The night thickened over the construction site, drowning the half-built giant in a labyrinth of steel and shadow. Darkness seeped between stacked metal boards, pooled beneath the silent forklift, and wrapped itself around the dormant machinery like a waiting beast.
It's a perfect cover.
Zhao Li Xin slipped ahead first, a streak of motion swallowed instantly by the dark. Clift, Jay, and Samuel followed close behind, their silhouettes dissolving into the industrial gloom. Ahead, the guards paced lazily, cigarettes glowing faintly in the dark as they chatted, blissfully unaware of the predators moving just outside their circle of light.
A faint tick rang against the stone pillar—a tiny sound, but sharp enough to cut through the stillness. Zhao Li Xin's pebble had landed exactly where he intended.
One of the guards stiffened. "What was that?" His eyes swept the shadows, suspicion sharpening his voice.
"Let's go check it out," he whispered, already edging forward.
