The bell shrieked, signaling the end of the school day at Fuzhou No. 7 High School. The classroom erupted into a chaos of scraping chairs and chattering students, eager to escape the confines of academia. Wei Heng packed his bag with the unhurried, detached motions of someone whose mind was a million miles away. To his classmates, he was the school's greatest enigma—the quiet, unremarkable student who was now the Guild Master of the most talked-about organization in the city. They kept their distance, a mixture of awe, fear, and teenage jealousy creating a palpable bubble around him.
As he slung his backpack over his shoulder, a burner phone in his pocket vibrated with a specific, encrypted pattern. He pulled it out, his expression unchanging as he read the notification. It was an official summons from the Hunter's Association.
Subject: Joint Operation Mandate - A-Rank Gate "Serpent's Maw"Primary Guilds Assigned: Azure Dragon, AegisMandatory Pre-Mission Briefing: 09.00 Hours, Tomorrow.
Wei Heng's lips curved into the faintest of smiles, a cold, sharp expression that held no warmth. 'So, the queen makes her move,' his internal monologue was a calm, analytical whisper. 'She cannot solve the riddle, so she seeks to force the answer into the open. A logical, if predictable, gambit.'
He put the phone away and walked out of the school, melting into the sea of students. While they chattered about exams and weekend plans, he was calculating the trajectory of a war they couldn't even see.
That evening, the atmosphere in the Aegis command center was thick with tension. The official summons was displayed on the central holographic table, its formal, bureaucratic language a stark contrast to the gravity of its implications.
"An A-Rank Gate," Gao Qiang said, his voice a low rumble. He wasn't afraid; he was excited, a warrior eager for a true test. "The 'Serpent's Maw.' I've heard the rumors. They say it's a coastal Gate, unstable, flooded with tidal magic."
"It's a trap," Chen Ling stated, her arms crossed. The Valkyrie, now calm and focused, saw the battlefield with a strategist's eye. "This isn't a standard mission. Why us? We have one official clear on our record, a D-Rank. To be assigned lead on an A-Rank joint operation with the Azure Dragon Guild is... illogical."
"She is correct," Sun An added, pushing his glasses up his nose. He had a datapad in his hand, already displaying preliminary data. "The risk profile is astronomical. Unstable tidal energies, high probability of complex aquatic and elemental monster types. To throw a newly formed guild into such a scenario is irresponsible. Unless the goal isn't success, but observation."
All eyes turned to Mei Ling, who sat at her terminal, her own eyes closed.
'He's right,' her mental voice was a cool, clear stream in their minds. 'The proposal for this joint operation was initiated by Lin Xia herself. She used her family's influence within the Association to push it through. The official reasoning is to 'foster cooperation and evaluate the capabilities of new, high-potential guilds.' The unofficial reason is clear: she wants to put us under a microscope.'
The pieces clicked into place. This was a direct challenge from the Azure Dragon Guild, a political power play disguised as a high-stakes mission.
"We should refuse," Chen Ling said immediately. "It's a setup. They want to see our abilities, our command structure. They want to expose all our secrets."
"Refusing would be seen as cowardice," Gao Qiang countered, his brow furrowed. "It would validate everyone who calls us a joke."
"Public perception is irrelevant when weighed against operational security," Sun An argued calmly. "The logical move is to decline and continue building our strength in the shadows."
They all looked to Wei Heng, who had been listening silently, his gaze fixed on the holographic map of the Serpent's Maw.
"We will accept," he said, his voice cutting through their debate with absolute finality.
The three of them stared at him, stunned.
"Sir," Sun An began, "with all due respect, the risks—"
"The risks are the reason we must accept," Wei Heng interrupted, turning to face them. His ancient eyes held a glint of cold amusement. "Lin Xia believes she is setting a trap. She thinks she is forcing the dragon out of its cave and into the light. She is not wrong. But she has made a critical miscalculation."
He walked around the table, his presence commanding the room. "She assumes we are afraid of the light. She believes our strength lies in secrecy. She is mistaken. Our true strength lies in the fact that even when our enemies see our power, they will not be able to comprehend it."
He looked at each of them, his gaze sharp and piercing. "She wants to measure our capabilities? Good. Let her. Let the entire world watch. They think we are a mystery. We will show them that the truth is far more terrifying than any rumor."
"This is not a trap," Wei Heng declared, his voice ringing with the authority of a ten-thousand-year-old sovereign. "It is a stage. And we will give them a performance they will never forget."
The next morning, the main briefing hall of the Fuzhou Hunter's Association was buzzing with a quiet, professional energy. It was a state-of-the-art amphitheater, dominated by a massive holographic display. Seated in the front rows were the elite of the Azure Dragon Guild. There were twenty of them, all clad in their immaculate dark blue and silver combat gear, their posture perfect, their aura one of disciplined, overwhelming power. They were the city's undisputed champions, and they knew it.
When the doors slid open and Aegis walked in, a wave of whispers and barely concealed smirks rippled through the hall. The contrast was almost comical. There were only four of them. Their gear was practical but unadorned. They looked less like an elite guild and more like a mismatched group of amateur adventurers. And leading them was a seventeen-year-old boy.
Wei Heng ignored the stares, leading his team to their designated seats directly opposite the Azure Dragon contingent. The two guilds faced each other across the aisle, a palpable tension crackling in the air between them.
Lin Xia sat at the head of her team, her expression a mask of cool professionalism. Her eyes, however, were locked onto Wei Heng. This was the first time they had met since the steel mill, and the first time she was seeing him in his official capacity as a Guild Master. He met her gaze without flinching, offering a slight, almost imperceptible nod of acknowledgement. It was not the nod of a subordinate or a newcomer. It was the nod of an equal.
An Association official began the briefing, his voice droning on about tidal patterns and energy readings. The holographic display shifted, showing a 3D topographical map of the Serpent's Maw. It was a series of interconnected sea caves, a natural labyrinth that was periodically flooded by the tide.
"...initial probes have confirmed multiple high-energy signatures," the official said, his voice growing grim. "Including at least one confirmed A-Rank threat, a 'Tidal Hydra.' But the most dangerous element is the environment itself. The entire dungeon is a 'puzzle box.' The tidal flows are not natural; they are controlled by some central mechanism. One wrong move, and the entire complex could be flooded in seconds, with no escape."
A murmur of concern went through the Azure Dragon ranks. This was more complex than a standard extermination mission. It was a death trap.
Lin Xia's gaze never left Wei Heng. She was watching for any sign of fear, of hesitation, of the dawning realization that he was in over his head.
She found none.
Wei Heng stared at the complex, shifting map of the death trap, his expression utterly placid. His mind was not processing the danger. It was processing the opportunity. He was not looking at a puzzle box. He was looking at a chessboard.
The official concluded the briefing. "The operation commences at 06.00 hours tomorrow. Your teams will need to work together to overcome this challenge. Good luck."
As the hall began to empty, Lin Xia stood and walked over to Wei Heng, her team falling in behind her like a royal guard.
"Guild Master Wei," she said, her voice cool and formal. "An impressive debut. I trust your team is prepared for a challenge of this magnitude?"
"We are," Wei Heng replied, his tone matching hers. "And you, Captain Lin? I trust your guild's reputation is not just for show."
A flicker of annoyance crossed her features before she smoothed it over. "The Azure Dragon Guild has never failed a mission. We will clear this Gate. I simply hope your... smaller team can keep up."
"Oh, I'm not worried about us keeping up," Wei Heng said, a thin, knowing smile touching his lips. He looked her directly in the eye, the ancient depth within them making her feel a momentary, unnerving chill.
"I'm worried you won't be able to."