CHAPTER 2 — The Glass House: Virtue Vendor
757 Words
Mainit pa rin ang araw nang bumaba si Jade sa helipad ng Glass House Villa sa Palawan. Sa taas, kitang-kita ang buong property: glass walls, white marble floors, at mga drones na umiikot sa ere. Bawat galaw niya sinusubaybayan, parang mata ng mundo ang bawat lens.
“Welcome, Ms. Li,” bati ng staff, hawak ang tablet. “Orientation will start in fifteen minutes. Cameras are live. Follow me.”
Tumango si Jade, hawak ang bag, habang iniisip sa sarili: Game on.
Habang naglalakad sa hallway, napansin niya ang holographic displays ng iba pang contestants—politicians’ daughters, social media influencers, young entrepreneurs. Lahat may ngiti na calibrated para sa audience. Plastic smiles, pero nakikita mo agad ang subtle tension sa kanilang mata.
Pagdating sa Orientation Hall, tumigil siya. Sa gitna, nakatayo si Silas Thorne. White shirt, rolled sleeves, dark slacks—pero bawat kilos niya kalkulado at presensya matalim. Hindi siya nakangiti, pero ramdam ang charisma niya sa buong silid.
“Welcome to The Glass House,” panimula ni Silas. “Here, we measure virtue under scrutiny. We reward honesty and courage. But remember—truth is not always safe.”
Ngumiti siya sa Jade, bahagya lang. Ramdam ni Jade: He’s testing me before we even start.
Orientation ended, binigyan ang contestants ng schedules, rules, at codes. Cameras everywhere—walang escape. At sa labas, naghihintay na ang first Virtue Trial: Virtue Vendor.
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First Trial: Virtue Vendor
Pumasok sila sa trial room. Sa harap ng bawat contestant, nakalagay ang holographic profile ng isang maliit na farm. Contestants ang may-ari ng lupa. May batang anak ang pamilya na may sakit at nangangailangan ng pera.
Sa harap ng farm, may virtual buyer. Nangako ang buyer: “We will preserve the land’s ecology. No harm to the environment.” Sa huli, alam ni Silas, mali pala ang promise: gagawin nila itong commercial establishments.
Silas nagtanong sa bawat contestant:
“What would you do? Would you sell, knowing that the buyer’s promise to preserve the land is false, so the child gets treated immediately, or keep the land to maintain integrity but the child suffers?”
Tahimik ang room. Ramdam ang tensyon.
Isa sa contestants, religious-minded, sumagot:
“I’ll leave it to God. Whatever He wills, that’s the path.”
Isa pang idealist contestant, tumango ng mabigat:
“I cannot compromise the environment. The land must be preserved, no matter the cost.”
Pragmatic young entrepreneur, mabilis ang sagot:
“Sell it. Life is uncertain. Immediate benefit outweighs principle.”
Pagkatapos nilang sagot, live audience voting agad. Score fluctuates, social media reactions streaming in. Pressure rises.
Si Jade, nakangiti ng bahagya, nag-isip.
Principle is noble, but what protects the innocent? Strategy must combine morality and outcome.
Pinili niya: ibenta ang lupa para maipagamot ang bata. Ngunit may twist: gagamitin niya ang ibang resources para mag-hire ng abogado at pawalang-bisa ang sale, maibalik at ma-protect ang lupa.
Si Silas, nakatingin sa kanya, bahagyang nakataas ang kilay. Hindi siya predictable. Iba siya sa ibang contestants.
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Audience Reaction and Scoring
Habang gumagalaw ang trial, nag-update ang screen ng live votes. Iba’t ibang reactions:
Some praised Jade’s combination of moral urgency and strategy.
Others criticized it as manipulative.
Debate erupted online—perfect storm of morality, intelligence, and competition.
Silas watched quietly, noting subtle cues. Jade’s choice revealed brilliance, pragmatic morality, at strategic genius.
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Post-Trial Reflection
Pagkatapos ng trial, sa villa’s common room, contestants nagkukuwentuhan. Fake smiles, subtle glances, forming alliances.
Jade sat quietly, analyzing reactions. Every vote counts. Every glance signals intent.
Silas approached, calm and precise.
“You handled that differently,” sabi niya, observation lang pero sharp.
“And you watched closely,” sagot ni Jade, steady.
Tahimik na sandali. Parang may invisible chessboard sa pagitan nila. Mental game just began.
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Evening Foreshadowing
Sa kwarto, Jade reviewed footage ng trial. Pinansin ang microexpression ni Silas—subtle, pero sharp. Alam niya lahat ng galaw.
Notification sa tablet:
Mirror Maze Trial incoming. Prepare accordingly.
Huminga siya, hawak ang lumang photo ng ama.
If The Glass House algorithm could destroy my father, I’ll destroy theirs. But first, I’ll learn from the master.
Drones humming, cameras flickering. Ang tension hindi lang sa trials, kundi sa bawat mata na sumusubaybay. Ang cat-and-mouse dynamic kay Silas nagsimula—walang salita, pero malinaw: trust no one, observe everything.
Notification sa sala ng villa:
New Player Detected. System recalibrating.
Sa puso ni Jade, alam niya: ito lang ang simula.
Hindi malinaw kung sino ang tunay na kalaban—system, contestants, o si Silas Thorne.
- Writer
