"The twins weren't imprisoned to protect humanity from them," Director Li said, her voice dropping to barely above a whisper. "They were imprisoned to protect them from us."
The revelation hung in the air like a physical presence, momentarily eclipsing even the urgency of the accelerating Shanghai convergence.
"Protect them from you?" Atlas echoed, golden energy flickering beneath his skin. "Why would evolved beings need protection from humans?"
Li's eyes darted to the sealed door, confirming they were alone. "Because evolved beings were the solution our ancestors couldn't accept. The early emperors believed control was preferable to transcendence."
"Just like the Academy," Sarah murmured, the pieces falling into place. "They'd rather maintain the status quo than risk evolution beyond
