I caught my breath as I opened my eyes, sweating profusely. I saw myself naked and floating in mid-air, and I struggled to process what had just happened.
I had just finished my shift as a maintenance worker at a local criminal investigation department. I'd say my day was terrible. Not only was I late to work, but I also got scolded by my superior.
It wasn't the first time I had received verbal abuse; it had happened many times before. One more instance, and I'll be fired from my job.
I stopped by a convenience store to buy some beer and candy to chew on while walking home to my small apartment. I paused when I passed by a lavish restaurant because the three people eating inside looked familiar.
I wasn't mistaken—inside the restaurant was my ex-wife with her new family. I felt envy and pain at what I saw.
I'll admit it—I am a failure. And even if Sophie never admitted the real reason she was so determined to leave me back then, I know it was because of my failures in life. Eventually, I decided to leave and continue walking.
As I passed a corner where the streetlight flickered, I thought to myself that the lightbulb on the post had been malfunctioning for a long time. It made me wonder if the local government prioritized other community issues over fixing it. After all, there had been many cases of rape and murder in this area.
After staring at the blinking light, I noticed a man emerging from the darkness. He was about my age and height but had a larger build. He wore formal attire—a beige tuxedo.
I smirked at his shades; it struck me as odd that someone would wear them at night, especially in a place this dark. Maybe they were upgraded. Maybe they had night vision. I thought he was alone, but then more men in tuxedos and shades emerged from the darkness.
"What's up, man!" I greeted the approaching man with a serious expression. "Your outfits are really cool! Are you guys part of a dance crew? Looks like you're in the wrong place for the competition."
I felt like a fool for joking around with him, but he wasn't the type to appreciate jokes.
"Where did you get those aviator shades that you can wear even in the dark? I need a pair, especially since I never carry a flashlight," I joked, but he still didn't respond. I stepped back and accidentally bumped into someone behind me. In a surprising turn of events, my hand swung up, and I accidentally punched the man in the face.
"I'm sorry, man—I thought there was a punching bag behind me."
"Philip Kheogary, you need to come with us."
Finally, the man I had thought was mute spoke. But I didn't know them. Why did I have to go with them? I had a strong hunch they were part of a syndicate.
"Are you guys open to recruiting someone who can't dance? I'd just be a burden to the team if I joined," I said, scanning my surroundings as they slowly closed in on me. How do people like them even keep their jobs? They seem so antisocial. I'm easy to get along with, but I don't like the vibe they're giving off.
Then, as one of the men grabbed my arm, I reacted instantly, throwing a punch at his face. He covered his face with his palms, wincing in pain.
"Oops, I think I just popped a tapir's nose."
They attacked me one by one. At first, I thought they were more skilled than me, but to be honest, I think I can take them down. Unlike them—who seem to have trained in martial arts in some underground warehouse—I only learned self-defense by watching video clips on the internet.
With my fists, I knocked out the teeth of one man in a tuxedo. I think I also dislocated another's knee and twisted the neck of a third.
These brutes were only brave at first. They looked physically strong, but they were just weaklings. I glanced at the men I had beaten, sprawled on the concrete. Some groaned in pain, while others struggled to get up.
"Oh no, can you still dance looking like that?' I said."
"You think we came here unprepared?" the man spoke again, seemingly the leader of the group—or at least acting like it. I pretended to be shocked to see him still standing, but he was right—they had come prepared for this night. I hadn't expected there to be more of them, and now each one wore electric brass knuckles.
"We know what you're capable of, Philip Kheogary. Let's just say that was only a taste of your first fight."
"This fight isn't fair," I protested. "There are so many of you, and I'm alone. You have weapons, while all I have are my fists."
For the first time, I saw him laugh, but his laughter was laced with mockery. Still, I laughed along with him—otherwise, he would have looked awkward laughing alone. My laughter was fake.
"Are you looking for fairness in this fight?" he asked, his tone dripping with sarcasm. "Despite the widespread discrimination, crime, corruption, and injustice, you're still expecting fairness? Even if you beg, we'll still take you down."
"I know you people are heartless, but you forgot to mention climate change, income inequality, conflict, violence, food insecurity, and water insecurity," I added. "Oh my god, our world is indeed facing numerous complex and interconnected challenges!"
He rubbed his head, seemingly annoyed with me. I guess I talked too much.
"Wait a minute," I said, stopping them. "What do you really need me for? Explain it to me. Besides being hungry, I'm also confused about what you're doing. I'll go with you if your intentions are good."
"We've been observing you for a long time, and after extensive research on your life, we determined that you're the perfect candidate for our experiment," he revealed.
"Hold on to that for now," I said, rejecting the offer. "I wouldn't mind if you made me your janitor or even your trainer, but turning me into a lab rat for some unknown experiment? You'll have to take me down first before I agree to that."
After hearing my rejection, I saw him clench his fists even tighter, the electricity from his brass knuckles intensifying. He ordered his companions to stand by, as this fight would be just between the two of us.
I didn't even realize he had already attacked. He threw a swift punch—luckily, I dodged just in time. But he was fast, and if I hadn't been paying close attention to his movements, he would have landed the hit. His outfit, including his gloves, was insulated, preventing him from getting electrocuted.
One punch after another came my way, but fortunately, none landed on my face. I wouldn't call myself lucky, though—I still hadn't managed to land a punch on him either. All I had been doing was dodging.
"If you guys have nothing better to do, can you at least cheer us on?" I said to the men in tuxedos standing around us, watching. "Cheer for your comrade so he can do his best to beat me. I'm getting bored with his moves."
"You're quite cocky," he muttered. "For a janitor, arrogance doesn't suit you. You haven't accomplished anything in life, yet you act like this. You're conceited."
I had wanted to provoke him, to trigger his anger—but in the end, I was the one who got provoked. Seizing an opportunity, I delivered a punch to his stomach. The force of my strike sent his shades flying off.
Now, I had seen his true face.
Yet, my punch didn't faze him. He stood still, unmoving, just staring at me. Then, I sensed something unusual. This guy had another plan to catch me.
Suddenly, he snapped his fingers—as if giving a signal.
I suddenly collapsed, my face pressing against the asphalt. Someone had administered a tranquilizer. They had such a simple way to capture me—so why did they make things difficult for themselves? Idiots. I felt the sedative spreading through my system.
"You think we're not thinking, but we're actually using our brains," the man said. Even though my face was against the ground and my body was stiffening, I knew he was standing close to me.
"Our job wouldn't be exciting if we just tranquilized you right away. Of course, we had to play with you first. But the boss only gave us a limited time to capture you."
Those were the last words spoken by the man in the beige tuxedo. And the last thing I remembered.
I was now in an orange-tinted, grid-like infinity room when a large black screen suddenly popped up in front of me. My entire profile was displayed on the screen.
I was taken aback by my face, which looked very serious - not just because I was carrying a large burden of masculinity. Next to the image, I saw details about me, and it was astonishing that everything listed was true.
Then, a 'Create Custom Character' button appeared.
I clicked it and created a character based on my preferences: a young man with an athletic build. I colored his hair and dressed him up. As soon as I finished creating, I transformed into the character.
The walls, floor, and ceiling of the room slowly cracked, and I found myself in a narrow, winding canyon - a gorge.
The air was scorchingly hot and dusty. I was alone. I walked to find shelter until I felt an earthquake. The ground and rock formations shook violently, sending debris falling, and when I turned around, my eyes widened in shock.
A stampede was happening.