“We can’t stay here.” Suna’s voice was calm, but her command was absolute. The structure of the lighthouse was too fragile, and the enemy could break through at any moment.

“We need to leave, or they’ll destroy this place,” she added firmly, her eyes filled with an unyielding determination.

The narrow corridor was dim, and the shrill alarms pressed heavily on Li Chuan. His heart pounded in his chest, and his breathing became shallow. Suna’s footsteps were steady, unaffected by the rising danger.

Li Chuan wanted to speak, but the words didn’t come. Right now, the only thing he could do was rely on her.

He leaned against the cold wall, his mind racing. Every time they faced the Reforged, his heart felt like it was going to explode, yet Suna remained calm, almost like a machine without emotion.

He could only follow orders, almost mechanically, barely making any decisions on his own. Am I really this useless? A deep sense of doubt took root in his mind, mixing with fear. He felt like nothing more than a burden.

How can she stay so calm? A wave of helplessness washed over him. He didn’t know if he could survive this nightmare, and the only thing he could do was follow Suna’s lead.

"Up ahead!" someone shouted.

Gunfire erupted, bullets tearing into the walls of the hallway like a violent storm. Li Chuan instinctively ducked, pressing his back against the wall. His weapon felt impossibly heavy in his grip.

“They’ve already taken control of the power grid,” Suna said, adjusting her weapon with urgency. “They’re bringing in more drones to block every exit.”

A high-pitched hum reached Li Chuan’s ears as several drones flew overhead, moving in quickly. He turned and saw the door at the end of the hallway slide shut. The Reforged had cut off their retreat. At the same time, a strange gas began to seep from the vents, spreading rapidly.

“Gas! They’re releasing some kind of chemical!” Li Chuan shouted, his voice trembling with fear.

Suna remained unfazed. “Move!” she barked, pulling him into cover just as the Reforged’s energy blade sliced through the air above them, sparks flying.

“We’re out of time.” Her voice was steady, but the urgency was clear now.

Li Chuan knew they had to escape. If they stayed, they were dead. His legs felt like they were weighed down with lead, each step dragging him closer to death. Fear gnawed at his insides, making it harder to breathe.

He glanced at Suna. She was still calm, calculating every move. It suddenly hit him—if she fell, what would he do? I can’t rely on her forever. The thought crept into his mind. If I want to survive, I have to learn to fight, to make decisions on my own.

“Stay close and don’t stop.” Her order was sharp, leaving no room for hesitation.

Suddenly, a deafening explosion tore through the far end of the corridor. The walls shook violently, cracks spreading like spiderwebs. Debris flew through the air like shrapnel.

Just when they thought it was a simple structural collapse, metal claws shot out from hidden compartments in the walls, latching onto Suna’s ankle. Above them, a laser net began descending from the ceiling, sealing off every escape route.

“It’s a trap!” Suna slashed at the metal claw with her knife, severing it. “They’re not just chasing us anymore. They’re setting us up.”

Li Chuan stared at the approaching laser net, a sinking feeling of despair growing inside him. His eyes darted around, searching for an escape. We’re trapped… we need to find a way out, or it’s over.

“The floor’s collapsing!” Suna yelled, pulling him forward as the ground beneath them began to give way.

Li Chuan was a fraction too slow. The ground gave way beneath him, separating him from Suna. He barely managed to grab the edge of a cracked wall, his body dangling over the abyss below.

If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.

“Li Chuan!” Suna called from the other side, but she was blocked by a fallen wall.

His body swayed dangerously. The ground below him was like quicksand, unstable and ready to swallow him whole. He looked up just in time to see a massive chunk of debris plummeting toward him. Fear surged through his veins. His instincts screamed for him to raise his hands, but he knew it wouldn’t help.

Suddenly, a hand gripped his arm tightly, pulling him out of harm’s way. The debris crashed where he had been, kicking up a cloud of dust and rubble.

Li Chuan looked up to see Suna’s face inches from his. For a brief moment, he thought he saw something flash in her eyes—something that disappeared as quickly as it appeared.

“Let’s go.” Her voice was as calm as ever, as if nothing had happened.

Confusion and anxiety twisted in Li Chuan’s chest. He knew Suna was protecting him, but her unshakable calm made her hard to read. What if she’s not there next time… what then? The thought nagged at him, circling his mind. He realized now, he couldn’t keep relying on her.

