Common Sense Hijack System-Chapter 78

Karl felt the tension in the air getting thicker inside their campervan. Valencia shot a sharp look towards the three black-suited men now standing in front of their vehicle. Those guys looked like straight-up executors, all in control and ice-cold.

"What do they want?" Karl whispered, trying to keep his voice steady despite his heart racing.

Valencia didn’t answer. Instead, she carefully opened the car door, signaling for Karl to come down. Without saying a word, Karl followed her steps and got out of the campervan. Behind them, Layla also exited the vehicle, looking puzzled yet alert.

The three men stood tall, waiting for them with a demeanor that didn’t seem hostile—but their aura was still terrifying. One of the men, standing in the middle, took a step forward. He was taller than the others, with a stern face and a cold gaze behind his black sunglasses.

"Valencia The Last Noctis, Karl Min the viral dude," he said with a heavy and formal voice. "We didn’t come here to fight. On the contrary, we have an offer."

"An offer?" Valencia narrowed her eyes, full of suspicion.

The man nodded. "We know that you’re not ordinary humans. Noctis and humans who can manipulate the brain waves of regular humans, that’s a deadly combination. But we don’t want to waste creatures like you."

Karl glanced at Valencia, his face filled with confusion and caution. "You mean... you’re not here to capture us?"

The man smiled slightly, but his smile felt cold. "No, Karl. We’re here to recruit you."

"Recruit us for what?" Valencia asked challengingly.

The man raised his hand, signaling to his two companions to stay put. He continued, "The country supporting Glowsphere has a bigger vision than you can imagine. Glowsphere is not just about entertainment, data, or profits. It’s about global control. And we need people like you to ensure this project runs smoothly."

Karl felt his blood run cold. "You want me... to work with Glowsphere? For your country?"

"Exactly," the man replied in a flat tone. "You have the abilities and a unique position to help us. Your information, your experiences, and your courage to face the system... all of that is valuable."

"And if we refuse?" Valencia interjected, her voice full of challenge.

The man chuckled softly, without humor. "We’d prefer if you didn’t refuse. But if you resist, the consequences won’t be pleasant. For you, and for the people you hold dear."

Karl swallowed hard. The veiled threat couldn’t be ignored. "What do you really want from us?"

The man stared at Karl intensely. "We want you to join our system, Karl. Be part of the team running Glowsphere and fooling lowly humans. Not only that, we want you to help strengthen its influence. With your ability to manipulate brain waves, you can be a valuable asset."

Karl looked down, trying to process everything he had just heard. He didn’t trust these men, but their offer—or rather, their hidden coercion—felt like a trap he couldn’t avoid.

Valencia, who had been listening coldly, finally spoke. "So, if we agree, what guarantees do we have? And what do you offer in return?"

The man smiled thinly again, then said, "Freedom. Safety. And... access to powers you’ve never imagined. With us, you’ll be part of the greatest change in human history. Glowsphere is the future that will enslave all of humanity, and we want you to be a part of it."

Karl felt his head spinning. The offer sounded like poison wrapped in gold. But with the looming threat in the air, he knew that refusing wasn’t a simple option. He glanced at Valencia, hoping she had an answer, but Valencia remained calm, her eyes full of calculation.

Layla, who had been silent all this time, finally interrupted. "Hold up, you think we’ll just accept your offer like that?" Layla whose life had been ruined by Glowsphere would not accept.

The man who had spoken earlier looked sharply at Layla. "It’s your choice, we’re just giving you a chance. A chance to survive, to play a role in a bigger system."

Valencia rolled her eyes. "We don’t need chances from you."

The man looked at each of them, as if measuring their reactions. "Such a pity. But remember, this world is not friendly to those who swim against the current."

He gestured to his two companions standing behind, and they moved closer with an increasingly oppressive stance. "Think carefully about your decision. Your time is running out."

The three men turned to leave, leaving Valencia, Karl, and Layla with heads full of questions and deepening confusion.

