"Cough… urgh…"
Pain spread throughout his body.
Gao Hai lowered his head, looking at the sharp stalactite that had pierced his abdomen.
The direction of gravity had inverted in an instant, and the unprepared Gao Hai had fallen upward onto the spike-covered ceiling.
From a distance of only two or three meters, it was completely impossible to adjust his posture mid-fall to find a safe landing spot. What's more, there was nowhere safe to land in that direction—it was all just incredibly sharp stalactites.
Ultimately, relying on reaction speed and physical power that already surpassed human limits, Gao Hai managed to twist his body, bracing his hands in a gap between several stalactite tips. But even so, a stalactite had still pierced his abdomen. No, not just his abdomen; his leg was pierced in two places as well, though not as deeply.
"Urgh…"
A mouthful of foul blood seeped from the corner of Gao Hai's mouth.
His head throbbed as if it were about to explode.
The doll carried by Maki had already lost its vision; he could no longer perceive the specific situation on her side.
After the white dress had appeared and vanished in a flash, Gao Hai had severed the connection with that Obsession Item. The backlash from that moment had nearly destroyed his nervous system, but after taking a deep breath, he gritted his teeth and endured it, managing not to go insane or suffer immediate brain death.
So abruptly severing a connection with an Obsession Item used for sensory links had such a severe backlash effect?
That was another lesson learned.
Squelch—
With a slight exertion of force, Gao Hai pushed himself up, pulling the stalactite tip out of his abdomen.
Lying on these sharp stone spikes was not a pleasant experience, but right now, Gao Hai, who realized the situation had devolved into the worst-case scenario, couldn't be bothered with that. He had to struggle with all his might. Before he lost this life, he had to find a way to obtain more intelligence, to venture into places that would likely accelerate his death and try to get more information that would be unobtainable under normal circumstances.
He didn't look at Chika Fujiwara, who had crashed onto the spikes beside him.
Gao Hai couldn't hear her breathing. She was probably gone for good. That was for the best; it saved her a lot of pain.
Maki, and Kaguya, they were also already…
In the end, the problem this time had actually originated from him.
After being watched on the surface in the world of the Security Guard identity, Gao Hai should not have returned to the research base area. The entity watching him, its main body, was in the Red Nut Gray Hole of the research base's world. Gao Hai couldn't be sure of its exact location within the cavern, but it seemed to be under certain restrictions and couldn't directly enter the research base. His identity as an 'Exploration Personnel' had given it a medium, allowing it to bypass its own limitations.
The anomaly in the Command Room could only identify two exploration personnel, perhaps because I was already being 'watched,' so my existence caused an identity confusion for those things.
Stumbling, Gao Hai advanced among the stalactites, which ranged from dozens of centimeters to a meter long, carefully stepping in the gaps between the spikes. Step by step, he made his way toward the [Plains].
He had already put on the Rescue Team Badge, but for some unknown reason, he couldn't summon the full rescue suit this time, nor could he summon a Rescue Team Member. He could only use the badge's power to heal his injuries.
The effect of the Obsession Item was being suppressed.
If it were another Obsession Item, using it now would likely cause it to go out of control quickly. This badge had been modified by his Blessing, lowering its out-of-control rate to the absolute limit, which was why it was merely being suppressed.
Then, to be able to suppress the effect of an Obsession Item and push it toward losing control, this thing watching me must be the instance's core obsession.
Although the badge I hold is slightly different from a true core Obsession Item, with the Blessing's enhancement, it can be considered a core Obsession Item for a Twilight-level instance. To suppress its effect, the entity must either be an obsession from a Red Moon-level instance or the core obsession of a Dim Night-level instance. No matter how fixed a Twilight-level instance becomes, it's impossible for it to escalate to Red Moon-level. Therefore, the most severe possibility I'm facing now is a Dim Night-level core obsession.
This was all experience summarized by players; Gao Hai could only think of this one possibility. But… perhaps there was more. The intelligence Gao Hai had gathered as an Explorer and as a Rescue Team Member had nothing to do with this research base. And based on the various rules collected, something must have happened in the area between the Great Slide and the Great Space. A core obsession should exist there.
