Lig and Nemo stepped out of the car.
For several long seconds, Lig remained where he was, completely still. His gaze stayed fixed on the house standing silently before him. Time had worn down its walls, leaving behind faded paint, cracked corners, and signs of years that no one had bothered to erase. The front entrance looked ordinary, yet something about it made his chest feel strangely heavy.
His eyes slowly wandered across every detail—the old windows, the weathered wooden door, the narrow pathway leading to the entrance. None of it should have meant anything to him.
Yet it did.
A strange feeling settled deep inside him, impossible to explain.
The house felt familiar.
Not because he remembered it...
But because some forgotten part of him seemed to.
His heartbeat slowed, while at the same time an uneasy tension crept through his body. It was as though invisible hands were pulling him toward the house, while every instinct he had screamed for him to turn around and leave.
He frowned slightly, unable to understand why.
After a long silence, he finally spoke, his voice low and uncertain.
"I don't want to stay here for long."
Nemo quietly turned his head toward him. He had heard the hesitation hidden beneath Lig's calm words. This wasn't fear in the usual sense. It was something deeper—something that even Lig himself couldn't seem to understand.
Without asking any questions, Nemo gave a small nod.
"Okay, Sir."
The two of them began walking toward the entrance at a slow, cautious pace. Their footsteps echoed softly against the old stone path as they approached the front door.
The moment they crossed the threshold, the atmosphere changed.
The air inside felt colder than outside, carrying the faint scent of old wood, dust, and walls that had remained silent for years. Every room was unnaturally quiet. It wasn't the peaceful silence of an empty home—it was the kind of silence that felt as though it had been waiting.
The house itself seemed to be holding its breath.
Every corner carried an invisible weight, as if countless forgotten memories had settled into the walls over the years, refusing to disappear.
Lig instinctively slowed his steps.
A faint chill ran down his spine.
He couldn't explain why, but every part of him felt as though he had walked into a place he had known once... long ago... before something had erased it from his mind.
Then—
A calm male voice echoed from somewhere deeper inside the house.
"Not all of your memories are really yours."
Lig froze.
His foot stopped mid-step before it could touch the floor.
Every muscle in his body tensed as the words echoed through the silent house.
Slowly, he lifted his head toward the darkness ahead, searching for the source of the voice.
The voice continued, calm and unwavering.
"Not all of your memories are really yours."
The words settled into the silence of the house before the voice spoke again.
"And the moment you entered this house... those memories returned."
A brief pause followed, as though the speaker wanted every word to sink in.
"Everything you had forgotten came back. The memories you buried, the ones your mind refused to face... they broke through the system protecting you."
The voice remained steady, almost emotionless.
"You weren't ready to confront them."
Lig remained silent.
Slowly, he lifted his eyes and looked toward the figure standing deeper inside the house.
It was Dr. Mike.
His face was calm, yet there was a quiet seriousness in his expression, as though he had been waiting for this moment for a very long time.
Lig's own expression barely changed. His face remained composed, almost unreadable, but inside, his thoughts were colliding with one another.
Questions flooded his mind.
How much had been hidden from him?
Which memories were real?
Which ones had been taken away?
And why?
After a long moment, he finally broke the silence.
"So... Doctor..."
His voice was quiet, carrying more uncertainty than accusation.
"You cured me?"
Dr. Mike met his eyes without looking away.
He gave a slow, confident nod.
"Yes."
The single word echoed through the room.
Neither of them spoke for several seconds.
The silence between them felt heavier than any conversation.
Finally, Dr. Mike took a slow breath.
"Now..."
He paused, choosing his next words carefully.
"...do what you never knew you had to do."
Lig lowered his head slightly.
His eyes drifted toward the wooden floor beneath his feet. His mind was still trying to piece together fragments of memories that had suddenly returned, each one leaving him more confused than the last.
His lips parted, but no words came.
After a moment, he quietly said,
"I don't know what to say..."
His voice had become noticeably softer.
There was no confidence in it.
No certainty.
Only the weight of someone trying to understand a past that no longer felt distant.
"I really don't know."
Dr. Mike watched him in silence.
The seriousness on his face didn't fade. If anything, it grew heavier, carrying the look of someone who had witnessed suffering that words alone could never explain.
For a long moment, he simply looked at Lig.
Then, in a calm voice filled with quiet understanding, he finally spoke.
