Location: LuTech Compound – Rooftop, 3:14 AM
The sky above was pitch black, Beijing's city lights barely visible past the compound's security gates. Reign and Wanqing stood on the rooftop, Mayhem's voice buzzing in their hidden earpieces.
Mayhem: "Shadow Match deploys in less than 36 hours. Once the AI model goes live, she becomes the new QingQingSnipes, and they'll have all the justification they need to bury the real one."
Wanqing looked out across the dark horizon.
"Let them try. But first, we hijack their stage."
Flashback – 6 Hours Earlier
The three of them mapped out the plan:
Reign would distract the tournament officials with a false server maintenance request.
Mayhem would inject a script into the Shadow Match beta launch, replacing the AI's voice lines with a voice log secretly recorded by Madam Ji, proof she ordered Wanqing's removal.
Wanqing had the most dangerous job: to access the Node Zero terminal, hidden in the compound's AI R&D lab, and manually overwrite the simulation's launch condition.
One error, and she wouldn't just be banned.
She could disappear.
Ji Corp Headquarters – Briefing Room
Madam Ji reviewed her next directive.
"Project Phantom must launch cleanly. The real Shen Wanqing must not interfere. Begin Protocol Removal."
A tall man in a grey jacket nodded. His name was Director Wu — former military, now internal enforcer.
"I'll make sure she doesn't even make it to the login screen."
LuTech – AI Lab Corridor
Disguised in a maintenance uniform, Wanqing moved quickly through the lower corridors. No cameras here. Mayhem had looped the feeds.
She reached the Node Zero access door. A biometric lock blinked red.
Mayhem: "Give me 45 seconds to spoof her retina ID."
Behind her, footsteps echoed.
Too early.
She ducked behind the server towers.
Director Wu entered the corridor, flanked by two silent guards.
"She's already breached Level 2. Seal the floor. Use live protocols if needed."
Wanqing's pulse quickened.
Mayhem: "Retina spoof complete. Door unlocked. GO!"
Inside Node Zero
The air was ice-cold. Fluorescent lights flickered.
Rows of AI pods lined the walls, humming with the cloned echoes of her own voice. One screen displayed the QingQing AI.
"Initializing live player mimic. Sync: 96.8%."
She gritted her teeth and connected her drive.
Executing Patch: /reclaim_q7_truthfile.mp3
The voice file embedded inside?
A secret audio leak... Madam Ji's recorded order:
"The girl is irrelevant. She's a prototype. Delete her, and replace her before the public knows the difference."
Wanqing uploaded it with a shaking hand.
Then a gun cocked behind her.
"Step away from the console."
Director Wu.
Rooftop – Reign's Perspective
Alarms began blaring.
Mayhem: "Wanqing's in. But she's cornered. If they kill the power, her upload will die."
Reign looked at the maintenance panel on the rooftop. A heavy-duty circuit box.
Only one option.
He jammed the breaker.
"Backup power's live. She has 20 seconds. Then I'm pulling her out myself."
Node Zero – Wanqing vs. Wu
Director Wu raised his gun.
But Wanqing didn't flinch.
She stared him down, calm and still.
"You're scared. That's why you're hiding behind machines."
He smirked. "Machines don't fail."
Suddenly, the console beeped.
UPLOAD COMPLETE. Broadcasting to Shadow Match Server…
Wanqing stared at him.
"Then tell that to the whole world watching your voice right now."
Wu's eyes widened as the console played Madam Ji's voice in full looping, uncontrollably.
Guards panicked.
Lights flickered.
Wanqing made her move, rolled to the side, kicked Wu's knee, and sprinted through the chaos.
Final Scene – Shadow Match Launch
Millions tuned in to the live Shadow Match beta.
But instead of the AI's premiere…
…they heard the secret audio file echo across the screen.
"Delete her… Replace her…"
Panic erupted. Streams cut. Reporters exploded on social media.
And at the center of it all, Shen Wanqing stood in the chaos with Reign beside her.
Finally, no longer a shadow.
But a signal.