The atmosphere shifts into a blend of chaos and overwhelming terror as crowds gather in the streets, as if the entire city has frozen under the weight of the scene. Breaths are quick and unsteady, eyes wide with fear and anticipation.
Police cars are lined up like temporary barricades. Officers attempt to control the situation through loudspeakers, but their voices fade amidst the uproar.
A police officer, his voice raised and filled with urgency: "Step back immediately! This area is not safe! Maintain a safe distance, or you'll be putting yourselves in danger!"
But the crowd does not retreat. People push and shove, some trying to get closer for a better view. The sound of crying echoes... children's screams blending with hushed, anxious whispers.
An old man, his voice trembling with both desperation and anger: "This is madness! How did they let this happen?!"
A young woman, screaming, her face streaked with tears: "Save the hostages! My family is in there! Do something!!"
On the rooftop, Five rises slowly from his spot, his movements sending a chill through the air. He dusts off his coat as if preparing for a long-awaited performance. His steps are steady, deliberate, as he walks toward the edge... gazing down as though overlooking the entire world.
He grips the microphone, his face showing nothing but a chilling calm. His voice echoes across the square.
Five: "Now... let me make something clear... I have only one request. A simple request… but one that carries heavy consequences."
His ominous silence casts the entire place into an eerie stillness. All eyes are locked on him, trapped between fear and disbelief, waiting for what's to come... knowing deep down that the worst is yet to unfold.
Five, in a quiet tone: "The request… is questions. Yes, just questions... to be answered by the President himself."
A crushing silence blankets the city. But it's not a silence of relief... it's a suffocating stillness, the kind that comes before a storm.
Arcadia – Inside the government's emergency room, President Jack Connor is frozen in place, his breath growing heavier.
His eyes widen slowly, as if the words are echoing in his mind thousands of times over. He slams his fist on the table in frustration, his voice cutting through the charged atmosphere.
Jack: "Questions?! What the hell does he mean by that?! He's trying to humiliate the entire nation in front of the world!!"
He sinks into his chair, his hands trembling, as the screen displays Five's cold, emotionless face. The room is paralyzed... no one dares to speak, as if the very words had stolen their breath.
Five, continues, a faint smile playing on his lips: "But of course, things aren't that simple. There are conditions."
Jack Connor stares at the screen, his eyes widening further, his expression filled with dread. His advisor, Norman, steps forward and places a firm hand on his shoulder, as if trying to ground him.
Five, his tone chillingly composed: "The first condition... The President will go live on air. Not tomorrow. Not in an hour... Now."
The silence in the emergency room becomes deafening. The President's advisors exchange glances, their faces reflecting a mix of concern and helplessness.
Five takes slow, deliberate steps toward the edge of the rooftop, gazing down at the city stretching below him as if admiring a masterpiece of his own creation. His voice rises again, sharper and more dangerous.
Five: "The second condition... I will ask the President a series of questions. He will have three attempts to answer each one. But if he lies..."
He pauses for a moment, staring directly into the camera, as if addressing the President himself. Then, his voice drops into a tone so threatening it sends a chill down every spine.
Five: "... I will execute a random hostage from inside this building."
He steps back, slow and calculated, exuding absolute control over the scene, before casually sitting on the edge... as if the entire catastrophe unfolding before him was nothing more than a game he was orchestrating.
Outside, the screams rise like an impending eruption. A woman sobs uncontrollably, her arms wrapped tightly around her child in a desperate shield, her voice breaking with raw fury.
The woman: "Stop this lunatic now! He's a monster… a heartless killer!!"
A young boy clutches his father's hand tightly, his eyes brimming with fear. His voice shakes as he asks, "Dad, What will happen to us" His father, trying to steady his own voice, replies, "Don't worry... the police will stop him. They have to."
Among the crowd, an elderly man shakes his head and mutters to the person beside him, "This isn't a man. He's the devil himself. How can someone play with human lives so mercilessly?"
A young woman near the security barricades yells at the officers, "Why are you just standing there?! Kill him! He's threatening all our lives!" Her eyes are swollen from crying, her voice a mixture of rage and despair.
