Chapter 268: The world is...

"The murders have not yet been identified, but we suspect that..."

"There is currently a legal dispute over who gets to be the next CEO..."

"What is AL-TECH’s future going to look like?"

Blake stared at the screen, his thumb continuing to press the button on the remote.

Another channel, another news broadcast, another discussion about Alfred Hicth’s death.

Every single channel seemed to be covering the same thing. Some focused on the investigation, others on the future of AL-TECH, and a few speculated about the identities of the people responsible (which were all more or less wrong).

Occasionally, Sylvan Nada’s name appeared alongside Alfred’s, but the attention surrounding his death was considerably less.

Blake let out an exasperated sigh and dropped the remote onto the sofa.

’Can’t there be anything else on TV? Seriously, I can’t distract myself from this.’

He leaned back, staring blankly at the ceiling.

And for those same two days, Blake had practically been left alone in the underground base.

Everyone had disappeared to God knew where. Alexis and Zlatan had their own matters to attend to, Estelle and Tania was presumably occupied with whatever they had been planning. Myles had been busy, too, though he had made sure Blake wasn’t entirely forgotten.

Blake hadn’t forgotten the promise Myles had made him, either.

He had promised to explain everything.

The thought brought Blake’s attention back to the present. With another heavy sigh, he pushed himself off the sofa and headed towards the kitchen to prepare something to eat.

He had barely taken a few steps when a familiar window appeared in front of him.

[ Loading... ]

Blake stopped.

[ Loading... ]

His head snapped up, his brows drawing together.

[ Loading... ]

For several seconds, the words remained suspended in front of him.

Then, finally, the window changed.

Blake stared at it.

’It’s back.’

A strange mixture of relief and irritation settled over him. He had spent the past two days wondering whether Spoon had disappeared for good, yet now that it had returned, he wasn’t particularly sure he wanted to deal with it.

Still, he wasn’t about to waste this opportunity.

He turned around and walked straight towards his room. He entered, closed the door behind him, and stood in the middle of the room, watching the translucent interface hovering before his eyes.

"Spoon?"

[ Greetings, Dear Host. ]

Blake rubbed his forehead and let out a long, weary sigh.

Of course.

After disappearing without so much as an explanation, causing huge, irredeemable problems, Spoon had returned with the same infuriatingly polite greeting as always.

Blake wasn’t particularly surprised, he had already learned that trying to get a straight answer out of the system was often a futile exercise.

Still, there was something he wanted to check.

"Spoon, check favorability level."

[ Yes, Dear Host. ]

[ Cost: 50 coins ]

[ Purchase: Accepted ]

[ Favorability level: 79 → 89 ]

[ Favorability 80 → 3500 coins ]

[ Unlocked: Independence Level 2 ]

[ New rules: ]

[ 1. Unlimited Non-Essential Mission Rejections: The monthly cap of three rejected optional missions is removed. The Host may now reject all non-essential or optional missions at will. Additionally, the System will allow the Host to postpone one mandatory mission per month for up to 48 hours without incurring failure penalties. ]

[ 2. Expanded Freedom of Speech: Restrictions on speech are further relaxed. The Host may now speak freely about non-mandatory missions and discuss related objectives with third parties, provided the fundamental existence, origin, and deep mechanics of the System remain unrevealed. ]

[ 3. Enhanced Penalty Immunity: The allowance for ignored penalties increases from three to six, and now includes immunity to mid-tier system feedback shocks, standard stamina drains, and psychological suppression waves. ]

Blake read through the information in silence not one, but two times.

Then he tilted his head slightly.

’Okay, basically nothing much changed...’

He folded his arms, considering the new rules.

’I’d say that the only beneficial one is the second. Spoon barely gives me missions now, anyway.’

The first rule was hardly revolutionary. He already had little interest in accepting optional missions, and the opportunity to postpone a mandatory one was useful only if Spoon decided to give him more trouble.

The third sounded impressive on paper, but Blake wasn’t particularly eager to find out how much punishment the system could inflict before the new protections became necessary.

