The Pudong district of Shanghai was a vision of the future, lost in a forest of skyscrapers. Gigantic buildings of glass and steel danced with colorful lights at night, reflecting the city's ceaseless pulse into the sky. In the midst of this sea of light, one building stood out: slightly taller, slightly quieter, slightly darker – the headquarters of Singularity Corporation.
The office on the fifty-second floor was Jin's domain. It resembled an art piece more than a workspace for a tech genius. The walls were covered with smart glass panels that stretched from floor to ceiling; transparent during the day, they transformed into giant screens at night, displaying visual feasts of data flowing from all over the world. The furniture was minimalist: a white leather armchair, a glass table, and on the table, a terminal that was much more than an ordinary computer. There was a faint scent of a mixture of ozone and green tea in the air.
Jin was forty-one years old, but he looked no older than thirty. His black hair was short and neat, and there wasn't a single wrinkle on his face. He wore a simple black shirt and jeans; this modesty was, in fact, a sign of his power. He didn't need to show off. His power was in his mind.
His fingers danced across the terminal's touch surface. On the screens, the end-user reports of the Nexus brain-computer interface were flowing. Thousands of pages, millions of data points. Under normal circumstances, it would take weeks to examine this data. But the artificial intelligence algorithms Jin had developed identified anomalies in seconds and brought them to his attention.
Since the night of the anomaly, these very anomalies had become the focus of Jin's attention.
03:17:01.234 UTC.
In 0.03% of all Nexus users, at that millisecond, there had been inexplicable jumps in the data recorded by the device. Brain waves had reached frequencies far beyond normal human capacity, then suddenly returned to normal. But what was truly interesting were the "superhuman effects" reported by these users in the following days.
Jin scrolled down the list on the screen. Each report, a separate mystery, a separate potential.
User #A4471 (Osaka, 34 years old, engineer): "After removing the device, I started hearing my wife's thoughts. At first, I wasn't sure it was true, but now I am. I know what she's thinking. I'm scared."
User #B8912 (Beijing, 23 years old, student): "When I touch electronic devices, I can sometimes turn them on and off unintentionally. My phone charges itself. Is this normal?"
User #C2356 (Guangzhou, 45 years old, doctor): "I feel my patients' pain without touching them. It has become easier for me to diagnose, but I can't sleep at night. Everyone's pain is inside me."
The list went on and on. Thought reading, telekinesis, empathy, precognition... Each one heralded a different ability. And all of them had emerged at the same time, for the same reason: Nexus.
Jin leaned back, took a deep breath. His engineers saw these reports as a vulnerability, a software error. In meetings, they offered solutions in a panic, discussing the recall of the device, even the cancellation of the project. Jin, on the other hand, listened to them in silence, then retreated to his room without saying a word.
Because what they couldn't see, Jin could.
This was not a mistake. This was a leap.
The human brain reaching a point in its evolution that it could have reached in thousands of years, suddenly, in a single moment. A small, uncontrolled, irregular leap.
Jin opened his desk drawer and took out his personal diary. This was not digital, but a physical notebook; written on rare handmade paper with special ink. Despite his mastery of technology, Jin preferred to put his most intimate thoughts on paper. It was the only way to leave no digital trace.
He took the pen in his hand and began to write:
"72 hours have passed since the 03:17 anomaly. 'Undesirable effects' have been observed in 0.03% of Nexus users. The engineers are in a panic. According to them, this is a disaster. But to me... it's a gift.
The human brain has reached its current capacity as a result of millions of years of evolution. Our senses are limited, our perception is restricted. But what if these limits are just walls? What if those walls can be broken down with the right key or the right momentum?
The anomaly gave us this key. Uncontrolled, irregular, but real. Now the question is: Can we turn this leap into a controlled evolution?
I am launching the 'Prometheus' experiment group. Subject selection is critical. Individuals with high emotional lability, weak social ties, and those living on the fringes of society should be selected. Because these people are the most open to change. They have nothing to lose, they have a lot to gain. And most importantly, they are easier to control.
*Our goal: To turn the opening into a directed leap. Nexus 2.0 will not just be a brain-computer interface. It will be an evolution tool. The next step of humanity.*
Of course, such great power brings great responsibility. But by responsibility, I don't mean ethics committees or government regulations. What I mean is, who will control this power? And this control must be with me.
Prometheus stole fire from the gods and gave it to humans. But he paid the price. We will not repeat Prometheus's mistakes. We will be the ones controlling the fire. And we will give it only to those who deserve it.
Jin."
He closed the notebook and put it back in the drawer. Then he turned to his terminal and entered a few commands. A file titled "Prometheus - Subject List" opened on the screen. It was still empty. But in Jin's mind, names were already beginning to appear.
