The failed bombing of Aegis Sentinel Corps headquarters had changed everything.
It wasn't just an attack. It was a declaration of war.
Jiang Han sat at the head of the briefing table, flanked by his closest allies. The tension in the room was thick, the weight of what had just happened pressing down on every single person present. The Architects had infiltrated his fortress.
That was an insult Jiang wasn't going to let slide.
"We need to move on the Grand Pavilion," Colonel Yusof said, his voice firm. "If Celeste Moreau orchestrated this, she's not going to sit around waiting for us."
Adrian Yong nodded, flipping through intercepted communications. "We traced the signal that attempted to detonate the bomb. It was relayed through multiple servers, but the origin point was within a private penthouse suite at the Grand Pavilion."
Sophia Liew crossed her arms. "She's covering her tracks. She'll be gone before we get there."
Jiang leaned forward, his fingers interlaced. "She won't expect us to move this fast."
Mikhail Darmawan smirked. "Then let's ruin her night."
---
The plan was simple: hit fast, hit hard, leave no escape.
Team Alpha (Primary Strike Team): Mikhail, Elisa Tan, and a six-man tactical unit would secure the penthouse.
Team Beta (Surveillance and Extraction): Adrian and Marcus Tan would monitor the exits, ensuring no one slipped away.
Jiang Han would coordinate remotely from HQ, still recovering from his injuries.
The Grand Pavilion was an exclusive high-rise that catered to Seladang City's elite. Its upper floors were private residences, each heavily secured. Celeste Moreau's suite was on the 43rd floor, with limited access points.
At precisely 11:45 PM, the teams moved.
---
Team Alpha reached the penthouse entrance, moving swiftly through the service corridors. Elisa scanned the security panel. "Encrypted biometric lock. Too advanced to bypass without setting off alarms."
Mikhail glanced at the windowed balcony overlooking the city. "Then we go old school."
Two operatives secured grappling hooks, fastening them to the rooftop above. Within seconds, Mikhail and Elisa were scaling the exterior of the building, their figures blending into the shadows.
Inside the surveillance van, Adrian's voice crackled through the earpieces. "Security is rotating every four minutes. You've got a small window."
Mikhail reached the balcony railing and peered inside. The suite was dimly lit, but movement inside suggested Celeste wasn't alone.
He signalled to Elisa. We go in quiet.
With one smooth motion, they breached the suite.
What they found inside made Elisa's blood run cold.
---
The room was empty.
Celeste Moreau was gone.
But what she had left behind was far worse.
A laptop sat open on the coffee table, running a live video feed.
Mikhail stepped forward cautiously, his gun raised. "Sophia, we've got something."
Sophia's voice crackled through. "What is it?"
Elisa reached for the laptop and clicked play.
Celeste Moreau's face appeared, her expression calm and composed.
"Ah, Aegis Sentinel Corps. Always so predictable."
Mikhail's jaw clenched. "You've got to be kidding me."
Celeste continued.
"I knew you'd come. But while you're here, your real problem is somewhere else."
The screen switched feeds—showing a live view of Seladang City's Central Water Facility.
Sophia's voice sharpened. "What the hell is this?"
Celeste's smile was chilling. "You stopped the bomb. Congratulations. But this isn't just about destruction."
The camera zoomed in on a series of chemical tanks, each rigged with explosives.
"This is about control."
---
Jiang Han stood abruptly from his chair at HQ, ignoring the dull ache in his ribs. "Sophia, tell me this isn't what I think it is."
Sophia's fingers flew across the keyboard, scanning the facility in the video feed. "Those are chemical purification tanks. If they detonate, it won't just be an explosion. It'll contaminate the city's entire water supply."
Jiang's mind moved rapidly.
The entire city—millions of people—depended on that water. If the chemicals were tampered with, it wouldn't just be an attack.
It would be a long-term disaster.
Mikhail's voice came through the comms. "We're leaving the penthouse. We need to get to that facility now."
Jiang was already moving toward the exit.
Mikhail's voice hardened. "Don't even think about it, Han."
Jiang didn't slow. "I'm not sitting this one out."
Mikhail growled. "You just had surgery."
Jiang's tone was final. "And if we don't stop this, surgery will be the least of our problems."
Colonel Yusof's voice came through. "Enough. We move together."
---
By the time they reached the Central Water Facility, the city was quiet. Too quiet.
Mikhail adjusted his earpiece. "Do we have a visual on enemy forces?"
Sophia's voice came through. "I'm picking up heat signatures inside. At least twelve hostiles."
Adrian's tone was cold. "They're stalling for time. The longer we wait, the worse this gets."
Jiang checked his sidearm. "Then we don't wait."
Mikhail sighed. "You're impossible."
