That morning, Rayyan acted as usual.
No one knew that he had sent Rinthara's location to the authorities.
No one knew that in a few days, this headquarters would be raided.
He buried the guilt deep within his heart.
Today, he and Saifah were assigned to manage a transaction with the brothel under their control.
On the way to the location, they chatted in the car.
Saifah, who rarely opened up about himself, suddenly asked:
"Rayyan, have you ever felt trapped?"
Rayyan glanced at Saifah, slightly surprised.
"What do you mean?"
Saifah leaned back in his seat.
"Trapped between responsibility and feelings. Between what you should do and what you want to do."
Rayyan was stunned.
Saifah didn’t know how much that question truly reflected his own situation right now.
Rayyan sighed.
"I think everyone has felt that way."
Saifah chuckled softly.
"But you know, right? In our world, feelings don't have any value. What matters is you do your job. You endure. You stay alive."
Rayyan remained silent.
"How do you think Rinthara is?" Saifah suddenly asked.
Rayyan’s heart raced.
Had Saifah started to suspect something?
He tried to calm himself before answering.
"She's strong. She never shows her weakness. But... sometimes I feel like, she doesn’t even know what she’s looking for."
Saifah nodded slowly.
"I follow her not because I’m afraid. I follow her because I trust her. I know she’s cruel, but she has her own reasons. In a world like this, if you’re soft, you’ll become a victim. If you give a traitor a chance, you’ll end up dead."
Rayyan gripped the steering wheel tightly.
Saifah's words stabbed him in the heart.
What he was doing now... wasn’t that a betrayal?
Wasn’t he putting a knife in the back of the woman who trusted him?
He bit his lip.
It was too late to turn back now.
No matter how painful this decision was, he had to go through with it.
He turned to Saifah and forced a smile.
"You’re right. Rinthara isn’t someone who can be taken down easily."
But in his heart, Rayyan knew something that Saifah didn’t.
Today, Rinthara would fall.
As they continued on their way to the location, Rayyan and Saifah kept talking.
Rayyan’s mind was in turmoil, but he tried to act as usual. Saifah, on the other hand, seemed calm, as if nothing was happening.
"Have you ever thought about getting out of all this?" Rayyan suddenly asked.
Saifah smiled cynically. "Get out? This is the only world I know."
Rayyan shot a quick glance at Saifah. "But you have a choice. You could leave all of this behind and start a new life."
Saifah laughed softly. "A new life? With who? You think people like us can run away from our sins? Even if I left, I’d still be hunted. Our enemies won’t let us live peacefully."
Rayyan sighed. "But have you never thought... about living like an ordinary person? Without blood, without revenge?"
Saifah paused for a moment. His eyes gazed far ahead, as if imagining something impossible.
"If I could choose, I’d want to live in a world that never existed for me."
Rayyan furrowed his brow. "What do you mean?"
"I want to live in a world with no bloodshed. No betrayal. But that’s just a dream, Rayyan. We’ve been trapped in this world for too long. Rinthara? She will never stop. None of us will ever stop... until we die."
Rayyan swallowed hard.
Because he knew, in just a few hours, everything would change.
"Have you ever felt guilty?" Rayyan finally asked.
Saifah smiled faintly. "Guilty about what? Killing people? Following Rinthara's orders? Doing dirty work?"
Rayyan nodded slowly.
Saifah chuckled softly. "If I said I never felt guilty, I’d be lying. But if I let myself drown in that feeling, I’d die."
Rayyan stayed silent.
"So you just let it go?"
Saifah sighed deeply. "It’s not about letting it go. It’s about accepting it. This is our world, Rayyan. Either you swim against the current, or you drown."
Rayyan looked out the window, seeing the road that seemed endless.
He had chosen to swim against the current.
And he knew... when everything was exposed, Rinthara wouldn’t forgive him.
Rayyan and Saifah finally arrived at the location, a nightclub that served as the headquarters of their syndicate. From the outside, it looked like any other club, but behind the scenes, it was a hub for prostitution and illegal business controlled by Rinthara's men.
They entered through the back door. The smell of alcohol and cigarette smoke filled the air. A few girls, dressed provocatively, walked past them, some with flirtatious smiles, others with empty expressions—like their souls were already dead.
