CHAPTER 30: THIS IS WHAT IT MEANS TO EVOLVE

Down Below the Pipeline

The hum of the underground lights was uneven—flickering like dying fireflies as the water dripped in rhythm. The air was heavy and cold, laced with mildew and steel. Footsteps echoed through the silent pipeline.

Tap. Tap. Tap.

Meira walked alone, her phone in hand, her voice low and uneasy.

"Why would Riven call me to this place... alone?" she whispered. Her eyes scanned the rusted steel walls, their stains like scars from some long-forgotten war. "Where is he? And... what does he want to talk about down here?"

Then—voices.

She froze.

From around the bend, she could hear them. Familiar. Unsettling.

Her footsteps slowed as she turned the corner—and her heart sank.

"...Riv—"

She stopped mid-word.

Standing there in the tunnel’s dim glow were Selena, Elara, Callista—and three boys she didn’t recognize. Her breath caught. Instinctively, she backed away a step.

"What... why are you all here?" she asked, her voice trembling.

Selena turned to her, smirking like a cat toying with a cornered mouse.

"Well, well... we meet again, Miss Innocent."

Meira turned on her heel. She tried to walk away.

WHAM!

One of the boys shoved her from behind. Her body slammed against the wall. Pain shot through her spine as she dropped to the cold concrete floor.

They laughed.

Another boy stepped forward, grinning wickedly. "Why don’t you entertain us?" he sneered. "Heard a little rumor... that you like cozying up to boys like us. So we’ll protect you."

The third one chuckled, his hand grabbing her wrist. "Yeah. C’mon. Just a little fun. We might even side with you next time."

Meira struggled in his grip. "Let me go!"

"Stop that, George," Selena said mockingly, arms crossed.

George smiled darkly. "I’m just kidding."

But his grip didn’t loosen.

Another boy, holding Elara by the waist, snorted. "Don’t give the girl hope, George."

Their laughter echoed off the tunnel walls, loud and cruel.

"Leo. Dax. Let’s get started," George said with a grin.

They advanced.

Meira’s heart raced. She stepped back, fists clenched. "Stay away from me! Don’t come near—!"

She raised her hand to slap him—but George caught it.

SLAM.

He pinned both her wrists against the wall, his face inches from hers, his breath hot and disgusting.

"You should smile more," he whispered.

Then—a soft voice broke through the tension.

"...Umm. I don’t think that’s proper."

Everyone turned.

Rose stood behind them, her voice hesitant.

Selena rolled her eyes. "She’s right, boys. This one’s for Rose." She stepped forward, tossing her hair. "Let her have her turn."

The boys chuckled, kissed their respective girls, and stepped aside.

Selena dragged Rose forward. "Go on. Slap her."

Rose’s eyes widened. "W-What? I’d never—"

SLAP!

Selena’s hand struck Meira’s face before she could even finish the sentence. The sound echoed.

"She’s doing this for you, remember?" Selena said coldly. "You were the one who came crying, saying she bullied you."

Rose looked down. "That’s..."

Callista stepped forward. "Hurry up. Get this over with."

Elara pulled out her phone, camera already recording. "Smile for the camera."

Rose lifted her hand, and softly—she slapped Meira’s cheek. Barely a tap.

Selena frowned. "What the hell was that?"

SLAP! She struck Meira again. Harder. Meira’s eyes welled up with tears.

"Like this."

Rose lifted her hand again.

This time—she hit her.

Once.

Twice.

Three times.

Meira’s cheeks burned red. Her tears flowed freely now, her voice trapped in her throat.

And Rose kept slapping her.

Harder.

Faster.

Elara kept clicking pictures.

Meira’s body trembled—but Rose didn’t stop.

A grin crept onto Rose’s face.

"...I’m enjoying this."

SLAP.

SLAP.

SLAP.

Her palm was a blur.

Her once-shy eyes now glinted with sadistic thrill.

---

From the shadows, a figure watched. Calm. Silent.

Kairon.

His voice was a low whisper to the dark.

"It’s always the quiet ones. When you push a human far enough, even their kindness turns into cruelty.

We all have monsters.

We just pretend better than others."

---

Later, the girls left, their laughter echoing behind them.

Meira sat there, curled into herself, face hidden between her knees, sobbing.

Kairon stepped forward.

His boots tapped softly against the stone.

She looked up, her eyes red and puffy.

"What do you want?" she snapped.

"Nothing in particular," Kairon said, his voice smooth. "I saw you were getting bullied. Thought I’d check up on you."

