44 Entwined Fates

The cold air of the abandoned subway tunnel clung to their skin as Shen Yuchen, Lin Xinyi, and Jiang Tianyou pressed forward, their footsteps echoing faintly in the vast, dark expanse. The only light came from the flickering wrist-mounted devices on Shen Yuchen and Lin Xinyi's arms, casting faint beams across the crumbling walls.

Shen Yuchen's mind churned with questions, memories clashing against the unsettling truth Jiang Tianyou had revealed moments ago—the "Fate Equation" and its mysterious link to his erased past.

Finally, unable to contain his growing frustration, he demanded, "What exactly is the Fate Equation?"

Jiang Tianyou paused, his worn face etched with a mixture of regret and resolve. His voice was low but steady.

"The Fate Equation… it's a predictive algorithm designed to alter the course of reality itself. With its calculations, it can manipulate the future, change lives, and even rewrite history."

Shen Yuchen's breath hitched. His fragmented memories trembled beneath the weight of those words.

"And what does that have to do with me?" he pressed, his voice tightening.

"You were its core," Jiang Tianyou admitted gravely. "Years ago, before your memories were taken, you were the one chosen to harness the Equation's power. But something went wrong. They couldn't control you, so they erased everything… or so they thought."

Lin Xinyi's expression darkened with suspicion. "Who's 'they'?"

"The Ark Organization," Jiang Tianyou said, venom lacing his tone. "A hidden conglomerate of power-hungry elites using advanced technology to control global events. They created the Fate Equation to shape the future—but they couldn't unlock its full potential without you."

Shen Yuchen clenched his fists, anger bubbling just beneath the surface. "Why didn't they just kill me?"

"Because even with your memories gone, the Fate Equation still resonates within you," Jiang Tianyou explained. "You are its living key. They can't activate its full power without your conscious will."

A heavy silence fell, broken only by the distant hum of wind passing through the tunnels.

Shen Yuchen's mind reeled. If what Jiang Tianyou said was true, he was more than just a fugitive or a victim—he was the centerpiece of a battle for control over destiny itself.

"What do you expect us to do?" Lin Xinyi demanded, her grip tightening on her energy dagger.

Jiang Tianyou's face hardened. "Follow me to the terminal station. It's where the core data of the Fate Equation is stored. You're the only one who can access it… and destroy it before they take control."

Meanwhile, on the other side of the city, in a darkened, opulent office bathed in the cold glow of data streams, a middle-aged man in a tailored grey suit sat silently at his expansive desk. His calculating eyes gleamed with an icy light.

A disembodied, artificial voice reported from the large display screen in front of him.

"Target location confirmed."

The man's lips curled into a thin, almost predatory smile. His fingers tapped rhythmically against the polished desk.

"Proceed," he commanded coldly. "Eliminate them if necessary."

Back in the tunnels, the wind grew colder and sharper, whispering like distant voices from forgotten realms.

"We're close," Jiang Tianyou announced as they reached a large, rusted metal door embedded in the tunnel wall. He swiftly accessed the control panel, his fingers dancing across the cracked keys.

With a grating mechanical groan, the door slowly slid open, revealing a massive underground chamber. Streams of data flowed like rivers of light across the cavernous space, forming intricate geometric patterns in mid-air—a digital nexus pulsating with raw potential.

Shen Yuchen's heart pounded wildly. The echoes of distant voices stirred deep within his mind, calling him toward the glowing core of the room.

"Welcome back… Bearer of Fate."

A cold, emotionless synthetic voice reverberated through the chamber.

Shen Yuchen, Lin Xinyi, and Jiang Tianyou immediately raised their weapons, eyes fixed on the center of the glowing matrix.

Suddenly, the streams of data twisted violently, condensing into a towering, humanoid figure made entirely of shimmering digital fragments. Its expressionless face radiated authority and menace.

"The Judgment of Fate… begins now."