章節 56: Chapter 56: The Crescendo

The war room in Zenith Tower was quieter than usual, the air heavy with tension as Ethan Carter stood over the holographic display. The message from the Ghost Network—"The crescendo is coming"—blazed in sharp, glowing letters, a taunt, a promise, and a declaration of war. Around him, Jessica, Sophia, and Mark were locked in their own grim thoughts. The clock was ticking.

Jessica, her exhaustion evident in the dark circles under her eyes, broke the silence. "I've cracked part of their encryption. The crescendo isn't just a single attack—it's a coordinated global strike. They've timed it down to the second. Energy grids, stock markets, communications infrastructure—they're hitting everything. If this succeeds, they'll grind the world to a halt."

Sophia leaned against the table, her bandaged arm hanging at her side. "This isn't sabotage anymore. This is collapse. They're wiping the slate clean so they can rebuild it in their image."