Chapter 6: The First Fracture

**Infiltration**

Disguised as waste workers, the team infiltrated Sky Ring's underbelly—a labyrinth of humming reactors and crackling energy conduits. Lin Shen's Core mapped the facility: **"Primary rift node detected: 87% activation."**

Ghosthand hacked a drone, its feed revealing Mayor Zhao Tianlin at a control hub, his body half-consumed by dark matter. "He's the conduit," he muttered. "Cut him off, and the node collapses."

#### **Ambush and Betrayal**

The reactor core pulsed like a diseased heart. As Lin Shen reached for the control panel, Chu He stepped from the shadows, a stabilizer syringe in hand. "You're accelerating the collapse. Let me help."

Bai Ye's blade pressed to his throat. "Why?"

Chu He's voice broke. "My wife… her consciousness is trapped in their network. They promised to rebuild her body—if I served them."

#### **The Fracture**

The ground trembled. Dark matter geysers erupted as the rift node activated, tearing a hole in reality. Shadows poured through, their silver eyes locking onto Xiaoyu.

"She's a beacon!" Chu He shouted. "The Core's radiation—they're drawn to it!"

Lin Shen slammed his crystallized hand into the control panel. **[Full system override: Entropy reversal initiated.]**

#### **Cliffhanger**

The world inverted.

When the light faded, the rift was sealed—but Xiaoyu's wheelchair sat empty.

A Shadow's laugh echoed from the vents. "Thank you for the upgrade, Brother."