The Weight of Shadows
My footsteps grew heavier with each visit to Liu Rufeng’s estate, each step laced with deepening unease. That gilded mansion felt like a gilded cage, binding me ever tighter to the city’s underbelly. Liu Rufeng’s influence had seeped into every corner, and I—I had become a mere pawn in his game.
Yet, I saw the darkness of the board clearly now. Every deal, every choice, was another step deeper into hell. Life, death, power, wealth—all were weapons to wield, and every decision carried the risk of scars that would never fade.
"This city’s only rule is that there are none." Liu Rufeng’s voice cut like a blade. His gaze was cool, probing, expectant. "You must understand—this path isn’t for the ordinary."
I nodded, but in my heart, the truth of this game crystallized. Liu Rufeng was not just a king of commerce; he was a puppeteer of shadows. Every move he made was designed to drag me into the abyss. And yet, here I was, walking deeper into this road of blood and lies.
Then, one day, he summoned me abruptly, his expression unreadable. "Are you ready for your true trial?" he asked, voice like frost.
A tremor ran through me. In that moment, every lie, every mask, seemed to shatter. This was his final test—and my last chance to turn back.
"I’m ready," I answered, my voice steady, edged with resolve.
Liu Rufeng nodded, then rose. "Then go meet them. This is your crucible." He tossed a plain card onto the table and turned away without another word.
The name on the card led me to an ancient manor, hidden in Moonfall City’s most forsaken quarter. The gate loomed shut, the air thick with silence.
When I stepped inside, the atmosphere was suffocating. The walls were lined with paintings in shades of crimson, like relics of some forgotten ritual. Each canvas seemed to whisper secrets—the city’s darkest history.
"You’ve come at last." A low voice shattered the stillness.
I looked up. A man in black robes stood at the room’s heart, his face austere, eyes fathomless. Was this the trial Liu Rufeng spoke of?
The man smiled, something flickering in his gaze. "You should know—the true master of Moonfall City is not Liu Rufeng."
Ice flooded my veins. All this time, I thought I was climbing toward power. Only now did I realize: this was merely the first move in a far greater game.
"You seek strength, don’t you?" His tone was taunting. "But do you know the price?"
I met his gaze without flinching. "I’ll pay it."
His smile deepened, darkly amused. "Then—are you prepared to rule Moonfall?"
The silence stretched. My choice was already made. "Yes."
With a flick of his hand, the candles snuffed out, plunging us into blackness. Then—agony. A force like chains seared into my very bones, yet beneath the pain, I felt it: power, raw and roaring.
"This is your covenant," the man murmured, merciless. "From this moment, your soul belongs to the city’s darkness."
And I understood. The girl I once was had died. In her place stood something sharper, hungrier—a creature of shadow, willing to lie, bleed, and betray to survive.
Moonfall City would have its new ruler.
And it would be me.
ns216.73.216.174da2
and then Add to home screen.