Dark alleyways stretched ahead as Li Chuan, Su Man, Cheng Mo, and Shen Qiu raced through the night, their breaths steady, their hearts pounding in their ears. Just three blocks away lay the abandoned subway station—their only chance at survival.
Behind them, their pursuers showed no sign of slowing. The Executors were highly trained, relentless in their chase, their tracking skills as precise as bloodhounds honing in on their prey.
"Quick, right turn!" Shen Qiu whispered urgently.
Li Chuan led the group into a narrower alley, using the shadows and surrounding buildings to momentarily widen the gap between them and their enemies.
But just as they neared the subway entrance, a black, unmarked SUV suddenly screeched into view, blocking their path.
The SUV's doors swung open. Several masked assassins stepped out, their compact submachine guns glinting under the dim streetlights, their gazes cold and emotionless.
"They knew we'd come here," Su Man muttered, frowning.
"They did," Li Chuan replied calmly, scanning the surroundings. His eyes flickered to a fire escape ladder attached to the left-side wall.
"Split up. Regroup at the subway in twenty seconds."
Before his words had fully landed, he was already leaping onto the fire escape, Cheng Mo following close behind.
Su Man launched herself toward the SUV, using its surface to propel herself onto a nearby rooftop.
Meanwhile, Shen Qiu remained eerily calm, unzipping his backpack to retrieve a compact signal jammer. With a swift flick, he powered it on.
With their pursuers momentarily thrown off, the team managed to slip into the abandoned subway station.
"This place is too quiet," Cheng Mo murmured.
Su Man scanned their surroundings. The station was dimly lit, covered in dust and grime, clearly untouched for years. But something about the silence felt… wrong.
"Something's off," Shen Qiu muttered.
Then—
A flash of red light cut through the darkness.
The next instant, a bullet whizzed past Su Man's ear, shattering the tiled wall behind her.
"Sniper!" Li Chuan snapped.
At the same moment, shadows emerged from the opposite platform—several black-clad Executors, their weapons trained on them, sealing off all possible exits.
"We're surrounded," Cheng Mo said, tightening his grip on his combat knife.
From the enemy's ranks, a tall, cold-eyed man stepped forward. His voice was smooth, almost casual.
"Li Chuan. Li Feng asked me to tell you—this game is over."
Li Chuan let out a slow smile and discreetly pressed the timer in his palm.
"No," he whispered.
"The game has just begun."