In the depths of the dark web, beyond the reach of law and where walls of encryption cannot be penetrated, there were whispers. Whispers whispered through secret forums, slipping between encrypted codes, echoing through the corridors of the dark web like a frightening echo whose source is unknown.
The forum bore a strange name: "The Last Refuge." It was not a place any ordinary person could reach. You had to know the way, possess the right keys, and be part of a world that the law does not recognize.
Here, in this darkened digital space, gang leaders exchanged information, hackers offered their services, and assassins negotiated their prices. The forum had existed for seven years and had never been breached. It was an impregnable fortress in a digital world full of dangers.
But on that night, the night of October twenty-third, something different appeared. A single message, posted in the "Warnings" section, carried a simple yet terrifying title:
"Mafia.exe is coming"
There was no clear signature. There was no known username. Just a new account, created minutes earlier, with a completely black symbolic image. The message itself was short, written in white text on a black background:
"To everyone who thinks darkness protects them... you are wrong. The digital age shows no mercy, and justice is coming. Prepare yourselves. Mafia.exe"
At first, most members ignored the message. The forum was full of intruders and braggarts trying to attract attention. But after just one hour, something strange happened.
The message disappeared.
Not just the message, but the entire account. As if it had never existed. And that was the frightening part. Because deleting a message from "The Last Refuge" was nearly impossible, even for the moderators themselves.
But those who read it did not forget. And within hours, screenshots spread through private channels. The name "Mafia.exe" began echoing in encrypted conversations, in secret chat rooms, and in virtual gang meetings.
Who is he? What does he want? And why now?
Far from the digital world, in the heart of the massive city of Nexus, life went on as usual. Sunrise in Nexus was never beautiful. The thick fog mixed with industrial smoke covers the city every morning, making the sky appear dull gray even on the most beautiful days.
The towering skyscrapers pierce through this fog like giant fingers trying to reach a sky they will never touch. The city was massive, spanning an area of over a thousand square kilometers, inhabited by more than fifteen million people.
Nexus was one of the largest commercial and technological centers in the world. Major tech companies had headquarters here. International banks ran their operations from here. Investors from all over the world came here seeking opportunities.
But beneath this shiny surface, there was a dark truth. Nexus was also home to the largest organized crime networks. Five major gangs controlled the city, each ruling its territory with an iron fist.
The police? Most were either corrupt or powerless. There were some honest officers, of course, but they were a rare few, and they were often transferred to unimportant positions or forced to resign. The law in Nexus was merely words on paper in a city where money and power were the only understood language.
The city was divided into five main districts, each under the control of a major gang:
The Eastern District - Shadow Empire: Under the leadership of Thornix Dark Reign, the Shadow Lord, where arms trade flourished in abandoned factories and massive warehouses. Every illegal weapon in the city passed through this district.
The Northern District - Ice Network: The financial district under the control of Crystallina Iceborn. The gleaming skyscrapers and luxurious banks were a facade for massive money laundering operations estimated at billions of dollars annually.
The Southern District - Iron Gang: The port area under the iron rule of Bronzar Ironfist, the enforcer of the South. Everything smuggled into or out of the city was controlled through these ports.
The Western District - Wolf Clan: The upscale residential neighborhoods where the wealthy and politicians lived, and where Lopos Grimshadow ruled through blackmail and espionage. He had files on everyone.
The Center - Black Serpent: The beating heart of the city, under the control of Venomia Serpentine. The bustling nightlife and luxurious clubs were a facade for the most dangerous assassination operations in the city.
For years, these five gangs maintained a fragile balance. They fought sometimes, but the fighting was limited and calculated. Each leader knew that an all-out war would be devastating for everyone.
But this balance was about to collapse.
The day after the message appeared, rumors began spreading through the streets of Nexus. At first, they were just faint whispers in dark taverns and back alleys. But they quickly turned into a wave of anxiety and curiosity.
