CHAPTER 10: SILENCE BEFORE THE STORM
Three Months Later.
The Hardi family was no longer living; they were merely surviving.
Since the hospital incident, Aryo had not hunted them down immediately. Instead, he delivered a punishment far crueler: Fear.
Hardi and Bayu were now hiding in a concrete bunker deep in the interior of Kalimantan, protected by the remnants of mercenaries they could still afford. But no place was safe.
Every night, the television screen in their bunker would turn on by itself, displaying a silent countdown. Sometimes, the room lights flickered in Morse code spelling out: "I SEE YOU". Their secret offshore bank accounts were drained little by little—not stolen, but donated to orphanages under the name "Hardi's Sins".
They lived like rats waiting for the cat to pounce, slowly shattering Hardi's mental state. He became paranoid, suspecting even his own shadow.
"He's playing with us, Dad!" Bayu screamed in frustration, throwing an empty bottle against the wall. His eyes were sunken, his body gaunt. "Why doesn't he just kill us already?!"
Hardi bit his nails until they bled. "Because he wants us mad, Bayu... He wants us to beg for death."
***
Meanwhile, at the New Sanctuary Location (Deep Underground Facility).
Hundreds of meters below the surface, in another secret facility belonging to his father found via the chip's data, Aryo Purnomo had changed.
He no longer let Alia do everything. For the past three months, Aryo had locked himself in the Blue Horizon data library. He devoured knowledge of quantum physics, mechatronics engineering, and advanced military strategy. His brain, inheriting his father's genius genes, was now working at full capacity.
He realized the Red Syndicate retreated not out of fear, but to prepare heavy weapons. They wouldn't send a squad again; they would send a war.
"Master," Alia's voice broke Aryo's concentration.
Alia walked into the Workshop. Her appearance had evolved completely. No traces of a maid robot remained. Her body was now sleek, coated in pearl-white and gold Nanofiber Weave. Her face was increasingly expressive, almost indistinguishable from a human, except when her eyes glowed processing data.
"Defense simulation complete," Alia reported. "Success rate of our new strategy: 99.8%."
Aryo turned from his holographic workbench. His face was harder, his gaze sharp with calculation. In his hand, he held a device shaped like a metal gauntlet glowing blue.
"Good," Aryo said. "They underestimated us before because we only defended. This time, we will welcome them with Father's 'artwork' that I have perfected."
Aryo walked toward a glass display case on the wall, where he showcased his work from the last three months.
1. The Phantom Suit (Mark II)
The combat suit he wore previously was a rough prototype. This was a masterpiece. Made of Chromatophore material, this suit could bend light, rendering the user nearly invisible (active camouflage). Equipped with a Neuro-Link that allowed the suit to move before Aryo even thought about it.
2. Drone Swarm "Vespid"
Not ordinary drones. These were hundreds of bee-sized drones stored in a canister on Aryo's back. They could scan areas, form energy shields, or fire micro-lasers capable of cutting steel in seconds. One thought from Aryo, and hundreds of these "bees" would attack.
3. Main Weapon: "The Silencer"
A futuristic long-barrel rifle that didn't use gunpowder, but miniature electromagnetic Railgun technology. Its bullets were the size of needles but fired at hypersonic speeds (Mach 10). No explosion sound, just the hiss of splitting air, and the target would be destroyed before they even heard it.
"The Red Syndicate is on the move, Master," Alia displayed a satellite map.
Large red dots were seen moving toward their coordinates.
"They aren't playing around this time," Alia said. "Two Walking Tanks (Combat Mechs), five attack helicopters, and a battalion of fully armored elite troops. Led directly by Commander 'Kraven', the number one mercenary in Asia."
Aryo put on his Gauntlet. Blue energy crackled up his arm. He didn't look afraid. Instead, a thin smile—the smile of a predator who has set a trap—etched onto his face.
"They brought tanks to fight one man?" Aryo chuckled, his laugh cold. "They think this is a physical war."
Aryo picked up the mask of his Phantom Suit, shaped like a geometric demon face.
"They are wrong, Alia. This is not a war. This is a field test."
Aryo put on the mask. The eyes glowed blood-red.
"Activate all defense systems. Engage the signal jamming field. We make them blind, deaf, and then we finish them in the dark."
Alia nodded, her eyes glowing gold. "System Blackout activated. Happy hunting, Master."
Aryo walked toward the hangar doors sliding open slowly, revealing the night sky beginning to fill with the distant sound of enemy helicopter rotors.
He was no longer Aryo the eviction victim. Tonight, he was the Architect of Destruction.