As he descended the stairs, Noah found himself facing a group of about thirty people. However, something about them felt off. Unlike most of the people he had seen in this pce, these individuals did not have that lifeless, vacant stare. Their expressions were sharper, more alert. They didn't look like mindless drones but rather like people still in control of their own thoughts.

  For a moment, he wondered if there was some kind of filter. Maybe only the most capable managed to keep their sanity after receiving the EVO-Link. But he didn't have time to reflect further—someone was approaching him.

  "Hey there, kid. I'm David. You're one of the few who came down. It'll be a pleasure working with you."

  The voice belonged to a man who looked to be in his mid-forties. He had a solid build, a bck beard streaked with gray, and a receding hairline that left his short hair sparse. His tone was friendly, but his sharp gaze radiated experience.

  Noah blinked, caught off guard. "Work together?" What exactly did he mean by that? He barely understood what he was doing in this pce. He had come down purely on instinct, as if his body had moved on its own.

  "Yeah, that's right," David chuckled. "You didn't read the details, did you? And yet you came down without hesitation? Haha, you've got guts, kid. We'll be working for Xavier Musk... though, to be honest, I have no idea what that actually means."

  Noah gnced around, analyzing the group. Most of them were adults with sturdy, battle-worn bodies, standing with practiced confidence. Warriors, soldiers—people accustomed to hardship and combat. He, on the other hand, felt out of pce among them.

  But among the younger faces, one stood out. A familiar one.

  An old cssmate.

  A cold sweat ran down Noah's back. Just seeing him made his chest tighten, but he decided to ignore it. He had no reason to talk to him.

  "Noah! You think you can just say that and walk away like nothing happened?"

  The voice came from behind him. Raspy, intense, irritating.

  Tirso.

  Noah closed his eyes for a second. He didn't need to turn around. He already knew Tirso had followed him.

  "Look, Ryker, I don't know what's gotten into you, but you've convinced me. I'll join this group too."

  Tirso pointed at him as he spoke, his tone both aggressive and mocking. The others in the room turned to watch, sensing tension. An awkward silence followed, broken only when David stepped in.

  "Hey, man, rex. No need to start anything. Ryker seems like a good guy. Let's not make a scene."

  But before Tirso could respond, the other young man—Noah's old cssmate—spoke up.

  "If you came here to whine or pick a fight, do it somewhere else."

  His voice was cold, commanding.

  David quickly moved between them, trying to diffuse the situation.

  "Alright, Max, let's all take a breath. No need for drama."

  Noah avoided looking at him, but it was too te.

  Max had already recognized him.

  Max was around Noah's age, but his presence was overwhelming. He had long bck hair tied in a low ponytail, with loose strands framing his face. His dark, sharp eyes carried an intensity that made it difficult to meet his gaze. His expression was always calm, yet there was something dangerous about him. A thin scar cut across one of his eyebrows, adding to his intimidating aura.

  Noah felt a knot tighten in his stomach. He hadn't expected to run into him here.

  But before he could process it, a loudspeaker crackled to life, and an unmistakable voice echoed through the room.

  "My subjects. You have chosen to come down here, and with that, you have committed to working for me. Your first task will be to take care of my mistakes."

  Silence fell over the room.

  "You see, the first test subjects for the EVO-Link... lost control. When they realized they had evolved beyond humanity, they thought of themselves as gods. They decided evolution should be stopped and rebelled. They sughtered many of my people."

  His words were precise, calcuted.

  "Now, they hunt the political leaders who help me distribute the EVO-Link. They assassinate them without mercy.

  That is why, my subjects, your mission will be to protect these leaders."

  The cold, logical way Xavier spoke didn't sit right with Noah.

  Why was he using untrained civilians for such a dangerous job? Why not actual soldiers, elite guards, professionals?

  None of it made sense.

  But Noah wasn't the kind of person to ask too many questions. He never had been. He simply went with the flow.

  The speakers cut out, and the room burst into motion.

  It was then that Noah noticed something.

  On both sides of the hall, there were rge metal doors with numbers etched above them. The numbers didn't follow any logical sequence. One door was marked 108, while the one next to it had 13.

  Then he remembered his own number.

  87.

  The same number that had been imprinted on his leg.

  How had they known who would make it this far?

  "Hey, my door's over here," someone muttered, snapping him out of his thoughts.

  People started moving toward their assigned rooms. In less than five minutes, only three of them remained outside: Noah, Tirso, and a girl.

  She had short brown hair, piercing green eyes, and a focused, almost unnerving expression.

  Noah stared at her.

  There was something... different about her.

  "Hey, I've been talking to you for a minute. Are you gonna answer me or what? Or do you hate me that much?"

  Tirso. Again.

  Noah ignored him.

  "Are you an idiot or something?! Look at me when I'm talking to you!"

  And without warning, Tirso threw a punch.

  The impact sent Noah to the ground. His forehead burned. He reached up, touching his skin—blood.

  "Now I've got your attention, don't I, Ryker?"

  Noah didn't understand. That punch had been too strong. He felt like he was about to bck out.

  Am I really this weak?

  Something inside him snapped.

  Without thinking, he shot up and instinctively swung back. His fist connected squarely with Tirso's jaw.

  Tirso staggered. His lip split open, and a thin trickle of blood ran down his chin.

  His eyes burned with rage.

  "AAAHHH! I'M GONNA FUCKING KILL YOU, RYKER! GET READY TO DIE!"