Li Wei retraced his steps from the alley, letting the hum of the city envelop him once more. The scent of decay lingered faintly, a stubborn reminder of the consequences of unchecked ambition. He paused at a quiet intersection where lanterns cast long, trembling shadows across cobblestones slick with evening rain. Every sense in his body prickled; this city breathed strategy, and it had eyes everywhere.
He needed leverage. The ledger beneath the stone serpent was a key, but he could not storm the Oolong Group's compound without knowledge of the terrain, their guards, their patterns. Every alley, every stairway, every window could conceal a watcher—or a trap. Patience, Li Wei reminded himself, was a weapon sharper than any blade.