The engineer in Osaka. The student in Beijing. The doctor in Guangzhou. And many more. Each one would not be a guinea pig, but a pioneer. The first representatives of humanity's new age.
Of course, for this, he first needed to find them, isolate them, and bring them under control. And at that point, an unexpected opportunity arose.
A new message was flashing on his terminal. Sender: S. Sofia. Subject: Common interest.
Jin's eyebrows rose slightly. Sofia... He had heard this name before. The legendary data hunter of the dark web, the invisible protector of the digital world. Many wanted to work with her, but she only communicated with those she chose. Jin's curiosity was piqued.
He opened the message:
"Dear Jin,
I have been watching you for a long time. The Nexus project of Singularity Corporation is a study that I have been following closely. However, in recent days, I have come across interesting data regarding your project. 'Superhuman effects' have been reported in 0.03% of your users after the 03:17 anomaly. Thought reading, telekinesis, augmentation, fire control, interaction with electronic devices...
Do you know that this data has also fallen into the hands of others? A receiver codenamed 'Kronos' is buying your user data through the dark web. And this data is not just technical reports. The identities, locations, and even private lives of your users are being sold.
I am monitoring this data flow. And I have an offer for you: Let's work together. You give me the details of your Nexus technology, and I'll tell you what I know about Kronos. Who knows, maybe we can fight a common enemy together.
I await your reply.
S. Sofia"
Jin read the message again. A thin smile appeared on his lips. Sofia was watching him. So she, too, was aware of this new world. But the offer... It didn't align with Jin's plans. Of course, he wouldn't tell Sofia that.
Kronos... This name had also caught Jin's attention. A chain of offshore companies, a network that was almost impossible to track. But somehow, they had managed to access the Nexus data. This was both a threat and an opportunity for Jin. A threat, because his work was being exploited by others. An opportunity, because he had realized how valuable this new power was.
Collaboration with Sofia... It was risky, but potentially very rewarding. If her skill combined with Jin's technology and network, the resulting synergy would be unpredictable.
But Jin couldn't cooperate. Somehow… He had to use her. It would be very dangerous. Especially if one considered that this hacker was at least as intelligent as Jin…
He wrote his reply:
"Dear Sofia,
Thank you for your interest. Yes, I am aware of the existence of Kronos. And yes, this situation also bothers me. However, before accepting your collaboration offer, I would like to know a little more about you. Who are you, what do you want, and most importantly, why do you want to work with me?
Mutual trust is the foundation of any collaboration. And right now, I don't trust you yet.
However, we can take a step. Tell me what you know about Kronos. What are their goals? Are they just collecting data, or is there more? If you share this information, I can start telling you what I want to know about Nexus.
See you soon.
Jin"
He sent the message. Now, it was Sofia's turn. He would see how she played the game.
Then, he opened a new window on his terminal. He began to fill out the file titled "Prometheus - Candidate List." He wrote the first name: The engineer in Osaka. Second name: The student in Beijing. Third: The doctor in Guangzhou. And the fourth...
He paused. The fourth name was not on the list. But Jin knew her. He knew her from his own sources, from his own observations. Valeria. The social media phenomenon in Los Angeles. Her visions, her prophecies, and what she said in her last live broadcast: "A laboratory... an explosion... and the end of the world!"
Valeria was the perfect fit for Prometheus. Emotional, unstable, fame-hungry. And most importantly, powerful. Her visions showed that she could see the future. This ability, when brought under control, was invaluable.
Jin added Valeria's name to the list as well. Then, he leaned back, looked out the window. The lights of Shanghai were flashing, defying the night. But in Jin's mind, there was a much brighter future.
The evolution of humanity was in his hands. The fire of Prometheus would burn under his control. And this fire would illuminate the world. Jin was ready.
A new message flashed on his terminal. From Sofia.
"Dear Jin,
Your questions are understandable. You are wondering who I am. Let me put it simply: I am someone who can guide you so that you don't get lost in this new world. Kronos's goal is not just to collect data. They want to control those who are triggered, to use them as a weapon. And your Nexus users are at the top of their target list.
If you want to learn more, let's meet at the same time tomorrow.
S. Sofia"
Jin opened the Prometheus file and activated his artificial intelligence. Within seconds, Valeria's profile appeared on the screen. Thousands of photos, hours of video, millions of followers. And one more thing that caught Jin's attention: In her last live broadcast, she was holding a Nexus headset. Jin's "gift."
A dangerous smile appeared on his lips. The Prometheus network was slowly being woven. And Jin, at the very center of this network, held all the strings.
Outside, Shanghai was stretching into the night, the lights of the skyscrapers dancing in the sky. But in Jin's mind, there was a much greater dance: The dance of humanity's destiny. And he was determined to be the choreographer of this dance.
Prometheus was awakening. And when it awoke, the world would never be the same again.