The intelligence from the two sides was difficult to reconcile. If there was only one core obsession, it would be far too schizophrenic.
Which means…
"A dual-core obsession, a top-tier Dim Night-level instance."
Gao Hai murmured slowly. In that moment, he understood his predicament, understood just what kind of insane level this so-called 'two-hour speedrun Twilight-level instance' had escalated to after being fixed.
And, faintly, he also understood why the surface in the security guard's world was an exit, yet it was impossible to leave.
"One core obsession is related to escape, so as long as one reaches the surface area of a world where 'no anomaly has occurred' or 'the anomaly has not been exposed,' the clearing condition can be met."
"And the other core obsession's goal is to kill all living things, so everyone who tries to escape becomes a target. No matter what identity one plays, as long as they enter a place where they 'can clear the instance,' they will be identified by this obsession and killed. Even if one uses tricks to avoid the death trigger, they will be relentlessly watched until they are killed."
"So this instance… is actually impossible to clear?"
Thinking this, Gao Hai froze, stopping dead in his tracks.
To escape the Red Nut Gray Hole, one must reach the 'real' surface.
Upon reaching the 'real' surface, one will be instantly eliminated by the other anomaly.
To avoid being eliminated by this anomaly, one must remain inside the Red Nut Gray Hole.
How could such a core obsession, one that completely blocks the path to survival, exist? Why would such an obsession exist? Did this research base do something so heinous as to offend both heaven and humanity?
Gao Hai suddenly recalled a piece of intelligence he had obtained earlier. One of the four hints for the unfixed Red Nut Gray Hole instance was 'The actor for the curtain call is not yet in place,' and this hint has now been replaced by a new one.
Perhaps it's a specific target of revenge? Does he need to find someone related to this research base and let them be killed by this core obsession to break the deadlock?
Wait, if I think about it that way, the new hint 'The memory of the lost guides the unquenchable fire of rage' might be related to this core obsession. Gao Hai did indeed have a vague feeling that this anomaly, which was completely different from the core obsession in the Shirakawa Apartments and was almost manically unleashing a desire to kill, had an obsession related to emotions like 'anger.'
If that's the case…
Gao Hai looked at the pieces of tourists' clothing that had fallen when gravity reversed.
Could the 'lost' be referring to these tourists?
Having already reached the vicinity of the Great Slide's entrance, Gao Hai, who had originally planned to choose between the Great Slide and the Gentle Slope, stopped here. He considered whether he should change into a tourist's outfit to try and obtain new clues using that identity.
But before he could do so, that cold gaze had already locked onto him from behind.
"…"
He couldn't react at all.
In an instant of bone-chilling cold, Gao Hai lost control of his body.
Then, something seemed to grip his ankle.
His body flew up in the next moment, pulled and dragged violently toward the Gentle Slope.
At the critical moment, Gao Hai could only shield his face and the back of his head with his hands. Then his body slammed into the rock wall on one side, breaking a rib. He was then dragged all the way into the depths of the Gentle Slope, his body covered in scrapes from the stalactites, bloodstains everywhere.
The Great Fissure.
This was a long, narrow fissure located within the Gentle Slope, said to be hundreds of meters deep. However, because the opening was so narrow, even if a person fell in, they wouldn't fall very far before getting stuck in the crack halfway down.
At this very moment, Gao Hai was hauled up by an irresistible force and dragged into the narrow fissure above, his entire body scraping along as he was pulled into the crevice.
A stench, an incredibly thick stench.
Gao Hai turned his head and saw figure after figure stuck in the fissure.
White lab coats, black soldier uniforms, yellow-and-white striped exploration personnel uniforms.
There were no tourists or explorers or anyone else here. All of them were people from the research base, stuck one after another in this narrow fissure. Their bodies were either long decayed or reduced to mere bones, packed so densely the number was chilling.
Over 90% of the corpses belonged to exploration personnel in yellow-and-white striped uniforms.
