The anonymous message stabbed at Ryan's neck like a needle dipped in ice. He gripped his phone so tightly that his fingers went white, repeatedly checking the sender's number—a string of random, garbled characters clearly encrypted with some complex method. Who was trying to warn him? Friend or foe? And of all the information Valentin had given, which was true, and which was a trap?
The damp, musty wind blew in from the alley, snapping Ryan back to reality. Now was not the time to ponder the source of the message. His immediate priority was to verify whether Valentin's tip—the "abandoned steel mill in the western suburbs"—was accurate. He pocketed his phone and, after scanning the streets for suspicious figures, hailed a taxi and gave the driver the general direction of the western industrial district.
The taxi drove westward, the cityscape gradually giving way to deserted factories. Ryan leaned against the window, mentally replaying Valentin's words: "Dr. Karen, obsessed with merging magic and technology… A madman… Kidnaps wealthy donors who refuse his funding… Base in the abandoned steel mill in the western suburbs." Coupled with the information from Philip—that Karen had visited Linton last week and acted strangely after being rejected—these pieces of the puzzle seemed to fit. Yet the sting of the anonymous warning kept him wary.
"Kid, the industrial district is up ahead. We can't drive any further," the driver said, breaking Ryan from his thoughts.
Paying the fare, Ryan stepped out. Rusting chimneys leaned precariously amid wild grass, factory walls were cracked and broken, and shattered glass littered the ground. The air reeked of iron and oil, oppressive enough to make breathing difficult.
He took a deep breath and activated his True Sight. The industrial area was shrouded in a faint black mist—residual dark magic. The mist thickened around one steel mill, and faint energy fluctuations indicated active magical devices inside.
So Valentin wasn't lying. This is definitely Karen's lab. Ryan's mind settled slightly, though a new caution arose. Such a secret base wouldn't be unguarded. Traps were inevitable. He skirted the perimeter, searching for a safer entry.
Suddenly, he sensed a familiar presence behind him—a golden, faintly bestial aura unique to Ella. He spun around, spotting her in a black coat among the overgrown grass, her sharp gaze fixed on him.
"You really came," Ella said, walking briskly toward him. Her tone was cold, but her eyes held less suspicion and more scrutiny. "Looks like Valentin's info helped you."
"You've been following me?" Ryan frowned, slightly irritated.
"Not following—monitoring," Ella admitted. "The Balance Council suspects you may be linked to dark forces. I needed to confirm your movements. But it seems you're investigating Dr. Karen." She paused, then added, "I've verified it. Karen has long been obsessed with merging magic and technology, previously banned for illegal experiments. And Linton did refuse his funding last week."
Ryan considered this. Since Ella also had the information, teaming up seemed the safest choice. "Valentin said the lab is in that abandoned steel mill, filled with dark magic traps. It's too dangerous for me alone. Let's work together: you handle combat, I handle reasoning and finding the entry."
Ella paused, then nodded. "Fine. But I warn you, Karen's experiments are extremely dangerous. The creatures inside are modified… If anything happens, I prioritize my own safety."
"Understood," Ryan said. He knew Ella: cold, pragmatic, but her werewolf strength was the most reliable protection they had.
The two moved toward the mill. The closer they got, the stronger the dark magic in the air, prickling Ryan's skin. Scanning the outer walls with True Sight, he looked for the hidden entry Valentin mentioned.
The main gate was rusted shut, bearing a massive lock inscribed with black magic runes—a protective measure by Karen. Ryan circled the mill and found a small ventilation shaft at a corner, its grating etched with runes as well, but with weaker energy.
"There's a vent—probably a hidden entrance," Ryan pointed out.
Ella stepped forward, pushing on the grating, which didn't budge. Her golden aura flared. Muscles tensing, she yanked hard—clang!—the grating tore off, revealing a passage barely wide enough for one person.
A sharp chemical and metallic stench burst from the shaft. Ryan covered his nose and activated True Sight. Inside, the vent was dark, dusty, and cobwebbed, but faint red lights flickered deep within, accompanied by low growls.
"There's something inside," Ryan warned.
Ella pulled a small flashlight from her pocket, illuminating the shaft. Several large dogs, their fur dark red, eyes glowing blood-red, teeth bared, snarled—they had clearly been magically modified.
"Magic-modified dogs," Ella said, her expression tense. "Karen infused dark magic into ordinary dogs, making them aggressive and resilient." She turned to Ryan. "Wait here; I'll take them out."
Without waiting for a reply, she slipped into the vent. Soon, growls, snarls, and the cracking of bones echoed from inside. Ryan, standing outside, focused on the runes around the vent. These were low-level alarm runes—if triggered by intruders, they would activate—but they had decayed over time, which was why Ella hadn't set them off. He tried to analyze the runes with his basic magical knowledge, searching for a way to bypass them.
Suddenly, the system pinged in his mind: "Low-level dark warning runes detected. You may spend 10 Shadow Points to learn 'Rune Deciphering' (Beginner). Accept?"
Ryan's heart leapt. He chose "Yes," and a warm surge filled his mind as knowledge of rune decryption flooded him. He opened his eyes, now fully understanding the runes around the vent.
The sounds of combat in the vent stopped. Ella emerged, her coat smeared with blood, breathing heavily but eyes sharp.
"All five dogs are down," she said. "The vent leads to the lab interior. Let's go."
Crawling through the vent, Ryan followed Ella into a large laboratory. Instruments and chemical bottles littered the floor, and the air reeked of acrid fumes.
In the center, a massive glass chamber contained a humanoid figure immersed in green liquid, its limbs thick and blackened with strange markings—a failed modification experiment.
"This is Karen's lab," Ryan said, voice trembling. He hadn't expected such horrifying experiments on humans.
Ella frowned, scanning the documents. "Karen aims to create a magical-tech enhanced army to overthrow the Balance Council. Linton was a prime subject due to his unique compatibility with magic."
Ryan's stomach tightened. "Where's Linton now?"
Ella shook her head. "Not here. The core lab must be deeper in." She looked at a metal door with complex black runes, radiating strong magical energy.
As they approached, lights flickered, red alarms blared, and a hoarse voice echoed: "Intruders detected. Defense system activated. Modified creatures deploying."
Ryan and Ella froze. The lab's circular portals suddenly opened, and modified dogs and massive lizard-like creatures with armored scales and poisonous breath surged forward.
"Modified units!" Ella shouted, transforming into her werewolf form. Fur bristling, she grew larger, eyes glowing. "You handle the runes and find Linton! I've got this!"
Ryan nodded, concentrating on the door runes. They were far more complex than before. Several attempts failed, and the creatures' roars and battle cries grew louder. Ella was gradually pushed back.
Then he noticed a familiar wristband on Karen—identical to Marcus's, glowing faintly black.