Chapter 8 · The Gatekeeper's Gambit - Chapter 8: The Lowest Keeper Bites Back

Mo Han's access counter hit thirty-seven, then thirty-six. The numbers bled down in the corner of his vision like a countdown he couldn't stop. Wei Tiegu stood five paces away, arms crossed, that smug half-smile still on his face.

"You've got about two minutes," Wei said. "Maybe less. Hard to tell with provisional clearance."

Mo Han ignored him. His fingers moved through the air, pulling up every scrap of authority his bottom-tier access still allowed. The interface flickered. Half the menus were already grayed out. The other half were fading fast.

Su Jin pushed herself up from the floor behind him. Blood still dotted her mouth from where the contract had torn through her, but her eyes were sharp. She didn't say anything. Just watched.

"You should've taken the deal," Wei continued. He started walking, slow circles around the center square. "I offered you a clean exit. Now you're about to lose everything, and I still get the checkpoint."

Thirty-two.

Mo Han pulled up the ownership transfer log. It was already in progress. Wei's name sat at the top, pending confirmation. The tower had ruled Mo Han unfit. Standard procedure.