Realizing something from this number, Gao Hai, relying on the power of the Rescue Team Badge, managed to regain a little mobility. But he was immediately dragged deeper by an even greater force. The rock walls in front of and behind him pressed tightly against his body, making it almost impossible for Gao Hai to even breathe.
"Urgh… wuu…"
Still being dragged, Gao Hai opened his mouth, braced his hands against the rock walls, and struggled desperately.
But the force pulling him continued to exert itself, dragging him bit by bit into the depths.
His fingernails were bent back, his hands dripping with blood.
His elbows were scraped raw, his clothes torn by the rock walls, and then his skin was shredded. The front and back of his body became a mangled mess of flesh and blood.
In the next moment, Gao Hai's feet braced against a crevice.
This was one of the narrowest points in the Great Fissure, with a gap less than five centimeters high. Given Gao Hai's size, there was no way he could squeeze through here.
"Hah… huh…"
Gasping for breath, Gao Hai struggled to climb out of the fissure, but he was held fast by the thing gripping him, unable to move.
His light source had been destroyed long ago during the dragging.
It was pitch black all around; nothing could be seen.
Gao Hai could only feel the indescribable pressure of the rock from front and back, the struggle to draw each ragged breath, and…
"Hee hee hee hee—"
And the somewhat neurotic laughter coming from below.
Laughter?
"Got you, got you, hee hee hee, got you, hee hee hee hee hee—"
A skittish voice, as if talking to someone, yet also like someone muttering quietly to themselves.
That thing was right behind his feet.
Deeper within this fissure.
Gao Hai could feel that sinister gaze, feel the thing's surging malice, feel the presence of a bizarre, inhuman entity.
So, bit by bit, he turned his head, struggling to look in the direction of that gaze.
In the utter darkness, he shouldn't have been able to see anything at all.
But at this moment, after Gao Hai made the gesture of 'looking,' he did indeed see. He saw that thing.
He saw that thing smiling at him.
He saw that thing open its mouth and laugh, hee hee hee hee.
He saw its deathly pale face, the filthy white dress stained with blackish-red grime, and the hand reaching out towards him, the one that had grabbed his ankle.
"Got you, hee hee hee hee hee hee—"
Crack!
Gao Hai's feet were forcefully dragged into the fissure that was less than five centimeters wide.
He couldn't even scream.
Because as his body was dragged further, the rock pressing against his chest completely cut off his breathing, making it impossible to even make a sound.
CRACK!!
Gao Hai's entire lower body was pulled completely into the fissure.
Amidst the continuous sound of shattering bones, pulped flesh and blood flowed freely.
All the ribs in his chest were broken, the shattered bones piercing his internal organs. Gao Hai's open mouth was overflowing with blood.
CRACK!!!
His upper body began to pass through the narrow gap.
From his abdomen, to his chest.
Bit by bit, compressed into a 5-centimeter space.
"Gack—"
Gao Hai began to vomit.
Uncontrollably, he began to vomit from his mouth.
Torn flesh, pieces of organs, and bone fragments were all expelled from his mouth.
Like clumps of meat filling for dumplings, the fragments spewed from Gao Hai's mouth, splattering everywhere.
Like squeezing toothpaste, he was slowly forced through.
Until his entire abdomen had been squeezed through the narrow gap.
Until his entire chest cavity had been completely forced into the narrow gap.
Then his neck, and then it was his head's turn.
With a final explosive pop, Gao Hai's consciousness finally dissipated.
And what he saw in his last moment were the mangled bodies all around him, each one flattened into a person less than five centimeters tall.
And that thing, watching him until the very end, laughing at him with a 'hee hee hee hee.'
Everything fell silent in the darkness.
And amidst that pile of pulped flesh, the black watch, which for some reason had not sustained any damage, began to move its hands slowly at this moment.
Click—
After a crisp sound, the hand moved from the 2, once again arriving at the 3.
________________________________________
Get rewarded for helping with our community goals!
🎯 Reward for all: +1 bonus chapter at 50 Powerstones.
🚀 Tier Reward: Help us reach 20 members for +5 chapters on all stories!
👻 Join the crew by searching Ms. Medusa on (P). You know the spot! 😉