Descendant of Sloth
Chapter 73: The Infiltration Pass

Chapter 73: The Infiltration Pass

"So..." I said, my tone suddenly serious, "how are we going to infiltrate this slave trade Billie mentioned and save her brother, Nox?"

The room stilled.

Hina’s usual teasing demeanor faded, replaced by something heavier—something almost suffocating. Her fingers curled into fists on her lap as if trying to grasp onto some invisible thread of control.

Across from her, Hina and Serina exchanged glances but remained silent, waiting for her response.

I leaned forward. "Billie, we need details. Anything that can help."

She exhaled shakily. "It’s underground..." she muttered, her voice barely above a whisper. Then, as if forcing herself to keep going, she straightened up. "The entrance is through a club at the shore. It looks normal, just another loud, flashy place filled with drunk idiots. But if you go past the main floor, there’s a restricted section. Only selected people are taken downstairs."

Serina frowned. "Downstairs?"

Billie nodded grimly. "That’s where the real operation starts. There’s a ground floor beneath the club where they do security checks. No one gets past without an invitation or approval from one of their own." She hesitated, then added, "After that... there’s an elevator. It leads directly to the slave market."

Hina sucked in a sharp breath. "So it happens right below casual people’s eyes... while they drink and dance upstairs, oblivious?"

Billie’s expression darkened as she nodded again. "Yeah. That’s how they operate. They keep everything hidden in plain sight. The club is just a front—an illusion to cover up the horror happening beneath it."

Serina’s hands clenched into the fabric of her night dress. "And the security?"

"Heavy," Billie admitted. "We’re talking armed guards, biometric scans, ID checks. Even if someone manages to reach the ground floor, they don’t get past that elevator unless they’re supposed to be there."

Silence settled over us like a thick fog. The weight of the situation was finally sinking in.

"Yeah... obviously," Hina murmured, but her voice lacked its usual confidence. She cast her gaze downward, her brows furrowed in deep thought.

Serina bit her lip, looking equally troubled. "Then how the hell do we get in?"

I stared at the floor, my mind racing through possibilities. There had to be a way—there always was.

Billie shifted uncomfortably. "If we’re going to do this, we have to be smart. Recklessness will only get us caught."

"Agreed," I said. "Then let’s figure out our way in.

I lifted the spoon to my lips, sipping the warm soup in a quiet slurp, savoring the rich, savory flavor. The atmosphere around our small table remained still, save for the occasional clinking of utensils against plates.

A comfortable silence hung between us, but curiosity gnawed at me. Finally, I placed my spoon down and leaned slightly forward, glancing at Billie before asking,

"So... what exactly gives the elites the pass to go inside?"

My voice was casual, but my eyes were sharp with interest. I picked up a piece of crispy bread from the side of my plate and took a bite, waiting for her response.

"I mean everyone needs something. They must be checking that before letting anyone inside." I said glancing her.

Hina and Serina, who had been quietly eating, immediately turned their attention to Billie as well, their expressions filled with curiosity.

Billie leaned back in her chair, crossing her arms as she considered my question. After a moment, she finally said, "Yeah... you need a special ticket. A pass to get inside."

I narrowed my eyes. "What kind of pass?"

She tapped her fingers against the table rhythmically, as if building suspense, before finally answering, "A VVIP pass."

I felt Serina and Hina exchange glances beside me, their interest piqued just as much as mine.

Billie continued, her voice slightly lower, as if revealing a secret. "Not just anyone can get it that easily... it’s really hard to obtain. Only the great elites of the country have it."

For a moment, silence stretched between us.

And then, it hit us all at once.

Serina, Hina, and I turned our heads towards each other in perfect sync, our eyes widening with realization. A spark of excitement flickered between us, our gazes gleaming with an unspoken understanding.

I could practically feel the energy shifting—our curiosity turning into something else entirely.

THUD!

The sharp sound echoed through the dining hall as Hina and Serina slammed their hands down on the table in unison. The plates rattled, and my spoon nearly tipped over into my soup.

Billie, caught off guard by the sudden noise, stopped mid-sentence, her eyes snapping toward them in shock.

