The Government's Dirty Secrets

The drizzle of rain accompanied the twinkling night lights dancing over Aratsun's bustling trade center pier. The usual nighttime buzz was now silenced, filled with an air of hanging mystery.

"Are you sure this is the place? It doesn't seem suspicious," Albert asked, his eyes darting around warily.

Navies stared at him sharply. "I'm sure there's something strange about this dock."

Albert nodded hesitantly. "This dock is huge. How are we supposed to search it?" he asked again, his voice nearly drowned out by the rain.

"I dislike conducting operations by splitting up when the terrain is unknown and the number of our team is small," Navies replied firmly.

Albert scratched his head, feeling that Navies always spoke in a high and difficult manner. Albert's friends only smiled, sensing the tension in the air.

Navies, Albert, and their five friends infiltrated the vast dock. That night, it was quieter than usual. With the drizzle starting to fall, they explored every corner of the dock, searching for Sera, who might be held captive somewhere. Their eyes were drawn to an odd arrangement of shipping containers. Among the stacked containers, some had never been loaded or unloaded. Their rust indicated that these containers were piled up to protect a sizable room.

In one of the warehouses hidden behind the stacked containers, they saw some suspicious items. Albert asked one of his friends to retrieve equipment from a large black bag. It turned out to be a night vision scope.

"Where did you get this?" Navies asked, his eyebrows furrowed.

"Mike likes to spend his money. So, as the club treasurer, I bought something the club needed," Albert replied with a thin smile.

Navies sighed. "It seems Mike's money will run out soon," he muttered softly.

"What?" Albert asked.

"Do you see anything?" Navies asked, diverting attention.

Albert used the scope. "It looks like they're carrying boxes of drinks; nothing suspicious," he said.

Navies placed a hand on Albert's shoulder. "Are you sure? My instincts say those aren't drinks."

"Why do you think that?" Albert asked, puzzled.

"Even without the scope, I can tell they're suspicious. You see, many people are just standing around without helping to carry goods. They have muscular arms, like fighters. Three of them are armed. I conclude they're smuggling money."

Albert was shocked. "Oh my... that's not drinks but a huge stack of money, four full containers!"

"Just as I thought, it's money laundering. A large amount of money is being moved directly without bank transfers. Can I borrow your scope?" Navies asked.

Albert handed over the scope. Navies saw a luxury car with plate number 00, indicating it belonged to a high-ranking official. He sent the plate number to Aioko Sakazuki for investigation.

"Albert, let's continue searching for my friend. We can't cause a commotion before finding her," Navies urged.

They continued scouring the dock, inspecting every container amidst the glimmering dock lights and the drizzle starting to soak them. One of Albert's gang members signaled with a fearful face. They saw numerous tanks containing human organs, an operating room, and several doctors performing surgeries. Albert turned pale, unable to believe what he was seeing.

"I never thought such things existed in this peaceful country," he said.

Suddenly, a car passed by them. Navies told them to get down. A large man got out of the car, pulling several people from a big box at the back of the pickup truck.

"Who are they?" Navies wondered. The victims, mostly women and children, were treated like merchandise. They were chained and moved without any emotion by the cruel perpetrators. The driver got out of the car to urinate and then answered a phone call. "Yes, this is the last shipment of Nexians tonight," he said.

Nexians were a second-class community living on the outskirts of Aratsun, unrecognized by the government, and without ID cards. They often faced discrimination and racism, forced to make a living from small and dangerous jobs, surviving in neglected areas overlooked by the official system.

Albert was furious. "How can they be so cruel, treating Nexians like livestock to be harvested for their organs?"

"We've been here too long. I hope Sera is okay. We need to find her quickly," Navies said, standing up.

They continued searching the dock and found a brightly lit building inside. They peeked inside, seeing many people caged behind iron bars. Albert was shocked. "Wasn't that reporter declared dead in an accident and buried?"

"Many journalists are locked up here, along with justice activists and legal aid foundation leaders," Albert continued. "What kind of place is this? This is madness!"

Navies clenched his fists. "Peace without justice is an illusion!"

One of Albert's gang members pointed to the second floor of the building. "Isn't that the girl you're looking for, Navies?" They saw a schoolgirl with her blouse unbuttoned and her skirt torn, indicating she was forcibly brought here. Navies used the scope, seeing a three-star police officer and a man in a black hoodie. "That's Mada. No wonder he didn't come to school today," Navies thought.

