After a 10-minute break, Sergeant Johnson returned with his imposing presence, his booming voice echoing through the hall, mingling with the held breaths of the competitors who were eagerly waiting.
"Heroes!" Sergeant Johnson began, his sharp gaze scanning the competitors. "You've shown excellent performance in the previous challenges today, but now we're about to face the third and final challenge of the day: the test of physical strength and speed."
The hall fell silent, everyone listening intently. Sergeant Johnson continued explaining the details of the challenge: "This challenge will be a true test of your physical strength and speed. The course ahead consists of four stages: climbing 10 two-meter-high hurdles, carrying 20-kilogram ammunition boxes for 500 meters, crawling under barbed wire for 200 meters, and finally, dragging a 70-kilogram dummy for 50 meters."
Then he added in a more serious tone: "But remember, this challenge isn't just a race against time. You can try to hinder each other, but without excessive violence. The rules are clear: every competitor who finishes the challenge in under 10 minutes gets the full 50 points, with 5 points deducted for every additional minute. This is the last challenge for today, and tomorrow we'll face the fourth and final challenge."
The competitors' reactions were mixed. Ghadeer stood confidently, her eyes gleaming with excitement. "Finally, a challenge that requires strength and speed. I'm ready for this," she whispered to herself, adjusting her gloves. Despite her confidence, the thought that this challenge might be the hardest for her lingered in her mind. "Carrying the boxes for 500 meters? Crawling under the wire for 200 meters? This will be a true test of my endurance. But I won't back down."
Fatima seemed a bit tense, but she took a deep breath and said to herself, "This challenge will be tough, but I'll give it my all. I can't give up now."
Michael was smiling lightly, as if he knew this challenge would play to his strengths. "Strength and speed? This is my specialty. I won't let anyone get in my way."
Jonas Eriksson, known for his fluidity, adjusted his gloves confidently. "This challenge will be fun. I'll show them how fluidity can be a powerful weapon."
After Sergeant Johnson finished explaining the challenge, he pointed toward the starting point. "To your positions! The whistle will signal the start of the challenge."
The competitors stood at the starting line, each with a mix of determination and anticipation in their eyes. Their breaths were light, their faces reflecting resolve and a hint of fear. Around them, the wind carried the sounds of nature, adding an eerie tension to the scene, while the course ahead seemed like a beast waiting to test their limits.
With the starting whistle, the competitors surged forward, all filled with determination, but they soon discovered that this day would bring unfamiliar challenges.
At first, Jonas stole the spotlight. His movements were more than just speed; it was as if he was flying, every motion precise and smooth. He flowed through the hurdles as if the ground didn't matter, his body moving forward in perfect harmony. With each step, he proved to himself and others that he wasn't just a competitor but the embodiment of perfect fluidity. Those moments left everyone watching in silent awe, amazed by what they were witnessing. It was as if the ground itself granted him strength while they struggled against it.
A sly smile formed on his lips as he dashed ahead with lightning speed, effortlessly bypassing the hurdles without needing to climb, his unique body able to penetrate matter easily (Intangibility), making crossing those fragile hurdles a simple game for him.
On the opposite side, Fatima stood at the first hurdle, contemplating the scene before her with focus. Jonas's provocative smile didn't escape her, igniting a mix of challenge and annoyance within her. She briefly considered using her ability to influence his mind and slow him down, but she quickly realized that would also affect her performance, offering no benefit and potentially hindering her. Instead, she increased her speed and climbed the hurdles with determination, resolved to catch up and surpass him.
Ghadeer, who was closely watching Jonas, felt pressure creeping into her heart. Every time Jonas smoothly cleared a hurdle, her determination to achieve her goal grew stronger. She soon remembered the reason that drove her to this point: her desire to confront her father and tell him that she wasn't indebted to him for her ability, that she deserved the freedom to choose how and where to use it.
Michael, who was struggling with the pressure of high expectations, felt a bit frustrated at the start of the race. Despite his incredible physical strength, he knew that strength alone wouldn't be enough. In his mind, he reminded himself that the race wasn't just about strength but also about willpower and endurance. He wanted to prove to himself before anyone else that he could succeed, believing that the balance between physical strength and endurance was the key to victory.
It was the decisive moment when each competitor felt the pressure mounting, their emotions torn between doubt and determination. Each of them was fighting on two fronts: one against the race itself, and the other against the shadows within them, pushing them to fight for something greater than just winning.
