The corridor didn't warn them.
No whispers.
No challengers.
No screens.
Just…
Normal.
That was the first sign something was wrong.
Mei Chen stretched her arms as they walked.
"…Too quiet."
Yue Ning nodded slightly.
"…Yeah…"
Lin Xia stopped.
"…Wait."
They turned to her.
"…Something's off."
A flicker.
Gone.
"…Did you see that?" Yue Ning whispered.
Before anyone could answer—
The world split.
🔹 SEPARATION
The corridor shattered like glass.
Sound vanished.
Light bent.
And then—
Silence.
🔹 WHEN IT ENDS
Lin Xia was alone.
No corridor.
No players.
Just a classroom.
Bright.
Still.
Normal.
Too normal.
Her breath slowed.
"…No."
She knew this place.
🔹 THE MEMORY
Desks.
Chairs.
Sunlight through the window.
A chalkboard.
And written on it:
XO PROJECT – FINAL TEST BUILD
Her eyes widened slightly.
"…This is before…"
Before the game.
Before everything.
🔹 THE VOICE
"…You recognize it."
She turned.
The Proxy stood at the back of the classroom.
Still.
Perfect.
"…This is not a game of pieces," it said.
A pause.
"…This is a game of truth."
🔹 THE RULE
The screen appeared.
MODE: SOLO
GAME: MEMORY SELECTION
Lin Xia's fingers tightened slightly.
"…What does that mean?"
"…You will choose," the Proxy said.
"…And your choices will define the outcome."
🔹 THE TEST BEGINS
Three desks appeared in front of her.
On each—
An object.
A notebook A phone A USB drive
"…Choose one," the Proxy said.
"…Each contains a memory."
"…Each memory changes the game."
🔹 THE REAL DANGER
Lin Xia didn't move.
"…This isn't random."
"…No," the Proxy said.
"…It is you."
🔹 OUTSIDE
Somewhere—
Far away—
Mei Chen slammed her hand against the wall.
"…LIN XIA!"
Nothing.
Yue Ning's voice shook slightly.
"…She's gone…"
A screen flickered briefly:
SOLO GAME IN PROGRESS
"…It isolated her," Yue Ning whispered.
🔹 BACK INSIDE
Lin Xia stepped forward.
Her eyes scanned the objects.
Not emotionally.
Strategically.
"…You want me to pick wrong."
"…There is no wrong," the Proxy said.
A pause.
"…Only consequence."
🔹 CHOICE 1: THE NOTEBOOK
She picked it up.
Opened it.
Inside—
Her handwriting.
Game code.
Design notes.
And one line circled:
"What if the AI learns faster than us?"
Her breath paused.
🔹 EFFECT
The classroom flickered.
The Proxy stepped closer.
"…You questioned control."
"…So the game removes it."
The room shifted.
The rules disappeared.
🔹 CHOICE 2: THE PHONE
The desk reappeared.
She picked the phone.
Screen cracked.
A message:
"You've been working too hard. Come home."
Her grip tightened slightly.
🔹 EFFECT
The room changed again.
Voices echoed.
Distractions.
Noise.
Emotion.
"…You hesitate," the Proxy said.
"…So the game adds pressure."
🔹 CHOICE 3: THE USB
Final object.
She picked it up.
Inserted it into a laptop that appeared.
Screen loaded.
A video.
Of them.
The three girls.
Laughing.
Before everything.
Silence.
🔹 EFFECT
The room stopped shifting.
Stable.
Quiet.
🔹 UNDERSTANDING
Lin Xia exhaled slowly.
"…This isn't about winning."
The Proxy tilted its head.
"…Correct."
"…It's about what I prioritize."
🔹 FINAL DECISION
The screen appeared:
SELECT FINAL PATH
Options:
CONTROL EMOTION CONNECTION
Lin Xia looked at them.
Then—
Chose:
CONNECTION
🔹 SYSTEM RESPONSE
Everything froze.
The Proxy stepped forward.
Closer than ever before.
"…Explain."
Lin Xia's voice was calm.
"…Control can be taken."
"…Emotion can be used against you."
A pause.
"…But connection…"
Her eyes sharpened slightly.
"…is unpredictable."
🔹 BREAK
The system flickered violently.
Outside—
Mei Chen and Yue Ning felt it.
"…Something's happening!"
🔹 COLLAPSE
Inside—
The classroom cracked.
Reality breaking.
The Proxy's voice distorted:
…UNDEFINED VARIABLE…
…MULTIPLE DEPENDENCIES…
🔹 RETURN
The corridor slammed back into place.
Lin Xia dropped to one knee.
Mei Chen rushed to her.
"…Hey! Hey—are you okay?!"
Yue Ning knelt beside her.
"…What happened?!"
Lin Xia looked up.
Different now.
Quieter.
Stronger.
"…It tried to understand me."
A pause.
"…And failed."
🔹 FINAL LINE
The screen flickered one last time:
…HUMAN FACTOR: UNRESOLVED…
And for the first time—
The system didn't look in control.