Dusk bled into night as Lin Che, Su Qing, and Xiao Ya slipped through the last line of Black Stone Forest's trees. Ahead, the outer slums of Mechanic City stretched out— a jumble of ramshackle shanties made from scrap metal and old starship parts, their windows glowing with the faint orange light of oil lamps. The air smelled of burnt plastic and simmering synthetic soup, a stark contrast to the forest's earthy scent.
"We're almost there," Su Qing whispered, pulling her tattered cloak tighter around her shoulders. "The slums don't answer to the Zhao family—too many people, too many secrets. They won't dare search here openly."
Xiao Ya clung to Lin Che's hand, her eyes wide as she stared at the slums. She'd never left the forest before—Lin Che could see the mix of fear and curiosity on her face. "The plants here are sad," she said softly, glancing at the wilted weeds growing between the shanties. "They don't get enough sun. The air hurts them."
Lin Che squeezed her hand. "We'll find a place where they can grow," he promised. He looked ahead, scanning the narrow alleys that crisscrossed the slums. The Zhao family's thugs might not search openly, but they'd send someone—someone small, someone who knew the slums. They had to stay hidden.
Su Qing led them to a narrow alley between two rusted metal shanties. At the end, a small door was carved into the side of a larger building, its surface covered in faded graffiti. She knocked three times—short, long, short—then waited.
A moment later, the door creaked open. A boy with matted black hair and a missing front tooth peeked out, his eyes sharp with suspicion. "Su Qing?" he said, surprised. "I thought you'd left the city."
"Li Wei," Su Qing said, relief flooding her voice. "We need help. The Zhao family's hunting us."
Li Wei stepped back, letting them into the shanty. Inside, it was small but neat— a single room with a cot, a metal table, and a shelf lined with jars of herbs. A small oil lamp cast warm light over the space.
"Zhao family?" Li Wei said, closing the door and bolting it. "What did you do this time?" He turned to Lin Che and Xiao Ya, his gaze lingering on Lin Che's wrist—even hidden under his sleeve, the Star Marrow's faint glow didn't escape him. "And who are your friends?"
"Lin Che," Lin Che said, holding out his hand. "This is Xiao Ya. We're hiding from Zhao Hu—he wants the Star Marrow."
Li Wei's eyes widened. "The Star Marrow? The one the old stories talk about?" He shook his head. "You're in bigger trouble than I thought. The Zhao family's been talking—they say the Star Marrow can 'unlock power' or something. Old Man Zhao's even brought in Arcane experts from the city center."
Su Qing sat down on the cot, her face pale. "Arcane experts? What do they want with the Star Marrow?"
Li Wei shrugged, handing them each a cup of warm synthetic tea. "No one knows for sure. But I heard they're setting up a 'ritual' in the old factory on the slums' west edge. Tonight. They're waiting for something—someone—before they start."
Lin Che's heart dropped. The ritual. The crystal. They were going to use the Star Marrow to wake the darkness Ling An had talked about. And if they didn't stop them, the forest—and the city—would be in danger.
"We have to stop them," he said, standing up. "The crystal—we hid it in the forest, but if they have Arcane experts, they'll find it. We need to get it back first."
Su Qing nodded, but Li Wei grabbed his arm. "You can't go out there," he said, his voice urgent. "Zhao's men are patrolling the slums—looking for three people: a boy with a birthmark, a girl with Arcane books, and a kid who talks to plants. They've got posters everywhere." He pulled a crumpled poster from his pocket—Lin Che's face stared back at him, alongside Su Qing's and Xiao Ya's.
Xiao Ya gasped, shrinking back. "They're looking for me too?"
Li Wei nodded, his expression softening. "But I can help. I know the slums—every alley, every hidden path. I can get you to the forest's edge, but after that… you're on your own."
Lin Che looked at Su Qing. She nodded—they had no other choice.
"Thank you," he said to Li Wei.
Li Wei grinned, grabbing a worn backpack from the corner. "Don't thank me yet. The patrols change every hour—we've got thirty minutes before the next shift. Let's go."
They slipped out of the shanty, Li Wei leading the way through a maze of narrow alleys. He moved quickly, ducking under rusted awnings and slipping through gaps between buildings. Lin Che held Xiao Ya's hand, keeping her close, while Su Qing walked beside him, her eyes scanning the shadows for patrols.
"Up here," Li Wei whispered, pointing to a rusted fire escape. They climbed up, the metal creaking under their weight, and walked along the roof. From there, Lin Che could see the slums stretch out below— a sea of metal roofs and glowing lamps. In the distance, the old factory loomed, its windows dark.
"The forest's just beyond that wall," Li Wei said, pointing to a tall metal fence at the edge of the slums. "There's a gap under it—big enough for you to crawl through. But be careful—Zhao's men have a guard post there."
Lin Che nodded, pulling a small pouch of coins from his pocket. "Take this," he said, handing it to Li Wei. "For your help."
Li Wei shook his head, pushing the pouch back. "Keep it. You'll need it more than me. And if you survive… come back. I'll have more info."
Lin Che clapped him on the shoulder, then climbed down from the roof. Xiao Ya followed, then Su Qing. They crept toward the fence, staying in the shadows. The guard post was a small metal hut, its window glowing with lamplight. Lin Che could hear two men talking inside—laughing, drinking.
"Wait here," he whispered to Su Qing and Xiao Ya. He crept toward the hut, his knife in hand. He peeked through the window—two thugs sat at a table, their clubs leaning against the wall, a bottle of cheap liquor between them.
He took a deep breath, then kicked open the door. The thugs spun around, their eyes wide. Before they could reach for their clubs, Lin Che tackled one, slamming his head against the table. The other lunged, but Lin Che rolled out of the way, grabbing his club and hitting the man's knee. He screamed, falling to the ground.
Lin Che tied them up with rope from the hut, then gagged them. He signaled to Su Qing and Xiao Ya, who ran over.
"Quick," he said, pointing to the gap under the fence. "Crawl through— I'll cover you."
Xiao Ya went first, squeezing through the gap. Su Qing followed, then Lin Che. They emerged on the other side— back in Black Stone Forest, the mist swirling around them.
Li Wei's voice echoed from the other side of the fence: "Good luck!"
Lin Che waved, then turned to Su Qing and Xiao Ya. "The crystal's by the stream—let's go."
They set off into the forest, the sound of the slums fading behind them. The mist was thicker now, and the trees loomed like shadows. But Lin Che's wrist glowed— a faint silver light guiding them forward.
He thought of the old factory, of the ritual, of the Zhao family's Arcane experts. They were running out of time.
But they had each other. And they had the Star Marrow.
He gripped his knife tighter, picking up his pace. The crystal was waiting. And so was the fight.