NewNexira

A Game Beyond the Screen

In a world where virtual reality blends seamlessly with the real, five friends have spent countless hours navigating the vast and immersive universe of The Circle, an online game renowned for its realism and limitless possibilities. But everything changes when the game's campaign leader announces a challenge: a bug hidden within the game, and whoever finds it will receive a share of the game's ownership.

With years of experience and knowledge of every inch of the game, the group of friends jumps at the chance. But as they dive deeper into the game's hidden corners, they soon realize that the bug they're hunting is more than just a glitch - it's a gateway to darker, more dangerous forces within The Circle. From AI-controlled mobs to mysterious territories with shifting rules, nothing is as it seems.

As they uncover secrets and face challenges beyond their understanding, they begin to question whether the game itself is manipulating them or if they're just pawns in a much larger game. The stakes are higher than they ever imagined, and the line between the game and reality begins to blur.

Will they find the bug and claim their prize? Or will they become trapped in a world that's no longer just a game?

The Circle: Beyond the Screen

The room was blindingly white - perfectly smooth walls, ceiling and floor merged into a single space, devoid of shadows. No doors, no windows, no hint of anything other than emptiness. Light seemed to pour from everywhere, making the space sterile, almost unreal.

The only thing that disturbed this perfect white world was a translucent yellow barrier. It divided the room in two, separating the prisoner from his visitors. The barrier pulsed with a soft light, like a living creature, emitting a barely noticeable buzz.

There was not a single scratch on its surface, not a trace of touch - as if no one had ever tried to cross it. In the interrogation room, chained together, sat a boy with multi-colored hair - blond on one side, black on the other. His lips were split, but the smile did not leave his face.

The door creaked, letting in two men in the Circle uniform.

Joe: "You've kept us waiting long enough, Kiwooin."

Kiwooin grinning: "Old Joe? You're still alive? Miracles happen. How did you sleep?"

Jake: "You know perfectly well why we're here."

Kiwooin tilted his head, examining the new guest.

Kiwooin: "And you must be Jake. Four years in the Circle, and you still act like you just put on your uniform yesterday."

Jake clenched his fists, but said nothing.

Joe: "We need to know where you got the Internal information about the Circle and the Dome."

Kiwooin chuckled and leaned back in his chair.

Kiwooin: "Oh, that? Well, let's just say... I like to listen. And people like to talk when they think no one can hear them."

He took a step forward, but Joe raised his hand, stopping him.

Joe: "One more question. Why did Jonathan beat you up before we caught you?"

For a second, something strange flickered in Kiwooin's eyes. He leaned forward, his smile widening.

Kiwooin quietly, almost whispering: "Now that... is a mystery even to me. Or I'm just not saying it."

Joe and Jake exchanged glances. The Circle protects Jonathan. The Dome protects Jonathan. But it looks like he has his own plans.

Kiwooin: "Have you ever wondered who ratted you out, old man?"

Joe: "What are you talking about?"

Kiwooin chuckled and shook his head.

Kiwooin: "You spend your whole life working for the Circle, and you think the truth is always where the orders are? How pathetic."

Jake: "If you have something to say, say it straight."

Kiwooin ignored him and looked back at Joe.

Kiwooin: "You know where I got my information from. Everything I said was true. The question is, who gave it to me?"

Joe frowned, but Kiwooin didn't give him time to respond.

Kiwooin: "Are you sure you want to know?"

A tense silence fell over the room.

It took Joe a moment to realize what he was hearing. No. That couldn't be it. His son couldn't...

Kiwooin chuckled, tilting his head to the side.

Kiwooin: "Oh, man, you know I don't."

Jake: "Bullshit. Joe doesn't have a son."

Kiwooin: "Jake, you're even more naive than I thought."

Kiwooin: "Someone leaked the information. Someone you trusted. Someone you loved. And who could it be, huh?"

Joe was silent. He felt something cold spreading inside him.

Kiwooin: "You always trusted the Circle. And now it will do to your son what it does to traitors."

Kiwooin narrowed his eyes and whispered:

Kiwooin: "Do you see now? Copy Alexander Sevar less. Maybe something will work out anyway."

Interrogation