The streets of Hollowpoint stretched endlessly, broken and silent, neon flickering in fractured rhythms. The eight survivors moved cautiously, eyes scanning every alley and overturned vehicle. Dust and mist clung to every surface, and the city pulsed with the hum of hidden systems, alive with unseen threats.
Kai led the group, rifle steady, hatchet at his waist, crossbow slung across his back. Clara followed, scanning above and below, silent and precise. The four rescued survivors—Jade, Rico, Mina, and Torik—moved close, wary, exhausted, but trusting Kai's instincts.
"Stay alert," Kai murmured. "The Director doesn't just want us to survive. He wants to control the path we take."
A sudden shimmer on his HUD caught his eye. A fragmented signal, faint and distorted, pulsed across the network interface.
Ghost signal detected. Source: unknown.
Kai froze. He recognized the pattern instantly—Elara. Her final message, corrupted but still carrying purpose.
Not all doors are physical. Follow the static between worlds. —E
Clara glanced at him, eyes wide. "She's still alive?"
Kai nodded. "She's guiding us, but this… this is risky. Every signal could be a trap, but it's our only lead to the exit point."
The group moved as one, weaving through hollowed-out streets and glitching intersections. The city itself seemed to resist them—sidewalks buckled, neon lights flickered into darkness, and the distant hum of corrupted data reverberated through the walls.
They reached the remains of Hollowpoint Central Train Station, its skeletal structure looming like a monument of ruin. Broken ticket machines and shattered platforms stretched beneath dangling wires, and sparks leapt from fractured consoles.
Clara dropped to her knees at a control terminal, fingers flying over the damaged interface, bypassing corrupted code. Kai kept watch, scanning rooftops and alleyways, crossbow ready.
A sudden surge of rogue data anomalies attacked, warping participants from corrupted code. Some of the survivors and other wandering participants were caught in the chaos. Kai fired through his admin-empowered rifle, code-infused bullets piercing rogue data, neutralizing the threat. Still, some were lost—cries echoed as bodies glitched and vanished.
The four rescued survivors—Jade, Rico, Mina, and Torik—were saved, but the carnage left a grim toll. By the time they had reached the station's deeper platforms, only 154 participants remained from the initial Hollowpoint incursion.
The console flickered violently, and for a fleeting moment, Elara's face appeared through static—pale, exhausted, eyes burning with determination.
"Kai—Clara—listen. Real exit point… beneath Hollowpoint Central Train Station. Deep underground. I've left the coordinates encrypted. You'll need admin privileges to access it fully… but the Director knows you're close."
The console sparked and died, leaving only a faint pulse on the HUD. The message was gone, but the command and location were etched into Kai's mind.
Kai exhaled, gripping his rifle and hatchet. "Central Train Station. Deep underground. That's our path. We move—now."
Clara nodded, adjusting her rifle. "Every step counts. One mistake and…"
Kai cut her off with a sharp look. "No mistakes. We finish this together."
The eight survivors pressed onward, following faint ghost signals along the fractured platforms. The station groaned around them, neon reflections distorting across shattered glass and puddles. Ghost signals pulsed faintly along the tracks, guiding them deeper into Hollowpoint's core.
Every corner hid danger. Every shadow concealed death. But for the first time since leaving Havenbrook, Kai held a tool, a plan, and a small group who could survive it with him. Hollowpoint was dangerous, but the exit point was real—and they had a chance.
[Day 26 – 17 Days Remaining – 154 Participants Alive]
End of Chapter 11