The Black Lotus Blooms

The laboratory was a sterile, cold space. Fluorescent lights buzzed overhead, illuminating rows of petri dishes and genetic samples. The faint hum of machines filled the air as Shen Ai, the Black Lotus, worked diligently on her latest project. She stood at a microscope, her eyes narrowed with cold calculation. In front of her, a tray of genetically modified crops lay, delicate yet menacing. These crops, she believed, would solve the looming food shortages—but they would also bring her true purpose to fruition: control.

Shen Ai’s mind raced. The genetically engineered crops would deplete the soil’s nutrients, making it increasingly difficult for farmers to grow anything without the Nine Dragons' patented seeds. It was an insidious plan, disguised as a humanitarian effort, but in reality, it would leave regions completely dependent on the Nine Dragons’ agricultural monopoly.