The trio left the warehouse as dawn began to break, the sky tinged with muted oranges and grays. The air outside felt less suffocating, though Wei could still feel the weight of the artifact they had retrieved pressing against them, like an invisible burden. Lin wrapped the ornate box in cloth, tucking it securely into her bag as they made their way to a quieter part of the city.
"We can't stay here," Lin said abruptly, breaking the silence. "That creature wasn't acting alone. More could come."
Wei nodded, though exhaustion was beginning to set in. "Where do we go now? Back to the pawnshop?"
Lin shook her head. "No. Mr. Shen may not want this artifact anywhere near his shop—it's too unstable. We'll find somewhere else to regroup."
Mei glanced at Wei, her brow furrowed in concern. "Do you trust her judgment on this?"
Wei hesitated but ultimately nodded. "For now. She knows more about the Shadow Sect than we do."
