"What?! The Golden Organization is still active?!" Xing's voice crackled with disbelief from the phone's speaker. "And with a new Boss who has broken through the Supreme Level?!"
"Yes," Sunny's voice confirmed, a low rumble against the digital silence.
"Just a minute." The click of the speakerphone engaging echoed in the room as Xing set the device down on her polished desk. Her fingers flew across the keyboard, a rapid-fire tattoo of keystrokes filling the brief silence.
"I can't find anything about the Golden Organization," she muttered, her brow furrowed in concentration. "It's like... they vanished completely." She finally stilled her hands and turned her attention back to the phone. "Who gave you this information?"
__
On the other end, Sunny's gaze lingered on the lifeless form sprawled on the ravaged floor. "She is dead," he stated simply.
"You killed her?!" Xing's voice exploded through the speaker, sharp and accusatory, causing Sunny to wince.
A sigh, heavy with exasperation, followed the outburst. "The Boss has warned you countless times, Sunny. Not everyone deserves to die... Some are useful alive. For example, if you had captured her, we could have interrogated this person and gained the information we needed... Wait, who is this woman?"
"Shadow," he replied, the name carrying a weight of its own. "Queen of the Shadow Organization."
"Hmm... Okay, I think you should leave there. We will investigate this issue. Once we have proof, we can inform the Boss." Xing's tone had shifted, now pragmatic and focused.
Sunny stared at the debris-strewn ground for a long moment, a silent acknowledgment passing through the airwaves. "Okay... I sent you a mail yesterday. Use the information in it and see if you can find anything."
"Understood."
The line went dead. Sunny lowered his phone, a sense of unease settling in his gut.
Whoosh!
Instinct took over. Sunny's head snapped to the side, his body already in motion. He leaped, a blur of motion against the backdrop of the ruined base.
BOOM!
The ground where he had stood moments before erupted in a violent explosion, leaving a deep, smoking crater. He landed several feet away, his eyes fixed on the silhouette perched atop a burning section of the building. The figure was completely cloaked in darkness, not a single detail visible beneath the concealing fabric and the featureless mask.
WHOOSH!
The cloaked figure moved with unsettling speed, leaping from the rooftop and landing heavily on the ground. Cracks spiderwebbed outwards from its feet.
"Who are you?" Sunny asked, his voice calm despite the adrenaline coursing through his veins. His gaze remained locked on the enigmatic figure.
"Who I am is irrelevant," the figure replied, its voice an unnerving blend of tones, impossible to categorize as male or female. Its masked head tilted, its gaze sweeping across the devastation. "I am merely pleased that you completed your task efficiently."
The figure's attention then turned to Shadow's corpse. Sunny watched as the stranger extended a hand towards the fallen queen. A sharp, distinct click echoed in the ravaged base as the figure snapped its fingers.
Sunny's eyebrows shot up in surprise as a grotesque transformation began. The hundreds of dead bodies scattered across the ground started to twitch, their limbs contorting at unnatural angles, bones audibly cracking. In less than ten seconds, they rose, their eyes milky white and devoid of life.
"Black magic?" Sunny muttered, a chill running down his spine.
"Black magic?" The figure echoed, a hint of amusement in its voice. "Your Master has been searching for the Fire Goddess spirit for so long... I suspect he is unaware that there are other spirits."
Sunny's fists clenched. "Who are you?!" he demanded, his voice tight with rising anger.
"I am of no consequence... Simply taking out the trash."
With those chilling words, the reanimated corpses lunged towards Sunny, their movements jerky and unnatural, their intent undeniably lethal.
"Don't underestimate me!" Sunny roared, and a wave of crimson life force erupted from his body, a shockwave of pure energy that slammed into the undead horde. Bodies were thrown back, some disintegrating into dust upon impact.
'Hmm... If a subordinate possesses such power, what level of strength does his Master command?' the cloaked figure mused, its black eyes unreadable behind the mask.
It raised its hand, and Shadow's reanimated form floated into the air, landing silently beside it.
"I have acquired what I came for."
A swirl of dark smoke billowed around the two figures, thick and obscuring. When it dissipated, they were gone. Simultaneously, the remaining undead puppets collapsed back onto the ground, their unnatural animation extinguished.
Sunny stared up at the star-dusted night sky, a deep frown etched on his face. "What just happened? Who was that? And why did they take Shadow's corpse? Something is terribly wrong... I must inform the Master immediately." With a powerful leap, he propelled himself into the air, leaving the ruined base behind.
__
[Xing's apartment.]
"A level above the Supreme Level?" Xing murmured, her eyes wide as complex lines of code scrolled across her multiple monitors. "Is such a thing even possible?"
__
[Back To Christopher.]
"Sir..."
Christopher looked up from his phone, his words catching in his throat. Advika stood before him, a vision that stole his breath away.
The crimson dress still clung to her elegant form, but now her vibrant pink hair cascaded down her back in shimmering waves, like an ethereal waterfall. Matching high heels elongated her already graceful legs, and the subtle makeup enhanced her striking features, transforming her into a goddess who had deigned to grace the mortal realm.
"Wow..." he breathed, rising instinctively from his seat.
"I have sent the payment to your Boss. We can depart now," Christopher said to the store manager, who beamed and nodded.
"Let's go," Christopher said to Advika, gesturing towards the exit.
"Take care, Sir and Miss!" the enthusiastic salesgirl called out as they walked out of the boutique.
"What a fortunate woman," Maggie sighed inwardly, watching them leave.
__
The two settled into the car, while Christopher glanced at his watch. "We only have fifteen minutes. I will never understand why women take so long to prepare." He started the engine and pulled away from the store.
Advika remained silent, offering only a soft, almost inaudible apology.
__
[Top Auction House In Cordelia: The Sky Auction.]
The grand hall of the most prestigious auction house in Cordelia buzzed with the murmur of hushed conversations. The city's elite, along with influential figures from neighboring cities, had gathered, their expensive attire shimmering under the crystal chandeliers.
"Ladies and gentlemen, the auction will commence in ten minutes," a melodious female voice announced over the sound system.
Leyla, resplendent in a flowing blue gown, scanned the crowd, her gaze finally settling on Katherine, Chloe, and Bella. "Christopher hasn't arrived yet," she murmured, a hint of concern in her voice.
"Perhaps there is traffic," Bella suggested, looking surprisingly sophisticated in an elegant dress of her own.
"Yes, that must be it," Katherine agreed, her long silver dress catching the light with every slight movement.
"Hello, ladies."
The four women turned to see Adonis standing before them, a polite smile on his face. "I was wondering if any of you have seen my brother, Christopher."
"Do you have any other brother?" Chloe asked, her short yellow dress adorned with glittering gemstones that sparkled under the lights.
"..."
Adonis blinked, momentarily taken aback.
"Fufufu... Don't look so lost. We haven't seen him," Leyla interjected smoothly.
"Have any of you tried to call him?" he inquired.
Chloe and Bella exchanged glances before turning to Katherine and Leyla. They were the only ones known to possess Christopher's direct contact information.
"Well... I don't think it's necessary. Don't worry, Adonis. Brother will be here. Look! Even Mr. Alex has arrived," Katherine said, offering a reassuring smile.
"Oh?" Adonis scratched his head, a flicker of doubt in his eyes. "Okay... But I think I will still give him a call." He reached into his pocket and pulled out his phone.
The four women exchanged a collective glare, their polite facades momentarily cracking.
'That rascal has Christopher's contact information! And he's standing here asking if we've called his brother?!'
Their shared thought echoed in the tense silence.