Chapter 7: Shadows on the Bridge
The first thing Eugene said when the bridge rumbled was, "Okay, who messed with the feng shui this time?"
Caera glared at him, clutching the jade sphere tightly, its surface pulsating faintly under her fingertips. "Not the time, Eugene."
"Hey, I'm just saying, maybe Constantyn's shiny new algorithm or whatever isn't exactly—"
"Quiet," Lin Yu cut in, her voice sharp as the wind slicing through the Huangpu River. She stood on the edge of the bridge, her phone glowing faintly in her hand. "Something's moving below us."
"Probably a mutant carp," Eugene offered, craning his neck to peer over the railing. "You know, like that weird eel I saw on Douyin—"
"Shut. Up." Caera and Lin Yu said in unison.
Constantyn stood a few feet away, adjusting his wire-rimmed glasses with maddening precision. He looked completely unfazed by the tremors beneath their feet. "The dragon veins are destabilizing. The sphere's resonance is amplifying the effect."
"Amplifying?" Caera shot back. "You mean causing it."
"No," he corrected calmly, "I mean exposing the fault lines already present. Your inability to control the sphere isn't helping."
"Oh, I'm sorry," she said, her tone dripping with sarcasm, "maybe I should've read the 'Divinity for Dummies' manual before you decided to hijack my artifact."
Before Constantyn could reply, Baozi let out a low growl from his perch on a nearby railing. His golden eyes glinted as he stared into the mist curling beneath the bridge.
"You're all making too much noise," the oversized cat muttered. "And you're not going to like what's coming."
As if on cue, a deep, resonant growl rumbled from the shadows below. The jade sphere in Caera's hands flared briefly, its glow illuminating the underside of the bridge. From the swirling mist emerged a qilin spirit, its scales dull and its once-majestic horns twisted unnaturally.
"Well," Eugene said, taking a cautious step back. "That's not in the travel brochure."
The qilin's eyes, glowing an ominous red, locked onto Caera. "Unworthy," it snarled, its voice echoing through the air like a thunderclap. "The sphere does not belong to you."
"Okay, rude," Caera muttered, tightening her grip on the artifact. "I didn't ask for this stupid thing, but here we are."
Lin Yu stepped forward, her hand twitching toward her concealed weapon. "It's corrupted," she said, her voice low. "Something—or someone—is using the dragon veins to warp its energy."
"Gee, I wonder who," Caera shot back, her eyes narrowing at Lin Yu's phone.
Lin Yu ignored her, instead addressing the qilin. "We're here to stabilize the network. Let us pass."
"You disturb the balance," the qilin growled, lowering its head. The air around it shimmered with dark energy, sending a ripple through the mist.
Constantyn glanced at the sphere, his brow furrowed in thought. "The jade's resonance pattern is incomplete," he said, half to himself. "We need to realign the sphere's energy with the dragon veins—"
"Oh, sure," Caera interrupted. "Why don't we just ask the murderous spirit-horse to wait while you play scientist?"
"Do you have a better idea?" he countered, his tone annoyingly even.
The qilin roared, cutting off their argument. Its body shimmered as it lunged forward, the ground beneath them shaking with its fury. Baozi leapt off the railing, landing gracefully on Eugene's shoulder.
"Move, human," the cat hissed.
Eugene, to his credit, dove out of the way just as the qilin's energy blast struck the bridge, leaving a smoking crater where he'd been standing. "Okay, noted!" he yelled, scrambling to his feet. "No sudden movements!"
Caera raised the sphere instinctively, its light flickering erratically. The qilin paused, its red eyes narrowing. "The smallest goddess," it said, its voice dripping with disdain. "Do you think you can wield this power?"
Caera's jaw clenched. "I don't think—I know."
Before anyone could react, she stepped forward, holding the sphere aloft. The qilin hesitated, its corrupted energy pulsing faintly.
"Caera," Constantyn said, his voice unusually soft. "Be careful."
"Don't," she shot back, "tell me what to do."
The sphere's glow intensified, its light pushing back the mist. The qilin let out a guttural snarl, retreating slightly. But then Lin Yu's phone buzzed again, the sound breaking the fragile tension.
The qilin's eyes snapped toward her. "Traitor," it hissed, its body coiling as if preparing to strike.
"What did it just say?" Caera demanded, turning to Lin Yu. "What does it mean, 'traitor'?"
Lin Yu's face remained expressionless, but her grip on her phone tightened. "It's corrupted," she said flatly. "It doesn't know what it's saying."
But the qilin's growl deepened, its energy surging once more. "You have betrayed the balance," it roared, its voice shaking the bridge.
"Lin," Constantyn said quietly, his gaze piercing. "What aren't you telling us?"
Before she could respond, the qilin lunged again, its corrupted energy engulfing the bridge. Caera braced herself, the jade sphere flaring brighter than ever. For a moment, it seemed as if the artifact would stabilize—but then it cracked, a thin fissure appearing across its surface.
