Escaping the Mystery Hotel - Chapter 443
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EP.443 Episode 443 – Room 206, The Cursed Room – ‘The Demon King Resurrects After 100 Days’ Re (8)
Episode 443 – Room 206, The Cursed Room – ‘The Demon King Resurrects After 100 Days’ Re (8)
– Kim Ari
Five days have passed since the death of Leon Kadyrov was announced.
We also received the sad news that the mayor had taken Mukseong with him during his death.
And today, we gathered at Elena’s house early in the morning.
“The actions of the poet were as the market predicted.”
Thanks to her position as a second-class director, Eunsol can easily meet Songi, so news comes quickly.
Even if that’s not the reason, I’m usually the one talking the most in meetings.
“They say that shortly after, he came to Songi as if nothing had happened.”
“It looks like Songi heard some pretty groundbreaking information. The next scenario came out!”
Gain’s ‘Understanding the Scenario’ had stopped updating for several days.
When the next stage appears, it means that the previous stage has been cleared.
“Oh, really? What did you say?”
“Out of nowhere, they told me to go to the ‘Deepest Part of Paradise’… Let’s hear Songi’s story first.”
Sijo talked to Songi for a long time and told her the history of paradise.
“It didn’t feel like he was lecturing from a history book, but more like a very old man reminiscing. That’s why all sorts of stories came out.”
“It would have been fun if we all listened to it together.”
Among them, there were many interesting but fundamentally useless stories.
“It’s hard to believe that Leon Kadyrov had quite a colorful womanizing before he became mayor.”
There was also a crazy story about the Kadyrov family having three generations of children killing their parents.
“Oh, by the way, the sijo told Songi to find a husband quickly. He said she should have a child quickly to continue the family line.”
“Huh!”
“Gain, it would be fun if you confessed to me one more time.”
“…”
It might be important to the ancestors, but it means nothing to us.
Of course, these weren’t the only trivial stories that came up.
“There was also a story about the depths of paradise. In fact, the poem only mentioned it in passing, so Song-i was confused as to whether it was important or not, but thanks to understanding the scenario, it became clear.”
It is rare for information to come to us in exactly the way we need it.
Usually, it is gathered in a chaotic manner like a confusing data set, so we have to select what information is important.
Understanding scenarios is a useful skill in this regard.
The moment you obtain the keyword ‘Deep Paradise’, it will be updated and guide you to that location.
“Gain, you said you saw the indomitable opposite sex the first time, right?”
“yes.”
“The ‘depths of paradise’ that the poem speaks of and that are mentioned in the scenario understanding refers to a level lower than the place where the indomitable reason you saw is located.”
The Indomitable Reason itself lies beneath the city, but it lies even lower.
It is literally deep, below the city infrastructure that the Demon King’s cult used as its stronghold.
A world of complete darkness, with no electricity or even the slightest topography.
The closest place to the Demon King that can be physically approached.
It refers to a land where miracles live and breathe.
“They say that place is untouched by the influence of unwavering reason.”
“Hmm… This brings the number of places where you can use your superpowers to three. The outer world of paradise, the floating mansion at the top of paradise, and the depths of paradise.”
The reason why we must go to the depths of paradise is clear.
“According to the words of the founder, long ago there was an organization called the ‘Society of Reason.’ They built a research institute and other facilities on top of the remains of the Demon King that fell to Earth and studied him.”
Office of the 206th, the Society of Reason.
Gain nodded.
“Then, there must be many records of the Society of Reason studying the Demon King in the depths of Paradise. So, are you telling me to go to the depths?”
“maybe.”
Jincheol, who had been listening, raised his hand.
“What kind of organization is that? Is that organization still intact?”
“They say that things were fine in the early days of Paradise’s history. Researchers in the deepest parts of the city periodically contacted the city’s ruling class to secure supplies and human resources.”
“That sounds like it’s ruined now.”
“According to the words of the founder, it has been over 100 years since contact with the depths was lost.”
100 years is the time when even the few survivors would have all died of old age.
“Oh my… Then what is the state of the depths of paradise?”
