In an unknown location resembling a prison, a gloomy atmosphere prevails, and stormy winds howl through the place. Guards are stationed at every corner, watching everything cautiously, ready to fire at any moment. The tension is palpable, and security measures are strict.
Inside the prison, in an interrogation room, three men sit in an atmosphere heavy with tension. Two of them are observing the third man, who appears to have been subjected to brutal torture. His face is disfigured, his eyes unfocused, filled with despair and rage. His hands are bound, and marks from repeated injections cover his arms. His nerves and veins seem damaged. His body is emaciated due to malnutrition, yet, strangely, he exhibits a remarkable ability to recover quickly.
One of the interrogators speaks in a sharp voice: "For the last time... what is that strange energy that erupted from the pyramid? And what are your organization's plans? Cooperate with us, and we'll release you."
The restrained man focuses slightly, then glares at them with a deadly look, his rage boiling beneath his deformed features, making him seem like a merciless beast. He then responds in a cold voice:
"And for the last time, I tell you... I know nothing, and I'm not part of any organization. I'm just an ordinary man, like anyone else who watched the news and saw the moment the Grand Pyramid's energy extraction project was launched. But something went wrong, and that energy shot into space, colliding with an invisible barrier that suddenly became visible. The energy spread, gates appeared, and with them came sorcerers, shamans, and immortal trainees. Ask them—they surely know something."
The two men exchange quick glances, realizing his words contain nothing new. However, one of them speaks again in a threatening tone: "It seems you're still uncooperative, so we'll resort to all means necessary to make you talk... you alien creature!"
The restrained man clenches his teeth in fury. He is not naive—he knows this interrogation is merely a cover to justify the inhumane experiments conducted on superhumans.
One of the interrogators presses a button on the table before him, and a prison guard enters. The interrogator issues an order coldly: "Take him back to his cell."
The guard obeys, leading the man away. Once they leave, silence fills the room, leaving the two interrogators alone.
One of them sighs and asks the other: "Why all this? We know they are not part of an organization, and they don't even know each other. Their documents confirm it. They are not aliens either. So what's the point of this interrogation when we'll conduct experiments on them anyway? And why are we even doing this? Aren't they the heroes of this era? Shouldn't we see if they can enter the gates and be useful?"
The other smirks sarcastically: "You fool. We need to justify what we do. We have to document everything properly so it appears legal. As for them being heroes—that's useful for us. When we decide to release them, we can strike deals with them and present them to the public as heroes, ensuring we are not seen as villains. And if any of them tries to sue us, we'll justify our actions by claiming we were investigating a potential alien threat or a dangerous secret organization trying to destroy the world."
Then he chuckles darkly, adding: "Isn't that dirty politics? But what's even dirtier... is that people will believe it and be happy with it too!"
He then looks around cautiously, glancing left and right before leaning toward his colleague and lowering his voice: "As for why we're experimenting on them... I have a friend in a high government position. We were talking at a private party, and I asked him about this matter. He told me something alarming."
He pauses briefly before continuing seriously: "Because of the emergence of sorcerers, shamans, and immortal trainees, the world's great leaders have grown anxious about losing control. They fear their nations will become mere pawns in the hands of these superhumans and that they will lose their dominance over the world. When these superhumans appeared, the shock of the shamans and sorcerers was even greater than expected. It filled them with envy—how could these people wield this mysterious power while they remained powerless?"
He sighs before adding: "At first, the sorcerers, shamans, and immortal trainees believed only Egyptians could control this energy. But when superhumans from different nationalities emerged, their calculations changed entirely. These three major forces tried to uncover the secret of this energy at any cost, but two weeks passed with no progress. In desperation, they resorted to horrific means... they raped women who displayed superhuman abilities, killed many of them, and drained their life force in monstrous ways."
His colleague listens in shock but regains his composure to ask: "So... that's why we're conducting experiments? To find a way to harness the energy before the sorcerers, shamans, and immortal trainees do, or to create superhumans to fight them?"