Saifah didn’t show any reaction. He was used to it. But Rayyan? His heart was rebelling more than ever.
"We’re meeting Bai. He handles all the girls here," Saifah said as he walked toward a room at the back of the club.
Rayyan followed. Bai was a middle-aged man, wearing an expensive shirt, but his face was full of fatigue. He was smoking a cigar, exhaling smoke into the air before giving a sarcastic smile.
"Finally, you’re here, Saifah. I thought you’d forgotten about this place."
Saifah scoffed. "No time to forget. I need a full report on the profits and also the new girls. Any problems?"
Bai glanced at Rayyan. "Who’s this?"
Saifah smiled faintly. "Rinthara's man. Treat him like you treat me."
Rayyan stayed silent. He just observed.
Bai shrugged and handed a file to Saifah. "The customers are increasing, but there’s a problem. Two new girls ran away last night. My men have been searching, but they haven’t found them yet."
Saifah narrowed his eyes. "Which girls?"
Bai opened the file and showed pictures of two young women, their faces full of fear.
Rayyan clenched his fists. Two girls who might have been forced into this world... and were now being hunted.
"Do you want me to handle it?" Bai asked.
Saifah shook his head. "No need. I’ll give instructions to our people."
Rayyan finally spoke. "Why do you want to find them? If they ran away, let them be."
Bai laughed cynically. "You new to this world? If we let these two go, the others will follow suit. The business will fall."
Rayyan felt his stomach twist.
He knew this was a cruel world. But he didn’t expect to find himself in such a situation.
Saifah closed the file and turned to Bai. "I want to see all the girls here. Take me to where they are."
Bai nodded and led them to a special room at the back of the club.
When the door opened, Rayyan was stunned.
Inside the room, several girls sat on plush sofas, some with empty expressions, others looking with pure hatred. They were all so young.
One girl stood up and looked Rayyan straight in the eye. "Help us," her voice barely a whisper.
Rayyan turned his gaze away. He knew that if he acted now, he’d expose his plan too soon.
Saifah gave a quick glance before turning to Bai. "Make sure everyone works well. If there’s a problem, you know who’s responsible."
Bai nodded obediently. "Understood, Saifah."
Rayyan just stood there, his heart full of mixed emotions.
He knew... he couldn’t pretend for much longer.
And he knew... he couldn’t let this continue.
After leaving the room, Rayyan and Saifah walked toward the main area of the club. The music was thumping, neon lights flashing, and people were enjoying themselves as if their world was perfect.
But Rayyan knew the reality was far darker.
Saifah stepped up to the bar and took a glass of water before sipping it slowly. She looked at Rayyan with a sharp gaze.
"You look uncomfortable, Rayyan," she said bluntly.
Rayyan took a deep breath. "I just... I'm not used to all this."
Saifah smirked. "You're already in this world, Rayyan. There's no place for guilt or sympathy."
Rayyan met Saifah's gaze, trying to hold back the anger bubbling inside him. "I just feel like we shouldn't be chasing the woman who ran away."
Saifah sighed deeply before sipping her drink again. "They're assets, Rayyan. If one runs, the others will try too. This is not a world that allows weakness. You know that, right?"
Rayyan fell silent. He knew, but his heart still refused to accept this cruel logic.
"Do you know why I hate traitors?" Saifah suddenly asked, making Rayyan turn his attention to her.
"Why?"
Saifah leaned back against the bar, staring at the floor as if digging up old memories.
"I used to have a brother. We lived in a poor neighborhood. When I was a kid, I always saw my brother stealing food for me. He was the person I trusted the most in my life."
Rayyan listened intently. This was the first time he had heard Saifah speak in such a personal tone.
"One day, a gang came to our area. They offered protection if my brother worked for them. He accepted. I thought he made the right decision... but I was wrong."
Rayyan stayed silent, letting Saifah continue.
"My brother sold me to them."
The words struck Rayyan like lightning. He sold Saifah?
"I thought I was going to die. But Rinthara saved me. She killed everyone involved... including my brother."
Rayyan felt his body stiffen. "Aren't you angry at Rinthara for killing your brother?"
