Chapter 13: The Gathering Storm
Jiang Xia paced the dimly lit room, her mind racing as Li Wen worked furiously on his laptop. The remnants of their battle at the mountain base still clung to her—dirt on her clothes, the metallic tang of adrenaline in her mouth, and the haunting echo of Gao's words: "The Convergence is coming."
The weight of those words loomed over them. Their victories had been temporary, but the cracks in reality continued to spread. Gao's plans were accelerating, and with every passing hour, the anomalies grew stronger.
"Got something," Li Wen said, his voice cutting through the silence. The team gathered around him as he gestured to the map on his screen. "There's a new anomaly forming near the city's southern district. Energy readings are off the charts."
"Another extraction site?" Xu Min asked, leaning over the table.
"It's worse," Li Wen replied, his expression grave. "The energy is more concentrated than anything we've seen. If Gao's using the anomalies to summon the Convergence, this might be the epicenter."
Jiang Xia's jaw tightened. "Then we need to move now. Before he can do whatever he's planning."
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The Southern District
The southern district was eerily quiet when they arrived. What had once been a bustling industrial hub was now a desolate wasteland. Buildings leaned at odd angles, as if the ground beneath them had shifted. The air shimmered faintly, a telltale sign of the anomaly's influence.
"This is bad," Qin Chuan muttered, scanning the area. "The distortion's stronger here than anywhere else."
Li Wen nodded, his eyes glued to his scanner. "The anomaly's core is just ahead. The energy spikes are… unnatural. Almost controlled."
Jiang Xia tightened her grip on her weapon. "If Gao's trying to stabilize the anomalies, this could be his first success."
As they moved deeper into the district, the distortions became more pronounced. Time stuttered, forcing them to relive moments seconds after they had already happened. Shadows flickered and danced at the edges of their vision, and the air felt heavy, almost suffocating.
"There," Xu Min said, pointing to a towering structure in the distance. Tendrils of glowing energy snaked out from it, anchoring themselves to the surrounding environment. "That's the core."
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The Anomaly Core
The core was a massive, pulsating sphere of light, suspended in the air by a network of glowing conduits. Around it, technicians worked frantically, their movements precise and synchronized.
"This isn't just an anomaly," Li Wen said, his voice hushed. "It's an anchor. Gao's found a way to stabilize it."
Jiang Xia's stomach sank. Stabilizing the anomalies was the first step toward rebuilding the Rift. If Gao succeeded, the Convergence would follow.
"We take it out," Jiang Xia said, her voice firm. "Li Wen, can you disrupt the conduits?"
Li Wen studied the setup, his fingers flying over his tablet. "I can overload the energy flow, but it'll take a few minutes. You'll need to cover me."
"Then let's get to work," Qin Chuan said, raising his weapon.
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The Fight Begins
The team moved quickly, catching the technicians off guard. Jiang Xia fired the first shot, taking down a guard near one of the conduits. The room erupted into chaos as alarms blared, and more guards poured in.
"Li Wen, hurry!" Jiang Xia shouted, ducking behind a console as gunfire erupted around her.
"I'm working on it!" Li Wen yelled, his fingers flying across his tablet. "The system's more advanced than anything we've seen!"
Xu Min and Qin Chuan held the line, their movements precise and calculated as they fought off the advancing guards. Jiang Xia joined them, her heart pounding as the air grew heavier.
The core pulsed violently, its light flickering as Li Wen began to disrupt the energy flow. Shadowy remnants materialized around the room, their distorted forms lunging toward the team.
"Not these things again," Qin Chuan muttered, firing at the remnants. "Li Wen, how much longer?"
"Almost there!" Li Wen shouted, sweat dripping down his face. "Just hold them off a little longer!"
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The Core Collapses
As the last conduit overloaded, the core emitted a blinding flash of light. The ground beneath them shook violently, and the remnants dissolved into nothingness as the anomaly collapsed.
"We did it," Xu Min said, her voice steady despite her labored breathing.
Li Wen slumped against a console, his face pale but determined. "That's one less anchor for Gao to use. But this won't stop him. He'll just move to the next site."
Jiang Xia nodded, her jaw set. "Then we'll move faster."
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The Pattern Emerges
Back at their makeshift base, Li Wen analyzed the data from the collapsed core. His fingers flew over the keyboard, his face lit by the glow of the screen.
"There's a pattern," he said, breaking the silence. "Gao's not just targeting random sites. He's creating a network—a lattice of stabilized anomalies. If he completes it, it'll act as a framework for the Convergence."
Xu Min frowned. "A framework? For what?"
"For them," Li Wen said, his voice barely above a whisper. "The beings Gao's trying to summon. The Convergence isn't just an event—it's an invasion."
The room fell silent as the weight of his words sank in.
"How much time do we have?" Jiang Xia asked.
Li Wen hesitated. "If the data's right, he'll have the network complete within 48 hours."
"Then we stop him," Jiang Xia said, her voice cold and resolute. "No matter what it takes."
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A Race Against Time
As the first light of dawn crept through the windows, the team prepared for their next move. The fight against Gao was entering its final stages, and every second counted.
Jiang Xia stared out at the city, her mind racing. The Convergence loomed closer with every passing moment, but she refused to give up. Her father's sacrifice, the battles they had fought—it all led to this.
"We'll finish this," she whispered to herself. "One way or another."