Chapter 2 The Chosen Guests

The first thing Kawin noticed after the announcement ended was the silence. Not a single breath could be heard in the lobby, even with twelve people standing there.

No one spoke—not because they understood, but because no one knew what to ask first. The air felt colder, as if the temperature had suddenly dropped. Or maybe... it was something else entirely. A presence. Something unseen that stirred the moment the doors locked.

"Alright..." The woman in the red suit broke the silence, her voice deliberate. She stood up and walked slowly to the center of the round table, stopping where numbered markings had been engraved.

"As I mentioned earlier, I came here because I knew this wasn't just a typical grand opening of a new aquarium."

All eyes turned to her. She met their gazes one by one before continuing.

"This place was originally built for experimental purposes ten years ago. It vanished from all records after the research team mysteriously disappeared."

A young man in a delivery uniform scoffed. "Come on, lady! It's 2025! You're seriously still into conspiracy theories? What is this—Area 51? Ridiculous."

"Then explain the lack of phone signal, GPS, and the creepy announcements echoing through the speakers," she retorted.

He had no answer. Her words, as strange as they sounded, rang true.

An elderly woman, perhaps the gentlest in the group, softly spoke up. "Maybe... there's still time for us to escape."

Upon hearing her, the middle-aged man who looked like a motorbike taxi driver tried the door again—but it wouldn’t budge.

Kawin moved toward the hallway at the back of the lobby, the one that had recently opened. A long glass corridor led to a massive hall, lined with aquariums on either side. The underfloor lighting cast a strange glow into the tanks. There were no fish, but in one of the tanks, he was certain something was moving.

"Maybe... this isn't the first time someone’s been invited here," said a man who had been silent until now. He wore a cap, simple clothes, but his eyes were sharp—like someone hardened by life. Seeing the others glance at him curiously, he introduced himself.

"My name is Ith."

"What do you mean, Ith?" Arisa asked calmly.

"I once looked into this place. Five years ago, my sister disappeared. She said she was coming to a seminar about aquatic behavior and psychology—here."

Silence again.

Ith walked to one of the tanks, placing a hand gently near the glass without touching it.

"The project back then was called LUCID OCEAN, led by a researcher named... Dr. Metha."

A shoulder-length-haired woman who had remained quiet finally spoke. "If all of us were chosen to be here... it means someone wanted us to come."

"Yes. And you are...?"

"Praewa."

"Well, Ms. Praewa, you're right. Someone definitely brought us here."

"Then who?" she pressed.

"I don’t know," Ith admitted. "But whoever they are... they’re the host of this event. That much I’m certain of."

The others glanced around, hoping someone might offer an answer. But no one did.

Just then, the speaker crackled again. Static noise surged as if it had been listening.

"You are not guests. You are test subjects. The experiment will begin the moment the first person breaks any of the 13 rules. Be warned: breaking a rule is full acceptance of the consequences."

Thunk!

Everyone turned toward the sound. At the center of the round table, a glass panel lit up, revealing a glowing red display:

13 RULES

A blinking button below read ‘Acknowledge’.

Miki, the purple-haired teenage girl known as a famous YouTuber who explored mysterious places, raised her hand to press the button—but Kawin grabbed her arm just in time.

"Don’t!"

"Why not? It’s just a button."

"Did you not hear that even touching something could be counted as a violation?" Arisa cut in, her voice firm.

Miki frowned and stepped back, muttering, "I just wanted to see what the 13 rules were."

"Didn’t you listen to the announcement?"

"Ugh! Like anyone can remember all of that! Thirteen rules? If anyone here memorized them all, they’re not human."

Kawin sighed and approached the screen. The text changed from ‘Acknowledge’ to:

"Ready to Observe?"

He didn’t press it.

But someone else did.

He’s Boom. A man who had remained silent the whole time stepped forward and tapped the button without hesitation.

Click!

The speakers came to life again:

"RULE ONE: DO NOT TOUCH THE GLASS."

"Rule One: Do not touch the glass," Kawin repeated aloud, as if to reinforce the warning.

A nearby aquarium lit up. It was a tall, crystal-clear tank filled with glowing blue-green water.

No fish.

No visible life.

But something moved within.

"You have been chosen. Observe. Do not touch. Do not disturb. Some things... should never be touched twice."

The message ended. Silence returned. No one dared speak. No one moved.

Except Miki.

She raised her phone and took a quiet picture of the moving shadow inside the tank.

Snap!

She didn’t know it yet... but that moment would be the first violation.

And none of them had any idea what would come next.