[A spoke,] "Then why do you think I should find them that easily? If you're saying they are masters at hiding their true intentions, then in a room full of people, even if I randomly pick one, the probability of choosing a Red one is still unpredictable. Or maybe you just want to laugh at me again."[K replied in a calm voice,] "Look carefully. You can see them. Those who hide their true personality speak sweeter than sugar."A walked around the room, listening to the conversations. After half an hour, he pointed at a middle-aged leader. "He is a Red one."K looked at him. "Are you sure about that?"[A said confidently,] "Yes. I listened to how he talks with others, and the way he looks around—it feels like he is constantly scanning the room while holding conversations."K smiled. "He is a Blue one."A was completely shocked. "But I… I was sure he was a Red one."[K replied calmly while looking toward the center of the room,] "The person who keeps scanning the room and listening to every little conversation, as if making plans all the time—this behavior is similar among all three types. One wants his nation to rise to the top and dominate the world. One wants to earn as much as he can. And one wants to help everyone and support development. They are all artists in their own way."A was still trying to recover from the shock. "Then why are you so sure he is a Blue one? It could be White or Red. Or is it because you know everything? After all, this is your domain."[K replied calmly,] "Yes, this is my domain, but I don't control anyone here. As for why he is Blue—look at his clothes. They are expensive. It's clear they cost a lot. If he were White, his clothes would be simple. If he were Red, they would be classic and elegant. Notice every single detail: the way they talk, the way they present themselves, and how they behave on stage. Almost like mimicking them. Think about all the possibilities and consider their track records."A looked at him. "Are you serious? How can I know everything about them when I don't even remember any of them?"[K replied calmly,] "Some people's eyes tell everything without words. Look closely at the movement of their eyes, the gestures of their hands, and their choice of words. Even if they think they are perfect, there is always something off about their conversation and body language. The person you picked is Blue because all he talks about are risky deals. He owns companies that exploit natural resources, causing pollution and destroying large areas of land."A paused, listened carefully, and then spoke. "Okay, I understand what you said, but it's still a gamble. What if a Blue one wears clothes like a White one and knows how to control his body language?"[K replied calmly,] "Yes, that is a possibility. If he does that, it becomes very hard to identify him because he has gone to great lengths to hide his identity."K started walking toward the exit. Suddenly, A felt a sharp pain in his head. The hands on his watch began moving faster in opposite directions."Ahhh… my head… K… sto—"He tried to follow him, but each step became harder. He started hearing countless voices growing more intense. The watch hands spun even faster. Then K grabbed his hand and threw him through a door."Well, I think we should leave it for now," K said. "I hope when we return, you will understand how to pick the right one."K entered the new place through the same door. "A, are you still hearing those voices…?"A curled up on the ground, tears falling from his eyes. In a broken voice, he spoke, "Why… are you… doing this? It hurts so bad… like someone is tearing my brain apart."K sat beside him. "This pain is nothing compared to what you have faced in the past. You wanted to know where we are, right? Well, I think it's time for you to understand this place. You are neither dead nor alive, and I don't even consider it as something in between life and death. We are all trapped here in a place I call the Land of Endless Possibilities… or the Unwritten."A slowly looked at K. He wiped his tears. "Why am I here?"[K replied calmly,] "Because you are like us. I don't know the exact parameters required to enter this world, but from my observations, only those who suffer from unbearable pain or possess high intelligence come here. People here are not dead, not alive, and not stuck between life and death. It's like they are simply hanging between reality and imagination. You said your memories have been overlapping. You've seen memories that aren't yours."A listened carefully as the hands on the watch slowed down."And you don't understand which one is your true past," K continued. "What if I told you they are all real—every single one of them?"A spoke, "Does that mean everything I saw—the crimes I was running from, my parents' incident, the orphanage, and the bullying in high school—everything was real? But how?"K spoke calmly as he stood up and walked toward a new door. "Don't think too much for now. If you want to keep your human side, follow me. We have to leave this place."A tried to speak but stopped himself. He followed K. As they stepped through, he realized they had returned to the place where they first met. Without saying anything, A sat on the chair. K took his own seat. The chessboard was still there, with the pieces exactly where A had left them.A looked at K, his expression revealing the thousands of questions swirling in his mind.K spoke first. "I know what you want to say about this world. This place works as a bridge between other worlds. As I said before, I am neither good nor evil. I was a human like you once."A took a deep breath. "Then how did you end up here? And why am I here?"[K replied calmly,] "Well, as I said before, the parameters to enter here, according to me, are either suffering from extreme pain or being more intelligent than others. I don't remember exactly how I ended up here, but I do remember how many times I lost my sanity—maybe hundreds or thousands of times. I don't remember it clearly. As for the monsters here, those faceless ones are people who lost their sanity and could never recover. That's why they became faceless."A took a deep breath, trying to calm himself before speaking. "How much time have you spent here? And how can I escape this place?"K removed his mask. The hands on the watch stopped completely. "I don't know how to explain it, but I think I've lost count of the days."
-END OF CHAPTER 25-