Snowflakes swirled in the biting wind as Ruoxi, Zeyan, and Linyue ascended the narrow mountain path, each step crunching into the frost-hardened earth. The coordinates etched in the notebook guided them toward a hidden facility, a place buried under layers of secrecy and time.
Ruoxi's breath fogged in the cold air, but her mind raced faster than her heart could keep pace. The first Ruoxi… the prototype. The thought pressed heavy on her chest, stirring a mix of dread and desperate hope.
Zeyan's gaze remained fixed on the satellite image glowing on his handheld device. "We're close. The coordinates lead to this spot—an old research outpost abandoned for years."
Linyue's eyes flicked nervously between the trees. "What if it's a trap?"
Ruoxi didn't answer. She was focused on the unknown that waited ahead—a secret she was born from, and one that might shatter everything she believed.
The entrance was concealed beneath a thick canopy of pine and snowdrifts, nearly invisible against the stark whiteness of the mountain. A rusted metal door, marked only by a faded emblem resembling a fractured flame, stood as the final barrier between them and the truth.
Zeyan pulled out a hacking device, working quickly to bypass the antiquated security system.
With a hiss and a clank, the door creaked open, revealing a dimly lit hallway lined with cracked monitors and peeling paint.
Inside, the silence was suffocating. The air smelled of cold metal and forgotten memories.
They moved cautiously, their footsteps echoing against the concrete walls.
Ruoxi's pulse quickened as they approached a large chamber sealed by thick glass.
Beyond it, a translucent tank held a sleeping figure—her exact likeness.
The prototype.
Her face pale, serene, almost like a porcelain doll frozen in time.
Ruoxi swallowed hard. The woman in the tank looked younger, fragile… yet somehow more complete.
Zeyan checked the monitor next to the tank.
"Vitals are stable, but there's no response. She's been in stasis for years."
Ruoxi pressed her hand against the glass, heart aching.
"You're real," she whispered. "And you've been waiting."
Suddenly, alarms blared, shattering the silence.
Red lights flooded the room.
Linyue grabbed Ruoxi's arm. "We've been detected."
Footsteps thundered down the hall.
Zeyan swiftly shut the tank's control panel.
"We need to move, now!"
But before they could turn, a group of armed figures appeared, blocking the exit.
"Freeze! You're trespassing on government property," a voice barked through a loudspeaker.
Ruoxi's mind raced.
Who were these people? Had the project truly never ended?
In the chaos, Linyue's eyes locked onto a man in a black suit—their leader.
His face was obscured by shadow, but something about his posture felt chillingly familiar.
Ruoxi's breath caught.
"You," she said, voice trembling. "You know me."
The man stepped forward, removing his hood.
It was a woman.
Cold. Calculating.
"Hello, Ruoxi," she said with a cruel smile. "You've come far."
Zeyan stepped protectively in front of Ruoxi and Linyue.
"Who are you?"
"I am the architect of your destiny," the woman said. "The one who made sure you would return."
Ruoxi's hands clenched into fists.
"You lied. You tortured us."
She sneered. "I saved you. You just don't know it yet."
Suddenly, the tank's glass began to crack, lines spiderwebbing across the surface.
The prototype's eyes snapped open—glowing an unnatural shade of blue.
A low hum filled the room, pulsing with power.
Ruoxi staggered back.
"It's her," Linyue whispered. "She's awake."
The woman laughed. "Phase III is complete. The integration is beginning."
Ruoxi's vision blurred as a flood of images crashed into her mind: flashes of experiments, whispered commands, fractured memories blending with reality.
She fell to her knees, clutching her head.
Zeyan rushed to support her.
"We have to stop this," he said urgently.
But the prototype reached out, voice distant yet commanding.
"You belong to me."
Ruoxi looked up, eyes meeting her own reflection in the prototype's gaze.
The final battle had begun.