Chapter 16: Ashes and Echoes

The air in New Omo City was thick with the stench of burning metal and shattered dreams. Fires raged in the distance, painting the night sky with hues of orange and black. The aftermath of the battle against the Ascendants left the city in turmoil, and Lin Yuan knew that their war was far from over.

Standing atop an abandoned skyscraper overlooking the neon-lit ruins, he tightened his grip on the Core now housed within a reinforced containment case. Its glow, once a beacon of untapped potential, now pulsed faintly, as if it too were recovering from the recent conflict. Evelyn stood beside him, silent but alert, scanning the skyline for any sign of movement.

"They'll come for us again," she said, breaking the tense silence.

Lin Yuan exhaled sharply. "I know. And we'll be ready."

Below them, the streets were crawling with displaced civilians, scavengers, and the remnants of rival factions vying for control in the vacuum left by the Covenant's recent collapse. Despite their victory at the Nexus plant, whispers of Covenant resurgence echoed through the underworld. Victor Kain was still out there, lurking in the shadows, waiting for his moment to strike back.

Rei's voice crackled through Lin Yuan's earpiece. "Got something you might wanna see, boss. Xu Wei's decrypted part of the Covenant's last transmission from the Nexus."

Lin Yuan's eyes narrowed. "What is it?"

A brief pause, then Rei's voice returned, tinged with urgency. "It's… coordinates. And they don't point to anything on the city grid. This is off-the-books, deep-core level stuff. Whatever it is, they didn't want anyone finding it."

Evelyn shot Lin Yuan a look. "Another trap?"

"Most likely." Lin Yuan sighed, the weight of his mission pressing down on him. "But if it's important enough for them to bury it, it's important enough for us to uncover."

Rei continued, "Coordinates trace back to an abandoned research facility just outside the city's outer ring. Old-world tech, pre-Covenant days. Some kind of experimental site."

Lin Yuan's thoughts raced. His father's legacy was intricately tied to the Covenant's early days, and if this facility held answers, they couldn't afford to ignore it.

"Send me the details," he said, turning to Evelyn. "Get the team ready. We move at dawn."

Dawn – On the Road to the Forgotten Facility

The convoy cut through the desolate outskirts of New Omo, a wasteland of rusted vehicles and crumbling skyscrapers lost to time. Lin Yuan sat in the passenger seat of their armored transport, the Core resting on his lap. Evelyn drove in silence, while Rei and Xu Wei monitored the facility's security systems from the back.

Xu Wei adjusted his glasses, his fingers dancing across a tablet. "Sensors are picking up minimal activity at the site. No sign of life, but the energy readings are… strange."

"Define 'strange'," Evelyn said, eyes locked on the road.

"Let's just say it shouldn't still be active after all these years," he replied uneasily.

Lin Yuan looked out the window, watching the ruins blur past. Something about this place felt… off. A distant memory surfaced—his father whispering warnings of secrets buried too deep, of things that should never be unearthed. He clenched his fists. And yet, here I am, chasing them.

The facility came into view—an imposing concrete monolith rising from the dust, its surface weathered and covered in cracks. Tall security fences, long abandoned but still imposing, surrounded the perimeter.

Rei whistled. "Cozy little apocalypse, huh?"

Lin Yuan stepped out of the vehicle, his boots crunching against the dry earth. He approached the rusted main gate, studying the faded logo stamped onto it—Project Exodus. The name sent chills down his spine.

"Let's move," he said, leading the team through the gates.

Inside the Facility

The interior was a tomb of forgotten technology. Dust hung thick in the air, and flickering overhead lights cast long, eerie shadows. Rows of terminals and lab equipment stood frozen in time, screens displaying corrupted data streams.

Rei tapped a nearby console, her face illuminated by the green glow of the screen. "This place is running on emergency power. Someone left it on standby."

Xu Wei pulled up the schematics. "The central lab is below us. Whatever they were working on, it's down there."

Lin Yuan's gut tightened. "Then that's where we're going."

They moved carefully through the corridors, their footsteps echoing ominously. Every door they passed revealed remnants of a forgotten era—broken containment units, disassembled androids, and unsettling schematics scrawled on the walls.

"Who the hell was running this place?" Evelyn murmured, her eyes scanning the eerie drawings.

"People who knew too much," Lin Yuan muttered.

Reaching the central lab, they found a massive reinforced door locked tight. Xu Wei set to work on the access panel, his brow furrowed in concentration.

"It's old-world encryption," he said. "Give me a minute."

Suddenly, the lights overhead flickered violently, and a low hum filled the air. The facility… was waking up.

Rei's fingers flew over her controls. "Guys… we've got movement. Something's alive down here."

Lin Yuan pulled his weapon free, scanning the darkness. "Be ready for anything."

With a final beep, the door unlocked, sliding open with a groan. Beyond it lay the heart of the facility—a vast chamber filled with containment pods, each holding something—or someone—inside.

Lin Yuan approached one of the pods, wiping the grime away to reveal what lay within. His breath caught.

Inside, suspended in cryo-stasis, was a figure—human-like, yet clearly augmented beyond recognition. Its eyes snapped open, glowing with an unnatural light.

Xu Wei staggered back. "What the hell…?"

The figure's voice crackled through the speakers in a low, mechanical growl.

"The Ascendants… were just the beginning."

Alarms blared across the facility.

Lin Yuan stepped back, heart pounding. "We need to leave. Now."

But it was too late. The containment pods began to open.

"Get ready!" Evelyn shouted, raising her weapon.

As the first figure emerged from the mist, Lin Yuan realized that whatever secrets his father had tried to bury… they were far worse than he had ever imagined.