Kael couldn't sleep.
Even with the door locked and the curtains shut, his thoughts kept racing. The card. The mysterious man. The words on the app: Danger Rating – High.
It all felt like a test—but one where failure meant more than just losing points. It could mean losing everything.
His phone buzzed again.
> Side Quest Reminder:
Find out who the Watchers are.
Time Limit: 48 hours.
Watchers... That man from earlier hinted at something bigger—people watching, judging. The system wasn't random. It was organized. Controlled. And whoever ran it had just marked Kael as a "candidate."
He opened the app and navigated to the quest tab. There was now a glowing icon beside the Side Quest—something he hadn't seen before.
> Clue 1 Unlocked: Head to the subway station at 3 AM. Look for the symbol.
Kael checked the time: 2:17 AM.
He sighed, grabbed his hoodie again, and stepped into the cool night. The streets were emptier now, quieter. Granis City felt like it was holding its breath. Like something was waiting.
By the time he reached the subway, only the buzz of old lights and the rumble of distant trains filled the air. He moved down the stairs and scanned the walls.
There.
Tucked behind a maintenance door, barely visible under peeling posters, was the same triangle-and-eye symbol from the card.
Kael hesitated, then pushed the door open.
It creaked, revealing a narrow hallway lit by flickering red bulbs. The air smelled like oil and dust. Graffiti covered the walls, most of it unreadable—except for one message scrawled in black:
> "Not everyone who joins survives."
Kael walked carefully. His phone buzzed again.
> Clue 2 Unlocked: Speak to the man in the red cap. Ask for 'Midnight Files.'
He followed the hallway until it opened into a hidden part of the station. A man sat on a bench near an old vending machine, reading a book. He wore a red cap, just like the message said.
Kael approached. "I'm looking for the Midnight Files."
The man didn't look up. "You new?"
Kael nodded.
The man chuckled. "They're picking young ones now, huh? Brave or stupid. Not sure which."
He reached into his bag and handed Kael a small USB drive. "This has the basics. But be careful. Once you know, you can't un-know. And the Watchers… they don't like curiosity."
Kael took the drive. "Who are they?"
The man looked at him then—really looked. "They're the ones behind the curtain. The ones who control the system. You complete missions? They watch. You fail? They intervene."
Kael left quickly, heart pounding, and returned to his apartment.
Plugging in the drive, a folder appeared: "The Midnight Files."
He clicked it open. Documents. Photos. Maps of the city marked with red zones. And videos—clips of people being followed, watched… disappearing.
His phone buzzed again:
> Side Quest Complete.
Reward: +1 Awareness, $100.
New Ability: System Sense – You can feel when something or someone is linked to the Life System.
Kael leaned back, overwhelmed. This wasn't just a game anymore. It was a war.
And he had just been drafted.
---
End of Chapter 4