Chapter 33: Deception
Tao Cheng stood before Grandmaster Li. They were high above the clouds in a private meeting room at the Hunter’s Guild Headquarters in Yundao, the capital of the realm.
The marble floors gleamed under the soft glow of mana crystals embedded in the ceiling, casting a luminous light that danced with the shadows. Tao’s expression was calm, his voice steady as he laid out the report in meticulous detail.
"Grandmaster," he began, fingers tracing the edge of the dossier before him. "The situation in Sector Nine has reached a concerning stage. We’re experiencing Rift instability—residual contamination has been detected, and unfortunately, a few members of our personnel are unaccounted for."
Li’s interest piqued at the mention of missing personnel. He remained silent for a moment, absorbing Tao’s words. Clad in his ceremonial robes that enveloped him like shadows, he raised an eyebrow.
"A minor concern, you say?"
"Precisely," Tao replied, maintaining an air of political poise. "We could address it internally before it gains any traction in the media or raises suspicions about the Guild’s operations."
A faint smile crossed Li’s lips, though it never truly touched his eyes.
"Wasn’t there a test group active in that region? One of them was led by... the Reclaimer, Ning Que?"
Tao nodded, concealing the brief flicker of unease that threatened to break his composed facade.
"Correct. Communication was lost after the Rift imploded. There may be survivors, yet their signals are scrambled. We are unable to get in touch. Standard protocol suggests we verify their condition before escalating the situation."
Li’s gaze sharpened, examining him for hidden truths.
"Ning Que is the first Reclaimer to activate an Independent Awakening. You realize the implications of this?"