The Interface activated at exactly 3:00 PM.
Just like before.
Text bloomed across Piter's vision.
[Welcome, Participant.]
[Scenario #1: Orientation]
[Difficulty: LowClear Condition: Follow the Instructions]
Piter snorted.
Low difficulty.
That was the first lie.
Outside, sirens wailed. Somewhere nearby, someone screamed. The world was waking up to the nightmare again.
Last time, Piter had trusted the tutorial.
Last time, he almost died in the first hour.
He stood and grabbed his jacket.
The Scenario zone was forming already. He could feel it. A pressure in the air, like gravity leaning sideways.
[Instruction 1: Remain Calm.]
People always failed that one.
Piter stepped out of his apartment and headed for the stairwell instead of the elevator.
Good.
The elevator would trap them.
Halfway down, a neighbor burst out of their door, eyes wide.
"Hey!" the man shouted. "Do you see this thing in the air?"
"Yes," Piter replied without stopping.
"What do we do?"
Piter paused, turned, and looked at him.
"Don't follow the instructions," he said.
The man blinked. "What?"
Piter continued down.
Behind him, the building shook.
[Instruction 2: Gather in Designated Safe Zones.]
The stairwell lights flickered.
Last time, the safe zone collapsed.
This time, Piter would not be there when it happened.
As he exited the building, the sky darkened.
A translucent barrier slammed down over the nearby plaza.
People screamed as they were pulled inside.
Piter stood just outside the edge.
He watched calmly as the first Scenario began.
And this time, he wasn't a participant.
He was an observer.