The air in the "AutoWin Hub" discord server was thick with digital desperation. It was October 2021, and the world was obsessed with Squid Game . While millions watched the show on Netflix, a subculture of gamers was living it—or rather, trying to cheat it.

“You enjoyed the shortcut,” the message read. “But a game with no risk has no reward. Check your desktop.”

Suddenly, his webcam light flickered on. A video feed opened automatically. It wasn’t a view of his room; it was a live feed of the AutoWin Hub’s main chat. His own real name, address, and credit card info were being scrolled through the chat in a repetitive loop.

Kael’s heart hammered. He minimized the game. Every icon on his desktop had been replaced by a single image: a black card with a circle, triangle, and square.

Kael reached for the power button, but his hand stayed hovered in the air. He realized then that the AutoWin Hub wasn't a community for cheaters. It was the recruitment floor for something much, much larger. He pressed 'Y.'