Across Borders beyond fate

The morning sun slowly crept over the Henan skyline, shining its golden rays through the mist, which seemed to embrace the buildings without letting go. The day had barely begun for most students at Henan University, a day full of lectures, assignments, and gatherings. But for Joaquin and his team, the calm before the storm.

Their safe house had become a war room. The table was strewn with documents, maps, and gadgets. Marco bent over his laptop, eyes glued to lines of code that were going to shape their next move. Lianhua sat by the window, a distracted figure lost in thought. Daniel paced in the room, his palms drawn tight in fists, restlessness reflecting the tension in the atmosphere.

Joaquin took a deep breath while holding a pen in his right hand, half-expecting it to break under his tight grip. The broadcast was a success; the city was alive with news of the revelations of Zhang Wei's corruption. Protests had sparked in numerous districts. People were speaking up and demanding justice. But that success also brought with it a new risk.

Zhang would not just sit and watch as his empire crumbled. He was going to strike back.

"We have to stay a step ahead," Joaquin said, breaking the silence. His voice was low but steady. "The coming step has to be clever and quick. We cannot afford to make mistakes."

Daniel stopped pacing and faced him. "We should strike before he regroups. The more we wait, the stronger he gets."

Marco raised his eyes from the screen. "I agree, but we have a problem. Zhang has influence, power, and a whole raft of dirty cops in his pocket. We can't trust the authorities."

After almost an hour of silence, Lianhua turned to look at them, her face a blank screen. "Then we go where his power doesn't reach."

Joaquin narrowed his eyes. "What do you mean?"

Without saying anything further, Lianhua slid her phone across the table. On the screen was a message from an unknown number.

"Tomorrow. University campus. Student assembly. The people will listen."

Joaquin's brows furrowed. "What is this?"

"A chance," she stated. "Tomorrow, there's a massive university-wide forum. There will be thousands of students. If we can expose Zhang's crimes to a live audience, he would find impossible to suppress it."

Marco whistled. "That's risky. If we do it properly, we could light a fire under a bigger cause."

Daniel frowned. "And if we fail? Zhang will rain hell down on us harder than ever before."

Joaquin rubbed his forehead, pondering. The university couldn't be controlled by Zhang like other state institutions or the media. The students had just recently witnessed the broadcast. But seeing undeniable proof in front of them would ignite the momentum of their movement.

A gamble. But their best shot at success.

 Joaquin sat up straight. "We're doing it."

The university forum

It was charged with electric anticipation. The auditorium was filled to the brim with students, hundreds of voices forming a distant hum. Banners draped from the walls: some were calling for change, while others simply bore the university crest.

They all blended in the crowd, their hoods pulled over their heads. Every movement, any unknown face, made them apprehensive-Zhang's men could be anywhere.

"Marco, are we live?" Joaquin whispered.

Marco adjusted the small hidden camera attached to his collar. "Live stream. Should anything happen, it will be worldwide."

Taking the stage, the professor tapped the mic. "Hello and good morning. We have assembled here today to dialogue about some issues that affect our society today. Our university stands on the side of truth, for justice."

The audience clapped. The pulse of Joaquin quickened. This was their moment.

Continuing the professor, "But before that, we have a student wanting to talk to all of you."

Joaquin stood. Lianhua squeezed his hand before he walked up toward the stage.

And now silence reigned in the room as he took the mic; hundreds of eyes bore into him.

He took a deep breath.

"My name is Joaquin Dela Cruz. I'm here to tell you the truth."

An immediate murmur went through the crowd. A few recognize him from the sullied footage; most whispered in bewilderment.

Joaquin doesn't falter. "Zhang Wei has ruled this city from the shadows for too long; he buys officials; silences journalists; and annihilates those who oppose him. But not anymore."

Marco pressed the button on his phone, and out came a clip of Zhang's bribes, hidden accounts, the missing journalist whose face was plastered on the auditorium's large screen. The crowd gasped.

"He thinks he owns this city, but this city belongs to the people. To you. We have the power to stand up. To fight."

