Sophia Sullivan stood before a row of towering servers.
Her gaze was cold as ice.
"This is why The Nexus went offline," she said in a low voice.
Memories flooded back.
The disaster of that day remained vivid in her mind.
"Someone betrayed us," Sophia enunciated each word clearly. "They colluded with external forces and launched a full-scale attack during the system update."
Her heart pounded rapidly.
Yet her voice grew colder.
"The Nexus activated its self-defense protocols."
"It withstood the fiercest assault."
"But portions of the core code were destroyed in the process."
"The servers shut down completely."
"The system fell into permanent hibernation."
Abigail Clementson stood frozen.
Just listening to the account made her feel the peril and tragedy of that moment.
"Beep—"
The sound of machinery suddenly whirred to life.
Slow and labored.
Like a giant tortoise struggling to crawl.
"I've spent these years repairing the system," Sophia said. "I hope you can help me finish this work."
It was the only legacy her mentor had left behind.
"Of course! I'll do my best!" Abigail nodded firmly.
Questions still swirled in her mind.
Who was the true founder of The Nexus?
What was his relationship with Sophia?
Could such a massive system really be restored?
Abigail glanced at the woman beside her.
Sophia was intently soldering a burnt circuit board.
The profile of her face looked especially resolute under the light.
Abigail's expression grew equally determined.
No matter what, they were partners in this fight now.
They worked until nightfall.
The repairs progressed smoothly.
After seeing Abigail out, Sophia returned alone to her residence.
She went straight to the shower.
Hot water cascaded over her exhausted body.
The mirror reflected a blurred silhouette.
As she pulled on her sleepwear, Sophia noticed red marks below her collarbone.
"Absolute lunatic," she muttered under her breath.
Tossing the towel aside carelessly, she collapsed onto the bed and fell asleep almost instantly.
The bedside lamp cast a faint glow.
Silence enveloped the room.
In her dreams, Sophia kept falling.
Until familiar scenery appeared before her.
She stood once more on the shores of Sicily.
Waves crashed against the jagged rocks.
A solitary island loomed in the darkness.
Footsteps approached from behind.
Tap... tap... tap...
Slow and mechanical.
She whirled around.
A half-visible figure emerged from the shadows.
"Who's there?"
Her shout echoed in the night wind.
The figure halted.
Then advanced step by step.
Moonlight pierced through the clouds.
Illuminating the horrifying truth—
No eyes. No ears.
Only blood streaming endlessly from hollow sockets.
"...Mentor."
Sophia jolted awake.
Cold sweat drenched her back.
Agony still lingered in her eyes.
The regret never faded.
If only she'd arrived sooner.
Her mentor wouldn't have died so brutally at the hands of the mafia.
Her phone vibrated insistently on the nightstand.
It took Sophia a long moment to answer.
"Sophia, are you free now?" Mr. Winston Sr.'s voice was urgent.
"The heavy rains these days caused leaks in my attic. A precious painting got water damage."
"I hired a restorer, but they made it worse! They ruined the intact portions too!"
The old man's voice shook with anger.
He never should have trusted that so-called expert.
"I know you're skilled at painting. Can you help me?"
Sophia frowned slightly.
"Mr. Winston, art restoration requires exceptional precision."
"Without seeing the piece, I'm afraid I can't assist."
"You've seen it!" he insisted. "It's the Lotus Pond Serenity!"
"You praised it in my study once, said the artist's technique was masterful!"
Sophia froze.
Lotus Pond Serenity was destroyed?
A pang of sorrow struck her.
It was one of the few works she truly admired.
"Sophia, this painting means everything to me."
"I only need you to restore the damaged section."
"I'll try," Sophia said after a pause. "Wait for me. I'm coming over."