The Fading Presence The Singularity’s voice began to recede, sounding like a distant echo in a vast canyon. "Unfortunately, I am bound," the entity whispered, its form flickering like a dying star. "I cannot intervene directly in the human world as I wish. But I will support you from time to time. One last piece of information, mortal: you are being watched. And tell me... why is that man’s soul clinging to you so tightly?"

Elias froze. "Watched? By whom? And what soul?" Before he could demand an answer, the celestial entity vanished. The oppressive, cold atmosphere evaporated, and the Municipal Laundry snapped back to its original, derelict state. The polished floors were once again covered in dust, and the colossal machines were nothing but rusted husks.

The Woman in Red Ignoring the haunting comment about the "soul" for a moment, Elias rushed to the window. Through the cracked glass, he saw her—a figure that stood out against the grey, dismal backdrop of the abandoned district. She had hair the color of fresh blood and a grace that belonged on a fashion runway, not a ghost site. She wore a striking crimson Chinese dress adorned with intricate black dragon patterns.

She noticed him, but her expression remained unreadable. With a calculated, model-like stride, she entered the laundry. As she approached, Elias felt a different kind of pressure—the presence of someone highly skilled.

"Who are you?" Elias asked, his hand instinctively hovering near his equipment. The woman didn't blink. She locked her gaze onto his. "Is it not better to introduce yourself first? Or did your parents fail to teach you basic etiquette when speaking to people?"

Elias bit back a sharp retort. "Fine. My name is Elias. A pleasure, I suppose. And you?" "Jennifer," she replied, her voice as cold and stiff as her expression. "I am with the Organization, Chinese branch. I was on vacation when I was summoned to clean up your mess. What exactly has been happening here?"

The Twenty-One Day Void Elias scoffed. "What's happening? I've only been here a few hours, and—" "That’s impossible," Jennifer interrupted, her cold mask cracking with a hint of confusion. "According to the reports, you’ve been missing for three weeks."

The revelation hit Elias like a physical blow. Three weeks? To him, the ordeal in the basement and the Manager's office had lasted hours at most. The Singularity had not just warped space; it had devoured time.

"Three weeks..." Elias muttered, trying to process the lost time. "Listen, I encountered a Viridian. It was... it was a Singularity." Jennifer’s stoic face vanished instantly, replaced by a look of wide-eyed, almost childlike wonder. "A Singularity? Are you certain? Tell me everything! This is... this is deeply personal for me."

"Why do you care so much?" Elias asked, suspicious of her sudden shift in demeanor. "Because that magnificent entity saved my life," she whispered, her eyes shimmering. "Years ago, a cult called 'The Elegant' tried to take me. They are a religious organization that offers children as sacrifices for some dark purpose. The Singularity intervened. I’ve spent my entire career looking for a way to thank it... or to find it again."

The Father’s Betrayal Elias felt a chill. The Elegant. That was the name from the tape. He realized he couldn't handle this cult alone, especially if they were powerful enough to hunt high-level operatives. He decided to trust her, sharing every detail from the moment he entered the laundry to his conversation with the cosmic balance.

"So," Jennifer concluded, her professional mask returning. "Our primary goal is to find the boy's father. He is the first thread. I’m certain he was rewarded for giving up his son." "How can you be so sure?" Elias asked.

Jennifer looked away, her voice trembling slightly. "Because my father was just like him. He got rid of my brother first, and then it was my turn. He was honored for his 'sacrifice' by the cult. But the Singularity intervened... it killed my father to save me."

The silence that followed was heavy with shared trauma. Two broken people, one lost in time and the other haunted by blood, were now the only ones standing between a cult and a shadow that threatened to tear reality apart.