Shadows of the Sunless Sky

Jian Yu was restless. The slums were loud that night, filled with the cries of desperate souls and the heavy silence of others who had given up. But for him, curiosity burned hotter than the constant hunger in his stomach. He couldn't ignore what he had overheard—the mention of a chamber, the missing workers, and the strange patterns he'd begun to notice in the tower.

If survival was a gamble, then knowing what the Lords were doing was the edge he needed.

---

The following day, Jian Yu observed the workers more closely. There was something different about the new faces. One man, in particular, caught his attention—a burly, quiet laborer who barely spoke and avoided eye contact. Yet, he moved like someone who wasn't new to danger.

During their break, Jian Yu sat beside the man. "You're not from around here, are you?" he asked casually.

The man didn't look up. "Neither are most of us," he replied gruffly.

"You don't seem like a regular worker," Jian Yu pressed.

The man finally turned to him, his dark eyes narrowing. "And you ask too many questions. That's a dangerous habit." He stood and walked away, leaving Jian Yu with more questions than answers.

---

Later, at the communal water station, Jian Yu overheard another conversation. Two older women whispered anxiously as they filled their buckets.

"They took my cousin last week," one of them said. "Just snatched him in the middle of the night."

The other woman gasped. "The Lords?"

The first woman nodded, her voice trembling. "They said he'd been chosen. But for what?"

"Chosen for what?" Jian Yu interrupted before he could stop himself.

Both women froze, their eyes darting to him. One of them lowered her voice to a near whisper. "For the chamber. That's where they take them. And no one ever comes back."

Jian Yu's chest tightened. The chamber again. He needed to find out what it was.

---

Over the next few days, Jian Yu kept his head down, listening and watching. He noticed small things—the workers who disappeared without a word, the way the enforcers whispered to one another, and the way certain areas of the tower were always off-limits.

One night, as the workers filed out of the tower, Jian Yu hung back, pretending to adjust his tool belt. He watched as an overseer spoke to a group of enforcers near a set of heavily guarded doors.

"The next one is ready," the overseer said. "Make sure the chamber is prepared."

Jian Yu's blood ran cold. He turned and hurried out of the tower, his mind racing.

---

Back at home, Jian Yu sat with his mother, Lian Hua, over a meager dinner.

"You've been quiet lately," she said, her brow furrowed with concern. "Is everything all right?"

"I'm fine," Jian Yu lied.

Lian Hua studied him for a moment before sighing. "You're a good boy, Jian Yu. But this world isn't kind to boys with big dreams or curious minds. Keep your head down and stay safe."

Her words stung. He knew she was right, but the thought of doing nothing while people disappeared gnawed at him.

---

The next day, Jian Yu saw the burly man again. This time, the man was speaking in hushed tones with another worker—a wiry, sharp-eyed young woman. They glanced around nervously, their conversation cut short when they noticed Jian Yu watching.

Later, when the woman was alone, Jian Yu approached her. "You're friends with that guy," he said. "The one who doesn't talk much."

The woman eyed him warily. "And what if I am?"

"I need to know what's going on," Jian Yu said. "I've seen things—heard things. People disappearing. The chamber. What is it?"

The woman hesitated before replying. "You should walk away while you can. People who ask questions end up disappearing too."

Jian Yu stepped closer, lowering his voice. "If the Lords are taking people, then we're all in danger. Don't you want to know why?"

The woman's expression softened slightly, but she shook her head. "Curiosity is a luxury we can't afford here."

---

That night, Jian Yu couldn't sleep. His thoughts churned with questions and half-formed theories. The chamber, the disappearances, the guarded doors—it all felt connected.

He decided to take a risk.

The next evening, as the shift ended, Jian Yu lingered near the guarded doors. He waited for the moment when the enforcers' patrols shifted, leaving a small gap.

With a deep breath, he slipped through the doors and into the shadows beyond.

The corridor was cold and silent, the air heavy with the scent of metal and stone. Jian Yu crept forward, his footsteps barely making a sound.

He came upon a massive chamber, its walls lined with strange machinery that glowed faintly. At the center of the room stood a series of containment pods, each one holding a figure suspended in liquid.

Jian Yu's breath caught in his throat. The figures were workers—people from the slums. Their faces were pale, their bodies still.

"What are they doing to them?" he whispered.

Before he could move closer, a hand clamped down on his shoulder.

"What do you think you're doing here?" a voice hissed.

Jian Yu turned to see the burly man from the worksite.

"You!" Jian Yu exclaimed. "What are you doing here?"

"I could ask you the same thing," the man said, his grip tightening. "Do you have any idea how dangerous this is?"

Jian Yu gestured to the pods. "What is this? What are they doing to these people?"

The man hesitated, his expression conflicted. "It's not what you think. Or maybe it is. Either way, you need to leave. Now."

Before Jian Yu could argue, the sound of approaching footsteps echoed through the corridor.

"Go!" the man urged, shoving Jian Yu toward the exit.

Jian Yu didn't need to be told twice. He fled, his heart pounding as he raced through the slums and back to the safety of his home.

---

That night, as he lay in bed, Jian Yu replayed the events in his mind. The chamber, the pods, the man's warning—it all pointed to something much bigger than he had imagined.

For now, he would watch and wait, gathering more information before making his next move.

Curiosity had lit a spark within him, but he knew it wasn't enough to challenge the Lords. Not yet.

---