The faint light of dawn, like a blunt knife, sliced through the thick, overcast clouds above the quarry.

  The wind carried the scent of dust and rust.

  The smile on Felix’s face was just like the cheap ale he peddled in his tavern—seemingly mellow, yet filled with shrewd calculations.

  "Mr. Kane."

  He repeated the name as if savoring a brand-new vocabulary word.

  Crag’s massive frame leaned forward slightly, shielding Kane’s flank. His stony eyes were locked onto Felix, brimming with wariness.

  Kane raised a hand, pressing down on Crag’s arm to signal him to stay calm.

  The wounds on his body still throbbed with a dull ache, but his gaze was colder than a winter night in the Silicon Desert.

  Kane’s voice was raspy, carrying a trace of undisguised mockery.

  "Your investment seems to have a decent rate of return."

  He was referring to the internal strife he had triggered within Kunlun, as well as the faction behind Booker.

  Felix’s smile remained unchanged. He placed the impeccably polished glass on the rock beside him with a crisp clink.

  "That wasn't an investment."

  Felix shook his head, the look behind his lenses growing deep.

  "That was an interview. An interview where lives were the stakes, determining whether you had the qualifications to sit at the table."

  "And you, Mr. Kane, handed in a... score that went far beyond a perfect mark."

  He was not stingy with his praise.

  "In the beginning, I truly didn't expect you to make it this far. You have indeed exceeded my expectations."

  "The first time I saw you, you were just a kid who couldn't even scrape together a few tens of thousands."

  "And now, you've already taken down two of Andrew Zoe’s top enforcers."

  "You have both strength and brains, playing the factions of Greg, Rennie, and Booker like puppets in the palm of your hand."

  "Finally, in the most shocking manner possible, you killed 'Hammer' Greg right in front of everyone, as easily as crushing a walnut."

  With every sentence Felix spoke, Crag’s expression grew more somber.

  This seemingly harmless tavern owner actually had a complete grasp of their every move!

  Kane’s inner thoughts were also churning, but his face remained a blank mask.

  "So, the interview is passed."

  Kane’s voice held no fluctuations.

  "Now, is it time to talk about the salary and benefits?"

  Hearing this, Felix was momentarily stunned before he burst into loud laughter.

  "Hahahaha! Interesting! You truly are the most interesting person I’ve ever met!"

  His laughter echoed through the desolate quarry.

  "You’re right. It’s time to talk about 'compensation'."

  The laughter subsided, and Felix’s expression became deathly serious for the first time. The aura of a hero—the Underground Emperor of Blackrock Town—was released without reservation.

  "What I am giving you is not Kunlun Credits, nor weapons, nor intelligence."

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  He held up a single finger.

  "I am giving you an opportunity."

  "An opportunity to... personally flip this piece of shit world upside down."

  This sentence caused even Crag’s pupils to contract.

  Kane narrowed his eyes, silently waiting for him to continue.

  "Aren't you curious? Why this world became the way it is now?"

  Felix didn’t wait for Kane to answer, continuing on his own.

  "After the Old World collapsed, Kunlun Corp, Titan Industries, Genesis Power... these megacorporations acted like greedy vultures, carving up the corpse of civilization. They wrote the rules, monopolized technology, and penned in the populace. They turned every single one of us into a string of digits on a data sheet or... replaceable parts on an assembly line."

  "Old Tock’s death is the truest depiction of this deformed world. He was kind; he helped others, so he died. Because in this world, kindness is the most useless thing there is."

  At the mention of Old Tock, Kane’s eyes suddenly turned glacial.

  "You investigated me?"

  "Of course."

  Felix admitted it candidly.

  "Before inviting anyone onto the ship, I must ensure they aren't a bomb that will blow the whole vessel apart."

  "We have a name."

  Felix’s tone became solemn and grave, as if he were uttering a sacred word.

  "Spark."

  "Fifty-two years ago, the 'Spark' project was officially launched. Its creators were among the few people in this world capable of going toe-to-toe with monsters like Caelum Vance of Genesis Power or Nemo Titan of Titan Industries."

  "For fifty-two years, we have been like a virus, infiltrating every corner of this world. The corporations, the wilderness, the drifter settlements... our people are everywhere."

