The night air bit at Jin Hao's skin as they stumbled out of the safehouse, the distant glow of flames painting the horizon an ominous shade of orange and red. Behind them, alarms blared and smoke billowed into the sky, marking the destruction left in their wake. Ren's parting words echoed in Jin's mind like a curse.
"This isn't over," he'd said—and Jin believed him.
Lin led the way, her movements stiff but deliberate, each step betraying the pain she was trying to hide. Blood trickled down her arm where Ren had twisted it during their earlier encounter, and her breathing came in shallow gasps. She wasn't invincible, no matter how much she pretended otherwise.
Zhang trailed behind them, his presence a constant reminder of betrayal. He kept his distance—smart move, considering the daggers Lin kept shooting him with her eyes. He hadn't said a word since they escaped, but every glance he threw their way screamed guilt. Whatever game he was playing, it wasn't just about saving his own skin anymore. Something bigger was at play here, something he clearly didn't want to share.
"Where are we going?" Jin asked finally, breaking the tense silence. His voice sounded hoarse, even to him, like he'd been screaming for hours instead of fighting for his life.
"Away from here," Lin replied sharply, not sparing him a glance. "Somewhere safe."
"Safe doesn't exist," Zhang muttered under his breath, though loud enough for both of them to hear.
Jin turned on him, stopping dead in his tracks. "You wanna explain that? Or are you just gonna keep dropping cryptic hints while people die around us?"
Zhang hesitated, then sighed, running a hand through his hair. "It's complicated."
"Complicated?" Jin snapped, stepping closer. "That's your excuse? Families torn apart, kids locked up—and now you're working with Ren? What kind of man does that make you?"
Zhang's expression hardened, fire igniting in his eyes. "What kind of man? The kind who's trying to survive!" he shot back, his voice rising. "You think I wanted any of this? That I enjoy selling people out? Newsflash, Jin Hao—nobody gets a happy ending in this world. Not unless they're willing to do whatever it takes."
"And what exactly is it you're trying to survive for?" Lin cut in, her tone icy. She stepped forward, gripping her dagger tightly. "Because right now, all I see is someone who sold us out."
"I didn't sell you out," Zhang insisted sharply, stepping closer himself. "I bought you time. If I hadn't intervened, Ren would've killed all of us back there. You think you're strong enough to take him on alone? Think again."
Jin clenched his fists, the fiery symbol on his palm pulsing angrily. "So what—you expect us to thank you? To trust you after everything?"
"No," Zhang admitted bitterly. "But I don't care if you trust me or not. All I care about is surviving long enough to finish what I started."
"What you started?" Jin repeated, narrowing his eyes. "What does that even mean?"
Before Zhang could respond, Lin grabbed Jin's shoulder, pulling him back. "Save it," she said curtly. "We don't have time for this."
She was right. As much as Jin wanted answers, standing out in the open arguing wasn't going to help anyone. Reluctantly, he let her lead them deeper into the shadows, putting some distance between them and the burning wreckage of the safehouse.
They reached another hidden alcove—a cramped space lined with rusted pipes and flickering monitors. It looked like it hadn't been used in years, but Zhang moved with familiarity, tapping commands into a dusty console until holographic displays flickered to life.
"This is one of their old safehouses," Zhang explained, gesturing toward the monitors. "Abandoned after a purge—but still useful if you know how to use it."
"What are we looking for?" Jin asked, frowning at the screens. Lines of encrypted data scrolled across the display, too fast for him to process.
"Answers," Zhang replied grimly. He pulled out the real data chip—the one he'd risked everything to protect—and plugged it into the console. Files upon files of classified information began to unfold before them, revealing the Crimson Veil's inner workings in excruciating detail.
"This… this is everything," Lin murmured, leaning closer. "Proof of corruption, financial ties, operational bases—it's all here."
"And how do we use it?" Jin pressed, crossing his arms. "It's not like we've got access to high-tech decryption tools."
"We don't need them," Zhang countered smoothly. "This system has its own protocols. All we need is time."
"Time we don't have," Lin snapped, glancing nervously toward the entrance. "Ren's forces are still out there. They'll find us sooner or later."
"Then we make sure it's later," Zhang replied sharply. "We decode what we can, expose the rest to the public, and cripple the Crimson Veil from the inside."
Jin exchanged a glance with Lin, silently weighing their options. Part of him wanted to argue—to demand a better plan—but Zhang was right about one thing: they were out of options.
"Fine," Jin said finally, nodding reluctantly. "But if this goes south…"
"It won't," Zhang insisted, though his tone betrayed a flicker of doubt. "Not if we work together."
As Zhang worked on decoding the files, Lin paced nervously, her throwing knives glinting faintly in the dim light. Jin leaned against the wall, trying to steady his breathing and focus on the fiery symbol pulsing on his palm. The *Heaven's Wrath System* had stabilized for now, but he could feel the strain building beneath the surface.
"What's Ascension?" Jin asked suddenly, breaking the silence. "Ren mentioned it back there—like it's some kind of endgame."
Zhang hesitated, his fingers pausing over the keyboard. "It's worse than we thought," he admitted grimly. "Ascension isn't just an operation—it's a countdown. A series of coordinated strikes designed to destabilize Neo-Aurion completely."
"How?" Lin demanded, stepping closer. "What are they planning?"
Zhang scrolled through the files, highlighting key locations: power plants, communication hubs, water filtration systems—all critical infrastructure. "They're targeting the city's lifelines. Cut off power, shut down communications, poison the water supply—and watch the entire system collapse."
"And once they've destabilized everything…" Jin muttered, piecing it together. "They swoop in and take control."
"Exactly," Zhang confirmed, his expression darkening. "Make themselves heroes while everyone else scrambles to survive."
Lin cursed under her breath, gripping her dagger tightly. "If they pull this off, it's game over—for all of us."
"Not if we stop them first," Jin said firmly, channeling Qi into his palms. "Where do we hit them hardest?"
Zhang studied the map displayed on the monitor, his brow furrowed in concentration. "Their central hub. Downtown. Right under Liang Enterprises HQ."
Before anyone could respond, the sound of approaching footsteps echoed through the tunnel outside. Heavy boots, moving in unison. Too many to count.
"They found us," Lin whispered, drawing her knives.
Zhang cursed, pulling the data chip from the console. "We need to move—now!"
Reluctantly, Jin followed them into the shadows, guilt gnawing at his gut. They were running again, leaving behind the fragile sanctuary they'd fought so hard to reach. But as the mercenaries closed in, one thing was clear: survival wasn't enough—not anymore.
If they wanted to stop Ren, expose the Crimson Veil, and save Neo-Aurion, they'd have to fight smarter—and harder—than ever before.
And judging by the look in Zhang's eyes as he clutched the data chip, he had more secrets to share.
Secrets that could change everything.