Ethan stared at the screen.The woman holding Adrian’s watch stood inside the executive boardroom of Cole International. Behind her, security officers lay unconscious, while the company’s central systems displayed unfamiliar symbols.She looked directly into the camera.“Ethan Cole.”“Who are you?”The woman smiled.“You know me.”“I have never seen you.”“That is exactly what they wanted.”Adrian moved toward the screen.“Serena.”The woman’s expression changed.“You still remember me.”“Dad?”“Her name is Serena Vale.”“Why does she have your watch?”“Because I gave it to her.”Ethan stared at him.“You gave her the watch?”“Years ago.”Serena laughed softly.“You really should tell him everything.”Julian suddenly moved toward the control console.“No.”Ethan blocked him.“You’re not going anywhere.”Julian studied him.“It is about what your family created.”Serena interrupted.“Julian, stop pretending you are in control.”The system reacted.[Fourth Host confirmed.][Identity: Se

The corridor seemed to shrink around Ethan.He stared at the woman standing beside Julian, unable to understand what the system had just told him. She had Elena’s eyes, Elena’s posture, even the small silver pendant resting against her collar. Yet the system had identified Elena as his current mother while declaring the woman before him his biological mother.For twenty-four years, Ethan had believed his mother died.Then he discovered she was alive.Now he was being told that even the woman who raised him might not be his biological mother.Elena stepped forward.“Ethan, listen to me.”“Don’t.”His voice was controlled, but the pain beneath it was impossible to hide.“You told me you never abandoned me.”“I never did.”“Then why does the system say she is my biological mother?”The woman beside Julian lowered her head.Julian smiled faintly. “Because the system cannot lie about blood.”Adrian moved between Ethan and Julian. “You have manipulated enough of his life.”Julian’s expressi

The underground facility seemed to breathe around Ethan as he stepped through the open steel door. Behind him, Adrian, Elena, Mara, Alex, Ava, and Serena followed cautiously, while Julian remained several steps away, watching the corridor with an expression Ethan had never seen on him before: uncertainty.The voice from the darkness came again.“Welcome back, brother.”Ethan stopped.“Show yourself.”A man walked beneath the emergency lights.He was older than Ethan by several years, with the same dark eyes and a remarkably similar jawline. Yet there was something different about him. His movements were measured, almost unnaturally calm, as though he had already calculated every possible reaction.The system identified him immediately.[Subject E.C.-05 confirmed.][Relationship classification: Genetic sibling.][System authority: Controller.][Threat assessment: Catastrophic.]Ethan stared at him. “Who are you?”The man smiled. “My name is Noah Cole.”Adrian stepped forward. “Noah.”T

The warning appeared across Ethan’s vision immediately.[COUNTERMEASURE ACTIVATED.][Target: E.C.-01.][Estimated arrival: 09:42.][Threat level: Catastrophic.]The facility doors slammed shut, sealing everyone inside. Red emergency lights swept across the chamber as alarms began to sound. Ethan looked at Noah, expecting answers, but his brother was already studying the system display.“You know what that is,” Ethan said.Noah nodded. “The Council’s final weapon.”Julian stepped backward. “That cannot be possible. The countermeasure was destroyed.”“No,” Noah replied. “You destroyed the prototype. They kept the original.”Adrian moved toward Ethan. “We need to leave this facility.”“Why?”“Because if the countermeasure reaches you, it will not simply attack the system. It will attempt to overwrite it.”Ethan looked at the glowing network surrounding him. “Then we stop it here.”Adrian shook his head. “You don't understand. Your system has never faced anything like this.”Ethan gave hi

The elevator descended beneath the facility, carrying Ethan and the four hosts toward a truth that threatened everything he believed about himself.No one spoke.Only the elevator's hum and system notifications broke the silence.[Original creator identified.][Identity: Ethan Cole.][Historical authorization: Confirmed.][Original Core distance: 63 meters.][Phase Three synchronization: 4%.]Ethan stared at the final message.“My future self created the system.”Noah leaned against the elevator wall. “That is what it says.”Adrian looked troubled. “It may not mean what you think.”“I can't.”“You always say that when the truth becomes inconvenient.”Adrian accepted the accusation.Elena stepped closer. “Ethan, the system may be identifying your consciousness as the creator because the original architecture was built from your neural pattern.”“That still means I had something to do with it.”“Yes.”“Then why don't I remember?”“Because you asked us to make sure you didn't.”The eleva