The morning fog clung to the city like a curtain, blurring the towers and streets beneath Dumas International. Marcus entered the boardroom, the weight of silence pressing against the polished mahogany table. The room smelled faintly of old leather and stale coffee, a reminder that power, once lost, leaves an emptiness even the richest cannot fill.
> [SYSTÈME: Mission Active]
Objective: Confront inner circle members – Gather intelligence without exposure
Hint: "The closest allies often hide the deepest lies."
Reward: Insight skill (Level 1)
Marcus's eyes swept the room. Paul Dumas sat at the far end, smirking, unaware that Marcus had already decrypted his network of collusion. A few other board members shuffled papers nervously, their gazes flicking to him. The SYSTÈME pulsed in his mind, highlighting subtle micro-expressions: tension, guilt, suppressed anger.
He approached the head of the table, his voice measured but calm:
— Good morning. I trust everyone is ready to discuss the current situation?
Paul leaned back, clearly trying to mask his unease:
— Marcus, I see you've decided to grace us with your presence. Shall we call it a surprise visit, or a miracle recovery?
Marcus's lips curved into a faint, controlled smile.
— Let's call it… an opportunity.
The room tensed. Every micro-expression flagged by the SYSTÈME confirmed what he had suspected: alliances were fragile, and deceit ran deep. Marcus activated his new skill. A faint pulse of awareness swept through him; subtle cues, body language, even the slightest twitch of an eye revealed the truth behind every polite word.
> [SYSTÈME: Skill Activated]
Insight (Level 1) – Micro-expression reading enabled
He turned to the other members, voice steady:
— I've reviewed the recent financials, the transfers, and communications. There are discrepancies. I'd like to hear your explanations — calmly, without deflection.
A board member cleared his throat, stammering:
— W-we… we followed the procedures. Everything was… authorized.
Marcus's eyes didn't leave him. The SYSTÈME highlighted subtle guilt — 74% probability.
— Authorized, you say? And yet, the funds moved to Helix International. Correct?
Silence. Paul's jaw tightened, and the others shifted in their chairs. Marcus allowed the tension to build, a calculated pause.
— You see, the first rule of this game is simple: observe before you strike. And I have been observing.
A smirk crossed Paul's face, forced and brittle:
— You're playing dangerous games, Marcus. You have no idea what you're up against.
Marcus leaned forward slightly, his gaze cold and precise:
— I know enough to see who betrayed this company and who protected it. And soon, everyone will know.
The boardroom seemed to shrink under his scrutiny. The micro-expressions screamed the truth: fear, loyalty, deceit. Every word they spoke was now transparent to him.
> [Mission Update]
Secondary Mission: Confirm loyalty and collusion of inner circle
Reward: Insight skill upgraded (Level 2)
Marcus turned toward the SYSTÈME, speaking quietly, almost to himself:
— Everyone in this room will reveal their intentions, whether they realize it or not.
The room remained silent, but the subtle shifts in posture, the tightening of hands around documents, the fleeting glances exchanged — all were signs he read like an open book. Marcus knew the first confrontation was successful: he had exposed the cracks in the inner circle without a single overt accusation.
> [Mission Accomplished: "Boardroom Shadows"]
Reward: Insight skill upgraded (Level 2)
New Objective: Trace chain of betrayal – Identify key conspirators
Outside, the fog lifted slowly, revealing the city below. Marcus remained seated for a moment, his mind assembling the pieces: Paul's arrogance, Claire's cautious compliance, Lucie's potential loyalty, and Rafe's technical prowess. The network was forming, threads connecting friends, enemies, and traitors alike.
The game had entered a new phase. The first strike in the boardroom had revealed much, but the real battle was just beginning. Marcus leaned back, a faint smile on his lips:
— Let them think they're safe. They'll learn soon enough that shadows never lie.
> Countdown: 361 days remaining