Chapter 15 "Oh..."

"Heh...since I have the leisure to probe and mock you..." Feng Bujue replied with a smile, "That indicates the problem at hand isn't that complex."

In truth, the moment Brother Jue touched the safe, he had already received the system prompt: [Requires a Safe Key of ***-1998 to open].

There is a big difference between whether a player receives a prompt or not when attempting to open a box in a scenario; if there is no prompt, or the prompt is [Cannot be opened], then the item in the box is likely set by the system as "unobtainable." But if the prompt says "Requires a key," then there's a 100% chance there's a way to open it.

"Oh?" Billy heard this and thought for two seconds, "You got a system prompt?"

Although Billy couldn't hear the prompt, he could deduce this from Brother Jue's reaction.

"That's right." Feng Bujue replied, "According to the prompt... the key to this safe should be somewhere."

"Doesn't that bring us back to the original question..." Billy continued, "I already said, the key is probably on one of those two people, and those two are either..."

"Alright, alright, you don't need to repeat what you said, I don't have Alzheimer's yet." Brother Jue interrupted, "Let me ask first, who's in charge of this floor? After the blackout today, did you pay attention to their movements?"

"Hmm..." Billy pondered for a moment, then replied, "This floor is overseen by Dr. Jonathan, a Belgian in his fifties with considerable achievements in theoretical physics." He paused. "As for his movements after the blackout... I'm not too sure. Don't forget, B3 has an independent power supply, so the blackout didn't affect it. But the broadcast at the time ordered everyone to evacuate to the emergency shelter, so the personnel on this floor were also evacuated."

"Are you sure... everyone on this floor has been safely evacuated?" Feng Bujue pressed.

"At least when you and that group of security guards entered B3, there was no one else on this floor." Billy replied, "As for their fate after leaving B3, I don't know... both the stairwell and the cargo passage are beyond my perception range."

"Hmm?" Feng Bujue couldn't shake his habit of trying to extract information from others, "'Perception range,' isn't that supposed to expand in a perfect circle?"

"That's in normal circumstances." Billy replied, "But this is the ******'s dimdimensional_sector; their use of space technology is very sophisticated, even... far beyond my imagination." He pointed to the ceiling. "How high do you think this floor is? Five meters? Eight meters?" Before Brother Jue could answer, he stated directly, "Don't assume that the height you passed through in the stairwell is the actual height of each floor... I don't even know how high each floor is here; it wouldn't be strange for there to be abysses between floors."

"Oh~ No wonder they don't have elevators." Feng Bujue responded thoughtfully.

"In short, I don't know where Dr. Jonathan went. The floor was full of people during the evacuation, and I had neither the energy nor the reason to precisely identify his movements in the crowd." Billy brought the topic back, then continued, "Also... even if we assume that Jonathan has safely arrived at the emergency shelter, there are still two problems... First, that area is under tight security. Even if the security personnel there don't know what you look like, you appeared so long after the alarm sounded... you'll definitely be arrested or executed. Second... even if you manage to sneak into the emergency shelter and find Dr. Jonathan, the key might not be on him. And even if the key is actually on him, how will you obtain the key, escape the emergency shelter, and return to B3?"

"That makes sense." Feng Bujue said, "Then let's put this assumption aside for now and talk about other possibilities, such as..." He stroked his chin. "The doctor was killed by a *** project that escaped from another floor during the evacuation, and his corpse, with the key on him, is now lying quietly somewhere in the stairwell or cargo passage..."

"Relatively speaking, the situation you described is the most optimistic assumption." Billy said, "However, there's an even more pessimistic assumption..."

"You mean... the key is kept by the head of this base?" Feng Bujue interjected.

"That's right." Billy replied, "And the head of this base, Kozmo, stays in a place with even tighter security than the shelter—the B9 Command Center."

"In other words... if the key is really with Kozmo, then my chances of getting the key and returning to retrieve the gun are slim." Feng Bujue pondered.

"Infinitely close to zero." Billy replied.

"Heh...very good." Feng Bujue laughed, "Following this line of thought, that hypothesis can be directly eliminated."

As soon as he said this, Billy seemed to realize something, "Because the system won't set up an impossible chain of actions, right..."

"Bingo~" Brother Jue snapped his fingers, "Since the system has given the prompt that 'this safe can be opened,' then it will definitely set up a feasible unlocking chain. If unlocking this safe is more difficult than completing the scenario, then this setting would be meaningless, wouldn't it?"

"According to what you said, is it very likely that Jonathan has the key and died outside the shelter?" Billy followed Brother Jue's train of thought.

"Indeed." Feng Bujue nodded, "Of course, based on my full understanding of nightmare difficulty scenarios and my own character... I believe... there's also a very high probability that Dr. Jonathan is currently in the emergency shelter."

