Three months after radioactive steam shrouded the skies above Pripyat and erased Antonio Valdieri's shadow forever, the world did not suddenly become a paradise. On the contrary, the planet became a blank canvas contested by countless hands hungry to paint it red. In the vacuum left by global power, the Crimson Syndicate underwent a metamorphosis. They were no longer merely an underground guerrilla force. They had become the architects of a new order known as the "Great Family of the World."Venice, the city built upon thousands of wooden pillars, had been chosen as the shadow capital. There, within the lavishly restored Palazzo Ducale, luxury that challenged the passage of time gleamed beneath Murano chandeliers, their light reflecting across the crystal-clear waters of the canals.Leo Valdieri stood on a balcony overlooking the Grand Canal. Leo Ravelli's body now appeared far more mature. He had survived the explosion through an impossible twist of fate after his farewell broadcast.

The basement beneath the Palazzo Ducale no longer smelled of ancient mildew. Instead, the air carried the sharp scent of industrial cleaning chemicals and lingering gunpowder still clinging to Silas Vane's suit.At the center of the room, illuminated only by a single low-hanging halogen lamp, Fabrizio Valdieri sat bound to a heavy iron chair. The face that had once mirrored the glory days of the past was now ruined, blood caked at the corners of his mouth. Yet his eyes still burned with blind fanaticism.Leo Valdieri stood in the shadows, lazily twirling his carbon knife with a hypnotic motion. He had exchanged his tuxedo for a black tactical shirt with the sleeves rolled up, revealing the increasingly powerful physique of Leo Ravelli's body."You were always a terrible dreamer, Fabrizio."Leo's voice shattered the silence, cold and vibrating with oppressive authority."In seventy-four, you thought you could survive by jumping out of the car before it exploded. Now you think you can p

Westminster Tower groaned violently, a metallic wail that traveled from its stone foundations all the way to the summit of Big Ben's clock tower. The high-frequency vibrations triggered by Pico created a resonance that shook centuries-old dust loose from the massive gears above them. Hot steam burst from cracked pipes, reducing visibility to zero within the narrow, steep spiral staircase.Leo Valdieri gripped Lord Sterling's collar, dragging the old man up the stone steps with strength that should have been impossible for Leo Ravelli's body. Behind them, Silas Vane and Elena advanced with weapons ready, while Lich-One moved across the staircase ceiling like a shadow fused with darkness."Let me go, Valdieri!" Sterling coughed, his face flushed red from the steam and rising blood pressure. "You'll never be able to control that mechanism! It was designed to detect fear. If your hand trembles when you touch the cylinder, this tower will explode!"Leo stopped and spun Sterling around, sla