Chương 70: Chapter 69 - Alpha (XXXI)

August 7, 2024 - Yarra Ranges, Australia Jack shifted on the hard bench, the fabric of his jacket rustling in the quiet of the tent. Next to him, Pablo tapped his fingers on his knee, glancing nervously at the screen. Captain Goodfred sat on Pablo's other side, his hulking frame nearly taking up two seats. He had a thermos in his hand, sipping what smelled like black coffee, his eyes fixed forward, sharp as ever.

"Any spoilers, Captain?" Jack asked casually, trying to ease the tension hanging in the air. Goodfred didn't look away from the screen, his face set in a stone-like expression.

"I know much less than you think." Jack huffed, leaning back slightly.

"And seriously, what's with this Elena Morales? I mean, less than two weeks ago nobody even knew she existed, even as Secretary General of the UN, which already says a lot. But now, boom, she's suddenly the face of the world as we face The Tower." Goodfred finally turned his head, fixing Jack with a look that shut him up immediately.

"Morales is getting the job done—and she's doing it well, maybe too well. That's all that matters now."

"Too well? Oh, so you also think there's more than meets the eye, huh?" Jack asked, raising an eyebrow. Goodfred glanced at him with a smile.

"Only your second day here, and you're already behaving like this. I really hope Alonso comes back soon."

"Hey, you're wishing him dead? Come on, Cap, I could sue you for that!" Jack shot back with mock indignation.

"Sue me?" Goodfred burst into laughter, the deep sound filling the tent.

"Now that would be fun." The screen flickered again, pulling their attention back. It zoomed in on a stage in Geneva, at the United Nations office, where a long table was set up, microphones in place, and a crowd of officials gathered behind the Secretary General. She stood alone at the podium, dressed in a simple black suit, her face expressionless but her eyes piercing, as if she could see through the cameras into the souls of every person watching. Jack sat up straight.

The tent was now completely silent, every eye on the screen. Elena Morales took a breath, then leaned into the microphone.

"People of the world," Elena Morales began, her voice steady yet weighted with the gravity of the moment.

"We stand at a pivotal crossroads in human history. Over the past ten days, you have heard much—about The Tower, about the climbers, and about the dangers and opportunities it has presented. You have also heard me, alongside leaders from your governments, address the measures we are taking to ensure humanity's survival and prosperity as we confront this unprecedented challenge—a test that has been thrust upon us all." She paused for a moment, letting the weight of her words settle over the silent room.

"Today, on August 7th, I remind you that it has been five days since humanity successfully overcame the first great trial, the so-called 'Tier 1' from The Tower. On that very day, we received another signal—this one from the same unknown extraterrestrial source—that foretold the next phase, the second ascent, set to begin in 77 days. Mark this date: October 18th, 2024. On that day, the world will face its next test."

"In these last five days, governing bodies across the globe have worked tirelessly—coordinating, planning, and building the foundation upon which our collective preparation will rest. Today, we are ready to unveil this effort to the entire world, a global framework to ensure that when the second ascent begins, we will be prepared—not as divided nations, but as a united species." Morales leaned forward slightly, her gaze hardening as she spoke the next words.

"But before we speak of the measures we, as governments and leaders, have taken—I want to first acknowledge those who have already walked through the fire. I want to speak about the first generation of climbers—Gen-1. They are the ones who have shown us the way." She paused for emphasis, her gaze hardening as the gravity of her words settled.

"On July 29th, one million humans were taken—teleported inside The Tower. They had no knowledge of what awaited them, no guidance or framework to rely upon. They were thrust into an unknown world, forced to endure trials that tested them in ways unimaginable. They had nothing but their own instincts, willpower, and their quick thinking to guide them. No answers. No safety. Just survival." If you encounter this tale on Amazon, note that it's taken without the author's consent. Report it.

The room was silent, the weight of her words pressing down on everyone as she continued.

"These climbers, these men and women, they suffered. They broke down. They cried. But still, many pushed forward. Through isolation that shattered minds, through hunger and thirst that gnawed at their very souls. They faced violence, fatigue, terror, and the overwhelming burden of mastering an entirely new sensory system, forced to adapt or die from thirst before they could understand the very world around them. And yet, some of them went on."

