The capital city, in a sealed room that no outsider could ever find, housed the headquarters of a classified government organization.
"Captain, we've detected a high-priority data request. Target identifier: LCT-CLH-0." The voice came from a young operator seated before a bank of glowing monitors.
"Level Black?" The man addressed as Captain a stern-looking officer in full military uniform, his epaulets bearing four golden six-pointed stars raised an eyebrow. "Can you trace the source of that request?"
"Yes, sir. The request originated from... the National Operations Bureau."
The captain frowned. "The Operations Bureau? What would they want with that file?" On paper, their departments had nothing to do with each other. But an uneasy suspicion clawed its way into his mind.
Wait. Could it be…
A jolt of realization ran through him, and his gut tightened. He quickly snatched up his secure phone and opened the live feed of the Destiny Battle stream. On the screen, the face that appeared was one he knew all too well.
"Damn it. Of all the people in nineteen billion… why her?" A prickling sensation spread across his scalp.
"Captain, should we send over her real file?" the operator asked hesitantly, unsure if they were about to cross a line.
The question sent the captain into a momentary silence. He knew the gravity of the situation. The Destiny Battle determined the fate of nations, and right now, the public needed hope. But disclosure was dangerous. Protecting this person's identity wasn't just a rule it was an obligation.
"Not yet," he said at last.
As he spoke, his thoughts churned.
I'd better escalate this to command. Let them decide.
"What about the decoy file, sir? Should I send that?" the operator ventured.
"Absolutely not." The captain's tone was sharp. "You've read that one, haven't you? If we hand that over, we'll have a full-blown crisis on our hands."
To protect the true identity of this classified individual, two layers of fake records had been crafted. The first was deliberately sloppy to bait anyone sniffing around. The second looked real, designed to mislead even skilled infiltrators. That second layer was dangerous enough that releasing it now would cause chaos.
"Then what's our move?" the operator asked.
The captain exhaled slowly. "Stall."
The fake file couldn't be released, the real one required higher authorization. For now, all they could do was buy time.
"But sir, we can't stall forever—"
"We don't need forever. Just interfere with the system, make it look like a technical glitch. That should hold them for now." He clapped the young man's shoulder, giving him silent permission to act, before turning toward his secure line.
The brass will prioritize this. No doubt about it.
Inside the Operations Bureau, tension was rising.
The Director and Deputy Director stood behind the operators, staring at a progress bar crawling forward at an agonizing pace.
"What's going on? Why is the system so slow? Someone get the tech team on this. Now."
"Yes, sir!"
The Director's jaw tightened as he watched the blank screen. First, the chosen candidate refused to make contact. Now the system was glitching? Was the universe conspiring against him?
But there was nothing for it. They could only wait as the system slogged through its identity check.
Not just the Bureau the live-stream audience was waiting too.
After each contestant was teleported into the arena, they were given ten minutes to adapt. During this grace period, a protective dome, no larger than a single room, enclosed them. Time outside was frozen.
Some contestants would sit down to rest. Others checked their gear or scanned their surroundings.
For the commentators, these ten minutes were a lifeline a chance to analyze the terrain, speculate on strategies, fill dead air. But today, with nothing but endless forest on-screen, there wasn't much to work with. After tossing out a few generic survival tips, they shifted the topic toward the contestant herself.
Host Skyler frowned, puzzled. By now, the contestant's profile should have been released. That was how it always went. Why was it taking so long?
Is there an error in the system? He kept that thought to himself. The chat was exploding with questions, so he decided to steer the conversation toward the guests.
"Professor Marsh, you're an expert in survival strategy. Based on what little we've seen of the terrain, what's your first impression?" Skyler turned to the gray-haired man beside him, then paused mid-sentence. "Professor… why are you standing up?"
"Nothing serious. Just sitting too long." Marsh kept his face neutral.
Skyler blinked. This was a man who'd filmed half a dozen wilderness shows. Under that tailored suit was a body honed like an athlete's. A stiff chair wasn't about to give him trouble.
Ah. He's redirecting the audience's attention. A real veteran move.
Marsh cleared his throat and spoke with practiced ease. "From what we've gathered so far, the environment appears to be a vast forest. In real-world conditions, you'd need to guard against venomous snakes, insects, and other hazards. As for challenges… with the Bureau's support, whether through supplies or guidance, they'll be manageable."
By the time he wrapped up his stream of generic advice, he'd bought them a solid minute. He sat back down and caught Skyler's grateful glance, which left him a little baffled.
If only Skyler knew the truth. Marsh hadn't stood to save the show. He'd stood because that face on-screen had scared the living daylights out of him.
Teacher… why are YOU in the Destiny Battle? These viewers have no clue who they're looking at. If they did if her identity weren't top-secret they'd be speechless.
As the chat scrolled with speculation, Marsh found himself almost eager for the big reveal. Almost. Because right now, he couldn't say a word.
Skyler turned to his other guest. "General Lane, what's your take on the situation?"
Lane was silent for a long moment, his brows furrowed. "Hard to say."
"Oh? Even with your insight?" Skyler raised an eyebrow, intrigued.
"Yes," Lane said simply. "Her microexpressions, her movements they tell me nothing. Which means… this contestant is no ordinary person."
The chat erupted.
"No way! Even General Lane can't read her? Does that mean she has special abilities?"
"General Lane cleared the third Destiny Battle himself. If he says it, it's true!"
"Holy crap. Did we just hit the jackpot this season?"
"Wait, I'm confused. Is it General Lane or Colonel Lane? What's his actual rank?"
"His name's Lane, rank is Major General. Got it?"
"Respect."