"Great," Eugene muttered, ducking behind a pillar. "Now it's broken. Classic Team Goddess."
"We need to retreat," Lin Yu said sharply, stepping back toward the bridge's edge. Her hand hovered over her concealed weapon. "Now."
"No," Caera said firmly, her eyes blazing with determination. "We end this. Right here. Right now."
The qilin roared once more, its energy reaching a fever pitch. Caera tightened her grip on the sphere, ignoring the heat searing her palms. "I may be the smallest goddess," she said, her voice steady, "but I'm still a goddess."
With a final surge of light, the sphere's energy exploded outward, engulfing the qilin in a blinding wave. When the light faded, the spirit was gone, leaving only silence and the faint glow of the jade sphere.
Caera collapsed to her knees, clutching the artifact tightly. Constantyn knelt beside her, his hand hovering uncertainly over her shoulder.
"You did it," he said quietly.
She looked up at him, her expression unreadable. "No," she said. "We just bought time."
From the shadows, Lin Yu watched them silently, her phone buzzing once more. This time, she didn't bother to read the message.
The silence on the bridge was broken only by the faint hum of the jade sphere in Caera's hands. The mist that had shrouded the bridge was gone, dissipated by the blast of light. Yet the air remained heavy, charged with an energy that made the hairs on Caera's arms stand on end.
"We need to leave," Lin Yu said, her voice cold and clipped. She pocketed her phone but didn't move from her position at the bridge's edge. "This isn't over."
"No kidding," Eugene muttered, emerging from behind a pillar with Baozi draped over his shoulder like a furry, disgruntled scarf. "You realize every skyscraper within a five-kilometer radius just dimmed, right? People are gonna notice."
"They'll notice more if the dragon veins fully collapse," Constantyn said. He reached for the sphere, but Caera held it away, her fingers tightening around the artifact.
"You don't just get to take this," she snapped. "I don't care how many degrees you have or how many journals you've published in. This is mine."
Constantyn's lips pressed into a thin line. "You're barely holding it together. That crack—"
"Is a result of your meddling," she interrupted. "Or hers." She jerked her head toward Lin Yu. "Who the hell are you even texting, Lin? And don't give me that 'work stuff' excuse again."
Lin Yu met her gaze evenly, her expression unreadable. "You wouldn't understand."
"Try me."
Lin Yu's silence stretched a beat too long, and Caera's suspicions solidified. "You're working against us, aren't you?" Her voice was low, almost a whisper, but the accusation struck like a slap.
Eugene let out a low whistle, stepping back instinctively. "Okay, so this just got spicy. Anyone else feeling a murdery vibe?"
Lin Yu's expression remained impassive. "I'm working for something greater than any of us," she said finally. "You'd thank me if you understood."
"Oh, so this is the part where you justify whatever betrayal you're cooking up?" Caera's voice rose, her anger boiling over. "You don't get to play the hero here, Lin."
"Enough." Constantyn's voice cut through the tension like a scalpel. He looked between the two women, his calm demeanor fraying at the edges. "This infighting isn't solving anything. We need to focus on the network."
Lin Yu's gaze flicked to Constantyn, and for the first time, a crack appeared in her mask. "You're smart enough to know when you're out of your depth," she said quietly. "If you care about Shanghai, you'll let me do what needs to be done."
"And what exactly does that entail?" Constantyn asked, his tone razor-sharp. "Destroying the veins? Weaponizing them?"
Her jaw tightened, but she didn't answer.
"Thought so," he said, turning back to Caera. "We can't let her near the sphere."
Caera blinked at him, caught off guard by the sudden shift in his tone. "Oh, so now you're on my side?"
"I've always been on Shanghai's side," he replied coolly. "This isn't about you."
"Charming as ever," she muttered, but her grip on the sphere didn't loosen.
"Guys?" Eugene's voice broke through the escalating tension. He was crouched near the bridge's edge, his artifact detector flashing erratically. "I hate to interrupt, but we've got company. And by company, I mean men in tactical gear. With guns."
They turned as one, and sure enough, figures were moving through the shadows at the far end of the bridge. Red laser sights cut through the darkness, and the faint murmur of static-filled radios reached their ears.
Lin Yu's face didn't so much as twitch. "Extraction team," she said simply.
"Yours?" Caera demanded.
"Not exactly." Lin Yu's hand went to her concealed weapon, her stance shifting slightly. "But they're here for the same thing."
The sphere in Caera's hands pulsed again, its fractured surface glowing faintly. She looked down at it, then back at the approaching figures. Her heart pounded in her chest, every instinct screaming at her to run—but she knew that wasn't an option.
"We can't let them take it," she said, her voice steadier than she expected.
"We won't," Constantyn said, stepping beside her. "But we need a plan."
"Plan?" Eugene said, already backing away. "How about we don't get shot? That's my plan."
Lin Yu's hand tightened on her weapon as the first figure stepped into the light. The soldier's face was obscured by a black helmet, but his voice carried clearly through the mist. "Hand over the artifact. Now."
