The estate was a graveyard of memories. Raven—no, she was Mei Lin now—grabbed Jiro's hand and pulled him through the shadows of the burning courtyard.
"M-Mei Lin, where are we going? The city gates are crawling with guards!" Jiro whispered, his teeth chattering.
[Scanning for Exit Routes...] [Alert: 15 Imperial Guards detected at the main gate.] [Alternative found: Sector 4 – Carriage Path.]
"We're not going through the gates, Jiro. We're taking a VIP taxi," Mei Lin muttered.
"A... what?"
Mei Lin ignored him, her eyes fixed on the blue hologram only she could see. A black, lacquered carriage, guarded by four elite soldiers, was slowly making its way out of the adjacent manor. It bore the crest of a silver dragon.
[Object: Imperial Carriage. Security Level: High.] [Command: Stealth_Loop. Target: Guard Vision.] [Processing... Success. Effect: 30 seconds of visual distortion.]
"Now! Move!" Mei Lin commanded.
In a blur of motion, she dragged Jiro under the carriage, clinging to the wooden chassis just as the vehicle began to pick up speed. Jiro gasped, holding on for dear life, but Mei Lin was focused on the system.
[Status Update: User is currently inside the 'Safe Zone' of Prince Long Wei.]
Prince Long Wei? The name sent a chill through her mind. The "Iron Prince." The man who had signed her father's execution order.
Suddenly, the carriage hit a bump. Mei Lin's grip slipped, and her shoulder slammed against the floorboards.
"Who's there?" A cold, melodic voice echoed from inside the carriage.
Before Mei Lin could react, the floor panel above her head opened. A hand, strong as iron, reached down and hauled her up into the carriage cabin.
Mei Lin hit the plush velvet seat, breathing hard. She looked up and found herself staring into a pair of sharp, amber eyes. A sword was already at her throat.
Prince Long Wei was even more intimidating than the memories suggested. He sat there, dressed in black silk, his long hair tied with a silver ribbon. He didn't look surprised—he looked intrigued.
"A rat in my carriage?" Long Wei leaned forward, the tip of his blade grazing Mei Lin's skin. "And she looks suspiciously like the daughter of the traitor I just executed."
[Danger Level: 95%.] [Suggested Response: Hack the Prince's Emotion Core?] [Error: Skill Locked. Alternative: Use 'Truth_Revealer'.]
Mei Lin didn't flinch. She stared directly into the Prince's eyes, a defiant smirk playing on her lips.
"If I were a rat, I'd be looking for cheese, your Highness," she said, her voice dripping with sarcasm. "But I'm a ghost. And I'm here to tell you that your security system... is pathetic."
Long Wei narrowed his eyes. "You talk in riddles, girl. Give me one reason why I shouldn't kill you right now."
"I have the encryption keys to the Prime Minister's secret ledger," Mei Lin lied—or rather, predicted what she could find with her system. "Kill me, and you'll never prove he's the one who's actually stealing from your treasury."
The Prince stayed silent for a long moment. Then, he lowered his sword, but he didn't put it away.
"Jiro! Are you okay down there?" Mei Lin shouted toward the floor.
A muffled "I think I'm going to puke!" came from under the carriage.
Long Wei actually blinked in surprise. "There's another one?"
Mei Lin leaned back against the expensive silk cushions as if she owned the place. "System," she whispered under her breath. "Update objective: Infiltrate the Iron Prince's heart. Priority: High."
[Objective Updated. Good luck, User.]