BEEP.
BEEP.
BEEP.
The red lights flashed faster.
Louder.
05:21
The sea breeze drifted slowly across the harbor.
But around the container—
the air felt heavy.
As if everything nearby was being pulled toward a single point.
The metal walls creaked softly.
KREEEKK…
A small sound.
Yet enough—
to make everyone realize:
this was no ordinary machine.
Arga stood directly in front of the container.
Still.
The MBG lunch box in his hand glowed brightly.
Eight grains of rice pulsed violently.
But this time—
not because of him.
It felt like—
something was pulling them.
"Arga…"
Sinta's voice came quietly.
"You feel that too?"
Arga didn't answer immediately.
He nodded slowly.
His eyes never left the steel door.
"…this isn't just energy."
A pause.
"…it's hungry."
Silence.
Bimo frowned.
"…hungry?"
Farhan suddenly stopped typing.
His hands froze above the keyboard.
His eyes widened.
"…that's impossible…"
Lila stared at the graphs on her tablet.
Her face immediately turned pale.
"Farhan…"
Farhan swallowed hard.
"This isn't a hacker."
He pointed toward the screen.
"It's a siphon."
Silence spread instantly.
Rani spoke softly.
"…siphoning what?"
Farhan answered even quieter.
"…us."
Nobody moved.
"…nutritional energy."
The words landed heavily.
"…from every MBG user."
Bimo slowly looked back at the container.
"…so if this thing fully activates…"
Lila finished the sentence for him.
"…we won't just lose our power."
A pause.
"…we'll become its source."
Arga stepped one step closer.
Instantly—
the light inside his lunch box dimmed.
Like something was forcibly draining it away.
"Arga, get back!" Pak Rahmat shouted.
But Arga didn't move.
Because now—
he could feel it clearly.
Not outside.
Inside himself.
Like something—
was trying to touch him back.
"…it's aware…"
Sinta stiffened.
"…what?"
Arga whispered without taking his eyes off the container.
"…it knows we're here."
The man in the hat stood calmly in the distance.
His smile never changed.
"You finally understand."
Sinta stepped forward immediately.
Her eyes sharp.
"You're stealing from children."
The man shrugged casually.
"Energy is energy."
A pause.
"The strong take."
Bimo groaned.
"…wow, that actually hurts my brain."
The man smiled faintly.
"That's how the world works."
04:32
The sound from inside the container grew louder.
BZZZZZZZZ—
Like something—
was waking up.
Farhan shouted,
"It's partially activated already!"
Lila stared at the readings.
"Output is rising fast—"
"…it's not stopping!"
Pak Rahmat turned sharply.
"How much time do we have?!"
Farhan looked at the timer.
"…less than five minutes."
Silence.
Arga finally spoke.
Quietly.
"…too late to retreat."
Sinta answered instantly.
"We open it now."
Bimo stared at the steel doors.
"…that's solid reinforced steel."
Farhan shook his head.
"The system is locked from the inside."
Lila added,
"If we force it open—"
"…full activation could trigger immediately."
Silence fell again.
Every option—
was dangerous.
"Wait."
Everyone turned.
Tono pointed toward the lower side of the container.
"Ventilation."
He jumped upward. Grabbing onto the metal frame.
He peeked inside.
A few seconds—
felt endless.
Then his face changed.
"…there's a machine inside."
A pause.
"…a huge one."
Bimo frowned.
"…and?"
Tono swallowed slowly.
"…battery units."
Farhan immediately understood.
"If we cut the power—"
"…the machine dies."
Sinta looked upward.
"Then we go inside."
03:41
The numbers felt faster now.
Crueler.
The man in the hat laughed softly.
"You always choose the difficult path."
A pause.
"…I like that."
"Move!" Pak Rahmat shouted.
Bimo immediately ran.
WHOOSH!
He leaped upward— pulling himself onto the container.
Dika followed instantly.
Tono was already waiting above.
Below them—
Arga remained still.
Staring at the container.
Like—
it was calling him.
Above—
Tono found the maintenance panel.
"Here!"
BRAK!
The metal panel ripped off.
An opening appeared.
Hot air burst outward.
And the sound—
BZZZZZZZZZZ—
became louder.
Deeper.
Like—
a heartbeat.
02:12
Sinta shouted from below.
"HURRY!"
Bimo stared at the opening.
"…who's going in?"
Silence.
No discussion.
No debate.
Because everyone's eyes—
turned toward one person.
Arga.
His lunch box glowed the brightest.
His energy—
was the strongest.
And the machine—
was pulling toward him the most.
Arga looked at the opening.
Then at all of them.
One by one.
Sinta. Bimo. Rani.
His team.
A faint smile appeared on his face.
Not relaxed.
Not confident.
Just—
acceptance.
"…I'll go."
"Arga—"
Sinta tried to stop him.
Too late.
He was already moving.
BEEP. BEEP. BEEP.
The red lights nearly merged into one solid line.
The machine's roar shook the steel walls.
Inside—
something was waiting.
Not just to awaken.
But—
to take.
And as Arga jumped into the darkness inside the container—
he finally understood one thing:
the machine didn't just absorb energy.
It chose—
who would become its source.
And now—
the machine
had chosen him.