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Chapter 23: The Price of Power
last update2025-05-28 16:27:30

The city buzzed with restless energy, neon lights flickering like the pulse of a living organism. From his perch atop an old hotel rooftop, Alex Chen stared down at the glowing skyline. Every light below represented a person, a choice, a life—most of them unaware of the storm quietly brewing beneath their feet.

The Upgrade System interface hovered silently in his vision, waiting.

Status: Updated. New Module Installed.

Neural Sync Rate: 87%

Cognitive Processing Boost: 3.6x

Warning: Increased processing may cause dissociation. Monitor emotional baselines.

Alex closed the interface. He didn’t need another warning. He felt the consequences of the last upgrade already—the brief moments of confusion, the jarring disconnect from his own body. But what scared him more wasn’t the side effects.

It was how good the power felt.

He was no longer the man who flinched under pressure or second-guessed every decision. He made choices now—sharp, calculated, and efficient. But each day, a sliver of his
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