Jiang smirked. "We don't have time for possible."
Colonel Yusof raised his weapon. "Move in."
---
The team split into two groups.
Jiang, Mikhail, and Elisa took the upper levels, securing the main control centre.
Colonel Yusof and Adrian led Team Beta through the underground pumps.
Gunfire erupted as soon as they breached the facility.
Jiang moved with deadly precision, despite the lingering pain from his injuries. He took down two operatives before they even saw him coming.
Mikhail grumbled. "You really need to stop doing that."
Jiang smirked. "Not my fault they're slow."
Elisa called out. "One of them is trying to activate the chemical pumps!"
Jiang sprinted forward, ignoring the fire in his ribs. The enemy agent was seconds away from releasing the contaminated chemicals.
He fired once.
The man collapsed, his hand inches from the control panel.
Mikhail exhaled. "That was close."
Jiang wasn't listening. He turned to the security monitor, scanning for Celeste Moreau.
She was gone.
Again.
---
By the time the last enemy was neutralised, Sophia confirmed that the facility was secure.
But no one felt relief.
Celeste had escaped.
And she had left one final message.
The laptop in the facility beeped with an incoming transmission.
Jiang answered.
Celeste's face appeared once more, her eyes gleaming.
"You saved the city, Jiang Han. But this was never about destroying Seladang."
She leaned forward slightly.
"This was about reminding you who holds the real power."
Jiang's jaw tightened. "This isn't over."
Celeste smirked. "No, it's not. But for now?"
She tilted her head.
"You should get some rest."
The screen went black.
Jiang clenched his fists.
The Architects weren't finished.
And neither was he.
---
The silence that followed Celeste Moreau's final words was deafening.
Jiang Han stared at the darkened laptop screen, his fists clenched at his sides. Around him, the Aegis Sentinel Corps operatives were securing the Central Water Facility, sweeping for any remaining threats. The mission was technically a success—the city's water supply was safe, the enemy's plan had been neutralised.
But Jiang didn't feel like he had won.
Because Celeste had played them perfectly.
Mikhail Darmawan exhaled sharply. "I hate that woman."
Adrian Yong ran a hand down his face. "She knew exactly how we'd react. She set up the Grand Pavilion to pull us in, then used this facility as her real leverage."
Sophia Liew's voice came through the comms. "Jiang, I checked the security feeds. Celeste left the city half an hour ago. Private jet. No flight logs. She's gone."
Jiang's jaw tightened. "Then we bring her back."
Colonel Yusof stepped forward, his expression unreadable. "No, we don't."
Jiang turned to him sharply. "You want to let her go?"
Yusof's voice was calm but firm. "She wants you to chase her. If we spread ourselves too thin, we'll leave ourselves vulnerable."
Jiang exhaled through his nose, forcing himself to breathe. He knew Yusof was right. Celeste was still playing them, even from a distance.
"This isn't over," Jiang said, his voice quiet but unwavering.
"No," Yusof agreed. "But next time, we make sure we control the board."
---
By the time the Corps returned to headquarters, the exhaustion had set in. The team had been running non-stop since Jiang's rescue. Three attacks had been neutralised in the span of twenty-four hours.
Yet the enemy had slipped away.
Inside the war room, the team debriefed.
Sophia pulled up the final mission report, scanning the data. "The Architects didn't just fail tonight. They lost resources, personnel, and their element of surprise."
Mikhail sat back in his chair, rubbing his temples. "But they're still out there. And Celeste just proved she can operate at a level far beyond the Apex Circle."
Jiang's voice was controlled, but the fire in his eyes was unmistakable. "Then we raise our level too."
Adrian smirked slightly. "Typical Jiang Han response."
Sophia leaned forward. "I think we need to reconsider our approach. Up until now, we've been reacting. But if Celeste Moreau is leading the Architects, she's ten steps ahead of us."
Jiang nodded. "Then we stop following her game. We start playing our own."
Colonel Yusof's lips curled into a rare, satisfied smile. "Now that's something I can get behind."
---
Later that night, after the team had dispersed, Jiang stood in his office, staring out over Seladang City.
Mikhail entered, two glasses of whiskey in hand. "Figured you could use this."
Jiang took the glass but didn't drink. "You know this isn't over."
Mikhail sighed. "Yeah. But for tonight? Just take the win."
Jiang smirked slightly. "You almost sound like you care."
Mikhail rolled his eyes. "Don't get sentimental on me, Han."
They clinked glasses, the quiet understanding between them needing no further words.
Outside, Seladang City glowed under the night sky. The Architects were still out there. Celeste Moreau was still watching.
But Jiang Han was waiting for her too.
And next time, he wouldn't just be playing to win.
He'd be playing to end this war for good.