The street felt heavier after those words.
Ethan has to die tonight.
The man stood calmly across from them, like he had just stated a simple fact.
Liya felt anger rising inside her.
"You're insane."
The man didn't react.
"This isn't a debate."
Ethan tilted his head slightly.
"Funny. Usually when someone says I have to die, I expect more drama."
The man ignored the joke.
"The loop exists to prevent a catastrophic timeline collapse."
Liya scoffed.
"And killing him is your brilliant solution?"
"Yes."
"That's murder."
"It's correction."
Ethan raised an eyebrow.
"Wow. Corporate language for homicide."
The man sighed slightly, like he was tired of explaining.
"You misunderstand the scale of the situation."
"Then explain it better," Ethan said.
The man pointed toward the skyline where the dust cloud from the tower collapse still lingered.
"That event shouldn't have changed."
"But it did."
"Because the loop is weakening."
Liya crossed her arms.
"So what?"
"So reality begins correcting itself in unpredictable ways."
"Unpredictable how?"
The man looked directly at Ethan.
"Mass casualty events."
"Chain disasters."
"Entire districts collapsing."
"Airplanes falling."
The calm way he said it made Liya uneasy.
"If the loop breaks completely…"
"…millions could die."
Silence filled the street.
Ethan looked thoughtful.
"Alright."
"That's definitely a bigger problem."
Liya turned to him.
"You're not actually considering this, right?"
He didn't answer immediately.
Instead he looked back at the man.
"Let me guess."
"You're some kind of… time management department?"
The man didn't smile.
"Something like that."
"Government?"
"Beyond that."
"Great."
Ethan rubbed the back of his neck.
"So your solution is simple."
"Kill me."
"Yes."
"At midnight."
"Yes."
"And everything resets."
"Yes."
Liya stepped forward.
"No."
Both men looked at her.
She stood firmly beside Ethan.
"That's not happening."
The man's expression remained calm.
"You don't understand."
"I understand perfectly."
She pointed at Ethan.
"He dies."
"The day resets."
"And we repeat this nightmare forever."
"That's the system."
She shook her head.
"No."
"That's cruelty."
The man's voice stayed steady.
"It's necessary."
Ethan watched the two of them argue quietly.
Then he finally spoke.
"Question."
Both of them looked at him.
"What happens if I survive midnight?"
The man answered immediately.
"The loop collapses."
"And then?"
The man paused slightly.
Then said something that made the air feel colder.
"We don't know."
Liya blinked.
"You're serious?"
"For the first time in the experiment…"
"…the outcome is unknown."
Ethan smiled slowly.
"Well."
"That's interesting."
The man's tone hardened.
"It's dangerous."
"Maybe."
"But it's also the first real choice I've had today."
He looked at Liya.
She already knew what he was thinking.
"Don't even say it."
Ethan sighed.
"I've died twenty-seven times."
"I know."
"Each time resetting the same day."
"Yes."
He looked back at the man.
"So if I die tonight…"
"…this continues forever."
The man didn't deny it.
"That's correct."
Ethan looked up at the sky.
Then back at Liya.
"Honestly?"
"I'm getting tired of this day."
Her heart started racing.
"Ethan…"
He turned back toward the mysterious man.
"Here's the problem with your plan."
The man waited.
Ethan smiled slightly.
"I don't feel like dying tonight."
Silence.
The man's expression changed slightly for the first time.
"That would be a mistake."
Ethan shrugged.
"Maybe."
"But I'm curious what happens after midnight."
Liya grabbed his arm.
"You're really choosing this?"
He looked at her.
"For the first time…"
"…we might actually move forward."
The man spoke quietly.
"If you survive midnight…"
"…the timeline will collapse into an unstable future."
Ethan smiled again.
"Sounds like tomorrow's problem."
The street fell silent again.
Only the distant sounds of the city remained.
Then the man slowly reached inside his coat.
Liya's heart jumped.
When his hand came back out…
He was holding a small black device.
"Then I'm afraid," the man said calmly,
"I'll have to make sure you don't reach midnight." ⏳