Honkai Star Rail : Shadows of Nihility

The night on the Xianzhou Luofu was cold and still, the distant glow of Aurum Alley fading into the horizon behind him. Wei Longshen's steps were deliberate and soundless, his figure shrouded by his cloak. The scarf concealing his face served more than one purpose; it masked his identity and allowed him to move through the shadows unnoticed. To the world, he was the Shadow Fang—the infamous criminal who had killed a general. A name that evoked fear and respect, but never pity.

His journey had led him to the outskirts of a small trading post. The settlement was quiet, its modest homes clustered along a dirt road illuminated by lanterns swaying in the breeze. But even in the stillness, the air was charged with tension. Cloud Knights had passed through recently, their presence lingering like a storm cloud.

Wei paused on the outskirts, watching the village from the cover of a thicket. His sharp eyes caught the occasional flicker of movement: a villager hurrying home, a light extinguished behind drawn curtains. The people here feared something—and Wei knew better than to walk in openly.

When Wei finally entered the settlement, his hood was low, and his steps were measured. He avoided the main road, sticking to the narrow alleys between buildings. Even so, his presence did not go unnoticed. A lone figure moving through the village at night, cloaked and silent, was enough to draw wary glances.

A pair of men hauling crates stopped in their tracks as Wei passed. They exchanged nervous whispers, their eyes following him until he disappeared into the shadows. Behind closed doors, others whispered too:

"It's him. The one the Cloud Knights are hunting."

"Don't say that name aloud. If he hears you…"

Wei moved with purpose, his hand resting lightly on the hilt of his blade beneath his cloak. The fear his name inspired was palpable, almost suffocating. He didn't need to see their faces to know they wouldn't help him—not willingly. To them, he was a predator passing through their midst, and they would pray he left as quickly as he came.

Wei's destination was a small trading post at the edge of the village, its flickering lantern barely illuminating the worn sign above the door. Inside, the shelves were sparsely stocked, and the air smelled faintly of damp wood. An elderly merchant sat behind the counter, his hands trembling as he counted a small pile of coins.

Wei stepped inside, the door creaking softly on its hinges. The merchant looked up, his expression freezing as his gaze landed on the cloaked figure before him.

"I need supplies," Wei said, his voice calm but unyielding.

The merchant hesitated, his fingers gripping the edge of the counter. "W-we're closed for the night," he stammered.

Wei placed a small pouch of coins on the counter, the sound of metal on wood cutting through the tension. "Take it," he said simply.

The merchant glanced at the pouch, then back at Wei. His hands trembled as he reached for it, his movements slow and deliberate. "You… shouldn't linger here," he said quietly. "The Cloud Knights have been through. They're searching for someone dangerous."

Wei's eyes narrowed beneath his hood. "And what did they say?"

The merchant swallowed hard. "They didn't name him. But they described… someone like you."

Wei nodded once, taking the supplies and slipping back into the night without another word. The merchant let out a shaky breath as the door closed behind him, the weight of Wei's presence lingering like a shadow.

Wei didn't linger in the village. He moved quickly and silently through the forest beyond, the path illuminated only by the faint glow of moonlight filtering through the trees. His instincts, honed by years of survival, kept him alert to every sound and movement.

It wasn't long before he sensed them—the faint rustle of leaves, the subtle shift of air currents. He stopped abruptly, his hand tightening on the hilt of his blade. He turned his head slightly, his voice cutting through the stillness like a blade.

"Come out."

The shadows around him seemed to shift as a group of figures emerged from the trees. They were bounty hunters, their armor dark and their weapons gleaming faintly in the moonlight. Their leader, a wiry man with a scar across his jaw, stepped forward, his movements deliberate.

"Shadow Fang," the man said, his voice steady but laced with caution. "The price on your head could feed a family for a year. Hand yourself over, and we'll make it quick."

Wei regarded them silently, his presence imposing even without words. When he finally spoke, his tone was low and cold. "You should have brought more men."

The leader's confidence faltered for a moment, but he quickly recovered, signaling his men to spread out. "We know what you are, Fang. But you've been locked away for years. Let's see if you're still as sharp as they say."

The fight was over before it began.

Wei moved like a phantom, his blade a blur as he closed the distance between him and the nearest hunter. The man barely had time to raise his weapon before Wei's strike sent him crumpling to the ground.

The others hesitated, their formation faltering as they realized the gap between them and their target. Wei didn't give them time to regroup. Shadows coiled around him, lashing out with precision as he dispatched the next hunter with a fluid sweep of his blade.

The leader, realizing his mistake, barked an order to retreat. But Wei was already upon him. The man's sword clashed against Wei's blade, the force of the impact driving him back. Wei disarmed him with a single, calculated strike, his blade resting lightly against the man's throat.

"You were saying?" Wei said, his voice devoid of emotion.

The leader's breathing was ragged, his eyes wide with fear. "We—we were hired. The bounty came from Aurum Alley. It's anonymous—no names, just payment."

Wei's gaze didn't waver. "And what else?"

The man swallowed hard. "That's all I know! Please—don't kill me!"

Wei studied him for a moment before withdrawing his blade. The leader fell to his knees, gasping for air as Wei turned and walked away, his presence as cold and unyielding as the night.

As Wei disappeared into the forest, the surviving bounty hunters gathered their fallen comrades and retreated. The leader's words lingered in Wei's mind, the mention of Aurum Alley confirming what he already suspected. The network hunting him was vast, its roots extending deep into the underworld of the Luofu.

But Wei Longshen was not a man who faltered in the face of shadows. If the hunters thought they could outmatch the Shadow Fang, they were sorely mistaken.

The void whispered faintly in his mind, its cold presence a reminder of the path he walked. The journey ahead would be dangerous, but Wei had long since made peace with danger. He welcomed it.