Chapter 426: Who’s Worse?
Xavier shared a glance with Anastasia before stepping inside.
Once the elevator doors slid open, Anastasia immediately wished they could turn back and never return.
The first thing that hit them was the smell.
The air was thick with a suffocating mix of sweat, perfume, alcohol, and something far worse—lust. It clung to their skin, sinking into their clothes as if trying to brand them with the filth of the place.
Xavier’s expression darkened instantly. His stomach churned in disgust as his gaze roamed the underground chamber. He’d dismantled dozens of trafficking rings before, but never had he encountered one quite like this.
Men were being sold.
Not just women. Not just children. But men.
The royal family was auctioning off their own people like livestock.
His fists clenched tightly. What kind of sick, twisted monsters were they?
His sharp gaze flickered toward a group of young boys, no older than fourteen, huddled together in one of the larger cages. Their eyes were hollow, their bodies trembling with fear as they avoided the gazes of the predators prowling around them.
Some of them had fresh bruises. Others had scars—deep, ugly, and permanent.
A few of the older boys, likely around sixteen or seventeen, had a different look in their eyes. Desperation. A silent plea for help. They wanted out. They wanted to run. But there was nowhere to go.