Jonas managed to clear all ten hurdles in just twenty seconds, and now the real challenge began for him. He carried the ammunition boxes in his hands and on his shoulders and started running to cover the required distance before the others could catch up. After a minute and a half, Michael reached the end of the hurdles, distributed the boxes across his limbs, and began running. During this time, as Jonas approached the end of the 500 meters, both Ghadeer and Fatima arrived almost simultaneously. They distributed the boxes between their hands and shoulders and started running with quick strides.
Within two minutes and ten seconds of the challenge's start, Jonas reached the barbed wire crawling stage, but thanks to his supernatural ability, he didn't need to crawl. He moved his body directly through the wires, which passed through him as if through water without hindering him. It took only forty seconds for him to cover the entire 200 meters.
During this time, most competitors were still in the second stage of the challenge, carrying the ammunition boxes. The distances between them varied according to their physical abilities, with Michael in the lead, followed by Ghadeer and Fatima, and then the rest of the competitors. Meanwhile, Jonas began dragging the dummy, finding no difficulty due to the short distance, as he managed to cover the fifty meters in just fifty seconds. Thus, he became the first to finish this challenge, completing it in three minutes and forty seconds, setting a U.S. record. As a result, he earned the full 50 points for this challenge.
Qusay muttered to himself: "What an extraordinary ability! He can penetrate anything and pass through it as if moving through air. Thanks to this ability, he can overcome any physical obstacle, giving him the power to survive any danger he faces. But it seems his ability has limits; he can't penetrate everything. It seems thickness plays a role in activating his ability."
Similarly, the committee and Sergeant Johnson praised the effectiveness of this ability, not just on the battlefield but in life in general, emphasizing its extraordinary power to change the course of events and overcome challenges that might seem impossible.
On the other hand, Ghadeer was doing her best to finish the running stage, unable to use her telekinesis ability due to the weight exceeding her limit, forcing her to rely entirely on her physical abilities. Despite her desperate efforts, she could only follow Michael's back, who was about twenty meters ahead of her.
Within four minutes, Michael reached the barbed wire crawling stage. Like Ghadeer, he didn't use his ability to create fog, knowing it would drain his energy and slow him down. Although he could confuse the other competitors with it, he chose to focus on his performance, reflecting his kind nature and concern for others' feelings.
Michael continued crawling under the wires at his usual pace, if not faster. More than half a minute later, both Ghadeer and Fatima arrived and started crawling, determined to close the gap and achieve the best performance possible.
In the end, Michael completed the third challenge in eight minutes and fifteen seconds, followed by Ghadeer at eight minutes and fifty seconds, and then Fatima, who finished the challenge in nine minutes and two seconds. Thanks to their outstanding performance and not exceeding the ten-second limit, each of them earned the full 50 points.
After all the competitors completed the challenge, with the last one finishing in fourteen minutes and thirty-seven seconds, Sergeant Johnson stepped forward with steady steps and shouted in a firm, enthusiastic voice:
"Today's challenges are over, and only the final and decisive challenge remains tomorrow! Prepare well, for tomorrow will reveal your true mettle!"
Then he cast a stern look at the newcomers before ordering them to disperse, saying, "Dismiss now, and be ready!"
And so, Qusay decided to withdraw and return his consciousness to his body. Upon his return, he glanced at the clock and found it was three in the afternoon. He headed to the kitchen, quickly prepared a light meal, and then went outside near the house, where he sat for half an hour to absorb energy before returning inside and transferring his consciousness to the minister.
He found the minister in an important meeting, where they discussed sensitive information about the progress of judicial work, the mechanisms of the judicial system, and various details about different state agencies. Qusay etched all that information in his memory, but he felt frustrated; the Shefshawan operation wasn't mentioned, which he had been eagerly awaiting.
As the meeting was about to end, one of the ministers said, "Speaking of the Shefshawan operation, it seems there's a connection to external parties aiming to spread chaos and destabilize national security." Another replied, "If we had tangible evidence to present to the United Nations to take action against them." The Minister of Justice then interjected, "It's not just about evidence but also about interests."
After that, they moved on to discuss other topics, shifting from one subject to another until the meeting concluded at four-thirty, and then Abdul Malik headed home. Qusay decided not to follow him and immediately returned to his house to write down everything he had heard before forgetting any important information.
