Charles sat in silence, the city lights below flickering like stars drowned in concrete. His glass of whiskey remained untouched. The message on his phone burned like a secret brand:
> "Lust Sync isn't a game, Charles. It's a curse. And I know how it ends."
Unknown number. No name. No trace. The system tried pinging the source — nothing. That had never happened before.
> [Trace Failed. User Identity Obscured.] [System Alert: Possibility of Rogue User – Confirmed.]
He'd always felt in control, like the Lust Sync was his to command. But this? This message wasn't just a warning. It was a confession — from someone like him.
Someone who had used the system.
And lived long enough to regret it.
---
10:47 PM – Olivia's Penthouse
"Charles," Olivia said, her voice low and possessive, "you're distracted."
He hadn't even realized he'd walked in without a word. She stood in black lace, tall heels clicking softly as she approached. The candles flickered around her, shadows hugging her curves like lovers jealous of the light.
"You always wear that when you want something," Charles said, trying to push the tension aside.
"I always want something," she whispered, brushing her lips against his jaw. "But lately... I'm not sure I have all of you."
Her fingers dug into his shirt, sharp enough to leave a mark.
Charles paused.
> [Bond Level: Olivia – 87%] [Trait Spike: Possessive Obsession – Near Max] [Warning: Emotional Explosion Possible If Neglected]
She was nearing her edge.
He kissed her then — not just out of desire, but strategy. Her tongue met his in a bruising dance, urgent, almost desperate. Lust and emotion had blurred into something more volatile.
"I'm yours," he said against her lips.
Her voice was shaky. "Don't prove me wrong."
---
11:22 PM – His Penthouse
Mia had texted earlier, a simple "Goodnight 💙" — it was sweet, innocent. She was opening up more by the hour. But that sweetness made her vulnerable.
And Charles was beginning to care — too much.
The system pulsed.
> [New Objective Available: Intercept Maya Lin – Priority Target] [Optional Directive: Locate Rogue User Who Sent Anonymous Message]
Two fires. One heart.
And one girl caught in the crossfire.
---
Next Morning – Greenpoint Café
Maya Lin was early. Charles spotted her sipping black coffee alone at a corner table, dressed in casual athleisure. Her long black hair was tied up, no makeup, but her eyes were sharp, calculating. She looked like someone who'd dissect you with her words before you realized you were bleeding.
He approached, confident. Smiling.
"I hear you've been asking about me," he said, pulling out the chair opposite her.
Maya looked up, unimpressed. "You're late."
"And you're dangerous," he replied smoothly.
She smirked. "You're not what I expected."
"Neither are you."
They held each other's gaze for a moment — two predators recognizing a mirror.
"You know about Lust Sync, don't you?" Charles said, testing.
She stirred her coffee slowly. "Not enough. But I know you're not the only one who's ever used it."
His pulse jumped.
"I know," she added, voice quiet, "because my sister did."
Boom.
> [Shock Registered: Internal Sync Imbalance Detected] [Keyword Trigger: Sister / Previous Host Cross-Reference Incomplete]
Charles blinked. "Your sister?"
"Her name was Eliza. She was brilliant. Just like you probably think you are. She found the system first. But it didn't make her a god." Maya's eyes darkened. "It broke her. She couldn't control it. Or herself."
He leaned forward. "What happened to her?"
"She fell in love with someone the system told her to fall for. Then one day, she couldn't tell which feelings were real anymore. And the system... punished her."
"Punished?"
"She tried to stop using it. Disconnect. It didn't let her."
Charles swallowed hard.
> [System Memory Conflict Detected. Missing Host Logs.] [System Note: Past Host Eliza Lin – Status: DECEASED]
"She jumped off our apartment roof," Maya finished, voice tight. "Her eyes were glowing blue when they found her."
---
1:05 PM – System Core, Internal View
> [Secret Archive Unlocked – Host ID: Eliza Lin] [Subject Status: Terminated. Cause: Emotional Fragment Overload] [Final Command Detected: "Forget."]
Charles's head pounded.
He had always assumed he was the system's first real user. But he wasn't. Eliza came before him. And the system had erased her from its own memory.
He stared at the words: Final Command: Forget.
She didn't want to be remembered.
But Maya did.
And Maya had lived her life trying to uncover the truth her sister died for.
> [New System Function: Memory Ghost Traces – Available] [New Quest Branch: "Echoes of Eliza"]
---
Later That Night – His Penthouse
Charles returned home to find Mia in the kitchen, cooking pasta. She wore an oversized hoodie again, bare legs peeking out beneath. Her hair was up in a bun. She looked like someone's dream.
"Something's wrong," she said the moment she saw his face.
Charles smiled faintly. "You're too good at reading me."
She came to him, cupping his face. "Talk to me."
He hesitated... then did.
He told her about Eliza. About Maya. About what the system was starting to reveal — about what it might truly be.
Instead of pulling away, Mia leaned her head into his chest.
"I don't care about the system," she whispered. "I care about you."
> [Sync Surge Detected: Mia – Emotional Bond Boost] [Command Word Unlocked: "Protect"] [Trait Discovered: "Blind Loyalty"]
His arms tightened around her.
But his eyes were cold, fixed on the skyline.
Because now, the game had changed again.
He wasn't just collecting women anymore.
He was uncovering the truth.
And someone — or something — was fighting to keep it buried.
---
Chapter Cliffhanger Ending
His phone buzzed.
> New Message from Unknown Number
> "She died trying to end the system.
You'll die trying to understand it."
Attached was a video file.
Charles opened it.
It was Eliza.
Standing on a rooftop.
Eyes glowing blue.
Mouth trembling as she whispered to the camera:
> "To whoever finds this… it's not just Lust. It's a trap. A machine. We are fuel. Stop it before it spreads."
The video cut to black.