Rescue Fantasy (31)
"......"
"......"
The situation seemed clear. The so-called Paradise's Gate was, in reality, the gateway to hell—used to burn and kill discarded child test subjects.
'... Then the smell of ashes I'd noticed...'
It meant I had smelled the traces of sacrificed children who had been confined here and subjected to mysterious experiments. Celestia had a similar realization and covered her mouth with her hand, as if just imagining it made her sick.
I had seen plenty of dead bodies and corpses of monsters until now. But the fact that children were burned alive felt entirely different.
"We need to look into this place more. We need to find out what we're missing."
"You... want to go back to the incinerator?"
"Yes."
For what purpose, and how were things carried out? Were there more victims? Why was this place so deserted? If anyone had escaped, where did they go? I decided it would be best to start again from the incinerator room where we first entered.
By re-examining the things I had previously overlooked, based on the new information I acquired, I believed the secrets surrounding this place could be unraveled.
Celestia agreed, saying she had wanted to do so anyway. Together, we left the room and headed around a corner back to the incinerator.
It goes without saying—but nothing much had changed. After all, we'd arrived here not long ago, and only Celestia and I were wandering this suspicious laboratory.
But things looked quite different now. I scanned every corner with a sharp gaze and recalled the holographic message that had appeared at the door.
It said the place was closed in accordance with security procedures, and warned not to open it under any circumstances. Inside were the damaged war robots, the Hercules models.
I took a closer look at the broken-down robots, inspecting their damaged parts. They looked to have been pierced by something sharp and hard. Judging by the size of the holes, it didn't seem that thick.
It was a little thinner than the black spikes the Mimic shot as weapons.
'... They said 'horns', didn't they...'
According to a memo left by a child named Trina, if your body mutated, you'd be disposed of. Transformation or mutation. The word "horns" had been used, but it was unlikely they were literal horns. It had been written from a child's perspective, after all.
It could be something horn-shaped, or perhaps just one of multiple possible forms. And even if they were horns, they wouldn't be ordinary ones.
'... Could it be that the child who was about to be thrown into the incinerator went berserk and destroyed all the robots?'
I couldn't tell if it was Trina or a child after her who did this. I shared my hypothesis with Celestia, who nodded, saying she was thinking the same thing.
"Hyun-woo, if all our assumptions are correct, the holes over there might not be from roots but from the test subject who destroyed these robots."
"Traces of an escape, huh..."
I examined the deep pit. Just like she said, it could have been created during the escape of a berserk test subject. A single, U-shaped pit wasn't something you saw every day.
But if someone had escaped, there weren't really any signs of fighting outside. If there had been such a commotion here, it would be unlikely that simply digging a pit led to a successful escape.
'Maybe they came back inside and destroyed the interior, or maybe there are more traces beyond the wreckage we haven't seen.'
My eyes unconsciously turned to the grinder. The thought that this was where the children had died only made the already uncomfortable feeling even stronger.
We left the incinerator and searched for other laboratories. Under flickering lights, we opened the doors of other closed laboratories and inspected the interiors.
There were no more memos left by children. All the data had been wiped, so there was nothing special to find. Bloodstains were spattered everywhere, but there wasn't a single corpse.
Nor were there any mutants I'd expected to find inside. It was as if everything had been deliberately erased.
Judging from the size of the facility, there must have been quite a few residents. Where did all those people evacuate to? Did not a single person fail to escape? I couldn't tell.
'All we found out is that there are similar labs all over the place.'
As I kept searching the surroundings for any dropped personal terminals, I stopped Celestia, who was about to move ahead.
"Celestia, don't rush. We'll check everything even if it takes time."
"... Okay."
Celestia accepted that she'd been acting impatiently and let out a short sigh. She slowed her pace, but she still seemed in a hurry—anxious, because she thought her brother might be here.
"We haven't explored the whole place yet. There could be unknown dangers."
She nodded silently. I checked my equipment, including a military greatsword, making sure I could respond immediately if anything jumped out.
