The underground tunnels beneath Neo-Aurion stretched endlessly, a labyrinth of rusted pipes, flickering fluorescent lights, and damp concrete walls. Each step echoed ominously in the oppressive silence, broken only by the distant rumble of explosions above. Lin Wei led the way, her trench coat trailing behind her as she moved with practiced caution. Her dagger gleamed faintly in the dim light, ready for anything—or anyone—that might emerge from the shadows.
"They're not just hunting us," Lin muttered, glancing over her shoulder. Her voice was low but steady, betraying none of the tension that had settled between us since our earlier confrontation.
"Herding us?" I asked, my tone sharper than I intended. My fists clenched reflexively, the fiery symbol on my palm pulsing faintly. "What's the point? If they wanted to kill us, why bother chasing us around like rats?"
"To break you," she replied grimly. "It's what they do—funnel targets into traps, cut off escape routes, then close in for the kill. They thrive on psychological warfare."
I gritted my teeth, frustration bubbling beneath the surface. Every instinct screamed at me to turn around and face our pursuers head-on. But Lin was right—if we charged blindly, we'd be playing directly into their hands. For now, survival came before revenge.
After hours of navigating the tunnels, we reached a hidden alcove marked by a faded crimson flame emblem carved into the wall. Lin pressed her hand against it, triggering a hidden mechanism that opened a narrow passageway.
"This is one of their old safehouses," she explained as we stepped inside. "Abandoned years ago after a purge—but still useful if you know how to use it."
The room was small but functional, equipped with surveillance monitors, holographic maps, and stacks of encrypted data drives. Dust coated every surface, evidence of neglect, but the equipment appeared intact. Lin immediately began sifting through the gear, pulling up live feeds of the city above.
"Look familiar?" she asked, pointing to a cluster of red dots blinking ominously across the map.
"Their main facility," I guessed, recognizing the location from Zhang Wei's blueprints.
"Exactly. And look here." She zoomed in on another section of the map, revealing a web of interconnected nodes surrounding the compound.
"What am I looking at?"
"Their shadow network," she replied. "Safehouses, informants, supply lines—all tied back to the main facility. Take out enough of these nodes, and you cripple their operations."
I frowned. "So why haven't you done it already?"
"Because it's not that simple," she countered sharply. "Each node is heavily guarded, and taking them down requires resources we don't have. Plus, if we move too soon, they'll know we're onto them."
Before I could respond, the monitors flickered, displaying a live feed of a familiar face: Xiao Liang. He stood in front of a crowd of mercenaries, his expression cold and calculating.
"You thought hiding would save you?" he sneered, addressing the camera directly. "You're wrong. By dawn, every ally you've ever had will be dead—or wishing they were."
His words sent a chill down my spine. Despite his arrogance, Xiao Liang wasn't bluffing. The Crimson Veil Sect didn't make idle threats—they acted with precision and ruthlessness.
As the transmission ended, Lin turned to me, her expression unreadable. "There's something you need to know," she said quietly. "About my brother."
"Your brother?" I repeated, raising an eyebrow. "What about him?"
"He's not just any contact," she admitted hesitantly. "He's… the Crimson Veil's former enforcer. Their best assassin."
My heart sank. "And you trust him?"
"I don't have a choice," she snapped. "If anyone can get us into that facility alive, it's him."
"But why would he help us?"
"Because he hates them even more than we do," she replied simply.
Her answer raised more questions than it answered. How could someone who once served the Crimson Veil turn against them? And what made Lin so certain of his loyalty—or lack thereof? Before I could press further, the sound of footsteps echoed through the tunnel outside.
"They found us," Lin whispered, drawing her dagger.
I nodded, channeling Qi into my palms. "Then let's give them something to remember."
But as the figures emerged from the shadows, I realized these weren't mercenaries—or even members of the Crimson Veil. They were civilians. Ordinary people dressed in worn clothes, their faces etched with exhaustion and desperation. At their head stood Zhang Wei, the street vendor who'd helped us earlier.
