Ariyan glanced around the room, his gaze sharp but guarded. His hand rose instinctively to his neck, fingers brushing against it as if to steady himself. He took a deep breath, his expression unreadable, before smirking faintly. A sliver of confidence returned to his eyes as he straightened his posture. "Well," he said, his voice steady but tinged with intrigue, "I guess we're about to find out."
Amelia raised an eyebrow, her face scrunching in exaggerated confusion. "Why are you making weird faces?" she blurted out, her tone a mix of curiosity and frustration.
Ariyan remained silent, his expression settling into a neutral mask. He simply stood there, his mind working through the puzzle at hand.
Minutes passed in tense silence until the door slid open with a soft hiss. A man stepped inside, his attire immediately drawing attention. Like the others, he wore the signature blue-patterned uniform, but his outfit bore intricate insignias and subtle modifications, marking him as someone of significant authority.
Ariyan's gaze flicked toward him, studying him intently before his posture relaxed. Turning slightly, Ariyan addressed him with a calm and measured tone, his stance exuding composure. "Are you the one in charge here?"
The man smiled warmly, his expression radiating confidence but tinged with a trace of deference. "Hello, ladies and gentlemen," he began, his voice smooth and welcoming. "Allow me to introduce myself. My name is Ryosuke Tamura."
Turning his attention to Ariyan, Ryosuke's smile widened. "And you are absolutely correct—I am the one in charge here." He extended his hand toward Ariyan in a gesture of respect.
"It's an honor to meet someone from the higher-ups," Ryosuke continued. "To be honest, this is my first time shaking hands with someone like you. I've seen people of your rank from afar, but never this close."
Ariyan's expression remained steady, his hand meeting Ryosuke's in a firm but controlled shake. "You've got the wrong guy," Ariyan said coolly. "Back on the street, someone mentioned the higher-ups, but they weren't referring to me. I'm not who you think I am."
Ryosuke's smile didn't waver. If anything, his enthusiasm seemed to grow. "Oh, no, Mr. Ariyan," he replied, his tone unwavering. "We verified everything. When we tried to detain you, our system refused the command outright. Intrigued, I did some digging into the records, and… well, the results were fascinating."
Aki, seated nearby, blinked in disbelief. His mouth opened slightly as he tried to process the revelation. "What… what are they saying?" he muttered, his voice barely audible.
Amelia's expression, usually light and reactive, hardened into something unreadable. Her brows furrowed as she glanced between Ryosuke and Ariyan, searching for an answer.
Sophie, however, sat perfectly still. Her sharp, narrowed eyes bore into Ariyan like a blade, her thoughts veiled but intense.
Ariyan exhaled slowly, his shoulders rising and falling in a motion that seemed almost resigned. "If you know the truth," he said evenly, though a trace of frustration lingered in his voice, "then why are you so hell-bent on exposing me?"
Ryosuke blinked, momentarily caught off guard. "I thought they already knew," he admitted, gesturing toward Ariyan's companions. His expression softened, though his curiosity remained evident. "By the way, it's a pleasure to meet you. Having a direct connection with someone of your status is invaluable for us in the Security Department."
Ariyan waved the comment off impatiently. "Spare me the pleasantries. Instead, tell me—what exactly happened back then?" His voice turned sharper, his curiosity laced with a need for clarity. "I don't remember much."
"Of course," Ryosuke said with a nod, lifting his hand to reveal a sleek device wrapped around his wrist. With a few subtle gestures, the device projected a 3D hologram into the air, the image forming with seamless precision.
The recording played, showing Ariyan standing on the street surrounded by the Security Department. In the projection, his body suddenly tensed, his posture collapsing without warning. There was no visible interaction, no external force—it was as if his consciousness had simply shut off.
Ryosuke paused the projection, the hologram freezing mid-collapse. "That," he said, gesturing to the image, "is what happened. There were no external factors, no physical interference. You collapsed out of nowhere."
Ariyan stared at the projection, his expression unchanging. The silence stretched as he processed the scene before him. His companions looked equally stunned, their reactions ranging from shock to quiet contemplation.
"Fascinating," Ariyan muttered under his breath, more to himself than anyone else.
Ryosuke smiled faintly, lowering his hand to dismiss the hologram. "And," he added, his tone shifting slightly, "there's someone waiting to meet you. They've been looking forward to this moment for quite some time."
Ariyan's gaze snapped to Ryosuke, his expression flickering between curiosity and caution. "Who?" he asked, his voice cutting through the room like a blade.
Ryosuke's enigmatic smile returned as he gestured toward the exit. "Follow me, and you'll find out."