Chapter One: Forced Login at Midnight

Pei Jin vanished through the locked door. Darkness covered the platform. Su Wanqing met an armored enemy; his shield cracked her shoulder, but she answered by throwing him ten meters. Lin Yao's eyes unfocused. “West bridge breaks in seven seconds. We detonate it. An archer is targeting Zhou Heng.” Gu Chen tackled Zhou Heng as an energy arrow shattered the railing. Zhou heard three detonation channels, then used his impossible gift to disguise the west-bridge warning as a north-bridge alarm. The enemy clustered west. Lin Yao fired early, striking a falling cable that swept the last target into range. “Now!” The bridge exploded. Four enemies fell, but their assassin reached the tower, stabbed Pei Jin through the chest, and rushed the core.