Far from the temosphere surrounding Lay, the air crackled with a different kind of energy.

  A dimly lit workshop with nterns in the heart of Russia bustled with the sounds of scribbling chalk, the occasional ctter of equations, and the frustrated sighs of students grappling with unfamiliar cepts. The st of old paper, burning oil, and damp wood filled the air, mingling with the crisp cold seeping through the stone walls.

  Emery stood at the front of the makeshift , his sleeves rolled up, eyes sharp as he tapped a chalk-covered hand against the board. "Mathematics is the foundation of all teology. If you don't uand this, you might as well remain farmers."

  Across the room, Haoran's daughter, Lianfei, stared at the equations scrawled across the board, her brows furrowed as she worked through the logic. Algebra and calculus were unfamiliar, but not inprehensible—if only she had the right expnations.

  Callum, seated beside her, groaned, rubbing his temples. "Okay, listen, uh—Lianfei, right? So, you have a giant bowl of rice, and instead of ting grains, you group them in ks of 'x'. Now if you have three bowls and each has 'x' grains of rice, that's 3x! Easy, yeah?"

  Lianfei's bnk stare was as cold as the Russian winter outside.

  She exhaled through her nose before muttering in fwless Mandarin

  "What is this idiot rambling about?"

  Callum groaurning helplessly toward Emery.

  "Why am I even here? She doesn't uand a lick of English, and I don't know jack shit about their nguage."

  Emery sighed, adjusting his spectacles as he effortlessly transted. Lianfei gnced betweewo of them before crossing her arms.

  ''I uand mathematiot whatever nonsense he's spewing."

  "Then keep up" Emery replied in Mandarin, writing out a more plex derivative on the board. "This isn't arithmetiymore. If you want to grasp how energy transfer works, you o uand rates of ge. No calculus, nress."

  Lianfei blihen, in Mandarin, she muttered under her breath

  "What is this idiot saying? Calculus? What is that??"

  and Feng, both barely ieens, scribbled furiously on their stes, struggling to keep pace with the lesson.

  hesitated before raising his hand.

  "Master Emery… why do we o learn this? I thought we were supposed to be w with metals."

  Emery exhaled sharply. "Because metallurgy requires precision, and precision requires calcutions. You think building an engine is the same as hammering a sword?" He rapped his knuckles against the board.

  "No numbers, ricity. ricity, nress. If you want to stay in the dark, be my guest."

  Feng, more eager than , nodded quickly.

  "So… we're learning this to build your device?"

  Emery smirked. "Exactly. In order to harness electricity, we need a sistent energy source, which means calust be fwless. If any of you make a mistake, you could fry yourselves like an overcooked pheasant."

  Callum leaned ba his chair with a dramatic sigh. "Lovely. Who doesn't want to die for sce?"

  Emery shot him a look. "Then don't help."

  "Oh, trust me, prince, I wouldn't if I had a choice," Callum grumbled before rubbing his forehead again.

  "This is going to be a long lesson."

  Emery ighem, already moving across the room to a different board, one covered in an increasingly chaotic mess of equations, diagrams, and hastily scribbled notes.

  "And over here, behold!" he decred dramatically, waving a piece of chalk like a ductor's baton.

  "Emery's Law of Energy Indu!"

  Callum groaned, sinking further into his chair. "Oh, here we go."

  Emery tinued as if he hadn't heard. "When a dueaning a wire, for you simpletons—moves through a magic field, eles get all jittery and start flowing, produg electricity!"

  He underlined his sketch of a coil and mag with such force the chalk nearly snapped.

  "This is the fual principle behind my—ahem—the world's first practical eleagierator."

  and Feng exged a gnce. "So… you're saying we just o move metal through mags?"

  Emery whirled around so fast his coat fred out. "Just? Did you just say just?"

  He pointed aggressively at the board. "Do you have any idea how precise this has to be? The rotations, the material ductivity, the field iy—all of it has to be calcuted perfectly! One misstep, and instead of harnessing power, you'll have a very expensive, very useless hunk of metal."

  Lianfei, still focused on her equations, muttered

  "So this is why you're making us learn ''calculus''."

  "Exactly!" Emery snapped his fingers.

  "Voltage, resistance, current flow—all of it follows predictable patterns, if you know the math. Which, unfortunately for me, none of you do. Yet." He tapped the bain.

  "This is why you're here—to make sure my mae actually works instead of exploding in a fiery disaster."

  Lianfei, who had been silent until now, suddenly frowned, stepping closer to the board.

