The black sedan sped through the night, the heavy tension in the car thick like the humid air outside. The only sound filling the cramped space was the low rumble of the engine.
Li Chuan sat in the passenger seat, his sharp gaze fixed on the woman driving. "Who are you?"
The woman kept both hands firm on the steering wheel, eyes locked ahead, voice calm. "You can call me Su Man."
"Su Man?" Cheng Mo frowned. "Shen Qiu sent you to pick us up?"
Su Man didn't answer. She kept maneuvering the car with skill, weaving through the streets of George Town, clearly familiar with the area.
Li Chuan's eyes narrowed, his guard never dropping. "Where is Shen Qiu now?"
"Safe." Su Man's reply was brief. She then glanced at the rearview mirror, her lips pressing into a thin line. "But you are not."
Just as her words fell, both Li Chuan and Cheng Mo sensed it—danger.
"Wah lao eh…" Cheng Mo muttered as he turned slightly, catching sight of several cars speeding up from different directions, closing in on them like a well-planned trap.
"They really won't give up." He clicked his tongue, reaching into his bag and gripping his gun.
Su Man's eyes flashed coldly. She suddenly jerked the steering wheel to the side. The car swerved hard, barely scraping past a black SUV that had tried to cut them off.
The screech of tires sliced through the night air.
"Hold tight!"
She slammed the accelerator. The car shot forward, diving into a narrow alley.
"Got roadblock ahead!" Li Chuan's low voice carried a sense of urgency.
Just beyond the alley, several men in black had set up a crude barricade, blocking the exit. More of them stood at the sides, guns trained on the approaching car.
Su Man showed no hesitation.
"Do you trust me?"
Li Chuan turned to her, eyes locked onto hers for a split second.
Then, he nodded. "Yes."
"Good."
The next second, Su Man swung the car sharply to the right, heading straight for a low concrete wall!
"Siao ah?!" Cheng Mo shouted.
Boom!
The sedan crashed through the wall, bursting into an abandoned construction site. Without pausing, Su Man shifted gears, spinning the wheel. The car drifted, tires crushing loose gravel, sending up a cloud of dust.
The men in black hesitated for a second, their vehicles slamming on the brakes, struggling to adjust to the tight space.
That one second was all Su Man needed.
She gunned the engine, speeding towards a hidden exit at the far end of the site. Within moments—the chase was over.
Ten minutes later, the car rolled to a stop in front of an old, abandoned warehouse at the edge of Bayan Lepas. The air was still, apart from the occasional sound of stray dogs barking in the distance.
Su Man killed the engine, turned her head slightly. "Get out."
Li Chuan and Cheng Mo exchanged a glance before stepping out of the car.
"Where is this?" Cheng Mo's eyes scanned the surroundings warily.
"Temporary safehouse."
Su Man walked to the warehouse door, punching in a series of codes. The metal door groaned open, revealing a simple but functional space inside.
The dimly lit room held several monitors, maps, and stacks of documents. In the corner, a few crates sat neatly, stocked with emergency supplies.
Li Chuan stepped forward, his gaze sweeping across the desk. His eyes narrowed as they landed on a familiar name.
"'Shadow Project'?"
Su Man removed her cap, revealing short black hair and sharp, calculating eyes.
"I know you're investigating it," she stated flatly.
Li Chuan's expression turned unreadable. "Were you part of them?"
For the first time, Su Man hesitated. Then, she shook her head. "No. I used to be. But not anymore."
Cheng Mo let out a dry laugh. "Wah, that one very convincing, huh?"
Su Man didn't respond. Instead, she picked up a file and tossed it onto the table.
"The data you got… it's incomplete."
Li Chuan's brows furrowed. "What do you mean?"
Su Man tapped her finger on a specific code in the file.
"The Shadow Project was never stored in one place. It was divided into three parts, each controlled by different people. The one you have? It's only one-third of the puzzle."
Cheng Mo crossed his arms. "And how the hell do you know that?"
Su Man's lips curled into a cold smile.
"Because I was one of those people."
The room fell silent.
Li Chuan's gaze darkened. "You 'were'? Then what happened?"
Su Man exhaled slowly, leaning back against the chair. "Three years ago, I found out the project wasn't just about intelligence gathering. Someone was using it—to manipulate global financial markets. And maybe worse."
She glanced at the documents, voice turning grim.
"I couldn't let that happen. So, I destroyed my part of the data. After that… I became the target."
Cheng Mo snorted, shaking his head. "And now we're the ones they're hunting."
"Yes." Su Man's expression didn't change. "It means they suspect your data contains something crucial."
Cheng Mo scoffed. "If you really want to help us, why now? Why not earlier?"
Su Man's eyes gleamed with amusement. "Because before today, you weren't worth the risk."
Li Chuan tapped his fingers against the table, his mind calculating.
"And now?"
Su Man leaned forward. "Now? I need an ally. And so do you."
The air grew thick with tension.
Cheng Mo clicked his tongue. "You really trust us?"
Su Man smirked. "No. I don't trust anyone. But for now, our goals align."
Li Chuan studied her for a long moment.
Then, he nodded. "Fine. We work together."
Su Man's smirk widened. "Good." She stood up, rolling her shoulders.
"Then let's begin. First, we need to locate the other two pieces of data."
But just outside, in the deep shadows of the night—
cold, watchful eyes were already locked onto the warehouse.