Virtual Reality Cultivator-Chapter 55: A Traitor Among Us

After the fierce battle against Phantom, Ethan and his team relocated their temporary base to an old, decommissioned space station. Though it was rusted and filled with remnants of past wars, they managed to make it livable enough to serve as a new headquarters.

"We need time to recover," Lazarus said while examining a holographic strategy map. "But more importantly... we need to find out who leaked our location yesterday."

The room fell silent. Eyes met with suspicion.

Claire glanced around cautiously. "There's no way Phantom could've tracked us without inside information."

Seraphina, tinkering with the communication devices, narrowed her eyes. "Their tech was too precise. Even my encryption system was bypassed. That means... someone leaked it manually."

Rising Suspicion

Adrian, still recovering in the corner, kept his sharp gaze fixed on the group. "So... who among us was it?"

No one responded.

Ethan scanned each of their faces. The silence felt like a knife to the throat. He knew—one of them had betrayed him.

"We'll investigate everyone. I need full honesty. Because if we get ambushed again, we won't survive."

A Night Full of Unease

That night, tension hung heavy over the base. No one slept soundly. Claire sat alone in a hallway, staring into the stars. Ethan approached with two cups of instant coffee.

"You sure it's not you?" he asked quietly.

Claire looked at him, hurt but not angry. "If I were the traitor, I would've let Adrian die."

Ethan nodded. "Sorry. I'm just... tired. Everything's moving too fast."

Claire held his gaze. "We all have secrets, Ethan. But I'm on your side."

A Forgotten Data Trail

Seraphina spent the entire night digging through system logs. She dove deep into the barely functioning internal surveillance.

And then she found it.

An unauthorized access. Two hours before Phantom's attack. The base coordinates had been sent through a small relay that was supposed to be dead weeks ago.

"This... wasn't a glitch. It was sabotage."

Confrontation in the Engine Room

The next morning, Ethan gathered everyone in the engine room.

"Seraphina found proof. The coordinates were sent using the backup relay. Only two people had access to it: Nova and Raze."

Nova, the cheerful young technician, lowered her head in silence. Raze, the ex-mercenary Ethan once saved, stood tall, glaring at everyone.

"You accusing me?" Raze barked.

"We just want the truth," Ethan replied.

Suddenly, Nova broke down in tears.

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"I... I didn't mean to..." she trembled. "Zenith... they have my little brother. They said they'd kill him if I didn't send your location."

Everyone froze.

Broken, But Not Destroyed

Ethan stepped forward, locking eyes with Nova. He saw the fear and regret in hers.

"Why didn't you tell us?"

"I was afraid you'd kill me... or cast me out..."

Ethan took a deep breath.

"We've lost too much already. I won't kill you. But you'll be under constant watch from now on. And we... we'll save your brother."

Claire placed a hand on Nova's shoulder. "We'll get through this together. But don't ever hide something like that again."

A New Plan: Saving Nova's Brother

Using the new intel Nova provided about a small secret Zenith base, Ethan immediately began formulating a plan.

"We're not just saving her brother. We're sending a message. Zenith doesn't get to toy with us."

Lazarus grinned. "Time to strike back."

Seraphina added, "And I've got a surprise for them."

She displayed a prototype on the screen—a blueprint for a high-tech weapon.

"An anti-machine weapon. Perfect for enemies who rely too much on tech."

At the Edge of Dusk

Before the mission began, Ethan stood on the observation deck, gazing into the stars. Claire joined him.

"Still doubting yourself?" she asked.

Ethan nodded. "I'm afraid I'll become like Phantom. Chasing power and revenge... until I forget who I really am."

Claire smiled. "As long as you're afraid of becoming a monster... you're not one yet."

Ethan turned to her, a faint smile forming on his lips.

"Let's end this."