  "Your coil pt is ineffit."

  Emery blinked, momentarily caught off guard. "Excuse me?"

  She poi one of his more plex sketches, her expression unreadable. "If you adjust the angle of rotation here by even a few degrees, you'd reduergy loss. Right now, yeing unnecessary resistance."

  For a moment, the room was silent.

  Then Emery's eyes gleamed with excitement. "Brilliant!"

  He grabbed a fresh piece of chalk and immediately started adjusting his calcutions. "Yes, yes—less drag oational field… better ele flow… I like where your head is at!"

  Emery, still lost in his calcutions, nodded approvingly. "You're officially promoted to 'slightly less inpetent.' Keep this up, and you might actually be helpful."

  —

  Elsewhere, in the cold stone corridors of the Russian stronghold, Zafira walked with pride while Haoran and Renshu followed, their expressions cautious and worried. The mighty warlord and underworld Queen has the cards to potentially monopolise a big part of the ey.

  She smirked to herself and talking to herself.

  Strength alone means nothing if it isn't trolled.

  Zafira crossed her arms, studying them like a mert appraising goods. "Let's get ohing straight—you're not prisoners. But you're not free, either. Your loyalty isn't guaranteed, and until it is, I have to ensure you don't suddenly decide to slit my throat in my sleep."

  Haoran scoffed, "And how exactly do you pn on doing that?"

  Zafira's smile widened. "By making sure you have more to lose than you could ever gain by betraying me."

  Haoran's jaw tightened. "You think this makes us your pdogs?"

  Zafira let out a soft chuckle. "Dogs are loyal. Tools are reliable. I don't need either—I need assets. And that's what I io make you."

  Renshu, ever the quiet observer, merely adjusted her sleeves. "And what exactly does this… 'iment' in us entail?"

  Zafira turned on her heel, gesturing for them to follow.

  "You're both warriors I presume. But war is a tedious business—influence is the future. I'm giving you a role in it. Haoran, yoing to build us a martial arts dojo. A pce to train fighters, raise influence, and create something sting. Ohe winter is over, you'll be at the head of it."

  Haoran narrowed his eyes. "A dojo? You think teag brats how to fight is a future?"

  Zafira smirked. "Not just fighters—loyalists. A work. A foundation. Ohat ensures you, your wife, and your children remain valuable. Because the moment you stop being valuable, well…"

  She let the silence lihe implied threat hanging in the air.

  Haoran exhaled sharply, but he said nothing. He wasn't a fool—he uood exactly what she was doing. But he also khat, for now, pying along was the only move he had.

  Zafira's smile didn't waver. "Good. You're learning."

  She motioned forward. "Now, let's talk business. Your future starts today."

  Zafira led them into a dimly lit chamber, a stark trast to the cold halls outside. The flickering dlelight cast long shadows on the walls, dist their figures. She gestured for them to sit at a modest wooden table, where a carefully arranged set of dots awaited them.

  Haoran and Renshu exged a gnce before cautiously taking their seats. Zafira, however, remaianding, cirg them like a predator assessing its prey.

  "Loyalty is not given freely." she said, her tone almost versational.

  "It is built, tested, reinforced. And in your case? It will be ensured."

  She pced a single sheet of part in front of Haoran. It was bnk, save for one word at the top: Oath.

  "I don't believe in blind trust." she tinued.

  "Which is why this agreement ensures your cooperation—not just with words, but with sequences."

  Haoran's eyes flicked over the part before meeting hers. "A tract? You expect me to sign away my life?"

  Zafira chuckled. "Not your life, Haoran. Your future. The dojo, your wife, your children—it all thrives under my prote. But the moment you step out of li all crumbles."

  Renshu, silent until now, spoke up. "And if we refuse?"

  Zafira leaned in, her fingers lightly tapping against the table—then, with a smooth motion, she reached into her coat and pulled out the gun. The etal glinted in the dim dlelight as she pced it gently oable between them, her expression never shifting from that calcuted smirk.

  "You won't refuse." she said, her voice low, almost amused.

  "Because you're not stupid. Because you know that without a p my vision, your entire bloodline seize to exist. And because, Haoran—" she slid the gun forward an inch "—I don't make idle threats."

  Haoran's eyes flicked to the on, his jaw g. Renshu remained eerily still, though her fingers were shivering

  "Do you really want yacy to be that of a man who once was?" Zafira tinued, voice smooth as silk. "Or do you want to leave this room as a man who still has somethio build?"

