A.C.E.S. Headquarters No. 104, one of the last remaining safe havens on the edge of the shattered continent, was neither a city nor a traditional military base. It was a terrifying blend of remnants of civilization and a dream still trying to survive.
Electric fences, watchtowers built from ruins, and sensors that seemed to sniff death in the air.
Inside one of the temporary shelters, Yue Mi sat on a metal bed, staring at the rusty ceiling while her younger sister, Yue Xuan, slept quietly beside her. Since that "thing" saved her from the jaws of the demonic wolves, she hadn't closed her eyes without seeing his face: those crimson eyes that bore no trace of humanity, the black tattoos slithering like living beings, and the red light glowing in his chest — as if his heart were a living meteorite.
She had heard many stories since her arrival. Cities falling in under an hour. Armies disbanding. Evil spirits crawling from heavenly fissures, roaming the earth as if searching for something. But the most repeated tale in Camp A.C.E.S. was about those who survived… and changed.
"The Awakened" — that's what they were called. Men and women whose bodies had fused with the Dao, that strange force that didn't belong to this world. Some gained supernatural abilities. Others… were no longer human.
In a corner of the camp, behind rows of tents and dead lights, there was a small square where survivors gathered to eat their meager meals. As Yue Mi walked behind Uncle Han — the old man tasked with looking after the children and new survivors — her thoughts remained tangled with that man.
"What's the matter, little one?" Uncle Han said in his deep, weary voice, his eyes concealing years of sorrow. "Still thinking about the one who saved you? He's probably one of the strong Awakened. Don't worry, he'll be fine. Come, they're serving lunch."
She nodded silently, but her heart wasn't there. It was in that moment when she had held her little sister's hand, closed her eyes, and waited for death… and yet, it hadn't come. He did.
In the food court, dozens had gathered. Some laughed nervously, others remained silent as if afraid their voices might summon something.
Then a strange murmur began to rise. Scattered words, all sharing one tone: "A new Awakened… a young boy… arrived today… carrying a sword…"
She moved closer, driven by curiosity — or perhaps something deeper, something hidden — and slipped between the crowd until she saw him.
He was sitting on the ground, in a dark corner of the square, back against the wall, and a massive black iron sword leaning on his shoulder as if it were an extension of his soul. His dark grey hair fell over his brow, and his face looked far too young to wield such a weapon. But he wasn't asleep… he was caught in that place between life and war.
Then suddenly… he opened his eyes.
The color of his eyes wasn't normal. It wasn't even human. It was like living metal, pulsing with raw energy, flickering like a star on the verge of exploding. And when he looked at her — directly, calmly, lethally — he said:
"I've finally found you."
Everything froze. The air, the voices, her heart.
Yue Mi didn't know him.
Had never seen him before. Had never heard his name. But he spoke as if she were a dream he had waited for over centuries.
Just one moment… but in that moment, it felt as if the entire world had collapsed once more.