Shadows of the Night

The early morning sun filtered through the curtains of Xiao Ning's apartment, casting soft golden light across his face. His eyes fluttered open, and immediately he felt it....the dull, familiar weight of the poison in his veins. Daytime. Weakness. The power he wielded in the dark was reduced to almost nothing under the morning light.

He let out a slow breath and sat up, rubbing the back of his neck. His body felt sluggish, his muscles heavy, as though they’d been drained of all their strength. He glanced at the clock on his bedside table—6:30 AM. In two hours, he'd need to be at his office, appearing as nothing more than a simple software developer. The world would see him as a regular man, with no special abilities, no dangerous secrets. No one would suspect that by nightfall, he’d become something else entirely.

Xiao Ning stood and stretched, his body stiff from the lack of movement, and he could feel the poison slowing the natural flow of his energy. Every morning was the same, a silent battle against the toxin coursing through his veins, a battle he would never win, but one he learned to endure. He crossed the room to the window, his mind already calculating his next steps, his next mission.

Last night had been easy, another successful mission for the Army Ministry. His code name, Night Owl, had once again proven why he was the number one assassin in the field. A flawless kill. But as soon as the sun rose, the poison took over once more, leaving him vulnerable until the day passed and the cycle of strength could begin again.

He turned away from the window, heading for the shower. Cold water, like always, to shock his system into alertness. The rest of the day would be routine. His colleagues at the software house would never know the real Xiao Ning. To them, he was just a quiet programmer with no exceptional skills. Just another man with a mundane life. No one suspected that by nightfall, he would become something far more dangerous.

At the same time, across the city, Bing Rong was already at the police headquarters, the sleek walls of the Intelligence Division feeling more like home than her own apartment ever did. She was sharp, precise, and ruthless. That was why they called her the Ice Witch, her mind and her martial arts skills were unmatched, and she could break a man without even raising her voice.

Today, though, something gnawed at her. She sat at her desk, scanning the details of the latest case report in front of her. It was another incident involving a highly-skilled assassin, the same one her team had been chasing for weeks. His code name was whispered in the underground circles: Night Owl. A name that sent chills down the spine of every criminal and rival operative. But to Bing Rong, it was more than just another mission. It was personal now. She was determined to be the one to bring him down.

Her fingers drummed lightly on the edge of her desk as she considered the next steps. But her thoughts strayed momentarily to Xiao Ning. Her fiancé. He was a good man, she knew that much, but… he wasn’t what she had envisioned for herself. How could he be, when he lacked the same fire, the same drive? He worked in a boring software job, oblivious to the dangers she faced each day.

Bing sighed, pushing the thought aside. She hadn’t told Xiao yet, but she was planning to delay their wedding again. Not forever, just until she found someone who could truly match her. Someone who understood the weight of being the best.

For now, though, she had a mission: track down Night Owl. She would find him. She had to.

As the hours dragged on, the sun slowly began to descend, painting the sky in deep shades of orange and crimson. In the heart of the city, Xiao Ning sat at his desk, typing lines of code with mechanical precision, his face emotionless. His colleagues bustled around him, unaware of the secret life he led.

Then, the clock struck five. His shift was over.

He gathered his things, slipping out of the office and into the cooling evening air. By the time he reached his apartment, the last rays of sunlight were vanishing behind the skyline. He could feel it—the gradual fading of the poison’s grip on him. Strength was returning to his limbs, his senses sharpening.

Night had fallen.

Xiao Ning closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and felt the transformation. The assassin within him was waking. The Night Owl was ready to soar again.

And tonight, he had a mission.

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