Chapter 13 : Between Truth and Betrayal

The dim light of the underground chamber cast long shadows across the cracked cement floor. Xiao Mei stood frozen, her breath caught in her throat as her eyes locked with the figure before her—Lu Zeyan. His face, calm and unreadable, betrayed nothing of his thoughts.

"You're here," she finally whispered, her voice laced with disbelief and tension.

Lu Zeyan stepped forward slowly, his hands raised in a peaceful gesture. "Xiao Mei… I didn't come to hurt you. I came to protect you."

She didn't lower her guard. "Protect me? From what, exactly? From the truth? From yourself?"

Lu Zeyan let out a slow breath. "From them. From the people behind Project Aegis. You don't understand what kind of forces we're dealing with."

Xiao Mei's eyes narrowed. "Don't I? Then tell me… did you send the man in the mask?"

For the first time, Lu Zeyan faltered. A flicker of uncertainty passed through his eyes. "What man?"

"The one who gave me this." Xiao Mei pulled out the encrypted USB from her coat pocket. "He knew things—things only you could've told him."

Lu Zeyan's jaw tightened. "I don't know who he is. But if he gave you that drive, you're in more danger than I thought."

Xiao Mei didn't believe him. She reached into her bag and pulled out another folder—the one Zhang Rui had given her. She threw it at Lu Zeyan's feet.

"Explain this," she said coldly. "You're manipulating me. Lying to me. Are you even on my side?"

Lu Zeyan picked up the folder slowly and flipped through its contents. His eyes skimmed over the incriminating documents—photos, wire transfers, secret communications. He stayed silent for a moment, then looked at her calmly. "This could've been fabricated."

"It could," she agreed, "but it explains a lot."

Before he could respond, a loud metallic clang echoed through the basement. They both turned toward the staircase—someone had opened the heavy metal door at the top. Footsteps. Multiple.

"They found us," Lu Zeyan whispered.

There was no time for argument. Without another word, the two dashed toward the emergency passageway Lu Zeyan had previously discovered. Dust and rusted metal greeted them as they ducked through a narrow tunnel. Xiao Mei stumbled slightly, and Lu Zeyan caught her just before she fell.

"Careful," he said softly, steadying her.

Xiao Mei bit her lip but nodded. They kept running until the tunnel led them out into an abandoned industrial zone. The air was cold and smelled of rust and oil, but it was freedom—for now.

They crouched behind a derelict vehicle, catching their breath. Lu Zeyan reached into his coat and pulled out a small device, flipping it open to reveal encrypted messages on a black screen.

"I'm being watched too," he admitted. "Ever since I tried to pull out from Project Aegis, they've been after me."

Xiao Mei's eyes widened. "So… all this time… you weren't the enemy?"

"I never was," he said, voice tinged with regret. "I had to keep you in the dark for your own safety. But it was never my intention to betray you."

He showed her a series of intercepted communications—directives from the upper tiers of Project Aegis. The texts outlined a plan to seize control over media, public surveillance, and digital communications, all under the pretense of "global security."

Xiao Mei's heart pounded. Everything she feared was true—and worse.

They contacted Yuan Qi and Zhang Rui through a secure channel and agreed to form a small, discreet group to expose Project Aegis. Yuan Qi would handle the tech side, Zhang Rui would dig into the political ties, and Xiao Mei—she would be the voice. The one brave enough to tell the world.

Lu Zeyan handed her a burner phone. "No more direct communication. Use Yuan Qi as the middleman. They're tracking everything."

Xiao Mei nodded. "I understand."

As she made her way home that evening, her thoughts spiraled. Her hands gripped the steering wheel tightly, the USB drive now hidden in a secret compartment beneath her dashboard. Her heart skipped a beat when she noticed a dark vehicle several lengths behind her, making every same turn.

She pressed her foot to the pedal and veered off her usual route, circling through unfamiliar alleys and side roads. After twenty minutes of evasive maneuvers, the car was gone—or at least, no longer visible.

Relieved but still tense, she finally pulled up to her home. The night air was thick, unnaturally quiet. As she stepped out of the car, her eyes froze on the sight in front of her.

Her front door—ajar.

Xiao Mei's heart sank.

She approached cautiously, slipping a small flashlight from her bag. The lock was broken. Someone had forced their way in.

She stepped inside.

Drawers were open. Papers scattered. Her bookshelves had been rummaged through. Whoever came had been searching for something.

The USB.

Her stomach turned. She had been careful—but had she been careful enough?

She rushed upstairs to her study. Her backup drives were still there, but a few were missing. Her laptop had been taken.

Panic surged through her. This wasn't just about Project Aegis anymore. Someone knew what she had—and they weren't going to stop.

Suddenly, her burner phone vibrated. A single message from Yuan Qi:

"They're coming."