For a moment, neither of them spoke. Hina blinked at Serina. Serina blinked at Hina. It was as if they had just shared some kind of unspoken realization, a secret exchange that only they understood.

Then, in perfect synchronization, they turned their heads toward me, identical wide grins stretched across their faces.

I let out a small chuckle, already knowing where this was going. Shaking my head with amusement, I leaned back in my chair and sighed. "And here we go..."

Hina practically jumped in her seat, pumping her fist in the air with overflowing energy.

"YOSHAAAAA!!!" she shouted, her voice bursting with excitement.

Serina, on the other hand, giggled mischievously, her eyes twinkling. "Hehehe... we are lucky! Thank you father!! Hehehehe" she said, her tone brimming with satisfaction.

Billie, still visibly confused, stared at them as if they had lost their minds. Her brows furrowed, and she tilted her head slightly. "Wait, what? What just happened? Why are you two so happy all of a sudden?"

Serina, still grinning, reached into her bag. With a deliberate slowness, as if savoring the moment, she pulled out a sleek, elegant pass—a VVIP Pass. The gold lettering shimmered under the warm lights of the dining hall, standing out against the deep yellow background of the card.

The moment she placed it on the table, Billie’s entire demeanor changed.

Her eyes widened in sheer disbelief, lips parting slightly. "No way... Is that—"

Serina smirked, lifting the pass just a little so the light reflected off it dramatically. "Yep. My father gave it to me."

Hina leaned closer, practically bouncing in her seat. "We already have what we need!" she exclaimed.

I couldn’t help but smile as the realization sank in. This was no longer just an idea or an impossible dream.

We had the key and now, the real fun was about to begin.

Now that we had the pass, the tension that had previously gripped the table now relaxed. The excitement still lingered in the air, but with the confirmation that we could get inside, we allowed ourselves a moment of relaxation.

Slowly, we resumed eating, savoring our food with a little more ease.

Still, something weighed on my mind.

As I took a bite of my meal, I casually glanced at the girls and asked, "You girls are sure you want to come as well?"

Hina immediately stopped mid-bite, puffing her cheeks and pouting dramatically. "Yes, obviously! What kind of question is that, Esther?" she huffed.

I exhaled through my nose, my expression unreadable. "Such places... are dangerous," I said, stirring the last bits of soup in my bowl.

Billie nodded, her fingers idly tracing the rim of her glass. "Yeah... the people inside aren’t just regular folks. They’re strong. It’s like they have guards and arms ready to fire if anything goes wrong," she said, her tone laced with caution.

Serina, however, leaned back in her chair, unfazed. A small smirk played on her lips. "Come on. We’re not that weak," she said confidently.

I set my spoon down with a soft clink against the plate. "It’s not about being weak," I said, my voice calm but firm. "It’s about the numbers."

I picked up another piece of crispy bread and took a slow bite before continuing. "I can just go by myself, end them, and bring back Billie’s brother, Nox. You girls don’t necessarily have to trouble yourselves."

The words had barely left my mouth when—

THUD!

Hina slammed her hands on the table again, making Billie jump slightly in her seat in fear.

Her blue eyes burned with irritation as she leaned toward me. "What’s the problem though?" she demanded.

I sighed, rubbing my temples before meeting her gaze. "The problem is, I’d have to look after all of you as well," I said, my tone laced with exasperation. "If anything goes wrong, I’d have to protect you. No?"

Hina scoffed, folding her arms. "I can protect myself, thank you very much, Mr. Guardian." She turned her head away with an exaggerated "Hmph!" before aggressively shoving a spoonful of food into her mouth.

I watched her for a moment, unimpressed but also mildly amused.

Serina, on the other hand, chuckled softly and gave me a reassuring smile. "Don’t worry, Esther. We’ll make sure we’re not getting in your way. We’ll be useful."

I let out a long sigh, rubbing the back of my neck. "I don’t have a problem," I muttered, slumping slightly in my seat. "I was just saying..."

But deep down, I knew—whether I liked it or not—they weren’t going to back down.

And somehow, I also knew this mission was about to get a lot more complicated.