"No chance," Caera called back, holding the sphere closer to her chest.
The soldier raised his weapon, the laser sight settling on the jade sphere. "I wasn't asking."
"Neither am I," Caera shot back, summoning every ounce of bravado she had left.
The sphere flared in her hands, its energy rippling outward in a wave that sent the soldier stumbling. Behind him, the others hesitated, their formation breaking momentarily.
"Nice," Eugene said, grinning nervously. "But maybe let's not push our luck?"
Lin Yu stepped forward, her weapon raised. "Get out of here," she said, her voice cold and commanding. "All of you."
The soldiers didn't move. The one in front steadied himself, his aim shifting back to Caera. "You don't understand what you're holding," he said. "That sphere could destroy this city."
"Then it's in good company," Caera replied, her eyes blazing. "Because I'm ready to destroy you if you don't back off."
The soldiers didn't flinch this time. Their formation tightened, and the lead soldier took another step forward, his weapon raised. "Last warning. Surrender the artifact, or we'll take it by force."
"You can try," Caera spat, her fingers tightening around the sphere. Its fractured surface flared again, sending another wave of energy rippling across the bridge.
"Stop provoking them!" Constantyn hissed, glancing nervously at the sphere. "The more you push, the more unstable it becomes!"
"Then maybe you should stop lecturing me and start doing something useful," she shot back.
Eugene ducked behind a nearby pillar, whispering to Baozi, "This is where we die, right? Like, there's no way this ends well."
The cat flicked his tail, his golden eyes glowing faintly. "I suggest you focus on not being the first casualty."
Lin Yu stood a few paces away, her weapon still raised, her phone vibrating insistently in her pocket. She didn't answer it. Instead, her gaze stayed fixed on the soldiers—and on Caera.
"You can't protect it," she said, her voice low but cutting. "Not from them. Not from yourself."
Caera glared at her. "I don't need your help."
Lin Yu didn't respond. Her eyes flicked to the jade sphere, its glow pulsating erratically. Then, almost imperceptibly, her stance shifted—just enough for Caera to notice.
"Wait," Caera said, realization dawning. "You're working with them, aren't you?"
The accusation hung in the air like a blade. Lin Yu didn't deny it. Instead, she took a slow, deliberate step closer.
"I'm doing what has to be done," she said finally. "You're in over your head, Caera. This sphere isn't just some divine toy. It's a weapon. And in the wrong hands—"
"My hands aren't the wrong hands," Caera interrupted, her voice trembling with rage. "Yours are."
Lin Yu's jaw tightened. "You don't understand—"
"I understand perfectly," Caera snapped. "You've been lying to us this whole time. To me. You're not my friend. You never were."
Lin Yu's eyes flickered with something—regret? No, Caera told herself. It couldn't be.
Before either of them could say another word, the lead soldier barked an order, and the team moved in. Their weapons weren't just firearms; strange, metallic devices hummed in their hands, emitting a low, otherworldly sound that sent chills down Caera's spine.
"Run!" Constantyn shouted, grabbing her arm.
But it was too late. The soldiers opened fire—not with bullets, but with streams of pulsing blue energy. The first blast struck the ground near Eugene, sending him sprawling.
"Hey!" he yelped, scrambling to his feet. "Not cool!"
Another blast arced toward Caera, but she raised the sphere instinctively. The artifact absorbed the energy, glowing brighter and hotter in her hands. For a moment, it seemed to stabilize—but then the crack along its surface deepened, and a high-pitched whine filled the air.
"This isn't good," Constantyn muttered, his gaze locked on the sphere. "It's overloading."
"No," Caera said through gritted teeth, "I can control it."
"You can't!" he shouted. "Not like this!"
Lin Yu's voice cut through the chaos. "Drop it, Caera! Before you destroy us all!"
"I'd rather destroy you," Caera spat, her anger boiling over. The sphere's light intensified, its energy spiraling outward in jagged, chaotic waves. The bridge trembled, cracks forming along the concrete.
The lead soldier raised his device, shouting something into his comms. But before he could fire again, Baozi leapt from Eugene's shoulder, landing squarely on the soldier's helmet. The man stumbled, swiping at the cat as Baozi clawed at his visor.
"Baozi for the win!" Eugene cheered, only to duck as another blast narrowly missed his head.
The sphere's energy reached a crescendo, and Caera could feel it slipping out of her control. Her vision blurred, and the voices around her became distant, muffled. She was dimly aware of Constantyn shouting, of Lin Yu moving closer, of the soldiers regrouping. But all she could focus on was the sphere, its fractured surface glowing brighter and brighter.
And then it happened.
A deafening crack split the air as the sphere shattered in her hands. The light that erupted from it was blinding, a tidal wave of energy that swept across the bridge, throwing everyone off their feet.
When the light faded, Caera found herself on her knees, the jagged remains of the sphere clutched in her trembling hands. Around her, the bridge was in ruins, the soldiers scattered and unconscious.
But Lin Yu wasn't among them.
She was gone.
And so was the jade sphere's core.