And so, Qusay returned to his room and went straight to his desk, where he picked up an old, empty notebook and a black pen, and began recalling all the information he had heard, jotting it down with precision and care. After finishing writing the details, he turned on his computer, accessed the dark web, and began composing an email.
In his message, Qusay included everything he had seen and heard during the meeting, not overlooking any detail, no matter how small. He crafted his words carefully, trying to be as accurate as possible without leaving room for doubt or misunderstanding. He firmly emphasized the minister's complete innocence of any suspicions, confidently stating that he had no connection to the incident.
But as he reviewed what he had written, a subtle sense of danger crept over him. The information he had gathered wasn't just trivial details; it carried significant weight, and sending it might attract the attention of entities that didn't tolerate interference in their affairs. He felt as if an invisible eye was watching him, as if the shadows around him had grown denser, and even the sound of typing on the keyboard seemed louder than it should.
He took a deep breath, trying to push these thoughts away, but he couldn't ignore the growing sense of impending danger. For a moment, it occurred to him that he might indeed be under surveillance and that this message could be the step that exposed him. Nevertheless, he tightened his grip on the mouse and clicked the send button firmly, knowing that some truths had to be told, no matter the cost.
After putting on his sports clothes and shoes and preparing a bag filled with two robes and a large roll of duct tape, and carrying an axe in his hand, Qusay headed toward the Tainza Forest late in the afternoon, as the sun was setting behind the mountains, casting its orange rays on the dense trees, while the evening breeze danced among the branches, creating faint whispers.
The narrow path to the forest was covered with fallen leaves, leading to a deep valley surrounded by towering mountains that were beginning to be cloaked in the dark shadows of dusk. Qusay moved forward with confident steps, his eyes scanning the details of the familiar place.
He continued walking alongside the river, which flowed gently, reflecting the last glimmers of sunlight as if guiding the way. The sounds of nature surrounded him, from the chirping of birds to the rustling of trees, blending with the rhythm of his steady footsteps.
After a long distance, Qusay reached the high earthen wall that seemed like a natural part of the hill, but he knew that behind it lay the treasure he sought. He stood for a moment to catch his breath, then took out the axe he had brought specifically for this purpose and began striking the wall with force.
The blows continued, and as parts of the earth crumbled, his heart raced. It didn't take long before a section of the wall collapsed, revealing a narrow entrance leading to a dark cave. He stood before it for a moment, contemplating, then gathered his courage and bent down to enter.
Inside, the place wasn't unfamiliar to him; everything remained the same, unchanged, and everything was in its usual place. "But my goal is those money bags," he said to himself as he headed toward the spot where the designer handbags were. All the bags were closed and neatly arranged except for one. Qusay began working, taking out duct tape and wrapping it around two bags, then covering them with a robe to make them into a single structure. He did the same with two other bags, thus carrying two bags in his right hand and the other two in his left. As for the remaining two bags, one was closed and filled with money, while the other was open and contained only a little money. He emptied the money from both bags into the bag he had brought on his back, thus collecting all the money. What remained in the room were bags of hashish, a rug, and blankets. Qusay opened the hashish bags and scattered them in the corners of the cave, then headed to the cave entrance, lit a match, and threw it inside. After that, he hurried back home, trying to take the shortest and least noticeable route to avoid being seen by anyone. He chose a narrow, winding path full of obstacles and steep slopes, making it the ideal choice for Qusay to avoid detection.
It was tough for Qusay; the money bags were very heavy, and he was afraid of being discovered. But he struggled and pushed himself, as his fear made him forget everything, even the length of the path. When he snapped out of his thoughts, he found himself in front of his ancestors' house, or the house he inherited from his deceased family. He placed the bags on the ground, quickly took out the key, and eagerly opened the door. He rushed in and brought everything inside before closing the door behind him, overwhelmed with tension and anxiety. But as soon as he crossed the threshold, he let out a deep sigh, and life gradually returned to his face. As the calm grew, a sly smile appeared on his face, and then he burst into a hysterical laugh, cackling madly for five minutes as if releasing all his worries in those moments.
He carried all the bags to his bed and began taking out the money inside, muttering to himself: "1... 2... 3... 4... 5... It's a thousand dirhams." And in the same way, he continued counting the money: two thousand, three thousand, four thousand...
After about four and a half hours, "Finally, I finished counting the first bag. It's about 17,350 bills of 200 Moroccan dirhams, meaning the bag holds 3,470,000 MAD!?"