You only have one chance

The twelve hours that passed felt like an eternity. Time flowed as if in slow motion, dragging tortuously, each second stretching out as if the universe itself were holding its breath. Nothing else mattered. Everything that came and went was irrelevant. 

Strax remained motionless, sitting in his armchair, his eyes fixed on the system's interface. Every hour that passed, he watched the emptiness, his mind a whirlwind of thoughts as he waited for the countdown to run out. 

From 12 hours... to 10 hours... to 4 hours... 

And then it appeared in front of him. 

Those simple words carried an immeasurable weight. What could that be? What did it mean? What would change? What would come next? 

While he waited, Strax thought. He thought deeply. Every detail of that message echoed in his mind, repeating itself like a riddle to be solved.