Zhang Wei squeezed past him and burst out into the dimly lit corridor, not looking back. He could hear enraged shouts and the clang of metal from his room as the thugs presumably tripped over his scattered tools.
"He's getting away! After him, you slag-heap!" The wrenched-wielder's voice bellowed, closer than Zhang Wei liked.
He sprinted down the narrow corridor as his heart pounded within his chest. The raw qi gave his limbs an unfamiliar speed and power. He rounded a corner just as the wrench-wielder appeared at the end of the hallway, his cybernetic arm still sparking but functional enough.
He was that quick to recover. His legs also received some modifications. And with his more abundant Qi-Credit to use on lynching operations such as this, Zhang Wei was totally outclassed.
"You ain't gettin' far, shitty brat!" He yelled as he gradually caught up to Zhang Wei.
Understanding he couldn't outrun the man, Zhang Wei forced himself to stand straight, keeping his hands visible as if surrendering when cornered.
"Just a faulty conduit. Landlord needs to fix it." It was a weak attempt at de-escalation, but his mind was racing, looking for the next opening.
The broad one caught up, panting, his face flushed with anger. "Faulty conduit? Damn smelled like a cultivation breakthrough to me. Qi Condensation Stage 3, maybe? Pretty big jump for a vat-scraper like you, ain't it?" He took a menacing step closer. "Where'd you get the juice, kid? Found a lost artifact? Robbed a courier drone?"
"I don't know what you're talking about," Zhang Wei insisted, his eyes darting around, assessing his rapidly dwindling options. He was trapped.
The wrench-wielder lashed out with his cybernetic hand, grabbing Zhang Wei by the front of his tunic and slamming him against the corridor wall. The impact knocked the wind out of him, stars flashing briefly in his vision.
"Don't lie to us!" The goon snarled, his breath hot and acrid like rotten cheese. "We know you ain't got the resources for a breakthrough like that. Someone helped you. Maybe loaned you some high-grade juice?"
His grip tightened, almost choking him "See, we got a business interest in cultivators getting… boosts. Especially boosts that ain't sanctioned by us. So, you're gonna tell us. Who's moving in on our territory?"
Zhang Wei gasped for breath, pain radiating through his back. He shook his head desperately. "Nobody… just saved up… lucky find…"
The broad one stepped forward, cracking his knuckles. "Maybe he needs some persuasion, Grok."
Grok, the wrench-wielder, grinned unpleasantly. "Maybe he does."
He drew back his cybernetic fist.
Zhang Wei braced for the blow, closing his eyes as a surge of defiant energy gathered in his dantian despite his fear. He wouldn't talk.
But the blow didn't land immediately
Grok paused, glancing back at his partner who seemed to be listening to a comm implant.
"Hold up," The broad one muttered. "Boss wants an update. Yeah, found the kid… Put up a bit of a fight, blew a conduit… Nah, says he knows nothing… Yeah, looks like Stage 3 alright… What? Informant?"
He listened intently for a moment. "Right. That guy over in the Gamma markets gave us the heads-up somethin' unusual was brewin' with low-level independents in this sector. Said he gets paid well for leads like this. Looks like he was right this time."
He looked back at Grok and Zhang Wei. "Alright, finish up. Lean on him hard, see if he cracks. If not, rough him up enough he remembers who runs the loan game around here, then let's bounce. Got other leads from that guy to check out."
Grok grunted, clearly disappointed at being interrupted but unwilling to disobey orders. He slammed Zhang Wei against the wall again, less force this time but still jarring. "You got lucky today, kid. But we know you're holding out. Once we find out who gave you the Qi, we'll be back. And next time," he tapped the heavy wrench against Zhang Wei's cheek, the cold metal sending a shiver down his spine, "we won't be so polite. If you run away, you know no one's going to save you."
They gave him one last shove, sending him stumbling to the floor, then turned and stomped out, their heavy footsteps receding down the corridor.
Zhang Wei lay there for a long moment, gasping, bruised, every nerve screaming. They were gone. He was alive. But the fear was quickly replaced by cold understanding. Sector Gamma markets. An informant feeding the Crimson Abacus leads on independent cultivators seeking financing. That's how they found him so quickly after the energy surge. They weren't just randomly patrolling; they were actively hunting for people like him, people using alternative resources.
Which meant… his Investor. The anonymous benefactor who had given him this chance. They were likely being hunted, too. If the Crimson Abacus found them… Zhang Wei didn't know what they'd do, but it wouldn't be good. He owed them. Not just per the contract, but for the hope they'd given him.
He scrambled to his feet, ignoring the pain. He had to warn them. He pulled out his burner comm, fingers fumbling with the worn keypad. He navigated to the secure, one-time contact channel they had used, hoping it was still active. He quickly typed out his message, detailing the encounter, the mention of the informant, the Crimson Abacus actively searching. "...Hunters... energy surge... tracked... closing in... warn..." he added.
He sent it, praying it reached them.
Message sent confirmation flashed on the screen. Now, he had to get out of here. The Crimson Abacus might be gone for now, but they knew where he lived. They said they would come back and he knew the fate if he just waited for them.
He grabbed his meager pack.
Just as he reached the shattered doorway, loud rumbling noises erupted from outside. Sirens wailed, distant shouts echoed, and a truly horrific stench, like concentrated sewage mixed with industrial waste, suddenly flooded the corridor. Alarms began blaring throughout the hab-block as emergency lights flickering erratically.
"What in the Void…?" Zhang Wei choked, covering his nose. He peered cautiously into the corridor. People were running, shouting in panic, slipping on suddenly overflowing drainage grates spewing noxious sludge. Automated sanitation alarms screamed about multiple system failures. It was utter chaos.
He didn't understand what was happening, but he recognized an opportunity. A perfect diversion. Amidst this pandemonium, one more desperate soul fleeing a trashed apartment wouldn't draw a second glance. He could now blend among them.
Maybe the Investors had received his warning and created this chaos? Or maybe… maybe his breakthrough, his defiance against the odds, had earned him a moment of sheer, dumb luck.
Clutching his pack, Zhang Wei plunged into the stinking, chaotic corridor, disappearing into the panicked crowd, leaving his old life and his compromised sanctuary behind.
He was stronger now, but also hunted. They could've dragged him with them but thankful that they didn't, thinking they scared him enough. The path ahead was uncertain, but thanks to the Investor, at least he had a path to follow. He just hoped they stayed safe too.