Bang bang bang—

Just as the two were analyzing and discussing, a series of intense explosions suddenly came from a distance.

In this base with solid walls, for the sound to travel so far, something very serious must have happened.

"What's going on?" Feng Bujue said, "Could some project have escaped nearby?"

"Unlikely." Billy replied, "I said, the blackout didn't affect this floor." He paused for half a second, adding, "You heard the 513 ringtone earlier, that was my manipulation. At that time, the other projects were still in containment measures and there was no uncontrolled situation."

"Then what is this..." Feng Bujue asked suspiciously.

"Hmm..." Billy pondered slightly, then recited, "Starting from about ten minutes ago, I locked my perception ability onto those seven security team members and basically stopped perceiving other areas." He continued, "Presumably... someone or 'something' has snuck in."

"Then stop monitoring them." Feng Bujue said, "Change to global perception."

"Ah... I'm doing it now." As Billy said this, he had already stopped monitoring Gore and the others, and changed his perception method to a broad, expansive form.

However...

"Ugh—" Two seconds later, Billy suddenly groaned and his whole body shook violently.

He seemed to have been hit by some invisible force, and fell from Feng Bujue's shoulder towards the ground.

Fortunately, Brother Jue reacted quickly, grabbing Billy and preventing the latter from falling to the ground.

"Hey!" Feng Bujue stared at the hideous puppet in his hand, but the latter's face showed no change in expression. "What's wrong?" He shook Billy. "Speak!"

At this time, Billy seemed to have "passed out"... motionless, like a real puppet.

"What's the situation..." Feng Bujue's mind raced, "Hit by some kind of mental shock?" He tucked Billy under his arm and turned to walk out the door. "Something can actually use mental power to take down Billy?"

As he thought, he started running.

"This is troublesome... If this guy faints, the video and audio surveillance on this floor will be restored, and the security team will be able to contact their superiors." Feng Bujue thought as he ran, "If I'm not mistaken, I'm now under surveillance again... If I stop here indecisively, I'll soon be captured again..."

Bang bang bang—

As he approached the corridor corner, the sound ahead grew louder, sounding like powerful physical blows hitting a metal wall.

"Hmph... Doesn't sound good..." Even so, Feng Bujue had no intention of stopping.

He knew very well that in this nightmare scenario, surviving danger was commonplace. Anyway, as it stands... he has no room to maneuver, either in time or space.

Bang—chichi... Boom—

Soon, the corridor corner was close at hand. The closer he got, the more Brother Jue could be sure that the sound ahead was that of battle.

Moreover, this was definitely not a battle at the level of ordinary humans, but a contest between beings far stronger than ordinary people.

For players in Thriller Paradise, this sound was not unfamiliar. Scenario Bosses, high-level players, powerful NPCs, and so on... The commotion caused by superhuman battles was roughly the same.

"What could it be..." Finally, with a hint of curiosity, Feng Bujue rushed out of the corner.

But he saw...

"This is...where..."

Blank... A strange blank.

The sound and image stopped abruptly, and his memory was inexplicably interrupted.

One second, Feng Bujue was still running with Billy, and the next second, he was sitting alone in a small room of a dozen square meters, with handcuffs on his wrists and ankles.

"What happened?" Brother Jue suddenly felt a headache. He was experiencing the strange feeling of memory skipping for the first time. "I just... saw something..." He muttered to himself, "No... not just now. From the moment I entered that corridor until now, forty... no, fifty minutes have passed..."

He seemed to "remember" something, but as he remembered it, he "forgot" it again. This process was like a self-observable psychological disorientation, causing him considerable discomfort and mental pain.

Buzz—

Just as Brother Jue was contemplating this bizarre feeling, the room's electronic door opened.

A woman in a white coat walked in.

She was a Caucasian, around forty years old, wearing black-rimmed glasses, with her curly hair tied behind her head.

"Hello, Mr. Austin." After entering the room, she sat down in the seat opposite Feng Bujue as if it was her right, greeting him. "I'm Dr. Mara. I have a few questions to ask you." As she spoke, she glanced inadvertently at the camera probe in the corner of the ceiling.

Seeing this, Feng Bujue also looked up. In this small room that could only accommodate a table and two chairs, there were actually two probes installed, probably with audio collection functions as well.

"First, please describe the project you saw earlier." Dr. Mara asked directly when she saw that Brother Jue had no objections.

"What project?" Feng Bujue replied, "Billy?"

"No." Mara said, "The one you saw when you entered the corridor with Billy." She paused. "It was fighting with our agents at the time."

"I don't know what you're talking about." Feng Bujue replied, "I don't think I witnessed any fighting in my memory, although I seemed to have heard the sound of fighting..."

