Disgusting Celebration

As I followed the man, I decided to hang back for a moment to listen in on his phone call. His tone was sharp, tinged with frustration and anger, and it was clear he was arguing with the person on the other end of the line.

"What? Why didn't you invite me again, Dad?" he nearly shouted, his voice echoing slightly in the narrow alley. "You know how badly I've wanted to experience that celebration you've always talked about."

I froze, my focus sharpening. Celebration? What kind of 'celebration'? I thought, staying hidden in the shadows as I strained to hear more.

"Dad, please," he continued, desperation creeping into his voice. "This time, pick someone who's fair-skinned, maybe a little tall, with short hair. You know that's my type! Come on, just this once!"

My stomach churned at his words. The way he spoke about a woman as though she were an object to be chosen and delivered… it was disgusting. His request, combined with the mention of some sort of "celebration," triggered a sharp sense of unease within me.

What the hell kind of event is this? I thought, my fists clenching as I suppressed my growing anger. I couldn't ignore the possibility that this was connected to the pastor's operations. The puzzle pieces were slowly starting to align, but I needed more.

The man's conversation abruptly ended when the person on the other end—his father, apparently—hung up on him. He let out a frustrated groan, kicking a nearby trash can in irritation. His muttered curses filled the air, but I barely paid them any attention.

This isn't just about him anymore. His father and whatever celebration he's talking about… this is bigger than I thought.

I couldn't hold back any longer. The anger I'd been suppressing since this morning surged to the surface, and before I realized it, I stepped out of the shadows, locking eyes with the vlogger. His expression shifted to shock, but before he could react or utter a word, I activated one of my Tarot card abilities.

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Card Effect: You can control anyone's mind for three minutes, but you must always carry this card.

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His body stiffened as the effect took hold, his movements ceasing entirely as his gaze turned vacant. Time was short—three minutes—and I needed to get every piece of information I could before the effect wore off.

I started with his earlier conversation. "Tell me about the celebration you mentioned on your call," I commanded, my voice cold and firm.

"It's a meeting," he replied in a monotone voice. "A gathering of officials, candidates, and supporters for the upcoming election. It moves locations every time to avoid being discovered."

*Bingo,* I thought, the pieces starting to fall into place. This "celebration" was exactly the kind of operation Katherine and I were targeting. The pastor, his corrupt allies, and their illicit dealings were all tied to this.

I pressed further. "And the woman you were asking your father to bring? Who are they? What happens to them?"

His response made my stomach churn. "Every time there's a celebration, my dad secretly brings a minor-aged girl home from the event. Some are exploited… desired. Others are treated like toys—impregnated and then forced to work as maids in the mansion."

The sheer depravity of his words made my blood boil. My fists clenched, and I had to force myself to stay calm, to not let my emotions get the better of me. There wasn't time to lose my focus now.

I glared at him, my voice barely masking my fury. "And what do you do? Do you participate in this too?"

"I try to… but my dad won't let me," he answered, his voice hollow. "He says I'm too careless and might ruin things."

I felt the urge to unleash every curse and insult I could think of, but I restrained myself. There were only seconds left before the effect would wear off. I had one last question.

"Does your father ever bring these girls to the same location as the celebration?"

"No," he answered. "It's always afterward. The celebration is for business and agreements. The girls are... rewards."

The timer in my head was up. His body started to relax, his eyes blinking as the control lifted. Quickly, I issued my final command before he regained full awareness.

"Hand over your phone and its password, then leave this place. Forget this encounter ever happened."

In a daze, he handed me his phone and quietly mumbled the password before turning and walking away, completely unaware of what had just transpired. 

As I held the phone in my hand, my rage simmered, but I knew one thing for sure: these people didn't deserve to roam free. Katherine and I were going to stop them—starting with Pastor Jun.

I returned to Katherine, holding the vlogger's phone in my hand. As soon as she saw me, her face lit up with excitement, noticing that not only did I have the phone, but it was already unlocked. She opened her mouth to ask how I managed to pull it off, but then her expression shifted when she saw the serious look on my face.

"Daniel," she said softly, her smile fading. "You're angry. I can see it all over you. What happened?"

I took a deep breath, my fists tightening slightly as I recounted everything I had learned from the vlogger. Every sickening detail—about the so-called celebration, the girls treated like objects, and the disgusting actions of the vlogger's father and his circle. As I spoke, I could see the anger boiling within Katherine. Her jaw clenched, and her fists tightened as though she was ready to break something.

When I finished, she let out a shaky breath, her voice trembling with rage. "These people… They shouldn't be allowed to exist. The world doesn't need monsters like them."

I nodded grimly, the weight of the situation pressing down on both of us. "We have the phone and some critical information now, but we're still missing a key piece—the location of the celebration. If we can't find it, we'll lose our chance."

Katherine's gaze hardened, her determination unwavering. "Then we don't stop until we do. I don't care how long it takes or how dangerous it is. These people need to be stopped, Daniel. For everyone they've hurt, for every girl they've exploited—this ends now."

Her words echoed my own feelings, and I couldn't help but feel a sense of relief. Katherine's resolve was unshakable, and together, we were a force to be reckoned with.