"My friend..."
He stopped.
The silence that followed carried more meaning than the words themselves, as though what he was about to say next would change everything Lig believed about himself.
Dr. Mike's expression softened slightly as he looked at Lig.
"You are still bleeding."
Lig didn't answer.
He simply stood there, his eyes fixed on the floor, unable to find the words.
The sentence lingered in the silence between them.
Not because it spoke of blood.
But because it spoke of something far deeper.
Sometimes, even after a person has been saved... even after the wounds on their body have healed... the pain buried inside them refuses to disappear. It lingers in quiet moments, hidden behind smiles, buried beneath years of pretending everything is fine.
Dr. Mike let the silence settle before speaking again.
"Some wounds never truly heal."
Nemo's eyes quietly shifted toward Lig.
He had stood beside him through countless battles, seen him survive impossible situations, and watched him keep moving forward without ever asking for help.
Yet at this moment, Lig looked more vulnerable than he ever had.
"And scars never disappear."
Dr. Mike slowly turned his gaze back to Lig.
There was no judgment in his eyes.
Only concern.
"Call her."
Lig slowly raised his head.
Their eyes met.
"Tell her everything... if that's what you want."
His voice remained calm and gentle.
"She deserves to know."
A long silence followed.
The room felt impossibly still.
Then Dr. Mike spoke once more.
"But go there."
Lig's jaw tightened.
He slowly turned to face him completely.
For the first time since entering the house, the calm expression he had been forcing onto his face began to crack.
His voice rose, carrying months—perhaps years—of frustration, guilt, and pain.
"I can't."
The words escaped him almost like a confession.
He looked away, unable to meet Dr. Mike's eyes any longer.
"You know that."
His voice grew quieter.
"You know that very well."
No one answered.
The silence that followed was heavier than before.
Nemo remained where he was, saying nothing.
Dr. Mike didn't argue.
He understood.
The old house fell silent once again, its empty rooms swallowing every word that had been spoken.
Because both of them already knew the truth.
Some memories find their way back.
Some wounds eventually close.
But there are scars that remain long after the pain has faded... quiet reminders of a past that can never truly be left behind.
But some feelings don't disappear with time.
They don't fade when memories return.
They don't vanish simply because the truth has finally been uncovered.
Some feelings remain buried in the darkness, waiting patiently for the day they are finally acknowledged... waiting for the person who has been running from them to stop and face them.
The silence stretched between them once again.
Dr. Mike studied Lig for a long moment. He didn't rush to speak. His eyes carried the understanding of someone who had watched another person carry a burden far heavier than they were ever meant to.
Finally, he broke the silence.
"It's not about you."
His voice was calm, yet every word carried quiet certainty.
"It's about them."
He paused, letting the sentence settle.
"They're waiting for you."
Lig's expression slowly changed.
The uncertainty that had filled his eyes moments ago disappeared, replaced by something much colder.
His jaw tightened.
"They?"
He let out a bitter, humourless laugh before turning his face away.
"Those people?"
His voice carried restrained anger, the kind that had been buried for years without ever finding an escape.
"They deserve it."
Another pause.
"After everything they said... after everything they did..."
His fists slowly clenched at his sides.
"They made their choice."
Dr. Mike didn't interrupt.
He simply watched Lig in silence, allowing the anger to reveal itself instead of forcing it back down.
Then he slowly stepped closer.
"You know..."
His voice remained gentle, but there was a weight behind it.
"In this reality, there are people who decide what everyone else should think."
He folded his hands behind his back.
"They control conversations. They shape opinions. They choose what becomes the truth in the eyes of the public."
He looked directly at Lig.
"And because people trust them..."
He paused.
"They gather followers."
Another moment of silence passed.
"Thousands of them."
His expression grew more serious.
"People who stop asking questions."
"People who never look for the whole story."
"People who simply follow the loudest voice in the room."
Lig slowly turned away.
He didn't argue.
He couldn't.
The room suddenly felt smaller, as though the walls themselves were pressing inward.
The air grew heavier.
Even Nemo remained completely silent, sensing that this conversation had gone far beyond memories.
It had become a conversation about people...
About judgment...
And about the weight of carrying a truth that almost no one was willing to hear.
"I don't care."
Lig's voice had become quiet again.
There was no rage left in it.
No shouting.
