To Rule the World: The Price of Power

Lourdes, a meticulous accounting student working part-time to support her family, notices a disturbing pattern: street vendors, particularly Sampaguita sellers, are disappearing without a trace. The police dismiss them as runaways, but Lourdes suspects something far more sinister. Her meticulous nature, honed by her accounting studies, allows her to see patterns others miss – subtle financial transactions, unusual delivery schedules, and whispers of a clandestine organization operating in the fringes of Manila's society. Her investigation leads her into the hidden corners of Manila, from bustling markets to exclusive art galleries and opulent private clubs, uncovering a network of exploitation that extends far beyond the missing vendors. She discovers that this isn't just about money; it's about power. A chilling clandestine society is systematically exploiting the vulnerable, using them as pawns in a larger game, a game of control and influence that reaches into the highest echelons of Manila's elite. This group isn't just content with wealth; they crave domination, a subtle but pervasive form of ruling the world within their sphere of influence. With her friend Anne's help, Lourdes must expose the truth before more lives are lost, risking her own safety in the process. She realizes that confronting this powerful network means challenging not just their criminal activities, but their very desire to control and manipulate.