Deception

Tao Cheng stood before Grandmaster Li. They were high above the clouds in a private meeting room at the Hunter's Guild Headquarters in Yundao, the capital of the realm. 

The marble floors gleamed under the soft glow of mana crystals embedded in the ceiling, casting a luminous light that danced with the shadows. Tao's expression was calm, his voice steady as he laid out the report in meticulous detail.

"Grandmaster," he began, fingers tracing the edge of the dossier before him. "The situation in Sector Nine has reached a concerning stage. We're experiencing Rift instability—residual contamination has been detected, and unfortunately, a few members of our personnel are unaccounted for."

Li's interest piqued at the mention of missing personnel. He remained silent for a moment, absorbing Tao's words. Clad in his ceremonial robes that enveloped him like shadows, he raised an eyebrow. 

"A minor concern, you say?"