Chapter 36: The Whisper Behind the Code

The forest was wet.

Too wet.

Kai sat with his back against a tree, hair dripping, heart still racing from a place that didn't exist but had left marks anyway.

Marks like doubt.

Like fear.

Like knowing someone he trusted would eventually drive a blade through his chest — and call it love.

[System Log Fragment Recovered – Hidden Communication Protocol Detected]

Sender ID: ???

Encryption: Harem-Classified (Level 7)

Message Type: Untraceable Relay

Content: "He suspects nothing. Continue authorization?"

Kai didn't see the message.

Not yet.

But the System did.

And it watched in silence — because the ones it had chosen to love the Hero were already beginning to choose themselves instead.

Somewhere nearby, Seris cracked a squirrel's bones between two fingers and tossed the remains into a fire.

"Still breathing?" she asked.

Kai grunted. "That depends. Are we out of illusions?"