**Chapter 17 (b): Information is the Key**

  Zara slowly descended the stairs from the stall, the door behind her closing with a heavy thud. As she ventured further underground, she came across a massive metallic door. She stood before it, waiting. As if sensing her presence, the door groaned open, gears whirring and a mechanical voice echoing in the passageway. A bright light flooded her vision, illuminating the dim corridor behind her. Without hesitation, Zara stepped inside.

  In the center of the room, an old man was hunched over a workbench, tinkering with cybernetics using his modified body parts. He was fully immersed in his work, oblivious to the world around him. Zara stood still, watching him in silence.

  Without turning around, the old man spoke. "Who are you?"

  Suddenly, the room’s defense mechanisms activated, multiple weapons emerging and pointing at Zara. The old man straightened his back and turned to face her. Despite the threat, Zara remained unfazed, locking eyes with him as if she were about to gouge them out.

  "I asked, who are you?" he repeated.

  Zara responded calmly. "I am Willow’s disciple. He told me to come here to start a new path."

  The old man scoffed. "That arrogant fool... sending some random girl to my sacred place just to tell me he's alive?" His face twisted with irritation. "Why isn't that bastard dead yet?"

  Zara smirked. "He said you’d react like that."

  The old man grumbled before sighing. "Fine. Tell that so-called ‘Avatar’ that I approve."

  Zara stared at him.

  "What?" the old man snapped. "Isn’t that enough? Or are you planning to loot me like your master of a bastard?"

  Zara gave no response and turned to leave. As she walked away, the old man called out, "What’s your name?"

  She hesitated before answering, "Lillith Zoin. But you can call me Lily."

  The old man’s expression shifted slightly. "Drew Zoin," he said, introducing himself.

  Zara froze. She had never expected this man to share Willow’s surname. In her timeline—the future—Drew had only ever mentioned Willow's name in passing. She had never imagined they were related.

  The author's narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

  With a slight smile, Drew continued, "But you can call me Grandpa Drew."

  Zara scoffed. "I’ll just call you Drew... or Old Man."

  Drew chuckled. "You’re just as stubborn as that bastard of a son."

  Another revelation hit Zara like lightning.

  "I’m not his daughter," she clarified, remembering Willow’s rough yet caring nature. "He saved me and trained me so I could fight for myself."

  Drew muttered under his breath, "What kind of bastard puts his beautiful granddaughter’s hands to fight against those monsters..."

  Zara pretended not to hear and turned to leave. Before she could step out, Drew called out again. "Did he have anything to say to me?"

  Zara recalled something Willow once said: that he regretted his past decisions and, given a chance, would make up for them. She hesitated before relaying the message.

  "He said he regretted his decision. And if he ever gets an opportunity, he will make amends."

  For a brief moment, Drew’s single remaining human eye glistened. He quickly rubbed it and scoffed, "Who needs that bastard’s apologies? When he comes back, I’ll kill him with my own hands."

  Zara nodded and ascended the stairs. As the doors shut behind her, she heard something shatter inside the workshop. Without looking back, she moved forward as if she had heard nothing.

  She checked her skills, still on cooldown:

  **Shadow Assassin:**

  - **Shadow Leap:** Cooldown - 22:53:36

  - **Chain of Oath:** Cooldown - 18:27:18

  Returning to the stall, she sat in the same chair as before. The holographic interface flickered to life, and the Avatar greeted her.

  "Your request is being processed. In the meantime, would you like to view available missions?"

  Zara nodded, scrolling through the list. Her heart skipped a beat when she found one that excited her: a mission in the Wasteland, where Chimeras roamed in eternal darkness. She remembered that in the future, the Guardians—an independent, formidable group—would be present there. This mission was an opportunity to grow stronger while remaining hidden among them. However, she had to be cautious; they were the most dangerous people she could encounter.

  The mission was two days away, near the ruins of **Grain’s Stronghold**, an old fortress destroyed in a catastrophic Chimera attack.

  Just then, the Avatar spoke again. "Apologies for the wait, valued customer. Your identity ID is now linked to your terminal, along with an untraceable bank account (a ghost account). Only the highest authorities of the Inner Citadel could possibly detect it. Additionally, I recommend registering as a mercenary before taking on any assignments."

  Zara nodded and stood to leave. However, the Avatar continued, "A gift from the owner himself. Don't refuse. Thousands of people dream of owning one of his items. He said this was just taking up space in his warehouse."

  Zara’s eyes widened as she examined the weapon in front of her. Every mercenary’s dream—a legendary dagger, once owned by a key figure in **Hallow’s Faction**. She concealed her excitement, appearing indifferent as she inspected it.

  "Even if this was auctioned, its value would be beyond comprehension," the Avatar remarked. "Take it. No excuses. It’s a gift."

  The dagger was a **mid-to-low resonance weapon**, but it was more than enough. Hiding her satisfaction, she tucked it away.

  The Avatar smiled. "Now that you're a proper citizen... welcome to **Citadel, the city where dreams live even in chaos."

  Zara nodded. "Can I take a mission now that I’m registered?"

  The Avatar handed her the terminal, and she scrolled through the available jobs. She stopped at one that felt eerily familiar: retrieving a **family heirloom** belonging to an **Inner Citadel tycoon** who owned an industry. The commission was decent, but the conditions were strict—**only one person** could undertake it.

  For Zara, this was perfect. She had always worked alone. She also knew why others avoided this mission. Leaving the Citadel alone was suicide without a trusted team.

  Confirming the mission, she noted there was no penalty for failure since it was her first assignment.

  The Avatar smirked. "I’m guessing you’re the last disciple of Willow, the one who survived beyond the outer walls. You must be strong."

  Zara simply nodded and left to prepare. Meanwhile, chaos brewed inside **Hollow Whale** and the **Citadel** as multiple factions searched for her. In the distance, a **cyber-enhanced madman** examined a cave near the lake where Zara had been earlier.

  His eyes flickered as he scanned the area. He found traces of a **used injection**, **discarded waste**, and a lingering **psychic a

  ura**. He immediately sent encrypted data to his superiors...

  The hunt for Zara had begun.