Since it was military-grade, the blade was longer than usual. When powered up, it would glow red-hot, looking powerful at a glance.
We spent quite some time scouring the lab, but we couldn't get any notable information. The data had been erased thoroughly. I even checked what seemed to be a training area.
Where the facility's power was sufficient, a laser-firing device started malfunctioning, shooting lasers everywhere. It was too dangerous to enter.
'There's no way there's nothing.'
I still couldn't shake the feeling that Lobelia didn't drop us here for nothing. After all, we'd discovered evidence of some experiments.
"Celestia, how about we leave here for now and look somewhere else? There can't be only one or two places like this, right?"
There were no hidden spaces, and we hadn't checked the entire floor.
"Are you thinking of going lower?"
"Yes, there's a Level 6, so why not a Level 7? And earlier, in the control room, it showed that energy was being sent elsewhere too."
"Alright. Let's go."
We chose not to exit through the pit in the incinerator. That had only been taken because the other way was blocked, and since we had come in already, there was no need to take it to leave. We could just go through the main entrance.
Eventually, we made it outside and saw Hercules robots scattered at the entrance. They seemed to have been involved in a fight as well, but all their cores were pierced, and they had stopped functioning.
The smell of ash was even stronger—like we had entered a smoky fog. As we proceeded, several forks in the path appeared.
Celestia hesitated about which way to go, but I was able to choose right away.
"That way?"
"Yes. The smell is stronger there."
"Smell...?"
"The smell of ash. Burnt-out."
Celestia looked like she didn't understand. She muttered about how absurd that basis for a decision was, but didn't hesitate—simply following. It was as if even the time spent deliberating was a waste.
As we went further down, we grew more convinced there was a Level 7 sector. With every step, we grew more determined, and naturally, our conversation dwindled.
My nose started feeling numb from the strength of the ashen smell. Celestia was caught between the conflicting feelings of hope and anxiety that she might find her brother.
Whether they used the original sewage layout for security or had unknown alternate routes, the path was quite complicated.
There were sharp turns, sections where we had to submerge, and collapsed ceilings or massive plant roots blocking the way. We forced our way through those obstructions.
How long had we walked like that?
SB-LV7.
The floor we were skeptical even existed appeared before us, accompanied by the mysterious term 'Malchuth.' It looked like this was the real thing.
When I opened the door, a place that looked like a research lab appeared immediately, and the decades-old dust overwhelmed us.
"... So this is where all the bodies were."
I unconsciously muttered as I took in the scene. There had to be hundreds of corpses lying here, as if sleeping.
Even Celestia, who had been pushed by impatience and anxiety, couldn't bring herself to step inside after seeing that. The scene was just that grotesque.
In a trembling voice, Celestia asked,
"Why are they all here? If they were going to escape, they should have gone the other way."
"No idea."
Maximizing the respirator on my mask, I inspected the dead. As before, their bracelets were pointless. Still, I took the bracelet of the one who looked highest in rank, just in case.
Their expressions were extremely peaceful. Even though some had started to become skeletal, it was as if they had just died, or even just fallen asleep. That really nagged at me, especially since they were clearly dead.
Judging by their clothes and bodies, they seemed to be pureblood supremacists, and it appeared they had come here without resistance. Docilely, voluntarily, as if under some kind of trance.
'Tranced?'
Could this have been the work of a Whiteout or Blackout? It seemed quite some time had passed. Did that mean Lobelia and the twin mutants had been here all along?
It wasn't strange. These guys had been hiding for a hundred years. They had probably undertaken many secret activities before the current crisis broke out. After all, hadn't we just discovered indications of children being used as test subjects?
'If this happened because they were entranced, we need to be cautious.'
This could have happened to us, too. I drew my plasma cutter and stayed alert. There was nothing registering on my scanner. Surprisingly, all the abandoned and damaged facilities were still running.
Celestia was right—this must be the suspicious power drain she'd noticed before.
A secret research lab belonging to the pureblood supremacist group. Was this what people meant when they said 'it's darkest under the lamp', or had the group itself been the lamp all along? Either way, it was unpleasant.
