Nozel woke up the next morning feeling refreshed. The bright morning sun streamed through the window, warming his skin as he stood silently, curtains drawn open, savoring the moment.

“I’ve got a long day ahead,” he murmured, pulling off his shirt as he headed to the bathroom.

The warm shower washed away the last traces of exhaustion from the night before. After drying off and getting dressed, he was just about to leave when something caught his eye, a small card resting on the lampstand.

He paused, picked it up, and stared at it. In an instant, the memory of how he got that card replayed vividly in his mind...

It was late at night. Nozel was closing up his convenience store, the lights dimmed and the street quiet. Just as he reached for the shutter, a voice called out:

“Nozel!”

He flinched, startled, and turned quickly. A man in a black suit stood there. He looked composed, offering a warm handshake as he stepped closer.

“You're Nozel, right?” the man asked.

“I am. And you are?” Nozel replied, cautious.

“My name is Andrew Fillerman. I work for your father.”

Nozel’s eyes darkened. At the mention of his father, he turned away and went back to locking up the store.

“What does he want this time?” he asked flatly.

Andrew cleared his throat, his expression shifting.

“I’m afraid... your father has passed away.”

Nozel froze for a moment. His eyes widened, but his face betrayed no emotion.

“He died a few months ago,” Andrew continued. “And your name was mentioned in his will.”

Nozel turned slowly to face him. Silence hung between them for a few long seconds.

“I’m not interested in... whatever this is,” Nozel said coldly. He grabbed his bag and headed toward his motorcycle.

“You might not be,” Andrew said, following after him, “but you can’t escape your destiny.”

Nozel, now seeing the man more clearly, noticed that despite being well into his sixties, Andrew stood tall, with sharp eyes and a strong, confident posture.

“Take this,” Andrew said, reaching into his coat and handing him a card. “When you’re ready to change your mind, find this organization.”

The card had Andrew’s contact information and the name "UNIFIED X INDUSTRIES" written on it.

“Call me when you’re ready,” Andrew said before turning and walking away.

Nozel had stood there for several minutes afterward, staring at the card, his mind racing.

Back in the present, standing by the motel room door, Nozel let out a sigh.

“That was the day the seed of curiosity was planted in me,” he muttered, slipping the card into his jacket.

He stepped outside and looked up at the clear sky.

“And here I am,” he said with a faint smirk. “Curiosity got the better of me, I guess.”

He climbed onto his bike and rode off, headed toward the unknown... toward the very thing he’d spent most of his life avoiding.