Vayunesh spoke with a grave expression, his voice low but certain."Almost everyone in this hall knows about the corruption festering in today's governments. It wouldn't be shocking if the GAC is directly involved in these games. After all, we live in a rotting world. People used to imagine 2050 as an age of miracles—futuristic tech, peace, and progress…"
Ryota finished his sentence with a bitter smile."Yet, here we are. Most regions of the world are drowning in poverty, and crime rates are off the charts. The only places that have even a glimpse of technology are the birthplaces and safe zones of the GAC's top officials. And even that tech is outdated—just leftover scraps from countries like Japan, the US, and others decades ago. The world hasn't evolved. It's regressed."
Vayunesh nodded."Exactly. Everyone in this hall is either a criminal, someone with a haunting past, or a person with high potential. No one here is... normal."
Ryota gave him a curious glance."Do you have a dark backstory too?"
Vayunesh shrugged, replying with surprising calmness,"Not that I recall. I never did anything worth calling a crime—not officially. But I've regularly been around criminals. There's a street near my house… pitch dark, rotten to the bone. I used to deal with people there—make trades, pass messages, sometimes do small jobs. But none of that was recorded. The GAC has no surveillance satellites or tracking tech in those areas."
Ryota nodded silently, taking in every word. Something about Vayunesh's casual tone made it clear—he wasn't hiding anything. And yet, something still felt… off.