Chapter 21 - The Architect's Burden
The weight of their success settled on Jin's shoulders like a physical mantle. He stood in the center of the Command Wing, his mismatched eyes scanning the holographic map that now dominated the room. The red SECURITY SYSTEMS line was gone, replaced by a steady, confident green. But it was a fragile green, a single point of light in a vast, hostile darkness.
[SYSTEM NOTIFICATION]
[VAULT INTEGRITY: REINFORCED - 98%]
[COMMAND WING: LEVEL 1 - SECURE]
"We're not safe," Jin said, his voice quiet but firm, breaking the comfortable silence. "We've just made this room defensible. The Vault is still a deathtrap. We just... cleared the front yard."
Sera, who had been meticulously cleaning her pulse rifle, paused mid-action. Her golden eyes met his, a flicker of understanding passing between them. She didn't argue. She didn't have to.
