The cold, damp air clung to Juwon’s skin as he and Yuxian emerged from the sewage tunnel. The heavy metal grate they had pried open behind them gave a quiet groan as it settled back into place. The scent of rot and mildew still lingered in their noses, but the urgency of their mission left no room for complaints.

  Ahead of them, the dimly lit maintenance corridor stretched into the unknown. The floor was lined with metal grates, and faint overhead lights flickered sporadically. Muffled footsteps echoed through the hall, along with the occasional chatter of soldiers patrolling the area.

  Yuxian wiped his hands on his pants, grimacing. “Next time, we find an entrance that doesn’t involve crawling through filth.”

  Juwon gave him a smirk. “Sure why don’t we go through the front door.”

  They moved swiftly but carefully, keeping close to the walls, their eyes scanning every movement. Guards armed with rifles patrolled in steady patterns, their boots clicking against the polished floor. Occasionally, scientists in white coats passed by, engrossed in their tablets or hushed conversations.

  Juwon glanced upward and frowned. No cameras. That was unusual. A facility this well-guarded should have surveillance. He exchanged a look with Yuxian, who had noticed it too.

  “Why are there no cameras?” Yuxian whispered.

  “Either they think their security is airtight, or they don’t want recordings of whatever’s going on here.” Juwon’s voice was low, but the weight in his words was clear.

  They moved swiftly from corner to corner, timing their movements to evade the guards' vision. Eventually, they reached a side door labeled ‘Rest Facility’ and slipped inside. The scent of sterilized air hit them immediately, followed by the quiet murmur of voices.

  Inside, two men in white lab coats stood near the sinks, engaged in conversation.

  “We’ve had to increase the energy output to keep the mutations stable.” One of the scientists was saying, shaking his head. “The last batch deteriorated too quickly. If we don’t refine the containment process, we risk losing everything.”

  The other sighed, rubbing his forehead. “And the test subject? Any progress?”

  “Still in stasis. Whatever they did to it, it refuses to wake up.”

  Juwon and Yuxian exchanged a glance. No words were needed. In perfect sync, they struck.

  Yuxian grabbed one scientist, swiftly pressing a pressure point that sent the man crumpling silently to the floor. Juwon struck the other with a precise blow to the neck, knocking him out before he could react.

  The bodies were dragged into a stall, and within minutes, Juwon and Yuxian were adjusting the lab coats over their clothes.

  “These barely fit,” Yuxian muttered, tugging at the tight sleeves. “I swear these scientists must be tiny.”

  Juwon adjusted his collar, checking himself in the mirror. “You look fine. Just don’t open your mouth.”

  Yuxian scoffed. “Like you’re any more qualified to be a scientist.”

  They left the restroom and entered the main hallway. The facility stretched out before them—a long corridor lined with glass panels on one side, and sealed laboratory doors on the other. Through the reinforced glass, rows of massive eggs rested inside containment pods, each connected to a glowing central chamber by thick, pulsating tubes.

  Yuxian’s jaw tightened. “What the hell are they doing?”

  Juwon’s gaze remained locked on the chamber, studying the tubes. “It’s the same as before. They’re feeding some energy into the eggs…?”

  They had no time to linger. They continued forward until they reached a large room filled with computers and stacks of documents.

  Juwon smirked "Bingo! Whatever is in there should help us expose these pricks and slow them down"

  But there was a problem.

  The room was locked.

  Juwon clicked his tongue. “We need an access card.”

  Yuxian glanced toward the heavier-set doors at the end of the hallway. “Then we need to find someone important enough to have one.”

  Across the door, was the silhouette of a man in a different set of uniform possibly of higher rank. On his Belt hung a black key card.

  Juwon nodded. “Stay here, keep watch. I’ll get us that card.”

  Without another word, he moved toward the large double doors and slipped inside.

  The room was massive, a grand conference hall with a spiral staircase leading to an upper level. A few guards patrolled the room, one of them standing near a desk with an access card clipped to his belt. Juwon moved swiftly, slipping behind a row of chairs as he approached his target.

  Then, something felt… off.

  The air shifted.

  Before Juwon could react, the guard turned, gave an evil smile—and vanished into mist.

  The walls of the room rippled like water, the furniture warping, bending in unnatural ways. The ceiling stretched infinitely, then collapsed inward. The entire space was an illusion.

  And then, a voice.

  “I was wondering when you’d arrive.”

  A figure materialized from the distortion of the mist, his blood-red robes flowing like ink in water.

  His presence alone sent a sharp chill through Juwon’s body.

  The figure removed his hat and bowed in courtesy, but the gesture felt mocking rather than respectful. He straightened, revealing sharp, angular features, high cheekbones, and piercing silver eyes that glowed faintly in the dim light. His skin was pale, almost ghostly, as if he had spent too much time in the shadows.