Only exhaustion.
Only the numbness of someone who had carried anger for so long that it had become part of who he was.
He stood there without looking back.
"Let the red river flow."
The words left the room like a cold wind.
No one answered.
Without waiting for a response, Lig took a step toward the exit.
Then another.
His footsteps echoed softly across the old wooden floor.
"Lig."
Dr. Mike called his name.
The single word carried more emotion than anything he had said before.
Lig stopped.
He didn't turn around.
He simply stood there, his back facing the room.
"It's not you..."
Dr. Mike's voice faltered.
For the first time since the conversation had begun, the calm certainty in his voice was replaced by genuine emotion.
"It's not you."
Silence settled over the room once more.
Nemo quietly lowered his eyes.
Even he could hear the pain hidden in Dr. Mike's words.
Dr. Mike looked at Lig's motionless back.
His voice became softer.
Almost pleading.
"You were a hero."
The words hung in the air.
"But now..."
He stopped himself.
His lips parted again.
"...you're becoming a v—"
The word never left his mouth.
He couldn't bring himself to say it.
Lig slowly came to a complete stop.
Time itself seemed to stand still.
Without turning around, he slowly lifted his head and looked toward the ceiling.
His eyes lost their focus.
For a brief moment, it was as if he wasn't looking at the old wooden ceiling at all.
He was looking through it...
Beyond it...
At a memory that belonged to another life.
When he finally spoke, his voice was barely above a whisper.
"Always remember..."
Another silence followed.
The words carried neither anger nor pride.
Only quiet conviction.
"An angel fell from the sky because he spoke against injustice."
The room fell completely silent.
No one interrupted him.
No one moved.
Lig continued, his eyes still fixed somewhere far beyond the present.
"The world called him a monster..."
His voice remained calm.
Painfully calm.
"...instead of listening to what he was trying to say."
Only then did he slowly lower his gaze.
His expression remained unreadable.
But the emptiness in his eyes spoke louder than any emotion ever could.
For a long moment, no one dared to break the silence.
The old house stood motionless around them, as though even its walls had become witnesses to a truth that neither side was ready to accept.
"In this world..."
Lig's voice was quiet, almost emotionless.
"...power and money matter more than anything else."
The words came without hesitation.
Not because he wanted to convince anyone.
But because, to him, they were no longer an opinion.
They were a conclusion.
His expression slowly emptied of every trace of emotion.
The anger that had been burning inside him moments earlier simply faded, leaving behind a face that looked tired... detached... almost hollow.
"There is no hero."
A brief silence followed.
"No villain."
He slowly looked ahead, his eyes fixed on the doorway leading outside.
"Not like those children's movies."
His voice carried neither sarcasm nor bitterness.
Only disappointment.
As though he had once believed those stories himself...
Until reality had taught him otherwise.
Without another word, Lig turned around and walked toward the exit.
His footsteps echoed softly through the silent house.
Neither Dr. Mike nor Nemo tried to stop him.
When he reached the door, he opened it without looking back.
A cool breeze slipped into the room.
For a brief moment, sunlight spilled across the old wooden floor.
Then Lig stepped outside.
The door slowly swung shut behind him.
The quiet click of the latch echoed through the house.
Silence returned.
Nemo remained standing where he was.
His eyes rested on the closed door for several seconds before he slowly turned toward Dr. Mike.
His expression had changed.
The calm composure he usually carried had given way to quiet concern.
"Doctor..."
His voice was noticeably softer.
There was hesitation in it.
Not because he was unsure of what to say...
But because he wasn't sure how to say it.
"I'm sorry."
He lowered his head slightly.
"I'm asking this..."
A small pause escaped him as he searched for the right words.
"...for him."
The room fell silent once again.
Dr. Mike looked at Nemo.
For a long moment, he said nothing.
Then, a faint smile slowly appeared on his face.
It wasn't the smile of someone who was amused.
Nor was it the smile of someone who believed everything would be fine.
It was the quiet smile of a man who understood exactly why Nemo was apologizing...
And who knew that, despite everything Lig had just said, there was still a part of him worth believing in.
"No need."
Dr. Mike's voice was calm.
He kept his eyes on the closed door through which Lig had just left.
For a long moment, he simply stood there in silence.
Then, almost to himself, he quietly said,
"I think he's right."
The room fell silent once again.
