The cold muzzle of the assault rifle pressing against the back of Zulfa's neck felt painfully real amid the deafening roar of the gigantic drilling rig. Naya was yanked forcefully to his left by two burly private security guards, her wrists bound so tightly with plastic zip-ties that crimson marks bloomed against her skin.

They were marched up a spiral steel staircase toward a primary control platform hovering directly before the drilling rig—an open-air cantilevered deck overlooking the violently pulsing vortex of the blue Ley-Line energy stream.

In the center of the platform, near a glass-topped digital control console, Aethel Corp's director of operations—the young man in the sharp light-gray designer suit who had greeted them earlier—stood waiting patiently. He was sipping black coffee from a paper cup, creating a stark, jarring contrast between the sterile corporate luxury and the grime, sweat, and soot coating Zulfa and Naya from head to toe.

"Have a seat, Engineer Arditama," the director said amiably, gesturing toward two steel chairs in front of the console table as if they were attending a routine job interview in an executive suite rather than an underground execution chamber.

A security guard shoved Zulfa’s shoulder, forcing him roughly down onto a metal chair. Naya was dropped unceremoniously beside him, breathing heavily with eyes blazing with fury.

Zulfa stared straight at the director, ignoring the aches radiating across his body. "What kind of game is this? Are you going to kill us slowly, or just toss us straight into the crystal refinery like your threat suggested?"

The suited man gave a faint smile, setting his paper coffee cup down on the console table with a soft click. He straightened his suit jacket and folded his arms across his chest.

"A threat? Oh, don't be so dramatic, Engineer. Let's just treat this as a casual chat between professional colleagues," the director said in a calm tone that dripped with condescension. "By the way, let me formally introduce myself: Vian Pratama. Senior Director of Operations for Aethel Corp's regional sector."

Zulfa scoffed cynically. "An operational director heading up a syndicate of murderers and dimension-energy thieves. A deeply prestigious title, Mr. Pratama."

Vian didn't look offended in the slightest. Instead, he let out a soft, amused chuckle, pacing back and forth before Zulfa and Naya while monitoring data screens flashing bright red energy surge graphs.

"You know, Zulfa? I actually admire you," Vian said earnestly, stopping to lock eyes with Zulfa. "At your age, coming from a low-level civil service background, you managed to decode an ancient seal structure that even our senior corporate engineers couldn't wrap their heads around."

"Because my grandfather designed that system with common sense, not with your bottomless greed," Zulfa retorted sharply, his jaw clenching tight.

Vian let out a long sigh, sliding one hand into his trouser pocket. "Common sense? This modern world is too overcrowded, Zulfa. The human population is exploding, energy demands spike by thousands of megawatts every year, and our fossil fuels are dying. If we don't exploit this Ley-Line energy, modern human civilization up top will collapse in less than a decade from total energy starvation."

"So you justify these barbaric methods? Sacrificing thousands of civilian lives, turning this city into a breeding ground for dimensional monsters, and calling it civilizational progress?!" Naya yelled from beside Zulfa, her emotions overflowing as tears of anger and frustration spilled over her cheeks.

Vian glanced briefly at Naya, adopting a feigned expression of pity. "My dear young lady, on the scale of human historical evolution, local sacrifices are a remarkably cheap price to pay for the long-term survival of the entire species. What do a few thousand lives in this city matter compared to securing the future of global civilization?"

"That's just power-hungry corporate bullshit!" Zulfa cut in firmly, staring down Vian without a flicker of fear. "You aren't saving civilization; you're cracking open the gates of hell for personal profit piled on top of black crystal mountains!"

Silence blanketed the platform. The thundering roar of the drilling rig below only served to heighten the tense atmosphere.

Vian stared intently at Zulfa for several long seconds. The smile on his face slowly melted away, replaced by a cold, calculating expression. He stepped closer to the console table, leaning down slightly to level his gaze with Zulfa's face.

"You know, Zulfa? I'd hate to waste brilliant talent like yours," Vian whispered softly, dangling a shocking lifeline. "How about we work together?"

Zulfa narrowed his eyes. "Work together?"

"Precisely," Vian continued in a persuasive tone. "The primary sealing structure beneath our valve currently suffers from a minor mathematical miscalculation in its load parameters. Our system needs someone who genuinely understands the ancient mechanical logic of your grandfather to stabilize this energy flow so it doesn't blow prematurely before the gateway opens fully."

Vian straightened up, spreading his arms wide. "If you join us, fix those seal parameters, and lead Aethel Corp's engineering division, I'll grant you the title of Chief Architect of all Metropolitan Sectors. Unlimited salary, absolute authority, and of course... absolute security guarantees for your sister, Rani, at the eastern residential block."

Naya whipped her head around toward Zulfa in shock, her breath catching in her throat. "Zulfa... don't listen to him! It's a trap!"

Zulfa fell silent for a moment. The offer was fiercely tempting for anyone desperate to save themselves and their family from a death sentence. Yet, the image of Bagas being dragged into a melting pipe wall, alongside the agonizing screams of the forced laborers from the ancient vision at his apartment, flashed rapidly through his mind.

Zulfa slowly raised his head, locking his eyes onto Vian Pratama with a thin, contemptuous smile.

"A truly fascinating offer, Mr. Director," Zulfa said in a voice steady yet resolute. "But I'd rather rot in the stinking sewers of this city than sell my hands to help cold-blooded murderers like you."

Vian's face hardened instantly. His friendly facade vanished without a trace. His jaw tightened, and his gaze turned lethal.

"You're turning down the offer, Engineer?" Vian asked coldly, his voice dropping into a razor-sharp whisper.

"I refuse to cooperate with demons," Zulfa answered without an ounce of hesitation.

Vian held Zulfa's gaze for a heartbeat, then let out a sharp scoff as he shook his head in disappointment. He stood tall, turning around to face the transparent master control console behind him.

"A crying shame, Zulfa. You chose the wrong side," Vian said emotionlessly.

He raised his hand, and with a swift, unhesitating motion, he slammed down a glowing red emergency push-button hidden beneath a safety glass cover on the main console.

Beep—!

A piercing alarm wailed shrilly across the cavernous subterranean hall.

Before them, the gargantuan drilling rig below halted its rotation for a fraction of a second before violently spinning into reverse at maximum speed, triggering a massive backlash surge of Ley-Line energy that unleashed an incredible wave of searing heat across the entire chamber.

Vian glanced back over his shoulder, flashing Zulfa and Naya a chilling, cruel smile before speaking:

"Then, be the very first fuel for our opening valve."