“I don’t know. Even before we lost contact, the depths of Paradise were a hellish place. It was close to the Demon King in terms of location, but it was also beyond the range of unyielding reason.”
“Oh my!”
“So the city’s ruling class sealed off the deep and upper paradise layers with superalloy and concrete.”
We have to go to such places on our own feet.
To obtain research materials on the Demon King left behind by the Association of Reason.
“Do you remember what I said before? What suppresses the Demon King is humanity itself, built within the city on the pieces of the Demon King scattered across the stars. However, a city cannot be built overnight.”
So before building paradise, the association succeeded in suppressing the Demon King through separate means.
“There must be a story about the Demon King’s weakness that we can exploit underground. Maybe Miro or Pero are also in that location.”
“It’s possible. The labyrinth appeared when the Demon King was resurrected.”
*
Thanks to the information Songi obtained, the destination was decided.
Therefore, the question remains as to who will go to the depths of paradise.
At this point, Eunsol hesitated slightly.
“It’s not directly related, but since my grandfather collapsed, I’m saying this, but I think the deeper part is… .”
So I just opened my mouth.
“I think a lot of the people who go down will die. Let’s assume half of them will die.”
The surroundings became quiet at those words, but no one objected.
If you’ve been conquering the Room of Curses for a long time, you’ll naturally start to feel like ‘this is a crisis!’
That feeling warned me now.
The Paradise Depths are said to be one of the biggest challenges in Room 206.
Even if you think logically without this feeling, you will reach the same conclusion.
A dark world with no maps or anything like that, and no idea what kind of monsters exist.
A land where electricity, and even the bare minimum of security, cannot be guaranteed.
A hell that even the rationality that has protected the world for a long time cannot withstand.
It would be stranger if we all went to a place like this and came out alive together.
“You know this place? Only some of you should go. Those who want to leave, leave.”
While my colleagues hesitated, unable to bring themselves to tell me that I would be leaving, I chose it.
“Song-i isn’t here, but of course she should be. She’s like the king in chess.”
If Songi dies, there will be no way to control the city.
It is similar to the role of the emperor played by Seungyeop in episode 205.
“Elena, wouldn’t it be better to leave? The enemy underground is not human, so justice is useless. And the scale of sinister imagination is too large by nature.”
Sinister imaginations are difficult to control in their power, but in places like the depths of paradise, the danger seemed great.
If you destroy the building recklessly and the Demon King research data inside disappears, it will be a big problem.
“That, that is, if I use my power carefully -”
“There are also the problems that Miss Ari pointed out, and Miss Elena is too famous. If she were to die carelessly, something difficult to handle on the ground could happen.”
When Sang-Hyeon said this, Elena also agreed.
But, in my opinion, Sang-Hyeon, who said that, should remain.
“Sang-Hyeon, it would be better for you to stay above.”
“Huh? Are you serious?”
Although he is not as good as Cha Jin-cheol, Kim Sang-hyun is also a martial artist.
That’s why he reacted as if he didn’t know how to get out of a dangerous place like the deep sea.
I looked back at everyone and emphasized once again.
“Many people who go to the depths of paradise have a high chance of dying. That means that the escape must be done well by those who remain above, not those who go underground.”
Ga-in nodded as if she understood what I meant.
“Do we need to leave a lot of power above?”
“That’s right. It would be a problem if Jincheol and Sanghyeon, who are both good at physical combat, died underground.”
Since Sang-Hyeon is a ‘second-class citizen’, he has more room to move in the upper class.
Lastly, I saw Cain.
“You must stay.”
“…”
As if she had guessed, Gain didn’t give any specific answer.
Gain’s biggest role in this episode is to recharge the sacred sun.
If you recover the power of ‘pseudo-descent’ during this process, you may be able to escape again in a similar way to the first time.
It is an irreplaceable role and something that can only be done in paradise.
What about Eunsol?
I thought about it, but I think you should come down with us.
As a second-class officer and Song-i’s confidant, there were many roles he could play on the ground… .
Beyond that, Eunsol is absolutely necessary in the depths where monsters abound.
Because it certainly seemed like there would be monsters that would shake the human mind.
