NOVEL NEXT Chapter 95: Chapter 15: In a Hidden Corner He Had Never Seen
Chapter 15: In a Hidden Corner He Had Never Seen
The warm water poured down noisily. Kaguya tilted her head back, staring at the showerhead in front of her, before reaching out to turn off the water.
She grabbed a towel, gently dried herself, and then put on a yellow-striped uniform.
Shinomiya Kaguya didn't like this uniform at all. Its design reminded her of the attire worn by prisoners in jail. Normally, prison uniforms were black and white striped, but hers was yellow and white.
"Shower time is over. Please proceed to the personnel resting area. Your second exploration session will commence tomorrow."
A mechanical voice echoed loudly from the ceiling of the shower room.
Kaguya said nothing as she stepped out of the shower, passing by the medical inspection staff, and eventually returned to the personnel resting area.
These were small rooms separated by heavy iron doors, each assigned to one individual.
To Kaguya, this place was no different from a prison.
She needed to figure out how to escape this environment.
The identity of "exploration staff" severely restricted her freedom of movement. Outside of the exploration periods, she was essentially under complete surveillance. Cameras monitored her every move, and armed guards were always stationed nearby. Any unusual behavior would immediately draw attention.
One of the other "exploration staff" members, labeled as C3, had already been shot dead by those guards for attempting minor actions against the rules.
Those guards, dressed in fully black protective suits, were not human at all. They were eerie entities patrolling silently through the facility, strictly supervising exploration staff like her.
Something had to be done.
Shinomiya Kaguya glanced down at the Obsession surgical knife she had concealed on her person.
Most of the Obsessions were currently held by Takakai. At the moment, she only had this portable surgical knife, while Shijo Maki had a similar one. Initially, they had assumed the team would regroup at the entrance to Nutty Dutty Cave. To maintain the appearance of tourists, most of the Obsessions had been entrusted to Takakai, who could store them in his watch. But no one had anticipated such an abrupt shift in the mission, rendering their strategy ineffective and landing them in trouble instead.
Or perhaps not entirely. If she had an Obsession like the blood puppet, she would undoubtedly try using it, but in this strange facility, any use of an Obsession might lead to something terrifying.
The thought made Kaguya want to laugh. These eerie entities, not human at all, were masquerading as guards, using firearms to attack players who broke the rules. Meanwhile, the players were forced to find ways to use bizarre Obsessions to escape the situation.
It felt like the world had turned upside down.
She took a red ribbon and tied up her long, jet-black hair.
Kaguya returned to the staff resting area—a tiny room no bigger than the size of a car, equipped with a bed and a toilet.
"Huh?"
As she sat down on the bed, Kaguya noticed something tucked under the mattress.
She reached down, lifted the mattress, and found a pristine white lab coat along with a set of rules placed underneath.
[Work Rules for Research Staff at the Cave Facility:]
[Welcome to the Cave Facility, a secret research base of the United States. As a research staff member working here, in addition to adhering to basic confidentiality laws, the following are special work rules you must comply with. Please memorize them carefully.]
[1. Depending on your assigned job type, you may participate in sample analysis, observation, or research. These activities take place in different areas and require corresponding access cards. Keep your access card secure. Each card is linked to your personal information, and if it is lost or damaged, you will be held accountable.]
[2. The activity range of research staff is limited to the laboratory and observation areas. Entry into the quarantine zone requires prior approval and is restricted to quarantine staff, exploration staff, or remotely controlled automated equipment. Under no circumstances should you enter the quarantine zone, and do not obstruct the quarantine zone guards.]
[3. If biological information is detected in samples sent to the analysis area, immediately press the emergency button to activate protective procedures and transfer the samples to the cryogenic storage. These research samples are extremely important and prone to losing activity. You are not permitted to participate in subsequent procedures after leaving the analysis area. For any questions, you may ask Professor Fornell, the head of the base's research, though there is no guarantee you will receive an answer.]
[4. All work in the research and observation areas is under the supervision of Professor Fornell. When working in these areas, you must follow all his instructions. Failure to comply will result in dismissal.]
[5. Only personnel with the highest access clearance may enter the cryogenic storage area. If you need to work in this area, contact Professor Fornell in advance for instructions.]
[6. Any crying, pleas for help, or knocking sounds coming from the quarantine zone are hallucinations. The air here contains an unidentified biological toxin that can cause certain illusions. Do not be overly concerned by these hallucinations. If you feel they interfere with your work, report to your superior.]
[7. For your mental well-being, regularly use the tranquilizers provided by the facility. These will help you rest and sleep soundly. Do not give your tranquilizers to exploration staff in the quarantine zone. If they try to coerce you, call security to have them removed.]
[8. Keep track of your personal belongings. The base does not permit attire reflecting personal style. Your clothing must align with your job position. This is a military research base, not a fashion show. Maintain a professional demeanor.]
[9. If you experience feelings of suffocation, tightness, or bodily inversion while sleeping over several days, and it begins to affect your work, report it immediately. You will be temporarily removed from your position and provided with appropriate treatment. This is a common psychological condition among staff here. Early treatment will help you regain control.]
[The interpretation of these rules rests with Professor Fornell and Lieutenant General Segera.]
The content of this set of rules wasn't overly complex.
However, as she read them, Kaguya frowned. She realized that, just as Shirakawa Apartments had existed in a relatively stable state after an anomalous event, this strange research facility was likely constructed during a similar period following such an event. Yet, unlike the apartment complex where survivors struggled to coexist, the situation here was entirely different. Humans had sealed off the entrance to the anomalous area and begun researching it.
Was this even possible? Anomalous events clearly led to information obfuscation and cognitive suppression, making it impossible for ordinary people to perceive the existence of such events.
Was it because the anomalies here had not yet evolved enough to create cognitive suppression?
Or perhaps the entities here operated differently from the standard knowledge the players were familiar with?
As she pondered, Kaguya didn't hesitate to remove the yellow-striped exploration staff uniform and put on the pristine white lab coat meant for research staff.
The surveillance camera in the room immediately locked onto her. Within seconds, the soldiers stationed outside her door appeared, pulling open the heavy iron door to her room and aiming their guns at her.
But then, they slowly lowered their weapons, standing still, paying no further attention to Kaguya as she walked past them in the lab coat.
Different attire, different identity, different treatment.
Kaguya had begun to understand the operational rules of this place.
She walked to the door and opened it.
Shijo Maki was waiting outside. Not long ago, Maki had sneaked into the staff rest area to leave the lab coat and the rule sheet for Kaguya. Now, seeing Kaguya step out unharmed, Maki let out a sigh of relief. She signaled to Kaguya with her eyes to follow her. The two girls moved through the hallway, arriving at a large door separating the observation area from the research area.
Beep beep—
The access card in Maki's hand emitted a soft sound.
The alloy door, over 40 cm thick, slowly opened, revealing the area behind it.
Kaguya's gaze was immediately drawn to the words written on the wall and the sentences beneath them:
[The Cave Project]
[Creating a New Civilized Future]
This project...
Why did it feel like she had heard of it somewhere before?
In that moment, a strange and indescribable sense of déjà vu washed over her.