Chapter 32: The city looked completely different at night.Streetlights illuminated empty roads.Most businesses had already closed.Cars moved occasionally through the streets.To anyone watching from a distance...Everything seemed normal.But Ethan knew better.The world was standing on the edge of something it couldn't see.He drove silently.Sophia sat beside him.For several minutes, neither spoke.Then Sophia broke the silence."You've been quiet.""I'm thinking.""About the Vault?""Partly.""And Marcus?""Mostly."Sophia looked out the window."You don't trust him.""No.""Do you trust the voice behind the door?"Ethan shook his head."No."Sophia smiled."Good."He looked at her."You agree with everything I say?""No.""Then why do you keep saying good?""Because you're finally learning not to trust everything you hear."Ethan laughed.

Chapter 34: Ethan didn't sleep. He spent the entire night sitting in the control room. The words continued repeating in his mind. Your mother never died. It was impossible. At least, that's what he had always believed. He remembered the funeral. The flowers. The black clothes. His father's tears. The photograph placed beside the coffin. He remembered being told that she had died from an illness. He had been too young to understand. But now... Everything was suddenly questionable. At six in the morning, Sophia found him. She didn't say anything at first. She simply placed a cup of coffee beside him. Ethan looked up. "You heard." Sophia nodded. "I heard." "What do you think?" She sat beside him. "I think we need evidence." Ethan looked toward the screen. "I know." "Not hope." "Not rumors." "Evidence." He nodded. "You're right." Sophia smiled. "You're learning." Ethan gave her a tired look. "You say that a lot." "Because it's true." Grace entered t

Ethan stared at the screen. "The man behind Marcus..." "That's Victor." Ethan immediately ran toward the entrance. Sophia followed. "Wait!" But he didn't stop. The outer doors opened. Cold air swept through the corridor. Outside, Marcus was already walking toward a black vehicle. Victor stood beside him. His hands weren't tied. He wasn't injured. He wasn't being dragged. He was walking willingly. Ethan shouted, "Victor!" Victor turned. For a moment, their eyes met. Something strange passed across Victor's face. Regret. Fear. Then he looked away. Marcus opened the vehicle door. Ethan rushed forward. "Stop!" Marcus turned calmly. "I wondered how long it would take you." Ethan stopped several meters away. "What is Victor doing with you?" Victor looked at him. "I can explain." "Then explain." Victor hesitated. Marcus looked at him. "Go ahead." Victor took a breath. "I'm not working for the Black Eclipse." Ethan fro

A huge purple circle had appeared beneath the city. And it was moving. Slowly... Directly toward them. Ethan stared at it. Then the System delivered one final message: RIFT DESTINATION UPDATED. TARGET: GUARDIAN SHELTER.Ethan then woke up abruptly.sweat poured on him like he was poured water then he looked at the window . Morning came quietly.Ethan woke up to a strange feeling.Something was different.He immediately sat up.The Guardian mark on his hand was glowing faintly.DING!RIFT LOCATION UPDATED.WARNING: DIMENSIONAL SHIFT DETECTED.Ethan quickly got dressed and stepped outside.The others were already gathering.Sophia stood near the edge of the shelter.She pointed toward the horizon."The Rift moved."Ethan stared.She was right.The enormou

Ethan stared through the window.Three black vehicles were moving toward the shelter.They weren't speeding.They didn't need to.Their slow, steady movement somehow made them even more frightening.Victor stood behind Ethan, his face pale."Who are they?"Ethan didn't respond.His eyes remained fixed on the vehicles.The System continued flashing inside his mind.DING!UNKNOWN SIGNATURE DETECTED.HOST LOCATION COMPROMISED.THREAT LEVEL: UNKNOWN.Ethan clenched his fist."I don't know what kind of danger this is."Victor looked at him."What are you going to do?""I don't know yet."Ethan turned away from the window.He opened the door.The moment he stepped outside, Sophia rushed toward him."Ethan! What happened?""Three vehicles are approaching."Sophia's expression changed."Whose?""We don't know."Marcus suddenly appeared from the other side of the shelter."Wha