Ren didn't just appear—he *emerged*, like a shadow given form. His crimson armor gleamed faintly in the dim light, and the mask covering his face made him look less like a man and more like some kind of vengeful spirit. He moved with an eerie calm, each step deliberate, unhurried, as if he had all the time in the world.
"You really thought you could win?" he asked, his voice smooth but dripping with venom. "Against me? Against the Crimson Veil?"
I clenched my fists, feeling the fiery symbol on my palm pulse angrily. "We're still standing," I shot back, trying to sound braver than I felt. "Can't say the same for your goons."
Ren chuckled darkly, tilting his head slightly. "Clever boy. But bravery won't save you now."
Before I could respond, Lin stepped forward, her dagger glinting menacingly. "Enough talk," she snapped. "Let's finish this."
Ren smirked beneath his mask, raising a hand. Crimson energy crackled around his fingers, forming a sphere of flames that illuminated the room. "As you wish."
Ren moved first, hurling the fireball straight at us. It wasn't just fast—it was impossibly so, like it defied the laws of physics. Lin reacted instantly, throwing herself in front of me and deflecting the attack with her dagger. The impact sent her skidding backward, leaving scorched marks on the floor.
"Lin!" I shouted, rushing to her side.
"I'm fine," she growled, though her wince betrayed her words. "Focus on him."
Easier said than done. Ren was already closing the distance, his movements fluid and precise. He swung at me with a Qi-infused punch, forcing me to dodge barely in time. The sheer force of the blow shattered the wall behind me, sending chunks of concrete flying.
"He's too strong!" Lin yelled, struggling to regain her footing.
"Tell me something I don't know!" I shot back, weaving between Ren's attacks with *Ghost Shadow Steps*.
But dodging wasn't enough. Every strike Ren landed left craters in the ground, every missed block felt like a near-death experience. This wasn't a fight—it was survival.
As Ren prepared another devastating attack, I glanced at Lin. She was breathing heavily, blood trickling from fresh wounds, but her eyes burned with determination. Whatever happened next, we couldn't face him alone.
"We need to work together," I said quickly, ducking under another fireball.
"How?" she demanded, parrying one of Ren's strikes with her dagger.
"Follow my lead," I replied, channeling Qi into my palms. "And trust me."
She hesitated for a moment, then nodded sharply.
Taking a deep breath, I launched myself at Ren, unleashing a flurry of strikes aimed at his weak spots. My meridian sight revealed glowing pathways of Qi coursing through his body, highlighting vulnerabilities I could exploit. For a moment, I actually thought I might gain the upper hand.
Then Ren countered with a brutal kick that sent me sprawling backward.
"Is that all?" he sneered, advancing slowly.
Before he could press the advantage, Lin darted in, aiming for his exposed side. Her dagger flashed toward his neck—but Ren sidestepped effortlessly, grabbing her wrist and twisting it painfully.
"Pathetic," he muttered, tossing her aside like a ragdoll.
"Lin!" I shouted again, scrambling to my feet.
She groaned, clutching her arm, but managed to sit up. "Keep going," she rasped. "Don't stop!"
Reluctantly, I turned back to Ren, who stood waiting patiently, arms crossed.
"You're persistent, I'll give you that," he said mockingly. "But persistence isn't power."
The mechanical voice chimed in my mind once more.
**"System Alert: Face-Slap Mode Detected. Current Target: Commander Ren."**
Perfect timing—or maybe not. Slapping someone as dangerous as Ren seemed like a death wish. Still, desperate times called for desperate measures.
Summoning every ounce of Qi I had, I charged forward, feinting left before spinning around to deliver a slap aimed directly at his cheek.
To my surprise, it connected.
The impact echoed through the room, leaving a bright red mark on Ren's otherwise flawless armor.
**"Achievement Unlocked: Legendary Slap. Reward: 10,000 XP. Bonus: Enhanced Meridian Sight (+15%)."**
For a moment, silence hung heavy in the air. Then Ren reached up, touching the spot where I'd struck him. When he lowered his hand, his expression hadn't changed—but there was something different in his stance. Something colder.
"You shouldn't have done that," he whispered, his voice low and deadly.
Uh-oh.
Ren retaliated with a burst of energy so intense it knocked both Lin and me off our feet. We hit the ground hard, gasping for breath as searing pain shot through my ribs.
"This ends now," Ren declared, raising his hands to summon another massive fireball.
But before he could unleash it, a voice cut through the chaos.
"Stop!"
We all turned toward the source—a figure stepping out of the shadows. At first, I thought it was Kai, miraculously alive. But as they came closer, I realized it wasn't Kai at all. It was someone else entirely. Someone familiar.
"Who are you?" Ren demanded, his tone sharp with suspicion.
The figure removed their hood, revealing a face I recognized immediately.
"No way," I muttered, staring in disbelief.
It was Zhang Wei.
Zhang raised his hands in surrender, though his expression was anything but submissive. "Commander Ren," he said calmly. "I've brought you what you wanted."
"What are you talking about?" Lin snapped, struggling to stand.
Ren tilted his head, studying Zhang closely. "Explain yourself."
Zhang gestured toward me. "Him. Jin Hao. The last heir of the Celestial Bloodline. Alive and… mostly intact."
My stomach sank. "You… you set us up?"
Zhang shrugged, avoiding my gaze. "Orders are orders. Besides, did you really think everyone would risk their lives for free?"
Lin cursed under her breath, gripping her dagger tightly. "I knew we couldn't trust him."
"Too late for regrets," Ren said smoothly, stepping forward. "Now, hand him over."
Zhang hesitated, glancing between Ren and me. "Hold on—I said I'd deliver him, not let you kill him outright. There's still value in keeping him alive."
Ren smirked, clearly amused. "Value? The only thing he's worth is dead."
"That's not your call to make," Zhang countered sharply.
For a moment, tension crackled in the air. Then Ren laughed, a cold, humorless sound. "Fine. Have it your way—for now."
He turned his attention back to me, his masked face unreadable. "This isn't over, Jin Hao. Not by a long shot."
With that, he vanished into the shadows, leaving Zhang standing awkwardly in the middle of the room.
"What the hell is going on?" I demanded, glaring at Zhang.
"It's complicated," he replied evasively, avoiding eye contact.
"Complicated?" Lin spat, stepping forward. "You sold us out!"
"I saved you," Zhang shot back defensively. "If I hadn't intervened, Ren would've killed all of us right here."
"Instead, you handed us over to them," I growled, clenching my fists.
"There's more to this than you know," Zhang insisted, his voice tense. "Things you wouldn't understand."
"Oh, I understand plenty," I snapped. "What I don't get is why anyone should trust you after this."
Before Zhang could respond, alarms blared throughout the facility, louder and more urgent than before.
"They're shutting down the building," Lin muttered, scanning the area nervously. "We need to move. Now."
Without waiting for further discussion, she grabbed my arm and pulled me toward the exit. Zhang followed reluctantly, casting nervous glances over his shoulder.
As we fled into the night, one thing was clear: whoever Zhang really worked for, whatever secrets he was hiding, they were far bigger—and far more dangerous—than any of us had imagined.
And Ren? He wasn't done with us yet.