Ch 82: Encirclement

Kael wasn't leaving Gron.

Not yet.

There was still too much to learn, too much to understand. He had uncovered secrets buried beneath the city's power grid, stolen classified data on human augmentation, and even stumbled upon Project Meridian—the same terrifying substance that had once forced him to flee like a hunted animal.

And yet, he still didn't have enough.

Knowledge was power, and in Gron, power determined survival.

If he wanted to stay ahead, he needed more.

Kael wasn't just investigating anymore—he was upgrading himself.

The first step? Expanding his technical expertise.

He had already built and modified tools to track power anomalies, decrypt high-level security encryptions, and repurpose industrial scanners for fieldwork. But there were gaps in his knowledge, especially regarding photonics, energy manipulation, and biochemical systems.

So, he immersed himself in new fields of study:

Photonic Systems & Computational Enhancements – He refined his understanding of light-based processing, slowly improving the Solver's capabilities. Traditional processing was reaching its limits, but photonic circuits could push past those boundaries. Energy Systems & Power Routing – The way power moved through Gron fascinated him. The hidden conduits, the siphoned energy sources, and the illegal modifications to the grid all hinted at something bigger. By studying these, he could manipulate them for his own use. Medical & Biomechanical Enhancements – While he had no interest in bio-experiments themselves, understanding them was another matter. The people in those glass containers at Substation 7? They were proof that someone was pushing the boundaries of human capability. Even if Kael had no moral stance on it, he had to know what it meant for the world at large.

Knowledge wasn't just about curiosity anymore. It was preparation.

While he waited for the right moment to approach Substation 9, Kael continued mapping the underground energy siphoning network.

It wasn't just about tracking power anymore—it was about who was using it.

Using modified pulse trackers, he identified multiple locations across the city where excess energy was being rerouted. Some went to black-market workshops, some to illegal manufacturing plants.

But there were three sites that stood out.

One was abandoned. The energy draw had ceased, but the infrastructure remained. Someone had been using it before pulling out. The second was a front. A simple industrial warehouse that, upon closer inspection, housed high-grade containment units. What had they been storing? And why was the energy signature irregular? The third… was active. Hidden beneath a repurposed factory, the power levels fluctuated in patterns too specific to be random. Someone was actively working there.

And Kael intended to find out who.

Kael didn't rush.

He had learned long ago that patience was a weapon. Instead of diving in headfirst, he refined his approach.

He started constructing a stealth scanner—a portable device capable of mapping out heat signatures, electromagnetic fluctuations, and chemical compositions. Unlike traditional scanners, this one was passive, meaning it wouldn't send out signals that could be traced.

For security bypassing, he modified his quantum key further, ensuring it worked on a wider range of locks, encryptions, and even biometric security systems.

And for personal defense, he adjusted his weapon systems. His curved blade, while deadly, wasn't suited for every situation. He had to make sure his tools matched his environment.

It wasn't long before Kael noticed he wasn't the only one watching.

Small things, at first. A lingering gaze in a crowded street. A shadow that moved just a second too late when he turned a corner. Data packets he pulled from the underground servers contained traces of deliberate obfuscation, as if someone had scrubbed the files before he could see them.

Then, one night, a clear confirmation.

As he walked down an alleyway, he caught the briefest glint of a reflection—a scope.

Sniper.

Kael kept walking, never turning his head, never slowing his pace.

Instead, he adjusted the reflection of his belt buckle, using the polished metal as an improvised mirror.

Whoever they were, they weren't shooting.

Yet.

Kael didn't panic.

Whoever was watching him either wasn't sure about him yet or was waiting for something. If they had wanted him dead, they would have taken the shot.

That meant he still had control.

He had two choices.

Option one: Continue his investigation discreetly, trying to find out who was watching him before making any big moves.

Option two: Set a trap and see who took the bait.

Kael smirked.

He had never been one to run.

As he continued walking, he was already planning his next step.

If someone wanted to keep him from learning the truth…

He was going to make sure they regretted it.