Chapter 13 · Zero Trial

"Move, Zero. Now," Reign snapped, his hand clamping onto my shoulder and shoving me backward.

I didn't have time to argue. The air in the corridor suddenly curdled, shimmering with that sick, neon-green haze that meant the System was rewriting the local physics. A massive, translucent screen slammed into existence across the hallway, blocking our exit.

[TRIAL INITIATED: SURVIVAL VERIFICATION] [OBJECTIVE: ELIMINATE THE TARGET] [TIME LIMIT: 05:00]

"What the hell is this?" I yelled, staring at the floating text. "A verification? I'm already verified as trash!"

Reign didn't laugh. He didn't even blink. He stepped in front of me, his broad frame cutting off the view of the screen. His voice was a low, dangerous vibration. "Stay behind me. Don't touch anything, and for the love of whatever's left of this city, keep your mouth shut."

"I can help!" I snapped, trying to peer around his arm. "I know how to scavenge, I can—"

"You're a Level Zero, Jett," he interrupted, his tone cold and flat. "In this game, that means you're a liability. You don't 'help.' You survive by not getting in the way."

He didn't just say it; he radiated it. The sheer weight of his presence—