As he climbed back to solid ground, an alarm blared through the abandoned factory. The machinery deep within roared to life. From the ceiling, enormous mechanical arms descended, locking onto their position.

“They’ve taken control of the factory!” Li Chuan’s voice was filled with panic as he watched the machinery spring to life, a massive metal beast revived by the enemy.

The conveyor belts rumbled beneath him, pushing him toward an unknown fate. Behind them, the Reforged approached silently, their propulsion systems glowing with blue energy.

Li Chuan’s mind raced. He couldn’t wait for Suna to tell him what to do. His eyes flicked to the factory’s control panel. An idea sparked in his mind, and without a second thought, he dashed toward it, his fingers flying over the buttons.

“What are you doing?” Suna snapped, her voice colder than usual.

“Giving them a surprise,” Li Chuan muttered, gritting his teeth. The mechanical arms responded to his commands, their massive steel claws slamming down, crushing several Reforged units beneath their weight.

“We’ve got a few minutes,” Li Chuan breathed, his heart still pounding, but the fear had been replaced by something else—determination.

A loud roar came from the factory entrance as an Awakener transport truck barreled in, ramming into several Reforged soldiers. Huo Ling leaned out of the driver’s seat, yelling, “Get in!”

Li Chuan stumbled toward the truck, his heart still racing. I can’t keep relying on Suna, he thought, realizing for the first time that he could do more.

Grabbing a laser rifle, he aimed at a nearby drone. His finger didn’t hesitate. A beam of light cut through the air, striking the drone, which exploded into a shower of sparks.

Suna jumped into the truck, her gaze briefly settling on Li Chuan. Something flickered in her eyes—acknowledgment, maybe even approval.

“Not bad,” she said coolly, revving the engine as the vehicle sped into the night.

Li Chuan collapsed into his seat, breathing hard, but something inside him had changed. He was no longer just a soldier who followed orders. He was learning to survive on his own.

The air in the truck was tense, the danger outside still very real. Sweat dripped down Li Chuan’s forehead, his body pushed to its limits by the battle.

“This is just the beginning.” Suna stared straight ahead, her voice steady, but a hint of fatigue crept in.

“It’s not over yet…” Li Chuan gasped, glancing into the rearview mirror. Several drones still hovered in the distance, relentless as ghosts. Each one seemed to foreshadow a greater, unknown threat looming closer.

“We’re running out of time…” Huo Ling’s voice was tense, her hands gripping the steering wheel tightly. The truck hurtled down the narrow mountain road, the path ahead growing more dangerous. Above them, the sky lit up with blue light, like a net slowly closing in.

“They’re sealing off the area,” Suna muttered, her eyes fixed on the navigation screen, a rare crease of worry on her brow.

Li Chuan checked the mirror again. The drones were just meters above the truck, and on the ground, several Reforged soldiers were closing in, their energy blades glinting ominously.

“We have to lose them,” Suna growled, turning to Huo Ling.

Huo Ling didn’t answer. She slammed on the gas, sending the truck veering around a sharp corner, nearly skidding off the road. Ahead, a dilapidated bridge loomed over a dark chasm.

“What are you doing?” Li Chuan’s voice barely rose above the roar of the engine. His hands clenched the seat, his body lurching with the truck’s wild movements.

“We have no choice,” Huo Ling said coolly, her eyes scanning the dashboard. She added calmly, “Buckle up.”

With that, the truck surged forward, racing toward the broken bridge. Suna’s lips curved into a faint smile as she realized Huo Ling’s plan. “They won’t catch us now.”

The truck sped across the bridge, drones following closely behind. Just as they neared the truck, the bridge’s cables snapped, sending the structure swaying violently. Huo Ling seized the moment, steering sharply as the truck leapt over a gap in the bridge.

The drones attempted to adjust, but the turbulent air currents at the edge of the chasm threw them off course. Several plummeted into the abyss, their demise marked by a brief flash of blue sparks.

“Perfect,” Suna whispered.

The truck landed smoothly on the opposite side, while the Reforged were forced to halt at the broken edge of the bridge. Their propulsion systems whirred, but the structure could no longer support them.

“They won’t be coming after us,” Huo Ling exhaled, her hands finally relaxing on the wheel.

Li Chuan glanced back, watching the Reforged stand motionless on the far side. The immediate threat was gone, but deep down, he knew this wasn’t the end.