In a small tavern in the Eastern District called "The Black Shadow," two men sat at a corner table. One wore a worn black leather jacket, the other was in a cheap gray suit.
"Did you hear about the message?" asked the man in the leather jacket in a low voice. His eyes cautiously scanned the place.
"What message?" the other replied, slowly sipping his beer.
"In The Last Refuge. Someone posted a threat. Said his name was Mafia.exe."
The other man stopped drinking. He looked at his companion seriously. "Mafia.exe? Strange name."
"The name isn't what matters. What matters is that the message disappeared mysteriously. Everyone is wondering how."
"Maybe the moderators deleted it."
"The moderators say they didn't do anything. The message disappeared on its own."
A brief silence fell between them. Then the man in the suit spoke. "If that's true, it means this person is powerful. Very powerful."
"Or dangerous. Or both."
In a black market in the Southern District, an arms dealer named Rust Weapondealer was talking with one of his regular customers.
"I heard strange rumors today," said the customer while examining a pistol.
"What kind?" asked Rust indifferently. He continued cleaning an old rifle.
"They say there's a new hacker in the city. Called Mafia.exe. He appeared on the dark web and left a threatening message."
Rust stopped cleaning. He looked at the customer. "A hacker? So what? The city is full of hackers."
"But this one is different. They say he hacked The Last Refuge."
"Impossible. That forum is fortified."
"That's what they say. But the message appeared and disappeared in an unexplainable way."
Rust thought for a moment. "If that's true, the big bosses won't be happy."
"Exactly. That's why everyone is worried."
In a small café in the Western District, a group of college students were talking enthusiastically.
"Did you hear about Mafia.exe?" asked one of them, a thin young man with thick glasses.
"Yes! He's everywhere on the internet!" answered a girl with short blue hair. "Some say he's a genius hacker, and some say he's just a legend."
"I think he's real," said another young man confidently. "No one can hack The Last Refuge unless they're a true professional."
"But why would he do that?" asked the girl. "What's the point of posting a threatening message and then deleting it?"
"Maybe he wants to send a message. He wants to show that he's capable of doing the impossible."
"Or maybe he wants to scare someone. Someone powerful."
The rumors were everywhere. In taverns, in markets, in cafés, in the streets. The name "Mafia.exe" was on everyone's lips. Some were afraid, some were curious, and some were excited.
But one thing was certain - something was about to happen. Something big.
The news reached the five leaders quickly. Each of them had an extensive network of informants and spies, and they were always aware of everything happening in the city.
In his luxurious office in the heart of the Eastern District, Thornix Dark Reign sat behind his massive black wooden desk, reading a report on his tablet. A man in his fifty-second year, with carefully styled silver-gray hair and an elegant black suit. His sharp gray eyes moved quickly as he read.
A man in his thirties entered, Thornix's personal security chief, named Crasher Steelworth.
"Sir, there's a new development."
"Speak," said Thornix without looking up from the screen.
"The rumors about that hacker, Mafia.exe, are spreading quickly. The streets are talking about him."
Now Thornix looked up: "And what are they saying?"
"They say he hacked The Last Refuge. And that the message disappeared mysteriously."
Thornix placed the device on the desk and leaned back in his chair. "The Last Refuge? That's interesting."
"Do you think he's a real threat, sir?"
"Every threat must be taken seriously. Monitor the situation. I want daily reports on any developments."
"As you command, sir."
In her elegant white office in the Northern District, Crystallina Iceborn sat in her white leather chair, sipping a glass of white wine. A woman in her mid-forties, with icy beauty and silver-white hair cascading over her shoulders. She wore a tight white dress, and on her wrist was a diamond watch.
Before her stood Cipher Coldbyte, her technology expert.
"My lady, there's unusual activity on the network."
"What kind?" she asked in a cold voice.
"Someone posted a message in The Last Refuge. Claims his name is Mafia.exe."
