The comments weren’t very nice.
—...I didn’t come here to watch you go into some sort of abandoned factory!
—Fuck, I’m going to leave if you don’t talk about the incident. Also, why is he wearing sunglasses again?
—Lmao! The maniac is back!
—Did you do it or not?
—Fucking answer. Agh, shit! This is so fucking annoying!
—I feel scammed.
I looked at my phone and put it away a moment later.
That was also the moment when I turned my attention towards the drone hovering right before me.
"You can all leave if you wish. I know a lot of you are interested in other things, but I’m not going to answer them. At least, not now. Perhaps, I might reveal a few things here and there during the stream. Who knows...?"
I suddenly paused.
"...There might even be a chance that something might happen during the stream that might give away the answer."
Since I didn’t have my phone with me, I couldn’t see the chat’s reactions firsthand. But judging from the startled yelp that came from Jamie’s side, I could tell whatever had just happened definitely made an impact.
I gave him a look, and he put the phone away.
"Ehm."
He cleared his throat, turning his attention towards the drone.
"Should I get started then? I think it’s best if I give a bit of a description of where we’re at, so that everyone has an idea of the setting of the place."
Clearing his throat again, Jamie started to give the background of the place.
"This place used to be part of Millwall Steel Production. Yeah, that Millwall. They’re still around, with three other plants running across Malovia Island, but this one’s different. This one shut down about ten years ago after a series of incidents that no one ever fully explained."
He tilted the drone upward, capturing the towering brick structure looming above us as we moved toward the main entrance. Weeds pushed through cracks in the pavement, and faded flyers clung to the walls, their edges fluttering in the breeze.
"Officially, it was labeled a ’containment failure’. A sort of industrial accident, gas leak, a couple of workers unaccounted for. But the weird part is that the company never demolished the site. They just fenced it off and left everything inside, like they planned to come back... but never did."
He walked slowly toward the main gate, boots crunching over gravel.
"Some locals call this place the Dead Forge . They say it still hums at night... like the machinery’s running underground, even though there’s no power feeding into it. And, uh..." he gave a nervous laugh, "some of the old staff swear that during the shutdown, the higher-ups were running some kind of ’experimental refining process.’ Something that had nothing to do with steel."
There was no questioning Jamie’s abilities.
The moment he spoke, he was able to capture a perfect picture of the situation. His tone was neither too fast nor too slow, and his voice was extremely controlled.
’He’s improved a lot since the last time I saw him.’
"Of course, all of these are rumors regarding the place. As many of you know, there have been others who have done streams in this area. Nothing has shown up just yet, but I’ve got a good feeling about this."
Jamie smiled wickedly as he rubbed his hands together.
"...We might just be able to find something absolutely earthshaking! Sit tight and watch the two of us do the exploring for you."
Jamie’s introduction stopped there.
For a moment, I was almost tempted to check my phone, but I decided not to. The comments were still probably going to be negative.
Still, Jamie’s introduction was praiseworthy.
’I’ll wait a little bit more before checking. I’m sure they’ll calm down after.’
I didn’t really care too much for the number of viewers. The goal wasn’t to have a large stream. It was more like... a sort of protection.
I was one of the cult’s main targets.
Normally, if someone were here, they’d try to stay quiet... erase any trace of themselves. But I was almost certain that this time was different. They knew I was here, and I could feel it. They wouldn’t go overboard and risk revealing too much, but they were definitely planning something.
That was my goal.
I planned on finding their true ’base’ this way.
’There’s also the compass that will help me, but I can’t guarantee it will lead me in the right direction.’
Of course, there was also the lamp I’d acquired a while back in the Hourglass gate.
That would help me identify footsteps.
’Not that I can show it to the viewers. I’ll have to be more subtle when using either item.’
"Okay, we’re about to enter."
The two of us came to a stop in front of a heavy white metal door, its surface streaked with rust and grime. A small, faded sign was bolted to the wall beside it, the letters barely legible under the dust and peeling paint.
===
MILLWALL STEEL PRODUCTION — FURNACE DISTRICT C
[Authorized Personnel Only]
===
Exchanging glances, Jamie reached for the doorknob before pulling.
Creeaaaaaak!
A long, strained sound that echoed through the empty yard and sent a faint shiver down my spine. Rust flaked off the hinges, scattering onto the ground like old ash.
A stale, metallic scent drifted out the moment the door opened. It was the kind that clung to the back of your throat.
The air inside was cold and stale.
Jamie lifted the drone higher, its light cutting through the dark. The beam revealed a narrow corridor stretching deep into the factory, the walls lined with rusted pipes and peeling paint. The floor was littered with metal fragments, cables, and something that looked suspiciously like dried soot.
"Christ."
Jamie muttered under his breath, his nose scrunching up.
"Smells like something died in here."
"You’re not wrong," I replied automatically. The sound of my voice bounced off the walls, distorted by the emptiness.
The air reeked. It was an awful mix of rotten and metal, layered with a thick, oily stench that clung to the back of my throat.
Besides the smell, there was also a thick silence.
For a second, there was nothing. Just the faint whir of the drone. Then, from somewhere deep within the factory, a low vibration rolled through the air. It wasn’t loud. It wasn’t even distinct. But it carried through the air, like the faint hum of a machine waking up after years of silence.
Jamie froze mid-step, his expression tightening.
"...Did you hear that?"
"I did."
My heart grew heavy. There was no denying the sound.
Jamie tried to laugh it off, but it came out strained.
"Guess that’s the hum the locals were talking about. Probably just some loose metal vibrating somewhere. Echoes travel weird in old places like this."
"Right..."
Deep down, I knew it wasn’t loose metal or whatever he was talking about.
The drone’s camera whirred softly as it adjusted, its light sweeping across the walls. Under the pale beam, faint black markings began to emerge. The sight made my breath come to a stop as long, curved lines carved into the surface, half-buried beneath years of grime and dust, became visible.
"Jamie..."
I said slowly, trying my best to keep myself calm.
"Move the light back for a second."
"Eh...? Sure?"
He did, and as the beam passed over the wall again, the carvings came into focus. Interlocking circles. A spiral. An eye made of rings.
My stomach dropped, and I took off the glasses for a moment.
Just to make sure I wasn’t seeing things. But glasses or not, the symbol remained.
’It’s that symbol...’
The one that had been following me for quite some time.
Jamie let out a quiet curse.
"This looks pretty fresh, doesn’t it?"
"....."
I didn’t reply, but there was no need to reply.
The symbol did indeed look fresh.
But soon, Jamie laughed.
"Kids... Ay."
He focused his attention back on the camera.
"Look at this, ya’ll. What do you think about this graffiti? It’s pretty unique, isn’t it?"
Jamie didn’t seem the least bit scared. To him, the symbol was probably just graffiti... something left behind by kids who’d snuck in for a thrill. But I knew better. This wasn’t some random drawing. Not at all.
This symbol...
’It’s a greeting.’
Rattle! Rattle!
The hum within the factory deepened for a moment, just enough to rattle the loose bolts along the doorframe, as if the building itself was reacting.
Jamie glanced at me, his face growing uneasy.
"What was that?"
I didn’t answer right away. I didn’t know myself. Instead, I looked deeper into the corridor, where the darkness seemed to pulse faintly in rhythm with that sound.
Eventually, my lips parted.
"I don’t know, but I guess we’ll soon find out."
Step—
I took a step towards the distant darkness.
For some reason, the moment I took a step forward, something within me stirred.
I couldn’t explain what it was, but it felt uncomfortable.