G.O.D Complex// Earth Prime

Linus stared at the three remaining notepads in his hands, unsure which one to give up.

[Animal Kingdom]

[Marksmanship]

[AI Interface]

Animal Kingdom contained extensive data on new species—most likely the kind they'd encounter soon. If this notepad existed, there was a high probability such creatures would appear. Understanding animal behavior could be vital for survival.

Marksmanship was more than just handling weapons—it was mastery over all types, including unfamiliar and futuristic ones. Velvet had chosen it earlier and told Linus that many weapons described within looked like they came straight out of a fantasy comic. That revelation made Linus question their timeline—and what kind of era he had woken into.

AI Interface, however, was different. It reminded him of those digital companions found in manhwa comics—an open interface that could access, sort, and recall information far faster than his own memory. Most people had ignored the notepad entirely. Linus only found it because he had been meticulously exploring every shelf when he stumbled upon it by accident.

"Found anything similar?" Linus asked as Velvet walked over, holding another notepad.

"No. I've asked around. No one else has seen one titled AI Interface," she replied.

Linus looked down thoughtfully, then nodded. "Guess it's my luck or something like that."

Without hesitation, he selected and downloaded AI Interface, then handed the notepad to Velvet.

Velvet glanced at it before tapping on the interface. This was her fifth and final selection. Her chosen skills now included:

[Marksmanship]

[Environmental Decoding]

[Animal Kingdom]

[Physiology]

[AI Interface]

As the download began, streams of numerical data filled their consciousness. Information expanded vertically and horizontally, threading itself into their minds. A sharp headache followed as their internal systems rapidly built an artificial cognitive overlay.

> [Thank you for downloading the Assistant AI Interface. Would you like to assign a custom name, or keep default tag: AIF (AI Interface Format)?]

Linus looked over at Velvet, who stared back. Both had clearly heard the voice in their minds.

Another confirmation—they weren't in a human-made facility.

"We'll deal with that later," Linus muttered internally, shutting down the AI temporarily.

Velvet sat down with her eyes closed, meditating to settle her thoughts. Meanwhile, Linus considered the two notepads left in his hands.

"What's the best option here?" he asked aloud.

Then he remembered the interface. "AIF, what's the most suitable skill for maximizing early survival?" he queried mentally.

> [Analyzing parameters... Accessing current era information...]

[Recommendation: "Guide Situational Adaptability" — A foundational module designed to optimize personal survival strategies in changing environments.]

Linus blinked. That option hadn't even been on his list.

Curious, he set off searching for the recommended notepad. After nearly an hour of scanning shelves, he finally found it—only, someone was already holding it.

"Excuse me," he asked. "Have you finished with that one?"

The scarlet-haired woman looked up and nodded before handing it to him.

"Thanks," Linus replied politely.

"Sorry... but have we met before?" the woman asked.

Linus paused. "I don't think so. I mean, we climbed up here together, sure, but I don't remember anything from before this place."

She nodded thoughtfully. "My mistake. Your face just looks familiar."

She extended her hand. Linus, seeing no reason to decline, shook it.

"My name—or what I remember—is Nathalie. Nice to meet you."

"Linus Grey. Pleasure's mine."

They chatted briefly before Velvet returned, her thoughts now in order.

"Oh? Who's this pretty lady?" Nathalie asked playfully.

Velvet gave her a neutral glance. "Just call me Velvet."

Nathalie smiled and nodded. "Nice to meet you." She then excused herself to finish selecting her last skill.

"You know her?" Velvet asked.

Linus shook his head. "Nah. Just met her. But apparently, I look familiar to her."

Velvet studied him for a second. "With a face like yours, anyone might think they know you. You're seriously handsome. You kind of stand out."

Linus smirked. "Was that a compliment?"

Velvet walked away without answering. Linus grinned as he watched her go.

---

Now that they had all their downloads, they stood before a wide metal door—the entrance to the next floor.

"Finally, an elevator," Linus said, stretching.

Velvet nodded. "It's marked for Floor Eight. After this, just two more to go. Then maybe we'll know who's behind all this."

Only one button was available. [8]

They pressed it without hesitation.

Just as the doors began to close, two figures rushed in—Levi and Nathalie.

"Looks like you've finished your downloads," Linus said as the elevator hummed to life.

Levi gave a small nod, glancing at Velvet, who deliberately avoided eye contact. Nathalie smiled casually but said nothing.

The elevator ascended, vanishing through the ceiling. Meanwhile, far below, Benjamin and the next group finally reached the sixth floor's summit.

He took a deep breath, noticing the elevator disappearing in the distance.

"Looks like some people already moved on," he muttered.

The system's notification appeared before him, explaining the purpose of the library floor. Benjamin nodded and stepped forward.

Moments later, a muscular man arrived, carrying a small girl on his back. She hopped down and thanked him politely.

The man blushed, waving shyly. She smiled and rushed forward to catch up with Benjamin.

But as she turned, the man's gaze darkened. He licked his lips, his eyes locked on her lower back.

"What a nice girl..." he whispered, following behind.

---

DING!

Eighth Floor.

As the four exited the elevator, they were momentarily stunned.

"Which sci-fi world did we wake up to?" Levi muttered.

Before them was a sprawling field of transparent glass platforms, suspended in space. Towers, bridges, and walls stretched into the distance like an artificial city built in the sky. Thick beams of light rose from the floor to the glowing ceiling, where the true height couldn't be seen.

"It's... enormous," Velvet whispered.

Linus approached the edge of the glass and looked down.

"Hey, come check this out," he called.

The others joined him. Through the semi-blurred surface, they could faintly see silhouettes—moving people—multiple floors below.

"Are they facility staff… or just like us?" Velvet asked.

"No idea," Linus said. "But I guess we're going to find out."

He looked upward. The glass platforms continued vertically, supported by nothing but beams of light. The ceiling was hidden by a dazzling artificial sun.

"We better move," Levi urged. "I get the feeling we're running out of time."

Velvet stood and followed him, with Nathalie not far behind.

But Linus lingered. His eyes locked on one of the silhouettes far below.

It never stopped staring back.

"What are you waiting for?" Velvet called.

Linus scratched his white hair, shook off the unease, and walked away.

---

Far below, someone continued watching.

"You're still looking up at them?" asked a nearby girl.

"Stop staring. They might be facility agents. We don't want to draw attention," another warned.

The boy—no, the young man—turned and nodded apologetically.

"Hey, Mr. Fischer! Over here. I think I found a path," a girl with bright green hair called out.

"Don't call me Mr., that makes me sound ancient—I'm only 24!" he shouted, jogging to catch up.

— To be Continued