the slouched figure in front of the messy workstation with multiple computer monitors.

The man, much slimmer than the white-haired one, looked up at his cousin with a tired expression, bearing dark circles under his eyes that suggested he hadn't had enough sleep. His black hair was unkempt and messy, as if he had been frustrated and run his hands through it multiple times.

Yoshio Takahashi had a talent for programming from a young age and had been the head of security in the family's cyber business for many years. On top of that, he was also a gifted hacker, who had lived in the shadows of the digital world nearly all his life.

The two were cousins because their mothers were sisters, so they had known each other since childhood. Despite their different personalities, Jiro always saw Yoshio as the only sane person in their family who had not been corrupted by power and money. He trusted his cousin's judgment and knew he could rely on him to help him out in difficult times.

"But it involves something risky and potentially dangerous."

The black-haired man in his thirties looked at his white-haired relative and shrugged his shoulders, as if to say he wasn't the only one doing illicit activities.

"Just tell me everything," the hacker replied in a groggy voice and took a sip from his big cup of coffee.

(The next day)

"Wake up, kid," a deep male voice said to the young man huddled in the corner.

Natsuo's eyelids were heavy, and he struggled to open them as a bright light stabbed into his vision harshly. His brown hair cascaded in front of his face, concealing his frowning eyes from the three men in the room.

He wasn't sure how much time had passed, but the entire time he was under observation like a lab rat being monitored by a scientist. He wasn't allowed to move or make a sound, so he remained motionless and silent.

"There is one rule we need to make very clear," the man continued as he straightened his posture.

Two other suited figures were in the basement, keeping a respectful distance but holding their guns visible to emphasize how serious things were.

"If you do as you are told, we will get along just fine. If you don't, it won't be pleasant for any of us," the man explained with a sly smile.

Natsuo glanced at them with a hardened gaze. Fear rippled through his chest, but he refused to let it show.

The man stepped aside, allowing the two suited figures to proceed forward. Their faces were blank, but the menace in their eyes was clear.

"Now, let's get started."

One of the yakuza retrieved a metal case from the shelf and placed it on the steel table in the center of the room.

Natsuo watched in silence as he opened the container and took out various pieces of lab equipment. Everything was arranged with care, like he was getting ready to experiment.

The scarred man pulled out a syringe, loaded it with a yellowish liquid, and swirled the contents carefully before setting it aside.

"Answer my question. Have you ever used methamphetamine?"

Natsuo instantly shook his head, watching his captor insert a sharp needle into the injection. The man moved closer to him, causing his heart to pound painfully.

"We want to offer an alternative. Our goal is to revolutionize the continent's drug market by providing cheaper, more efficient methods for people to obtain the substances they need."

Natsuo froze when he realized what they would do with him. His stomach tightened violently as he realized he was really going to be a lab rat, a test subject for their product.

"And you get the honor of being the first participant in our revolutionary program," the scarred man added, his eyes glowing with sudden excitement as he continued.

"We will test the sample we just prepared for you. Now, give me your arm, kid."

Natsuo's body wasn't moving - it was rooted in place, too paralyzed to make a gesture as fear gripped him. The scarred man roughly grabbed the subject's arm and rolled up his sleeve to reveal pale skin.

It felt like his bones were about to break as the man squeezed his bicep with tremendous force, before inserting the needle into his forearm and pushing the plunger down with steady pressure.

Natsuo held his breath, feeling the liquid course through his veins like hot iron. His skin prickled as if thousands of legs were crawling across it, every muscle in his body tight and stiff. He slumped on the tatami atop the concrete, shaking uncontrollably as the drug took over.

As the yakuza's words bounced around in Natsuo's mind, his vision blurred and twisted. Shadows danced on the walls, forming grotesque shapes that mocked him. Sounds became muffled, blending in with his own terrified thoughts. His surroundings transformed into a nightmarish landscape, with deformed and eerie figures that moved like snakes.

Then, his awareness slipped away. It was impossible for him to comprehend the words he heard when people started talking fervently, but he knew one thing for sure - everything was more sinister than he could have ever imagined.

(A while later)

Natsuo gasped for breath as his head was suddenly shoved into a bucket of water, bringing him back to reality. He instinctively tried to move away, but the strong grip on his neck kept him still, keeping him from escaping the sudden chill.

After being pulled up, the brunet coughed desperately as the water trickled off his face, washing away the sweat that had formed on his face moments earlier.

"Describe your feelings, kid."

His head hung low from sudden exhaustion. The drugs wore off as quickly as they had kicked in, but left him feeling completely drained and disoriented.

Cold water shocked him again as he was drowned a second time, but his system finally came alive with adrenaline as he tried to push against the weight holding him back.

The captor yanked the young man closer and brought his damaged lips close to his. His breath was stale and foul, smelling of cigarettes and alcohol.

"Remember that rule we discussed? If you don't follow our instructions, we can't use you. Do you know what happens then?"

Although Natsuo's thoughts seemed to be all over the place, he considered getting himself killed. Perhaps death was his only chance of escaping his oppressors and being a human experiment - maybe dying was a better option than living as a slave to their cruel desires.

"And don't even imagine getting a bullet in the head," the man said and continued with a sneer.

"No, you would get thrown into a cage with starving animals. Just imagine how their teeth would sink into your flesh and tear it apart."

The man's face lit up in an evil smile. He made sure their target saw his twisted expression when he raised his head and tugged at his hair.

"So, will you obey or be slaughtered?"