Given there had been a traitor inside a robot production facility, it seemed infiltration had occurred beforehand, but building a facility like this at the deepest level of the Heaven Mine Base was on a whole different scale.
In such cases, I had to assume the SSTC and the pureblood supremacist group were working together, and that there were some ignorant outsiders mixed in—with the purpose of camouflage.
"Hyun-woo, over there."
Celestia pulled on my wrist and pointed to the left. Where the thing we needed most was, a holographic sign floated.
〈Record Archive〉 「In accordance with security procedures, all stored data will be deleted. ERROR. Power interrupted. Emergency generator activation failed. Due to a critical error, the process could not be completed. After resolving the issue, the administrator must immediately proceed with data deletion.」
We headed for the archive. The inside was surprisingly clean, unlike the bizarre mood outside—aside from some broken panels.
As if to prove it was an important storage location, there was more than one data terminal, glowing with a bluish light.
There were no rotting corpses inside, and closing the door made the rear relatively safe, so we each took a terminal. Celestia disabled the security on the one I would use.
Since this was a secret lab of the pureblood supremacist group, my own access rights weren't even close to sufficient. It felt like raising my clearance had only helped that one time when I did it.
'Which really is the case.'
Still, it couldn't hurt, so I planned to raise it to supervisor-rank if possible. Thinking that, I began typing on the panel. Unlike higher floors, some data actually remained.
Just as I was about to start searching the terminal properly—
"Hyun-woo, there's some research data left. I'll share it, let's look together."
Celestia tapped her panel a few times and spoke to me. She'd already found it, while I was just getting started. For now, I decided to check what she had found.
「We obtained a portion of the First Root. It contained the power of the Holy Tree, and even though it was only a small part, the effect was powerful. With this, we carried out various experiments.」
「Subjects continued to die due to rejection responses. Fortunately, we did gain something. We discovered that each individual had a different assimilation ratio, and that rejection responses varied accordingly. We divided these into seven stages.」
「Stage 1. Blue crystal forms in the body. While related to mutation, the formation alone doesn't cause mutation. It is merely a starting point.
Stage 2. Physical transformation begins. The subject develops a craving for blue crystal due to insufficient power for the intended mutation. Aggression increases dramatically, and regenerative ability is greatly enhanced.
Stage 3. Occurs simultaneously with stage 2. The direction of possibilities diverges when blending with organic or inorganic matter, modifying forms to better suit survival.
Stage 4 is the creation of a cocoon. We called it a bud. It's a kind of crossroads. The subject can either enhance specific features or move to a new stage.
Stage 5. Appearance and special abilities are established. It is considered stabilized upon being granted a name by the Holy Tree. This could mean meeting the conditions of becoming a 'Pure Existence'.
From this stage onward, further experimentation is almost impossible for now. The time hasn't come yet. Instead, we focused on finding ways to drastically shorten the bud formation process.
Ultimately, our goal is to transform into a Pure Existence and become a true member of the Age of Purity.」
「With each stage, we found a special energy that amplified. An energy that allows for artificial wonders. We named it psychic or psionic. When gear containing rare metals is used, this power is maximized. Naturally, rejection reactions also intensify. Those who fail to move to the next stage become nutrients for others.」
「Test subjects with a low assimilation ratio couldn't withstand the power and were all disposed of. Under normal circumstances, it was impossible to move beyond the fifth stage. Does this mean only the chosen can become Pure Existences?
That cannot be. Doubt is not what we need. We just need more data. We will continue experimentation until we get meaningful results.」
「Further analysis of unrefined blue crystal revealed something well-known: the relic of the Holy Tree distorts the user's mind. It's also widely hinted that if soaked in blood, it turns red.
Megacorps never understood what it truly meant for the crystal to react to blood. It's not just some simple property. It seeks out life. It doesn't have to be human blood. The effect is highest with it, but it's not the only way.
