Lost in Tomorrow

Chapter 14: Into the Neon District

The city never slept.

Joon stood at the edge of a towering rooftop, staring down at the Neon District below. Unlike the lifeless skyscrapers of the inner city, this place was alive—but not in a way that felt comforting. Holograms flickered across towering billboards, flashing ads directly into the eyes of those who passed. The streets were packed, yet not a single voice rose above a whisper. Everyone walked alone.

Controlled.

Programmed.

He shivered. This wasn't life. It was something else entirely.

"Creepy, huh?"

Joon turned. Rin leaned lazily against the railing, arms crossed, eyes gleaming with amusement.

"This place gives me the chills," Joon muttered.

"Oh, it's worse than you think," Rin said with a grin. "See those little drones floating around?"

Joon's gaze flicked upward. Small, insect-like machines hovered in the air, scanning faces, tracking movements.

"Security?" he guessed.

Rin nodded. "The Architects' eyes. They monitor everything."

Joon clenched his fists. How were they supposed to find the Traveler in a place like this?

Sohyun interrupted. "Standing here isn't going to help us. We move."

Rin smirked. "Oh, I love when things get exciting."

Joon sighed. This was going to be a long night.

---

The Descent

Navigating the city wasn't easy. Every street was a maze of flashing lights and empty stares. People moved like shadows, their faces illuminated by the blue glow of their screens. Nobody acknowledged anyone else. They were lost.

Joon's mind-reading ability had become a constant weight. Everywhere he turned, thoughts flooded his head—fragments of digital commands, meaningless notifications, ads forcing their way into people's consciousness.

They aren't even thinking for themselves anymore…

"They're like ghosts," he muttered.

Sohyun gave him a sharp look. "They're victims."

Rin, walking a few steps ahead, sighed dramatically. "This is why I don't take things seriously. Too depressing."

Sohyun ignored her. "We need a plan. The Traveler could be anywhere."

Joon nodded. "If we can find a way to access the Architect's systems, maybe we can track unusual activity."

Rin grinned. "Sounds like you need a hacker."

Joon hesitated. "You know someone?"

"Oh, I know plenty of someones." Rin twirled a small knife between her fingers. "But they don't come cheap."

Joon crossed his arms. "What do they want?"

Rin's grin widened. "Let's just say… they prefer chaos."

---

The Underground Contact

They moved deeper into the Neon District, weaving through alleyways until they reached an unmarked door. Rin knocked three times, then twice more in a different rhythm.

A slot opened. A pair of robotic eyes scanned them.

"Who's the new blood?" a voice rasped.

Rin leaned against the doorframe. "A client with a very interesting problem."

A moment passed. Then the door slid open.

Inside, the air was thick with burning circuits and static noise. Wires coiled along the walls like vines, monitors flickered with stolen data, and a single figure sat hunched over a console, metallic fingers typing at inhuman speed.

The hacker turned. Their face was hidden behind a holographic mask, shifting between different expressions.

"You want into the Architect's systems?" the voice was distorted. "That's suicide."

Joon stepped forward. "We don't have a choice."

The hacker leaned back. "Then you'll need something special."

They reached into a metal case and pulled out a black chip.

"This," the hacker said, "is a Ghost Key. Plug it into any terminal, and it'll wipe the security for three minutes."

Sohyun frowned. "That's… not a lot of time."

The hacker laughed. "Welcome to the Neon District, sweetheart. Time is currency."

Joon exhaled. "How much?"

Rin shot him a look. "Not money. They want something else."

The hacker's mask flickered, shifting into a wide grin. "A trade. One secret, freely given."

Joon hesitated. A secret? He had too many. His past, his abilities, the Traveler…

Sohyun stepped forward. "I'll do it."

Joon's eyes widened. "Sohyun—"

She raised a hand. "It's fine."

The hacker leaned forward. "Then speak."

Sohyun's voice was steady. "The Architects fear something. Something even they can't control."

Silence.

The hacker tilted their head. "Interesting. Go on."

Sohyun took a breath. "There's a name. One that's been erased from every database, every record. But it still exists in whispers." She locked eyes with the hacker.

"Project Eclipse."

The hacker was silent for a long moment. Then, slowly, they placed the Ghost Key into her hand.

"You have my attention," they said.

Joon exhaled. They were one step closer.

But the look in the hacker's shifting mask told him one thing—they had just stepped into something far bigger than they had planned.

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