(Xuan Kai's Perspective)

I stood on the highway connecting Shenzhen and Hong Kong, faced with an army of thousands of monsters and evil humans alike. They were truly abominations; ones that would show up in a nightmare. But unfortunately, as much as I wish it wasn't, this was reality, not just a dream.

However.

For some reason, the monsters weren't attacking me. Instead, they just stood there and watched me, like a tiger eyeing its prey.

I snickered. The plan was going perfectly.

*****

Now, let's turn back time a little and see what exactly my plan was.

- Half an Hour ago, Control Room, The Coastal Metropolis -

"I have a plan to lure out their ringleader," I said confidently, and was met by the dubious gazes of everyone present.

"Please explain," the mayor replied.

I nodded. "First off, I have reason to believe their leader is somehow connected with the other Midnight Syndicate member we took out a while ago - Ghosteye."

Well...technically there was Plague too, but that would lead to many unnecessary questions for me, so I'll just leave that part out for now.

Song Qian Long nodded. "Indeed, that is true. It is highly likely the two share a cooperative relationship, being in the same organization."

"And as all of you know," I continued. "Mr. Song was the one who took out Ghosteye in reality, but I was the true person who initiated the fight and caused his death. I find it hard to believe that whoever is leading this invasion does not know who I am."

"That is fine and all, but what is the actual plan? So far you've just been talking about your past," Li Hai Tang scoffed.

My eyebrow twitched in annoyance. You're really testing me here, Li Hai Tang...

"Fine. Basically, I'll be bait," I said.

Song Qian Long's eyes widened. "What?! No, you canno-"

"That's the only way we can lure the leader out," I cut him off. "No one else here would work...the leader is after me."

"...I have one concern," Mr. Tan said. "How can you be sure the leader will indeed come for you? If we were to use you as bait, we have to take you to where the monster army is. And if the leader doesn't show up to stop them...you'll just be torn to pieces by the monsters."

I clenched my fists. "I'm not. This is just a hunch...but there is a 80% possibility the leader will indeed show up."

"Only 80%..." Mr. Jia, the person who controlled the cameras the last time I was here, murmured.

"I know there are no 'maybes' or 'perhaps' in war, but...this is the only chance we have," I said defiantly.

"But if the leader does not show up, you will die..." Song Qian Long muttered.

I gritted my teeth. "...I trust my instincts. The leader will come."

The reason I was this certain was because there was another reason the Midnight Syndicate wants me. I remember the first time I met Feng Mian, she was trying to steal my stone pendant for the Midnight Syndicate in order to save her parents. Since then, many things happened, and the stone pendant returned to its original form - the Chaos Elemental, Mei Gui. However...the Midnight Syndicate doesn't know that, and so they still think I have the stone pendant, and are eyeing to snatch it away from me.

I don't know why exactly they want the pendant, but I assume it was because of the power of Chaos. They must've found some sort of lead about the mystery of Chaos, and have tracked it down to that stone pendant somehow...but either way, I'm certain this leader won't just let this opportunity go.

After a long, awkward silence, the mayor spoke.

"...Well?" Mayor Zhou looked around at everyone present. "Let us take a vote. Those in agreement of this plan, raise your hand."

Ironically, the first ones to raise their hands were Li Hai Tang, Mr. Tan, and Mr. Gao. They probably really wanted me gone. Conversely...Song Qian Long, Qing Xin (the Qing family matriarch), Yu Ao (the Yu family patriarch), and the mayor himself were reluctant.

However, after a while, Song Qian Long made up his mind, and raised his hand.

"If it were just myself, I would definitely be against using one of my students as bait, but...like you said, this is the only chance we have, seeing as how none of us can come up with a better plan. I...I am sure your parents would be proud of you."

Emotion leaked into his words, especially the last part. We couldn't expose our godfather-godson relationship in front of these people...so bringing up the topic of my parents...it was almost like an inside joke. Except it wasn't a joke.

