The abandoned warehouse fell silent.
Kaali remained tied to the concrete pillar, unable to understand what was happening.
His head still throbbed from the blow he had received earlier. Blood trickled down the side of his face while confusion consumed his mind.
The people he trusted.
The people he considered family.
The people he had worked for during the last three years.
All of them were standing in front of him.
Smiling.
Not with kindness.
But with mockery.
His heart pounded heavily.
"I'm... a disposable tool?" Kaali asked weakly.
The gang leader grinned.
Before he could answer, the sound of footsteps echoed through the warehouse.
Two police officers entered the building.
Kaali immediately looked toward them.
Hope appeared inside his eyes.
Finally.
Someone who could help him.
One of the officers approached the gang leader.
"Boss, we came regarding the thief."
The moment Kaali heard those words, a chill ran through his body.
The gang leader pointed directly at him.
"Yeah."
A smile spread across his face.
"This is the culprit."
Kaali froze.
For a second, he couldn't even breathe.
Then panic exploded inside him.
"Wait!"
He struggled against the ropes.
"No! You're mistaken! I am innocent."
One of the officers pulled out a photograph.
He compared it to Kaali's face before nodding.
"It's him."
Kaali looked confused.
"What are you talking about? Do you have any proof?"
The officer showed him the picture.
The moment Kaali saw it—
His blood ran cold.
The photograph clearly showed him standing inside the company's vault.
Holding a bag full of cash.
His eyes widened.
Everything suddenly made sense.
The reason they had sent him into the vault alone.
The reason they trusted him with such an important task.
The reason everyone praised him afterward.
It had never been trust.
It had never been respect.
It had been a setup.
From the very beginning.
The security cameras had captured only him.
Only his face.
Only his actions.
The gang members never intended to enter the vault themselves.
Because they wanted someone else to take the blame.
And that someone...
Was him.
"No..." Kaali whispered.
The realization shattered him.
"Officer, please listen!"
He desperately looked toward the policemen.
"They are lying!"
His voice cracked.
"They planned everything!"
He pointed toward the gang leader.
"He is the mastermind! All of them are involved!"
"I didn't do anything alone!"
The officers listened quietly.
For several moments.
Then suddenly—
They started laughing.
Kaali blinked.
Their laughter echoed throughout the warehouse.
"Why are you laughing?" he asked.
The first officer wiped tears from his eyes.
"You really are stupid."
The second officer shook his head.
"Did you seriously not understand yet?"
Kaali felt a terrible feeling forming in his chest.
The gang leader slowly walked behind the officers.
His smile widened.
"I think we should explain everything to him."
Kaali stared at him.
"What do you mean?"
The gang leader casually placed an arm around both officers.
"These two policemen work for us."
Silence.
Absolute silence.
Kaali felt as if the world had stopped.
"What...?"
The gang leader laughed.
"These officers have been helping us for years."
Kaali's face turned pale.
The gang leader grabbed his jaw tightly.
"And this entire plan..."
His grin widened.
"Started three years ago."
Kaali's pupils shrank.
"Three years?"
"That's right."
The gang leader crouched in front of him.
"Three years ago, we began planning the company robbery."
His voice remained calm.
"But there was one problem. We needed someone to take the blame."
Kaali's heart sank.
The gang leader continued.
"Then one day, I saw a child getting beaten nearly to death in the street."
His smile became cruel.
"A lonely child."
"An unwanted child."
"A child nobody would miss."
Kaali's body trembled.
"And I realized he would make the perfect pawn."
Tears slowly filled Kaali's eyes.
"No. No. No."
The gang leader wasn't finished.
"The only issue was that you were too young."
"So we waited."
His voice felt like poison.
"We fed you."
"We trained you."
"We gave you purpose."
"We made you trust us."
"For three whole years."
His smile widened further.
"Until you became useful."
The warehouse spun around Kaali.
Everything he believed in was collapsing.
"You never saw us as tools," the gang leader said.
"But we always saw you as one."
"A loyal pet."
"One that would do whatever we told it."
The policemen laughed again.
"And with our help," the gang leader added, "all evidence points directly to you."
He spread his arms proudly.
"A perfect plan."
Kaali lowered his head.
His body felt numb.
Everything hurt.
Not physically.
Emotionally.
He thought he had finally found a family.
A place where he belonged.
A place where he mattered.
But none of it had been real.
Not a single moment.
The gang leader leaned closer.
"Oh, and don't worry."
A mocking smile appeared on his face.
"You did prove your existence."
Kaali looked up slowly.
The gang leader laughed.
"As a thief."
The entire warehouse erupted with laughter.
Kaali heard nothing afterward.
Only silence.
A crushing silence.
His parents abandoned him.
The orphanage rejected him.
The streets treated him like garbage.
And now—
Even the people he trusted most had used him.
Maybe they were right.
Maybe he truly was nothing more than a disposable tool.
Something to be used.
Then thrown away.
A few minutes later, the ropes were removed.
The policemen placed handcuffs on his wrists.
Kaali didn't resist.
