Legacy of the Stars

The tension in the air was palpable, a silent storm brewing in the confines of the team's preparation room. The glow of flickering monitors reflected off Liu Cheng's face, his features sharp with determination. His eyes scanned the encrypted data Jiang Yan had managed to extract from the tournament servers. The room was dim, with only the hum of electronics and the faint rustle of clothing breaking the silence.

"They've escalated," Liu Cheng said finally, his voice low but steady. "This isn't just sabotage anymore. They're going for full control."

Lin Mei, seated on the edge of the table, crossed her arms tightly across her chest. Her sharp, almond-shaped eyes darted between the glowing screens and Liu Cheng's furrowed brows. "What's their endgame? Why take the risk of shutting down the servers? It exposes them."

"It's not a risk if they've calculated every move," Jiang Yan interjected, his fingers flying over the keyboard. His lean frame was tense, his usual calm demeanor overshadowed by urgency. "They've installed multiple backdoors. We've only scratched the surface of their network. It's like playing a game of cat and mouse, but the mouse has a hundred escape routes."

Zhang Wei paced the length of the room, his broad shoulders stiff and his jaw set in frustration. "And we're supposed to be the cat? Great. How do we even fight this? This isn't our game—it's theirs."

"Exactly," Liu Cheng replied, his tone sharp enough to cut through Zhang Wei's skepticism. "Which is why we need to change the rules."

The room fell silent as Liu Cheng's words settled over the team like a heavy blanket. They knew the stakes; they knew the risks. But the enormity of the task ahead was daunting.

---

The night outside the team's private suite was unusually quiet. Snow blanketed the Swiss mountains beyond the tournament complex, muffling the sounds of the bustling city below. The icy air seeped through the cracks of the old stone building, a stark contrast to the simmering tension inside.

Lin Mei broke the silence, her voice soft but filled with resolve. "We can't do this alone, Liu. We need allies. People who have access to the system, who can counter Phantom's moves."

Liu Cheng nodded, his gaze fixed on the glowing map of the server's architecture. "Agreed. But finding someone we can trust won't be easy. Phantom's influence could reach anywhere."

"What about that admin we met during the qualifiers?" Jiang Yan suggested, not looking up from his screen. "The one who flagged the strange anomalies in the early rounds?"

Liu Cheng's eyes lit up with recognition. "Elliot. He had access to the deeper layers of the tournament's code. If he's still around, he might be our best bet."

"I'll track him down," Lin Mei volunteered, already moving toward her tablet. Her determination was evident in her swift, precise movements. "If he's still in the complex, I'll find him."

---

The search for Elliot wasn't easy. Lin Mei combed through attendee lists, tournament schedules, and security footage while the others worked on decrypting Phantom's latest message. Hours passed, and frustration began to seep into the team's efforts.

"Got him," Lin Mei announced suddenly, her voice cutting through the heavy atmosphere. She turned her tablet toward the group, revealing a grainy image of a tall, wiry man with disheveled blond hair and tired eyes. He was seated at a café near the edge of the complex, a steaming cup of coffee in one hand and a tablet in the other.

"Let's move," Liu Cheng said, already grabbing his coat.

---

The café was a cozy refuge from the cold, its interior warmed by a roaring fireplace and the soft murmur of patrons' conversations. Liu Cheng spotted Elliot immediately, his distinct appearance and distracted demeanor setting him apart from the others.

"Elliot," Liu Cheng said as he approached the man's table.

The admin looked up, his eyes narrowing with suspicion. "You're from Glory International," he said, his British accent crisp. "What do you want?"

Liu Cheng sat down without hesitation, his team forming a loose circle around the table. "Answers. And your help."

Elliot leaned back, crossing his arms. "You're not the first to come looking for help. But you might be the first brave—or foolish—enough to confront Phantom directly."

"You know about them?" Lin Mei asked, her tone sharp.

Elliot snorted. "Everyone who's worked on the tournament's backend knows about Phantom. But knowing and doing something about it are two very different things."

"We're not here to sit idly by," Liu Cheng said, his voice firm. "We've already faced their sabotage, and we're not stopping until we expose them."

Elliot studied him for a moment, then sighed. "You're either incredibly naive or incredibly determined. Either way, I can help—if only to see how far you'll get."

---

Back in their suite, Elliot joined the team's efforts to track Phantom's movements. His expertise in the tournament's system was invaluable, and he quickly pinpointed several suspicious access points that Phantom had used.

"They're operating from within the tournament's central server," Elliot explained, his fingers flying over the keyboard. "If we can isolate their access points, we can cut them off—at least temporarily."

"Temporarily isn't good enough," Liu Cheng said. "We need to find their core. Shut them down completely."

"That's easier said than done," Elliot replied, his tone grim. "Phantom isn't just one person. They're a network. And they've built redundancies into every layer of their operation."

"Then we'll dismantle them layer by layer," Lin Mei said, her voice filled with steely determination.

---

As the team worked late into the night, the atmosphere grew increasingly tense. Each new discovery brought them closer to Phantom's inner workings, but also revealed just how deeply embedded the rogue network was within the tournament.

At one point, Jiang Yan let out a frustrated groan. "This is insane. They've got traps and countermeasures everywhere. It's like playing chess against someone who knows all your moves in advance."

"That's why we need to think unpredictably," Liu Cheng said, his gaze fixed on the glowing screens. "We need to make a move they won't see coming."

"What kind of move?" Zhang Wei asked, his arms crossed.

"A direct confrontation," Liu Cheng replied.

The room fell silent as his words sank in.

"You're suggesting we bait them," Lin Mei said slowly.

Liu Cheng nodded. "We let them think they're in control, then strike when they least expect it."

---

The plan was risky, but it was their best shot. The team set up a dummy server, designed to mimic the tournament's main system. It was a trap, carefully crafted to lure Phantom into revealing their central operations.

Hours turned into days as the team prepared, their focus unyielding despite the mounting pressure. Every detail of the trap had to be perfect. One mistake could cost them everything.

When the time finally came, the atmosphere in the room was electric. The dummy server was live, its false data streams designed to draw Phantom's attention. The team watched in tense silence as the first signs of activity appeared.

"They're biting," Jiang Yan said, his voice barely above a whisper.

"Stay sharp," Liu Cheng said, his eyes never leaving the screen.

As the trap unfolded, the team worked in perfect sync, their movements precise and coordinated. It was a testament to their training and trust in one another.

But just as it seemed they had the upper hand, the system froze. A new message appeared on the screen, its words chilling in their simplicity:

"Nice try."

The team stared at the message in stunned silence. Phantom had seen through their trap.

Before anyone could react, the system was flooded with data. Screens flickered, error messages popping up faster than they could be closed. Phantom was counterattacking, and they weren't holding back.

"Shut it down!" Liu Cheng shouted, his voice cutting through the chaos.

Jiang Yan scrambled to cut the connection, his fingers flying over the keyboard. But it was too late. Phantom's presence was everywhere, their control over the system absolute.