Trust and Secrets

The footsteps grew louder, echoing ominously through the narrow passageway. Lin Wei moved like a shadow, her dagger drawn and her eyes scanning every angle of the cramped alcove. Jin Hao stood beside her, his fists clenched as Qi coursed through his veins. The fiery symbol on his palm pulsed faintly, its heat steadying him amidst the chaos.

"They're closing in," Lin muttered under her breath, glancing toward the entrance. "We don't have much time."

Jin hesitated, torn between fear and determination. "What's the plan? Fight or run?"

Lin didn't answer immediately. Instead, she turned to him, her expression unreadable. "It depends. Can you handle yourself if things get messy?"

Jin frowned, frustration bubbling beneath the surface. "You saw what I did back there—I'm not exactly helpless."

"Good," Lin replied sharply. "Because this isn't just about survival anymore. It's about staying one step ahead of them."

Before Jin could press further, the sound of heavy boots signaled the arrival of their pursuers. Mercenaries poured into the alcove, weapons crackling with crimson energy. Their masks gleamed menacingly in the dim light, their movements precise and mechanical.

"Stay close," Lin ordered, stepping forward without hesitation. Her dagger flashed like silver lightning as she engaged the first wave of attackers, delivering swift strikes to pressure points revealed by her keen instincts.

Jin followed suit, channeling Qi into his palms for maximum impact. His meridian sight activated involuntarily, highlighting glowing pathways of Qi coursing through the mercenaries' bodies. Each blow sent shockwaves rippling through the air, forcing their enemies to retreat momentarily.

For a fleeting moment, it seemed like they might actually hold their own. Then reinforcements arrived, cutting off their escape route and forcing them deeper into the alcove.

"We can't keep this up forever!" Jin shouted, dodging another blast of crimson energy.

"I know!" Lin snapped back, parrying an attack with her dagger. "Just stay alive!"

As the battle intensified, Jin felt the fiery symbol on his palm flare angrily. Energy surged through him, raw and electric, flooding his veins with adrenaline. The mechanical voice chimed in his mind once more:

**"System Alert: Face-Slap Mode Detected. Current Target: Commander Ren."**

Perfect timing—or maybe just dumb luck. Summoning every ounce of Qi he had, Jin charged forward, weaving between Ren's attacks with *Ghost Shadow Steps*. With a burst of speed, he delivered a slap aimed directly at Ren's cheek.

To his surprise, it connected.

The impact echoed through the alcove, leaving a bright red mark on Ren's otherwise flawless armor.

**"Achievement Unlocked: Elite Slap II. Reward: 7,500 XP. Bonus: Increased Qi Flow (+12%)."**

Ren staggered backward, clutching his face. For a moment, silence hung heavy in the air. Then Ren straightened, his expression colder than ever.

"You'll pay for that," he whispered, his voice low and deadly.

Before Ren could retaliate, a new voice cut through the chaos.

"Leave them alone."

Everyone turned toward the source—a figure stepping out of the shadows. At first, Jin thought it was Kai Wei, Lin's brother, miraculously alive. But as they came closer, he realized it wasn't Kai. It was someone else entirely. Someone unexpected.

"Who are you?" Ren demanded, his tone sharp with suspicion.

The figure removed their hood, revealing a face Jin recognized immediately.

"No way," Jin muttered, staring in disbelief. "Zhang Wei?"

Zhang raised his hands in surrender, though his expression was anything but submissive. "Commander Ren," he said calmly. "I've brought you what you wanted."

"What are you talking about?" Lin snapped, struggling to stand.

Zhang gestured toward Jin. "Him. Jin Hao. The last heir of the Celestial Bloodline. Alive and… mostly intact."

Jin's stomach sank. "You… you set us up?"

Zhang shrugged, avoiding his gaze. "Orders are orders. Besides, did you really think everyone would risk their lives for free?"

"So you handed us over to them instead?" Lin growled, stepping forward.

"I saved you," Zhang shot back defensively. "If I hadn't intervened, Ren would've killed all of us right here."

Before Jin could argue further, Ren stepped forward, his crimson armor gleaming faintly in the dim light.

"You expect me to believe this is enough?" Ren sneered, raising a hand crackling with crimson energy. "Pathetic."

Zhang hesitated, then sighed, pulling a small data chip from his pocket. "This is proof of everything—the corruption, the lies, the crimes. Expose this, and the entire Crimson Veil collapses."

Ren's expression darkened, his arrogance giving way to suspicion. He glanced at the chip again, then at Zhang, clearly weighing his options.

"Fine," he said finally, lowering his weapon slightly. "Hand it over."

"No deal," Zhang replied sharply. "Not until you let them go."

Ren's smirk returned, colder this time. "You're in no position to negotiate."

"Maybe not," Zhang admitted. "But neither are you. Without this chip, your operation falls apart—and so does your precious Ascension."

