Chapter 228: Shadows in the Alley

The city was a labyrinth of vice, its streets coiled like serpents, each turn hiding another layer of secrets and sins. As Max and Vivian left the Viper's Nest, the night's chill sank into their bones, and the fog wrapped around them like a shroud. They moved with purpose, each step echoing off the wet pavement, the distant wail of a siren their only soundtrack.

Max's mind raced, replaying the encounter with Alexander Drake. The man was a titan in the underworld, a puppet master who thrived on manipulation and fear. To bring him down, Max needed more than bravado; he needed concrete evidence, allies who could turn the tide, and a plan as intricate as the city's own dark web.

They ducked into an alley, the light from the streetlamps fading, replaced by the dim glow of a single bulb above a rusted door. Max knocked three times, the coded rhythm known only to a select few. The door creaked open, revealing a gaunt figure in a threadbare coat.