Nemo looked at Dr. Mike for a brief moment before a faint smile appeared on his face.
It wasn't a smile of agreement.
Nor was it one of disagreement.
It was simply the smile of someone who understood that even people searching for the same truth could see it from completely different perspectives.
Without saying another word, Nemo gave a respectful nod, turned around, and walked toward the exit.
A moment later, he stepped outside.
The afternoon breeze greeted him as he made his way to the car.
Lig was already waiting beside it, leaning quietly against the door with his eyes fixed on the horizon.
Neither of them spoke.
Nemo unlocked the car, and the two got inside.
The engine came to life.
Slowly, they drove away from the old house.
The city gradually disappeared behind them.
Busy streets gave way to quiet roads.
Concrete buildings became open fields.
The noise of traffic slowly faded until it was replaced by nothing but the sound of the wind brushing past the windows.
After a long drive, they arrived at a place far removed from the noise and chaos of the city.
It was a peaceful park beside the ocean.
Towering mountains surrounded the coastline in the distance, their peaks disappearing into drifting clouds. The rhythmic sound of waves gently meeting the shore echoed through the air, blending with the cries of distant seabirds. A cool sea breeze carried the scent of salt and fresh water, making the entire place feel untouched by the rush of the world.
Above them, the sky stretched endlessly in every direction.
Clear.
Peaceful.
Almost timeless.
Lig stepped out of the car.
He slowly looked around.
His eyes moved from the mountains to the ocean, then toward the endless blue sky above.
For the first time that day...
His thoughts became quiet.
The weight he had been carrying seemed to loosen, if only for a single moment.
He took a slow breath.
Then he turned toward Nemo.
"What is our force doing here?"
Nemo rested one arm on the roof of the car and looked out toward the ocean before answering.
"I was wondering something."
He smiled faintly.
"How can a planet with more than eight billion people feel so connected... and yet so divided at the same time?"
He turned his head toward Lig.
A playful smile crossed his face.
"We're not really that different from them, are we, Sir?"
Lig didn't answer immediately.
Instead, he slowly lifted his eyes toward the endless sky.
The wind gently moved through his hair as he stood there in silence.
After a long moment, he finally spoke.
"This world..."
He paused.
"...is neither completely the same nor completely different."
His voice was calm.
"It exists somewhere in between."
The waves continued to roll onto the shore, as though the ocean itself had quietly accepted his answer.
The peaceful silence was suddenly broken by a sharp notification.
Lig's phone vibrated in his pocket.
He took it out and looked at the screen.
An emergency message flashed across the display.
UNKNOWN SPACECRAFT DETECTED
Alert: An unidentified spacecraft has entered Sector 512.
Current trajectory analysis indicates a high probability of impact within the sector.
Estimated survival rate of any occupants: 45%.
Immediate response recommended.
Lig read the message once before lifting his eyes toward Nemo.
"Is it from Planet 10E?"
Nemo immediately activated the holographic display on his wrist. A three-dimensional star map appeared between them, showing dozens of flight paths crossing nearby sectors.
One route flashed in red.
He quickly analysed the data before giving a firm nod.
"Yes, Sir."
He enlarged the projected flight path.
"The trajectory matches the registered approach corridor used by Planet 10E. Unless the navigation systems have failed completely, this vessel originated from there."
Lig's expression immediately became serious.
The peaceful atmosphere of the ocean vanished from his mind.
"Nemo."
His voice was calm but carried the authority of a commander.
"Initiate an airlift."
He looked toward the distant sky.
"And take me there."
Without hesitation, Nemo nodded.
"Yes, Sir."
He raised his wrist communicator.
"Airlift request confirmed."
A series of encrypted signals were transmitted into orbit.
"Our extraction jet is already responding. Estimated arrival..."
He glanced at the timer.
"...less than three minutes."
The wind continued to blow across the shoreline.
For a moment, neither of them spoke.
Then Nemo turned toward Lig.
"What do you think is inside that spacecraft?"
Lig remained silent for a few seconds, thinking carefully before answering.
"I see two possibilities."
Nemo waited.
"Either..."
Lig looked toward the horizon.
"...there are human survivors on-board."
He paused.
"Or..."
His eyes narrowed slightly.
"...they're carrying old-generation humanoid technology."
Nemo folded his arms.
"Hmm..."
He looked at the holographic map again.