Amid this sea of chaos, Five stands tall... like the director of a tragic play, pulling the strings with demonic precision. His cold eyes scan the scene like an artist admiring his dramatic masterpiece.
Five: "And as for the second condition... It's very simple. If you, President Jack, try to evade answering in any way... I will consider it the official invitation to begin the grand finale."
His quiet chuckle echoes like a sinister melody through the crowd, laced with unhinged amusement. Some scream curses at him.
"Murderer!"
"Cold-blooded killer!"
"You're not human!"
"Curse you, you villain!"
In the midst of the chaos, as Five sits on the edge like an imposing shadow, his eyes gleam with an eerie calm... like a puppeteer in control of every thread in this nightmarish spectacle. The voices behind him rise, but he simply raises a hand in silence. And in a single moment, the uproar ceases, as if time itself has stopped.
With a quiet, deep voice, tinged with mockery, he begins to speak.
Five: "Citizens... Have you ever wondered what evil truly means? Evil is not an independent entity, nor an absolute concept. It is the reflection of human intentions when the balance between ends and means is lost.
The small decisions we make every day... choosing our own interests over others, remaining silent in the face of injustice, hiding our selfishness behind grand words about love, justice, or virtue.
You see me now as a villain, a monster. But haven't you all done the same? Crushing those weaker than you, ignoring those who cried out for help, justifying it all with a thousand excuses?
Isn't evil turning a blind eye to hunger while your table overflows with food? Isn't evil wasting a life in the name of ambition? Isn't evil staying silent, looking away, walking past... when you know you could have made a difference?
Society teaches us from childhood to show a beautiful face to others while hiding the claws that scratch and the knives we plunge into each other's backs.
There is no such thing as a hero… A hero is a romanticized illusion, a fantasy designed to soothe fearful hearts. But in reality, even the purest of individuals have selfish motives.
Everyone is evil… We destroy nature in the name of progress. We commit crimes under different banners... war, politics, religion. We ignore poverty, hunger, and injustice as long as they don't touch us directly. We speak of humanity while practicing cruelty. We love people as long as they serve our interests, and discard them when they become burdens.
Every human carries the seed of evil within. The real question isn't 'What is evil?' but rather 'When does a person become evil?'
Evil isn't a grand, blatant act like what you see now. It's the small spark we ignite within ourselves every single day…
You fear me, but the truth you refuse to face is that you fear yourselves. You fear seeing your own human nature reflected in the mirror.
I am not a monster... I am a mirror, reflecting the darkest corners of your souls. And I am here only to remind you of what you truly are... not because I want to, but because you have chosen to ignore your reality for far too long."
Five finishes his words with a faint smile, one that speaks of a truth unshaken by the world. The crowd erupts into chaos, yet the lingering silence left behind sends an unsettling shiver through every soul... as if, for one brief moment, the entire world looked into its own depths and recoiled in horror.
Five stood like the calm point in the eye of the storm, observing the chaos he had ignited, not as a victor, but as one who watches the truth burn slowly under the glare of reality.
Inside the government emergency room, the atmosphere was charged with tension, as if the very air was thick, making it hard to breathe. President Jack Connor wiped his face with his hands, his eyes wide with a mix of anger and worry.
Jack, slamming his hand on the table, spoke angrily: "This isn't just a disaster! It's a deadly game! What on earth are his questions going to be?! This madness could not only ruin me politically, but it might tear the country to pieces!!"
Norman, Vice President, cautiously approached, his voice low but steady, as if trying to calm a ticking time bomb.
Norman: "Sir, please, we need to be smart. They're just questions. Whatever the answers, we'll find a way to justify them. We'll say our goal is the safety of the hostages and minimizing the chaos.
And really, what could a young man like him possibly have in terms of dangerous secrets or mysterious questions the whole world fears?"
Jack sighed silently, while Richard, the head of Special Operations, leaned slightly over the table, his voice sharper and more confident.
Richard: "The special forces are in position, Mr. President. We have an alternative plan in place if things go south. All we need is time."
Jack, turning to them in anger: "What about the live broadcast? Do you expect me to face this madboy live on air?! The people are watching, the world is watching! He wants to humiliate me!!"
