"Wake up—there's a mission," the voice said.
Evelynn's eyes snapped open. She rolled off the stranger's cot and hit the floor on a hard gasp.
"Status?" she croaked.
[Mission System Online]
[Primary Objective: Enroll in StreamWave Police Academy]
[Reward: Hacking Points x20; Skill Pack Bundle (Disguise Card)]
[MAINLINE FAILURE = Permanent Erasure]
"Permanent erasure?" Evelynn swallowed. Her mouth tasted like metal and static. She pushed herself up, fingers finding the seam of a cheap backpack.
"You have sixty minutes until registration closes," the voice continued. It spoke like a calm announcement, no mercy in its tone. "One mainline allowed. Secondary objectives optional. Select now."
"Who are you?" Evelynn demanded out loud, because asking things felt like a way to prove she still existed.
"No name provided. Interface only," the System replied. "Select or forfeit."
Evelynn dug into the backpack. A threadbare jacket, two energy bars, a battered notebook with pages torn free. A cheap phone with a cracked screen showed no contacts, only a default lock pattern she didn't recognize. Her hands shook.
"I'll take it," she said.
[Selection Accepted]
[Immediate Reward: Skill Boost — Agility +2; Perception +1]
[Instant Utility: Disguise Card (one-time)]
[System Tip: Use rewards; they are persistent.]
Evelynn let out a breath that wasn't a dramatic relief; it was math. Rewards meant options. Options meant survival.
She grabbed the jacket and pushed the door open. The boarding-room corridor smelled of frying oil and old sweat. A man in the next room