Albert asked, "Navies, what should we do? Should we call for backup or report this to the police?"

One of the members interjected, "Isn't that a high-ranking police officer over there?"

"We don't need backup or to report to the police; it would only make things worse. I have a plan," Navies said. They huddled for a serious discussion.

Elsewhere, Lily and her team, Sakazuki, sped towards her family villa. In the dark night, the silhouette of the luxurious villa stood majestically on the desolate mountain peak. Dim lights cast a faint glow, adding to the ominous atmosphere. The cold mountain wind blew, bringing a thin mist that shrouded the area around the villa. The car stopped. "We'll move from here," Balqis ordered.

The six of them moved swiftly through the trees, approaching the villa with stealthy yet determined steps. Balqis led the way, her slim and strong body moving agilely with a glinting karambit in her hand. Five former special forces men followed, their eyes vigilant, hands ready for anything ahead.

"I know you didn't bring weapons because of Navies' request, but this is my favorite weapon, a karambit from the south. It's perfect for ambushes and quick neutralizations," Balqis said.

Balqis signaled with her hand, and the team stopped behind a large tree, observing the villa from a distance. She peeked through a small scope, seeing several guards at the entrance. They were big and muscular, but their movements showed they were untrained.

"Ready?" Balqis whispered. Five heads nodded in the dark.

With a quick signal, Balqis jumped out of hiding, moving swiftly like a shadow. She approached the first guard, her karambit striking his throat, silencing him before he could make a sound. The large body fell silently to the ground. The team spread out, taking positions. Two other guards approached, looking suspicious. Balqis waited until they were close enough, then leaped out, executing a series of deadly moves. Her karambit danced in the air, inflicting deep wounds on her opponents. In an instant, both guards fell helplessly.

Balqis and her team moved deeper into the villa, avoiding traps and navigating narrow corridors. They arrived at a large room where Lily, with her hands tied, her beautiful long hair half-cut, lay on the floor. Her face was pale, but her eyes shone with hope upon seeing Balqis.

"Don't worry, Lily. We're here to save you," Balqis said calmly but firmly.

Lily's stepmother emerged from the shadows, her face full of hatred. "You won't take her away!" she shouted, flanked by several large men.

Balqis only smiled thinly. "Watch and see, I can take down those three men with ease," she replied.

A fierce fight ensued. The three large men attacked with full force, but Balqis was faster and more agile. Her karambit glinted, deflecting attacks and delivering deadly blows. In a few beautiful and lethal movements, Balqis defeated her opponents, leaving them on the ground.

Lily's stepmother was shocked, her face pale with fear. "Don't come any closer!" she said, her voice trembling.

Balqis untied Lily, but the tight rope had left scratches on her soft skin. Soon after, a man arrived. Lily smiled hopefully upon seeing him. "Dad!" she exclaimed, tears welling up in her eyes.

Suddenly, a loud slap echoed through the luxurious villa. Everyone was shocked and in disbelief. Lily held her cheek, feeling a sharp pain. "Dad, what are you doing?" she asked, her voice trembling.

"Are you always causing trouble? Do you always need attention like a child? Aren't you always making things difficult for me and your stepmother? You are indeed a disrespectful child!" her father shouted angrily. "From today on, you are no longer my daughter," he continued.

"What? Are you still defending that woman? She's the one who killed mom! I saw her putting something in mom's drink every morning, and shortly after that, mom got sick and left us forever," Lily cried.

Lily then ran out of the building, and Balqis and her five team members, Sakazuki, chased after her, fearing something bad would happen.

Balqis swiftly chased after Lily and grabbed her hand. "Lily, where are you going? Are you planning to run into the mountain forest by yourself?" Balqis asked.

"Let go of me!" Lily shouted. "What do you care about me? Leave me alone!" she cried, pulling her hand free from Balqis's grip. She kept running.

Balqis shouted, "Navies is deeply worried about you, and this is how you act!"

Hearing that, Lily stopped, fell to her knees, and shortly after fainted. Balqis quickly ran to her, lifting her up. "Hey, get our car. I'm afraid something bad might happen to her. She's not in a good mental or physical state," Balqis said.

They left the villa. "Is Navies okay?" Balqis wondered with worry.