"It's over… it's all over!"
Mason's face was ashen, surrounded by other anxious foremen.
Some of them had inherited their positions and truly had technical skills.
But most, like Mason, had gotten the job by betraying their own and currying favor with Beser.
Now Beser was dead, his gang destroyed, and the foremen who had depended on him were bound to be purged.
The fear of death urged them to flee, yet they dared not.
If they didn't run, they might die. If they ran, their whole families would certainly die.
And where could they even go?
Without these jobs, their families would starve in days.
If their deaths could appease the new master, at least their wives and children might survive.
The pale giant entered the room under the fearful gazes of the others. The armed youths did not follow him, which gave some of the foremen a dangerous thought.
Yes, he was tall and strong, but there were many of them.
"Mason. You are guilty."
The pale giant's eyes fixed on Mason, and his heart sank.
He didn't know how the giant knew his name, but he felt utterly exposed, as if his soul had been laid bare.
"You betrayed your wife. You grovelled before Beser to gain this job."
Mason lowered his head in shame, thinking of his wife.
She had been the neighborhood's famed beauty. They had been childhood sweethearts, and she gave up wealth and comfort to marry him.
But he had given her nothing. Before he became foreman, they had often starved, and even their child nearly died of hunger.
In the end, he had surrendered the last of his dignity, forcing his wife to kneel and beg Beser.
From that day, Mason got his position. Their child survived. But he never saw his wife again.
He knew what had happened to her. But what could he have done?
"Go to her. If she forgives you, you still have a chance at redemption."
Mason was guilty, but his wife was the one who had the right to judge him.
He looked up in shock, meeting the giant's cold gaze.
The giant didn't press him, didn't even look at him again, instead turning to others.
"Howard. You are guilty as well. Go to your daughter, and beg her forgiveness."
Howard bowed his head. Smarter than Mason, he left the room immediately.
The giant did not stop him, nor did he stop Mason, who followed belatedly.
Another foreman seized the chance. "I'll go apologize to my daughter too!" he blurted.
The giant looked at him, saying nothing. Just when the man thought he would live,
The metallic tang of blood filled his mouth. His throat had been cut. He died choking in agony.
Not everyone had the right to atone.
Mason and Howard were given that chance because their wives and daughters had chosen their own sacrifice, selling themselves to feed their husbands, children, parents, and siblings.
The men were shameful. Their actions filthy. But the women were great.
Curze's judgment continued. Many left the room; others never walked out again.
"Grace… where are you? Where should I look for you?"
Mason's thoughts were in turmoil. He was terrified to see his wife again.
It wasn't death he feared; it was her disappointment. He feared the look on her face.
Part of him even wanted to die outright, to escape her judgment.
And yet, deep down, he longed to see her one more time. To tell her he had raised their child.
But what would she think of him?
He, the coward who sold her out, now dared to beg her forgiveness. How despicable.
With a bitter face, Mason walked alongside Howard, who was no less tormented.
They knew where to find their wives and daughters, at Beser's house.
Beser had seized the factory's most beautiful women, keeping them penned in his residence.
He didn't use them every day, but he refused to let others touch them. They were a symbol of his power.
Now Beser was dead, and everything fell under the rule of the Midnight Phantoms.
But the Phantoms were too few, unfamiliar with the labyrinthine hive. Many places remained unoccupied, including Beser's house.
"Take this."
Howard stopped suddenly, handing Mason a dagger. "We must save them ourselves. This is our only chance at redemption!"
Mason stared, stunned, but Howard's words lit a fire in his eyes.
He had never killed before. But now, he would have to.
Footsteps echoed behind them, others had caught up, joining silently, all walking the same path.
Soon, they reached Beser's house in the factory's depths.
Two gang members at the door hadn't realized what was happening. They looked at the foremen in confusion.
"Howard, Mason, you here to see Boss Beser?" one asked.
If someone went missing on the line, or equipment broke down, it was always reported to Beser.
They suspected nothing. Surely these wretches wouldn't dare rebel? After all, they had guns.
They weren't worried at all, until the knives sank into their flesh, again and again.
Blood soaked the foremen's hands. They drifted apart as silently as they had gathered.
Howard grabbed a gun and blasted the lock. Mason's trembling hands pushed the door open.
Kneeling at the entrance was a young girl. There was always a woman stationed here to welcome Beser, that was his rule.
But when she saw who it was, her eyes went wide with shock. She frantically waved them away.
"Father? What are you doing here? You must leave! Go, before Beser's men find you!"
Howard's eyes filled with tears. He dropped to his knees before his daughter, choking on sobs.
"I'm sorry, Amira… I'm so sorry."
Amira saw the bodies outside. Realization dawned. She embraced her father, whispering softly.
"It's all right, Father. Is Mother safe? And Joey, and Bessa?"
Women emerged from the inner rooms, drawn by the noise. They saw their husbands, fathers, children.
Mason trembled as he approached his wife. They looked at each other, and Mason lowered his head in shame.
"Grace, I…"
Like a child, he broke into tears. He hated his weakness, his helplessness, his selfishness.
If he had never married Grace, maybe she would never have suffered.
But Grace understood her husband. With a gentle smile, she wrapped her arms around him, just as she had on their wedding day.
"It's all right. How is our daughter?"
"She's fine. Truly."
"Can you take me to see her?" she asked timidly. "I want to hold her. Do you think she'll be afraid of me?"
"No, Grace. She's always remembered you. She's missed you terribly."