When morning came, Adyr left the house in his usual uniform. If he didn't want Niva asking questions about school or his new job, he had to act like nothing had changed.
He didn't forget the game helmet either. He would need it to connect to the new device.
Outside, a large black SUV was already waiting. The same driver from before stood beside it, patient and silent. His expression wasn't as disdainful as it had been yesterday. Or maybe he had just learned to hide it better.
The headquarters was a bit farther from the university district, but thanks to the private car and not having to pick up anyone else on the way, the ride was quick.
When they arrived, the area wasn't as quiet as it had been the day before. Vehicles of all types came and went. People of various ages stepped out, walked across the sidewalk, and entered the building. There were no banners or balloons, but for a moment, Adyr was reminded of mall openings back in his old world.
As he followed the crowd toward the large doors, a man in a black suit stepped in front of him and blocked his path.
"Excuse me, sir. This is a private area. May I confirm your identity?" The man had a firm build, but his tone was surprisingly reasonable.
The only issue was that, out of everyone entering the building, he had stopped only Adyr. Clearly, something about his appearance had raised suspicion.
"Sure. It's Adyr," he replied calmly.
The man hesitated for a moment, then checked the tablet in his hand. "Apologies for the interruption, sir. You may proceed. Inside, stop by the reception to collect your temporary ID. You'll also need to hand them your game helmet."
Adyr gave a short nod and moved on. It seemed there would be no repeat of yesterday's scene. The staff had clearly been better briefed this time.
The place was crowded. Along with the many guards disguised in civilian clothing and others clearly marked by their black suits, Adyr estimated that more than a hundred players were present.
As he scanned the room, he noted the wide range in age—some looked as young as fourteen or fifteen, while others appeared to be in their sixties, with graying hair and tired eyes.
He even spotted a few familiar faces from university. Most notably, Cole, Adyr's favorite bully, was there. His arm had healed, the cast was gone, and his face showed no remaining injuries. With mutant genetics, even a broken bone could heal in days. It wasn't surprising.
In the crowd, Adyr also noticed Eren, towering above the others with his massive frame.
Victor and Selina were nowhere to be seen, which led him to assume that people of their status and rank were already waiting elsewhere, likely in a more exclusive room.
After a quick scan of the area—and mentally pinning dozens of faces into his memory palace, in the "faces" section—he walked up to the reception desk.
Three beautiful women stood at the reception desk, each one familiar to Adyr from the day before. One of them was the addict whose nights he had likely filled with nightmares.
After speaking with the security chief, Gregor, in the elevator the day before, Adyr had made a deal with him. He would forget the entire incident and even help cover it up if necessary.
And in return? Adyr hadn't asked for anything.
Of course, that didn't mean he wouldn't in the future.
As he approached, the receptionists spotted him, and all three straightened up. Their bodies tensed, and the color drained from their faces.
He stepped directly toward the one in the middle—black hair, brown eyes, trembling hands.
"S-Sir," she greeted, her voice and posture shaky.
"Hello," Adyr said with a smile. "They told me I should pick up an ID here. Can you help me with that?"
He placed the game helmet on the desk for her to take.
"Yes, yes, of course. Mr. Adyr, right? I'll find it right away," she said, writing a number on the helmet before turning to her screen and starting the process.
After a quick check and a few clicks, the woman printed the ID card and handed it to him with both hands. "You'll find your game helmet connected to the new game device later," she added.
Adyr took the card with a nod. It was plastic and plain.
When he looked at it, he saw his photo, full name, and a six-digit ID number assigned to him.
"You can see all player ID information on your screen, right?" He asked, raising his eyes from the card.
The woman didn't understand the purpose of the question at first, but replied politely with a hint of tension. "Yes, Mr. Adyr. Every player is registered in the system."
Adyr smiled. "Can you let me see it for a moment?"
She froze.
Of course, that wasn't allowed. Only authorized staff were permitted to access and display that data. Showing it to someone else could be considered a security breach.
"I can't?" Adyr asked, his tone calm but laced with disappointment as he noticed her hesitation.
That only made her more nervous. Yesterday's events were still fresh in her mind.
She glanced at the other two receptionists, but both avoided her gaze, silently signaling that they wanted no part of it.
With a pale face and a forced smile, she gave in. "Sure. Of course you can," she whispered, barely loud enough for him to hear.
She tilted the screen just enough to show him. All she wanted was for him to take a quick look and move on without drawing attention.
And that's exactly what he did. Adyr studied the screen for a few seconds, then said, "Thank you," and turned away.
The woman exhaled quietly, relieved. For a moment, she'd thought she was in trouble again.
He hadn't done anything. Just looked. And since it was brief, it was easy to believe it was nothing more than curiosity. In the end, if anyone ever found out he had accessed that kind of information, it wouldn't be taken lightly.
What she didn't know was that a few seconds were more than enough for Adyr.
Looks like there are only 134 players, he thought as he searched the lobby for a place to sit.
In his mind, every single face, name, surname, and ID number was already in place, clear and perfectly memorized.
While Adyr sat patiently, watching everyone grow more restless by the minute, something finally happened.
A young, well-dressed woman stepped in front of the reception desk and spoke into a microphone.
"First of all, thank you to all our guests for your patience. As of now, all registration and ID processing have been completed.
Please make your way to the 13th-floor conference room using the elevators. There, you will receive further information and a presentation that will answer most of your questions. Thank you."
With that announcement, the entire lobby came to life. People moved quickly, eager to reach the elevators and secure a spot in the first group.
Adyr didn't rush. He stayed seated and waited until the second round of elevators arrived before finally getting up and stepping into one.
The excitement and tension on everyone's faces were impossible to miss.
For the first time, they would begin to understand what kind of game they had truly entered—what they had survived so far and what the future might hold.