Chapter 23 · The Gatekeeper's Gambit - Chapter 23: Wei Tiegu Walks In

Mo Han stepped through the gate and the world went cold.

Wei Tiegu stood thirty feet away, arms crossed, surrounded by six Keepers in gray cloaks. The checkpoint yard had been cleared. No disciples. No witnesses. Just stone and silence and the kind of setup that said someone wasn't walking out of here.

"Mo Han." Wei's voice was calm. Too calm. "The Spire has flagged you for trial manipulation, unauthorized rule interpretation, and conspiracy to subvert Keeper authority. You'll surrender your seal now, or we'll take it."

Mo Han didn't move. His mind was already running the board. Six Keepers. All higher rank. Wei Tiegu himself was fifth-circle, which meant he could rewrite checkpoint results if he wanted to. And he wanted to.

Su Jin stepped up beside him. Her hand drifted toward her sword.

"Don't." Mo Han kept his voice low. "He's not here to fight. He's here to erase."

Wei smiled. It didn't reach his eyes. "Smart. I always thought you were wasted on preliminary qualifications. Shame you decided to play games instead of staying in your lane."

"I didn't play games," Mo Han said. "I followed the rules."

"You exploited loopholes."

"That's what rules are for.