Night fell over the Red Fort.
The ancient walls stood silent—
but inside…
two battles had begun.
I. The Decoding
Inside a secured chamber, Li Wen and Arun stood under bright lights.
The sword of Aurangzeb rested on the table between them.
Li Wen carefully traced the hidden Sanskrit engravings.
"It's clearer now," she said.
Arun adjusted the scanner.
"Read it."
Li Wen took a breath and began translating slowly.
"यः मां अन्विष्यति… सः मया प्रतीक्षितः।"
(Whoever seeks me… I have been waiting for him.)
Arun's eyes narrowed.
"It's a message."
Li Wen continued.
"नाहं उत्तरस्य… न दक्षिणस्य…"
(I am not in the North… nor in the South…)
She paused.
Then read further.
"न पश्चिमे… न पूर्वे स्थितः…"
(Not in the West… not standing in the East…)
Arun frowned.
"That makes no sense."
Li Wen leaned closer to the blade.
"There's more."
She continued reading.
"तथापि पूर्वेन संबद्धः अस्मि…"
(Yet I am connected to the East…)
Arun whispered.
"Connected… but not there."
Li Wen nodded.
Then read the final lines.
"भारते मां अन्विष्य…"
(Search for me in India…)
"वर्षानां प्रतीक्षां करोमि…"
(I have been waiting for years…)
The room fell silent.
Arun leaned back.
"So he's in India…"
"But not in North, South, East, or West?"
Li Wen looked at him.
"That means only one thing."
Arun's eyes widened.
"Center…"
Li Wen nodded slowly.
"Yes."
"The center of India."
II. The Assault
Outside the Red Fort—
dark vehicles stopped in the shadows.
Doors opened.
Dozens of armed men stepped out.
Then more.
And more.
Over a hundred.
Heavy weapons.
Machine guns.
Rocket launchers.
Professional assassins.
Their leader spoke quietly.
"Move."
They advanced toward the fort.
Inside—
Mark's voice came through the comms.
"Contact."
His team took positions instantly.
Weapons ready.
Bilal activated defensive systems.
"Shield active."
A faint energy barrier flickered across key entry points.
Mark's men opened fire first.
Gunshots echoed across the historic walls.
The assassins responded immediately.
Explosions lit up the night.
One of the attackers fired a rocket.
BOOM.
The outer gate shook violently.
Indian Army units rushed in.
"Hold positions!"
"Defend the perimeter!"
Bullets tore through the darkness.
Mark moved like a machine.
Precise.
Cold.
Every shot counted.
Inside the chamber—
Li Wen looked up.
"They're here."
Arun nodded.
"We don't have much time."
Li Wen looked back at the sword.
"Center of India…"
"But that's too large."
Arun shook his head.
"No."
"Not just geography."
He pointed at the Sanskrit text.
"This is symbolic."
Li Wen's eyes widened.
"The center…"
"Of something specific."
Outside—
another explosion rocked the fort.
Mark shouted—
"More incoming!"
Bilal activated mini missile systems.
Small guided missiles launched from hidden positions.
They struck advancing attackers with precision.
Inside—
Arun suddenly froze.
"I got it."
Li Wen looked at him.
"What?"
Arun spoke slowly.
"Not center of India…"
He pointed at the sword.
"Center of power."
Li Wen whispered.
"…Delhi."
Arun nodded.
"Yes."
"But where in Delhi?"
At that exact moment—
a massive explosion shook the Red Fort walls.
Part of the outer defense collapsed.
The assassins began pushing inside.
Mark's voice came through urgently—
"They're breaching!"
Li Wen stared at the sword.
Then her eyes widened.
"Wait…"
She turned it again under the light.
"There's one more line…"
Arun leaned closer.
"What does it say?"
Li Wen whispered—
"यत्र राजा निवसति…"
Arun translated instantly.
"Where the king resides…"
The room went silent.
Because they both realized the same thing.
And outside—
the assassins were seconds away from entering the fort.