"And what did he say in his message?"
"General threats. But the strange thing is that the message disappeared in an unexplainable way."
Crystallina took a sip of her wine. "Interesting. Do you think he's truly capable of hacking that forum?"
"If so, he's very professional. The Last Refuge is protected by the highest levels of encryption."
"Monitor him. I want to know everything about this person."
"I will, my lady."
In a massive warehouse in the Southern District, Bronzar Ironfist was yelling at one of his men. A huge man in his late forties, with prominent muscles and a face full of scars. He wore a sleeveless black shirt showing his muscular arms.
"What do you mean there's a hacker threatening the city?!" he shouted loudly.
"Sir, they're just rumors for now," the man answered in a trembling voice.
"Rumors? Rumors turn into facts if we don't deal with them! Find out who this Mafia.exe is and bring him to me!"
"We will, sir!"
In his quiet office filled with books in the Western District, Lopos Grimshadow sat behind his desk, reading a report with concentration. A thin man in his mid-fifties, with long gray hair tied back, and precise medical glasses. He looked more like a university professor than a gang leader.
Before him sat one of his spies, a man named Informer Wisewhisper.
"So, what do you know about this Mafia.exe?" asked Lopos calmly.
"Not much, sir. He appeared suddenly, posted a message, then disappeared. No one knows who he is or what he wants."
"But people are afraid."
"Yes, sir. The rumors are spreading quickly."
Lopos removed his glasses and cleaned them with a cloth. "Fear is a powerful weapon. If this person is smart, he knows how to use it."
"What do you want me to do, sir?"
"Gather all possible information. I want to know everything about this person before he becomes a real problem."
And in a luxurious nightclub in the heart of the city called "Serpent's Den," Venomia Serpentine sat in her private office. A woman in her early forties, with dangerous beauty and cold golden eyes. Her long black hair was tightly tied, and she wore an elegant black suit.
Before her stood Blade Shadowkiss, one of the best assassins on her team.
"My lady, have you heard about Mafia.exe?"
Venomia smiled a cold smile: "Yes. An interesting name."
"Do you think he's a threat?"
"Every new person is a potential threat. But let's wait and see. If he's real, he'll show himself soon."
"And if he shows himself?"
"Then we'll decide what to do with him."
The five leaders, each in their territory, were watching. Waiting. Preparing. Because they all knew one thing: in their world, threats don't come from nowhere. And if this Mafia.exe was real, he was planning something. Something big.
In a small apartment in a poor neighborhood on the outskirts of the city, the lights were off. The curtains were tightly drawn, and the only thing illuminating the room was the glow of multiple screens lined up on a long table.
One person sat before the screens, their face hidden in the shadows. Their fingers moved quickly on the keyboard, and codes flowed on the screens like a waterfall of glowing green numbers and letters.
On one of the screens, there was news from different sites. Rumors about Mafia.exe spreading everywhere. On another screen, there were conversations from different forums, all talking about the same topic.
The person stopped typing for a moment and smiled faintly in the darkness.
"The first phase is complete," they whispered in a low voice, barely audible. "Now they know the name. They know I exist. And fear has begun to spread."
They pressed some keys, and the screens changed. Now they displayed files, data, information. Files about the five leaders, about their operations, about their weaknesses.
"But this is just the beginning," they said in a calm voice. "The next step will be bolder. More obvious. And then, the real fear will begin."
They stood from their chair and walked toward the window. They opened the curtain slightly and looked at the illuminated city below. Nexus, the city ruled by crime for many years. The city that needed change.
"Soon," they whispered to themselves. "Very soon, you will know who I am. And then, there will be no place to hide."
They closed the curtain and returned to the screens. There was work to be done. Plans to be made. And a coming phase to prepare for.
The game had just begun. And the rules were simple: no mercy, no retreat, and no surrender. Nexus was not ready for what was coming.
In the darkness, legends are born. And on the network, beginnings are written.