  His long, jet-black hair was tied back neatly, but strands floated unnaturally, as if weightless in the mist that clung to him like a second skin

  A faint, almost amused smirk tugged at his lips. When he spoke, his voice was smooth yet hollow, carrying the weight of certainty.

  "Welcome, young guardian. The name is Shen Tianyu. Silent Fang of the Death Mark Unit…."

  "Of the Heavenly Demonic cult"

  Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.

  Juwon smirked, “So you damned cultists finally decided to come out of the woodworks?”

  Shen Tianyu smirked, his voice unnervingly calm.

  “Haha the demon king says hello. But you will never be able to say it back. This will be your end.”

  A blaring alarm shattered the air.

  Juwon turned towards the entrance just in time to see a guard running toward Yuxian, shouting. “INTRUDER! Get him”

  Red sirens blared across the facility.

  Juwon moved, but before he could take a step toward Yuxian, Shen Tianyu was already in front of him, blade gliding toward his throat.

  The trap had been sprung.

  Yuxian barely had time to react before the first guard lunged at him. Instinct took over. He sidestepped, his fist colliding with the man's jaw, sending him sprawling against the wall. The guard groaned, but before Yuxian could finish him, more footsteps pounded toward him.

  The red alarms have brought the soldiers to Yuxian.

  Yuxian barely gave the second guard a moment to react before delivering a brutal elbow to his ribs, sending him crashing into a nearby console. Another soldier lunged forward, rifle raised, but Yuxian pivoted, grabbing the man's arm and twisting it until a sickening crack echoed through the hall. The guard dropped instantly.

  "Come on," Yuxian muttered, shaking the sting from his knuckles. "Is that all you've got?"

  More soldiers rushed in. Yuxian smirked, shifting his stance. He moved like flowing water, each strike landing with precision, each motion effortless. The guards came at him in waves in the narrow hallway, but they fell just as fast. He sent one flying with a knee to the chest, ducked under a wild swing, and planted a sharp kick into another's face, sending blood splattering against the wall.

  But then, he noticed something shift.

  The guards stopped attacking directly, moving back into formation. Half of them crouched, while the rest raised their MK47s, barrels aimed directly at him.

  Yuxian blinked, raising a finger. "Wait guns? That’s not fair, timeout. Let’s talk about this."

  The next second, bullets tore through the air. Yuxian barely managed to leap behind cover, his heart pounding. The walls behind him shredded under the relentless gunfire.

  "Oh, come on! Since when do cultists use automatic weapons?!" he muttered before sprinting toward the only exit—a nearby window.

  With no time to hesitate, Yuxian lunged forward and crashed through the glass, tumbling into what seemed to be an enclosed chamber. The moment he landed, he realized his mistake.

  Walls surrounded him on three sides. A dead end.

  He turned back toward the broken window, hand raising instinctively—"Hehe, you got me guys. Please don't kill me"

  As the soldiers start pointing the gun at him, Yuxian said, "I guess this is it then"

  before they could react, the soldiers behind him convulsed, their bodies stiffening as if gripped by an unseen force.

  Their bodies convulsed; their faces twisted in agony as an unseen force drained them. Their skin shrivelled, eyes rolling back, as their very life force was sucked away.

  A slow, deliberate breath echoed from the back of the chamber.

  "What the-?"

  Yuxian clenched his fist, his muscles coiling with tension.

  A figure stood in the darkness, absorbing the dying soldiers’ essence.

  His opponent had finally revealed himself.

  A faint glow pulsed within the dimly lit chamber, the eerie radiance casting elongated shadows across the walls.

  The figure at the far end stood unnaturally still, his presence exuding a quiet, suffocating menace. As the last wisps of life drained from the soldiers’ corpses, he took a slow step forward, his breath measured, his aura oppressive.

  The man was tall and lean, clad in dark robes embroidered with faint gold threads that shimmered like dying embers. His face was gaunt but sharp, his eyes sunken yet gleaming with an unnatural red hue. A long braid of jet-black hair cascaded over his shoulder, resting against the intricate sigil branded into his exposed collarbone—a twisted insignia of the Hei Long.

  A smirk played at the edges of his thin lips. “Not bad, Wudang dog. You made it this far. Master was right to send us here”

  Yuxian straightened, rolling his shoulders, his breath steady despite the oppressive atmosphere. “Another robed lunatic spouting cryptic nonsense? You guys really need to diversify.”

  The man ignored the remark, his fingers flexing slightly as threads of dark Qi coiled around them, pulsing with a sickly light. “You should feel honored. The Heavenly Demon King deemed you worthy of an execution.”

  Yuxian exhaled through his nose, cracking his knuckles. “Yeah? Well, I’ll try my best to disappoint him.”

  A slow chuckle rumbled from the man’s chest, but it carried no warmth. Then, without warning, the scene shifted.

  Juwon barely had time to process the rising alarm before Shen Tianyu struck. The assassin’s form flickered, his body dissolving into the mist-like aura surrounding him before reappearing inches away from Juwon’s blind spot. His dagger gleamed under the dim conference hall lighting, aimed for Juwon’s ribs.