For a moment, tension crackled in the air like static electricity. Then Ren laughed—a cold, humorless sound that sent shivers down Jin's spine.

"You've made a grave mistake," Ren declared, stepping forward. "One you'll regret."

Before anyone could react, Ren unleashed a devastating attack that sent everyone sprawling. They hit the ground hard, gasping for breath as searing pain shot through their ribs.

"This isn't over," Ren whispered, his voice low and deadly. "Not by a long shot."

With that, he vanished into the shadows, leaving behind a trail of destruction—and more questions than answers.

"We need to move," Zhang said urgently, helping Jin to his feet. "He'll be back—and next time, he won't hold back."

Reluctantly, Jin followed them into the shadows, guilt gnawing at his gut. They were running again, leaving behind the fragile sanctuary they'd fought so hard to reach. But as the mercenaries closed in, one thing was clear: surviving without Zhang might be impossible.

And judging by the look in Zhang's eyes as he clutched the data chip, he had more secrets to share.

Secrets that could change everything.

They reached a hidden alcove deep within the city's underbelly—a cramped space lined with rusted pipes and flickering monitors. It looked like it hadn't been used in years, but Zhang moved with familiarity, tapping commands into a dusty console until holographic displays flickered to life.

"This is one of their old safehouses," Zhang explained, gesturing toward the monitors. "Abandoned after a purge—but still useful if you know how to use it."

"What are we looking for?" Jin asked, frowning at the screens. Lines of encrypted data scrolled across the display, too fast for him to process.

"Answers," Zhang replied grimly. He plugged the data chip into the console, and files upon files of classified information began to unfold before them, revealing the Crimson Veil's inner workings in excruciating detail.

"This… this is everything," Lin murmured, leaning closer. "Proof of corruption, financial ties, operational bases—it's all here."

"And how do we use it?" Jin pressed, crossing his arms. "It's not like we've got access to high-tech decryption tools."

"We don't need them," Zhang countered smoothly. "This system has its own protocols. All we need is time."

"Time we don't have," Lin snapped, glancing nervously toward the entrance. "Ren's forces are still out there. They'll find us sooner or later."

"Then we make sure it's later," Zhang replied sharply. "We decode what we can, expose the rest to the public, and cripple the Crimson Veil from the inside."

Jin exchanged a glance with Lin, silently weighing their options. Part of him wanted to argue—to demand a better plan—but Zhang was right about one thing: they were out of options.

"Fine," Jin said finally, nodding reluctantly. "But if this goes south…"

"It won't," Zhang insisted, though his tone betrayed a flicker of doubt. "Not if we work together."

As Zhang worked on decoding the files, Lin paced nervously, her throwing knives glinting faintly in the dim light. Jin leaned against the wall, trying to steady his breathing and focus on the fiery symbol pulsing on his palm. The *Heaven's Wrath System* had stabilized for now, but he could feel the strain building beneath the surface.

"What's Ascension?" Jin asked suddenly, breaking the silence. "Ren mentioned it back there—like it's some kind of endgame."

Zhang hesitated, his fingers pausing over the keyboard. "It's worse than we thought," he admitted grimly. "Ascension isn't just an operation—it's a countdown. A series of coordinated strikes designed to destabilize Neo-Aurion completely."

"How?" Lin demanded, stepping closer. "What are they planning?"

Zhang scrolled through the files, highlighting key locations: power plants, communication hubs, water filtration systems—all critical infrastructure. "They're targeting the city's lifelines. Cut off power, shut down communications, poison the water supply—and watch the entire system collapse."

"And once they've destabilized everything…" Jin muttered, piecing it together. "They swoop in and take control."

"Exactly," Zhang confirmed, his expression darkening. "Make themselves heroes while everyone else scrambles to survive."

Lin cursed under her breath, gripping her dagger tightly. "If they pull this off, it's game over—for all of us."

"Not if we stop them first," Jin said firmly, channeling Qi into his palms. "Where do we hit them hardest?"

Zhang studied the map displayed on the monitor, his brow furrowed in concentration. "Their central hub. Downtown. Right under Liang Enterprises HQ."

Before anyone could respond, the sound of approaching footsteps echoed through the tunnel outside. Heavy boots, moving in unison. Too many to count.

"They found us," Lin whispered, drawing her knives.

Zhang cursed, pulling the data chip from the console. "We need to move—now!"

Reluctantly, Jin followed them into the shadows, guilt gnawing at his gut. They were running again, leaving behind the fragile sanctuary they'd fought so hard to reach. But as the mercenaries closed in, one thing was clear: survival wasn't enough—not anymore.

If they wanted to stop Ren, expose the Crimson Veil, and save Neo-Aurion, they'd have to fight smarter—and harder—than ever before.

And judging by the look in Zhang's eyes as he clutched the data chip, he had more secrets to share.

Secrets that could change everything.