The next morning, Sector 9 was quiet.
The gang that once ruled the alley was now working under a new name.
Rael stood in the middle of the lot with a spray can in his hand. He tagged the wall with a new symbol: a black crown with two vertical slashes behind it.
Simple. Sharp. A warning.
Territory: Sector 9 – East Alley Control: 60% Loyalty: 35% Basic Base Functions UnlockedShadow Storage | Passive Income: +200 SC/hr
Rael wiped his hands. The old brick office in the corner of the alley was now his base. Cracked windows, rusty doors—but it was a start.
One of the gang members, the young guy from last night, walked up. "Name's Rico, boss. Used to run small jobs around here. I can help."
Rael nodded. "Good. You're in charge when I'm not around."
Smart. Always delegate. Even kings need trusted hands.
Meanwhile…
In a café uptown, Melina scrolled through her phone, sipping her overpriced iced latte.
She paused on a news clip.
[ALLEY GANG LEADER BEATEN. TERRITORY STOLEN IN SINGLE NIGHT. WITNESSES CLAIM 'NEW BOSS' MOVES LIKE A GHOST.]
Her eyes narrowed.
A blurry photo showed a dark figure in a black hoodie standing over Brick.
Her fingers froze.
"…No way," she whispered.
Back in Sector 9, Rael sat at a dusty desk, going through the Shadow Shop again.
[New Items Available – Base Management Upgrade Pack]
Hidden Vault (Lv. 1)-5,000 SC; Protects your assets from raids
Recruit Tracker (Lv. 1)-3,000 SC; Finds skilled followers nearby
Communication Hub (Lv. 1)-7,000 SC; Unlocks territory alerts and area messages
Rael chose Recruit Tracker and Hidden Vault.
Upgrades PurchasedNew Recruit Detected: Identity Unknown. Appears near alley at dusk.
Rael looked up. "Finally... someone interesting."
As the sun set, a figure appeared at the edge of the alley.
A girl. Black jacket. Mask over her face. She walked like a shadow. Calm. Silent. Dangerous.
Rael stepped out to greet her. "You're the one the system sent?"
She nodded slowly. "You're the new king here?"
Rael smirked. "Working on it."
New Ally Detected: Identity Hidden. Name: Unknown.Potentially Dangerous. But very useful.
The girl tilted her head. "I saw how you fight. You're not bad. But this city? It eats people like you alive."
Rael didn't flinch. "Good. Let it try."