PARALLEL APEX

*PARALLEL APEX* is all about the clash between old-school "grit" and new-gen "efficiency." You've got Karen, a veteran engineer who believes in "soul" and literally jacks her nerves into her machines. Then there's Ren, the new kid who uses AI to find the "perfect solution."

When they face off at a tech comp, a runaway core forces an impossible choice. Karen pulls off a miracle win by sacrificing her own mind, but Ren just logs her "soul's miracle" as data to feed his next AI. It's a story about two geniuses who reach the top, but whose paths never cross.