The lesson ended with a soft chime, and the glowing panel on the wall displayed the time in crisp white letters:"12:00 – Lunch Break (Practical begins at 13:00)"
Miss Liora turned away from the board. "Everyone, remember we have a practical in Section 3 after the break. Be prepared to get your hands dirty. No excuses."
A wave of groans rolled through the classroom.
She narrowed her eyes. "And yes, that includes you, Bryn."
Bryn chuckled softly next to Saurai. "Why me, always me…"
As the students began packing their bags, Saurai sat still, watching, processing. Everything was efficient silent drawers opened and clicked shut with magnetic locks, students filed out in pairs or quiet groups, voices low and composed. No shouting. No chaos.
Too controlled, he thought.
"Hey, let's go," Bryn said, slinging a small grey satchel across his back. "Lunch queue gets long if you're slow."
Saurai nodded slowly and followed him into the hallway.
The corridor stretched out ahead like a clean white tunnel. The ceiling was low, panels emitting a steady fluorescent glow. No windows. No vents. The walls were a smooth composite material neither concrete nor plastic. Just... seamless.
There were signs overhead modular, glowing text that shifted every few seconds:
→ CAFETERIA HALL→ SECTOR 1B | LEVEL 1 (All Students – Level 1 Access)
→ NO ACCESS BEYOND THIS POINT WITHOUT LEVEL 2 PERMIT
Each corner had a small rotating orb embedded into the ceiling cameras, probably. Quiet. Watching.
It reminded him of something.
A correctional facility, he thought grimly. Or a laboratory. Maybe both.
As they walked, Saurai noticed several heavy-looking doors set into the corridor wall. Some had glowing plates beside them:
→ RESTRICTED: LEVEL 2 ACCESS ONLY→ RESEARCH BAY | LEVEL 3 PERMIT REQUIRED→ STORAGE COMPOUND (AUTHORIZED PERSONNEL ONLY)
Students walked quietly. Not exactly fearful, but… aware. Like every movement mattered. No one leaned against the wall. No one ran. Even casual conversations were short and quiet.
Saurai glanced at the uniforms. Every student wore the same dull-blue jacket and dark slacks. Some had stripes or color patches on their shoulders. Ranks? Divisions?
Is this really a school?
After a few turns, the hallway opened up into a wide, bright room—the cafeteria.
Here, the noise level was a little higher. Buzzing, but still ordered. People stood in neat lines, speaking in hushed tones. Rows of long grey tables stretched across the space, each with built-in seating and individual trays recessed into the surface.
Saurai's eyes drifted to the front of the room where students approached a glowing console one by one.
Each stepped up, pressed their wrist to a scanner, and waited as a 3D hologram shimmered to life.
Name.
Age.
Blood type.
Height.
Weight.
Class.
Permit Level: 1
Saurai watched the floating images flicker into the air like something out of a sci-fi movie. The data rotated gently. Most students barely looked at it. They simply tapped on a menu and stepped aside with a tray that popped out from a nearby slot.
There were guards too. Not adults, but older teens standing by the scanner stations, dressed in the same uniform but with dark bands across their arms. Their eyes scanned the students mechanically. One had a stun baton clipped to their belt.
Saurai noticed something then small badges near the some guards' collars: LEVEL 2.
Bryn leaned over. "They're Prefects. They look scary but they're chill if you don't cause trouble."
Saurai nodded. His heartbeat was rising again. This wasn't just another school. It was regulated.
"Your turn," Bryn said, stepping forward and placing his wrist over the glowing panel.
The scanner flashed. A soft chime. A display appeared.
BRYN DALLE
Age: 14
Blood: A+
Height: 168 cm
Weight: 87 kg
Class: 1-E
Permit Level: 1
Balance: 214 points
He tapped a glowing icon marked LUNCH. A submenu appeared:
🍲 Normal Lunch — 2 Points🍱
Executive Lunch — 7 Points
He chose Normal without hesitation. A chime sounded. A tray slid out from the wall. Steam rose from the meal fish soup, a compressed starch biscuit, and a small cube of green paste.
Bryn stepped aside and gestured. "Go."
Saurai hesitated. He slowly placed his wrist where Bryn had.
The scanner beeped.
Then light.
A crisp blue hologram spun to life in front of him. His eyes widened.
SAURAI LIAN
Age: 14
Blood: O+
Height: 172 cm
Weight: 62 kg
Class: 1-E
Permit Level: 1
Balance: 595 points
He stared at it.
So… that really was his name now.
It felt strange seeing it displayed like this like a file he hadn't created, a life that wasn't his but was now assigned to him.
Below the personal data were several glowing icons. He didn't examine them closely. Too many eyes around. He tapped the main LUNCH button.
Another submenu:
🍲 Normal Lunch — 2 Points🍱
Executive Lunch — 7 Points
Even within Normal, he could see subtle notes next to the dishes:
Fish-based soup
Cultured sea greens
Synthetic starch biscuit
He blinked at that. Rice? Bread? Not even an option?
Still, he didn't want to stand out.
He tapped Normal Lunch.
A soft chime. His balance flickered.
Balance: 593 points
The tray slid out from the wall. Steam curled around the same simple portions as Bryn's. Smelled... edible.
Saurai took it and followed Bryn toward an empty table.
But his mind wasn't on the food. It was spinning.
Points. Guards. Permit levels. Controlled meals. Monitored corridors. Identity scans.
What kind of society was this?
And more importantly what part was he supposed to play in it?