STGB Chapter 618

Episode 618: Golden Return (1)

The space that appeared at the end of the approximately 3m long passage was similar to a control room.

Rectangular glass fills the walls, through which the current status of all locations within the building is shown in real time.

Also….

‘There are a lot of control keys.’

There are so many buttons and levers that you might think an airplane cockpit would be like this.

“Yandel.”

Soon, I turned my head at Amelia’s call, and on one screen I saw the room where our exploration group members were trapped.

‘…This is why I couldn’t find it even though I looked for it.’

There was no door to the room they were trapped in.

However, since there are dozens of rails going in and out, it seems that it is only possible to go back and forth through the rails…

‘I now know roughly what I had to do to get to that room.’

Most likely, to find that place, you would have to get on the right rail and move in the correct order.

It’s like a mini game where you have to solve a puzzle.

‘…There was something like that at the end of the 10th floor.’

Even thinking about it again, it was a really vicious part.

This is a part that requires multiple attempts, but if you fail, the maximum cost is the annihilation of your party.

Honestly, I don’t know if it’s the 3rd or 4th floor, but isn’t it unconscionable to have that part on the 10th floor?

“Luckily, it looks like he came back safely.”

“huh?”

“Those who were taken out before me. It is said that there is a high possibility that it was transformed into a magic stone in the underground space. “Now I see that everyone is back in good condition.”

“ah!”

Then, when I looked closely at the screen, I saw that all the members who were thought to be missing, along with Amelia, were standing in the room unharmed.

“So what do we do now?”

I had a moment to think about Amelia’s question.

Lots of buttons and levers.

If you operate these well, I think you can save your colleagues from this situation…

“For now, don’t press anything and just stay still.”

Since I didn’t know the identity of these buttons, it was difficult to try them carelessly. That’s because it would be a big problem if there was a button to emit poisonous gas and destroy it.

“Do I… think it’s you?”

“I said that just in case. just wondering. Now, let’s start by pressing the one over there.”

“…You said not to press anything?”

“But you have to press something to find out anything, right?”

Afterwards, Amelia and I investigated step by step, starting with the control room, to find out about this place.

I sequentially pressed the buttons furthest from the screen that was broadcasting the room where my colleagues were, and through this, I learned one thing.

Buttons below the screen affect where the screen is captured.

Once I realized this, I was able to press various buttons and levers more boldly and soon figured out the purpose of most of my buttons.

‘If you press the red button, the rail will stop, the green button will restart the rail, and if you pull the left lever, the rail will move in reverse order…’ If

you pull the right lever, the screen on the screen will change and you will be able to control the area, etc. Buttons and levers had a variety of uses.

However, the problem is that there are a total of three buttons and levers whose identities are still unknown…

‘What on earth is that?’

I was unable to check the buttons and levers because they were located in the center of the room rather than under the screen.

Should I say that it is not unusual just by looking at it?

According to my prediction, they seem to be devices that somehow affect the entire building…

“If you’re looking for a way to get to that room, the fastest way would be to turn someone into a magic stone and then follow them.”

I laughed out loud at Amelia’s advice.

I think people don’t do it because they don’t know about it.

“It is absolutely impossible. “First of all, it doesn’t seem to be life-threatening, but I don’t know what side effects there may be.”

“Then I guess I’ll just have to keep waiting like now.”

Well, it wasn’t a bad choice.

Although there is a disadvantage of having to wait patiently to see when each person will come out, if you adopt this method, you will be able to get them all at some point.

This is assuming that the current situation continues.

“Or you can find it yourself.”

“You’re looking for it yourself?”

“okay.”

When I checked the underground factory through the screen earlier, there were already more than 20 people gathered there.

It might be much faster if you stop all the rails in the building and have everyone go directly into the rails to search.

“More than anything, we need to find that room so we can search that room, right? “There might be something hidden in that room.”

“Well… we came here to explore.”

“Yeah, we haven’t found out anything yet.”

Escape from this temple is easy.

I just have to leave where I came in.

But what is our purpose here?

Now it’s time to escape the boring basement level and return to the city. But right now, I couldn’t find a way to leave this rainbow island.

“It makes sense when you say that.”

There was no need to hesitate as long as there was a consensus.

Amelia and I started pressing buttons in earnest to disable the rails in the entire building.

Then, they went down to the basement together, joined the main unit, and explained and implemented what they had discovered so far and their future plans.

One day, two days, three days, four days…

Under Amelia’s direction, the days continue to steadily create a structure diagram of the rails, which are entangled and tangled like an anthill.

“Everyone, take a copy of the map! “It’s an update to yesterday’s standards!”

“I checked this way all the way, but it just ended up coming back down this side of the road. “I’ll check the other side today.”

This is a desirable situation where everyone joins forces and moves towards one goal.

And now I was watching it on the screen in the control room on the top floor.

I heard a report that a moving rail was discovered during the exploration, so I came to check…

‘What, I think it was definitely turned off at that time?’

It wasn’t very difficult to find the problematic rail and disable it again.

But the problem is…

crackling crackling –

Just as I was about to go down again, all the screens suddenly turned black.

And…

[Would you like to talk for a moment?]

