Pending Death

"So... you finally found your brother. Impressive. Congratulations, Jix."

"Thank you, sir."

"But you'll need to return to your post. The army needs you now more than ever. Just make sure he doesn't interfere with your duty."

Jix didn't flinch. Her expression remained solid, loyal, unreadable. But inside, rage boiled.

She wanted to hit this man—break his jaw, knock out a few teeth.

She hated him with every breath.

He was her superior officer: a high-ranking member of the Human Union's central government, and commander of the Special Forces.

His name was a warning.

Baguro. The Black Bull.

They also called him The Armed Demon.

Cruel and merciless, he'd killed more enemies than most entire regiments. His brutality had paved a bloody road to the top of the chain of command. He would sacrifice anyone—and anything—for his mission.

And his ideals? Nothing noble about them.

"Sir, if we're done here, request permission to leave."

"Wait. Before you go, there's a mission. Shouldn't be a problem for someone like you."

"Understood, sir."

"If you fail, it'll disgrace your entire unit. Don't mess this up."

"I won't. I never do."

"Good. And remember—there's no room for weakness in this army."

And with that, Jix, known across the frontlines as the Blood Valkyrie, set out to carry out one of the darkest operations of her career.

In the shadows of the war, while armies tore each other apart, the civilians—the people—were barely surviving.

The dead piled up.

The screams echoed.

But no one was listening.

The mixed-gender combat units, once hailed as a step toward unity, had only amplified the slaughter.

Amid the chaos, a small group began to rise. Just a handful at first—but growing fast.

At their head stood a man who still believed in peace.

Pedro Wilton.

But this rebellion—tiny as it was—would cost him everything.

Jix's mission: eliminate him. Snuff out hope before it became an inferno.

In this regime, anything that challenged the system was erased.

After her meeting with Baguro, Jix returned to Red Light City, the headquarters of the Daylight Division. She arrived with 5 handpicked operatives—silent, lethal professionals.

Their objective: plan the infiltration.

Bill:

"How many soldiers does it take to bring down a wall? Just saying..."

Jix:

"None. We're not destroying anything. This operation stays quiet. We're ghosts."

Rod:

"So how do we get in?"

Jix:

"I'll go in alone."

Diana:

"How exactly do you plan to pull that off?"

Jix:

"Don't worry. I've already got a plan."

Bill:

"Alright. But first, we need to find him."

They weren't just a team.

They were family. A unit forged in war and welded by trust.

Jix:

"Nill. Intel?"

Nill:

"He's not in any official record. But I found his name buried in the refugee archives."

Nikki:

"And?"

Nill:

"Pedro Wilton. Thirty-eight. Two daughters—ages twelve and fifteen. Rejected from the army due to a heart condition."

Jix:

"Sick. A father. What a tragedy. Anything else?"

Nill:

"Yeah. He was declared dead last year. Heart attack."

Bill:

"Dead? You kidding me?"

Jix:

"Is this a joke?"

Nill:

"Officially, yes. But he recently tried to enter the Western Shelter in the Greater South."

Rod:

"What if he really is dead?"

Nill:

"Unlikely."

Bill:

"How long to get there?"

Nill:

"Fourteen hours. If we move fast."

Jix:

"We move now. Bill, Nikki, Rod—you're with me. Diana, take the speed-car. Head to Shelter 37, Sector Seven. Once we're on site, we'll have ten hours to find him—and take him out."

A silent operation had begun.

To be continued...Shadow Mission...