“You always were a terrible ghost hunter,” Leo messaged. “Good thing I’m your private server now.”

The server room hummed, a cold crypt of blinking lights and whispered data. To anyone else, it was just hardware. To Kai, it was the last place his best friend had been alive.

Kai’s hands shook as he typed. “Leo? How?”

Kai ripped off his headset. The room was empty. The server fans whirred, then stopped. Silence. Then, his monitor flickered. The game was still running, but Dex was frozen. The basement map had changed. The fairy lights were now a ghostly blue. And in the center of the room stood a new character model.

The map loaded instantly—too fast. It wasn’t a standard level. It was a perfect digital replica of Leo’s real-life basement: the worn couch, the mini-fridge, the string of fairy lights, and the server rack in the corner. Even the stack of empty energy drink cans was there.

“Kai.”

“I know. I’ve been watching. You left the fridge open again.”