  The walls around them warped, stretching and contracting like a living nightmare. The floor beneath them seeming to pulse like a heartbeat.

  Juwon barely had time to react before the room darkened, as if the light itself had been swallowed. A dense mist spread from Shen Tianyu’s feet, curling around the ground like creeping tendrils, distorting the air with a strange, wavering haze.

  A flicker—Shen Tianyu appeared to Juwon’s left, his dagger slicing forward. Juwon raised his arm to block—only to feel nothing.

  His eyes widened as the image of Shen Tianyu dissolved into the mist. An illusion.

  A whisper of movement came from behind. Juwon twisted, barely dodging a real strike aimed at his spine. The cold edge of the dagger scraped against his coat, cutting the fabric but missing flesh by a hair’s breadth.

  Shen Tianyu’s smirk was visible even through the haze. “Perception is such a fragile thing.”

  Juwon smirked, rolling his shoulders as he kept his stance firm.

  "You cultists love your theatrics, but let’s cut through the nonsense. What exactly does your so-called 'Heavenly Demon Cult' really want?"

  Shen Tianyu's smirk deepened, his silver eyes gleaming through the shifting mist. "Ah, curiosity. The first sign of weakness. It’s always amusing how the ones marked for death suddenly want to understand the world."

  He took a slow step forward, his movements eerily smooth, his voice laced with quiet amusement. "But since you’ll be dying soon, I suppose a parting gift is in order."

  Juwon tightened his grip, his stance firm. "I’m listening."

  "The Heavenly Demon Cult exists for one purpose: to tear down the stagnant world you martial sects' worship so blindly," Shen Tianyu said, his voice dripping with disdain. "Did you know this world was not always devoid of gods? This world once belonged to the strong. Strength that is only seen in the legends and myths, was once free for the taking. Before the Great Ancient War that is. We would like to turn back the world to how it was meant to be. Of course, only in such a way that we reign as the strongest. Hahaha "

  Juwon scoffed. "So, you're just another group of lunatics playing god?"

  "God?" Shen Tianyu laughed softly. "No. Gods demand worship. What we demand is obedience."

  Juwon's fingers twitched. "And these experiments? The Qi beasts? The humans you’re tearing apart in the name of power?"

  Shen Tianyu chuckled. "Sacrifices. The weak are meant to serve the strong. It’s an honour to be sacrificed for the demon king don’t you think?"

  Juwon’s smirk vanished. "You’re right about one thing."

  Shen Tianyu arched an eyebrow. "Oh? Enlighten me."

  Juwon’s eyes gleamed with cold resolve. "You’re not gods to this world. You’re parasites. And I will happily pull you out"

  Shen Tianyu’s expression didn’t falter, but the air around him shifted, the mist pulsing as his aura flared. "Then come, Juwon. Let’s see if your fists hit harder than your words."

  Without warning, Shen Tianyu lunged, his form flickering like a mirage. The mist followed his movements, curling unnaturally, making it impossible to discern his true position. Juwon barely had time to react before a blade slashed toward his side. He twisted, redirecting the strike with his forearm, but the force behind it sent a jolt through his bones.

  Juwon retaliated instantly, stepping in with a sharp elbow aimed at Shen Tianyu’s ribs. The impact landed—or so he thought.

  The moment his strike connected, Shen Tianyu’s body dispersed into mist, reforming just behind him. An afterimage of mist.

  A chuckle echoed through the mist, cold and taunting. "Wrong Move," Shen Tianyu's voice whispered from all directions.

  Juwon barely turned before a sharp sting blossomed across his side. Blood dripped. His eyes widened slightly as he glanced down to see a light blade coming out of his ribs. Shen Tianyu stood behind him, blade in hand, amusement glinting in his silver eyes.

  "You expected that to work, didn't you?" Shen Tianyu let out a laugh.

  Juwon exhaled, the sting already dulling as he steadied himself. His body felt loose on Shen’s blade—too loose.

  Shen Tianyu's grin widened, sensing weakness. "Slowing down already? That was disappoint—"

  Before he could finish, Juwon’s voice came from behind him. "Wrong Move."

  Shen Tianyu’s eyes widened as the Juwon standing before him shimmered and faded into nothingness.

  An....afterimage?

  Draconic Mirage Steps

  The real Juwon struck. A sharp, precise palm thrust crashed into Shen Tianyu’s sternum, sending him skidding backward through the mist. The assassin barely managed to stabilize himself, coughing as he glared at Juwon, whose smirk had returned.

  Shen Tianyu's smirk faltered slightly as his eyes darted between the shifting figures. “Oh? You can dance too?”

  Juwon rolled his shoulders cracking his neck, "What? You thought only you could use illusions?"

  ” Interesting” Tianyu smirked, his blade vanishing into mist. His hands pulsed with dark Qi as he cracked his knuckles.