An unfamiliar voice began to come from beyond.

***

An ancient word meaning to have a conversation.

At the same time, a rainbow-colored cluster of lights appears on the screen in the exact center.

[Don’t worry. I have no intention of harming you.]

Every time you speak, a cluster of light expands here and there like a rubber ball according to the wavelength.

It’s not some kind of AI.

How should we accept this situation where a mysterious entity has attempted to communicate through the screen?

[Marx, it’s been a while since you too. I am relieved to see that you are doing well.]

While I was worrying, a mysterious being sent a greeting to someone.

“Marx?”

[Could it be… you mean me?]

As I tilted my head, Hamsik looked at the screen and asked carefully.

[Oh, now that I think about it, you don’t even know who you are or why you’re here? That was your wish.]

[What are you talking about? Do you know me?]

[Of course.]

In response to the positive answer, Hamsik grabbed my hair tightly.

It seemed like he couldn’t come to his senses due to the sudden situation.

So, in times like this, it’s your friend’s turn to step forward.

“I know it’s nice to meet you, but why don’t you introduce yourself first? “Who are you?”

[Director of Research Institute. If you need a title to call me, please call me that.]

“The director of the research institute is long, and I’ll just call him director.”

[Do whatever you want.]

I just threw this out there to find out his tendencies, but the response was weaker than I expected.

I don’t know who that guy is, but it feels like he doesn’t really care about his name.

“Then, Director, tell me now. “If he appeared in front of us, there must be a good reason, right?”

Rather than finding out who the warden was, I first asked about his purpose. This was the most important aspect when dealing with unfamiliar people.

What is this guy’s goal?

However, unfortunately, the director responded to the same letter.

[Has that friend of the centurion been doing well?]

“…Captain of the centurion?”

[There are things you can know even if you are stuck here. Didn’t you meet that friend a while ago?]

Intuitively, through that question, I was able to figure out who the ‘centurion leader’ meant.

The very being we met in a mysterious space after defeating the fearlord Dreadfear.

“…What the hell are you guys?”

[It is a pitiful being who has received both a blessing and a curse. The same goes for that friend of Marx.]

“You mean you have no intention of telling me.”

[Don’t be impatient. Because you will definitely reach the truth someday.]

Somehow, the comment was similar to that of the centurion.

The difference is that the centurion had a questionable tone, wondering if I could figure it out, while the warden had a confident tone.

[But I can give you at least a clue. That friend of Marx happens to be next to you at the same time.]

“A clue?”

[Before I start talking, I will ask you a question first. Marx Do you want to know your past? I’ll tell you in advance, the reason you lost your memory right now was all at your request.]

Hamsik’s body trembled at the warden’s question.

But that time wasn’t long.

[I want to know.]

In response to Hamsik’s answer, the group of lights on the screen began to move.

[This place where you are now is a research lab named Pantelion. It was an underground organization that was secretly operated by the empire in the past.]

Hamsik was talking about it, but why did he mention the research institute?

It was a little strange, but for now, I listened without stopping.

Hamsik also said that he had been here before.

[The Empire had only one purpose in establishing this research institute. To create a biological weapon more loyal and powerful than any other soldier.]

[For this purpose, numerous wizards and scholar alchemists gathered to read and experiment with all the knowledge in the world. However, the research results were always insufficient.]

[The situation changed after witches appeared in the world. A war of unprecedented scale broke out, and the empire also caught fire.]

[All the talented people of the empire gathered at the research institute, and more support than ever before was concentrated. And above all, the number of new test subjects has increased.]

[Monsters that could only be obtained in small quantities under the agreement are coming in by the thousands every day. Among them, there were monsters created by witches. Pantelion’s research has made tremendous progress in a short period of time.]

As if closed eyes were opening, the light on the screen flickered greatly.

[One of the test subjects gathered like that was you, Marx.]

[I was… the test subject…?]

[Yes. You were captured in this laboratory and subjected to harsh experiments. That is, until the witch who had been indebted to you in the past comes and attacks with an army.]

[…So, I was freed thanks to the witch?]

[No, I wasn’t released. Because you lost your life in the process.]

[Died? But why am I here?]

[This probably means that your death meant that much to the witch. It is so deeply embedded in my mind that it cannot be erased.]

[No, that means I don’t know that! What does that have to do with me!]

The director still answered in a mechanical voice to Hamsik’s shout.

[You said this as you died in the witch’s arms. If there is a land of dawn that you are talking about, I would like to live there reading books in peace without losing all my memories.]

This is the entire story of Hamsik as told by the director.

Soon the warden continued speaking.

[I am also in a similar situation to you. Although I made many mistakes when I was a human… I eventually got a chance to atone for the witch.]

Obviously, the dry tone of speech will remain the same.

[But time changes everything.]

If it’s not my mood, it feels like my voice has changed for some reason.

[Isn’t that the same for you? In the end, I couldn’t stand it for that long and ended up leaving.]

[I just forced myself because of this guy.]

I quickly intervened before Hamsik lost the initiative to him.

“Okay, so what do you want to say?”

According to my big data, none of the people who talked like this were normal.

Isn’t this the one who showed up first in the first place?