Mei's Perspective:

The iron manacles bit into my wrists, their runes glowing with a sickly blue light that suppressed my cultivation. I sat on the damp deck of the riverboat, the Serpent's Fang, as it cut through the dark waters of the Serpent's Tail River. The night air was thick with mist and the heavy scent of impending rain.

I tested the chains again, more out of habit than hope. No give. These weren't ordinary restraints, but artifacts designed to hold even Elemental Attunement cultivators. I cursed myself for the thousandth time for getting caught. One moment of carelessness, and here I was, bound for the Abyssal Spire.

"Comfortable, little rebel?"

The mocking voice belonged to Captain Feng, a mid-tier Elemental Attunement cultivator who seemed to take personal pleasure in my capture. He swaggered across the deck, his water-attribute cultivation evident in the way the river mist coiled around him like an obedient pet.

"You know," Feng continued, crouching down to meet my glare, "I almost hope you try something. It's been so long since I've had a real challenge." His eyes glinted with malice and something else – a hunger for conflict that made my skin crawl.

I spat at his feet. "Enjoy it while you can, lapdog. The River's Roar will sweep away Thunderlord Zhao and all his sycophants soon enough."

Feng's hand shot out, gripping my jaw painfully. "Bold words for someone in chains. But tell me, little Mei, did you really think you could steal from the Cloudburst Sect and get away with it?"

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My heart raced. Did they know about the artifact? I fought to keep my expression neutral, but Feng's cruel smile widened.

"Oh yes, we know all about your little mission. The Tideturner Compass is quite safe, I assure you." He patted a ornate box secured to his belt. "Thunderlord Zhao will be most pleased when I deliver both you and this little treasure to him."

The Tideturner Compass. So close, yet impossibly out of reach. If only I'd managed to secure it before being caught. With its power to manipulate water currents on a massive scale, the River's Roar Rebellion could have turned the tide of the conflict, quite literally.

Feng stood, stretching leisurely. "We'll reach the Abyssal Spire by dawn. I do hope you enjoy your stay. I hear the accommodations are... transformative."

As he walked away, laughing, I closed my eyes and tried to center myself. The situation seemed hopeless, but I couldn't give up. I thought of my people, suffering under the Cloudburst Sect's oppressive rule. I thought of the rebellion, and how my failure might set back our cause.

And, despite myself, I thought of Liang. His face when we argued, the hurt and frustration in his eyes. Would he even know what had happened to me? Would he care, after everything?

A sudden chill ran down my spine, and not just from the damp deck. For a moment, I could have sworn I felt... something. A presence, familiar yet alien, brushing against my consciousness. It felt almost like... lotus petals?

I shook my head. Wishful thinking. There would be no rescue, no last-minute reprieve. I was on my own.

As the Serpent's Fang continued its relentless journey downriver, I steeled myself for whatever lay ahead. The Abyssal Spire might break my body, but I swore it would never break my spirit. The River's Roar Rebellion would continue, with or without me.

But oh, how I wished I could see Liang one last time. To explain, to apologize, to tell him...

A distant rumble of thunder interrupted my thoughts. A storm was brewing, both in the skies above and in my heart. As the first heavy droplets of rain began to fall, I allowed myself one small, defiant smile.

Let them bring their worst. I was Mei of the River's Roar, and I would not go quietly into the abyss.