The top floor of the Wayless Corporation headquarters was stark and utilitarian.There were no decorations—just a plain, gray expanse.It was a sight he had seen hundreds, perhaps thousands of times before,and yet it felt strangely unfamiliar now.Perhaps because this time, the space was clean—no corpses, no blood.Or maybe because of the line of men in black suits standing at attention around him.Or perhaps it was the presence of the intact security androids that made him uneasy.At the center of the room,a young man wearing glasses stepped forward with a calm gait,then settled himself back onto the edge of a hospital bed.“Come closer.”So this is Gale Wayless…Gale Wayless—the man, not the mutant.The sight of him left a strong impression.His voice was young, yet beneath it lay the metallic rasp of fatigue and pain—the kind that made him sound more like an old man than his youthful appearance suggested.“I heard most of your conversation earlier,” Gale said, his tone light but edged. “Quite the interesting story.”He hesitated briefly,then set down the coffee cup on the bedside table with a slightly trembling hand.“Eavesdropping isn’t exactly my hobby, but I was in a bit of a rush.”“I understand completely,” the visitor replied.If this were the Middle Ages, Gale Wayless would be the undisputed king of this city.Knowing that, even his flimsy excuses felt less like deception and more like modesty.Still, aside from all those impressions—how should he answer?And before that, could he even obtain Gale’s master key with a “satisfactory” answer?Unlikely.No—closer to impossible.The master key was power itself, a device that controlled the city’s core systems.It was, in essence, the crown of King Gale.And kings did not hand over their crowns to uninvited guests.But retreat wasn’t an option.To survive, he needed that master key.So he hid it—the fact that he was after it at all.“I imagine you must be curious,” he said carefully.“Very much so,” Gale replied with a thin smile, offering him the coffee.As he accepted it, Gale’s expression deepened.“It’s good coffee,” he said.A surprising gesture of goodwill from a man unaccustomed to unexpected guests.Not a bad way to steady the nerves.Sip.A quiet chuckle escaped Gale.“You drank it without hesitation.”“…”“So, would it be safe to assume that your symptoms aren’t contagious?”The question made him flinch.He suddenly felt as though he were standing before something old and cunning.And instinct told him—this was a test.Still, he answered plainly.“Yes.”For now.“The fact that you can say that so casually,” Gale continued,“suggests that you already have a fair understanding of your condition.”With just a few questions, he had already seen through so much.It was clear now—this wouldn’t be easy.He could feel it.This man was dangerous.“Does this make you uncomfortable?”“No.”“You answered knowing what I meant?”“No.”“You’re a poor liar,” Gale said, smiling again.“Please understand,” he went on,“I’ve lived a long time. Seen too much. Trusting people—it’s not as simple as it sounds.”That pleasant, almost gentle smile—it felt like a mask.Silence followed, thick and heavy.Time itself seemed to slow.Thankfully, it didn’t last long.“I want to hear your thoughts,” Gale finally said. “Why do you think all of this happened?”The question made him glance instinctively at the clock on the wall.It was already 1:30.“In a hurry?” °• N 𝑜 v 𝑒 l i g h t •° Gale asked, seeing the glance.The irony of the situation made it impossible to answer right away.And before he could—Ding!【Encounter Triggered】【Uninvited Guest】[You have entered the top floor of Waylis Corporation Headquarters. Obtaining what you desire will not be easy.][(Subdue)][(Persuade)][(Deceive)][(Give up and converse leisurely) – Stress –10]A main encounter—a turning point.None of the options felt simple.Second Encounter.The choices: Force, Persuasion, Deception, or Surrender.Normally, taking the master key by force would seem the easiest path.But now… that was clearly no longer the case.Not because of morality or conscience—but because of what stood in plain sight.The androids.Combat-type androids—four of them—stood silently near Gale Wayless,each one assigned to protect the company’s supreme executive.He knew their capabilities well.When raiding the Wayless HQ in the game,the remains of these androids were always top-tier loot—even in pieces, their components could upgrade an existing android several levels higher.Each one was a powerhouse on its own.The human bodyguards, by comparison, were little more than background noise.In fact, one of these machines could likely overpower the entire security team combined.And those human guards—they didn’t even have firearms.He remembered that detail vividly from the game:even when you searched their mutated corpses, not a single gun dropped.At the time, he had admired that detail.It was painfully realistic.No real corporation would allow armed guards near its CEO inside its own headquarters.The moment a gun was turned, an ally could become the deadliest threat of all.So in-game, the Wayless security team had always been unarmed—a touch of realism that added weight to the world.But androids were different.Machines didn’t betray their masters.If he tried to take the master key by force,those androids would draw their weapons and shred him without hesitation.Fighting them bare-handed would be suicide, plain and simple.At the very least, he’d need serious equipment to stand a chance.Even aside from that—even if he could somehow disable the androids,he’d still need to keep Gale alive.Preferably on friendly terms.Because in truth, Gale Wayless wasn’t just a corporate magnate.He was the architect of the city itself—the most brilliant engineer in the world.Designing those battle androids was nothing more than a hobby to him.If even half the rumors about his talent were true,then most named survivors wouldn’t even be worth mentioning in comparison.He was a monster among men.Which brought him back to the starting point.