Chapter 38 — Midnight Investigation
Goa was quiet.
Too quiet.
The ocean waves crashed against the cliffs below the abandoned Portuguese fort that overlooked the dark Arabian Sea. Midnight wind moved through the broken windows like whispers.
Inside the fort…
A meeting was about to begin.
A meeting between two of the most feared names in the underground world.
Two leaders who until recently were enemies.
Now forced to talk.
---
Phoenix Arrives
A black armored SUV stopped near the ruins.
The door opened.
Boots hit the ground.
Three figures stepped out.
Lyra adjusted the knife strapped to her thigh.
Ash pulled her hood lower.
And between them—
Phoenix.
Care walked forward slowly.
Her black coat moved with the wind, the golden phoenix emblem stitched across the back.
Her mask covered half her face.
But the fire in her eyes didn't need a mask.
Lyra looked around the dark fort.
"Place feels like a horror movie."
Ash smirked.
"Good place for mafia meetings then."
Care didn't reply.
Her eyes were scanning everything.
Entrances.
Shadows.
Escape routes.
She finally spoke.
"They're already here."
---
Onyx and Silver Fangs
Inside the fort hall…
Two figures stood near a long stone table.
Cole.
Black suit.
Black mask.
Cold expression.
Next to him—
Alex, leaning against the wall with his arms crossed.
The sound of footsteps echoed.
Cole turned.
Phoenix walked in.
Behind her were Lyra and Ash.
For a moment—
Silence.
Two leaders.
Two groups.
Two rival empires.
Facing each other.
The air felt heavy.
Alex broke the silence.
"Well… this feels less like diplomacy and more like the start of a war."
Lyra rolled her eyes.
"Relax."
Ash leaned on the table.
"If we wanted war you'd already be dead."
Cole looked directly at Phoenix.
"You called this meeting."
Phoenix's voice was calm.
"The Lotus Shadows didn't start the conflict."
Cole replied immediately.
"Neither did Silver Fangs."
Lyra raised an eyebrow.
"Finally something we agree on."
---
The Truth Begins
Phoenix placed a small device on the table.
The screen lit up.
Encrypted transaction records.
Shipping routes.
Secret communications.
Cole stepped closer.
His expression changed slightly.
"These aren't ours."
Phoenix nodded.
"They're not ours either."
Ash leaned forward.
"We tracked the weapon shipment that triggered the conflict."
Lyra finished the sentence.
"It didn't come from Lotus Shadows."
Cole looked at Alex.
Alex spoke slowly.
"And it didn't come from Silver Fangs."
Phoenix zoomed the screen.
A symbol appeared.
A black circle.
Inside it—
An obsidian triangle.
Cole frowned.
"What is that?"
Phoenix answered.
"Obsidian Council."
The room went silent.
Alex blinked.
"Never heard of them."
Ash shook her head.
"Because they stay hidden."
Lyra added quietly,
"They don't control territory."
Phoenix looked directly at Cole.
"They control people."
She zoomed the screen again.
Names appeared.
Billionaires.
Corporate giants.
Shipping magnates.
Technology investors.
Some of the most powerful businessmen across the world.
Cole's expression darkened.
"They're funding this?"
Phoenix nodded.
"They're building something."
Alex muttered.
"A global mafia network."
Ash corrected him.
"Not a network."
"A leash."
Lyra crossed her arms.
"They want every mafia group under their control."
Cole leaned against the table.
"And Lotus Shadows vs Silver Fangs was…"
Phoenix finished the sentence.
"A test."
---
Another Threat
Ash pulled another file onto the screen.
"This is worse."
The map of the world appeared.
Blinking signals across different countries.
Philippines.
Thailand.
India.
Eastern Europe.
South America.
Lyra pointed.
"Multiple underground leaders are moving."
Alex frowned.
"That's not coincidence."
Phoenix's voice lowered.
"It's preparation."
Cole looked at her.
"For what?"
Phoenix answered.
"A gathering."
The words echoed in the room.
---
Meanwhile — Hidden Protectors
Across Goa…
Inside an abandoned coastal warehouse…
Another group was meeting.
They had been watching everything.
Monitoring movements.
Protecting someone.
Without even knowing it.
---
Silver Wolves
Matt slammed a file onto the table.
"We confirmed it."
Ace leaned forward.
"Leaders across the underworld are moving."
Race stared at the screens.
Shipping routes.
Encrypted signals.
Hidden meetings.
Silver Wolves.
A powerful mafia group born from the chaos of HU university's brutal administration rule.
A system that nearly destroyed them.
Until someone helped them escape.
Someone they still owed their freedom to.
Matt said quietly,
"The Indian group… they're in Goa."
Ace nodded.
"And trouble is following them."
Race leaned back.
"So we do what we promised."
Matt finished the sentence.
"We protect them."
---
Crimson Roses
Elsewhere in the city…
Inside a luxury penthouse…
Another group of young leaders watched the same information.
All girls.
Cold.
Sharp.
Deadly.
The mafia group known as Crimson Roses.
Their leader—
Zein.
Mia sat on the couch scrolling through data.
"Allison hacked three different shipping networks."
Allison smirked.
"Someone's organizing things globally."
Zein stared at the screen.
"And it's not small."
Mia looked at another file.
"The Indian group from HU…"
She tilted her head.
"They're here."
Allison smiled slightly.
"They helped us destroy that prison of a university."
Zein stood.
Her voice calm.
"We protect them."
None of them knew the truth.
The quiet girl they once studied with…
The one who helped break the system…
Was actually Phoenix.
---
Back to the Fort
The tension between Phoenix and Onyx hadn't eased.
Cole studied the Obsidian symbol.
"So what now?"
Phoenix crossed her arms.
"We find them."
Alex raised an eyebrow.
"And then?"
Ash smiled slightly.
"Then we burn their plan."
Lyra added,
"Before they burn the world."
Cole looked at Phoenix.
"For now…"
He extended his hand slightly.
"Temporary truce?"
Phoenix stared at him for a second.
Then shook it.
The leaders of Lotus Shadows and Silver Fangs had just formed an alliance.
Without realizing…
They were walking straight into the center of a global conspiracy.
And somewhere far away…
The Obsidian Council was already watching them.