The armory was silent, the only sound coming from the faint flicker of a neon lamp above. Nathan leaned against a metal rack, still in full uniform, yet carrying none of the dignity it was meant to represent. His eyes were sharp, cold, calculating.

The door creaked, and the junior officer entered carrying a stack of files. Every movement was precise, disciplined—an embodiment of strict protocol.

Nathan narrowed his eyes, then let out a short, humorless laugh. “You really are the textbook type, aren’t you? Everything by the rules, by procedure. No room for… flexibility.”

The junior placed the files on the table without reply. Nathan’s presence grew heavier, more suffocating. He stepped forward, each slow, heavy footfall echoing in the cramped room.

“Don’t pretend you didn’t see,” he whispered, his voice cold, leaning close to the ear. “I know you witnessed something you weren’t supposed to. And you think you can put it in a report? Hm?”

His hand slammed down on the stack of files, pressing them hard against the table, crumpling the edges. “Are you really that eager to test the patience of someone ranked above you?”

He exhaled sharply, his smile bitter. “Listen carefully. In the real world, rules are nothing but decoration. What makes people obey isn’t your little protocol—it’s fear.”

His stare was piercing, merciless. “You have two choices. Stay quiet, follow my lead, or… I’ll make sure your career ends before it even begins.”

Nathan slid something into the desk drawer—a half-open bundle of crumpled bills. “Take it. Consider it your first lesson. There’s no such thing as a clean cop. There are only cops who know how to hide their filth.”

He stepped closer, so near his cold breath lingered in the air. “If you refuse… don’t blame me when the entire precinct knows you’ve ‘betrayed’ a senior. Once the stench sticks, you’ll never wash it off for the rest of your life.”

Nathan clapped a hand on the junior’s shoulder, firm, almost violent. His thin smile carried nothing but scorn. “Welcome to reality, rookie. You only have one way out—fall in line, or be destroyed.”