Into the Belly of the Beast

The waters off the coast of Sulawesi were deceptively calm as the small boat cut through the early morning mist. The air, still damp with the remnants of a passing storm, smelled of earth and salt. Sebastian, Thalia, and Felix sat in silence, each absorbed in their thoughts as the island loomed closer on the horizon.

Sebastian’s mind was focused on the mission, each beat of his heart synced with the heavy weight of their task. They had to infiltrate the heart of the Jade Dragon Syndicate and extract information that could either bring them victory or seal their doom. He wasn’t naive enough to think it would be easy—nothing about this mission had ever been simple. But the reality of what they were about to undertake was beginning to sink in. They were not just risking their lives; they were going up against an empire built on manipulation, fear, and deceit.