Even after the rain had stopped, the ground was still bleeding water, and the sky hadn't yet emptied itself of its dark clouds.
On the horizon, the lights of Zone Z sparkled like a radiant curse — a city that knew neither sleep nor mercy, illuminating its nights with tainted electricity, and hiding within its streets even more tainted souls.
The ninth floor of the shattered building had become their temporary camp.
While small flames danced in the corner, Ray Yu laid down his black cloak, then looked at the two others and said quietly:
"I'll go alone first. I have some old contacts in Zone Z… I want to check on something."
He didn't wait for their approval. He simply leapt from the edge of the building, vanishing like a shadow into the dark.
A long silence passed before Yue Mi finally spoke:
"Isn't it dangerous for him to go alone? Zone Z isn't…"
But she was cut off when Lin Xian suddenly said:
"Yue Mi… I want to talk."
His tone wasn't as usual. It wasn't cold… but it wasn't warm either.
She looked at him, her eyes carrying a flicker of caution. He continued, staring out the window at the dancing lights in the distance:
"Ray Yu… you shouldn't trust him completely."
Her eyebrows raised slightly. She said in a low voice:
"You're speaking as if you know him better than we do."
He nodded, then sat beside her and pulled out a small metal object — a partially damaged data card.
He said quietly:
"When I was at the transport station, I searched through the old A.C.E.S. systems… I found encrypted records under his old name."
Then he looked her straight in the eyes and said:
"He was once known as… The Flesh Dragon. One of the deadliest Awakened during the Third War Era."
Yue Mi's eyes widened, and she gasped:
"The… Flesh Dragon?"
He nodded:
"A title given to him because he used Dao of transformation to create living flesh from nothing…He used it to build beasts, to destroy entire cities.
One file said he alone burned over a million people in an attack on Tianlu City…
left them writhing beneath a burning sky."
She looked at him, eyes filled with doubt and fear.
She asked in a nearly trembling voice:
"If you know all this… why are you still with him?"
But Lin Xian didn't hesitate.
He looked directly into her eyes and said firmly:
"Because he knows things… that I need."
A heavy silence fell between them.
His words weren't a justification.
But they were the truth.
Lin Xian knew the path to immortality was filled with shadows no one could trust.
And if he wanted to reach it… he would have to walk on thorns, even if he bled.
Down below, the streets of Zone Z buzzed with strange life.
People wore electronic masks, cults sold stolen "Dao seals," and holographic displays advertised forbidden technologies:
"Implant a new Dao today!" – "Buy purified blood from an Awakened!" – "Protect your soul for just 1,999 Eternal Yuan!"
Children ran between the collapsed walls, offering to sell artificial eyes taken from Awakened who had fallen in yesterday's battles.
Electronic music blared from old buildings, interspersed with screams and laughter… some human, some not quite confirmable.
In the corner of one market, Ray Yu was speaking with a massive man, his skin gray, a tattoo across half his face.
The conversation was low, but tension hung thick in the air.
Ray Yu looked calm… far too calm.
Upstairs, Lin Xian sat beside Yue Mi, while her little sister slept, whispering unintelligible words.
Yue Mi asked softly:
"What is it that you want? I mean… from Ray Yu?"
He didn't answer her.
But the look in his eyes was enough.
When the girl thought of hope…
He saw his steps on the road to hell.
Zone Z gleamed.
But it was not a true light.
It was like the mouth of a dragon, smiling — waiting for its prey to enter willingly.
And the prey… was drawing near.