Behind the Trigger

St. Jude’s University was an elite institution, but everyone who went there knew the unwritten rule: avoid the top floor of the main building.

That section of the campus belonged exclusively to three seniors—Vance, Lucian, and Damian. Coming from the most influential and wealthy families in the country, they held complete control over the student body. Vance’s father was the university’s biggest donor, having built half the campus himself. Because of his family’s money, the dean, professors, and security guards turned a blind eye to everything they did.

Over the past few years, the group’s hazing had escalated into outright cruelty. Students who crossed them were forced into public humiliation, physically assaulted, or subjected to blackmail. The harassment was so severe that multiple victims had already dropped out or attempted suicide. Yet, no one dared to speak up.

Inside their private lounge—a luxurious room provided directly by the college administration—the three seniors were casually lounging on high-end leather sofas. On the floor in front of them, a trembling young couple knelt, terrified.

Vance leaned back, swirling a glass of iced coffee as he looked down at the girl. “Didn’t I make myself clear? I told you to take your boyfriend’s clothes off and kiss him while you record it.”

The boy tried to pull his girlfriend behind him, his voice shaking. “Please... just leave us alone. We didn’t do anything to you.”

Lucian chuckled, leaning forward with an amused smile. “Why are you making such a big deal out of this? You two are dating, aren’t you? Kissing and taking pictures is completely normal. Don’t be shy—we know how these things go.”

His expression darkened slightly, his gentle voice turning cold. “Now, start your romantic movie. We’re waiting.”

Having no other choice, the couple tearfully obeyed. Vance, Lucian, and Damian watched with amused smiles until they were satisfied.

“Alright, that’s enough for today,” Vance said smoothly, waving a hand toward the door. “You can leave now. Make sure to come back tomorrow—it’s genuinely entertaining to watch your little love story unfold.”

The two students scrambled to their feet, sobbing as they rushed out of the private lounge.

For the senior group, this was just a typical day. Anyone who dared to disobey them faced immediate, brutal consequences. Later that week, another student refused to follow one of their orders. Vance and Damian beat him severely, leaving him bruised and bleeding heavily on the floor.

Before walking away, Vance pulled out a thick stack of cash and tossed it onto the boy’s chest. “Here. Go see a doctor and heal up fast—so you can go back to serving us without complaining next time.”

The seniors walked away, laughing. They didn’t come to college to study; they came to rule it. The professors were too terrified of Vance’s family to intervene, and the rest of the student body lived in constant fear.

A few weeks later, a new academic term began, bringing freshers to the campus.

Among the new arrivals was a quiet boy wearing dark sunglasses, his light hair falling over his eyes. He wore an oversized, loose shirt and kept his head down, looking nervous and intimidated as he walked through the heavy wooden doors of St. Jude’s.

To the rest of the campus, he looked like just another weak, easily frightened freshman trying to blend into the background.

He made his way to his first lecture and took a seat near the back. As the professor began teaching, the boy found himself genuinely impressed. The lesson was sharp, engaging, and precise. It made sense now why St. Jude’s was known for producing brilliant graduates and why top global corporations fought to hire students from this University—the teaching quality was incredible.

Kian was having a great first day. As he was packing up his notebook, a friendly student approached his desk with a warm smile.

“Hey, hi! I noticed you were super quiet during class,” the boy said. “I’m Julian. I’m new here too, so I’m still trying to figure things out. Do you want to be friends? We could hang out and help each other study.”

Kian smiled, feeling a bit relieved. “Yes, I’d like that. Thank you.”

“No need to thank me—don’t be so formal!” Julian laughed. “It’s lunch break now. Let’s go check out the canteen. I heard this university has a massive cafeteria.”

Kian nodded, and the two headed down the hallway together. Inside the bustling cafeteria, they ordered their food and sat down at a table. But just as they started eating, a sudden, heavy silence fell over the room.

The chatter died instantly. Students quietly scrambled out of their seats, abandoning their half-eaten meals as three tall figures walked in. Vance, Lucian, and Damian didn’t even look around; they simply walked over to the largest, prime table in the middle of the room and sat down.

Within seconds, several terrified freshers hurried over, carrying trays loaded with a massive variety of expensive food and drinks, placing them down in front of the seniors.

Kian watched the entire display carefully. “Who are they? Are they monsters or something? Everyone looks terrified of them.”

Julian quickly leaned across the table and placed a finger to his lips. “Shh! Keep your voice down,” he whispered anxiously. “They’re the campus seniors. I heard they do whatever they want here—they bully people for no reason at all just because their families are insanely rich and powerful.”

“Oh, so just because they’re from rich families, they think they can do whatever they want?” Kian murmured, taking another bite of his food.

Julian’s eyes widened in panic. “Shut up and eat quietly!” he hissed, kicking Kian gently under the table.

Across the cafeteria, Damian gestured toward a quiet freshman girl sitting a few tables away. He snapped his fingers and pointed at his own lap. “You. Come sit over here and feed me.”

The girl’s face went pale. She quickly wiped away a tear, dried her eyes, and reluctantly walked over to the senior table, obeying his order with a trembling hand.

Kian watched the exchange closely. “Which one is that?” he asked in a low voice.

“Why are you so curious?” Julian whispered nervously, not daring to look up from his plate. “It’s better if you don’t stick your nose into their business or even look in their direction. Just ignore them if you want to survive here.”

Kian nodded slowly, pretending to agree, but his eyes never left the seniors.

When the lunch bell rang, the cafeteria began to clear out. Kian noticed Vance and Lucian standing up, motioning for two freshman boys and two girls to follow them toward the quiet back hallway.

Kian immediately stood up, intending to trail them silently to see where they were taking the students. But before he could step away, Julian grabbed his arm.

“Hey, where are you going?” Julian asked, dragging him back toward the main corridor. “Our next class is starting in two minutes! Come on, we’ll be late!”

Kian let Julian pull him away, taking one last glance over his shoulder at the disappearing seniors.