Chapter Six: Disregard for Life

Indeed, this was a strange world. Once night fell, it was rare to see people venturing out; even on the streets, not a single shadow could be found, as if it were a city of the dead. People seemed to prefer staying inside their buildings, unwilling to step outside. Only the holographic screens suspended above the streets continued their endless chatter.

On the silent street, the clatter of high heels echoed far and wide—short, hurried taps. A woman with short white hair strode briskly across the avenue, her pace urgent.

JIN's black trench coat billowed in the night wind as he surveyed the excessively quiet surroundings, keeping close behind the white-haired woman. He watched her enter a circular modern building.

Inside, the architecture felt unnervingly silent. Corridors crisscrossed with no clear direction, the overhead lights standing quietly, and not a single sound disturbed the hush.

JIN pressed his lips together and drew a laser pistol from inside his coat, wary as he advanced, eyes scanning the area.

Ahead... something seemed to be there...

JIN slowed his steps, cautiously pressing against the wall, peering into the depths.

"Ladies and gentlemen, you've all become thoroughly acquainted with the rules of this planet, haven't you?" The woman with white hair stood quietly by the side, while at the central table sat an elderly man, setting aside his chess pieces, never once raising his head.

Her voice sounded almost synthetic, with a strange timbre, low and unsettling: "The world has become a vast chessboard, and our skillful play will bring us to victory, Jiang Wei leading us to our opportunity."

No sooner had she spoken than the old man replied: "The general's decisive move lies before us. We shall merge with this world! We will command life and death, and soon, the world will be in our hands."

With confidence, he lifted his gaze from the white candle before him and looked at those gathered around.

"Tonight, our brethren on this planet will assemble, and together we shall witness our triumph!"

As his words faded, a series of subtle tremors followed, yet everyone remained impassive, as if they had anticipated this moment all along.

Or perhaps, they had simply been waiting for it.

If one's gaze shifted outside the building, one would see a colossal cosmic being rising slowly among the skyscrapers, so immense that the towers barely reached its waist. With a low hum, the creature stretched its massive frame, twisting its neck lightly, its eyes sweeping over the surrounding architecture.

Immediately, the city's alarms rang out, and around the cosmic giant, clusters of green fire burned, causing one building after another to collapse and be destroyed in the emerald flames.

The cosmic being strode forward, unleashing green spheres of destructive energy from its hands, ravaging everything in its path. In this world, when night descended, people would usually remain in their rooms—most hidden within the buildings. When the green destructive fireballs arrived, not a single scream erupted; they were simply erased, utterly obliterated.

"A giant organism has appeared in the DELTA district."

On the holographic screen suspended in midair, the host's expression was unchanged, his tone as calm as if he were announcing something as ordinary as eating or drinking water.

"Nearby citizens, please evacuate quickly."

No governmental response, no measures taken—nothing at all, as if the disaster were happening somewhere else. The host concluded simply, "Citizens, please evacuate quickly," without a single extraneous word.

This catastrophic event was left entirely to the people to handle themselves, cold and utterly indifferent, as if life was nothing more than an insect in their eyes.

Yet the people seemed numb, accustomed to it. They showed no doubt or dissatisfaction toward the words spoken on the holographic screen. Likewise, they displayed no fear; a few who had just finished work continued walking home as usual, seemingly oblivious to the calamity unfolding in the city.

The people of this world were exceedingly strange. They appeared passionless toward everything around them, and utterly indifferent to life itself.

It was as if the arrival of disaster, the lives of others, even their own, were matters of little consequence.

The old man smiled as he delicately picked up a chess piece, saying, "The man over there, advance three squares. Please, come in."

JIN shifted slightly—he had been noticed.

No sooner had he activated his laser pistol than, upon turning around, two men in black appeared before him, cold and impassive. They pulled back their sleeves, revealing portable laser weapons strapped to their wrists, aimed directly at JIN.

These devices looked just like wristwatches; if one didn't pay attention, they would never notice them. Compared to the weapons of the DEUS organization, these were clearly far superior.

JIN twitched his lips and wisely lowered his pistol.

"You don't seem to be worried about your predicament..." The old man fiddled with his chess pieces, speaking softly to JIN as he was escorted in.

Above, the circular rooftop vanished in a faint green glow, and a massive spaceship slowly rose, detaching from the building and ascending into the sky.

K fired several laser shots at the ship, but the weapon was utterly powerless; the beams dispersed in midair before even reaching the vessel.

"Damn it!!!"

"So... was it you who erased my memories?" JIN asked calmly, facing the man.

"What are you talking about..." The middle-aged man's voice, for once, carried a hint of emotion. Then he continued, "But memories—what use are they to you Earthlings? Your government prefers you to stay obediently at home, caged birds. You numb yourselves with alcohol and exhaustion, lose your emotions under strict surveillance. You're cold, indifferent to everything, indifferent to your own lives."

"What need have such humans for those pitiful memories?"

JIN didn't heed his words. He simply closed his eyes, shook his head, annoyed, and said in a deep voice, "Who will tell me..."

"Who am I?!"

The man regarded him coldly. Within JIN, there was a power he deeply despised—a power that had allowed him to sense JIN lurking outside the door. He loathed such energy, as one long immersed in darkness would hate the light.

"That's what I want to ask. Who exactly are you?"