"We're here to help," he said quickly, holding up his hands in surrender.
"Help with what?" I demanded, lowering my guard slightly.
"Getting you into the facility," he replied. "But there's a catch—you'll need to bring someone else along."
"Who?"
Zhang hesitated, then stepped aside, revealing a hooded figure standing silently behind him. As the figure lowered their hood, my breath caught in my throat.
It was Lin's brother.
Tall and lean, with sharp features and piercing eyes, Lin's brother exuded an aura of quiet menace. His presence filled the room, commanding attention without a single word. Unlike Lin, whose demeanor was controlled yet fiery, he radiated calm detachment—a predator lying in wait.
"Jin Hao," Lin said tersely, gesturing toward him. "This is Kai Wei. My older brother."
Kai offered a curt nod, his gaze assessing me with clinical precision. "You're stronger than I expected," he remarked, his voice smooth and measured. "But strength alone won't save you."
"Save me from what?" I shot back, irritation creeping into my tone. "You showing up unannounced doesn't exactly inspire trust."
"He's not here for your approval," Lin interjected sharply. "He's here because we need him."
"And because you have nowhere else to turn," Kai added, smirking faintly.
Before I could retort, Lin stepped between us, her expression hardening. "Enough. We don't have time for this. Kai, explain why you're here—and make it quick."
Kai shrugged, leaning casually against the wall. "Fine. The Crimson Veil knows you're planning to infiltrate their facility. They've doubled security and set traps throughout the compound. Without insider knowledge, you won't last five minutes."
"So you're offering to guide us?" I asked skeptically.
"No," he corrected. "I'm offering to get you inside. Whether you survive afterward is up to you."
Over the next hour, Kai outlined his plan. Using his connections within the Crimson Veil's shadow network, he proposed disabling key nodes to create diversions while leading us through a series of lesser-guarded access points. It was risky—not least because trusting him meant gambling with our lives—but it was also our best shot at reaching the heart of the operation.
"Once we're inside, we split up," Kai continued. "You focus on gathering intel and exposing their ties to corporate overlords. I'll handle the rest."
"And what's 'the rest'?" I pressed.
"That's none of your concern," he replied coolly.
Lin shot him a warning glance. "Don't play games, Kai. If you're working with us, you follow our rules."
For a moment, tension crackled in the air. Then Kai sighed, relenting. "Fine. Let's just say I have unfinished business with the Crimson Veil. Business that ends tonight."
As preparations continued, I couldn't shake the feeling that something was off. Kai's motives were murky at best, and his history as the Crimson Veil's enforcer cast a long shadow over his supposed defection. Was he truly on our side—or setting us up for betrayal?
Lin seemed equally conflicted, though she hid it well. When I caught her watching Kai during a lull in the conversation, her expression was unreadable. Whatever bond they once shared had clearly been strained—if not shattered entirely.
"We need to be careful," I murmured to her later, when Kai stepped outside to scout the tunnels. "He's dangerous."
"Tell me something I don't know," she replied dryly.
"He's your brother," I pointed out.
"And that means nothing," she countered sharply. "Family doesn't guarantee loyalty—not in our world."
Her words struck a chord, reminding me of my own fractured past. Still, trusting Kai felt like walking a tightrope without a safety net. One misstep, and we'd all fall.
Just as we finalized the plan, the ground trembled violently, followed by the distant rumble of collapsing structures. Red lights flashed across the monitors, accompanied by alarms blaring throughout the tunnels.
"They're here," Kai announced, reentering the room.
"How did they find us?" Lin demanded, her voice tight with urgency.
Kai smirked, though there was no humor in it. "They always find us. Now comes the real test—can you keep up?"
With that, he turned and disappeared into the shadows, leaving Lin and me to follow.
As we raced through the tunnels, pursued by the relentless forces of the Crimson Veil, one thing became clear: this mission would change everything—for better or worse.