Norman, leaning forward slightly, his tone firm with determination: "On the contrary, sir. If you go live, you'll appear to the world as a leader who cares about his people, ready to sacrifice himself for their safety. Your people need to see that strength now."
The president paused, looking at Norman intently, as though trying to find some reassurance in his words. After a moment, he sighed deeply, then grabbed the communication device, his voice heavy, as if pulling the words from deep within.
Jack Connor entered the designated live broadcast room, his features tense but carrying a hint of resolve. The camera lights shone on him, and silence filled the air. He moved with steady steps, though his breathing was irregular. He placed his hands on the table with calculated precision, gazing directly into the lens as if addressing the entire world.
Jack, with a deep voice, but charged with emotion: "I am Jack Connor, President of the Republic. I have chosen to face this moment... to answer your questions honestly, no matter what they are. But in return, I demand the safety of my people and the immediate release of the hostages."
He paused for a moment, shifting his gaze between the lens as if speaking to every individual in his country directly. His tone became sharper and more resolute.
Jack: "If you believe these questions will reveal the truth, then let them. But know that the lives of these innocent people are at stake. If you're looking for power or vengeance, you won't find it here... you will only find a people who refuse to surrender, and a president ready to take full responsibility."
In the square, the crowd watched the broadcast eagerly, some standing stunned, others shouting his name. Inside the government emergency room, everyone stared at the screen with concern, while Norman tried to hide his anxiety. Five smiled from his position, clapping slowly as if congratulating the president on his bravery.
Five, with a mocking tone: "Brilliant!... Absolutely brilliant, Jack. A brave and determined leader... just as I imagined. Now, let's see if your sincerity matches your strength."
Five smiled his usual smile, the one that sent chills down people's spines, as if everything was moving exactly as he had planned.
Before him, a laptop was open, displaying the president's live broadcast. He slowly turned the screen towards him, his eyes cold and gleaming as he watched Jack Connor's words, as though watching a play that he had directed.
Leaning slightly back, he crossed one leg over the other, as if the whole world were just pawns on a chessboard, moved by his fingertips.
In the government emergency room, sweat trickled down Jack Connor's forehead, his eyes fixed on the camera in front of him, while Five's face appeared on the big screen with his cold smile. The world was watching; the people in their homes, the politicians in their offices, even enemies from beyond the borders were watching. Everyone knew these moments would change the course of history.
Five, with a calm yet sharply hidden tone: "The first question... Were you aware of a transfer of 9 billion dollars to personal accounts of senior officials in your government?"
Jack froze, his eyes widened for a moment, then returned to his composure. He tried to appear confident, but the sweat pouring down his forehead betrayed his unease. He swallowed hard, took a deep breath, and spoke in a hesitant voice.
Jack: "No... I know nothing about that."
Five, slowly raising an eyebrow with a wicked smile creeping coldly across his face: "Answer... incorrect."
In the streets of Arcadia, a heavy silence fell, as if time had stopped for a moment. The crowds, who had been watching the live broadcast on their phones and TVs, stared at the screens with wide eyes.
Whispers spread among the crowds, mixed with a sense of shock and confusion. Some shook their heads in disbelief, while others murmured softly. "Is it possible?! How did we not know this before?"
In a poor neighborhood, an elderly man stood by an old window, staring at the screen in bewilderment, then exploded, shouting: "He knew... he knew everything!"
In another small house, a young woman covered her mouth with her hand, her eyes filled with tears as she spoke in a soft voice: "All this money... and we're struggling for a living?!"
A sense of disappointment and pain seeped through the people, as if a deep chasm had opened between them and the one they had once thought was their leader. The tension in the government emergency room grew heavier, as if the air itself had become thicker. Advisor Norman, pale-faced with eyes narrowing in fear, quickly pressed the mute button.
Norman: "Sir, listen to me carefully. This young man doesn't ask questions unless he already knows the answers. If you keep lying, it will all be over. You have to be honest, no matter what the truth is."
Jack turned to Norman, anger and fear battling across his face. He whispered in a low voice, trying to regain some control.
Jack: "And if I tell the truth? It'll all be over anyway."
