Chapter 71: The Aftermath of Power
The morning after the siege left the stronghold eerily silent. Smoke still coiled from the shattered walls, and the scent of scorched metal hung thick in the air. Raizen stood atop the fortress's main control center, overlooking the city below. He had struck a decisive blow against House Valen, and now, the city's criminal underworld was watching him with bated breath.
The system pulsed.
[Mission Update: Prepare for Valen's Retaliation]
[Objective: Fortify defenses, consolidate control, and prepare for counterattacks]
Liana tapped away at the command console, scanning through decrypted files they had stolen. "Valen wasn't just running a standard criminal empire. This stronghold was a supply hub for something bigger."
Kain stepped up, arms crossed. "Bigger how?"
Liana pulled up a schematic of underground tunnels leading out of the city. "They were smuggling in high-tier weapons and personnel from off-world. That means Valen has outside backing."
Raizen's golden eyes narrowed. This wasn't just a turf war anymore. Valen had deeper ties than he had anticipated. If they had suppliers from off-world, it meant they had a bigger network. That also meant Valen had people they were accountable to, and people who wouldn't let this defeat slide.
The system pulsed again.
[New Mission: Uncover Valen's Off-World Connection]
[Objective: Investigate the suppliers funding House Valen's operations]
Joran stepped up, dusting off his armor. "We've locked down the stronghold, but it won't mean much if Valen calls in reinforcements from their backers."
Raizen exhaled, scanning the surroundings. The stronghold had been a necessary win, but now came the challenge of maintaining it. If Valen's allies decided to intervene, the war would escalate beyond the planet's underground politics. "Then we hit them before they can regroup."
Liana adjusted her headset. "There's a shipment arriving tomorrow night—classified cargo. If we intercept it, we might find out who's supplying them."
Raizen turned toward his assembled forces. "Then that's our next target."
The system pulsed once more.
[Mission Updated: Ambush Valen's Supply Shipment]
[Bonus: Secure Intelligence on Their Backers]
House Valen had lost a stronghold, but this battle was far from over. Raizen knew they wouldn't stay quiet for long. He needed to solidify his position, strengthen his alliances, and strike before the enemy could reorganize. He wasn't just fighting to win—he was fighting to dominate.