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Chapter 24 - Chapter 24: The Price of Protection

Feng Liu did not pack. He fled.

He moved with the frantic, desperate energy of a man who had just stared into the abyss and seen it stare back. He ripped the hard drive from his laptop, snapped it in half, and dropped the pieces into a cup of water, watching it spark and die. He destroyed his burner phones, erased his digital footprints using emergency protocols he had never expected to use, and was out of the hotel in less than five minutes. He didn't even take his bag.

On the maglev train speeding out of Shanghai, he made his final, heavily sanitized report to his Prometheus Initiative superior. He didn't mention the hijacked comm device, the live video feed of his own terror. To do so would be to admit to a level of compromise so total it would earn him a bullet to the head for his failure.

"The mission is aborted," he reported, his voice a strained, harsh whisper. "The asset, Crystalline_Mind, is not an independent analyst. She is bait. She is under active, heavy protection by an unidentified, state-level intelligence agency." He let the lie flow easily, fueled by his own terror. "They have full-spectrum urban surveillance capabilities. They anticipated our every move. Attempting another acquisition without a full military-style assault would be suicide. The asset is untouchable."

The report, colored by Feng Liu's genuine, palpable fear, was accepted. The message traveled up the labyrinthine command structure of the Prometheus Initiative. The conclusion was logged: The Oracle Alliance's new star analyst was protected by a ghost agency of incredible power. All direct acquisition plans were to be put on indefinite hold.

Qin Mo's message, delivered through a terrifying display of silent, absolute power, had worked perfectly.

In his quiet bedroom, Qin Mo observed the fallout. He watched Feng Liu flee the city like a spooked animal. He intercepted the agent's falsified report to his superiors, a faint, cold amusement flickering in his mind. The temporary threat was neutralized.

But he felt no relief. This was merely a temporary reprieve.

He analyzed the situation with the cold, dispassionate logic of his thousand strategist avatars. Prometheus was a hydra. He had cut off one of its heads, but in doing so, he had confirmed the value of his target. They now knew, with absolute certainty, that Crystalline_Mind was important enough to warrant protection from a god-like entity.

They would not be foolish enough to send another snatch-and-grab team. The next attempt would be a professional assassin with a sniper rifle from a kilometer away. Or a car bomb. Or a carefully laid trap that would isolate her beyond even his ability to manipulate "coincidence."

His current method—reactive, personal defense—was inefficient. He could not be her guardian angel 24/7. It was a critical drain on his focus, a vulnerability in his own grand strategy. The "Sanctuary Protocol" he had just conceived could not simply be about him reacting to threats against her. It had to be proactive.

The conclusion was as logical as it was ruthless. A sheep is safest not when it is hidden by the shepherd, but when it is given the fangs and claws to become a wolf itself.

He could not push Su Liying away from this dangerous world to protect her; that would only leave her isolated, ignorant, and vulnerable. No, the only viable path was to pull her deeper in. He had to arm her with knowledge. He had to shield her with authority. He had to integrate her so completely into the very core of his operation that the organization's entire strength would become her personal bodyguard, and her own safety would become paramount to the organization's success.

She could no longer be an uncontrolled variable. She had to be forged into his most valuable, most powerful, and most protected strategic asset.

He summoned the three core members of Project Zero to [Channel: Zero].

They arrived instantly, their minds still processing the after-action reports from the successful 'Silent Lab' infiltration.

Oracle came online, his purpose clear and direct. Oracle: The data from the Leech continues to be processed. However, a new operational necessity has arisen. Our intelligence gathering is effective, but our analysis of that intelligence remains decentralized and relies on the ad-hoc contributions of individuals in the Outer Court. This is an inefficient model. Oracle: I am establishing a new formal division within the Alliance structure: the **'Analysis Core'**. This will be a small, elite team of our most brilliant minds. Their sole responsibility will be to process all raw intel and transform it into clear, concise, actionable strategy.

Old-Man-Jiang: "An excellent and necessary step. A formal intelligence division. Do you have a candidate in mind to lead it, Oracle?"

Oracle: I do. The user Crystalline_Mind.

The name landed in the channel, causing a ripple of surprise. Nomad-Lead: "Her work on the lab location was top-tier. She has the skill, there is no question. But she is an unknown quantity, Oracle. A new initiate. To place her at the very heart of our intelligence operations..."

Hephaestus: "Bah! Who cares if she's new? Her brain works, doesn't it? Her analysis was a thing of beauty. Appoint her. Let's move on to more interesting problems, like the schematics for this Abyssal Core..."

It was Old-Man-Jiang who, as always, perceived the deeper, hidden currents of the game. A slow, appreciative smile graced his features. This wasn't just a promotion. This was a masterstroke.

Old-Man-Jiang: "A bold move, Oracle. A very bold move. Elevating a new member to such a high-profile position based purely on merit sends a powerful message to the entire Alliance: competence is the only currency that matters here. And... it also places this brilliant, and as you know, perhaps vulnerable young analyst directly under our protection and guidance. A very efficient solution to multiple potential problems. I approve."

The General understood. This was not just about efficiency. It was about sanctuary.

Oracle: It is decided. Old-Man-Jiang, you will draft the official offer and the parameters of her new role. Nomad-Lead, as the public face of the leadership, you will be her official point of contact. Guide her. Equip her with the resources she needs.

A final, chilling sentence appeared, a direct and unspoken command that confirmed all of Jiang's suspicions.

Oracle: She is now a high-value strategic asset. Protect her accordingly.

Su Liying sat in her bedroom, meticulously cross-referencing data points from the "Project Chimera" community project. She was still completely unaware of the invisible war that had been fought over her, or the high-level council that had just decided her future.

Her terminal chimed with a high-priority notification. It was a private message from the legendary moderator herself, Nomad-Lead. Her heart skipped a beat. Had she done something wrong?

She opened the message. Her eyes widened as she read the formal, jaw-dropping offer.

To: Crystalline_Mind From: Nomad-Lead Subject: An Official Invitation

Your contributions and analytical skills have been recognized by the core leadership of this Alliance. On behalf of Oracle, it is my honor to extend to you an official invitation.

We are formally establishing a new intelligence division, the "Analysis Core." We are offering you the position of Chief Analyst, with full authority to lead this new team.

This position comes with a grant of 1,000 Contribution Points, a Level 3 security clearance, and direct access to raw, unfiltered intelligence streams from all ongoing operations, including the recent 'Silent Lab' mission. Your team's findings will be reported directly to the inner circle and will shape the future of our entire cause.

We require your talent. We await your decision.

Su Liying stared at the offer, her mind reeling. Chief Analyst. Direct access to the inner circle. A direct line to the heart of the mystery that was Oracle. It was everything she had wanted, a prize far beyond her wildest dreams.

But a cold shiver ran down her spine. This felt less like a job offer and more like a conscription. A hand reaching out from the deepest shadows, not just to reward her, but to pull her in completely, to bind her fate forever to that of the ghost in the machine.

She looked at the bottom of the message, at the two blinking buttons. [Accept] and [Decline].

She knew, with absolute certainty, that her life as she knew it would end the moment she clicked one of those buttons.

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