Chapter 107– Betrayal at Dawn
James was only half-asleep. His body rested, but his instincts did not. These new people—they were strangers. Trusting them was dangerous.
In the tent beside his own, six figures lay huddled together. Or so it seemed.
Sometime in the night, Sofia gently shook Wei awake.
"...Wei, wake up. Quickly."
Wei blinked, rubbing his eyes, confused. "What's wrong?" he whispered, his voice hoarse.
Sofia stepped aside, and from the shadows emerged Ethan, Hiro, Aarav, and Mei. Their faces were tense, their eyes sharp.
Wei sat up instantly, realizing something was serious. The group motioned for him to follow. They guided him to a corner and sat him down on a woven mat.
Aarav leaned forward first, speaking low.
"Listen, Wei. You know how rich James Lee is, don't you?"
Wei frowned. "Of course. Everyone knows he's wealthy."
Sofia smirked. "Wealthy doesn't even begin to describe it. His father earns enough in a single minute to buy an entire galaxy. That's the level we're talking about."
Wei's eyes widened. "You're kidding… that much money?!"
Ethan shook his head. "No joke. But here's the real thing—you think James is strong? He's not. I've got connections. During his last training exam, everyone had to duel at the end. You know what happened to him? One hit. He was knocked out cold. Some guy named… Dabur? Darek? I can't remember. Point is, James folded instantly."
Aarav's grin turned sly. "Now imagine—six of us, together. If we take him down, we could ransom him. The amount of wealth his father would pay us… it would change our lives forever."
Wei stiffened, unease flooding his chest. He shook his head quickly.
"No. This isn't right. What if we fail to capture him? What if Steve's men catch wind of this? Do you even understand? The Yaksha jail would be a mercy compared to what Steve's people would do. If they catch us… death won't just be death—it'll be cruel."
Mei leaned forward, dismissive.
"Stop being a coward, Wei. Every profit comes with risk. Do you want to die poor, or live rich?"
Wei looked around at their hungry, greedy faces and stood up. His voice was firm now.
"Forget it. I want nothing to do with this. You can plan your betrayal without me."
No matter how much they tried to persuade him, Wei refused. In the end, the five exchanged glances and quietly pushed him out of their circle. Wei left the tent that night, alone, his figure fading into the darkness.
---
By dawn, James stirred awake, refreshed. He packed his belongings into his storage ring and even roasted the leftover meat he'd saved the night before. Without waking the others, he prepared to set off early.
But just as he stepped past the tents, a voice called from behind.
"James!"
He turned. Ethan was waving, smiling too brightly.
"We've prepared something for you—a present."
James blinked. "A present? For me?" He frowned slightly. "I only gave you a corner for the tent last night. That hardly deserves a gift."
Still, he approached, curiosity overcoming suspicion. Ethan pulled out a small box and handed it over.
James weighed it in his palm, shaking it lightly. "Strange… What's inside?"
Ethan's smile sharpened. "Open it now. You'll see."
James glanced toward the tent. "Where are the others?"
"Oh, they went to freshen up," Ethan replied smoothly.
James hesitated for a heartbeat… but ignored the prickle in his instincts. With a shrug, he unclasped the lid.
The moment the box opened, a fine powder burst into his eyes, burning them like sand. He staggered back, coughing. Before he could summon his essence, a heavy blow struck the back of his head.
Darkness swallowed him whole.