"But why do you think that?"
Lig kept watching the sky.
"Because that's how they operated."
He spoke with complete certainty.
"The historical records show that the civilization of Planet 10E constantly explored unknown regions of space. Exploration wasn't just part of their mission..."
He paused.
"...it was part of their identity."
His gaze remained fixed on the distant clouds.
"If this vessel truly came from Planet 10E..."
He finished quietly,
"...then it wasn't running away from something."
"It was searching for something."
At that very moment, a distant roar echoed across the sky.
Both Lig and Nemo looked upward.
A sleek military airlift jet descended through the clouds, its engines humming as it approached the shoreline. Sand and seawater swirled into the air beneath the powerful downward thrust.
The aircraft slowed into a perfect hover before beginning its landing sequence.
Their mission had just begun.
Meanwhile...
Leo glanced at his watch.
It was almost nine o'clock.
Only an hour remained before the day came to an end.
He lowered his eyes and smiled faintly.
Anny had fallen asleep beside him.
She was still holding his left arm tightly, hugging it like a body pillow, her face resting peacefully against his shoulder. Every now and then, the gentle movement of the metro made her shift slightly, but she never let go.
Leo didn't have the heart to wake her.
The quiet ride was suddenly interrupted.
The entire metro gave a sharp jolt.
The overhead lights flickered once...
Then again.
For a brief second, the carriage was plunged into darkness before the emergency lights came on.
With a loud metallic screech, the train came to a complete stop.
The sudden movement woke Anny.
She blinked sleepily, looking around in confusion before her eyes landed on Leo.
Without saying a word, she yawned softly and wrapped both of her arms around his left arm again, holding it even tighter than before.
Leo let out a quiet sigh but didn't complain.
Instead, he looked out through the window.
Something caught his attention.
Far in the distance, near the AOB Energy Centre, a brilliant light streaked across the night sky.
For only a moment, it glowed brighter than the surrounding city lights before disappearing behind the massive structures surrounding the facility.
Leo frowned.
"What was that...?"
Before he could think any further, the lights inside the metro stabilized.
A soft announcement echoed through the carriage.
The train slowly began moving again, as though nothing had happened.
Neither Leo nor Anny spoke for the rest of the journey.
By the time they arrived home, the warm aroma of freshly cooked food had already filled the house.
As they stepped inside, they found Mira in the kitchen, placing dishes onto the dining table.
She looked over her shoulder and smiled.
"You're finally home."
She wiped her hands on a towel.
"Come on. Dinner will be ready in a few minutes."
Anny looked around the living room before tilting her head.
"Where's Li..."
She paused for a moment before correcting herself.
"...Nemo?"
Leo looked around as well.
"Yeah."
He placed his bag near the door.
"Where are they? And... how's Lig?"
Mira smiled reassuringly.
"He's doing much better now."
She continued arranging the plates.
"But neither Lig nor Nemo will be coming home tonight."
Leo looked surprised.
"Why?"
Mira sighed.
"Lig called me earlier."
"He said there's a major mechanical failure at the AOB Energy Centre. He's working on-site, and his supervisor won't let anyone leave until it's fixed."
She poured soup into a bowl before continuing.
"He said it's a very important contract for AOB, so everyone has to stay."
Leo slowly nodded.
"And Nemo?"
Mira smiled.
"She called shortly after."
"They're hosting an unusually large meeting tonight, and several waitresses couldn't make it."
"So she'll be working overtime."
She shrugged lightly.
"It's another important contract for them as well."
Anny nodded with understanding.
"I guess that's just how these jobs are."
Leo leaned back in his chair and sighed.
"Yeah..."
"I still don't understand why both of them always end up working so much."
Mira chuckled softly.
"They're doing what they enjoy."
"Sometimes people don't mind working longer when they're doing something they truly care about."
Anny smiled brightly.
"You're really the best, Big Sis."
Mira laughed quietly, shaking her head before smiling at both of them.
Outside, the night remained calm.
Far beyond the city...
Far beyond what any of them could see...
Something had already begun.
Narrator
What was the mysterious light that fell near the AOB Energy Centre?
Why did Lig and Nemo choose to lie to the people closest to them?
What secrets does Planet 10E hold?
What is really happening behind the scenes...
And what is about to happen next?
Most importantly...
What did Lig truly mean when he spoke about old technology?