The other nods: "Exactly. But despite everything, we've made no progress. Our technology isn't advanced enough to unravel their secrets. We can't even force them to enter the gates because we don't know what lies beyond. We fear the gates might make them stronger or grant them a means of retaliation. And the biggest issue... no one knows what's truly happening in the world right now because Egypt has disclosed no details and remains silent. This has driven the great powers into a frenzy, desperate for any shred of information."
His colleague falls silent for a moment before hesitantly asking: "Is it true that Egypt is taking in the missing superhumans? Are they protecting them? And why do they insist on saving the children specifically, not the superhumans themselves? Do they have a secret, or do they want to exploit the superhumans through their children?"
The other freezes in place before whispering cautiously: "Shut up! Don't say that out loud. No one knows if Egypt is truly behind it, but given their skill and precision, we assume they are. Moreover, Egypt's treatment of superhumans differs vastly from that of other nations. This has alarmed scientists and officials, which is why they started conducting horrific experiments even on the children of superhumans, under the pretext that they are the offspring of aliens or a dangerous organization seeking to destroy the world, making them a future threat."
His colleague stares at him in horror, prompting him to continue in a low voice: "Despite all the gruesome experiments on these superhuman children, we've found no evidence proving they are aliens or different from ordinary humans. However, their parents' speed, healing, strength, and mental capabilities... all hint at something strange. But the children? Nothing. They are just normal humans, and they die quickly under torture."
Then he adds: "I don't think Egypt is saving them for exploitation. If that were the case, they wouldn't launch secret rescue missions focusing only on the children of executed superhumans. We still don't understand the reason."
He falls silent for a moment before concluding: "But whatever the case, Egypt seems determined to rescue these children at any cost, even if it means raiding prisons or research labs."
Meanwhile, as the restrained man is led through dark, foul-smelling corridors, he walks slowly, feigning exhaustion, but he has heard every word spoken in the supposedly soundproof room. He whispers to himself a single word, carrying both hope and despair:
"Egypt..."
Memories flood his mind—his family, their happy moments, their ordinary daily struggles—before everything turned into a nightmare. He vividly recalls how his family was brutally murdered, how his wife was raped before his eyes by one of the immortal trainees. Yet amidst these dark memories, one face stands out... his only daughter's face, perhaps still alive.
His heart trembles at the thought that his daughter might have fallen into their hands, reduced to a mere lab rat. But he quickly shoves this fear aside. He must inform his fellow prisoners of what he has heard. They are weak, but he knows that unity and the hope of their children's survival are their only chance to escape.
As he trudges through the narrow corridor, his eyes gleam with a strange determination.
The unknown awaits, the future remains uncertain, and no one knows what the coming days will bring.
----
Over the past two weeks, many superhumans—along with their children and families—have been killed and tortured.
Some hid their powers and lived in disguise, while others fled to unknown places, or to Egypt, hoping to survive.
But they live in constant fear, anxious that they might be captured and their families slaughtered at any moment. It doesn't take long before each of them encounters strange individuals who appear before them as if they know their secret—their initial panic makes them think these are the forces hunting superhumans.
Yet, it soon becomes clear these newcomers are neither hunters nor allies. Suspicion lingers—could they be from Egypt? A flicker of hope emerges, mixed with wariness and dread. Still, they know anyone would be better than the government, the Shamans, the Immortal Apprentices, or the Mages.
But—
The wait doesn't last long. The third event has already begun
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The next stop: the third event... the most dangerous of all, the one that will change the world forever.
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"If you enjoyed this chapter, please share your thoughts! This one took me considerable time to prepare, so I genuinely want to hear your opinion.
What do you think of this new character and his daughter's fate? And what's your prediction about the third event?
[Author's Note]
Well, my dear reader, this note is for you. I've noticed the lack of comments and suspect there might be an issue—though I'm still figuring it out. So why not be the first to break the silence? Is there a problem with being first? Just relax, engage, and don't overthink it! Whether you're the first to comment or the last, I'd love to hear your honest thoughts."