Azure Cloud Sect.
Outer perimeter.
Night.
Shuan crouched in treeline, observing patrol patterns.
Three years as disciple taught him valuable things. Guard rotations. Blind spots. How formations worked.
Information is power.
Use it.
Patrol passed. Two Foundation Establishment guards. Bored. Routine.
Shuan waited thirty seconds. Moved.
Crossed open ground. No technique. No Qi burst. Just timing and shadow.
Reached outer wall. Pressed against stone.
Formation array hummed above. Detection ward. Triggered by cultivation above certain threshold.
Good thing I'm weak now.
Grade Eight. Qi Condensation Third Level. Barely registered as cultivator.
Advantage of being worthless.
Climbed. Slowly. Quietly. Found gap in formation coverage—remembered from patrol duty years ago. Still there.
Sect's arrogance. Think walls enough.
Dropped inside.
Outer disciple quarters. Quiet. Most asleep.
Shuan moved through shadows. Heading toward Administrative Division.
Not Research Division. Too dangerous. They'd recognize him instantly.
Administrative Division. Where records kept. Where information stored.
Where sect's secrets lived.
Administrative Hall.
Records Room.
Lock was basic. Shuan picked it in fifteen seconds.
Inside, shelves of scrolls. Ledgers. Reports.
Started searching.
Prisoner logs.
Found it. Recent entries.
Scanned list. There.
Chen Bo. Fisherman. Charged with: Harboring fugitive. Aiding criminal escape. Obstruction of sect justice.
Sentence: Pending Elder Council judgment. Scheduled: Three days.
Three days.
Not much time.
Read further. Location: Prison Block Seven. Guard detail: Rotating. Four Foundation Establishment guards. Formation array active.
Impossible to break in directly.
So don't.
Kept searching. Looking for something else.
Sect politics. Faction conflicts. Leverage.
Found report. Recent. Interesting.
"Dispute between Research Division and Combat Division over resource allocation. Elder Yue (Research) demanding increased funding. Elder Shen (Combat) opposing. Sect Master delayed decision."
Another report.
"Elder Shen's faction investigating Research Division practices. Allegations of unauthorized experiments. Misuse of sect resources."
There.
Internal conflict.
Exploitable.
Memorized details. Dates. Names. Accusations.
Heard footsteps. Outside.
Guards.
Shuan moved quickly. Replaced scrolls. Erased traces.
Window. Opened silently. Slipped out.
Dropped to ground. Rolled. Into shadows.
Guards entered Records Room. Checked. Found nothing.
Left.
Shuan waited five minutes. Moved again.
Next destination: Combat Division.
Specifically, Elder Shen's quarters.
Elder Shen's compound.
Two hours before dawn.
Shuan watched from rooftop across courtyard.
Elder Shen. Combat Division leader. Earth Realm Late Stage. Veteran. Pragmatic.
Hates Research Division.
Perfect.
But couldn't approach directly. Needed intermediary. Someone who could deliver message without revealing source.
Noticed servant. Young. Maybe eighteen. Leaving compound with trash.
Followed.
Servant reached waste disposal area. Alone.
Shuan appeared behind him. Hand over mouth. Knife to throat.
"Don't scream. Don't fight. Answer questions. Live."
Servant nodded frantically.
"You serve Elder Shen directly?"
Nod.
"You want to live?"
Nod.
"Good. Listen carefully." Removed hand from mouth. Kept knife ready. "You're going to deliver message to Elder Shen. Anonymous tip. About Research Division."
"W-what message?"
"Tell him Research Division hiding evidence. About experiments. About misuse of resources. About..." Paused. Remembered. "About failed augmentation subjects. Seventeen dead. Hidden from Sect Master."
Servant's eyes widened.
"Tell him evidence is in Research Division Archive Room. Hidden compartment behind third shelf. Coded ledger."
Lie.
Partial lie.
There was hidden compartment. Shuan knew because Elder Feng showed him once. But ledger there wasn't about dead subjects.
It was about successful resource allocation. Legitimate work.
But Elder Shen won't know that.
He'll investigate.
Create conflict.
Perfect distraction.
"Why... why tell me this?"
"Because I hate Research Division." True. "And because Elder Shen needs to know what they're doing." Also true.
Released servant. Stepped back.
"Deliver message tomorrow morning. Don't mention me. Say you overheard Research Division disciples talking. Understood?"
Servant nodded. Terrified.
"Good. Now run."
Servant ran.
Shuan watched him go.
Piece one: planted.
Now piece two.
Research Division.
Elder Feng's old laboratory.
Shuan broke in through window. His window. From years living here.
Lab empty. Sealed. Elder Feng's belongings packed away.
Dead?
Probably.
Felt nothing. Should feel something. Gratitude? Sadness?
Nothing.
Good.
Emotions are weakness.
Searched lab. Looking for something specific.
Found it. Hidden drawer. Elder Feng's emergency stash.
Pills. Three bottles.
