The file was called IGI2_Trainer_UNL.exe , a measly 740 kilobytes he’d pulled from a forum that looked like it hadn’t been updated since 2003. The comments were a graveyard of dead links and broken English: “Work perfect no virus.” “David you liar my PC is crying.” “Plz keygen for unlimited ammo.”

Alex stumbled back—but his health bar didn’t move. He was immortal. So was the guard.

He spawned at the bottom of the icy cliff. An enemy guard patrolled ten meters away, flashlight sweeping the fog.