"Mom, I don't want to go…" The little boy clung to his mother's sleeve, tugging backward.
"Be good." The woman pried his fingers loose, dragging him forward.
The massive, radiant mansion loomed before them, its double-carved mahogany doors resembling a gaping mouth. The boy trembled, his small hand crushed in his mother's grip.
Inside, voices clashed. The boy stood unnoticed, watching his mother argue with a room full of people, her voice shrill yet defiant.
A warm object pressed into his palm—a peeled quail egg, soft and glistening. A smaller boy, no older than five, stared up at him with wide, curious eyes.
"For me?" the boy whispered.
The smaller child nodded vaguely. Before he could speak, a nanny scooped him away, muttering "Filthy" under her breath.
Jason jolted awake, his skull throbbing. He groaned, pounding his temples to dispel the lingering nightmare.
"You were screaming," Bai Er remarked, seated at the dining table, his gaze fixed on a porcelain bowl.
Jason squinted. The bowl, a faux Youxian Celadon, glowed faintly in the sunlight streaming through the window. Its pale jade hue seemed to pulse with an otherworldly life.
"Counterfeit," Jason scoffed.
Bai Er lifted the bowl, his bony fingers tracing the glaze. "A perfect replica. Not a single flaw—not in the firing lines, the weight, or the texture. It's… cloned."
Jason frowned. "Where'd you find this?"
"Here. It's just… there." Bai Er's voice hardened. "My family's heirlooms. All genuine. This one's a fake. But why?"
A chill crept up Jason's spine. The game's mysteries deepened. Even a humble inn held secrets beyond comprehension.
Zou Yidao returned with grim news. "The City Lord's an 8th-level poison-cultivator. Weak, but he's marked this city."
"Why would he stay?" Sherry asked.
Zou Yidao lit a cigarette, his eyes narrowed. "No guild claims him. He's playing a dangerous game—low risk, high reward."
A notification popped up: [Invitation from Xie Muyang: Heart of Zen's Gao Tailing invites you to Kangjilong. Safety guaranteed.]
Zou Yidao spat. "Avoid Zen Heart. Their leader, Yu Hai, wants us dead."
The room fell silent. Yu Hai's name carried weight—a name tied to bloodshed and betrayals.
The City Lord's villa reeked of chemicals and secrets. A golden retriever barred their path, its eyes unnervingly intelligent.
"A guard dog," Zou Yidao muttered. "Poison-cultivators rely on beasts."
Inside, the Lord cowered behind a screen. "Leave. Now."
Zou Yidao grinned. "Sure. But your 'security' won't last."
Back in the apartment, tensions flared.
"We need this city," Bai Er insisted. "Or we'll die running."
Zou Yidao scoffed. "You're nuts. That Lord's got a whole zoo of killers."
Jason smirked. "We'll kill him. Simple."
Sherry's eyes widened. "You're not seriously—"
"Dead serious." Bai Er's dagger flashed in the dim light. "I'll slip in tonight. If I fail, storm the gates."
Zou Yidao sighed. "If all else fails, join Heart of Zen. But don't expect me."
As night fell, Bai Er vanished into the shadows. Jason watched the door, his fists clenched.
"No more running," he growled. "Time to take what's ours."