"You—" Her voice cracked. "You saw that...? You were there the whole time?!"

"Probably."

She rose, furious, and tried to slap him.

He caught her wrist.

She struggled. But his grip was solid—like iron.

"That anger in your face... this fire... Why didn’t you show this when they were hitting you?" he asked.

He pinned her hand to the wall—not violently, just firmly. His eyes burned through her.

"Why do you feel you can unleash your rage on me? Because I was a bystander? If I were weak, you’d hit me right now, wouldn’t you?"

She froze.

"Then what makes you any different from the bullies just now?"

His voice deepened.

"What justifies your actions? What makes you worthy of pity? Of liberation?"

Meira’s breath caught.

"You want to protect yourself—but you refuse to change." His voice echoed through the pipe.

"How can you be saved if you’re not allowed to.... Evolve?

How is humanity saved if it isn’t allowed to evolve?

Now tell me—what separates you from those girls?"

She sank down.

Her knees buckled.

"I... I just tried to hurt someone... I wanted to protect myself but..." Her voice quivered. "That’s what they do... that’s what I hate..."

Her hands trembled.

Suddenly—blood.

She hallucinated red-stained hands.

"I—I’m a bully..." she whispered. "What am I then? Who am I in this world? What justifies my actions?!"

She gripped her head, breaking.

Kairon kneeled beside her, still composed.

"’What are you?’ ’Who are you?’" he said gently. "Those are the questions we ask when we face our true selves. But the real question—the one that defines all of us—is deeper than that."

He leaned close.

"What are humans?

What makes one truly human?

The answer is simple. Evolution.

We are not the strongest. Not the fastest. But we evolve. We adapt. That’s what makes us dominant. That’s what makes us human.

If you refuse to evolve—then you are no longer worthy of being called a human."

Meira looked at him, tears falling freely.

"...Evolution," she whispered.

Kairon nodded.

"You can only be saved if you’re allowed to evolve. Take that chance. Or remain broken."

He stood and extended his hand.

"Come with me. I’ll protect you. From the bullies... and from yourself."

Meira stared at his hand, her vision blurred by tears.

She took it.

And he lifted her to her feet.

She wiped her eyes. "But the pictures... they’ll ruin me."

Kairon pulled out a device.

A video played—the entire incident, recorded from a perfect angle.

"You can use this," he said. "To keep them in check."

She gasped. "You... you had this all along?"

"I did," he said calmly. "But I needed you to rise. Not be saved."

"...Why me?" she asked. "Why not Aria? Or Ivy?"

Kairon stepped forward, lifting her chin gently.

"Because I trust you."

Her cheeks flushed pink. She looked away.

"Fine. I’ll do it," she said. "So, what now?"

He smiled. "Let’s go."

"To where?"

"My room."

"Your—WHAT?!"

He paused, amused. "Is that a problem?"

"...Of course not."

"Then let’s go."

They walked together, shadows stretching behind them.

---

9:00PM – The Theater

Kairon sat alone in a dark velvet chair.

Behind him, Miss Elira approached. "What is it you’d like to talk about?"

"I want to buy something... with my points."

---

3rd Day of the Test – Conference Room

The hall was vast, modern, and tense.

Three groups sat across each other: Aries, Leo, and Virgo.

Kairon scanned them.

Torin, Sena, Ashir – Group Leo.

Kei, Neela, Rika – Group Virgo.

At the center sat Meira, poised and calm. Fingers under her chin. Her expression unreadable.

The room was quiet. Like a war waiting to happen.

Leo’s rep slammed down a draft proposal.

"Straightforward," he grunted. "Everyone gets what they earned."

Virgo slid forward a sealed folder. Dozens of pages. Precise. Cold.

Then—Meira moved.

"I brought something too," she said, laying down a single page. Handwritten. Elegant.

"A mediator structure," she added softly. "Temporary. Just to keep peace."

The room blinked.

Then read.

No arguments. No insults.

Virgo nodded.

Leo grumbled... but didn’t resist.

They edited. Rewrote. Together.

And when it came time to vote—

Both sides chose Aries.

"Group Aries: Interim Leadership."

The screen confirmed it.

Meira stood, collected her papers, and left the room.

Kairon watched her go, a proud smirk dancing on his lips.

"Well done, Meira," he murmured. "I didn’t know you were this smart."

Outside, Meira paused.

She looked back once.

No expression.

But her heart beat fast—not with victory. Not with fear.

Just one thought:

"I hope... he’s watching."

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