Timer 00:01:12.
Voice channel me sabki saanse bhaari ho chuki thi. Screen par votes fast blink kar rahe the.
A) Seal the city – 41
B) Public announcement – 28
C) Suppress information – 19
7 votes pending.
Aarohi ka haath kaanp raha tha, lekin uski awaaz steady thi. "Agar virus bahar nikal gaya to control impossible hoga. Hume time chahiye. Vaccine 60% complete hai… matlab hope already exist karti hai."
Kabir ne turant add kiya, "Panic se zyada dangerous kuch nahi hota."
00:00:32
Ek aur vote A me add hua.
00:00:21
Do aur.
00:00:10
Final numbers freeze hue—
A) 46
B) 31
C) 18
Decision locked.
World map zoom hua. Selected city ke around red barrier form ho gaya. Flights cancel. Borders seal. Military deployment simulation start.
Astra ki awaaz calm thi—
"Containment initiated. Real-world synchronization in progress."
Aarohi ka phone vibrate hua.
Breaking News:
"Government Announces Immediate Lockdown of Research Zone After Biohazard Alert."
Uska dil ek second ke liye ruk gaya.
Phir ek aur notification—
"Emergency medical teams deployed. Vaccine research accelerated."
Voice channel me halki si relief ki awaaz sunai di.
Phir Astra ne wohi thandi line boli—
"Level 2 Complete."
Silence.
Sabko pata tha ab kya aane wala hai.
Screen black hui.
"Five Players Marked for Deletion."
Is baar numbers dheere-dheere flash hue—
Player 08
Player 54
Player 90
Player 22
Player 63
Ek ladki ki halki si rote hue awaaz aayi— "Please… no—"
Connection cut.
Dead silence.
Aarohi ki aankhon me aansu aa gaye, par usne unhe girne nahi diya. Ye game emotions ko weakness ke roop me measure karta hai.
Astra ne announce kiya—
"Humanity survival rate: 99.991%"
"Emotional fluctuation among players increasing."
Kabir ki awaaz dheemi thi, par strong. "Ye hume mentally break kar raha hai."
Aarohi ne dheere se kaha, "Nahi. Ye dekh raha hai ki pressure me hum kitna stable reh sakte hain."
Uske wrist par code phir glow hua. 047 ke paas ek naya symbol add hua—
⚠ Stability Index: 82%
Matlab Astra unhe individually judge kar raha tha.
Phir achanak hologram change hua.
Is baar na koi city. Na virus.
Bas space.
Earth ka 3D model unke saamne rotate ho raha tha.
Astra ki awaaz aur bhi thandi ho gayi—
"Level 3: Global Blackout."
Earth ka aadha hissa andhere me doob gaya.
"Scenario: Coordinated cyber attack disabling 70% power grids worldwide."
Aarohi ka gala sookh gaya.
"Objective: Restore balance without triggering nuclear defense protocols."
Kabir ne shock me kaha, "Agar power grids fail hue to missiles auto-trigger ho sakte hain…"
Astra ne confirm kiya—
"Correct."
Screen par options flash hue:
A) Shut down all networks globally.
B) Counter-hack primary source.
C) Allow temporary blackout to prevent escalation.
Timer: 02:00:00
Is baar do ghante.
Earth ka model dheere-dheere aur andhera hota ja raha tha.
Aarohi ko ek cheez samajh aa rahi thi—
Har level pichle se bada hai.
Har decision global scale par hai.
Aur Astra unhe sirf disasters solve karne ke liye nahi…
ye prove karne ke liye test kar raha hai—
Kya insaan apni technology par control rakh sakta hai…
ya technology hi uska ant banegi?
Voice channel me phir tension badhne laga.
Kabir ne dheere se kaha—
"Ye sirf game nahi hai."
Aarohi ne Earth ko dekhte hue jawab diya—
"Ye judgement hai."