The destruction of the Rift tear in the Northern Zone sent shockwaves through the team, both literal and figurative. The area around Ground Zero had stabilized, but Rift anomalies continued to ripple across the city and beyond. Gao's ominous final words—"You have no idea what you've done"—haunted Jiang Xia.
Back at their safehouse, the team regrouped to assess the situation. Li Wen pored over the data he had managed to collect before the Rift tear collapsed.
"It's worse than we thought," he said, breaking the heavy silence. "The energy from the Rift didn't just dissipate—it fragmented. It's scattering across multiple locations, creating new anomalies."
"How many are we talking about?" Qin Chuan asked, his tone sharp.
Li Wen hesitated. "At least five major hotspots in the city—and there could be more outside the region."
"So, Gao's gone, but his mess is still spreading," Xu Min muttered, pacing. "How do we contain this?"
"We don't," Jiang Xia said firmly. "We eliminate it. One hotspot at a time."
---
The First Hotspot: City Square
The first Rift fragment was centered in the city square, a once-bustling plaza now eerily empty. The air shimmered with energy, and faint echoes of conversations from the past filled the space. The ground beneath their feet felt unstable, as if reality itself was unraveling.
"This place feels like a memory," Xu Min said, her voice low. "It's like the Rift is replaying the past."
"It's more than that," Li Wen said, his scanner beeping wildly. "The fragment here is trying to stabilize itself. If it succeeds, it could create a permanent Rift node."
"Then we stop it before that happens," Jiang Xia said, motioning for the team to move forward.
---
Unseen Threats
As they approached the center of the square, the distortions grew stronger. Shadows flickered at the edges of their vision, and the air seemed to vibrate with tension.
"Something's here," Qin Chuan said, raising his rifle.
Suddenly, the shadows coalesced into humanoid forms. These weren't the remnants the team had faced before—they were faster, more aggressive, and seemed to be intelligent. They moved with purpose, coordinating their attacks as they charged the team.
"New ones!" Xu Min shouted, firing at the nearest creature.
The battle was intense. Jiang Xia's blade flashed as she cut through the attackers, her movements precise and deliberate. Qin Chuan and Xu Min provided covering fire, their shots hitting their marks with practiced efficiency.
"They're not just attacking us," Li Wen shouted from behind a fallen bench. "They're protecting the fragment!"
---
The Fragment's Core
At the center of the square, a swirling vortex of energy hovered above the ground. It pulsed with light, emitting a deep hum that resonated through the air.
"That's it," Li Wen said, pointing to the vortex. "That's the fragment's core. If we destabilize it, the anomaly will collapse."
"How do we do that?" Jiang Xia asked, dodging a swipe from one of the creatures.
"I need to get close," Li Wen said. "But the energy levels are off the charts. I'll need a few minutes to set up the disruptor."
"Then you'll have them," Jiang Xia said, slashing through another creature. "We'll hold them off."
---
Defending the Core
As Li Wen worked on the disruptor, the creatures became more frantic, their attacks more coordinated. Jiang Xia and Xu Min fought back-to-back, their movements synchronized as they held the line.
"Li Wen, how much longer?" Jiang Xia shouted, blocking a strike with her blade.
"Almost there!" Li Wen replied, sweat dripping down his face. "But the energy is fighting back—it's like the fragment is aware of what I'm doing."
"Keep at it!" Qin Chuan yelled, firing at a group of creatures advancing on their position.
The vortex pulsed violently, sending a shockwave through the square that knocked the team off their feet. The creatures seemed to grow stronger, their forms solidifying as they absorbed the energy.
---
A Desperate Move
"We're running out of time!" Xu Min shouted, firing at the nearest creature. "Li Wen, do it now!"
Li Wen gritted his teeth, his fingers flying over the controls. "Got it! But this is going to be rough—brace yourselves!"
The disruptor activated, emitting a blinding flash of light. The vortex collapsed inward, its energy spiraling into nothingness. The creatures dissolved into streaks of light, their forms vanishing as the fragment destabilized.
The square fell silent, the air heavy with the aftermath of the battle.
---
Aftermath
The team regrouped near the center of the square, their breaths ragged. The fragment was gone, but the toll of the battle was evident in their weary expressions.
"That's one down," Qin Chuan said, lowering his rifle. "How many more to go?"
"Four," Li Wen replied, checking his scanner. "But the energy readings are getting stronger. The next ones won't be this easy."
"Easy?" Xu Min repeated, raising an eyebrow. "That was anything but easy."
Jiang Xia stared at the empty space where the vortex had been, her mind racing. "Gao's gone, but he knew this would happen. He wanted the Rift to spread. We need to find out why."
Li Wen nodded. "I'll keep analyzing the data from the fragment. If Gao left behind any clues, I'll find them."
---
A Glimpse of the Future
As the team prepared to move to the next hotspot, Jiang Xia couldn't shake the feeling that they were running out of time. The Rift wasn't just evolving—it was growing, adapting to everything they threw at it.
"We're not just fighting anomalies anymore," she said softly. "We're fighting the Rift itself."
The team moved out, their resolve unshaken despite the growing threat. The battle against the Rift was far from over, but Jiang Xia was determined to finish what they had started—no matter the cost.