The collapse of the Rift fragment in the city square was a hard-won victory, but Jiang Xia and her team knew it was just the beginning. Four more hotspots remained, each emanating stronger energy signatures than the last. As they moved toward the next target, the atmosphere grew heavier, the tension palpable.
Li Wen's scanner beeped as he pulled up the next location. "The next fragment is in the West Industrial Complex. It's massive, and the energy is spiking out of control. If we don't take it out quickly, it could destabilize the entire area."
"Another fragment, another fight," Qin Chuan muttered, checking his rifle. "Let's get this over with."
---
Approaching the Industrial Complex
The West Industrial Complex had been abandoned years ago, its massive warehouses and factories left to rust. Now, the air shimmered with Rift energy, and the structures seemed to twist and flicker like mirages.
"This place looks like a nightmare," Xu Min said, scanning the area with her binoculars. "It's too quiet."
"It won't stay that way for long," Jiang Xia said, her grip tightening on her weapon. "Stay alert."
As they moved deeper into the complex, the distortions became more pronounced. Shadows moved unnaturally along the walls, and the air vibrated with a low hum. It felt as though the entire area was alive, watching their every move.
---
The Fragment Revealed
At the heart of the complex, the team found the fragment. A massive vortex of energy hovered above the ground, its light casting eerie shadows across the rusted machinery. Conduits of energy snaked outward, connecting to nearby structures and amplifying the distortion.
"This is bigger than the last one," Li Wen said, his voice tense. "The energy levels are off the charts. If this thing stabilizes, it'll turn the entire complex into a permanent Rift zone."
"Then we shut it down," Jiang Xia said. "What do you need?"
Li Wen hesitated. "I'll need to set up a disruptor, but the energy field is unstable. It'll take time to get close enough."
"You'll get the time," Jiang Xia said firmly. "We'll hold them off."
---
The Rift Strikes Back
As Li Wen approached the fragment, the air grew colder, and the shadows deepened. Suddenly, the conduits pulsed violently, and Rift entities began to emerge from the distortions. These weren't like the creatures they had faced before—they were larger, more aggressive, and moved with terrifying speed.
"Here we go again!" Qin Chuan shouted, opening fire.
The team sprang into action. Jiang Xia moved with precision, her blade cutting through the creatures as they charged. Xu Min's sharpshooting picked off the entities before they could reach Li Wen, while Qin Chuan provided suppressing fire.
"These things are different!" Xu Min yelled. "They're smarter!"
"They're adapting," Li Wen shouted from behind a piece of machinery. "The Rift is learning from us."
Jiang Xia's jaw tightened as she fought off another creature. "Then we'll just have to stay ahead of it."
---
A New Threat
As the team battled the creatures, the fragment pulsed violently, sending shockwaves through the complex. The ground beneath them trembled, and the conduits began to glow brighter.
"This isn't good!" Li Wen shouted. "The fragment is trying to stabilize itself faster. It's using the conduits to draw energy from the environment!"
"Can you shut it down?" Jiang Xia demanded, slashing through another creature.
"I'm trying!" Li Wen replied, frantically typing into his tablet. "But it's like the fragment is fighting back—it's resisting the disruptor."
Before anyone could respond, the fragment emitted a deafening roar, and a massive figure began to emerge from its center. The entity was unlike anything they had seen before, its form shifting and crackling with raw energy.
"What the hell is that?" Qin Chuan yelled, his weapon trained on the creature.
"It's a Rift Guardian," Li Wen said, his voice shaking. "The fragment created it to protect itself."
---
The Rift Guardian
The Guardian roared, its voice echoing through the complex as it charged the team. Its movements were fast and deliberate, its strikes shattering the ground and sending debris flying.
"Keep it distracted!" Jiang Xia shouted. "Li Wen needs more time!"
Qin Chuan and Xu Min focused their fire on the Guardian, their bullets sparking off its crackling form. Jiang Xia darted around the creature, her blade slashing at its limbs in a desperate attempt to slow it down.
"This thing is a tank!" Xu Min shouted. "We're barely scratching it!"
"Just hold on!" Li Wen yelled. "I'm almost there!"
The Guardian turned its attention to Li Wen, its massive form lunging toward him. Jiang Xia intercepted it, her blade slicing through its arm as it swung at the disruptor.
"Over here!" she shouted, drawing the creature away.
---
The Fragment Collapses
Finally, Li Wen activated the disruptor. The fragment emitted a blinding flash of light, and the Guardian let out an ear-splitting roar as its form began to dissolve. The conduits shattered, and the vortex collapsed inward, its energy spiraling into nothingness.
The team stood in the silence that followed, their breaths ragged. The complex was eerily quiet, the Rift energy gone.
"That was too close," Qin Chuan muttered, lowering his weapon.
Li Wen checked his scanner, his expression grim. "The fragment is gone, but the energy readings… they're still increasing. The Rift is evolving faster than we can stop it."
---
A New Revelation
As the team regrouped, Li Wen pulled up a new set of data on his tablet. "This wasn't just a fragment. It was a hub, connecting to other anomalies across the city. Gao didn't just leave these fragments behind—he created a network."
"What does that mean for us?" Xu Min asked.
"It means the next ones will be even harder to destroy," Li Wen replied. "And if we don't shut them all down soon, the Rift will reach critical mass."
Jiang Xia stared at the ruins of the complex, her resolve hardening. "Then we don't stop. We take out the next one—and the next one after that."
As they prepared to move to the next hotspot, Jiang Xia couldn't shake the feeling that Gao's plan was still unfolding, even from beyond the Rift. The battle wasn't over—it was only just beginning.