The rain had started without warning—soft, then violent—beating against the Silverhall Library's glass dome as if the heavens wanted to warn Elias. But he didn't flinch. Not tonight. Not after what the watch had whispered to him.
Clue Location: Archive Section, Row 9, File 73.
The Silverhall Library wasn't just a library. It was an old fortress of secrets, tucked between the main university campus and the abandoned science block. Rumor had it that certain books and documents were locked away because they "shook the university's image." Students avoided the archive basement like it was cursed.
But Elias?
He walked in like he'd been summoned.
His shoes squished against the soaked carpet of the old staircase. Dust hung in the air. Lights flickered as if haunted by forgotten memories. As he descended the steps, he passed old plaques and dusty portraits—deans who smiled too wide, teachers who'd been erased from staff records.
At Row 9, he paused.
File 73.
It was tucked between legal documents and faded photographs. A manila folder marked only with a red stamp: "UNRESOLVED."
His fingers hesitated for a moment… then pulled it free.
Inside were photos from a gala in March 2019—an elite university charity event hosted by billionaires, streamers, government officials, and celebrities. The images were full of luxury, glamour, and dazzling lights.
Until the final photo.
Blood.
A girl, no older than nineteen, lay at the bottom of a marble staircase. Her red gown torn, mascara running down her cheeks. The media called it an "accidental fall." But Elias could read the truth between the lines.
There was something off.
A witness statement was tucked inside—heavily redacted. But one name stood out, again and again, scribbled hastily on the margins.
Mila.
He sat there, stunned. The watch glowed softly on his wrist.
New Task: Find out what Mila did at the 2019 Gala.
Reward: +1 Influence, +Unlock: "Mind Mirror" ability – read surface thoughts for 10 seconds.
Elias swallowed.
Mind Mirror.
It sounded… dangerous.
---
The next morning, the campus buzzed with rumors. Word had spread fast—someone had accessed the archive. The professors were tense. The head of security had doubled guards at the library. And Mila?
She didn't show up for class.
But Elias wasn't surprised.
He was already waiting outside her penthouse dorm by noon, leaning against the corridor wall, watching rich kids pass by in confusion. When Mila finally appeared, her hair messy, sunglasses masking her expression, she stopped cold.
"You're following me?" she asked.
"No," Elias said casually. "Just came to ask how the fall was."
She blinked. "What—"
"2019 Gala. March. Red dress. Staircase."
For the first time, he saw fear crack her facade.
She turned to go back inside, but Elias stepped closer. "Who did you push, Mila?"
"I didn't—"
"Then who did you cover for?"
Silence.
Tense. Suffocating. Her hand trembled as she reached for the door.
"Leave this alone," she whispered. "You don't know what you're digging."
"I don't care," he said. "Every task I complete peels back another layer of this rotten world you people worship."
Mila's lip trembled, then steadied. "If you really want to know what happened... meet me tonight."
"Where?"
"Beneath the bell tower. Midnight. Come alone."
Then she disappeared into her room, door clicking shut behind her.
---
Later that evening, Elias wandered back to campus. The sky was a mix of charcoal and gold, the kind that made you think the world was ending or just beginning. Students milled around the courtyard, unaware of the secrets unraveling beneath their feet.
He stopped at the auto shop where some of his classmates were arguing over an engine. The scent of oil and sweat was a welcome distraction. Leah, the tomboy with wild curls and a wrench always tucked behind her ear, waved at him.
"You look like you've seen a ghost," she joked.
"Maybe I have," he murmured.
She tossed him a soda. "You coming to the rooftop gala this weekend? Streamers, influencers, even a couple sponsors are flying in. Rumor is, Mila's dad is hosting it himself."
"I'll be there," Elias said slowly. "But I might burn it all down."
She laughed—then saw his face.
And stopped.
---
Midnight came like a whisper.
Elias stood beneath the bell tower, shadows dancing around him, the air thick with tension.
Mila arrived wearing a hoodie and no makeup—unrecognizable, almost fragile.
"I didn't kill her," she said, before he even spoke.
"Then tell me what happened."
She sighed, voice trembling. "Her name was Shania. My best friend. That night… she was supposed to expose someone. A professor. He'd been—doing things to students. Filming them. Threatening them."
"Who?"
"Professor Luwanda," she said. "Head of the Ethics Department."
Elias froze.
Luwanda was untouchable.
"He found out she was going to speak. And at the gala… she fell." Mila wiped her eyes. "But she didn't trip. She didn't fall. Someone pushed her. And I saw it."
Elias stepped closer. "Why didn't you say anything?"
"Because he had everything on me too. Videos. Messages. Even my dad's deals. He promised if I kept quiet, everything would disappear. That was the deal."
"You've been living with this?"
Mila nodded.
"Then it's time we end his reign."
The watch vibrated again.
New Quest Chain Unlocked: "The Fall of Luwanda."
Next Task: Gather proof.
Timer: 48 Hours.
Elias looked up at the bell tower.
And swore to bring the entire damn system down.
Even if it killed him.