They distorted the results that synthesize blue crystal artificially is inefficient. It isn't a matter of efficiency; the raw stones themselves are made after absorbing countless lives.
There is some evidence that native life once existed here, but we have never seen them alive. It's related to that.
The tree sleeping beneath the stars was in a kind of dormant state, and I heard the facility was built surrounding it—as if it were sealed. But if so, who sealed it in the first place?
When the first survey team discovered the tablet—(data deleted).
Refined blue crystal has lost its malevolent qualities. We pride ourselves on being civilized with science, but ironically, we can only use such expressions.
A Pure Existence is presumed to be a kind of energy state—a kind of soul. There is no proof that it truly exists. Our goal is to create a Pure Existence and prove it. Additionally—(data deleted).」
「A new test subject with very high assimilation ratio has arrived. There was apparently quite a commotion bringing them here, but that's not our concern. The moment you arrive here, your fate is sealed anyway.」
「We finally succeeded in manifesting a portion of a miracle. The power realized through special energy, we named supernatural power. It is a miraculous power that can grant its user's desire, even if it completely violates the laws of nature.
We have taken a step ahead into the unknown. Our cause will soon be fulfilled. May the Holy Tree's grace be with us.」
"They said they wanted a miracle. Just how many people did they...?"
I couldn't finish my sentence. The research records were endlessly horrifying, and among them was the truth about the blue crystal, about which we'd always been curious.
So blue crystal itself was a dangerous mineral—a byproduct made from the Holy Tree venerated by the pureblood supremacists. They said once refined, it was just usable energy, but since this was all written by the supremacists, my unease didn't go away.
'Psychic? Psionic?'
I couldn't take my eyes off the word "supernatural power" they used. Was it the same 'core power' that Cystus and Lobelia had talked about?
I had experienced firsthand that the buds had special abilities. I'd thought things like the Blue Kid's beam attack or the twins' mind control were just manifestations of the overflowing energy of blue crystal, but apparently, this was a different kind of power.
They'd just naturally assumed I should be able to use this power. That suggested I was associated with the pureblood supremacist group and, most likely, had been one of the test subjects meant to awaken that power.
But I still had no real sense of what exactly that power was.
'Just scaring the ghouls?'
When I drove off the ghouls at the refinery—that was the only strange thing I had experienced. That, and my being abnormally tough compared to others.
'And... what about a soul?'
Everything in my head was tangled. I knew intellectually that the world had been upended by events that seemed supernatural, but my mind's comprehension hadn't caught up with mere recognition. Reality itself felt as if it had become a mystery.
Does the Holy Tree really have a tree's form, and is that why it's called a tree?
If the blue crystal ore was made by absorbing countless lives, does that mean there was a civilization before us?
Are we, too, walking the same path as that vanished civilization?
Even just glimpsing the fragments of truth, we were overwhelmed trying to process the incoming information. While I stood, grave-faced, Celestia finished extracting more data from her terminal.
"Hyun-woo, did you find anything?"
"I..."
Trailing off, I glanced at my panel. The screen was different from the one Celestia had used: just a blank field, making it seem as if there was a search function. Maybe it was a personnel database.
Nothing to lose, so I tried typing in the name of the person Celestia was looking for. The moment I typed 'Ian', a red warning popped up.
「Search not available. Access to this file is denied.」
Celestia's eyes widened at the unexpected outcome. The result wasn't "not found" but 'access denied'.
That was obvious proof there was relevant data.
She hurried forward and took over the panel from me, security screens popping up and vanishing with each tap.
In no time, the security screens disappeared, and the name I had entered reappeared.
「Ian Myosotis.」
As I saw the words next to it, I involuntarily caught my breath. Then, Celestia saw what I saw.
「Status: Disposed.」
"... What?"
Celestia's body froze as she belatedly understood the meaning of 'disposed'.
It didn't take long for her legs to give out.
-------------= Clacky's Corner -------------=
They probably disposed the original body and moved his sealed memory to Hyun-woo.
【ദ്ദി(⩌ᴗ⩌)】