No one spoke.
The machine remained bowed.
Its glowing blue eyes never left Liam.
The underground corridor was so quiet that Liam could hear his own heartbeat.
Finally, Marcus broke the silence.
"...Did it just call you Administrator?"
Liam swallowed.
"I think it did."
"I thought you said you weren't one."
"So did I."
The machine slowly straightened.
Its movements were smooth and silent, as though every joint had been perfectly maintained despite thousands of years of isolation.
Its gaze shifted toward the others.
A thin beam of blue light swept across Marcus...
Rachel...
Emma...
Noah...
Adrian.
One after another.
Then it spoke.
"Unauthorized biological entities detected."
Everyone instinctively tightened their grip on their weapons.
The machine tilted its head.
"Threat assessment..."
Blue symbols flashed across its metallic body.
"...Negative."
"Escort privileges temporarily granted."
Rachel let out the breath she'd been holding.
"So..."
"It's not going to kill us?"
The machine answered without hesitation.
"Correct."
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Liam stepped forward.
"You know who I am?"
The machine was silent for a moment.
Then it replied,
"Identity confirmation incomplete."
"Administrator signature detected."
"Memory signature missing."
Liam frowned.
"What does that mean?"
"Current probability of successful identification..."
A brief pause.
"...0.03%."
Emma whispered,
"That's... oddly specific."
Adrian folded his arms.
"You've been here for thousands of years?"
"Affirmative."
"What are you?"
The machine placed a hand over its chest.
"Designation: Archive Keeper Seventeen."
"Primary Directive:"
"Preserve knowledge."
"Await the return of an Administrator."
Its voice remained perfectly emotionless.
Yet somehow...
It sounded lonely.
The Keeper turned back to Liam.
"Administrator Candidate."
"Please follow."
Without waiting for an answer, it turned and walked deeper into the corridor.
Liam hesitated.
Marcus stepped beside him.
"You don't have to do this."
Liam looked toward the endless hallway.
"I know."
"But if there are answers..."
"...they're down there."
Marcus nodded.
"Then we're coming with you."
The corridor stretched much farther than anyone expected.
There were no windows.
No dust.
No signs of decay.
Everything looked as though it had been cleaned moments ago.
Rows of strange crystal panels lined the walls.
Some flickered with faded images of unfamiliar worlds.
Others remained dark.
Emma stopped before one glowing panel.
"What is that?"
The Keeper answered without turning around.
"Civilization Record."
Emma leaned closer.
The image showed a beautiful world covered in floating islands beneath a violet sky.
Children laughed in enormous gardens.
Cities stretched into the clouds.
Then...
The image changed.
Darkness.
Fire.
Monsters.
The floating islands fell one by one.
Within seconds...
The entire civilization disappeared.
The panel went dark.
Nobody said a word.
Further ahead...
Another panel activated.
This one displayed a desert world.
Towering pyramids stood beneath three suns.
Millions of people filled its cities.
Again...
The image changed.
War.
Destruction.
Silence.
Darkness.
The panel shut off.
Noah looked sick.
"How many..."
"...how many worlds?"
The Keeper answered immediately.
"Archived civilizations."
"Current total..."
A pause.
"Three million, four hundred twelve thousand, eight hundred nine."
Everyone stopped walking.
Rachel stared at the machine.
"...You're joking."
"Archive Keepers do not possess a humor function."
Liam felt his stomach twist.
Three million civilizations.
Earth wasn't special.
It wasn't unique.
It was simply...
The next world.
Eventually, they reached a circular chamber.
Its ceiling disappeared into darkness high above.
Thousands of floating crystal spheres orbited the room in perfect silence.
At the center stood a single stone pedestal.
Resting on top of it...
Was a black leather-bound book.
No dust covered it.
It looked brand new.
The Keeper stepped aside.
"Administrator Candidate."
"Your Archive awaits."
Liam approached cautiously.
As soon as his fingers brushed the cover—
The entire chamber erupted with silver light.
Every crystal sphere began spinning.
Ancient machinery hidden inside the walls roared back to life.
Then...
A calm female voice echoed throughout the chamber.
"Administrator genetic signature confirmed."
"Welcome home..."
The words sent chills down Liam's spine.
The book slowly opened by itself.
Its pages were blank.
Until a single sentence began writing itself in shimmering silver ink.
"Liam Carter."
Beneath it...
Another line appeared.
One that made Liam's blood run cold.
"Previous Name: Classified."