A dense metallic scent lingered in the narrow underground passage, mixing with the faint traces of burning gunpowder. The explosion from earlier had left charred scars on the concrete walls, and the air still carried the remnants of heat.
Standing motionless amidst the wreckage, Li Chuan's expression remained unreadable, yet beneath his calm demeanor, a glint of something dangerous flickered in his eyes. Their enemies would rather destroy themselves than leave a single clue behind—proof that the mastermind pulling the strings was far from ordinary.
Su Man inhaled deeply, eyes scanning the dismembered remains on the ground. She let out a dry chuckle. "Looks like we underestimated how far they're willing to go."
Patting the dust off his jacket, Cheng Mo frowned. "These guys weren't ordinary mercenaries. Their combat techniques, reaction speed, and self-destruction mechanisms—this kind of training isn't something just anyone can afford."
Li Chuan narrowed his gaze. His voice was low, carrying an edge of certainty. "Whoever's behind this… is running a deeply buried operation."
Suddenly, a voice crackled to life in their earpieces. "Hey—can you hear me?"
Li Chuan pressed a finger to his comm. "Loud and clear. We ran into a group of enforcers. All hostiles eliminated, but they detonated themselves before we could extract any intel."
A hint of urgency laced Shen Qiu's voice. "You need to leave. Now. I hacked into the surveillance grid—there's another unit heading straight for you. They're better equipped, and they've got thermal imaging. The underground system won't hide you for long."
Su Man clicked her tongue. "So the ones we just fought were bait. The real hunt is about to begin."
Li Chuan's eyes darkened. "Shen Qiu, get me an exit."
Fingers flying over the keyboard, Shen Qiu pulled up a digital blueprint of the city's sewage network. "Head southeast. Five hundred meters ahead, there's a maintenance shaft. If you climb up, you'll find a concealed exit leading to an abandoned factory."
Cheng Mo rolled his shoulders, running a tongue over the cut on his lip. A smirk tugged at the corner of his mouth. "Sounds better than being gunned down by a pack of lunatics."
Without hesitation, the three of them moved. Their footsteps echoed against the damp tunnel walls, each step punctuated by the distant hum of machinery above ground.
Less than three minutes later, they reached the ladder. Rusted from years of neglect, it groaned under Su Man's weight as she ascended first. She shoved open the hatch, and the moment cool night air rushed in, she scanned the surroundings.
"All clear," she whispered.
Li Chuan and Cheng Mo followed, emerging into a desolate industrial zone. Crumbling concrete structures loomed in the dim light, their skeletal remains casting jagged shadows.
But before they could fully take in their surroundings, a low, rumbling growl broke the silence.
Engines.
Li Chuan tensed. "Hide."
Within seconds, the trio vanished into the darkness. A black SUV rolled onto the factory grounds, its headlights cutting through the gloom. The vehicle came to a halt, and from within, several men stepped out—clad in tactical gear, rifles at the ready.
Their movements were precise, calculated. This wasn't a ragtag group of hired guns. These men were professionals.
Su Man's voice was barely a whisper. "Who are they?"
Cheng Mo's grip tightened on his blade. "Their formation… They're running a strategic pattern. This isn't just a clean-up crew."
Li Chuan's eyes settled on a figure emerging from the vehicle—a man clad in a gray trench coat. He lit a cigarette, his gaze sweeping across the ruins, as if waiting for something.
Su Man noticed the shift in Li Chuan's expression. "You know him?"
Li Chuan's voice was cold. "...Li Feng."
The name sent a ripple of tension through the group.
Li Feng.
His own brother. And one of the very men orchestrating everything they had been fighting against.
Li Feng stood beside the SUV, exhaling a slow stream of smoke. His voice carried effortlessly through the night.
"Li Chuan, I know you're there."
His tone was calm, unhurried—yet it left no room for doubt.
Li Chuan didn't respond. He simply observed. Calculating.
Li Feng chuckled softly. "You've been chasing me all this time, but the truth is—I've been watching you too. You're standing at a crossroads, little brother. Why not turn back?"
Su Man whispered, "He's trying to shake you."
Cheng Mo's grip on his knife tightened, his voice edged with restrained violence. "He didn't bring an armed unit just to have a heart-to-heart."
Li Feng exhaled another breath of smoke, his expression unreadable. "Step forward, Li Chuan. This is your last chance. Otherwise, I promise—you won't be walking out of here."
The quiet menace in his voice sent a chill through the air.
At last, Li Chuan spoke. "What do you want, Li Feng?"
A slow smile curled at Li Feng's lips. "What I want… is beyond your comprehension. But you still have a choice—stand with me, instead of against me."
Li Chuan let out a sharp laugh. "Join you? And end up like those disposable soldiers you sent to die?"
Li Feng didn't react. He simply flicked the ashes from his cigarette, his voice laced with something unreadable. "Tell me something, little brother. You've been searching for the truth all this time… but have you ever considered that maybe—just maybe—you've been a pawn from the very beginning?"
Li Chuan's jaw tightened. A flicker of unease stirred in his chest.
Li Feng's eyes gleamed in the dim light. "You think you're fighting against me. Against my organization. But what if I told you… the real players in this game have never even shown their faces?"
A pause.
Su Man's voice was firm. "He's trying to throw you off. Don't fall for it."
Cheng Mo's patience was wearing thin. His grip on his weapon was lethal. "Enough talk. We either fight our way out or get more intel out of him."
But before anyone could make a move, a red dot flickered in the sky.
A drone.
Shen Qiu's voice crackled in their earpieces. "Li Chuan, listen up. You're in serious trouble. I just picked up movement—there's another force inbound."
Li Chuan's stomach twisted. "Who?"
Shen Qiu's voice held a rare trace of urgency. "No idea. But they're not with Li Feng."
Li Feng's own gaze lifted to the sky. He, too, had noticed the incoming threat.
The battlefield had just shifted.
And they weren't the only players in the game anymore.