"Then do you remember what you did during this time?" Mara asked again.

"I..." Feng Bujue also wanted to know the answer to this question. That memory was clearly in his mind, but it was as if it had been shielded and was untouchable. Moreover, every time he tried to recall it, he felt an indescribable discomfort. "...I don't know." He simply gave this answer and asked in return, "You have surveillance, right? You should be the ones telling me."

Mara stared at Brother Jue for a few seconds, not responding to his question, but changing the subject and continuing, "Do you remember how you got here?"

"I am..." Regarding this question, Feng Bujue did remember, "I was arrested and brought in by the Nine-Tailed Fox team."

Mara's expression changed slightly, "Where did you hear the name Nine-Tailed Fox?"

Feng Bujue sneered, not answering.

"And where did you... obtain information on Projects 106 and 513?" Mara asked again.

"Madam." At this time, Feng Bujue had regained his usual composure. "Let's make a deal..." The corners of his mouth turned up slightly, and he cast a perverted gaze at the middle-aged woman in front of him, "For every question you answer for me, I'll answer one for you."

"Heh..." Dr. Mara chuckled dryly, "Even if I were Jodie Foster, you're not Anthony Hopkins, Mr. Austin." She paused. "Please answer my questions seriously, otherwise... you'll be sent to a more severe interrogation system."

"Whatever." Feng Bujue leaned back in his chair, replying in a dismissive tone.

"Alright then." Dr. Mara sighed and left her seat.

"Oh...right, Doctor." Just as she reached the door, Brother Jue suddenly spoke again, "Do you remember the first question you asked me?"

"What question?" Mara replied.

"The project number... is it fifty-five?" After several minutes of conversation, Feng Bujue had cleared his thoughts and searched his mental palace for a *** project that could explain his memory loss.

…………

[Project Number: ***-055]

[Project Class: keter]

[Special Containment Procedures: Object is to be maintained within a 5 m x 5 m x 2.5 m square room constructed of hardened cement, with walls 50 cm thick. There is to be a Faraday cage surrounding this room. Entrance is to be via a heavy-duty airlock with a 2 m x 2.5 m door, which is to be sealed shut and locked at all times unless personnel are entering or exiting.

All security personnel posted outside ***-055 are to be questioned on a weekly basis to ensure that they are able to describe ***-055. In the event that they are unable to do so, they are to be reassigned to another post.

All personnel studying other *** objects are strongly advised to maintain a distance of at least 50 m from the room containing ***-055. No exceptions are to be made to this request.]

[Description: ***-055 is a "self-secreting information hazard", or "anti-meme". Information about ***-055's physical properties, nature, behavior, and origin is self-classifying: only the following facts are known about ***-055:

It is not known how ***-055 was acquired.

It is not known when ***-055 was acquired, or by whom.

The physical nature of ***-055 is unknown, but it is not invulnerable or indestructible. It is apparently possible to walk into the room containing ***-055 and look at it and make notes and sketches and take photographs and make recordings, and documents containing these facts exist in large quantities. However, security personnel indicate that after about a few minutes, information about ***-055 will begin to be forgotten.

Personnel assigned to describe ***-055 will drift off-task and lose interest in the task; personnel assigned to sketch a photograph of ***-055 will be unable to remember what the photograph looks like; personnel viewing closed-circuit recordings of ***-055 will find themselves exhausted and unable to remember the prior hour.

It is not known by whose authority ***-055 was locked in its current room, why the room was constructed in the manner it was, or why the room was ever constructed at all.

Despite the ease with which ***-055's room can be accessed, no personnel have ever retained any useful knowledge about ***-055.

These facts are periodically rediscovered by random archivists, researched by many people, known for several minutes, and then forgotten again.

There are large quantities of scientific records and archival data pertaining to ***-055, but no way to study it. The Foundation has on more than one occasion planned to destroy ***-055, or move it to another location, but has been unable to do so for unknown reasons.

***-055 may be a grave danger, and may already have killed thousands of people, but we would not know it. Clearly, it poses a horrific memetic hazard, hence its keter classification.]

[Document #055-1: Analysis Regarding ***-055—

The author of this document theorizes that ***-055 was never captured, but rather willingly contained itself, or is an remotely controlled operative of another faction. It was placed in Foundation facilities for one or more of the following purposes:

One, to silently observe and interfere with Foundation activities.

Two, to silently observe or interfere with other *** areas.

Three, to silently observe or interfere with the human world.

Four, to silently observe or interfere with other *** objects.

Five, to silently observe, or interfere with [DATA EXPUNGED].

Any action taken against this potential threat seems pointless, and is likely impossible in any event.]