He didn't even speak.
His eyes had lost all life.
The officers pushed him into the police vehicle.
The gang leader waved goodbye mockingly.
"Take care, thief!"
More laughter followed.
The vehicle drove away.
Inside the warehouse, the gang members celebrated.
They opened drinks.
Played music.
Laughed loudly.
"We did it!"
"That idiot never suspected anything!"
"He actually believed we cared about him!"
The gang leader laughed the loudest.
"Honestly, I almost feel bad for him."
The others laughed even harder.
Then—
Two gang members entered the warehouse dragging an unfamiliar man.
The man wore a long coat and a cap pulled low over his face.
"Boss!"
The two gang members approached.
"Where have you idiots been?" the gang leader asked.
"You missed the funniest part."
The first thug pointed at the stranger.
"We were busy because of this guy."
The gang leader raised an eyebrow.
"Who is he?"
"We tried taking his wallet." The second thug rubbed his swollen wrist. "But he twisted my arm."
The gang leader chuckled.
"Oh?"
He approached the stranger.
"So you're causing trouble for my boys?"
The man said nothing.
His face remained hidden beneath the cap.
The gang leader smirked.
"I think I need to teach you some manners."
He placed a hand on the stranger's shoulder.
A few moments later—
Screams echoed throughout the warehouse.
Meanwhile...
Kaali sat quietly inside the police vehicle.
The world outside passed by slowly.
His empty eyes stared through the window.
Everything felt meaningless.
Maybe the gang leader was right.
Maybe he really was a disposable tool.
His parents threw him away.
The orphanage threw him away.
The gang threw him away.
He lowered his head.
"Maybe..."
His voice trembled.
"Maybe that's all I'll ever be."
The vehicle stopped.
The police station stood before him.
The officers dragged him inside.
Most of the station was empty.
"Where is everyone?" one officer asked.
"Out on patrol." The other officer replied.
"Good."
The officer pointed toward the cells.
"Throw the brat in there."
Kaali stood silently.
But then—
A memory appeared in his mind.
A small puppy.
Running beside him.
Sharing food with him.
Sleeping beside him.
Protecting him.
Dying for him.
Its final moments flashed before his eyes.
The puppy hadn't sacrificed itself so Kaali could give up.
Slowly—
Kaali clenched his fists.
"No."
The officers turned.
"What did you say?"
Kaali raised his head.
For the first time since his betrayal—
His eyes burned with determination.
"No."
A strange golden aura appeared around him.
Only he could see it.
A warm energy.
A power.
Something awakening from deep inside him.
Strange liquid began releases from his palms.
The officers stepped back nervously.
"What is that?"
Kaali's voice grew stronger.
The handcuff started melting from liquid.
"I said..."
The golden energy intensified.
"IT'S NOT OVER YET!"
CRACK!
His handcuffs shattered.
The officers froze.
One rushed forward with a baton.
Kaali grabbed it.
The strange liquid touched the metal.
SSSSSSSS!
The baton began melting instantly.
"What?!"
The officer stumbled backward in terror.
Kaali grabbed his wrist.
The liquid spread.
The man's sleeve burned away.
His skin blistered immediately.
"AAAAAAAH!"
The officer screamed.
The second officer pulled out a gun.
"STOP RIGHT THERE!"
He aimed directly at Kaali.
Kaali stepped forward.
The officer fired.
BANG!
Time seemed to slow.
Kaali's eyes glowed.
For some reason—
He could see the bullet.
He instinctively moved.
The bullet passed beside his face.
The officer's eyes widened.
Impossible.
Before he could shoot again—
Kaali grabbed the gun.
The liquid spread across it.
The weapon melted in seconds.
Fear consumed both officers.
Kaali punched one of them in the stomach.
The man's clothes burned instantly.
A painful burn mark appeared on his skin.
The officers finally broke.
Terrified, they ran away.
Kaali stood alone in the station.
Breathing heavily.
The golden aura still surrounded him.
He looked toward the city.
Toward the gang's hideout.
Hatred burned inside him.
"They used me."
His fists tightened.
"They betrayed me."
His eyes hardened.
"I'll kill every single one of them."
Some time later…
Kaali arrived at the hideout.
His body trembled with rage.
He pushed open the warehouse doors.
"I've come back to—"
His voice stopped.
His eyes widened.
The sight before him was beyond belief.
Gang members were scattered across the floor.
Unconscious.
Broken.
Some were bleeding.
Others couldn't even stand.
It looked like a tornado had passed through the building.
And standing in the center—
Was the mysterious man in the coat.
Completely unharmed.
In front of him—
The gang leader knelt on the floor.
Terrified.
Broken.
Begging.
"Please!"
Tears streamed down his face.
"Take all the money!"
"You can have everything!"
"Just spare me!"
Kaali froze.
For the first time in his life—
He saw the gang leader afraid.
The same man who controlled everyone.
The same man who manipulated him.
The same man who destroyed his life.
Now looked like a helpless coward.
And Kaali couldn't believe his eyes.
TO BE CONTINUED…