I smiled beneath my mask. "Yeah...I think they would be as well."

Yu Ao, seeing Song Qian Long raise his hand, also did the same, albeit hesitantly. "Kid...you're pretty brave, you know that? And that's not a bad thing at all for a man, but...just make sure you come back safely, yeah? I don't want my daughters to become widows..."

'Widows' my ass! We aren't even married yet!

"Yes...I know all too well just how much Qing Yue has grown attached to you. If you were to disappear all of a sudden one day...she won't be able to take it," Qing Xin said, before raising her hand slowly. "But I have the city's people to care about as well, as the matriarch of one of the Four Great Families. Just...stay alive, Xuan Kai."

I nodded to both of them. "...I will."

And then, one after another, everyone present began raising their hands, and eventually, everyone's hands were raised. The mayor sighed.

"Looks like we have our answer," he said calmly. "Alright...let's begin discussing the specifics, then."

"Okay...we're going to pull a very simple and classic trap," I explained. "Take me to where the Midnight Syndicate's army is right now, and then hide yourselves. I will appear to be alone on the surface, to lure out their leader. And when they show up...we will eliminate them."

"...Will such a simple trick really work?" the mayor murmured to himself.

"Rest assured," I replied. "Even if the leader knows it's a trap, they will still walk right into it...knowing the Midnight Syndicate and their ego, anyway. There's just one problem..."

"What is it?" the mayor asked.

"Is everyone here certain they can take down the leader?"

"Of course," Song Qian Long immediately replied. "All of us sitting here right now are at least of the Golden Monarch level. Together, we can even take down a Holy Emperor."

I nodded in satisfaction. "Okay...then, let's move out. No time to waste."

The mayor raised his arm and pointed it directly in front of him. He opened his palm, and chanted. "Level Three Space Magic - Warp Gate."

After a good 15 seconds of channeling, a rapidly spinning blue vortex appeared, just big enough to fit a person inside.

"Here. I created a portal leading directly to an abandoned building near the border, where the Midnight Syndicate's army is currently at," the mayor explained. "Xuan Kai, you go first, we will follow after you."

I nodded. "Thank you."

With these words, I entered the wormhole, and everyone else soon followed.

On the other side, we arrived within an abandoned building, just like the mayor described.

Just as I was about to move out, however, Qing Xin grabbed my arm and pulled me back.

"Ms. Qing...?" I murmured in surprise.

"Just wait," she replied briskly, before closing her eyes. "Level One Psychic Magic - Detect Presence - Tier III."

Everyone else lay in wait as Qing Xin activated her detection magic, and after a few seconds, she opened her eyes again.

"They are to about 1 kilometer to our right, on the highway. Thousands of them, as expected."

"...Thousands..." Li Hai Tang murmured, voice shaking slightly.

Yu Ao raised an eyebrow. "What, getting cold feet?"

"Hmph...what are you talking about? I'm ready to crush some Midnight Syndicate skulls," Li Hai Tang responded, immediately getting rid of any sign of hesitance in his voice.

"Alright, everyone is here," the mayor, last to come out of the wormhole, said as the portal closed behind him. "I left Justin and some others behind, to monitor the situation from the control room. They aren't too good at fighting, anyway. Our lineup here should be enough. Before I left, I also gave orders for our own troops to head towards our location right now. That way, they can keep the minions off of us when we are fighting the leader."

I nodded. "Good move."

In total, we had eight people - Song Qian Long, Mayor Zhou, Qing Xin, Yu Ao, Li Hai Tang, Mr. Gao, Mr. Tan, and I. I kind of wished Mei Gui was here with me as well, but things was urgent, and there wasn't any time to spare for me to pick her up. But well...seven Golden Monarchs should be enough to take care of the leader of this Midnight Syndicate monster army...right?

With our plan set, we formally began our plan:

Operation: Nightmare.