  The weight of her words settled between them. Haoran ched his fists, but he didn't argue.

  She smiled, sensing his wavering resolve. "I won't break you, Haoran. I'll reshape you. You will still be a warrior, still be strong. But you will belong to something greater than yourself."

  Haoran stared at the part, then at the gun, then back at Zafira, before exhaling a slow, measured breath. "How about a different kind of deal?"

  Zafira arched a brow, intrigued. "Oh? Do eain me."

  Haoran leaned back slightly, his muscles rexing, but his eyes gleamed with a sharphat hadn't dulled despite their captivity.

  "You say you want loyalty, but trust built on fear s. If you're so sure of your trol, fight me. No guns. No tricks. Just you and me. If I win, you let my family go. If you win, I'll sign your damn tract."

  For the first time sihe versation began, Zafira blinked in mild surprise before tilting her head. Then, she chuckled. "A physical challenge? You do realize I'm not some frail mert woman, don't you?"

  "And I'm not just some warrior who only knows how to swing a sword," Haoran tered.

  "Or are you afraid you'll lose?"

  Zafira's smirk widened. "You really think taunting me will work? Cute." She slid the gun bato her coat, standing straight.

  "Fine. Let's py your little game. But when I win, I expect you to be a man of your word."

  Haoran cracked his knuckles, rising to his feet. "Oh, I always am. The real question is—are you?"

  Zafira simply gestured toward the open space at the ter of the chamber.

  "Let's find out."

  Before Haoran could move, a slow, deliberate cp echoed from the doorway. A woman stepped inside, her presence a silent but anding force. She was dressed in sleek, dark attire, a stark trast to Zafira's more refined look. Her hair was tied baeatly, sharp brown eyes glinting with amusement as she observed the two oppos.

  "Oh Haoran" she drawled, her voice smooth as silk, yet carrying an edge of cold amusement.

  "Do you even know who you just challenged?"

  Haoran narrowed his eyes. "And you are?"

  The woman smirked, crossing her arms as she leaned casually against the doorframe. "Jun." she said. "Ezra's personal bde. Her most trusted assassin. The one who makes problems disappear. And you, my dear dumbass, have just issued a challeo Ezra, the Queen of the Underworld."

  Haoran's breath hitched. His mind scrambled through every name, every legend, every whispered rumour from the darker ers of the world. And then it clicked.

  His jaw tightened. He had made a mistake.

  His mind raced for a way out. "You know, on sed thought," Haoran started, raising a hand, "maybe we were too hasty with this whole 'fight' idea. Honey, back me up here."

  Renshu, who had been quietly calg their survival rate, nodded sagely. "Yes, yes. It would be uo damage su important business retionship. Perhaps… a different kind of iation is in order?"

  Zafira's smirk deepened as she tilted her head. "Oh? Are you saying you suddenly don't want to fight me? That's disappointing. I was looking forward to it."

  Haoran coughed. "No, no, it's not that. It's just that—uh, well, I wouldn't want to actally hurt someone as important as you. Bad optics, you know? Wouldn't want to ruin your reputation."

  Jun snorted from the doorway. "That's cute. You actually think you'd nd a hit?"

  Haoran ignored her, pressing forward. "So let's say we restructure the terms—maybe an arm-wrestling test instead? Or, hear me out, what if we test loyalty through a cooking petition? I make an excellent stir-fry."

  Zafira raised an eyebrow. "You're stalling."

  "I absolutely am," Haoran admitted. "Is it w?"

  "No."

  And with that, Zafira casually rolled up her sleeves, stepping onto the sparring floor. It was only then that Haoran realized, in their bad-forth, they had already walked into the open space.

  Renshu sighed. "Well. That failed spectacurly."

  Haoran exhaled. "Yeah. I was really hoping she'd go for the cooking test."

  Zafira rolled her shoulders, then unfastened her coat, tossing it to the side.

  "Since I'm such a generous person, I'll even give you an advantage."

  She raised her hand, signalling towards Jun without looking. Jun bowed and stepped toward the far end of the chamber, pushing multiple boxes and revealing an impressive arsenal of ons—eae polished, sharpened, and very much real.

  Heavy swords, longswords, spears, staffs, daggers, throwing knives, whips, and even a massive battle-axe gleamed uhe dim dlelight. The sheer variety of lethal instruments could outfit a small army.

  Renshu let out a long, slow whistle. "That's… an excessive amount of murder options."

  Haoran tensed. "Why do you have all this?"