Then chaos erupted.

The doors flew open. Armed men in dark suits flooded inside.

"It's Zhang's people!" somebody shouted.

Screams broke the silence under the auditorium roof. The audience scattered. Joaquin felt Lianhua grabbing his hand.

"Run!" she yelled.

Gunfire.

And they fled.

The Escape

Joaquin's legs burned as he sped down the halls of the university, dodging terrified students. Zhang's men were right behind them.

Marco wheezed, "We need to get out now."

Daniel pulled them toward the stairwell. "This way!"

Lianhua threw open the door to the rooftop. The two burst outside and were immediately met by the coolness of the air against their faces.

Joaquin turned on his heel. "We're trapped."

But security rushed down campus toward the student body, emboldened by what they had just seen, blockading Zhang's men from going any further.

Lianhua laughed. "They are fighting back."

Joaquin's heart soared; there were no fears left in the people.

Although they had escaped,

Marco pulled out the grappling hook from his backpack. "Rooftop to rooftop, hold on." They latched onto a cable and, one after the other, slid to the adjacent building. Below them, sirens were screaming, waking the city.

They were not alone any longer in this battle.

Zhang Strikes Back

That night, in the safe house, they all gathered to watch how the news exploded. The footage of the forum had gone viral; protests swept the city. Even some government officials had started distancing themselves from Zhang.

And then it came. A message came into view on the screen.

It was a video.

Zhang sat in a plush office, swirling a glass of wine. Behind him was a man tied to a chair-the journalist.

Alive.

Barely.

Zhang smirked.

"You think you can win?" His voice was cold. "You think the people will save you?"

He stood up, walking toward the bound man.

"Let me remind you who owns this city."

Then-a gunshot.

The screen turned black.

Silence.

Joaquin's hands trembled.

Lianhua turned away, shoulders shaking. Marco balled his fist. Daniel muttered an oafish curse under his breath.

Zhang was sending a message.

"This ends now," Joaquin whispered.

No more hiding. No more waiting.

Tomorrow, it would be time to retaliate against Zhang.

The next night, they assembled in a dark alley near Zhang's mansion.

"We hit fast; we get in, get the files, and expose everything. Once we do that, he's finished," Joaquin said.

Lianhua was loading her gun. "Let's finish it."

They moved like shadows, slipping past the guards and into the grand estate. Inside, chandeliers cast golden glow on the polished floors.

Marco hacked the system. "I'm in. Five minutes before backup kicks in."

They hurried to Zhang's office. Joaquin dug through the desk, finding the hard drives-the ledgers, the proof of everything.

Then-click.

A gun at his back.

Zhang.

Smirking.

"You should have run while you had the chance," he said.

Lianhua pivoted, gun aimed at Zhang.

Zhang's men flooded into the room.

It was a standoff.

Joaquin's heart thumped. "This city doesn't belong to you anymore, Zhang."

Zhang laughed. "We'll see about that."

And then, it was pandemonium.

Gunfire. Fighting. Shouting.

Joaquin lunged forward, fists flying at Zhang. They both crashed through the window and landed on the balcony.

Zhang pulled a knife and began swinging it. Joaquin ducked and countered again, landing another vicious punch.

Zhang staggered; blood poured from his mouth.

"This isn't over…" he gasped out.

Joaquin stood over him. "Yes, it is."

Sirens blared. The police rushed into the building-not Zhang's men, the real police. The people had won.

Joaquin retreated, declaring, "It's finished, Zhang."

Zhang's terrorizing reign had now come to an end.

A Bright New Dawn

Sunrise in the Henan, with serenity in the city.

Zhang was gone; the whole empire had crumbled into ruin.

Joaquin and the others stood on top of the university roof, watching the students march with their banners in hand. They had done it.

Lianhua smiled as she slipped her hand in Joaquin's.

"We made it," she said softly.

Joaquin let out a sigh, the burden finally off his shoulders.

"Yes," he replied. "We did."

And for the first time in a long while, he dared to hope.