Requen_Xe

In a grim future world, intelligence has become a dangerous commodity controlled by the State. Under the “Intellectual Contribution Mandate,” every bright idea is identified and forced to choose: enlist in the gilded cage of state service, or face “Neutralization”—total erasure from existence. Dull obedience is the norm, curiosity is considered a sin, and independent thought is a death sentence. The world has learned not to think too hard.

But in the shadows of this oppressed city, there is an anomaly—a man whose intellect has managed to slip through the State’s net, perhaps one of the last remaining freethinkers. Known only by his mask—a jet-black surface with sharp gold accents, and glowing white eyes that stare soullessly—he is a ghost in the system, the regime’s most feared byproduct. Rather than submit or hide forever, he chooses a third path: brutal resistance.

Operating a clandestine agency from behind the scenes, the vigilante dubbed “the genius ghost” doesn’t just survive; he hunts the hunters. With his intellect, he dissects the State's operations, uncovers corruption, and delivers his own cold, calculating version of justice to the architects of the "Mind Purge." His methods are ruthless, uncompromising, and often straddle the line between vigilante and monster.

Genius Ghost

That law changed everything: the Intellectual Contribution Mandate. It wasn't introduced with fanfare, but rather with the cold efficiency of a government order. A series of tough national tests were put in place to sift through the entire population, looking for anyone who showed cognitive abilities above a state-set limit. Kids were tested right alongside adults, with their futures dangling on the results of psychometric exams and problem-solving scenarios that gauged not just intelligence, but also how well they fit with state views.

The outcome wasn't a trophy or a scholarship. Instead, it came as a harsh ultimatum: Join or Die.

There was no middle ground, no chance to negotiate. Those considered 'Valuable Assets'—people whose intellect was useful to the state—got a so-called 'opportunity.' They were asked to pledge loyalty, give up their intellectual freedom, and become specialized parts of the state's machinery. Whether they ended up in clinical labs working on government-approved research, in military planning departments, or lost within the complex bureaucracy that supported oppressive systems, their minds were to be controlled and used strictly for the regime's gain. In return, they received comfort, status, and access to resources denied to the general public. They lived in a gilded cage, enjoying privileges while their minds were restrained by the rigid demands of conformity. The spark of curiosity in their eyes was snuffed out, replaced by a dull routine.

For those who resisted—the idealists, the principled thinkers, the free-spirited artists who clung to the hope of unbounded minds—their future was much darker. They weren't just ignored. They were labeled with harsh tags like Subversive Elements or Waste of Potential. The state called their fate Failed Asset Neutralization, but families whispered the real term in fear: the Thought Purge.

The Purge operated brutally but efficiently. Neighbors were encouraged to report any 'abnormal' curiosity. Surveillance systems caught any non-compliant thoughts. Enforcers showed up in the dead of night. There were no trials or public awareness—just people disappearing. These individuals were hunted down, yanked from their homes or jobs, their digital and physical records erased. Their families faced a grim choice: turn against their 'deviant' relatives to keep a few privileges, or suffer the same fate. Intelligence that defied the state was not just frowned upon; it was a death sentence carried out in secrecy.

The world changed completely. The lively realm of human thought faded into dullness. Conversations became shallow, sticking to safe topics to avoid attracting attention. Curiosity, once the driver of progress, was now watched with suspicion. Dangerous questions—those starting with Why? or What if?—went unasked, choked back before they could be spoken. Blind obedience became most valuable, the safest way to live quietly. People learned to self-censor, pretending to be less smart than they really were. Intelligence became a risk rather than a gift, hidden away to avoid state punishment. Innovation came to a standstill, art turned into bland propaganda, and the human spirit slipped into a long, dark period.

Yet, even in the coldest times, life persists. In a world crafted to extinguish every spark of independence, some flickers refuse to go out. Hidden in dusty archives, murmured in secret messages, and cherished in clandestine meet-ups shielded from the state, traces of original thought survived. Sometimes, deep under layers of fear, an ember doesn't just last. It grows, gaining strength, and can ignite into a bold flame—not to light the way, but to push back against the suffocating darkness. The Purge was thorough, but maybe it wasn't complete.

PROLOG : WELCOME TO THIS STORY READER!