  "We recruit the geniuses, the madmen, and the strong—those oppressed by the corps and abandoned by the world, yet who still carry a flame in their hearts."

  "We unite all forces that wish to resist the corporations."

  "We gather strength, waiting for the single chance that will set the whole prairie ablaze."

  Felix spread his arms as if embracing the dawn.

  "We are the gravediggers of the corporations."

  Crag was completely shaken by these words. He had never imagined that on this hopeless wasteland, there existed such a massive force daring enough to challenge the megacorps.

  A ripple finally stirred in Kane’s heart as well.

  He thought of Old Tock.

  The old man who died under the butcher’s knife of Kunlun Corp.

  The mentor who, even as he lay dying, urged him to "just stay alive."

  It was this world.

  It was these goddamn rules created by the corporations!

  "So, you want me to join?"

  For the first time, Kane’s voice carried a faint, nearly imperceptible tremor.

  "No."

  Felix shook his head again.

  "We aren't a corporation; we don't need employees. We are a fire. What we need is fuel to make the fire burn brighter, or... another independent flame."

  "What we value is the possibility within you."

  Felix’s gaze was burning, as if trying to see right through Kane.

  "That ability to create miracles—one that doesn't belong to Kunlun technology, nor any known system."

  "As well as that brain of yours... calmer than the most precise processor, and more lethal than the sharpest blade."

  "Kane, you and I are the same kind of people. We both want to destroy the old things and then build something new."

  "Andrew Zoe wants to kill you, Rennie wants to treat you as an asset, and the people behind Booker want to slice you up for research."

  "All of them only want to 'take' something from you."

  "Only 'Spark' wants to see what you can 'become'."

  Felix took two steps forward, looking at Kane with sincerity.

  "Join us."

  "We will provide you with the most elite intelligence network, the finest weaponry, and... the most reliable backing."

  "Andrew Zoe and Kunlun Corp will no longer be your enemies alone."

  "They will become the collective prey of Spark."

  "We will help you take your revenge; we will help you clear every obstacle."

  "And in return, you only need to do one thing."

  Felix’s voice was filled with a magnetic, persuasive power.

  "Grow to your heart's content. Become strong without restraint."

  "Until one day, you become the spark that detonates the entire powder keg of the Old World."

  The air fell into a long silence.

  Crag looked at Kane, waiting for his decision.

  A long time passed.

  Kane raised his head. Beneath the shadow of his hood, his expression remained unreadable.

  But he spoke.

  His voice was calm, yet carried an unshakable resolve.

  "Though what you say is enticing, every organization has rules and missions—otherwise, it wouldn't be an organization. You speak of freedom, but once I know the internal secrets of Spark, would it even be possible for me to leave? Heh."

  "So, I will not join Spark for the time being. I’m not going to join just because of a few words. I need to investigate what kind of organization you truly are. In the past, you were testing me. Now, I am testing you."

  "We can be partners for now, but never subordinates. Our goals align momentarily, so we can share intelligence and cooperate on specific missions. However, neither side shall interfere with or pry into the core information of the other."

  "Agree, and we cooperate. Disagree, and we leave—or... we fight."

  As Kane finished speaking each word with deliberate precision, he closed his eyes.

  The surrounding air fell into a deathly silence.

  Felix’s right index finger tapped rhythmically against his leg. Though his face remained calm, his eyes narrowed slightly, staring straight at Kane as if lost in thought.

  Beside them, Crag clenched his fists so hard that his fingers made a sound like crushing stone.

  Shadow made no obvious move, but the way his upper body instinctively leaned toward Felix showed he was ready for combat.

  Just as the atmosphere reached the freezing point, Felix spoke.

  "Haha, interesting. Truly interesting. Sometimes you really make me feel like you aren't just twenty years old. I agree. We will cooperate in this manner for now—but I’m confident you'll join us fully soon enough."

  With that, Felix extended his hand.

  "A pleasure doing business with you."

  Kane opened his eyes and reached out.

  "Let's hope so."

  "Also, a massive milestone today: The Third Path has officially crossed 100,000 words in less than a month! And we just hit #34 on the Sci-Fi Rising Stars list! I couldn't have done this without your amazing support, comments, and reviews. Thank you for walking this crazy path with Kane!"

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