  Zafira smirked. "For moments like this."

  Jun crossed her arms, eyes gleaming with amusement. "Pick your poison, bee a warlord."

  Haorahe sele carefully. The ons weren't for show—eae was made for actual bat. He reached out, testing the weight of a broadsword, then goward Zafira.

  "And what will you be using?"

  Zafira shrugged, showing her fist. "This."

  Haoran frowned. "Your hand?"

  Jun chuckled. "She doesn't need anything else."

  Renshu leaood beside Jun now and said "I feel like we've walked into an eborate execution."

  Haritted his teeth and took a stance. "N baow."

  Jun leaned against the doorway, arms crossed, watg with clear amusement. "Try not to die too fast."

  The fight began in an instant.

  Haoran surged forward, his broadsword slig through the air with deadly force. The sheer weight behind his first swing alone would have cleaved through flesh and bone—had it ected.

  But Zafira was already gone.

  She moved with ghostlike precision, sidestepping at the st possible moment. The wind of Haoran's missed strike rippled through her coat, but she was untouched.

  Haoran barely had time to reset before she closed the distance, ung a brutal palm strike aimed straight for his ribs. He barely twisted in time, her knuckles grazing his side—yet even that slight touch sent a jarring shockwave through his torso.

  She's fast.

  He ground his heels into the floor, stabilizing himself, and swung again—this time using the momentum of his first failed strike to feint before shifting his stahe bde came down in a calcuted arc, aimed at where she should have dodged.

  Except she didn't dodge.

  Instead, Zafira stepped in—right into his guard—and caught his wrist mid-swing.

  The impact sent a crack through the chamber as their strength cshed. Haoran's eyes widened as he felt the iron grip log his sword arm in pce.

  "Too slow!" she murmured before twisting his wrist just enough to throw his bance off. He had no choice but to step back tain footing.

  And that was all she needed.

  Zafira struck. A ko the gut—sharp, precise, devastating. The force sent Haoran skidding backward, boots scraping against the stone.

  Renshu winced. "Yeah, this was a bad idea."

  Haoran coughed, shaking off the pain. "That all you got?"

  Zafira rolled her shoulders, smirking. "Not even close."

  She lunged.

  Haoran raised his sword just in time to intercept her first strike—a barehanded blow against the ft of his bde—but the moment of relief was short-lived. Zafira's other fist smmed into his shoulder, sending a shockwave of pain down his arm. His grip faltered for just a sed.

  And in that sed, she ripped the broadsword from his grasp.

  The heavy on cttered to the floor as Haoran barely mao roll away, heart pounding.

  Ju out a low whistle. "Oof. That's embarrassing."

  Haoran scowled. "Shut up."

  Zafira twirled her fingers, motioning for him to get up. "e now, warlord. You made the challery to make this worth my time."

  Haoran ched his jaw. If brute strength wasn't enough, then he'd simply push his limits. He took a deep breath, fog his Qi into his arms, his legs—his sword. The air around him shifted, a subtle hum of power resonating through the steel as he gripped the hilt. His strike would be faster, stronger, deadlier.

  Jun's smirk faded slightly. "Oh? He's actually using Qi now."

  Renshu exhaled sharply. "Good. Maybe this won't be so one-sided."

  Haoran didn't waste another sed. He unched forward, his Qi-infused broadsword slig through the air with enough force to split a big stohe grouh him cracked as he pushed off, his speed nearly double what it had been before.

  But Zafira didn't flinch.

  The instant his sword came down, she moved.

  Not to dodge. To meet it.

  With nothing but her fist.

  The moment of impact was deafening.

  Zafira's Qi-reinforced fist collided with the edge of Haoran's Qi-empowered broadsword. A shockwave exploded outward, sending dust and debris flying. Renshu had to brace herself, her hair whipping violently from the force, while Jun merely stood and amazed, her eyes refleg the chaos.

  For a split sed, it seemed like a deadlock.

  Then, the sword shattered.

  Not just cracked—shattered. Fragments of metal burst outward, glowing briefly before embedding themselves into the surrounding stone walls.

  The hing anyistered was Haoran himself.

  His entire body unched backward, as if struck by an elephant. He smmed into the chamber wall with enough force to cave it inward, stone crumbling around him as cracks splintered out like a spiderweb.

  Silence followed, save for the settling debris.

  Renshu's lips parted slightly. "...That's not possible."

  Jun crossed her arms, looking far too eained.

