Chapter 97: The Server of Darknet
The top three floors of Imperial Haven resembled a hotel, complete with a diverse range of rooms. From the outside, one might easily mistake the building for a luxury inn. But a closer inspection revealed the disturbing truth... this was no ordinary hotel. Its guests were not tourists or businessmen, but hardened criminals and gangsters, gathered under one roof in the name of anonymity and survival.
As the shadow team listened to the hushed conversations floating out from the rooms and lounges, they pieced together the true nature of the facility. Imperial Haven was the stronghold of a killer-for-hire syndicate operating under the same name... a safe haven for mercenaries, assassins, and fugitives from across the globe.
The organization’s leader was none other than Major General Tatiana Lebedeva, a former Russian military commander with a reputation for brilliance on the battlefield and ruthlessness off it. Her name sent a shiver through the ranks of both the criminal underworld and government intelligence networks. Now, it seemed, she commanded a different kind of army... one that killed not for country, but for coin.
The shadow guards also learned of the facility’s five subterranean levels.
On Level One, members could either accept missions or issue them. The variety was staggering... from providing discreet protection to assassination contracts, to thefts of priceless artefacts and even the acquisition of rare medical supplies. There were whispers that, occasionally, even government officials had visited the facility to issue covert missions under the radar.
Level Two served as a reward and transaction center. Members received their payment here, in either cash or the organization’s internal credit system... a digital ledger accepted only within Imperial Haven and used for services, luxuries, or storage. There was also a vault, available to anyone who could afford the rent. No questions were asked. This "no-questions" policy gave Imperial Haven a reputation for discretion and reliability. Wealthy clients often stored sensitive items here, well away from prying government eyes.
The lower three floors were strictly off-limits to most. Access required special authorization, and only high-ranking individuals or those summoned by Tatiana herself had the privilege of stepping into those levels. The shadow guards confirmed from overheard conversations that Tatiana resided on the fifth underground floor, which doubled as her command center. A few lucky operatives had seen her there... but none of them were present now.
After thoroughly investigating the first two underground levels and confirming the layout matched what they’d learned from above, the shadow guards moved deeper into the facility.
As they descended to Level Three, an inexplicable chill enveloped them. It wasn’t merely the drop in temperature. The very air was heavy... charged with tension. A suffocating silence blanketed the floor, broken only by the faint mechanical hums and the blinking lights of massive machines.