6:00 AM – Global Esports News Feed
BREAKING: Ji Corporation AI Exposure Sends Shockwaves Across the Competitive Gaming World"Anonymous audio leaked from inside LuTech confirms plans to replace rising star Shen Wanqing with an AI clone. Ji Corp denies claims, but Shadow Match beta is suspended. Fan protests erupt across forums. Investigations underway."
On every screen, Shen Wanqing's name burned bright, not as a rising player, but as the girl who stood up to a machine.
LuTech Compound – Temporary Player Quarters
Reign scrolled through the trending hashtags:
#WeAreNotCode
#JusticeForQing
#StopJiCorp
Across the room, Wanqing sat at the edge of her bed, hoodie sleeves pulled over her hands.
He walked over and gently set a steaming cup of milk tea beside her.
"Vanilla and oat... like you take it."
She looked up.
Her eyes were tired. But proud.
"I didn't expect people to care."
"They don't just care." He sat beside her. "They believe you."
Wanqing blinked. "Even after everything?"
Reign shrugged. "You're not the one hiding behind a voice simulation."
They sat in silence for a moment, the kind of silence that spoke volumes.
She turned slightly. "When did you believe in me?"
He smiled, just faintly.
"When you took down a billion-dollar corporation in under two minutes."
Ji Corporation – Crisis Room
Madam Ji stood motionless, hands clasped behind her back, as chaos unfolded.
"Damage control?" she asked coldly.
An assistant replied, trembling, "The AI servers are being hit by denial-of-service attacks. The clone model has been memed online as 'FakeQing.' Investors are pulling out."
She sighed.
"Then initiate Phase 2."
Everyone froze.
"But… you said Phase 2 was experimental."
She smiled.
"We've lost the public. Now we take the game."
Reign's Flashback – Age 17
Lu Zeyan once sat in a boardroom, young and raw, as executives told him to sell his name to an AI product.
He remembered what they said:
"You're good. But you're replaceable. Our data is better than your instincts."
That day, he walked away.
Today, he realized… so had she.
Training Room – Later That Evening
The training arena was quiet, cleared after the beta's collapse.
Wanqing loaded into a 1v1 custom lobby. Reign joined.
"Why now?" he asked as the countdown ticked.
"Because tomorrow, they'll come for us both."
They trained. Sparred. Died. Revived. Laughed.
And somewhere in between kills and callouts, silence fell again.
Reign stopped moving. His avatar just stood there.
"You saved your name."
Wanqing lowered her mouse. "I didn't do it alone."
He walked toward her in real life.
No screens. No headsets. No war room.
Just him.
Just her.
A breath. A pause.
Then, finally... a soft, steady kiss.
No fire. No drama.
Just real.
Final Scene – Ji Corp Hidden Server
Deep underground, a new program booted up.
PHASE 2 INITIATED: PROJECT CHIMERAGOAL: Full neural integration of real and AI player behavior.
And at the bottom of the screen, a glowing title appeared:
"TARGET: LU ZEYAN + SHEN WANQING"