Shadows and Steel

The mercenaries poured into the warehouse like a flood, their weapons gleaming under the dim light. Xiao Liang stood at the front, his crimson armor catching the faint glow of the moon filtering through broken windows. His lips curled into a smug grin as he surveyed the scene—Lin clutching her dagger, Zhang standing awkwardly off to the side, and Jin, fists clenched and Qi coursing through his veins.

"Well, well," Xiao Liang drawled, stepping forward with exaggerated confidence. "Looks like Daddy's little assassin finally caught up to you losers."

"Shut your mouth," Lin snapped, her voice sharp enough to cut steel. "You're not worth our time."

Xiao Liang laughed, but there was no humor in it. "Oh, I'm worth plenty. Especially now that Ren's put a bounty on your heads." He gestured to his men, who fanned out around them, cutting off any chance of escape. "And guess what? You're all coming with me. Alive—or mostly alive."

Jin exchanged a glance with Lin, silently gauging her condition. She was still pale, her injured arm hanging limply at her side. Whatever fight she had left in her would be pushed to its limits tonight. As for Zhang… well, he looked about as trustworthy as a snake in tall grass.

"Got any bright ideas?" Jin muttered, keeping his voice low.

"Same as always," Lin replied grimly. "Stay alive."

Before anyone could make a move, Zhang stepped forward, raising his hands in surrender. "Hold on!" he called out, his tone calm but urgent. "There's no need for this to get messy."

"Oh, really?" Xiao Liang sneered, raising an eyebrow. "And why should I listen to you?"

"Because I've got something you want," Zhang countered smoothly, pulling the data chip from his pocket. "Something Ren would kill for."

"What is it?" Xiao Liang demanded, his smirk faltering slightly.

"Proof of corruption," Zhang explained tersely. "Financial records tying the Crimson Veil to every major corporate empire in Neo-Aurion. Expose this, and the entire operation collapses."

For a moment, silence hung heavy in the air. Then Xiao Liang burst out laughing, shaking his head. "Nice try, traitor. But you're bluffing."

"Am I?" Zhang shot back, his voice steady. "Ask yourself this: if I didn't have something valuable, why would Ren send *you* to fetch me personally?"

That hit a nerve. Xiao Liang'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."

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

"Maybe not," Zhang admitted. "But neither are you. Without this chip, Ren will have your head on a platter. And trust me—you don't want to disappoint him."

The tension in the room was palpable, thick enough to choke on. Xiao Liang hesitated, glancing between Zhang and the rest of them. Finally, he waved a hand dismissively. "Take the bait," he ordered one of his men. "But shoot them if they try anything."

As the mercenary approached Zhang, Jin felt the fiery symbol on his palm flare angrily. Energy surged through him, raw and electric, flooding his meridians with power. The mechanical voice chimed in his mind once more.

**"System Alert: Face-Slap Mode Detected. Current Target: Xiao Liang."**

Perfect timing—or maybe just dumb luck. Summoning every ounce of Qi he had, Jin charged forward, weaving between the mercenaries with *Ghost Shadow Steps*. Before Xiao Liang could react, Jin delivered a focused slap across his face, leaving a bright red mark on his cheek.

**"Achievement Unlocked: Triple Threat Slap II. Reward: 15,000 XP. Bonus: Enhanced Reflexes (+25%)."**

The mercenaries froze, staring in stunned silence as Xiao Liang staggered backward, clutching his face. His expression shifted from shock to pure rage in seconds.

"You… YOU DARE—" he roared, launching himself at Jin with reckless fury.

Using the chaos to their advantage, Lin sprang into action, taking down two mercenaries with swift, precise strikes. Zhang, meanwhile, slipped away from the fray, disappearing into the shadows near the back of the warehouse.

"Jin Hao, focus!" Lin shouted, parrying a blade aimed at her chest.

"I'm working on it!" Jin shot back, dodging another attack from Xiao Liang.

Just as Jin thought they might actually turn the tide, Zhang reappeared—this time holding a detonator. His expression was grim, his eyes darting between them and the mercenaries.

"Sorry," he muttered, pressing the button.

The ground shook violently as explosions erupted outside, sending debris crashing through the walls. Dust filled the air, choking and blinding everyone inside. In the confusion, Zhang grabbed Jin's arm, dragging him toward a hidden exit.

"What the hell are you doing?!" Jin demanded, struggling against his grip.

"Saving your life," Zhang replied tersely. "Unless you'd rather stay and die."

Behind them, Lin fought desperately to hold off the remaining mercenaries, her movements growing slower and more labored with each passing second. Jin wanted to go back—to help her—but Zhang tightened his grip, refusing to let go.

"She'll be fine," he insisted, though his tone betrayed his uncertainty. "We need to move!"

Reluctantly, Jin followed him into the darkness, guilt gnawing at his gut. Leaving Lin behind felt wrong—terribly wrong—but Zhang was right about one thing: staying meant certain death.

They emerged onto the streets of Neo-Aurion, the distant glow of neon lights barely visible through the haze of smoke and dust. Zhang didn't stop running until they reached a narrow alleyway, where he finally released Jin's arm.

"Where's the chip?" Jin demanded, rounding on him. "What did you give Xiao Liang?"

Zhang hesitated, then pulled out a decoy—a blank piece of plastic painted to look identical to the original. "Nothing important," he admitted. "Just a fake. The real one's safe—for now."

"And Lin?" Jin pressed, his voice rising. "What about her?"

He avoided Jin's gaze, focusing instead on the chaos unfolding behind them. "She knew the risks when she stayed. We can't save everyone, Jin Hao."

"That doesn't make it okay," Jin snapped, clenching his fists. "She trusted you. WE trusted you."

"And I betrayed that trust," Zhang admitted bitterly. "But sometimes betrayal is necessary. Survival isn't pretty—it's ugly, messy, and painful."

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

"They found us again," Zhang muttered, drawing a small pistol from his coat. "Guess we're not done yet."

As the figures emerged from the shadows, led by none other than Commander Ren himself, Jin realized one thing: trusting Zhang might be dangerous—but surviving without him was impossible.

And as Ren raised a hand, summoning another massive fireball, Jin braced himself for whatever came next.

Ren stepped forward, his crimson armor scorched but intact, his presence radiating authority and menace. "I must admit," he sneered, his voice dripping with venom, "I underestimated you, Jin Hao. But not anymore."

Jin clenched his fists, the fiery symbol on his palm pulsing angrily. "What do you want, Ren? Why are you after me?"

Ren chuckled darkly, shaking his head. "You truly don't know, do you? That artifact awakened something inside you—something tied to your bloodline. Something we've been searching for."

"My bloodline?" Jin repeated skeptically. "What are you talking about?"

Before Ren could answer, Zhang stepped forward, raising his hands in surrender. "Leave him alone," he said firmly. "Your fight's with me."

Ren's smirk widened, his gaze shifting to Zhang. "Ah, the traitor. How predictable."

"I'm not here to play games," Zhang countered sharply. "If you want the truth, you'll let him go."

Ren hesitated, studying Zhang carefully. Finally, he nodded. "Very well. But know this—if you cross me again, there will be consequences."

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

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

As they fled into the night, one thing was clear: the fight against the Crimson Veil was far from over. And with Ren still out there, none of them were safe.

Not yet.