The only legacy that can properly protect a colleague who is vulnerable to mental attacks like Cha Jin-cheol is Eun-sol’s flute.
In this way, it was decided who would go down to the basement.
Jincheol stood up and clapped his hands, perhaps feeling good because he finally had something to work on.
“Then, Ari, and Noona, are we going together? Let’s get ready! Song-i and Sang-hyun will take the equipment like the night vision goggles -”
I missed one.
“Seungyeop should go too.”
“What?”
“yes?”
Those words surprised not only Cha Jin-cheol but also Seung-yeop, who was next to him.
Could it be because Seungyeop often naturally got involved in things that seemed dangerous?
Or, it could be because Seungyeop was absent from most of the work in episode 205, which was relatively recent.
“Think about it. What would a parentless little kid do upstairs? He should be the living canary in the basement. Don’t you know how to be an early warning system?”
In a dangerous place with no information, there is no skill more important than luck.
Three days later, we descended into the depths via a mechanical elevator to a secret location that had been used by the researchers of the Society many years ago.
Fortunately, nothing ridiculous happened, such as the elevator breaking down during the descent and everyone suddenly dying.
*
…
…
…
The world is filled with darkness as the electricity goes out and all lights disappear.
It must have been like that before we came down.
Now, four lights are dispelling the darkness.
“Jincheol.”
“ari.”
“Eunsol.”
“Seungyeop.”
Periodic survival report time.
Fortunately, everyone seems to be okay for now.
When we were planning, we thought about reducing the light and noise because there were so many strange beings, but as soon as we got down there, we realized that it was impossible.
This is because there wasn’t enough light, there wasn’t any at all, so the night vision goggles didn’t work properly.
Because of this, I had to turn on the lamp on top of my helmet.
Moreover, when four people are walking and bumping into each other, talking about reducing noise is just empty talk.
“What, what is this?”
“…isn’t it a car?”
The object Seungyeop was pointing at was covered in sticky moss or something similar.
But the shape of the rusty lump of iron clearly resembled a small car.
At that time, Eunsol warned.
“Jincheol, take three steps back.”
“uh?”
Jincheol stepped back and shined his headlamp at what Eunsol had pointed out.
A rusty lump of iron, something like a trap.
“Is there something like this on the roadside?”
“They say there was something worth catching in a trap wandering along the roadside.”
“…”
Eunsol looked around in silence for a moment.
He’s the only one of us who doesn’t wear night vision goggles, but he sees more than anyone else.
“Wow… what a strange place.”
“In what way?”
“Overall, it’s a place similar to an underground city.”
“Because it must have actually been an underground city.”
“It looks like it was destroyed not long ago.”
“Sister?”
For a moment I couldn’t understand what he was saying.
According to the poem, it has been over 100 years since the depths of paradise lost contact with the upper levels.
“There are corpses hanging here and there. Not bones, but chunks of intact flesh.”
“…”
It is normal for the flesh of a corpse to not last even a year, let alone a hundred years.
“Ahead of me, about 200m ahead. There’s something like a streetlight, and there’s a person hanging from it like a cross. Judging by his expression, he looks like he died in a very… painful manner.”
Even though I turned on the headlamp, I was amazed at how Eunsol’s eyes could read the expression on the body 200 meters away in the darkness.
“Next to him… No. Anyway, from now on, I’ll be standing in front.”
“Sister, is there anything moving? A huge building or something?”
“Well… Let’s take a closer look. I’m not sure yet, Seungyeop.”
“yes?”
“I don’t know where to go.”
“yes?”
“Take a picture.”
“Uh, uh -”
“Don’t think, just take the picture.”
“Oh, right!”
“Okay. Let’s go right.”
While the other colleagues were talking, I bent down and swept the floor with my protective gloves.
A smooth, viscous liquid.
It seems like something was secreted from the body of a living creature.
and….
“Everyone, be careful.”
Is it because my sense of smell is a little more sensitive than my colleagues?
I’ve been smelling an unidentifiable sour smell for a while now.
Suddenly, I wondered how many people would be able to get out of here alive.