Chen Yu's eyes shot open.
His breath came in sharp, shallow bursts as he sat upright on the bed, his muscles tense and soaked with sweat. The remnants of the dream still lingered—burning skies, the Beast Kingdom at war, and that masked monster standing above them all. A dream, yes, but not just a dream. It had felt far too real. The kind of dream that bore the weight of fate.
He turned to glance at the digital clock on the wall.
10:03 PM.
Outside, the night was still and silent, but Chen Yu felt the world was already shifting beneath them.
He stood, walked over to the window, and stared into the starless sky. The air felt heavier than usual. That dream was a warning. There was no more time for gradual plans or cautious infiltrations.
He turned sharply and moved through the mansion with purposeful steps.
Room by room, he knocked doors open and woke each member of his team.
