The Devil Doesn't Show Its Tail (1)
The air in the dimly lit study felt heavier than usual, as if the very shadows were watching. I stared at the flickering screen, fingers hovering over the worn wooden desk. Another dead end. Another locked path. In this world where every beautiful face hid daggers and every alliance was built on lies, showing your true nature was the quickest way to end up with a blade in your back.
That's why the smart ones never revealed their tails. Especially not the devils.
I leaned back in the creaky chair, letting the weight of my thoughts settle. The System had been silent for too long. No new quests. No convenient power-ups. Just this error mocking me from the void. Fine. If direct access was blocked, I'd simply find another way in. I always did.
Outside the window, the distant sounds of the capital drifted in—merchants haggling, soldiers drilling, women laughing with voices like silver bells. Any one of them could be a player in this deadly game. Any one of them might be the key to rewriting this twisted version of the Three Kingdoms.
My lips curved into a small, cold smile. Let them keep their secrets for now. The best devils never show their tails until the moment they strike. And when I did... well. The board would be mine.