  "Oh, it's very possible. You just uimated how powerful she is. She has trained with master martial artists, mastered about 100 teiques and trained under Qi Masters as well"

  Haroaned from the crater he had made, barely managing to pry himself out of the rubble. His vision was swimming, his body ag, but the worst part?

  Zafira hadn't even broken a sweat.

  She sighed, tilting her head as she approached the rubble where Haoran struggled to get up. "Disappointing." she mused, her tone devoid of sympathy.

  "I expected more from a so-called warlord."

  Haoran spat blood onto the cracked floor, his breath boured but defiant.

  "Go to hell."

  Zafira's boot smmed down on his chest, pinning him against the wreckage with uing force. He gritted his teeth as a fresh wave of pain shot through his ribs.

  She crouched slightly, her gaze sharp and pierg. "You want to know the differeween us, Haoran? You think strength is swinging a sword harder, pushing yourself past your limits. But true power..." Her fingers dug into his jaw, f him to meet her eyes. "...is making others submit before the fight even begins."

  She let go abruptly, standing tall. "Get up."

  Haoran wheezed, trying to push himself up, but the moment he moved, Zafira's fist crashed into his stomach, the force from it alone would've knoyone. A siing thud echoed through the chamber as Haoran doubled over, coughing violently.

  "Get up." she ordered again, stepping back just enough to give him space.

  Haoran's arms trembled as he forced himself to his feet. His body screamed for him to stay down, but he refused. He had faced death before—he would not kneel.

  Zafira watched him with a glint of amusement. ''I like that. Let's see how long that sts."

  Before he could react, she moved again—a blur of precision and force. Her palm smmed into his ribs, a strike so perfectly pced that it sent a shockwave through his body. Haoran barely stayed on his feet, his vision flickering, his bansteady.

  Renshu, who had been silent until now, took a small step forward. "Lady Ezra, he's had enough—"

  Zafira didn't even g her. "No. He hasn't learned yet."

  Jun smiled like a pyscho from her spot by the doorway. "This is fun!"

  Zafira grabbed Haoran by the colr, pulling him forward until their faces were inches apart.

  "You're not walking away from this fight as a warrior. You're walking away as my soldier. My on. My asset."

  She released him, only to deliver a final, devastating strike to his sternum. The impact rattled his bones, and this time, Haoran couldn't stop himself from crumbling to his knees.

  Zafira exhaled, shaking her wrist as if shaking off dust. "Now. Have I made myself clear?"

  Haoran coughed, his breath ragged. He wao curse her, to fight back—but his body refused.

  Renshu rushed towards her beat up husband, lookiweehen slowly lowered her gaze. "...Crystal."

  Zafira gave a satisfied nod. "Good. The's talk about your obedience."

  Before Haoran could even process his defeat, Jun casually strolled forward, pulling a rolled part from her coat. With a flourish, she unfurled the tra a nearby table, the inked letters gleaming uhe dim dlelight.

  "Right on schedule." Jun said cheerfully, setting an ornate quill beside it.

  "Sign here, ''warlord''. Your wife co-sign if she likes."

  Renshu, still kneeling beside her battered husband, let out a long sigh before standing. She snatched the quill without hesitation, dipped it in ink, and sighe tract with a single, fluid stroke.

  Haroaned. "Betrayed by my own wife."

  Renshu patted his head gently, with sympathy in her voice. "You picked this fight."

  Zafira smirked, arms crossed. "Your wife is a smart woman."

  Just then, the heavy doors swung open with a loud creak, revealing an exasperated Emery st in, his coat slightly dishevelled. He held bandages, salves, and a medial herbs under one arm, his gsses slightly askew.

  "What in the name of logid reason is going on here?" Emery snapped.

  "I heard a damn explosion from upstairs! I leave for one hour, and you're breaking people?"

  He stomped over to Haoran, already iing his injuries with sharp, ical efficy. "Damaged ribs, heavy bruising, possible internal damage—holy, Zafira, must you destroy everything?"

  Jun smirked. "I think it builds character."

  "It builds my workload!" Emery grumbled, already pulling out salves.

  "Now, stay still, Haoran, or I'll make sure the treatment hurts more than the fight."

  His sharp gaze flickered to Haoran's other injury—the gunshot wound on his thigh that had been patched up by Emery "At least it's healing or was since, I don't know before you went and got yourself smmed through a wall?"

  Haroaned. "I was a bit preoccupied."

  Emery's gre shifted to Zafira. "And you. Did you really have to go this hard on him?"

  Zafira blinked, feigning innoce. "He wa."