“He wanted to know my opinion about what caused all this,” he thought.Then he began to piece together what Gale truly wanted to hear.Gale Wayless is dying. He knows it.What he wants… is survival.Survival.He had revealed himself only after hearing someone claim to know how to suppress the symptoms.But if Gale wouldn’t willingly hand over the master key—He had no choice but to think of a way to both save Gale and secure the master key at the same time.First things first—what about the security team?His instincts as an experienced player whispered:Now was not the time for persuasion.It was the time for deception.The outline of a plan began to take shape.“I’ve been studying this kind of phenomenon for a long time,” he began.“Are you affiliated with any research group?” Gale asked, eyes narrowing slightly. “Pommell? Gears? No—if it’s related to NH-03, then perhaps Weizen Pharmaceuticals?”“I wasn’t affiliated with anyone,” he replied calmly. “There wasn’t exactly a research facility willing to take on such a… controversial field.”“Ha… that’s unfortunate,” Gale said. “So you did all that research out of… duty?”“Yes. I couldn’t deny that NH-03 was a human triumph—but I also believed it carried severe side effects.”He paused, taking a slow, steadying breath.“But… even if I told you what I discovered, I doubt you’d believe me.”“I’ll decide that after hearing it,” Gale replied evenly.“In that case, could you have your guards stand down first?”Silence.Gale smiled wryly, as though amused by the request.“Ha… is there a reason I should?”He couldn’t back down now. This was one of the crucial steps.“There is. You don’t need them anyway—you have androids, don’t you?”“…True enough. Very well.”After a brief hesitation, Gale gestured with his hand.It was a display of confidence—faith in his own creations.Berg, one of the head guards, gave the androids a sharp glance before bowing.“I’ll step outside for now.”First condition—fulfilled.Naturally, the security team was of no use in acquiring the master key.They were obstacles, nothing more.Besides, if he was going to save Gale, there was only one method.A shortcut—an unconventional one.And in this situation, there was only one person he could realistically save.If he shared that method with the others—guards who were already on the verge of mutation—things could spiral quickly out of control.If only one could survive, who knew what choices desperate people might make?He may have paused in thought for too long,for Gale was now quietly wiping his glasses on his sleeve, waiting patiently.He began explaining—simply, succinctly.There was no need to overcomplicate it.“A massive solar flare—an unprecedented coronal explosion—collided with Earth’s magnetic field.”“Mm.”“The resulting electromagnetic pulse spread across an enormous area. But something unexpected happened—an anomaly. Along with the EMP came a unique, unidentified waveform.”“When that waveform interacts with humans who have been injected with NH-03, it triggers… issues. The same symptoms we’re seeing now.”His eyes drifted naturally toward Gale Wayless.The man’s trembling hand.The bloodshot whites of his eyes.The sweat beading on his brow, unnoticed.All unmistakable signs.“So you’re saying you knew this through your research?” Gale asked slowly.“While experimenting on lab rats injected with NH-03, I discovered a few rare subjects that exhibited identical symptoms,” he replied.“And those symptoms… matched mine exactly?”“Yes.”“Ha-ha…” Gale suddenly chuckled softly—not out of disbelief, but as though he found the entire situation oddly entertaining.“So, you claim to know how this condition ends.”“Yes.”“Then tell me.”He could feel the weight of the question.In that moment, Gale Wayless might as well have been a condemned man standing before the guillotine.The answer came, cold and dry.“Mutation.”A flicker crossed Gale’s eyes.“They turn into mutants—creatures of indiscriminate aggression.”“Heh…” Gale exhaled a dry laugh, his mind already working.He was calm—almost too calm.The silence that followed felt longer than it was.“What’s your name?” Gale asked suddenly.The answer came a beat late.“…Kyle Han.”“Kyle… Even if that’s not your real name, I suppose it doesn’t matter now.”The faint smile had faded from Gale’s face.Only an ambiguous expression remained.“Kyle. If what you say is true, becoming one of these mutants… is that the same as dying?”“I can’t say for certain that it’s biological death,” he said softly. “But the person loses their sense of self. You could say they become… like zombies.”“Losing oneself is no different from death,” Gale murmured.For the first time, his voice trembled.A small change—but a meaningful one.“I didn’t take NH-03 because I wanted to be young again,” Gale said.“I took it… because I wanted to live.”“…”“If everything you’ve said is true, then I deeply regret that choice.”“Do you believe me?”Gale slowly shook his head.“Not entirely. Or rather… I don’t want to believe you.”But his next words betrayed the truth beneath the denial.“Still, I’m not in a position to gamble—not when I hold so much responsibility.”He’s not convinced yet.“Then let’s get to the heart of it,” Gale said.“…?”“Kyle.”“Yes?”“Let’s remain friends.”He met Kyle’s gaze with unsettling seriousness.“Don’t try to deceive me with half-truths. Just explain it properly—and we’ll stay friends.”“…Is that how I seem to you?” Kyle asked quietly.“Why did you come to find me, Kyle? For what purpose? I saw what happened at the entrance—you’re no ordinary researcher.”In Gale’s sharp, unwavering stare, there was something almost omniscient—as if he could see straight through every lie.But since Kyle had already decided to deceive him,his answer was already chosen.“To save you.”“To save me?”“This outbreak won’t end with the mutants.”Gale’s eyebrows rose slightly. “Go on.”“If the humans injected with NH-03 become mutants,” Kyle explained,“that won’t be the end of it. Those attacked by the mutants—if they survive—will likely become infected as well. And if that happens…”“Wait. Didn’t you just say this condition isn’t contagious?”“It isn’t—not yet. And you haven’t shared saliva with me, nor have you bitten me, have you?”“…You mean to say this could evolve into an actual zombie virus?”“Something very close to it.”Gale fell silent, his expression vacant with deep thought.Kyle’s eyes flicked toward the clock.“At the very least,” he said softly, “if you stay alive, humanity still has a chance to rebuild.”The words that followed carried only half the truth—but all the conviction he could muster.“…That’s quite a comforting thing to hear,” Gale murmured.

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