Neurolink System in the Modern World

"Alice, are you okay?" Amy ran toward Alice when she noticed her approaching. Concern etched across her face as she saw that something was amiss with her friend.

Alice appeared blank, lost in deep thought, but Amy's voice seemed to snap her back to reality.

"Yeah, I'm okay," she replied with a weak voice and began to look around, as if she was disoriented and unsure of her surroundings.

"You got your phone back," Amy pointed out.

"Eh?" Alice was puzzled, she realized that the phone that had been stolen from her was now in her hands. The problem was, she couldn't recall anything at all.

'Did I sleepwalk again?' she muttered to herself. She had been diagnosed when she was a child because she tended to, from time to time, forget and do things she did not remember.

Her doctor said it was sleepwalking.

It was supposed to be an incurable mental disorder, but her episodes stopped when she received treatment from a foundation. She couldn't recall the name of that foundation, but she remembered seeing many girls there who also suffered from some kind of mental disorder as her. Sadly, the organization shut down before she could complete her treatment.

The episodes began to resurface after some time had passed, but they didn't significantly impact her life. In fact, as she grew older, these episodes became even more rare, to the point that it had been a few years since she last had one.

As she realized the return of her sleepwalking episodes, fear gripped her heart, making it race. She worried that people might think she's crazy if they found out about her condition.

A wave of anxiety swept over her, and she couldn't help but wonder why her sleepwalking had come back after so many years without it. The thought of doing things she couldn't control, especially in public or around others, was deeply frightening.

She tightly clenched her fists, breathed rapidly, and felt very alone. Keeping this secret had always been a heavy burden. She had worked hard to seem normal and in control, but now, her condition threatened to expose her true self.

"Are you okay? You look pale," Amy asked.

"I'm alright, but I can't join you today. Something came up, and I need to go home," Alice replied. She longed for some time alone to gather her thoughts.

"That's okay, we're not in the mood for karaoke either," Amy said, noticing that her friend was visibly shaken.

Alice nodded in appreciation and bowed her head. She quickly walked away, eager to return home where she could feel safer.

—

—

'That was really unexpected,' I sighed in disbelief as I drove my car on the road. I never anticipated that happening.

'What was that, and why did my system not detect it? Don't tell me she has the ability to alter her status?' I asked myself in confusion.

As my thoughts raced for a possible explanation, a peculiar notion emerged. It was driven by the stark contrast between Alice's seemingly ordinary self and the sudden, extraordinary abilities she had just displayed.

It led me to consider the possibility that Alice might have a dual personality—a hidden, Gifted side of her that only surfaced under certain circumstances.

I was now fully aware of the existence of "Gifted" now, and after witnessing someone who could kill people through a psychological virus, it didn't seem too far-fetched to consider the possibility that an individual that has another self.

Thinking about it, Alice was also part of the special mission, and it seemed that all the girls in that group had some connection to a Gifted individual in one way or another.

As I reflected on the situation, it became evident that this mission had more layers to it than met the eye.

'Regardless, it's too dangerous to take on this mission now without knowing anything,'I sighed. I'm much smarter now, so I can see both the advantages and disadvantages of proceeding with this mission without adequate preparation

What I detested the most was the lack of information.

I decided to head back home after I settled some things here and gather more details about Alice from Alyssa. I knew that I needed to have a better understanding of the situation before I could come up with a new plan.

For now, it didn't seem like Alice posed a danger to me. We had been in contact many times, and I had remained perfectly fine.

If things get too bad, I'll just abandon the mission and keep my distance from her until I'm strong enough not to be concerned about anyone.

'It's not as if I'll die if I don't complete that mission. ' I thought to myself.

RING RING RING

My phone rang, and I answered it.

"Ayumi, what's up?" I spoke with a gentle voice. I had plans before this peculiar revelation to visit her after I was finished dealing with Alice .

"Yeah, I'm in Goyang right now," I replied.

"You're with your middle school friends. You want me to come?" I asked after she mentioned that she was with her middle school classmates and inquired if I had some free time to join her.

To be honest, Ayumi was my favorite girl right now. I dotted her a lot because of her personality, so her request didn't seem like a big deal.

Plus, I had just realized that I also needed some time to cool down. I had been in one extreme situation after another. Taking a little time to relax didn't sound like a bad idea at all.

In fact, I believed I deserved some relaxation time, and Ayumi's refreshing personality was just what I needed.

"Tell me the address; I'll head there right away," I replied with a cheerful tone. I wanted her to know that I was coming because I genuinely wanted to, not because I felt obligated. Ayumi was a very considerate girl, and I didn't want her to overthink things.

"Got it ,"