### Arc 4: **The Gathering Storm**
#### Chapter 7: **The War Begins**
The air was thick with tension as Jae-min and his team prepared for the battle ahead. The tech hub in the central district was one of the cornerstones of his operations, a state-of-the-art facility that housed his system-enhanced AI and financial algorithms. Losing it was not an option.
Hana stood at the head of the strategy table, pointing at a digital map displayed on a large screen. "Kael's mercenaries will strike here, at the main entrance. But this isn't just a frontal assault. They'll send smaller teams to breach through the secondary access points."
"Typical divide-and-conquer tactic," Riho said, sharpening her blade. "They'll underestimate us."
"That's our advantage," Jae-min replied. "Ayumi, can you deploy automated defenses?"
Ayumi nodded. "Already done. But they won't hold forever. We need to be there to stop them."
"I'll take the rooftop," Mira chimed in. "It's the perfect vantage point to pick off their snipers."
Victor cracked his knuckles. "Leave the heavy lifting to me. I'll handle the main gate."
Jae-min looked around the room, his eyes meeting each of theirs. "This isn't just about the tech hub. This is about sending a message to Kael and anyone else who thinks they can challenge us. We stand together, and we don't lose. Not today."
---
**The First Wave**
The attack came just as expected, the roar of engines and the clatter of boots echoing through the district. A convoy of black SUVs pulled up to the tech hub, and dozens of mercenaries poured out, armed to the teeth.
Victor stood at the main gate, a massive steel pipe in hand like a makeshift weapon. As the first group of mercenaries charged, he swung with brute force, sending several of them flying. Bullets ricocheted off the reinforced barriers behind him, but Victor didn't flinch.
"Is that all you've got?" he bellowed, charging into the fray.
Above, Mira picked off targets with precision, her sniper rifle silencing enemy sharpshooters before they could take a shot.
"Rooftop clear," she reported through the comms.
---
**The Secondary Breach**
Meanwhile, Riho and Ayumi were stationed near the secondary access point. As expected, a smaller team of mercenaries tried to slip through, but they were met with resistance.
Riho moved like a whirlwind, her twin blades a blur as she cut through the attackers. Ayumi, using her tactical gadgets, set traps that incapacitated others before they could even reach the entrance.
"Is that all they've got?" Riho said with a smirk, wiping blood off her blade.
Ayumi adjusted her glasses. "Don't get cocky. This is just the first wave."
---
**Inside the Hub**
Jae-min stayed inside the tech hub, coordinating the defense through his system interface. Hana worked alongside him, monitoring the battlefield through surveillance drones.
"They're deploying more men," Hana said. "We're holding them off for now, but this is just a test. The real attack is coming."
Jae-min's mind raced. He needed to outthink Kael, to anticipate his next move. Then, a thought struck him.
"Hana, what if this isn't the main target?"
Hana looked up, confused. "What do you mean?"
"What if this is a diversion?" Jae-min asked. "Kael knows how important this hub is, but he also knows we'd defend it with everything we've got. What if he's hitting another location while we're tied up here?"
Hana's fingers flew across the keyboard, pulling up feeds from Jae-min's other facilities. Her face paled as one of the screens lit up red.
"He's targeting your shipping depot in the west district," she said. "If he takes that out, we'll lose our supply chain for the tech hub."
Jae-min clenched his fists. "Damn it. He's one step ahead."
---
**The Split Decision**
"Hana, stay here and manage the hub," Jae-min ordered. "Victor and Ayumi can handle the rest of the attack. Riho and I will head to the depot."
"You're leaving the hub vulnerable," Hana argued.
"No," Jae-min replied. "I trust all of you. You've got this."
He turned to Riho, who was already gearing up. "Let's move."
---
**The Race to the Depot**
Jae-min and Riho sped through the city in one of his luxury cars, modified for speed and durability. The streets blurred around them as they raced against time.
"You think Kael's there in person?" Riho asked, checking her weapons.
"If he is, we end this tonight," Jae-min replied, his eyes burning with determination.
As they approached the depot, the sound of gunfire echoed in the distance. Jae-min's grip on the wheel tightened.
"This ends now," he said, his voice cold and resolute.
---
**To Be Continued...**