Essence Restoration Pill (restores spiritual energy) Bone Mending Pill (accelerates healing) Berserker Pill (temporary power boost, severe side effects)
Took all three.
Also found notes. Elder Feng's research journal. Recent entries.
Read quickly.
"Subject Lin Shuan. Final assessment: Success beyond expectations. Augmented meridians stable. Combat effectiveness high. Psychological profile: Dangerously pragmatic. Recommendation: Terminate project before subject becomes uncontrollable."
"Elder Yue rejected recommendation. Proceeding with Living Weapon integration. Project timeline: Three weeks."
"Note: Provided subject with escape route information. Forbidden technique scroll. If caught, will claim theft. Subject's survival more important than my position."
"Final note: If you're reading this, Shuan, I'm likely dead or imprisoned. Don't come back for me. Not worth it. You owe me nothing. Survive. That's all I ever wanted for you."
Shuan stared at journal.
Owe him nothing.
But he died for me.
Like Chen Bo being punished for me.
People keep suffering because of my choices.
Closed journal. Left it on desk.
Can't afford sentiment.
Can't afford guilt.
Only afford action.
Took pills. Left lab.
Next stop: Prison Block Seven.
Not to break in.
To observe. To plan.
Prison Block Seven.
Dawn.
Shuan watched from concealed position.
Four guards. Rotating every four hours.
Formation array strong. Detection ward. Suppression ward. Alarm ward.
Can't break through.
But don't need to.
Watched guard change. Morning shift.
New guards arrived. Old guards left.
Thirty second gap. Formation slightly weakened during transition.
Not enough.
But noted.
Observed all day. Patterns. Timing. Weaknesses.
By nightfall, had complete picture.
Prison defensible. But not perfect.
Weak point: Supply delivery.
Twice daily. Food. Water. Medicine.
Guards open formation briefly.
Two second window.
Not enough to break in.
But enough for something else.
Smiled.
Plan forming.
Next morning.
Administrative Division.
Elder Shen's office.
Elder Shen sat at desk. Reading report. Frowning.
Servant—same one Shuan threatened—stood nervously.
"You're certain you heard this?"
"Y-yes, Elder. Two Research Division disciples. They said... said Elder Feng kept records. Hidden records. About failed subjects."
"Elder Feng is imprisoned. Meridians crippled."
"Yes, Elder. That's what they said. That he was punished for... for trying to expose it."
Elder Shen leaned back. Thinking.
Research Division always secretive.
Elder Yue always demanding resources.
If they're hiding failures...
That's leverage.
Stood.
"Assemble investigation team. We're inspecting Research Division. Today."
"Yes, Elder!"
Servant left.
Elder Shen called for his lieutenant.
"Gather evidence team. Formation specialists. Auditors. We're going to Research Division. And we're finding out exactly what Elder Yue's been hiding."
War between divisions about to escalate.
Perfect.
Shuan, watching from rooftop.
Saw Elder Shen's team assemble.
Saw them march toward Research Division.
Smiled.
Distraction created.
Now for execution.
Moved toward Prison Block Seven.
Not to break in.
To negotiate.
With unexpected ally.
Prison Block Seven.
Visitor area.
Shuan approached guard station. Different approach this time.
No stealth. No hiding.
Walked directly to gate.
Guard looked up. "State your business."
"Requesting visitation. Prisoner Chen Bo."
"Relation?"
"...student."
Lie. But guards didn't care about truth. Only about procedure.
"Name?"
"Wei Zhao."
Guard checked list. "Not on approved visitors."
"Special request. I have information relevant to his case."
"Submit written request to Administrative Division."
"I have information about fugitive Lin Shuan."
Guard paused.
There it is.
"What information?"
"Tell Elder Yue I know where Lin Shuan is heading. I know his plans. And I'm willing to trade that information..." Paused. "For Chen Bo's release."
Guard stared.
"Wait here."
Left.
Shuan waited.
Risky.
Very risky.
But necessary.
Guard returned. With superior officer. Earth Realm cultivator. Sharp eyes.
"You claim to know Lin Shuan's location?"
"I do."
"Why betray him?"
"Because he abandoned me. We were supposed to escape together. He left me behind." Bitter voice. Not hard to fake. "So fuck him."
Officer studied him. Assessing.
"Elder Yue will want to question you personally."
"I'll only speak to her directly. And only after Chen Bo is released."
"Bold demands for someone with no leverage."
"My leverage is information you need. Lin Shuan humiliated Research Division. Made Elder Yue look incompetent. You want him back more than anything." Smiled coldly. "So. Deal?"
Officer considered.
"Wait here."
Left again.
Shuan waited.
Gamble.
But calculated one.
They want me too badly.
They'll bite.
Thirty minutes later, officer returned.
"Elder Yue agrees. Conditional release. Chen Bo goes free if information proves accurate."
"Deal."
"Follow me."
Shuan followed.
Into prison.
Into heart of enemy territory.
Betting everything on one play.
Win or die.
No middle ground.
Never was.