Chapter 2: The First Mission

The door opened, and Samuel stood outside smiling at me as though he had never stabbed me to death in my previous life.

“Good morning, brother.”

I stared at the hand he extended toward me, the same hand I had trusted in my last life, and this time I wanted to break every finger on it.

“Are you going to let us in?” Michael asked from behind him.

I stepped aside without answering, and they entered my room as if they owned it, with Michael reaching immediately for my waist until I moved away and his hand stopped midair.

“What’s wrong, baby?”

I nearly laughed at the word, because it sounded so tender coming from a man who had watched me bleed. “Nothing, I just don’t feel like being touched.”

Samuel exchanged a quick glance with him. “Are you nervous about the wedding?”

“Very nervous,” I said, looking directly into his eyes. “After all, today is supposed to change my life forever.”

“Exactly,” Samuel replied with a smile, and I thought that yes, it had changed my life forever, because it had ended it.

I picked up my phone and discreetly activated the recording function, but Michael noticed and his eyes sharpened immediately.

“What are you doing?”

“Checking the time.”

“Give me your phone.”

I raised an eyebrow. “Why?”

He hesitated before forcing a laugh. “Because you’re always distracted by that thing, and we need to get you ready.”

In my previous life I would have handed it over without thinking, but now I slipped it into my pocket. “I’m fine.”

Samuel’s smile faded. “John, stop acting strangely, because we’re here only because we care about you.”

“Do you?”

The question escaped before I could stop it, and both men went silent as I walked toward the table and picked up a glass of water, using the moment to study them.

Samuel had his right hand tucked inside his jacket, and the system’s warning flashed through my mind again.

[WARNING: A VISITOR IS CARRYING A WEAPON.]

My eyes moved toward his jacket, and he noticed.

“Something wrong?”

“No,” I said, taking a sip of water, “I’m just wondering why you both came to see me together, so is there something you want to tell me?”

Michael’s expression hardened for a fraction of a second before he smiled. “We have a wedding gift for you.”

“How thoughtful.”

Samuel reached into his jacket, and I immediately stepped back, which made his hand stop where it was.

“What are you afraid of?” he asked.

“Nothing, I just remembered something important,” I said, pointing toward the bathroom. “I need to wash my face, so give me five minutes.”

Michael caught my wrist. “John, don’t be difficult.”

The moment he touched me, every memory of my death came rushing back, his face above mine and his cold voice telling me that loving me had never been part of the plan, and I pulled my hand away so sharply that he stumbled.

“Don’t touch me.”

Silence filled the room, and for the first time Samuel looked genuinely suspicious, because I had never spoken to Michael like that before.

“What has gotten into you?” Michael demanded.

I smiled. “Maybe I’m finally learning to protect myself.”

Before either man could respond, the system appeared in front of me.

[SIDE MISSION ACTIVATED.]

[OBJECTIVE: ESCAPE THE ROOM WITHOUT REVEALING THE SYSTEM.]

[REWARD: 5 ATTRIBUTE POINTS.]

[FAILURE: HOST’S IDENTITY WILL BE EXPOSED TO AN UNKNOWN ENTITY.]

I swallowed hard and wondered who else could possibly be watching me, but I forced myself to stay calm.

“Actually,” I said, picking up my suit jacket, “I want to take a walk before the ceremony, because I need some fresh air.”

Samuel immediately moved toward the door. “Let’s go together.”

Of course he wouldn’t let me out of his sight, so I pretended to consider it before shaking my head. “No, I want to be alone.”

Michael stepped closer. “We’re not letting you wander around on your wedding day.”

His words sounded protective but his eyes were cold, and I finally understood something about the two men standing before me, which was that they were not worried about my safety and were only worried about losing control of me.

I glanced toward the window, remembering that the hotel room was on the second floor, that the balcony connected to the neighbouring suite, and that I had seen a staircase near the service entrance earlier, which meant there was a way out if I could only make them look elsewhere.

“My stomach hurts,” I suddenly said.

Michael frowned. “What?”

“I think something I ate last night is making me sick.”

Samuel’s expression changed. “Are you serious?”

I bent forward, clutching my stomach. “Please, get me some water.”

Michael rushed toward the table and Samuel followed him, and that was my chance, so I slipped through the doorway and ran.

“JOHN!”

Samuel’s shout followed me into the corridor, but I didn’t stop, and I raced toward the service staircase with my heart pounding as footsteps thundered behind me, until I reached the ground floor, pushed through an emergency exit and stumbled into the hotel garden.

I had escaped, at least for now.

[SIDE MISSION COMPLETED.]

[REWARD: 5 ATTRIBUTE POINTS.]

[CURRENT ATTRIBUTE POINTS: 5.]

I leaned against the wall, trying to catch my breath, and then another notification appeared.

[FIRST SURVIVAL RECOMMENDATION: SECURE FOOD, WATER, MEDICAL SUPPLIES, AND A SAFE LOCATION BEFORE THE APOCALYPSE BEGINS.]

I stared at the message, understanding that I had seventy-two hours, or only three days, to prepare for the end of the world, but before I could think of my next move my phone vibrated with a message from an unknown number.

You shouldn’t have left the room, John.

My blood turned cold, and a second message appeared before I could breathe.

Your brother is angry.

Then came a third, and I stopped breathing altogether.

And I know about your system.

Nobody should have known and nobody could have known, unless something else was watching me from the shadows.

[EMERGENCY ALERT.]

[UNKNOWN PLAYER DETECTED.]

[THREAT LEVEL: UNASSESSABLE.]

I slowly turned toward the hotel entrance, where a tall man dressed in black stood beneath the awning watching me from across the garden, his silver-black hair stirring in the wind, and even from a distance I could feel his gaze fixed on me.

Then my system displayed a name.

[ADRIAN CROSS IDENTIFIED.]

[WARNING: THIS INDIVIDUAL MAY ALTER THE HOST’S DESTINY.]

Adrian lifted his head and smiled faintly, and I realised that my second life had barely begun and that someone already knew my secret.