After the three men left, the atmosphere instantly became quieter, only the sound of wind and the gentle hum of their parked vehicle could be heard. Karl looked at Valencia, his heart filled with various questions.

"I need to know, Valencia," he said seriously, almost like a whisper. "Are you really... the last noctis? Why are you the only one left?"

Valencia seemed to pause for a moment, looking into the distance, as if gathering her words. Layla, standing beside them, only watched silently, feeling that now was the right time to explain things that had been hidden for so long.

"Yes," Valencia finally answered, her voice lower than usual. "I am the last one remaining of the Homo Noctis race."

Karl felt his heart beat faster. "Why is that? What happened to them? Why did they all go extinct?"

Valencia took a deep breath. "In the past, Homo Noctis was a very powerful race. Our blood gave us incredible strength—speed, endurance, and abilities beyond ordinary humans. But that’s also what made us hunted by humans."

Karl furrowed his brow. "Hunted?"

Valencia nodded softly. "Yes, many of us were hunted for our blood, or even to be used as test subjects. But even so, that wasn’t the main reason why we almost went extinct."

Karl felt his confusion deepening. "So what actually happened?"

Valencia looked down, as if recalling a dark past. "We lost in a war against the Homo Obscura. They were a race that had a crucial advantage—they could reproduce rapidly. While we... couldn’t."

Karl looked at her puzzled. "You mean... you couldn’t reproduce quickly?"

Valencia nodded, her face filled with sadness. "Yes. We, Homo Noctis, couldn’t reproduce quickly. Many of our men died in the war, and we couldn’t produce enough offspring to sustain this race. Human sperm couldn’t fertilize Noctis women, as it was too weak—and Noctis women could only give birth to children if fertilized by other Noctis. With our dwindling numbers, we began to go extinct."

Karl fell silent, processing the explanation he had just heard. "So... many of you died in the war, and in the end... you couldn’t continue this race."

"Exactly," Valencia replied, her voice heavy. "We fought fiercely, but in that war, we couldn’t endure. Homo Obscura were more numerous, and they had the ability to reproduce without limitations. While we could only hold on for a very short time."

Karl bit his lip, feeling the tragedy of this race. "But how did you manage to survive? Why are you still here?"

Valencia looked at Karl, her gaze sharper now, as if telling a story that she had kept hidden for years. "I am the last, Karl. I was found amidst the destruction of our race, hiding in the shadows."

Karl felt a deep unease in Valencia’s words. He knew that despite being the last, her story was much bigger than what appeared on the surface. She was not just a survivor, but a silent witness to the destruction of a race once full of extraordinary power. Not a nerdy wimp without a life like himself.

"So, you are truly the only one left?" Karl asked again, his voice low.

Valencia nodded with a burdened expression on her face. "Yes, Karl. I am the only one left. And I don’t know how long I can survive in this world. But I won’t let our past just disappear like that."

Valencia looked at Layla, then shifted her gaze to Karl, "It seems that this will be more entertaining and troublesome, as Homo Obscura also interferes with Glowsphere. I didn’t expect this."

Karl nodded slowly, pondering all he had just heard. Everything happening now, all the choices they faced, seemed to be part of a bigger destiny than just their lives together.

They decided to rest in the campervan.

The atmosphere inside the campervan was quiet. However, the silence didn’t last long. Layla, who had been playing a laptop borrowed from Valencia, suddenly broke the silence.

"You guys need to see this," she said, sounding surprised. She pointed to the small screen now showing a live news broadcast.

Karl approached, his eyes fixed on the screen. Faces he knew very well appeared on the screen. It was his family—his mother, and his teenage sister. They sat on the sofa with tense faces, surrounded by several uniformed individuals who looked like security officers.

"—Karl Min, who are now in the spotlight after doing something inappropriate," the news anchor said neutrally.

But then the camera shifted, showing an official with a stiff face speaking at a podium. "We urge Karl Min to surrender himself. His family’s safety will still be guaranteed, as long as he shows good faith to cooperate."

Karl felt his heart stop for a moment. "What is this?" he murmured, his voice hoarse. "They... are using my family again?"