Her voice softened for a moment, a glimmer of pride beneath her otherwise somber tone.

"They endured the seven White Rooms. They faced each new challenge with their lives hanging by a thread. And somehow, through sheer strength of will and wits, 286 of them survived. They claimed the first tier of The Tower."

"Understand this: it is because of them that we are able to face the second ascent. If they had not succeeded, we do not know the consequences humanity would have suffered for failing the challenge The Tower has placed before us. We owe them a debt that can never be repaid." Jack, unable to contain his curiosity, leaned toward Goodfred.

"I thought there were more than a thousand left on August 2nd?" Goodfred's eyes stayed on the screen, but he answered quietly.

"They were stuck in the seventh room. The last of the White Rooms doesn't have anything that can kill you. It just... wears you down. Most of them either gave in to thirst or took their own lives." Jack's face tightened.

"Oh."

"And so today, at this moment, I ask for a minute of silence. Not just for those who survived, but for all First Generation Climbers, and most importantly, for the 286 who completed the first trial." The tent fell into a deep silence. No one moved, no one spoke. Even the ambient sounds of the camp outside seemed to fade. After the minute of silence passed, Elena lifted her head and resumed speaking.

"Of the 286 who passed the first trial, sadly, more than half have already perished in the new challenge they are now facing—a challenge we have come to recognize as Tier 2."

"As of this moment, only 106 climbers remain inside The Tower, battling through the second tier. Out of the initial one million who entered, just 106 continue. These people," she paused, her eyes scanning the silent audience, "are the elite of humanity. To call their accomplishments remarkable would be an understatement. They have endured trials beyond imagination, and they have survived." She let her words linger, the tension in the room palpable, before pressing on.

"And yet, from those who have fallen and returned, we have learned a great deal. They have brought back invaluable insights—crucial information about the nature of Tier 2. While the full details will be revealed soon, I will say this—" she leaned slightly toward the camera, her voice dropping an octave, each word deliberate, "Tier 2 is nothing like Tier 1. And we have only seen a glimpse of it." She straightened, her tone shifting to one of resolve.

"So that brings us to this moment. As I mentioned before, we have been laying the foundation for what humanity will use to face The Tower as one unified force. And today, we are ready to unveil that framework. We call it the 'Applied Strategy for Coordinating and Engaging Navigation in The Tower'— A. S. C. E. N. T. This will be humanity's preparation system, the key to our survival and victory as we ascend The Tower." Elena Morales paused, her gaze sweeping across the camera as she prepared to deliver the details.

"A. S. C. E. N. T. is not just a strategy—it is an integrated framework, encompassing everything humanity has to offer. It represents the full extent of our capabilities, merging software, artificial intelligence, our most advanced computational resources, real-world infrastructure, and an unprecedented legal and regulatory framework." She continued, her voice firm and deliberate, explaining the layers of the system.

"At its core, A. S. C. E. N. T. relies on three main pillars: Information Integration, Operational Coordination, and Climber Support Systems." Information Integration. This pillar unites global intelligence through real-time data feeds from governments, climbers, and external sources. Our system, powered by advanced artificial intelligence models, processes and analyzes information from The Tower at unprecedented speeds.

These models are designed to anticipate future Tower events using predictive modeling, which draws from patterns observed in the experiences of Gen-1 climbers. A. S. C. E. N. T. will adapt continuously, learning from every fallen climber, from each new challenge, and refining our strategies in real time." She let the significance of her words settle in.

"To achieve this, we have deployed the latest state-of-the-art quantum computing platforms to maximize our capacity for data processing. These systems analyze vast amounts of visual input, transforming it into actionable insights. Every climber's movement, every decision, every outcome is captured visually and recorded in a central database—a living repository of knowledge about The Tower's inner workings.

This knowledge is shared globally, ensuring that no nation, no future climber is left without access to critical information."

"What? I thought quantum computing was still facing challenges from quantum decoherence and error rates," Pablo said suddenly, eyes wide as he turned to Jack. Jack let out a low whistle.

"Makes you wonder what else they've been keeping under wraps."