Chapter 11: The Covenant’s Last Move

The damp air of the underground tunnels wrapped around Lin Yuan and his team like a suffocating shroud as they made their way back to the surface. Behind them, the Obsidian Vault lay dormant, sealed by the Architect's final act. Victor Kain and his operatives remained trapped inside, but Lin Yuan knew it wouldn't last forever. The Covenant always found a way.

Evelyn walked beside him, her expression tense. "We bought ourselves time, but they'll be coming after us harder than ever now."

Lin Yuan nodded, his mind racing through the next steps. "We need to take the fight to them before they regroup. The Covenant is wounded, but not defeated."

Rei adjusted the visor over her eyes as she swiped through a floating holographic display. "I'm pulling data from what we extracted at the Vault. Covenant's command structure, operational bases… but Lin, this isn't just an organization. They've infiltrated everything—corporations, governments, even parts of the underground resistance."

Xu Wei sighed. "Which means we can't trust anyone. No safehouses, no allies unless we're absolutely sure."

Lin Yuan took a deep breath and glanced at the Core, now securely placed within a reinforced containment unit. It no longer pulsed with the raw power it once did, but he could still feel its presence—watching, waiting. The Architect's last words echoed in his mind.

"Your fight is far from over."

Meanwhile, at Covenant Central Command…

Victor Kain paced the darkened command center, his jaw clenched in frustration. The failure at the Vault was a critical setback, but he wasn't finished—not yet. A massive digital display flickered in front of him, revealing maps of New Omo City, tracking every known hideout and potential lead to Lin Yuan's whereabouts.

Dr. Helena Voss entered the room, her eyes cold and calculating. "We underestimated him," she said simply.

Victor's fists clenched. "That boy doesn't know what he's unleashed. The Architect's dispersion was unexpected, but it doesn't change our objective."

Helena raised an eyebrow. "You still think it can be retrieved?"

Victor's lips curled into a grim smile. "Not retrieved. Controlled. Lin Yuan is a loose end… but not one we can't exploit. He thinks he has the upper hand, but he's wrong." He turned to the screen and tapped a glowing red dot. "Activate the sleeper agents. We'll flush him out."

Helena hesitated. "Are you sure? This will expose our reach."

Victor's eyes gleamed. "I don't care. The Covenant doesn't retreat. We eradicate."

Back in New Omo City…

Lin Yuan and his team emerged from the underground tunnels into the dim glow of the city's underworld. The rain had started to fall, washing away the filth from the neon-lit streets but doing little to dispel the tension that clung to their shoulders.

Rei tapped Lin Yuan on the arm. "We need a place to regroup. Fast."

Lin Yuan nodded and led them down a narrow alleyway, eventually arriving at a safehouse hidden behind an old warehouse facade. Inside, the space was cluttered but secure—an array of weapons, data terminals, and supplies scattered across the tables.

Evelyn checked the security feeds while Xu Wei began decrypting the remaining Covenant data they had stolen. Lin Yuan sat down, staring at the Core in his hands.

Rei plopped down beside him. "So, what's the next move, boss?"

Lin Yuan exhaled. "We hit them where it hurts. Take out their supply lines, their funding, their influence. If we can expose them to the public—"

Evelyn cut in. "It's not that simple. The Covenant is the public. They've got their hands in everything."

Xu Wei looked up from his screen, his expression troubled. "It's worse than we thought. The Covenant has been tracking us—every move we've made. They're coming for us."

As if on cue, the room's security alarm blared to life.

Rei cursed. "They found us!"

Lin Yuan shot to his feet, adrenaline surging. "Weapons ready! We're not running this time."

The door burst open, and armored Covenant operatives swarmed inside, rifles raised and energy shields active. Bullets flew, and Lin Yuan dove for cover, returning fire with precision. Evelyn moved with lethal grace, taking down enemies with calculated efficiency, while Rei unleashed an EMP pulse, disrupting their communications.

Xu Wei frantically worked on the terminals. "Give me a few more seconds—I'm wiping our location data!"

Lin Yuan glanced toward the window. "We're boxed in. We need an exit."

Rei grinned, pulling out a small explosive device. "Leave that to me." She tossed it at the rear wall, and with a deafening boom, a hole was blasted through the concrete. "Go, go, go!"

They rushed through the opening, emerging into another alleyway. The sounds of sirens blared in the distance, signaling that the Covenant had called reinforcements.

Lin Yuan gritted his teeth. "We need to disappear. Fast."

Evelyn nodded, leading them down the maze-like streets of New Omo's slums. "I know a place. Trust me."

Hours later, in an abandoned train yard…

The team gathered inside an old cargo train, catching their breath. Xu Wei was already working on a new base of operations while Evelyn checked their weapons.

Lin Yuan sat in silence, staring out at the rain-soaked city beyond the broken windows. He could feel the weight of everything pressing down on him—his father's legacy, the Architect, the relentless pursuit of the Covenant.

Rei nudged him. "You're thinking too much, boss."

Lin Yuan smirked tiredly. "We just barely made it out."

"Yeah, but we're still here," she said, leaning back. "And we're not done yet."

Xu Wei cleared his throat. "I've analyzed the remaining data… and there's something you need to see."

He projected a holographic image onto the wall—an intricate blueprint of a high-security facility. "This… is the Covenant's core command hub. If we take this out, we cripple their operations for good."

Evelyn raised an eyebrow. "You're suggesting we go after their headquarters?"

Lin Yuan's eyes narrowed. "We take the fight to them. End this, once and for all."

Rei grinned. "Now that sounds like a plan."

Lin Yuan stood, his resolve hardened. "Get ready. We're going to burn them to the ground."

As the team prepared for the coming battle, Lin Yuan knew one thing for certain—this wasn't just revenge anymore. This was war.