Ji Corporation – Offsite AI Research Facility, Location: Unknown
The room was pure white. No windows. No warmth.
Rows of high-performance machines hummed in sync, glowing with silent calculation.
On the central monitor, a simulation was running.
A slim, female wearing QingQingSnipes' signature red hoodie... crouched behind cover in a rendered PUBG arena. Every movement was identical to Shen Wanqing's real-life tactics. Every choice was hers.
But this was not her.
It was Q-Model_943, an AI combat avatar running off a synthetic neural network, trained solely on Shen Wanqing's historical gameplay, biometric reaction data, and comms behavior.
"Model sync: 94.3%"
A voice rang out from the speaker, flat, robotic, yet disturbingly familiar.
"Ready for deployment."
Hacker Den – 0xMAYHEM's Hideout
"Holy sh*t…"
0xMAYHEM stared at the decrypted footage he'd pulled.
He leaned back in his chair, fingers pressed together.
"They're not just watching her. They're cloning her."
He clicked through to a secondary script... one he wasn't supposed to see.
It had a deployment timer.
72 hours.
"Simulated QingQingSnipes will debut in the upcoming 'Shadow Match' as a closed beta."
He hit the screen record and pulled up an encrypted chat.
Typed:
"To: RealSnipes | They're going to replace you. Soon. And not just in-game."
LuTech Compound – Player Lounge
Wanqing sat across from Reign, silent.
She had just seen the footage Mayhem sent.
Her clone flawless aim, perfect positioning, synthetic voice — was eerily convincing.
Too convincing.
Reign was the first to speak. "This isn't about just winning tournaments."
She nodded slowly. "It's about making the perfect player."
He clenched his jaw. "And erasing the real ones along the way."
There was a long pause.
Then, Reign looked up. "If they deploy her, and no one notices the difference... you'll be gone."
Wanqing stared at her reflection in the dark screen.
And whispered:
"Then I'll make sure the difference is impossible to ignore."
Flashback: Reign's Past – Ji Corporation Offer, Two Years Ago
After KNG-Strike's collapse, Lu Zeyan (Reign) was called to a private boardroom. Ji Corporation offered him a position — not as a player, but as a contributor to their AI Combat Learning Division.
"Imagine this," they'd said. "A version of you that never burns out. Never fails. Always wins."
He'd refused.
And overnight, every article, every algorithm, every sponsor — turned against him.
Reign & Wanqing – Late Night Strategy Session
With Mayhem in their ear via a secure line, the three formed a risky plan.
Step 1: Infiltrate the Shadow Match codebase.Step 2: Replace the clone's voice file with an exposed truth.Step 3: Force the public to see what Ji Corp was hiding.
Mayhem's voice crackled:
"We've got 48 hours before Shadow Match launches. You two ready to hijack a billion-dollar conspiracy?"
Reign smirked.Wanqing loaded her custom keyboard.
"Game on."
Final Scene – Ji Corporation Control Room
Inside a sealed control pod, Madam Ji observed the QingQing simulation complete a flawless victory.
Her assistant leaned in. "Approval to deploy, Madam?"
Madam Ji smiled faintly. "Make sure the real one is scheduled for removal post-launch. Quietly."