43 Hidden Truths

The night wind howled between the towering city skyscrapers, carrying a chill that seeped into the bones. Shen Yuchen and Lin Xinyi moved swiftly through the narrow alleyways, their steps light but urgent. Though they had escaped the earlier ambush, an invisible sense of danger still loomed, like countless unseen eyes tracking their every move.

"There's an abandoned subway tunnel up ahead," Shen Yuchen said, glancing at a holographic map on his wrist device. "We can hide there for a while."

Lin Xinyi nodded, retracting her energy dagger while keeping her senses sharp.

They crossed a dimly lit street and arrived at a rusting underground entrance. The old iron gate was slightly ajar, emitting a cold, metallic scent. Shen Yuchen pushed it open with a heavy groan, the sound echoing through the empty street.

"Hopefully, the signal is blocked down here. It'll buy us some time," Lin Xinyi whispered.

Shen Yuchen remained silent, leading her deeper into the subway station. The lights had long gone out, leaving only darkness and an eerie stillness. Their wrist-mounted flashlights cast flickering beams across cracked walls and broken tracks.

"This place looks like it's been abandoned for decades," Lin Xinyi observed warily.

"That's why it's the perfect hiding spot." Shen Yuchen's voice was steady, resolute.

Suddenly, faint footsteps echoed from the darkened tunnel ahead, measured and deliberate, as if someone was approaching cautiously.

"Someone's following us," Lin Xinyi hissed, instantly drawing her dagger and pressing her back against the wall.

Shen Yuchen swiftly attached a silencer to his pistol, eyes narrowing toward the approaching sound.

A shadow emerged from the darkness—a tall figure cloaked in a dark trench coat, the brim of his hat pulled low, obscuring his face. His hands were raised slightly, signaling he was unarmed.

"Don't shoot. It's me."

The voice was deep and gravelly, tinged with familiarity.

Shen Yuchen's grip on his pistol tightened. "Who are you? How did you find us?"

The figure slowly removed his hat, revealing a weathered face marked by exhaustion and hidden pain. His sharp eyes gleamed with a mixture of relief and sorrow.

"My name is Jiang Tianyou," the man said steadily. "Former intelligence analyst... and your old ally."

"Old ally?" Shen Yuchen's eyes hardened. "I don't recall ever knowing you."

Jiang Tianyou let out a weary chuckle. "Of course, you wouldn't remember. They erased your memories... but I remember you, Shen Yuchen. You were our last hope."

Lin Xinyi's expression flickered, her gaze darting between them. She clenched her dagger tighter, still on edge.

"Why should we trust you?" she demanded coldly.

Without a word, Jiang Tianyou reached into his coat and carefully placed a metallic data chip on the ground between them.

"What's that?" Shen Yuchen's eyes never left the chip.

"It's the core data of the 'Fate Equation,'" Jiang Tianyou said gravely. "The key they've been searching for... and you are the only one who can unlock it."

The atmosphere grew tense, the weight of his words hanging heavily in the air.

"The Fate Equation?" Shen Yuchen repeated, his voice low. The term tugged at buried memories, fractured glimpses flickering at the edges of his mind.

Jiang Tianyou nodded solemnly. "You were meant to control it. But now, you must reclaim what was taken... before it's too late."

"This makes no sense," Lin Xinyi interjected, suspicion still sharp in her voice. "Why would we believe any of this?"

Jiang Tianyou's face darkened with painful recollection. Slowly, he pulled back his sleeve, revealing a twisted, brutal scar stretching across his forearm—a burned, jagged wound seared into his flesh.

"This is my proof," he stated grimly. "I sacrificed everything—my past, my future—just to keep this data safe."

Silence fell, broken only by the distant hum of the wind through the underground tunnels.

Shen Yuchen exchanged a glance with Lin Xinyi. Doubt and reluctant trust warred within their eyes.

"What do you want us to do?" Shen Yuchen asked, voice low but resolute.

Jiang Tianyou's shoulders relaxed just a fraction. "Come with me. I'll tell you everything… at the end of fate's path."

He turned and strode deeper into the darkened subway tunnels, his steps steady despite the looming uncertainty.

After a moment's hesitation, Shen Yuchen and Lin Xinyi followed, their figures soon swallowed by the encroaching shadows.

From the depths of the abandoned station, the wind whispered like distant voices, echoing forgotten secrets waiting to be uncovered.