“All your files have been encrypted. Pay 0.05 BTC to regain access.”

He hadn't just bypassed a paywall; he had invited a ghost into his machine. The "serial keys" weren't keys to a software—they were the keys to his digital life, and he had just handed them to a stranger for the price of a few saved dollars.

Elias felt a cold sweat prickle his neck. He tried to force-quit the program, but his mouse wouldn't move. He looked at his new phone; it was dead silent. He looked at his old phone; the screen was flickering with lines of code he didn't recognize.