Kael is horrified by the Syndicate’s lie and flees, pursued by enforcers. He joins the Union of Progress through Data (UPD), a rebel faction led by a charismatic scientist, Vael, who believes MP4 Crystals can democratize power and break the Syndicate’s stranglehold. Vael reveals that UPD’s name——is a nod to the crystals’ file format, symbolizing their mission to "unleash" forbidden knowledge.