Norman, his voice carrying a mix of hope and warning: "There are seven questions left, sir. If you want to salvage any respect, start now."
Five, with a voice dripping with threat: "Second chance... Were you aware?"
Jack, looking at the camera, then at the screen displaying Five's face, that face that smiled as if he controlled everything. He then looked around, seeing the eyes of his advisors, the cameras, the world itself. He took a deep breath and then spoke in a quiet voice.
Jack: "Yes... I knew."
Five's smile widened slowly, as if it were a steel glove gripping every corner of the room. His eyes gleamed coldly, as though he were watching a scene for the first time, despite knowing every detail within it.
Five, in a calm voice: "The second question... Did you give the green light for the assassination of political opponent Theodore Rin?"
The space in the emergency room was thick with pressure, as if the air had become dense. Jack froze for a moment, as though hearing the bell of death in his ear. His face contorted with sudden rage, and his movements became unsteady. He raised his hands violently, waving them in the air as he slammed the table in front of him.
Jack, in a tense voice, his eyes widening as he tried to hide his panic: "How dare you!!... No, I had nothing to do with that!"
Five remained still, studying his prey as he saw it flounder. He raised an eyebrow slightly, then smiled that cold smile that never reached his heart.
Five, in a calm tone as if responding to a casual question: "I know you're lying... Do you want to try again?"
At that moment, it became apparent that Jack was beginning to sweat profusely, droplets of sweat falling from his forehead and streaming down his cheeks. His hands trembled slightly as the pressure of the relentless questions weighed on him, as though he were trying to close a window revealing the end of his nightmare.
His heart raced, his movements became more jittery, as if every part of his body was trying to escape the situation he couldn't flee from. Everyone in the room watched the subtle changes in his expressions, realizing that the critical moment was approaching.
Jack, with a broken and hoarse voice, his eyes gleaming with fear: "Yes... it was me."
In that fatal moment, a terrible silence filled the room after the words left President Jack's mouth, like bullets in the air.
The air in the room became suffocating, with no sound but the pounding of the president's heart that could almost be heard throughout the place. Norman, his advisor who had been watching silently, felt as though the earth had swallowed his feet. Everyone's eyes were on the president, but their thoughts raced in a storm of doubts and impending destruction.
In every corner of the city of "Arcadia," reactions were immediate. In the crowded streets and homes, people began to gather in front of their television screens, their eyes wide and their mouths open in shock.
A young woman in one of the corners raised her hand towards her screen, her eyes drowning in tears. "How is this possible? How could our president be the one who did this?!"
An elderly man in one of the neighborhoods, shaking from the shock, screamed with trembling hands. "He fooled us all... it's all lies!"
A mother watching with her children in her home clasped her hands tightly in a deep confusion, the murmurs of shock escaping from her lips. "Is this the truth? Is he really the one responsible?!"
Government officials inside a closed room, who had known the truth but remained in the shadows, were now in a state of shock. No one dared to look each other in the eye. Doubts began to creep in, and loyalties started to crumble like sand slipping through their fingers.
The defense minister, who had always been a staunch defender of the president, felt a coldness in his limbs, trembling slightly. He whispered in his colleague's ear. "Is this the beginning of the end?"
The opposing minister, who had always criticized the president's policies, smiled with a mocking grin, frowning before whispering. "I told you so. This was going to happen in the end!!"
The neighboring country's president was watching the live broadcast in his office. His smile slowly widened as he sipped his coffee, observing President Jack being exposed to the world. In his eyes was a mixture of joy and pity. "If he falls, it will be more than just a political collapse... this fool will bring his entire country down with him," he whispered to himself, then turned his gaze to his advisors.
Global intelligence agencies, who had been monitoring the broadcast with intense focus, began analyzing every word Jack had spoken. Tension was rising in the secret meeting rooms, where political analysts and military experts began taking notes on what this confession could mean for the entire region.
The major Western powers, which had always tried to hide behind quiet diplomacy, began issuing official statements calling for an investigation into these allegations. Some began to question the credibility of the current regime, while others hinted at the possibility of imposing harsher sanctions.