That left the second.

At least now he could discuss certain matters with other people without having to worry as much about the restrictions. It wasn’t complete freedom, certainly, but it was something.

Blake sighed heavily and crossed his arms more tightly.

"Spoon, will I ever be able to have an honest conversation with you?"

The response appeared almost immediately.

[ Dear Host, that can only happen at the very end. ]

Blake raised an eyebrow.

He hadn’t genuinely expected a serious answer, but that response was specific enough to make him pause.

"The very end, huh?"

He tilted his head back slightly before looking at the interface again.

"Is that so? Whenever I succeed or not, I can ask you anything and you’ll reply?"

[ Yes, Dear Host. ]

Blake stared at the words. Then he rolled his eyes.

"Right. Sure."

Quite frankly, he didn’t believe it.

He had heard enough vague promises and half-answers from Spoon to know better than to place too much faith in anything it said. If the system claimed that he would receive every answer he wanted at the end of everything, then there was probably a catch somewhere.

With nothing else to gain from the conversation, Blake dismissed the interface and left his room.

He still needed to make something to eat.

As he walked towards the kitchen, however, his thoughts drifted back to the two people he least wanted to think about.

Anthony and Asher.

Blake slowed his steps.

What was he supposed to do the next time he saw them?

He couldn’t exactly approach them as though nothing had happened. Nor could he offer his condolences without feeling like a complete hypocrite.

After all, he had been involved in both deaths.

Alfred’s death had been part of the plan, and while Blake hadn’t been the one to kill him, he was there to help and make it happen at all costs. Sylvan’s death, on the other hand, was entirely different, since that one belonged to him.

Blake pressed his lips together.

’What am I even supposed to say to him? Will I even be able to look at him in the eye? I’m not particularly ashamed, but it feels weird...’

He didn’t have an answer.

In either case, whatever he did, it wouldn’t bring Sylvan back, nor would it undo what Asher had witnessed.

In the end, he made himself a sandwich, returned to the living room, and settled onto the sofa. He took a bite, hoping that the familiar taste would help him concentrate on something other than the events of the past few days.

It didn’t help much, but at least it gave him something to do.

He was halfway through his sandwich when the elevator doors opened.

Blake glanced over his shoulder.

Myles stepped out.

"Oh."

Blake lifted a hand and waved at him, his cheeks still full of food.

’Finally I’m not alone anymore... lately, he has been lost in thought much more than usual.’

Myles returned the gesture and walked over, taking a seat beside him on the sofa. He looked somewhat tired, and there was a seriousness in his expression that Blake immediately noticed.

For a moment, neither of them spoke. Then Myles turned towards him.

"We have time. I’ll tell you now."

Blake’s eyes widened. He immediately began coughing.

"W-what?"

He hurriedly swallowed his food, wiped his mouth, and looked at Myles in disbelief.

Myles waited until he had finished before answering.

"My plan," he clarified. "I’ll tell you about it."

Blake stared at him for another second. Then, slowly, he nodded.

"Okay."

Myles lowered his gaze to his hands. He seemed to be gathering his thoughts, choosing his words with unusual care. After a moment, he looked up again and shifted closer to Blake.

"The reason why we had to kill Alfred Hicth was so that their plans couldn’t proceed."

Blake’s expression grew serious.

He placed the remaining half of his sandwich on the table and turned towards Myles, giving him his full attention.

Until now, Myles had only offered fragments of explanations, but finally he promised to tell Blake the actual entirety of it. Blake’s patient definitely paid back. All those times he didn’t press, they were for this moment.

Especially now, after everything that had happened at the port, he needed to understand what they had truly been fighting against.

Myles continued.

"The reason why all of this is inevitable isn’t because of AL-TECH alone..."

He paused.

Blake watched him carefully, waiting for him to finish. Myles’s expression had changed, the familiar softness he usually showed Blake was still there, but beneath it lay something much colder.

Then he looked Blake directly in the eyes.

"This world is reaching its end, even right at this moment."