Kyle Walker stood before a large glowing building, its neon lights flickering against the dark night sky. The structure loomed over him like some kind of futuristic monolith, pulsing with a soft, eerie blue hue. It looked like some sort of gaming company, one of those high-tech corporations that had sprung up everywhere in the past few years. He let out a deep sigh, his breath visible in the cold night air.
"This is my only hope," he muttered under his breath.
With that, he checked his watch. 7:43 PM. Seventeen minutes to go. He leaned against a nearby railing, shoving his hands into the pockets of his worn-out hoodie. He had arrived early on purpose, just to be sure. But as the minutes ticked by, he noticed he wasn't alone anymore. Others began to arrive, one by one, forming small groups at a distance from one another. None of them spoke. They all seemed to have the same expression—calm, yet anxious.
Kyle watched them carefully, trying to get a sense of who these people were. Men and women of different ages, some young like him, others older. Some looked well-dressed, others not so much. A few carried backpacks. Most stood still, eyes glued to their phones or staring blankly at the building as they waited. It was clear that they were all here for the same reason, though no one acknowledged each other.
7:59 PM. Kyle inhaled deeply, steadying himself. Then, as his watch ticked over to 8:00 PM exactly, everyone moved at once. The crowd, which had been silent moments before, now walked toward the entrance as if they had rehearsed it. Kyle was among them, his heart pounding as he stepped inside.
The moment they all entered, the large glass doors behind them closed automatically with a low hiss. The sound sent a ripple of unease through the crowd. Kyle turned his head slightly, noticing the small, almost hidden security cameras mounted on the ceiling. They were watching. Everyone noticed them. Some shifted nervously, some grabbed onto the people they had come with, holding their arms tightly. Kyle, however, remained calm. He had done his research before coming here. This company was clean. Just a gaming company. Nothing shady—at least, that's what he told himself.
The group continued forward, stepping into a wide hallway illuminated by sleek LED lights embedded in the walls. It was pristine, almost unnervingly so. Their footsteps echoed as they walked, the tension rising with each step. No one spoke. Then, the hallway opened up into a massive room.
Kyle's eyes widened slightly. The walls of the room were covered in TV screens, nearly from floor to ceiling. Hundreds of them, all flickering with streams of unreadable text, strange symbols, and what looked like corrupted coding. It was gibberish. Some of the screens blinked rapidly, while others scrolled at an almost hypnotic pace.
"What the hell is this?" someone mumbled nearby, breaking the silence.
Kyle felt a knot form in his stomach. This wasn't what he expected. He thought they would be brought to some kind of briefing, a room with chairs, maybe even a presentation. But this? This felt...off.
Still, he reminded himself why he was here. The game. The money. That was all that mattered. He ignored the unease creeping into his chest. He had come too far to back out now.
He turned slightly to the person beside him and spoke in a low voice. "Hey, do you know how the game is?"
The man beside him—a short, slim Asian guy with glasses—looked at him, confused. Then, he spoke, his words crisp but completely foreign. "내 말을 이해할 수 없어. 당신은 무엇을 말하는 거야?"
Kyle stared blankly. He had no idea what the guy just said. Korean? He scratched his head helplessly before looking away, pretending he hadn't asked in the first place.
As he shifted his gaze, a new sound reached his ears—footsteps.
Not from anyone in the crowd. These were firm, deliberate, echoing across the room. Everyone turned toward the source. At the far end of the chamber, a section of the wall moved. No—not the wall. The massive TV screens were shifting, sliding apart as if making way for something—or someone.
From the newly formed opening, a man stepped forward.
He was tall, dressed in a sharp black suit that seemed almost unnaturally perfect. His face was hidden behind a golden mask, its polished surface reflecting the room's eerie light. His hands were neatly clasped behind his back as he surveyed the group before him.
No one spoke. No one moved.
Kyle felt his heart rate spike as the reality of the situation finally set in.
Something about this wasn't right.
Something about this was very, very wrong.
The masked man stood still for a moment, letting his presence settle into the room. Then, when he finally spoke, his voice was altered—mechanical, deep, and emotionless.
"Gentlemen and ladies, welcome to the Hunter Games."
The moment those words left his mouth, the hundreds of TV screens behind him stopped their erratic displays. The scattered lines of code vanished instantly as the screens synchronized into one vast image.
An island. A massive, treacherous landmass covered in thick forests, winding rivers, and rocky cliffs. Across the center of the image, bold letters flashed onto the screen: HUNTER GAMES.
The masked man stretched out his arms as if embracing the entire room, his eerie voice filling the space. "I know many of you are still confused about what this game is."
A chuckle, deep and artificial, filtered through his mask. Though his face remained hidden, Kyle could tell he was smiling underneath.
"This game is the future. And you..." The masked man tilted his head slightly, his gaze sweeping over the silent crowd. "You are the lucky few to try it first."
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