In the streets and public places, citizens across "Arcadia" were shouting in the streets, torn between shock and anger. Some started closing shops, while others gathered in public squares, threatening an uprising. In every corner, there were cries of betrayal, and confused looks searching for an answer to what had occurred.
Young people on social media were expressing a collective breakdown. Tweets flooded the internet rapidly, with increasing sarcastic comments demanding justice. "We were living in one giant lie... nothing stays hidden forever." "If this is our president, what are we actually living in?!"
On television screens, political analysts were trying to explain the situation, but even they were in chaos. One of them, with his eyes closed, said, "What happened today is not just a scandal... it's the collapse of power itself!"
The global press was following every second of the event as though it was the beginning of a worldwide tragedy. Articles and reports were flooding news websites, indicating that the truth might mark the beginning of a new phase of radical change in the country and the world as a whole.
In homes, the people's screams rose, some fell to the ground, their hands trembling in an attempt to absorb what they had just heard. An elderly man, his eyes filled with astonishment, screamed in a hoarse voice, "He was our hero! How could he do this?! How?!"
Tears fell from his eyes as he raised his hands as if they couldn't believe the truth.
Five, letting out a quiet laugh filled with contempt, slowly turned towards the camera, then burst out laughing in a serial manner, as though enjoying the collapse of his enemy.
Five: "Ahahahah... Hahaha... Jack, you have a talent for destroying yourself!"
Then he suddenly stopped, waving his hand as if he was continuing his favorite game.
Five: "Now... the third question."
In that moment, the pressure on Jack intensified. His eyes moved quickly, aimlessly, as though searching for an escape from the inevitable situation.
Five, with a cold smile: "The third question... Were you part of a secret project that led to the displacement of thousands of villagers to develop secret factories?"
Outside, a deep silence spread over the crowd, as people exchanged shocked and confused looks. Inside the room, Jack's breathing quickened, his body freezing as though the air had become unbearably heavy. In that moment, the pressure began to rise once more, and minds raced to comprehend the new charges being leveled against their president.
Jack, his anger rising, almost shouted: "No! These are lies! I never did that!!"
Five, his voice cold and mocking: "Wrong answer..."
Jack, insisting on his position, said: "I wasn't aware of this! This is the truth!!"
Norman, whispering tensely as he approached Jack: "Mr. President!"
Five, sighing slowly, added with a mocking tone: "Wrong answer... again."
Norman, his tension melting into fear, spoke in a very soft voice: "Sir!... Just answer! Five questions left!!"
Jack, his eyes filled with panic, screamed: "No!... That's not true!!"
And in that moment, it felt as if time itself had stopped. The air became thick, suffocating, as if the lungs could not draw in breath. A heavy feeling enveloped the room, and everyone felt the explosion was imminent. The senses dulled, everything slowed down, as though everyone was living in a nightmare racing towards its end.
Then, without warning, the sound of a gunshot filled the air. The sound echoed in their bones, as if the entire world was collapsing. The bullet resounded in the chest, opening the gates of terror within their hearts.
Panic crept into the crowd. A woman in the middle of the square fell to her knees, her face paling, her eyes filled with tears streaming relentlessly. Her scream mixed with the cries of others scattered here and there. Screams that were no longer human, but fragments of pain and fear.
At the moment when time froze, Five's laugh echoed... a laugh unlike any other. A terrifying, distorted laugh that cut through the air like a sharp dagger. It filled everyone's ears and sank into their minds like a cloud of darkness. His laugh scattered through every corner, rising in the space, as if it were devouring all the remaining hope in their souls.
Then, between his laughs, his sharp, frightening voice emerged, coming from between his teeth as if he had destroyed everything.
Five: "Answer... wrong!"
The words flew like stones through the air, and the silence that followed became even more terrifying. It wasn't just an ordinary silence, but one that carried deep fear, a silence that filled hearts with indescribable emotions.
Five, placed his hand on his chin, staring into the camera: "Jack... someone's blood is on your neck. Do you feel the weight now? Or have you grown used to it?"
At that moment, the entire world seemed to fall into complete silence. The blinding camera lights reflected on the faces of the audience, their expressions frozen in place. Every breath was audible, every step trapped within the silence, a weight that covered the space.