That same night, Surya and Jey ventured into the Central Sector for reconnaissance. As they entered, they were met with a striking sight—crowded pubs and bustling streets. The nightlife in this sector was thriving. Surya quickly noticed something unusual: every type of person roamed the streets—men, women, celebrities, and wealthy elites pouring into bars and restaurants—but there were no goons in sight. Not a single one guarding the streets.
Jey, too, sensed it and whispered to Surya,
"Surya, do you see this? The streets are packed, people are out enjoying themselves... but no guards, no gang members. That's not normal."
Surya nodded, his eyes narrowing.
"Yeah, I see it. It's strange. Let's dig a little deeper."
They walked further into the sector, slipping through alleys and weaving between buildings. Eventually, they stumbled upon a hideout—an old, abandoned warehouse.
They crouched low in the shadows, making sure they couldn't be seen.
Jey slowly peeked through a cracked window. Inside, a group of ten men were arguing, tension thick in the air.
Suddenly, two men stormed out of the warehouse, shouting.
The first man growled, "We're doomed."
The second replied grimly, "If we don't recruit more soon, others will rise, attack us, and take over the sector."
The two men muttered to themselves and walked off into the night.
Jey felt a surge of satisfaction—this was the break they needed. But Surya remained calm, focused. He had been waiting for this opportunity to prove himself.
Without a word, he turned and headed back to their complex.
They had something to report.
When Rajiv heard about the situation in the Central Sector, he burst into a menacing laugh.
"That group," he scoffed. "They were the first to rebel against us after the boss was jailed. And now? Just ten of them left to defend an entire sector."
Surya and Jey stood silently, waiting for orders as Rajiv's laughter faded.
Finally, Rajiv spoke.
"Surya, I'm assigning you three of my best fighters. Tomorrow night, you'll take the Central Sector. And bring me the one who leads them—alive. I want to look him in the eye."
Surya and Jey exchanged a glance. No words were needed. They nodded and left to prepare.
That night, Jey fell into a deep sleep—exhausted, but surya haunted by dreams he couldn't escape.
He stood alone on the terrace, watching the silent city below. He didn't speak. He didn't move.
He just waited—for the sunrise.
At dawn, Surya went down to meet Jey and the others.
When they all gathered—five members in total, including Surya and Jey—they headed to the Central Sector and surveyed the area until the moon rose high into the night sky.
As darkness fell, they moved to the old warehouse and hid themselves, waiting in silence until all the rival members had entered.
Once the prey walked straight into their trap, Jey cut the power to the warehouse and signaled Surya.
Surya, Jey, and the other three members stormed inside.
The rival members, disoriented and panicked in the dark, had no idea what was happening.
Jey and the others charged into the chaos. Jey punched and kicked down anyone in his path, while the other three—well-trained and ruthless—eliminated every target within reach.
Meanwhile, Surya pushed through the crowd, his eyes locked on the man who appeared to be the gang's leader.
He approached and stood face-to-face with him. The man noticed the sigil on Surya's shoulder, and without hesitation, punched him square in the face.
Surya staggered back two steps, his lip split open. He hated being touched—especially on the face. Fueled by rage, he grabbed the man by the neck, lifted him, and slammed him to the ground. He beat him mercilessly until the man was unconscious.
In twenty minutes, the fight was over. Surya had emerged victorious, while the other three had taken down eight opponents. Jey, still locked in combat with one rival, was helped when another member stepped in, shoved the enemy aside, and killed him on the spot.
Surya tied up the unconscious leader and dragged him back to their zone.
As Surya entered the building, dragging the defeated leader behind him, everyone inside erupted in cheers and applause.
From the balcony, Rajiv watched the scene unfold with a proud smile. Surya looked up, saw Rajiv, and brought the captive to him.
Rajiv splashed water on the man's face. As he regained consciousness and saw Rajiv, his face twisted with fear.
"I knew you people would eventually find out," the man muttered. "You'd use that knowledge to your advantage and take everything."
Rajiv replied coldly, "Even at your full strength, we would've taken your sector. You were the first to rebel against us. You should've known we were coming for you."
The man said nothing, lowering his head in silent surrender.
Rajiv turned to Surya, who stood behind the prisoner.
Surya stepped forward. Rajiv handed him the Crescent Moon dagger and said just one word:
"Kill."
Surya—takes the dagger, but he's hesitant to kill. He has never done this before. Standing in front of the man, he freezes. He just can't do it.
From behind, Rajiv shouts, "Surya! What's going on? Do it, I say! Or else why are you even here? Kill the man! I thought you came with purpose, with trust, and the will to rise through the ranks. If you can't do this, you'll never rise. You'll never fulfill your purpose. Do it!"
In a split second, Surya slashes the man's neck. His hands, now drenched in blood, tremble. Rajiv, unfazed, grabs Surya's hand and drags him to the balcony. He lifts Surya's arm high into the air and declares:
"People of the South Zone, I introduce you to the person who took over the Central Sector—Surya, the Wolf of the South Zone!"
The crowd erupts in screams:
"Wolf of the South Zone!"
"Wolf of the South Zone!"
That night, the Central Sector fell under The South Zone control. Word of his conquest spread to other sectors like wildfire. The Wolf of the South Zone had risen.