Dr. Ignis Vale—known only as Jin behind his back—saw “direction” where others saw collapse. He convinced the first drudges to remain, their existence born from smokeless fire. His breakthrough carried a name still whispered within The Construct: The Anastasis Move.

Recovered notes suggest the first spark of reanimation occurred during Test 99. For exactly 11 minutes and 11 seconds, organs functioned, muscles responded, and limbs moved—before total collapse.

The theorists, in their dank, monitor-lit bedrooms, unraveled it too—with the accuracy of a drunken dart game while masturbating.