2025 – Delhi outskirts, early morning
Arnav jolted awake, his heart pounding like a war drum. The vision from last night—those strange blue glyphs, that voice, the alien interface—still lingered in his mind like an afterimage burned into his brain.
He blinked, but it was still there.
💠 [Shadow Codex Interface Online]
Neural Sync: 76%
Current Mission: Seize control of local criminal power structures within 30 days
Time Remaining: [29 Days 12 Hours 16 Minutes]
Penalty: Neural link dissolution (Lethal)
Arnav clutched his head. "This… this can't be real."
Beside him, Manav snored like a broken motorbike, and Saurabh was still face-down in the tent. Their little adventure trip near the Aravalli Hills had turned into something else—something deadly.
Arnav stood up, feeling dizzy, as if something was coursing through his veins—not adrenaline… data. He looked down at his hands and felt the digital heartbeat pulsing under his skin. He wasn't normal anymore.
⸻
Inside the Home – 3 days later
Back in Delhi, he stood before the dusty, half-broken iron gate of his inherited home. A lone tubelight flickered like a dying star. Inside, mold crept up the corners of the walls, the air reeked of abandonment, and rats owned the kitchen.
But now he saw it differently.
💠 [Codex Interface Syncing… Local Data Nodes Detected]
Delhi Criminal Network Scans Initiated…
Scanning Slums… Local Gang Identified: "Khilonewale"
Threat Level: D-
Known Crimes: Drug distribution, petty extortion, child trafficking
Objective: Eliminate or Assimilate
Reward: 1% Codex Expansion + Underworld Index Boost
A name appeared on screen: "Raju Bhau" – Local enforcer, small-time king in the slums, feared for acid attacks and organ trade.
Arnav gritted his teeth. "Raju Bhau… I'll start with you."
⸻
Nightfall – Slum Block D
It wasn't hard to find him. Slums whispered everything when money or fear danced in the air. Arnav wore a hoodie, blended into the shadows, and approached the back of an illegal betting den where "Raju Bhau" ran his midnight operations.
💠 [Codex Suggestion: Direct Confrontation Not Advised]
Alternate Strategy Unlocked: Black Mirror Hack v0.3
Capable of disabling electronics, jamming comms, or seeding digital fear
Range: 15 meters
Energy: 80%
He looked at his reflection in a broken mirror near the den.
"I'm just a student. What the hell am I doing…"
But deep down, something else spoke.
💠 [Technocratic Instinct Engaged]
He walked forward. Cool. Calculated. Silent.
⸻
10 Minutes Later
Chaos exploded inside the den.
Phones buzzed uncontrollably, speakers screamed random voices—some in languages no one knew. Security cams melted into digital snow. Panic spread like virus.
Then… power outage.
And Arnav walked in.
Raju Bhau stood, half-drunk, confused. "Aye! Tu kaun hai be?"
Blue holograms flashed in Arnav's eyes.
💠 [Command Protocol: Fear Injection Active]
All the screens flashed Arnav's silhouette, his eyes glowing cyber-blue, his voice modulated:
"You live in my city now. And you're using my data."
💠 [Local Network Control: 89%]
Outcome: Gang members scattered, Bhau surrendered under psychological duress
Underworld Influence Index: +5
Delhi Control: 0.1%
Codex Expansion: 4%
⸻
Back Home – Midnight
Arnav sat in his cracked office chair, breath heavy, heart louder than before.
He had done it.
He had taken down his first local gang leader—not with muscle or guns—but with fear, tech, and a system not of this world.
He looked at his screen.
💠 [Title: Shadow Candidate — Initiated]
Next Mission: Infiltrate or destroy "Data Maw"—a cybercrime syndicate fronting as a call center.
Timer: [7 Days]
Status: Now being watched by unknown eyes…
Arnav smirked for the first time.
"Let the underworld know… the ghost in the machine just woke up."