Saifah shook her head. "No. I realized, he's not my brother anymore. He betrayed me, and people like him deserve to die."
Rayyan swallowed hard.
"That's why I trust Rinthara's way. You might think she's cruel, but she does what needs to be done to keep us all safe. If you want to survive in this world, Rayyan, you need to understand one thing."
Saifah leaned closer to Rayyan and whispered softly.
"Guilt will kill you before the enemy does."
Rayyan was stunned. Saifah's words pierced his soul.
He looked around the club again. Everyone was enjoying themselves, laughing, drinking, and dancing. But beneath it all, there was a darkness deeper than he imagined.
And he knew... he was standing on increasingly fragile ground.
The two of them remained at the bar, each lost in their thoughts after the conversation. The club was livelier, but Rayyan was not entertained at all.
He tried to process Saifah's words.
"Guilt will kill you before the enemy does."
The phrase repeated in his head.
But... isn't guilt a sign that someone still has a heart and feelings? Isn't that what separates them from animals?
He glanced at Saifah, who was now talking to one of Rinthara's right-hand men. From the way they spoke, it was clear that something serious was being discussed.
Rayyan clenched his jaw. He couldn't stay trapped in this dilemma any longer. He had made a decision—Rinthara had to be captured.
The problem was... he wasn't sure if he could do it.
Saifah turned back to him. "Come on. We need to go check on the woman who just arrived."
Rayyan nodded and followed Saifah to the back of the club, where the special 'business' room was located.
Inside the room, a young woman sat on a shabby sofa. Her eyes were full of fear, and her hands trembled as she held a glass of water.
Rayyan felt his stomach tighten. She looked too young.
A large man stood beside her, his face covered in scars. He grinned when he saw Saifah and Rayyan enter. "This is her. She tried to escape last night."
Saifah moved closer, inspecting the girl from head to toe. "What's your name?"
The girl bit her lip. "N-Nina."
"Who helped you try to escape?" Saifah asked sharply.
Nina shook her head quickly. "I... I just wanted to go home. I don't know anything."
Saifah shot a glance at the large man. Without needing instructions, he pulled Nina's hair back, forcing her head to tilt up.
"Arghh! Please! I didn’t do anything!"
Rayyan felt his hands clenching at his sides.
"You know the rules, Nina," Saifah's voice was still calm, but full of threat. "If you try to escape, you will be punished."
Rayyan's gaze met Nina's, which was now filled with terror.
He had seen that expression before—on the faces of innocent people.
Damn it. He couldn't let this happen.
Rayyan stepped forward, placing a hand on Saifah's shoulder. "Enough. She's scared enough."
Saifah looked at him with raised eyebrows. "And you think we should just let her go like that?"
Rayyan clenched his jaw. "I'm just saying... don't use violence. We can get the answers another way."
Saifah stared at him for a moment before sighing. "Alright. I'll give you a chance, Rayyan. But if she lies, you know the consequences."
Rayyan nodded before kneeling in front of Nina.
"Nina, I won’t let them hurt you. But I need you to be honest. Who helped you?"
Nina's eyes welled up. She bit her lip, hesitant.
After a few moments, she finally whispered. "I-I heard them talking about... Han."
Rayyan felt his blood freeze instantly. Han again?
He looked at Saifah, who seemed briefly shocked before regaining her composure.
"Han is dead," Saifah's voice was low, almost a murmur. "So this must be the work of his remnants."
Rayyan knew this was a new lead. Maybe Han wasn't the only inside person trying to bring down Rinthara.
And if that's true...
There might be a chance to take down Rinthara sooner than he thought.
But before that, he had to make sure Nina was safe.
Rayyan stood up again, looking at Saifah. "Let me handle her. I’ll make sure she doesn’t run again."
Saifah gave him a sharp look. "And what are you going to do?"
Rayyan thought quickly. "I'll take care of her for now. If she tries to run again, I'll personally bring her to Rinthara."
Saifah still looked skeptical, but she eventually nodded. "Fine. But I’ll be keeping an eye on her."
Rayyan gently squeezed Nina's hand, signaling her to stand.
"Come on, Nina. You're safe with me."
But deep inside… Rayyan wasn’t sure if he could save himself.